Kaseko slyly moved around the corner, watching her target. The tavern was smoky and full with drunkards. Her target was one of them. Trying not to choke on the foul stench that lingered in the air, she moved cautiously toward the old elf. He was famous for jewels, and for sleeping around, which Kaseko had a hard time imagining this. The old elf was wrinkled, as if he had spent ten years in a bath. He had very few teeth left, and he smelled of rum and smoke.

Kaseko was from the same clan, but there were very few of them around those parts. " Which means I'd better be extra careful, they'd be sure to recognize me." Her skin color was pale. Like most elves from her clan, although her own was more pale then normal. Her olive eyes were almost the most attractive part of her. They moved swiftly, and carefully, watching. Her ivory hair was soft and usually time hidden behind her chestnut hooded cape or bandanna. For good reason, her hair was different then most, it was in the shape of a ‘V'. Wide at the top, thinning at the end of her waist. The rims, at least an inch in, were burnt red. It started at the top of her head, all the way down. It was as if her hair was on fire. Below her hair was something from her past that haunted her as a reminder. An upside down triangle branded just above the bridge of her nose. A long sleeved forest green shirt hung loosely three-forths the way down her arm. Her camouflage pants were tucked inside her brown boots.

She slid into a bar stool by him and ordered a drink. The jewels she stole from him would certainly help her for her life long mission. Well, okay it had only been her mission for three years. She had been on her own since she was very young. Abandoned by her family, left in an orphanage. In human years she was nineteen, it was when she was sixteen her life changed forever.

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Dodging branches swiftly, she ran. It was raining hard and lighting helped her see her way through the forest. The thunder made her insides tremble as rain soaked her. She heard the curses of the men chasing her, and the twigs breaking underneath their weight, with her keen ears. She glanced behind her occasionally, seeing the shadows of them, and

their shadows glomming over her as the lighting flashed.

" Get back here thief!" One of them called as she ran on. She was quick, and

maneuvered easily. She kept running, but so did they. It had been pouring for awhile now and the mud was getting thick, the leaves were slippery. They were getting closer as her feet went under her and she face-planted into the mud.

They reached her before she could scramble away. New at being a thief she didn't understand the need of weapons, she carried none. She closed her eyes as two of the men

grabbed her by the arms and raised her to eye level. She was covered in mud, her cloak hood has slipped off, but her hair was hidden behind the dirt.

" Give me the jewels." One of them said. She unclenched her eyes and counted five men. She said nothing, but cowered the best she could. " Where are the jewels you fool?" He grabbed hold of her shoulders and shook her. She said nothing still, on the verge of crying she sank to the ground as the two guards dropped her. The man then unsheathed a dagger from his side and titled Kaseko's head so that her eyes would meet his.

" You don't want me to search you for them. So just give them to me, and you won't get hurt." Daylight had just broken the barrier from night. The storm had passed over, and light from the morning was streaming into the forest. " Fine, have it your way." He motioned one of his men over and he handed him a hot branding iron. " I guess you didn't know I was herder." He smiled as the last four men pinned her to the ground. How they managed to build a fire when the ground was wet puzzled her.

She tried so hard to break free, screaming and tossing. In the end she lost, the branding iron was placed just above her nose. She was still screaming, but along with that came tears. On her face was now a constant reminder of that night, an upside down triangle. The iron didn't stay long, but long enough. The men let go of her for a reason she didn't understand at first. When she glanced up through her sodden eyes she understood.

The only reason the iron had left her face was because of her rescuer. A tall man, his face covered in a large hood from his cloak, had taken the branding iron from the herder. The herders men surround him, but dared not advance to the stranger unless their leader told them so.

The stranger had his foot on the herders chest and glanced from Kaseko's forehead, to the branding iron, and back at the herder. " So you believe you own her? That she is one of your prizes? That is far from the truth my friend, and you will never see the truth." He glared as he pushed all his weight on the man, took the branding iron and shoved it though him. He waited until the herder's eyes rolled to the back of his head before turning to the others. They were either too shocked to do anything, or too scared.

