“Mooooom!” a little girl calls to me, running up. “Ollie took my doll!”1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrHebbLwIr
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?”1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGeZDcFPCN
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.1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllVAtqXAV2
“Nothing, Mom!” Ollie says, while Klef grins, unashamed.1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhmKHtUVyL
“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.1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpjPDoynS4
“Yes, ma’am,” Ollie and Klef both say. Klef tosses the doll to Mel. “Here you are, my sweet little Melody. Sorry about that.”1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTEbnU8rgp
“Apology accepted,” Mel says sweetly. “Not sure Mom is buying it, though.”1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLR5LZdbgyd
Klef looks up to me. “No?” he asks.1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEihlOI6OWm
“No,” I say, walking closer. “I hereby sentence you to death by tickles!” I say, descending on him with quick fingers.1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFroTie8n4
“Hey! No fair!” Klef cries out.1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6HLfvVwYA
Ollie and Mel giggle and join me in the tickling. “3 against 1 is illegal!” Klef cries inbetween his guffaws.1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLVins5Cnd
I stop and pull the kids off him. “All right, all right. What happened to start all this?”1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHH3btmumV
“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!”1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbOGiHSExn
“They want to know our story, Ride,” Klef says, looking up at me.1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjV3aRZqfGt
“Oh, I suppose their old enough to know the basics,” I say with a shrug. “The clean version.”1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyBX9fQu3v
“Nothing less until they’re 13,” Klef agrees.1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzJkoYl6Ta
I sit down next to him on the ground and Ollie and Mel sit across from us eagerly. “Tell us everything!” Ollie exclaims.1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsT2nQO17Q1
Mel nods. “Anything and everything you can!”1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpXuBlOll9
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…”1014Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqSLKtGZLV
~End~
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