The Soldier and The Thief

"Oh, I don't know. He's pretty cool. I only found out he existed a couple weeks ago, but his dad's a complete jerk. He's pretty fair when it comes to playing games, although I tend to break the rules all the time." She laughed. "He has a boyish face even though he's a teenager and the most amazing eyes."

"Hmm... Sounds like a cool guy. I guess," he spat bitterly.

"He's really nice sometimes and even turned down plently of chances to have me dead."

"That's cool..."

"He's also carrying me right now."

Tyrel looked down at him surprised and stopped. "Excuse me?" He asked.

"It. Is. You." She said again.

"And why would that be?" He asked as he started wlaking about putting a face on as he thought it through.

"Because." She replied. "It's not like i asked for it."

"So your leaving because of me. My dad will be thrilled abotu that." He laughed.

For some reason, even though she was a bit out of it, him laughing after she admitted in felt like a punch to the gut. Audrey just laughed lightly, pain visible in her eyes, and lowered her head. "Yeah, he will be," she smiled lightly, "but he won't be long. We'll all probably spend a year there then come back. Depends on if they get homesick." She lauged lightly.

"Mister Soldier! You can fit in her too!" Addison shouted, running into the tree door. Audrey rolled out of his grip and walked into the door, sliding down the shoot. "Just slide Mister Soldier! It's quite easy."

"I'm... going to sleep. If soldiers come hide in the passage okay?" Morgan nodded.

"What about you?"

"If I get caught I'll get out somehow." Audrey ducked through a large hole that opened into a small room with a candle rested on one of the crevices and a few sheets in a single place for a make-shift bed.

Tyrel followed her in. What was that pain in her eyes. Why had his words upset her that much. He leaned against on eof the walls and watched her. What did he feel abotu this girl? He liked it when she kissed her, and what he felt when he was todl to kill her.

"If you go to another town maybe you could gt jobs and not steal." He said softly.

"THat's likely, as you've said, we're kids." She replied.

"Maybe I could help." He said softly.

Audrey laughed dryly and ran a hand through her auburn hair and shook her head, sitting down gingerly. "You can't help us, even if you wanted to, you couldn't. We're orphans. Hell, the second we step foot in a town they'll send us to the orphanage. Besides, what I do and who I am to these kids is my life. Here, shut that door so I can talk to you."

Tyrel looked around for the door, soon finding it just to be a thick stump on two hinges. He shut it and sat down. "Everyone has a story of why they became orphans." She began, "Morgan and Hannah lost their parents in a house fire during the war twelve years ago, about the same time my parents died. My brother took them in under his care and taught us all how to become amazing thieves and make something with our lives. Addison's parents were slaughtered by her uncle right before her eyes just last year. She still wakes up screaming and crying sometimes.

"There's another girl, Haley, she takes care of the herbs and first aide. They all call her the wise one. To me she's just an eleven year old girl who I consider my own daughter. When she was seven her father killed her mother, then gouged out Haley's eyes, killing himself soon after. There's a eight year old boy that has dark eyes and even darker hair out there. He just started calling me mom but usually he stays around here and fishes. His real mom and dad were hung for spitting on a royal's shoe. And then, we have me. Everyone's adopted mother. Eh... what can I say about me? You already know your father hung my brother, and my parents down matter to me any more. I think my father's still alive somewhere but I don't give a hoot."

Audrey smiled and shook her head. "What I'm trying to make clear is you can get us all jobs, and you can get us a home and material things, but mentally, you can't help. They'll be scarred for life and they'll always be the little thieves of this town. Only people they have to turn to it their adopted brothers and sisters... and me." Audrey laughed lightly. "Ah, I'm rambling now and your father's probably angry that you're not home yet." She stood up and smiled slightly, opening a hole where another stump was stuck. "It's a quick way to town through here. It opens up to the ally next to your home. Just keep going straight and don't turn at all. Depending on were you turn you could end up in the orphanage, or one of our old homes, or somewhere worse. Who knows." She ushered to the door with her hand.

"I'm not headin home." he replied. "They don't expect me."

"Why not?" She asked.

"I was on my way of leaving. I won't come back. Killing someone for stealing is not something want to do. I don't care how you got in my head. But I'm not about to go and kill someone for something that I see is so small. We're not short on money and y'all don't steal from the poor. In my eyes, your not doin anything wrong." He got up and stepped through the door. "I'm probably never gonna see you again, Red. I'll miss ya." He bent down and kissed her forehead then turned and walked to the entrance he'd come through.

**fast forward a year I guess**

It had been a year. A whole year since Audrey Michelle Red had even talked to Tyrel Grayson. He'd left an odd hole in her heart that nothing filled. She often found herself thinking about him, even though she and the kids had accomplished so much. In just mere year they'd moved to a new town, a tree large enough to fit all of them, and even got to get real beds. All the kids shared a large room, where not only did they keep each other warm but they also kept each of safe, and Audrey got her own room, her privacy. After Tyrel had left Audrey had immediately gotten to work, working her kids and herself to take on seperate responsobilities such as cooking, cleaning, first aide, stealing, which they still did, for it was part of them, and the occasional street begging. All of which, Audrey kept a close eye on.

"Mum!" A dark haired boy jumped on Audrey's bed, sending her to the ground, frightened. "Mum it's just me! C'mon then! You promised you'd go on the fishing trip today!" Ah yes, the weekly fishing trip that they all took to the nearby pond and had a huge picnic with the fish they caught at the end of the day. Now, one wouldn't believe that this dark haired boy was the same one that Audrey had told Tyrel about a year ago, but it was.

