“Mooooom!” a little girl calls to me, running up. “Ollie took my doll!”1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7L3AboUa4
I cluck my tongue and stand up, putting down the book I was reading on my porch. “Well, let’s go and talk to Ollie, then, Mel, shall we?”1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwqki5S6TO
We walk around the house together, Mel’s tiny hand in mine. Her pointed elf ears are a stark contrast to her jet black wings, which some of the village kids tease her for, but she’s never shown that it gets her down. In the backyard, Klef is snickering with a young boy, also with elf ears and wings, and holding up a stuffed doll. “Oliver, Kleftis, just what do you think you’re doing?!” I ask, crossing my arms.1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDCAHVPuh1
“Nothing, Mom!” Ollie says, while Klef grins, unashamed.1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5DrkLWfca
“Really?” I ask. “Because it sounds like Klef is teaching you how to play thief, which may I remind both of you, is banned in my house.1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4OgqN0wTR
“Yes, ma’am,” Ollie and Klef both say. Klef tosses the doll to Mel. “Here you are, my sweet little Melody. Sorry about that.”1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpJFhw1cJV
“Apology accepted,” Mel says sweetly. “Not sure Mom is buying it, though.”1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2224gm3hki
Klef looks up to me. “No?” he asks.1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6KTUaKEpm
“No,” I say, walking closer. “I hereby sentence you to death by tickles!” I say, descending on him with quick fingers.1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHelAKMu2u
“Hey! No fair!” Klef cries out.1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurvCVUx6rT
Ollie and Mel giggle and join me in the tickling. “3 against 1 is illegal!” Klef cries inbetween his guffaws.1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDH8jXHuCI
I stop and pull the kids off him. “All right, all right. What happened to start all this?”1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3m6a2PUATU
“We have to talk about our parents careers in school and do a report,” Ollie says eagerly. “And Daddy was telling me about how he used to be a thief before he was a Campaigner!”1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTk4c8AFk4
“They want to know our story, Ride,” Klef says, looking up at me.1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡef8d5mSwKV
“Oh, I suppose their old enough to know the basics,” I say with a shrug. “The clean version.”1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqJyj48S6K
“Nothing less until they’re 13,” Klef agrees.1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxFQkRwcdZ
I sit down next to him on the ground and Ollie and Mel sit across from us eagerly. “Tell us everything!” Ollie exclaims.1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGJyapQT3C
Mel nods. “Anything and everything you can!”1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5AqyNgCEPJ
I look over at Klef and smile. “Okay. Well, the first thing you should know, is that many centuries ago, there was a group formed called the Crusaders. And while many people used it for good, some people used it for bad as well. Your father and I both used it for good, though, and there were some bad people who didn’t like that…”1546Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8jHRVnJYI
~End~
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