"Ha you got caught stealing by a kid," The woman said laughing at Amusei.
"Would you shut up," Amusei said angrily " I don't know how he sneaked behind me but I didn't hear a thing!"
"You've really stepped in it hear Amusei" the woman said chuckling.
"Luciana help me I can't kill him and I don't exactly want to go to jail again" Amusei said. He was desperate Leo could hear it in his voice.
"Well there's only one thing to do, tell him about it all" Lucinda said shrugging.
Leo mustered the courage to "say let me go" but the adults were to busy thinking. Leo was scared again if this was an adventure then Leo might change his mind and go back to his boring life.
"Ok, you ever heard of the grey fox?" Amusei asked. Leo nodded he was too intent on listening to talk. "Well he's real and he runs the thieves guild, " Amusei added.
"My well um… kind of guardian, Melinda, always seems to talk about the thieves guild but she never told me it was real. I thought it was just a story" Leo managed to say in one breath.
"Well kid its not and what you saw was me being a thief, " Amusei said looking at Leo straight in the face. "What race is you anyway kid its kind of hard to tell?" Amusei said examining Leo from head to toe.
"I'm a wood elf," Leo said in a proud voice. Leo didn't know much about himself, being a wood elf was one thing he new about himself.
"Explains being able to sneak so well" Amusei said to himself, " well Melinda who is she?"
He asked.
"She's a beggar, " Leo said, " and I'm suppose to be having a meal with her now at the Lonely Suitor Lodge" he added remembering that it was his birthday as well.
" If we let you go would you meet me back up here in Luciana's at twelve o clock or whenever Melinda falls asleep, If you don't kid you'll find that not everyone in the thieves guild is good, Ok?" Amusei said grinning at Leo.
"Ok, if you let me go I'll come back here when Melinda falls asleep I swear" Leo said crossing his heart.
"Good, well you better come back or else!" Amusei then pulled his finger across his throat, "get the picture," Amusei said once again grinning at Leo.
" Yes I do" Leo said and walked out the door. He ran down the stairs and straight across to the Lonely Suitor Lodge and didn't look back.
Amusei looked out the door. "Is he gone?" Luciana asked holding back a giggle. " Yes he is" Amusei said and they both burst out laughing.
Leo walked in the door to see Melinda sitting on a table straight ahead. He walked over to the table and sat down. She looked up at him through drowsy eyes she was drunk again. Leo said to himself and sighed. He always told her to stop and he knew one day it would be her downfall. Leo asked for some bread and cheese while Melinda slept with her head on the table. He was embarrassed but it was worse when they had to beg.
After Leo had eaten his bread and cheese he helped Melinda up to their room. He decided that he would sleep on the bedroll and that she could sleep on the bed because he knew that she woke up with aches and pains if she slept on the floor. He looked at Melinda's wrinkled face. She was the only person that ever cared for him. But now she was getting old.