The stranger walked past them over to Kaseko who was crying and curled up in a small ball on the ground, clutching her forehead. He reached down, picked her up, cuddled her, shushing into her hair to calm her down. Then vanished from the woods.

Kaseko was still crying as they reached an inn. The stranger laid her out on one of the beds in their room and began to apply healing items to her wounds, careful with her burn. She feel asleep with tears running down her cheeks.

When Kaseko awakened, he was standing by the window looking into the distance. She tried not to show she was awake, but he felt her olive eyes on him. He looked back down at her, his hood was off, a bandanna was around his head though.

" How are you feeling?" he asked softly as he crouched down by her bed.

" Who are you?" She asked, ignoring the question.

" My name is Leolia. Now, how are you feeling?"

" Better, why did you help me?" She looked into his emerald eyes as he searched for an answer. Finally he shrugged.

" I was just doing my good deed for the day." He said it plainly and quickly changed the subject. " So, you are trying to be a thief?" He said as he stood up and moved across the room.

" I am a thief." She said stubbornly. Leolia's head turned back to her. She was now leaning up against the wall, legs crossed and her arms folded on her chest. She

looked serious, and he realized she was. A smile sneaked up in his face, generating his pale face to seem radiant. " Why are you grinning?" He chuckled at her and sat by her on the bed, she inched over a little.

" You need major help if you think you are thief. Thieves do not get caught, little one." He reached over in his bag and pulled out a bundle and sat in the middle of the room. He motioned Kaseko over and she sat across from him. She could see now that he was much older than her, at least four years. Leolia un-rolled the bundle and showed Kaseko what was inside. She gaped at the weapons he had, not sure if she should be scared. " The first thing you need if you want to be a thief is weapons," He stopped and glanced at her. " You do know show to use a sword and daggers, right?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

" I was brought up in a orphanage, who doesn't? I know how to use daggers, long swords, staves, short swords, sling-shots, bow and arrows, everything. If I didn't I would

have been killed. Now that I've left, I don't know how to get such weaponry. Besides, why would you need a weapon to be a thief?"

"Oh, that's the problem then. You should know after last night why you need weapons. You should also wear dark and camouflage colors, and light boots. If you get good enough, people should not even notice you are there. You should also learn not to trust many people, in fact don't trust anyone until they prove themselves to you."

" You said that thieves never get caught, so why do I need weapons? How do I know when the prove themselves?" Kaseko asked, clearly clueless.

" You need weapons because true thieves don't caught, but trainees like you little one, get caught often. At least you know how to fight. You will know when they prove themselves, don't worry about it. Now, the weapons you will need, daggers are very good if you get caught in a jam..."

" I know what weapons I need. Daggers are very good, I know, a sword..." She interrupted.

" No, swords are too obvious, no true thief uses a sword, daggers you can hide." He interrupted her this time.

" Okay, then what weapon do you suggest?" She asked picking up various daggers from his collection.

" We'll get to that later, just take a couple daggers from here and then we'll go down and get something to eat." Leolia paused and stared at her hair. " You should cover that

up, always. You'll be noticed in a second with hair like that, keep it beneath your cape hood, or in a one of these." He pointed to his bandanna. Kaseko nodded and picked out three daggers from the selection.

" Are you sure I can take these?"

" I'm positive, now get yourself cleaned up and we'll go." Leolia told her, he had just then noticed she was still soiled from the night before. " I'll give you some clothes of

mine and we'll get yours cleaned. Then we'll get you some new clothes." Her old ones were red and black, very noticeable. Even her cloak, which had been white before the mud was slopped over it, was very noticeable.

Kaseko went to the washroom to get cleaned up as she was told. The soaps smelled wonderful, made of herbs. Some were made of sage, chamomile, rosemary. Not to mention the aroma of lavender filled the air immensely, which was Kaseko's favorite.

She, of course, chose the lavender and scrubbed the memories of the night before away, only to be reminded of it as she turned to the mirror. The triangle was still in pain, and was also a burden and a reminder. She sighed as she poked at it and wrapped a towel around her.

When she walked into the main room she found a stack of neatly folded clothes and a note from Leolia. The note said he went to drop off her clothes and get her some new ones, and would come and get her to eat.

