First and foremost, sorry for the late update! My computer's having some issues right now, and won't stay on for more than 30 mins at a time. I would also beg for your patience, but updates may be a bit slower in the coming. I've got a lot of last minute rehearsals, and a new audition to be prepping for. And then of course, school! This story will finish though, that I can promise. Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Four: To Save a Life

Dusk was falling, and a sharp wind cut into his face. Yurick shivered and pulled his cloak tighter around him as he followed the small young girl across the town. It was nearly dark, and Yurick was thankful for that for Darshka, by the darkened glance he saw of it, had been destroyed almost beyond recognition. It reminded him of his home, walking through the ruined city the day after the pirates came. That was the day he had-

"No." he said firmly.

"Pardon?" asked Lilibeth

"Sorry. It's nothing," replied Yurick tonelessly. She eyed him suspiciously, but said nothing.

"In any case, here it is. Run along to your friends now," she added bitterly. Yurick looked at her questioningly, then turned and walked into the partially wrecked tavern without another word.

Walking through the blackened doorway, Yurick noticed a palpable odor of alcohol. Hard liquor, he thought, wrinkling his nose. Walking further into the room, he saw Smith's men celebrating in the derelict tavern. Looking around, he also saw several unfamiliar faces. One man dancing was dancing a jig atop a table while others stood around him, singing tunelessly. Yurick noticed several bottles scattered about, filled to varying degrees with an amber colored liquid.

Glancing over the room, Yurick could see no sign of Smith. Yurick walked over to the stairs hoping to find Smith up there when he heard a leathery voice that sent chills up his spine.

"That little girl we saw, I'm telling you: she's something else."

"She's a child!" the other voice scoffed. " 'ave you gotten so desperate you're ogling after kids now?"

"So? Who's here to tell us we can't," the first voice chuckled. "No one needs to know"

Yurick turned sharply on his heel towards the door of the tavern when he was stopped by a thick arm.

"Smith?" he asked, looking up.

"Where're you going, kid?" he replied.

"Oh…nowhere really," Yurick stammered, "h…having a look around, that's all." Smith snorted, but did not question him further.

"We're resting here for tomorrow, and we'll leave here the next day at first light, kid. Until then, you're on your own." Yurick nodded. That was how he liked things. He walked out of the tavern, pondering what to do for the next day.

"So? Who's here to tell us we can't? No one needs to know"

The longer he thought about it, the harder it was to get the men's words out of his mind. She was so young to for those filthy men to treat her the way they did. Yurick found himself trudging through the biting wind towards her ruined house.

"No." The statement was final, absolute as Lilibeth glared and tried to force the door shut. Yurick stuck his foot in the gap.

"Please," he said, forcing the word out of his mouth, "I just want to talk to you." She snorted.

"Sure," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm, "you just want to talk. I see I was right. You're no different from your filthy mercenary friends. You think I don't know what you lot want from me? Young I may be, but not ignorant." Anger bubbled up from within Yurick.

"I'm not like them," he spat with conviction. "I want to help you."

"You realize that you're not the first person I've heard that from, you know." She lessened her grip on the door slightly. "Those bandits you saw in the tavern, they told me the same thing when they first ransacked the village." She glared at him. "How do I know you're not the same, you won't do the same things they did?"

He stepped back, surprised. He had expected her not to trust him, but he had not expected the open hostility with which she regarded him. Thinking about it all, it likely wasn't his place to intervene. She could obviously take care of herself. And yet… he couldn't bring himself to abandon her completely. She was, after all, only a few years younger than he. Yurick took a deep breath.

"Lilibeth," he said holding her gaze, "Surely you don't want to live here forever? When I said I wanted to help you, I meant it. I want to take you away from here." Her dark green eyes widened slightly, but she said nothing.

"There's a town at the base of this mountain that borders a large lake," he continued. "We could go there."

She looked down dejectedly. "And then what? Your friends surely would not allow you to stay there forever, and I have nothing that would enable me to lead a better life than here."

"Lilibeth…" he trailed off softly. "Look at me. There's nothing left for you here," he said gently. "I don't know what happened here, but you're the only living inhabitant of this town. What'll happen when we leave? You'll be alone here, waiting for death.

A single teardrop fell from the corner of her eye. Yurick's tone hardened. "I've seen death, Lilibeth. I've seen a thriving town fall into silent ashes in mere days. I've lost my parents; I've been in your shoes." His voice wavered slightly. "There was a time when I too wanted nothing more than to give up on my life. But I endured. And I cannot stand by and allow you to give up." He suddenly felt strangely protective of the girl. "You deserve a grand life, with many comforts and good friends. You deserve to be happy."

She sniffed, and took a deep breath. "Why do you care so much about me? We've just met. I don't even know your name."

"Because, maybe by doing some good in the world, I can erase some of the bad." He shook his head and offered her a ghostly hint of a smile. "My name is Yurick. Maybe we could be friends?"

"I think I would like that," she said, a trace of a smile also on her lips. "Call me Lilli?"

If you liked this, please follow and/or review! It makes me really ridiculously happy to know people read and like my story! Also, thanks so much to my friend Jess, for being an amazing editor!