"Tyson, I'm tired I was up all night trying to catch some darn dog that wouldn't shut its yap," she yawned.

"But Mum! You promised!" At that Audrey laughed and ruffled Tyson's hair.

"That I did, huh?" He nodded. "Very well. Let's go on this fishing trip!" She shouted, grabbing a clean blanket and a basket of bread out of the main room.

"C'mon everyone! Mum's going!" All the kids piled out into the main room and out the door, running towards the pond. Audrey just laughed and ran after them, laying her blanket out and setting the basket on it once she got there.

"Now don't any of you go swimming until you all catch at least two fish, you here me?!" She shouted.

"Yes momma!" They all shouted back, beginning to fish.

Tyrel ran a hand through his hair. A year sense he'd seen that girl and for some reason his heart still ached something aweful for her. He sighed as he rode away from his old home town. Everything was quiet, no more Red. So she stayed at the other town. He'd been to them all but one.

It was when he was riding through the woods that he heard them. He dismounted keeping his dog and his horse quiet and staying away. He walked silently towards the sound and smield when he saw Red watching a bunch of kids playing.

"You know, Red, my dad's gotten fat and lazy without you're kids to chase around." He said leaning against the tree smiling a little.

Audrey screamed and held the basket up for protection, unsure of who it was. Wait... did he said Red? "Tyrel?" Audrey questioned, unbelieving. He let out a deep laugh and nodded.

"In the flesh," he smiled. No, no, no! He couldn't be here! She had started anew so she'd forget about him! "What's wrong with you? You seem angry," Audrey glared at him. He'd walked out of her life a year ago, stating that it was that last time they'd see each other. What did he expect her to do? Throw him a party?! Ha! Audrey set the basket back down and turned her back to him, her eyes locked on the kids before her. She didn't need those... those feelings taking her over again.

Tyrel watched her turn around and he took a deep breath. "Alright, I get it. Hope you prosper." He turned and walked back towards his horse. It hurt, she did'nt want him, she didn't even want him around. He was stupid to think that she could possibly like him.


***Tears***

Yeah, it hurt hearing him walk away but letting him back into her life could possibly endanger her kids. "Hey guys look! It's Mister Soldier! He came back!" An older Addison squealed, running from the pond and towards Tyrel, who was getting on his horse. "Mister Soldier! Please come play with us!" She smiled, tugging on his hand.

"Please Mister Soldier!" All the other kids echoed. Audery closed her eyes defeatedly and stared back out at the sparkling pond. She watched as the kids drug Tyrel over to the water, threatening to push him in, only teasing of course.

"You still like him don't you?" Haley, a white-haired girl with bandages wrapped around her eyes smiled lightly, her head cocked towards Audrey.

"Eh... I th- Yeah I do Haley, but I can't let him in further than he's already dug himself. It might endanger you all." Haley laughed lightly, he voice only a faint whisper.

"We're going to be fine, but are you? Won't you just seep further and further into depression until you're in so deep that you won't be able to come out?" Audrey felt a few, unloyal tears carve their way down her face, only to be wisked away angrily.

Tyrel laughed. He pulled out his money pouch then dove into the water. THe kids swam around him and he splashed them. They laughed and he got dunked a few times. He surfaced and laughed. He ignored the pain in his heart from Audrey not wanting him, he ignored it letting himself have a little fun. When they were called to leave, he gathered his stuff and headed towards his horse.

"Where are you going, Mistah Soldier?" A little girl asked tugging on his hand. She hadn't been with Red before.

"I'm not sure. You gotta go back with your family though." he said softly.

"No, I wanna go with you!" The girl said clinging to his hand.

"You can't, you need to stay with R-Audrey." He said leaning in front of her.

"I wanna go with you!" The girl said tears forming in her eyes. Tyrel swallowed hard. "Pwease!"

Audrey did a quick head check before eating, realizing that one of her newer orphans was gone. "Hey! Where's Lilian?" She demanded, looking for the small girl. Nobody said anything. "Spread out and find her!" She shouted, worry over coming her for the girl that had only been with them for a couple of days. "Lilian!" Audery shouted, walking deeper into the woods, until she actually found the young girl, begging Tyrel to take her with him. "Lilian!" Audery eveloped the girl in a hug, leaning away. "You can't run off like that okay? Something could happen to you!"

"B-but Mum, I want to go with Mistuh Soldier! With Papa!" Audrey's heart sank. There wasn't any negotiating with a child like Lilian.

Tyrel looked at the little girl who wiggled away from Audrey and grabbed his neck clinging to him tightly.

"Please ake me with you!" She cried. He rubbed her back standing up.

"I think you'd be better off here." He said softly.

"NO!" Jillian screamed. "I want to go with you!"

"Audrey?" He asked looking at Audrey. She didn't want him there, but he wouldn't mind hte company of the girl.

Audrey held up and finger and burried her head in her hands, thinking for a second. "Lillian, I can't let you go anywhere. It's dan-"

"But Momma I want to stay with Papa!" Lillian screamed again, tears cascading down her face. Audrey literally felt like scum.

"Maybe, if Papa," she copied the nickname, "doesn't mind then he can stay with us for a little bit, but I can't let you go anywhere."

"Oh please Papa! It'll be so great to have a whole family again, for all of us! Please?!" Part of Audrey, the part that still had feelings for Tyrel as well as the part that was slowly consming her, wanted him to stay, but the other part wished he'd leave already.