The Poison Tree's Fruit

“Mooooom!” a little girl calls to me, running up. “Ollie took my doll!”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHheux5DMXL
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?”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMhbCu8Cnu
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.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVn4Lxbd3yB
“Nothing, Mom!” Ollie says, while Klef grins, unashamed.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrKvDZWDiq
“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.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKS497zunX0
“Yes, ma’am,” Ollie and Klef both say. Klef tosses the doll to Mel. “Here you are, my sweet little Melody. Sorry about that.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkd5NHf3OCu
“Apology accepted,” Mel says sweetly. “Not sure Mom is buying it, though.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZWZ8OYYAy
Klef looks up to me. “No?” he asks.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOp5dXcqkUY
“No,” I say, walking closer. “I hereby sentence you to death by tickles!” I say, descending on him with quick fingers.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGLwVHI9VW
“Hey! No fair!” Klef cries out.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEqY4l41NY
Ollie and Mel giggle and join me in the tickling. “3 against 1 is illegal!” Klef cries inbetween his guffaws.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6sMlzZX4n
I stop and pull the kids off him. “All right, all right. What happened to start all this?”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rGuAwVPUv
“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!”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknAaU7khwv
“They want to know our story, Ride,” Klef says, looking up at me.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcY6BtUQ9AW
“Oh, I suppose their old enough to know the basics,” I say with a shrug. “The clean version.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjl4CEMXori
“Nothing less until they’re 13,” Klef agrees.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6y6tcuViFi
I sit down next to him on the ground and Ollie and Mel sit across from us eagerly. “Tell us everything!” Ollie exclaims.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWmY7Ez872
Mel nods. “Anything and everything you can!”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfU23BTkYY
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…”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJi7CZMtB8
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