Young Writers Society

The king of Dorran is greedy and deceptive. He wants power, he wants wealth. His hatred of orphans is unexplained by his subjects, but you'd better believe it's there. He claims the kingdom is facing famine, that orphans are soaking up their precious resources. Somehow, he managed to turn the people with him. Orphaned children are killed on-sight or sold to one of many neighbouring kingdoms as slaves. Everybody that matters is on King Darrius' side.

Where the food goes, that's a whole other story. There's a secret storeroom just below the palace. What's in this storeroom? Food obviously. Mountains and mountains of it, stolen from the farmers and fed to the nobles and royalty. Who do they blame for the thefts? The orphans of course.

There is a group, however. A group that literally works underground in a series of tunnels and one main room under the city. In the centre of the city, just under the town square, is a huge underground room. In this underground room and throughout the tunnels, five people have managed to save and hide a number of these out-lawed children.

But these tunnels hold more than just orphans and secret 'criminals.' They also hold somthing the people need. Food. Food and resources. This food is distributed by the group with the help of the three oldest orphans. If the king ever found out who these people were, they'd be dead in a heartbeat. After all, they're hiding orphans and handing out re-stolen food.

The Group

One of these five people is a trusted armoury keeper, an old man named Azeil. He runs the underground, though while in public, he claims that he's going to help get rid of the orphans if it's the last thing he does.

The second of the five is Azeil's granddaughter, Ailia. She used to help her grandfather in his armory, though she now runs a pottery shop on the opposite side of the city.

The third of the five is a young man who goes by the name Markuus. He's nobody special, just the boy who cleans the church every night. The orphans, however, idolize him.

The fourth is a girl named Fawn. She runs a library with her father, who is completely oblivious to what his daughter's been doing. She also usually supplies the childrens' educational resources.

The fifth member is the king's own son, Prince Torran. He is not the heir to his throne, as that's his brother's place. His father often neglects him, and rumour has it that that's why he's turned against him.

The Five Main Tunnels

Tunnel A: It runs straight north from the main room. The entrance is in Prince Torran's chambers, on the wall above his bed. The entrance is perfectly sized to match a portrait of his father above his bed.

Tunnel B: It runs northwest from he main room. Its entrance is inside of Azeil's armoury. The entrance is hidden in the ground behind the counter, covered by a thick woven rug.

Tunnel C: It runs northeast from the main room. Its entrance is inside of the church, hidden by a large rug behind the pulpit.

Tunnel D: It runs southeast from the main room. It's entrance is inside of the library. It's hidden in the wall, perfectly camouflaged by a large tapestry on the wall.

Tunnel E: It runs southwest from the main room. Its entrance is inside of ______'s pottery shop. Or, her quarters that are connected to the pottery shop. It's hidden shelf-on-wheels.

Basic Map of the Tunnels


Roles

The Three Eldests-Your job is to look after the little ones while the other five aren't available. You also have the very dangerous job of delivering illegal food. Nobody except for the Network know who you are, as you go in cloaks and veils. Your ages are 16, 15 and 13.

The Network
You're one of the five. Your job is pretty obvious. Rescue orphans from the streets, keep the tunnels hidden, deliver and find illegal food and keep the kids alive. Oh, and the most important thing; keep your identities a secret. Blend with the rest of society.

The Orphans:
You may assume you have a simple life, but you're very wrong. Your job is to keep track of everything, look after each other and keep the tunnels from caving. Of course, you have time to be kids, too. Just remember, make sure things are in order and take care of each other!