She put on the clothes, a very baggy green tunic and brown pants that were much larger than her size. He left her a belt which she put on gratefully. He also left her a green

bandanna, and she hid her hair behind it. She glanced at the two daggers then, and clipped one to her belt. Leolia had been gone for over an hour now, and Kaseko was getting impatient.

"He won't mind if I go look for him." She told herself, although she knew he would.

She exited the room and locked the door behind her. The staircase took her to a long hall with signs directing to places in the hotel. She headed toward the restaurant, which she found out was more like a bar. She scanned the crowd for Leolia and did not see him and turned to leave.

" So, what is your price, sweetie?" A drunk elf from the bar turned toward her.

"Pardon?"

" How much are you asking for a piece of yourself?" He grinned madly and stumbled out of his seat.

" Not for sale." She rolled her eyes and headed toward the exit again. The drunk grabbed her arm and pulled her against him, his face right next to hers. He smelled foul,

the stench was disgusting and made her pull back as far as she could. He laughed out loud, louder than a normal, sane person would. He then pulled her even closer and whispered.

" Everything has a price." He snickered, this set Kaseko off. Unsheathing her dagger she sliced his face and kneed him in the gut. She heard his friends cursing at her as

she stalked out the room, gagging at the smell of the man.

This time she headed for the front lobby and saw Leolia at the opposite end of the hall, he was wearing his hooded cloak again. They saw each other and he glared and shouted something. That's when she was shoved into a hall and slammed against the wall by a woman and a man. Kaseko let out a small squeal of surprise. Leolia was there in a matter of seconds throwing the man against the wall across, eyes burning.

" If you ever touch her again I will kill you." He growled in a deep, low tone that made even Kaseko cringe. Kaseko had reversed the girl to the wall she was thrown

against, holding the dagger to her throat. Both were drunk and became unconscious in a short period of time, and Kaseko had to pry Leolia away from the man.

" Leave him." She kept whispering, over and over again, until he finally let go of his tight hold and let the man fall to the ground. as they walked down the hall, he suddenly turned to Kaseko, glaring at her.

" Don't leave the room unless I am with you. Do not come down here alone. You could have been hurt." He said very sternly, in a voice that was nicer then the one before, but bad enough. Kaseko hung her head and apologized. Leolia hugged her tightly and walked her to the bar.

Kaseko was cautious as they entered, the drunk from before wasn't there so she breathed easier. Leolia noticed her tension and glanced around the bar.

" What's wrong?" He asked her, whispering.

" Nothing, still a little jumpy from the drunks before." She smiled as they took a seat at a table. Leolia seethed at the mere mention of them. The two ordered, finding

they had similar tastes. As they waited for their food to arrive, they talked softly in the dark room. Leolia went over the basics in thievery, most of which she already knew. He

talked to her about escaping, certain tricks that would keep the pursuers at bay.

By the time they were done eating, Kaseko knew almost every trick in the book. Of course knowing them, and knowing how to do them were two different things. She would have to train immensely to be a good thief. She'd have to be quick. She'd have to work out her muscles, as well as her mind.

They stood up to leave, Leolia facing the door way, Kaseko facing him. She saw his face drain of what color was there, his eyes opened wide as he grabbed her arm and

shoved her behind their table. He followed her and Kaseko glared at him for a second until she figured he wouldn't do that for no reason at all.

" What is.." Leolia put a finger to her lips to scilence her.

" Don't say anything, you have got to get out of here. The herder's men are here with guards." He told her so softly, she could barely hear him. He looked at her with eyes that held deep grieving. The emerald that had once been so bright was clouded with a layer of water. Before she knew what hit her he hugged her tightly, kissed her forehead, her triangle, and whispered, "Good luck, little one."

Leolia stood up and walked hurriedly over to a man. He reached and took the bag of coins from him and continued walking. The man screaming for guards. Kaseko peaked through the chairs and watched as he ran though the group of men that wanted to kill them both.

" That's him! That's the man who murdered Malak!" One shouted, and the ran after him. Waiting a few moments, Kaseko ran out of the room. She glanced at the people in the inn hallway, and raced the direction they were not staring. She kept running until she reached the woods. placing her hand on a tree and breathed heavily and sank to her knees. Why had he been so intent to help her? Why had he looked at her that way?

