“Mooooom!” a little girl calls to me, running up. “Ollie took my doll!”996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNEFRsikoCh
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?”996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWs83xQ2b7
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.996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ95qe8ypB7
“Nothing, Mom!” Ollie says, while Klef grins, unashamed.996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMAbTY1rUn
“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.996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA26earHbSK
“Yes, ma’am,” Ollie and Klef both say. Klef tosses the doll to Mel. “Here you are, my sweet little Melody. Sorry about that.”996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOpV71SXfs
“Apology accepted,” Mel says sweetly. “Not sure Mom is buying it, though.”996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡne9BnP4sPg
Klef looks up to me. “No?” he asks.996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IfNWjyipG
“No,” I say, walking closer. “I hereby sentence you to death by tickles!” I say, descending on him with quick fingers.996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iQeCK6PAy
“Hey! No fair!” Klef cries out.996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2s8WKihVm
Ollie and Mel giggle and join me in the tickling. “3 against 1 is illegal!” Klef cries inbetween his guffaws.996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZOJsb67LG
I stop and pull the kids off him. “All right, all right. What happened to start all this?”996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzW02Z3DEf
“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!”996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jKPpt36An
“They want to know our story, Ride,” Klef says, looking up at me.996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGgKHuorI4
“Oh, I suppose their old enough to know the basics,” I say with a shrug. “The clean version.”996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrptMktXdTd
“Nothing less until they’re 13,” Klef agrees.996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7TquSFpQj
I sit down next to him on the ground and Ollie and Mel sit across from us eagerly. “Tell us everything!” Ollie exclaims.996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzEpKLOJD0
Mel nods. “Anything and everything you can!”996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjpZoYtM6J
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…”996Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwqfhDcc3u
~End~
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