Slots
Azeil (Armoury keeper)-Isha
Ailia(Azeil's granddaughter)-allmixedup
Leo (Church 'janitor')-Manny
Fawn(Librarian)-Thegirlwholived
Torran (Prince)-TheGreatIthy

Markuus (16)-Blueskysummer
Delilah (15)-LavenderBlue
Leah(13)-ninjacookiemonster

x Orphans:

Adara-Isha-7
Claire-lilgreendots-11

Character templates:


Rules:
-No godmoding!
-Posts MUST be at LEAST 1500 characters long
-Please make sure you've read all posts carefully and your post corresponds appropriately.
-Read the profiles CAREFULLY
-Romance is definitely allowed, though nothing more than crushes for the little guys please. (Crushes are cute though.)
-You can have as many characters as you want.
-No out-of-place posts (like “please bring me in” or “I'm lost! What's going on?” posts) in the SB. If you want to post something like that, go do so in the DT. (Also, check the DT regularly for updates)
-Remember, MEDIEVAL era.
-The orphans are all under age 12. (Except for the select three)

Name: Fawn Le'Trek

Age: 18

Gender: Female

Appearance: Fawn has bright violet eyes, full, short, feathery blond hair, and a dazzling smile. She's thin, about 107 pounds, but most of it is muscle.


Personality: Fawn is sweet, artistic, and studious. She's a bit stubborn, though. She loves kids and is hilarious. She takes her job in the network seriously, and often visits her fathers library to check out textbooks for them to study, books for them to read, and the occasional book for herself. She's very flirtatious, though...

Likes/Skills: Fawn loves art. She makes a living selling her work in the city, and is becoming a popular name among her town. She's very, very fast, agile, and stealthy. She never wears shoes, but her feet are very resistant against the rocks and twigs.

Dislikes/Weaknesses: Fawn cannot stand stupidity or arrogance. She has a short temper for these, but resists breaking out on the kids. She sometimes has panic attacks, but no one knows that. Yet.

Up For Love: Yus!

Other: She always has her knife. Always.

Will finish

Name: Ailia

Age: 17

Gender: Female

Appearance:

Personality: She appears to be a shy and quiet girl, the normal 'I'm just a sweet little princess' kind. But she certainly isn't she is tougher then she looks and twice as sarcastic. She'll chew you up and spit you out. She has an answer for everything. Mind you she does have her caring side, the sweet and emotional one. When she reaches her breaking point she tends to cry. A lot. The only MAN she really cares about is her grandfather.

Likes/Skills: Swordsmanship, fast on her feet and rather flexible. Likes creating, hence the pottery, light rain, and flowers, and definatly children.

Dislikes/Weaknesses:Terrible aim, can't swim, not so strong physically and doesn't know when to give up... but I guess that's a good thing to... Dislikes: Slave trade, death, the king, theives who steal and rob her shop.

Up For Love: yes

Other:

Name: Azeil

Age: 69

Gender: Male

Appearance:

Personality: Azeil is a very calm, put-together old man. He's sweet, funny and absolutely adores the kids. He stands up for what he believes in and is quite protective. He tries his hardest to stear clear of violence at all costs, though this can be easier said than done. Especially with the current situation. He's very smart and loves to help as much as possible. He's also rediculously stubborn and very, very opinionated.
However, this isn't what you'd think if you don't know him personally. For the sole purpose of protecting those involved with The Network, he often acts like a stereo-typical teddy-bear old man. Meaning he pretends to be just a tad on the 'I'm-losing-it-all-to-old-age' side of things.


Likes/Skills: He's a master weapons forger, and despite his old age, he's still an excellent swordsman as well as archer. (He's best at archery) He's also very sharp-witted and puts up a good debate. He's a good liar/actor and is very gifted with the children. He loves weaponary, blueprinting and old, tattered things. He's also extremely fond of his granddaughter.

Dislikes/Weaknesses: He's not a very fast runner and runs out of breath more quickly while running. He's an extremely heavy sleeper and almost nothing can wake him up. He hates the monarchy and anything with a knight's symbol. He goes into coughing fits on a regular basis and seems to be getting tired much more easily.

Up For Love: Erm...he's a tad old.

Other: He doesn't wear it, as it's too small for his finger, but he has it on a chain on his belt at all times. It's his daughter's (Ailia's mother's) wedding ring.


********************************************************************************************************
Name: Adara

Age: 7

Gender: Female

Appearance:


Personality: Adara is very outgoing, when it comes to talking anyways. She's very shy, however, when it comes to showing off her skills or accomplishments, she gets very shy. Adara is, for the most part, very sweet, though she doesn't really like sharing that much. She loves to help and feel helpful, and she loves to be around other people. She always tries her best, but she can get discouraged easily.