"Why!?" She screamed and kicked at the ground, blinded by her tears. She knew now that she had to become a great thief for him. He had risked his life for her twice, maybe even the last if he didn't get out of this one alive. She became emotionally over-loaded and sat on the ground heaving. " I wish he had told me not to run after eating."

Afterwards, she stood up, knowing she couldn't stay there forever. She headed toward Sessorie, a village close by. It took her a couple hours to reach there, at least three. She reached the town at dusk, and she dragged herself to the inn.

She passed a wealthy elf on the way to the inn, she had no money and decided he would be an easy target. He was young, in human years maybe twenty-eight. She flashed a smile at him. He smiled back and stopped to talk to her. Kaseko acted flirty, batting her eyelashes every now and again. She wrapped her arms around him and laughed, not at his joke, but the pouch of money he was going to end up missing. She apologized then for having to leave, saying she'd talk to him again soon.

" What an idiot." She thought. " He probably has a wife." She snickered at herself and paid for a room at the inn. When she got to her room, she took over her belt, and her

bandanna. She kept her dagger with her, even as she got cleaned up. She got dressed again, and flopped onto the bed and blew out the lantern. She fell asleep, exhausted, with the dagger clutched to her chest, not even getting underneath the covers.

She never knew what went on during the night. Leolia tracked her down and entered through her window. Placing a couple of things on a table. He glanced at her with his loving eyes and took the dagger from her hands. He placed her under the covers and kissed her forehead again. She flinched, but was in too deep of a sleep to awaken.

" I'll see you again ,someday, little one." He whispered and stroked her hair before leaving.

When Kaseko woke up the next day, she immediately knew he had been there. She walked over to the table with the bundle, sat down, and opened it. She opened it slowly, and cautiously, making sure she didn't break anything. She knew nothing was breakable, but she felt as if it was too precious to harm.

Inside was her old clothes, and brand new ones. A green tunic with long sleeves, and camouflage pants. There were also new boots, which she guessed, would make her more quiet. A hooded chestnut cloak was also folded neatly. this she treasured, it was very soft. She found the other dagger she had chosen. Then, there was another, small individual package with a note attached, she read the note first.

Leolia wrote : "Little one, These things are to help you for your quest to be a thief. Have you ever wondered why you wanted to become one? Did you ever think you needed a reason? I will give you one. You have always wanted to know about your family, Kaseko. I know someone who has the key to your past, your family. The owner of the orphanage you were in has the key to unlock the door of knowing. He and his family do not know it, but they are a heavily guarded family. In order to steal anything from them, you -must- be a good thief. You must train hard, I will be watching your progress , little one. When you are ready I will come for you, I will help you to achieve your goal. Until then, farewell, little one. I will see you again someday.

I will love you always,

Leolia."

Kaseko was stunned, he knew so much about her. He knew her past, and knew what was to become of her in the future. She was even more determined to become a thief, and she would train hard. One day she would see him again, and she would know

her past. One day she would become a great thief.

She turned to the other package. She picked it up slowly and untied the fraying rope around it. It was wrapped in a crimson cloth. She unrolled the cloth, carefully. An olive stick lay in the middle of the table. Red flames crawled up the stick, in the center a garnet stone was embedded. Another note was rolled up by it.

" Greetings little one, you asked me before what weapon I suggested. I was going to give this to you personally, but as you know, we've run out of time. This is your family's weapon. Do you see the garnet stone? Press it, little one, and see what happens. Protect this weapon, it is

important. Oh, and don't forget to get healing items for your wounds. Farewell, Kaseko, my little one.

I will love you always,

Leolia."

His hand writing looked so familiar now, she loved it. She did as she was told in the letter. She picked up the stick held it out and pushed the garnet stone. The "stick" extended from her fist down, and up. From the top came a dagger, a red metal that was cut in a wave, embedded into the staff.

"My family's weapon..." Kaseko said in awe as she stared at the staff. That day, she would being her journey. She would follow the path and she would conquer what was at the end.