“Mooooom!” a little girl calls to me, running up. “Ollie took my doll!”539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgrZRQOpt5
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?”539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbASwjWxeuL
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.539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡueN8ynGAZA
“Nothing, Mom!” Ollie says, while Klef grins, unashamed.539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3SQVNYFeC
“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.539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqOQ4mtJS3
“Yes, ma’am,” Ollie and Klef both say. Klef tosses the doll to Mel. “Here you are, my sweet little Melody. Sorry about that.”539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡij2Lb7dLNo
“Apology accepted,” Mel says sweetly. “Not sure Mom is buying it, though.”539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Chidw0Lem
Klef looks up to me. “No?” he asks.539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7wsOVs5My
“No,” I say, walking closer. “I hereby sentence you to death by tickles!” I say, descending on him with quick fingers.539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrhcppvbw7
“Hey! No fair!” Klef cries out.539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1uyTcj3JNg
Ollie and Mel giggle and join me in the tickling. “3 against 1 is illegal!” Klef cries inbetween his guffaws.539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8y22hu63O
I stop and pull the kids off him. “All right, all right. What happened to start all this?”539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqCJpuku6n4
“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!”539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xcFtCKiGp
“They want to know our story, Ride,” Klef says, looking up at me.539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeHXSsUHY3
“Oh, I suppose their old enough to know the basics,” I say with a shrug. “The clean version.”539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8Dx9rliAM
“Nothing less until they’re 13,” Klef agrees.539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfLPxCtbd7
I sit down next to him on the ground and Ollie and Mel sit across from us eagerly. “Tell us everything!” Ollie exclaims.539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHTwavyitS
Mel nods. “Anything and everything you can!”539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXufqPRBjO
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…”539Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cTkJA6Qxq
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