Likes/Skills: She loves reading, painting, drawing, anything artistic really. She's very, very fast and is incredibly sneaky. She can be quiet as a mouse when she needs to. She also tries her best, at least the first and second time around. She absolutely adores animals, even though they don't see very many down in the tunnels. She also knows her way around the tunnels by heart, as she has a very good memory. She's been begging for somebody to teach her how to use a sword.

Dislikes/Weaknesses: She hates the dark, so if the torches go out, there is no way she'll go into said tunnel. She doesn't have very good fighting skills yet, though she doesn't need to use them too often. She can't stand being alone for too long, unless she's occupied by a 'mission' in the tunnels. She can get panicky at times and has constant nightmares about being found.

Up For Love: Heheheh...she's too young for real love. xD I can guarentee crushes though.

Other: She has an old green cape that she always wears. Her secret dream is to become a princess knightess, though she refuses to tell anybody about it.

Name: Leah

Age: 13

Gender: female

Appearance:



Personality: Quick thinking and footed, and somewhat foolhardy. She's cautious enough to keep away from guards, but she is bold enough to take huge risks. She's a bit jumpy and untrusting, and hates being bossed around. She gets twitchy if she has to wait and is claustrophobic, an overall anxious person. However, if she's completely at ease, she's just another thirteen year old girl, who loves animals and has a heart too big for her own good. She's stealthy and quick, and can put up a fight, even if she's better at long-distance. She feels too young for this, but she gives everything she has to protect the children and keep herself alive. So what if she's only thirteen?

Likes/Skills: She loves animals, a lot, and has a way with them no one else has seen. She's good with kids, too, and loves them almost as much as animals. She also has a way with healing, and was often the go-to girl if you were hurt aboveground. She likes running, and being an orphan, is fast as all Dorran. She's got killer aim, and is an expert archer and knife thrower. She sneaks aboveground after dark, just to see the city, and even after all it's done to her, she loves Dorran. Nimble and can climb like a monkey, and her leaps and jumps are almost abnormally high and long.

Dislikes/Weaknesses: Isn't a people person, unless they're kids. She doesn't respond well to people giving her orders, and is a bit headstrong. She's used to working on her own to help the young ones, and working with other people is not, in any way, her strong point. She doesn't open up quickly, and often waters down the truth so people won't think she's playing the pity card. She's not physically strong, and if you can catch her without a weapon, she's almost as good as dead. She's not good with swords, and can't sew for her life. Is high-strung and, very often, is wired to the edge of her mind.

Up For Love: Sure!

Other: This was wrapped around her blanket when she was taken from home, and now she wears it as a necklace:

Name: Markuus Flint

Age: 16

Gender: Male

Appearance: Markuus is a muscular, strong boy, though his life as an orphan and his food runs have made him lean. A medium 5’7”, he has the uncanny ability to disappear into the background. His light blonde, shaggy hair is perfect for not being seen, as he can change its color with a handful of mud or a rubbing of soot to throw off pursuers. His eyes are grey, yet bright and constantly alert. He has only two pairs of clothes; his dark brown, hooded cloak and a long-sleeved, dull white shirt (again, good for changing the color on a moment’s notice) that ties shut in the front with old laces and a pair of baggy pants that he secures around his waist with a length of rope. He carries a dagger, hidden in the waist of his pants.

Personality: Markuus is serious when need be, but he tries to be humorous for the other orphans, and in doing so has gained many useless skills (juggling up to five items, balancing on a tipped-over barrel, exc.) with which to entertain the children. He’s the sort of boy you can never shut up once he gets rolling, but he’s good with letting other people get a word in when they need to. There’s not a girl he knows, regardless of age, that he hasn’t flirted with. Most of them have learned to not take him seriously, but it confuses some young orphans. He has a stockpile of pickup lines and lame flirts, and uses them vigorously. Despite his flirting, he’s not really looking for a relationship at the moment. He believes that when the time is right it’ll just happen. When on his deliveries, he switches from jokester to strictly business. He tries to go straight to his destination and straight back, but never takes the same route twice in a row, not even to get there and back. He’s paranoid about being caught, and tries to avoid guards at all costs. He’s a master at disguises, and sometimes changes his appearance multiple times in one run.

