“Mooooom!” a little girl calls to me, running up. “Ollie took my doll!”551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcEdjkv8jQ
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?”551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKEfXCDn70
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.551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS08uDyMgKF
“Nothing, Mom!” Ollie says, while Klef grins, unashamed.551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAqynvKh4S
“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.551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEHFyaI2q0
“Yes, ma’am,” Ollie and Klef both say. Klef tosses the doll to Mel. “Here you are, my sweet little Melody. Sorry about that.”551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDR9OfwP23b
“Apology accepted,” Mel says sweetly. “Not sure Mom is buying it, though.”551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgUvxj8FKW
Klef looks up to me. “No?” he asks.551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8zuQdhXoi
“No,” I say, walking closer. “I hereby sentence you to death by tickles!” I say, descending on him with quick fingers.551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisJd0mF6Fc
“Hey! No fair!” Klef cries out.551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jTWv7aKcv
Ollie and Mel giggle and join me in the tickling. “3 against 1 is illegal!” Klef cries inbetween his guffaws.551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqWas5Tj6Q
I stop and pull the kids off him. “All right, all right. What happened to start all this?”551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkpSuleSlK
“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!”551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7i4eLlg0FK
“They want to know our story, Ride,” Klef says, looking up at me.551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdr5CXbwAs6
“Oh, I suppose their old enough to know the basics,” I say with a shrug. “The clean version.”551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBs7jZVW2f
“Nothing less until they’re 13,” Klef agrees.551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHyXQ40sxl
I sit down next to him on the ground and Ollie and Mel sit across from us eagerly. “Tell us everything!” Ollie exclaims.551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrI4imoMnp
Mel nods. “Anything and everything you can!”551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkTNcY3BTr
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…”551Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjI8wFIS4AQ
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