Likes/Skills: He, of course, loves disguises. He practices new ones all the time, and tries to teach anyone else who might listen. He’s a fast runner, and challenges younger orphans to annual races to relieve pent up energy. He loves telling stories and coming up with new corny pick-up lines and/or jokes, and thrives in being a role-model for young orphans. He’s good at hand-to-hand combat, but prefers to just run away if possible. Despite his size, one would be surprised where he can hide when needed. Not claustrophobic in the least, he resorts to hiding in tight places when disguises don’t do the job.

Dislikes/Weaknesses: He has a hard time picking up on when he’s gone too far. He accidentally hurts the feelings of others this way, and doesn’t understand why they’re upset later. He can’t swim, and is deathly afraid of deep water or fast currents. He’s a terrible liar (for anything other than jokes or white lies), and wouldn’t last a minute in any sort of interrogation. He also has a bit of a problem with filtering thoughts before he says them, which tends to get him in trouble with others a lot… He’s horrible with weapons, and is more likely to hurt himself with one than the other person. The dagger he carries is simply for show, and isn’t even very sharp, because it used to cut his leg when he walked.

Up For Love: of course!

Other: possibly has a crush on one of the other three, if either of them are up for it.

Name: Delilah

Age: 15

Gender: Female

Appearance: Delilah has naturally straight red hair and warm light brown eyes. She stands about 5'7.

Personality: Delilah has a very warm and welcoming personality, overall. People who know her well can see that Delilah will do anything to make a person in distress, be they young or elderly, happy. Delilah puts everyone before herself, which can sometimes prove to be a problem. The one thing Delilah does do for herself and never fails is her hygiene (hair, smell etc.). Like she should, Delilah believes hygiene brings out the best in a person.
Of course, with positive traits come negative personality traits. Delilah can come off as standoffish at times, despite her usually welcoming disposition. It's a bit contradictory to her personality, but her standoffishness (is that a word?) comes when Delilah is tired, perhaps a little frustrated. Also, Delilah can be reluctant to reveal her emotions, and will hide her anger or frustration behind a flat face, which relates to her standoffish (sometimes) character.

Likes/Skills: Likes=Helping people, kindness, a slightly cloudy day with a chinook wind, grassy hills. Skill= herbal healing, basics of cooking, making a fire, able to deal with youth easily.

Dislikes/Weaknesses: Dislikes= Rudeness, tight spaces (claustrophobic), uncleanliness. Weaknesses= Sometimes she trusts people who should not be trusted (related to her kindness), has no survival skill whatsoever besides cooking and making a fire and healing, unaware of dangerous animals. Pretty much unaware of the outside world.

Up For Love: Yes.

Other: Delilah has a beautiful diamond necklace that she found underneath a rock when she was younger. She wears it every day as a special charm.

Name: Claire


Age: 11


Gender: Female


Appearance:

Personality: Claire is shy, but confident. Claire isn't known for her talking but if someone is needed as a leader she is always the one. Claire is an optomist and always trys to find the good in every bad situation. She is usually quiet and keeps to herself but when problems break out she's there to help. Claire is very self-motivated and doesn't seek the help of others that often.

Likes/Skills: Claire loves learning. Even though she never got the opportunity to go to school Claire has always been fascinated at learning how to read and write. Before Claire's parents and broher died Claire would learn from her brother and study from the things he got from school. Her life-long dream is to go to school and be a teacher. She is also a fan of animals with the exception of bugs and insects. Claire loves being around nature and animals and can spend her entire day outside. Claire is also a lot stronger (mentally and physically) than she thinks she is.

Dislikes/Weaknesses: Claire likes animals, but HATES insects. At the sight of a bug she will shriek and get as far away from it as she can. Her weakness are physical labor or hard working outside.

Up For Love: Nothing but innocent crushes.

Other: Claire is one of the older orphans so she still remembers the day when her family died. Sometimes when she starts thinking and remembering when this happened she becomes very quiet and sad, and stays by herself for a while.

Name: Aidenzo Torran (Goes by Aiden or simply Ai. Never Prince)

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Appearance: I'll post a picture later, so here is the description. He is a very skinny person almost to the point of looking scrawny. He has brown hair and brown eyes. When in the company of his father, he wears his royal gear (golds and blues) even though he hates what it represents. In the company of friends and while underground, he will change to common wear which has more brown and tan to it. While in his common clothes, people often don't recognize him as a prince and he likes it that way.

Personality: Aiden is a very charismatic man and enjoys the company of friends. That is a different story when in his father's company. In those situations, he becomes quiet and withdrawn often blending into the background. That comes in handy in finding out the moves of the king before he makes them. Even though he has been trained in combat (all royals are), he doesn't like to fight. He prefers to talk things out before he even thinks about drawing his blade.

Likes/Skills: Skills: Being the king's son, he is in the perfect position to warn the orphans of the king's moves before he makes them. This skill keeps the tunnels safe from harm. He is very charismatic and people seem to always like him. In fact, Aiden is the favorite of the people even though his brother is next in line. He has been trained in combat, but he never really paid attention so it is limited.

Likes: His friends in the tunnels. The common people (likes to help them where he can). Blending in and not being recognized as a royal.

Dislikes/Weaknesses: Weaknesses: His identity is also a curse. If he is not always diligent, and the king finds out what he has been doing, it can lead to death or worse, the downfall of the tunnels. He is sometimes far too trusting. Even with training, he is not a fighter. Will lose against a skilled opponent.

Dislikes: His father and brother. His title. Greed.

Up For Love: Sure.

Other: He always wears a pedent that his mother gave to him before she died. He hides it in his shirt and won't show it to anybody without a really good reason to. Like all royals, he does carry a sword around, but it isn't very expensive-looking or in good condition.

Azeil

I was groaning inwardly. These confounded knights wouldn't get out of the armoury. I was watching one of them scruntanize every aspect of one of the swords, trying to keep myself from twitching. I had to be in the tunnels in twenty minutes, and getting to the main room would take me long enough. I needed every ounce of spare time I could get.

"Gentlemen, I'm afraid I'm going to have to close up as soon as possible. I'm starting to get tired," I announced merrily. A lot more merrily then I felt, mind you. I would much rather have started screaming at them to get out. Oh yes, much more suitable.

Three of the five knights looked up from whatever weapon they were getting their grimy fingerprints all over, nodding briefly. "Of course Azeil," one of them said. I had no idea how they all knew my name, especially considering I had no clue who any of the men were.

He turned to his men and gave the orders to 'leave the old man to his rest'. Weapons were put back in their places and the building evacuated. It was about bloody time.

I stepped out from behind the counter and made sure the lock was in place. If anybody walked in while I had the tunnel door open, I was in trouble. Lots of trouble. Trouble as big as the whole system collapsing and every one of us getting killed.

Satisifed, I walked briskly back towards the secret door, pulling it open and lowering myself inside. My body was getting too old and too large for this sort of thing.

Adara

I shrieked, running after Tony and shouting insults. Tony was annoying, super annoying. The most annoying orphan in the whole underground!

"Stop it!" I shrieked, making a grab for my cape. He spun around, right into Markuus, who had his arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.

Tony turned around and glared at me, as if it was my fault he was stupid and didn't watch where he was going. I poked my tongue out at him as Markuus held out a hand for the cape. Tony scowled and handed it over. He could be such a little baby sometimes.

"Don't ever do it again!" I snarled, trying hold back my grin. But hey, it's not my fault. It was funny, the way he got busted like that. It's about time, too.

Tony glared at me for a moment before stomping off, probably to bug some other poor girl. I turned around and smiled at Markuus, about to take my cape back when Azeil walked in from one of the main tunnels. Cape forgotten for a second, I waved and smiled like a maniac. He laughed and waved back, turning to hug some of the really little kids.

I turned back to Markuus and held out my hand for the cape. "Thank-you Markuus!"

Leah

"Jenifer! That's-oh!" I dove for little Jenifer, who was giggling her head off and squealing, tottering quite quickly down the hall. I managed to wrap my arms around her waist. She shrieked. I sighed. Hefting the three year old onto my hip, I kept walking down the hall. Markuus was leaning against the wall, keeping an eye on a beaming Adara, who was playing with her cape and talking softly to herself. She looked up and pointed excitedly.

"Leah!" she cried, springing up and launching herself at me. Arms tangled all over me now -Jenifer and Adara, both of them- I shot a look at Markuus. Claire chose that moment to pick her way down here. I raised both eyebrows at her pleadingly. Heeeelp.

She nodded and smiled understandingly, prying Adara from my waist. I gave her a fervent thank you! look and shifted Jenifer higher up. Child had actually managed to -get this- fall asleep. In the space of ten, maybe twenty seconds. After being on a major energy-spree and making me sprint about half a mile to catch her, she was asleep.

I shot her a softened glare. All things look cuter when they're sleeping, it's true, but some of these kids could've been the physical manifestation of the spawn of the devil. As her tiny foot kicked my side and made me emit a pained "OOF!" I shot a much harder glare at Markuus, clearing my throat.

"Alright. Which one of you gave Jenny the hot cocoa?"

Markuus

Both the Tony fiasco and now the attack of Leah, I was slightly overwhelmed. I laughed as Adara joined in the attack of Leah, and was about to shout his support to the two little girls when Claire came to the rescue. I handed Adara her green cape, and helped her secure it around her shoulders to hide my guilty face from Leah. "Yeah that would be me. She said she was cold, so I figured, 'hey, hot chocolate!'" I grinned up at her sheepishly, fumbling with the clasp on Adara's cape because of the fact I was trying to close it without looking. "I'll take her if you want. Sorry about that."

I finally managed to fasten the metal clasp, letting the fidgety Adara go. I stood, cracking my neck to one side and reaching out for the sleeping girl. Leah handed her over immediately, and he positioned her carefully in his arms. "By the way, you wouldn't happen to be busy this friday, would you?" I joked, raising an eyebrow. I knew she'd turn me down, but I didn't mean it seriously anyway. Nearly everyone knew that I never meant it. If I ever did, Id probably be so nervous that my tongue would swell up and I'd choke on my words and have to spend a week in the infirmary and never show my face again. That was yet to happen so far.

"How was your last food run?" I asked, not really waiting for a reply to the last question. "I nearly got busted by a guard. If I hadn't found that sooty chimney to disguise my hair really fast, I would've been a goner." He scowled at the thought of being a prisoner... he wouldn't last a day.

Ailia

I was waiting at the shop, for something, anything to happen. I wasn't sure if I needed to go into the tunnels today or not. So I waited, shifting awkwardly as the gaurd looked through my different assorment of pottery. I've always been classified as an orphan, since my parents were dead, but, I was also an adult, so they wouldn't kill me. I still worried sometimes, and I wished I knew my parents more.

"Sorry ma'am, nothing I'm interested in buying today," he said standing at the counter.
"Well, have a nice day anyhow sir." I said, remembering the phrase 'service with a smile'. He gave me a quick up/down, nodded and left. Thank god.

I locked up the shop and walked into my bedroom, moving the rug from over top the hidden door, just as I heard a knock on it. I opened the door and saw grandfather right there smiling.
"Grandfather!" I said, hoping down into the tunnel and hugging him. "I missed you all day! How are you?"
I asked, reaching up and shutting the trap door, the rug would automatically pull back over, because I had tied the ends of the rug to the side of the door.

Before he could answer, I saw Markuus and Adara at the other end of the dark tunnel, dark. Markuus you idiot! She's afraid of the dark!
"I'm fine. How're you dear?"
"I'm going to kill Markuus." I said, stomping off towards him.

Aiden Torran

I gave a sigh of relief after the meeting ended. I quickly got up and ran for the kitchen.

"Torran." Father said stopping me in my tracks.

"Yes Father." I said. I hated that name. Torran. But, while I was in the company of my father, it was my name. When with the children, I was called by my preferred name, though some would call it an alias, of Aidenzo. Most of the time, it was Aiden or simply Ai as most of the kids were too small to pronounce my full name. Either way, I wasn't with them. I was with my father and I needed for him to not be suspicious of me, so I obediently turned to face him.

"Where do you think you are going?" He said cocking an eyebrow at me. My brother gave a silent snicker at my predicament. I ignored him.

"Nowhere if you needed me." I said. It was a forced response, but one I needed to make in his company. I hated the rules in the castle.

"Well, I need you to excort our guests to the door. Your brother and I have important matters to discuss." My heart sank. Usually when he said that, it meant bad news for the orphans and I would need to keep everybody inside for a couple of days. I would need to complete my duties quickly to listen in on them.

"Yes father." I said, "This way, king Hymen." I motioned him to join me and we proceeded down the hall. The meeting wasn't that important. Mostly kingly duties and keeping the peace with other nations so we could avoid war, but the entire family had to be there. That meant myself, father and my brother all in one place together. And we all hated each other, but we had to be the happy, strong family before the other kingdoms. Good thing I was a good actor and people liked me, or we would have gone to war five times already. I think those are the only times father actually wants me around. I was well liked and charasmatic while he and my brother were not.

I quickly usherd the king through the door and rushed back to the hall. Father and brother were still there discussing... Oh thank God. Other matters. Matters involving the citizens demanding more rights or something. Had nothing to do with the orphans. Still, best to tell them all to lay low for a while. I went to the kitchen and spoke to the cook. She gave me a large portion of freshly prepared food and I went to the secret entrance to the underground.

As soon as I entered, I ducked off to a smaller tunnel to change into my 'Aiden clothes' as I called them and then continued on to where everybody was likely to be. My mission for the day was complete, now to give them all the spoils I had. They would love me after they see what I got for them to eat. I smiled as I walked. The tunnels were more of a home to me then the castle. I felt welcome.

Claire

I ran hoping to catch up with Markuus, Adara, and Azeil to go to Azeil's armoury shop but when I got to the tunnel it was too late. I had never been through the tunnel alone, and I wasn't about to start now, so I decided to take a walk around. I turned around and right after took one a step I tripped over a branch twisting and landing on my ankle. I let out a shriek as a wave of pain crept across my leg making me unable to stand up. I didn't feel it was necessary to have someone take time out of what they were doing to help me so I just sat there putting no pressure on my ankle. After many seconds had ticked by I thought my foot would be fine so I slowly got up without putting any of my body weight on my foot. Assured that I could I walked I put some pressure on my foot. Unfortunately my foot wasn't able to withstand the pressure so I fell to the ground, my face landing in a pile of dirt.

This time Deliah saw me as I hit the ground. She rushed over, dropped the sack she was holding, and bent down so that she was the same height as me.

"What happened, why are you crying?" she said."

"It's my foot, I can't stand up" I replied as tears started forming around my eyes.

"Well let's get you out of here and get you some ice for your foot," she said scooping me up in her arms. I felt too old to be carried, but at that moment I was in such agonizing pain I'd rather be picked up by anyone than to walk. I closed my eyes pretending to sleep as Deliah carried me to my room and gently placed me on my bed. I heard her tip toe out of my room and return 5 minutes rustling a bag of ice in her hand. She laid the ice on my foot and I let out a tiny yelp as my warm foot responded to the freezing ice. She sat on my bed stroking my hair when I heard footsteps come into the room and Fawn's voice say

"What happened to Claire? Is she ok?"

"I think she might have broken her ankle or sprained it badly,"

"Oh, well I hope she's ok"

"Yeah, I think we should go and let her sleep."

"Ok"

I wished Deliah would stay but instead she got of my bed and she and Fawn left the room. It was in my room that I then realized how tired being hurt made me. After opening and closing my eyes a few times I finally left them closed and fell asleep wondering what would await me when I woke up.