Summer knew they were looking for her.

The guards very rarely, if ever, ventured this deep into the woods. This evening, however, almost all of them were combing through the forest surrounding town. Their attempts at being sneaky amused her, for they sounded like stomping giants to someone who lived almost all her life in the woods.

She knew it was her they were seeking because the guards were chatty. She caught snippets of their conversations from her perch on the trees. All she got was something about a theft, royal guards, and the orphanage.

All she could think of was the coin purse she'd taken from one of the outsiders that morning. Did they know she was the one who'd taken it?

She had taken the money from the pendant and the coin purse to Rose before going home. Now she worried that Rose would get into trouble.

Some people knew she was her friend. What if they searched Rose's room and found the coin bag? What if Rose got in trouble for it? Obviously, the outsiders were powerful people if they'd gotten the guards to do their bidding.

With growing concern, Summer waited for the guards below to go past her, then she climbed down and dashed to the orphanage. She encountered more guards on her way, so it took her awhile to get past all of them unnoticed. It wasn't difficult, she knew the forest like the back of her hand, and she could climb a tree with the speed of a squirrel.

When she got to the orphanage, all her doubts were confirmed.

She climbed a tree and jumped from one to another until she was within sight of the clearing where the orphanage was located. Then she sat on a branch, concealed by the foliage, and observed.

There were four of them. The two she'd met that morning: the dark-haired handsome man and the smaller ginger; with another massive man with shoulder-length black waves and piercing dark eyes she could see from the distance, standing next to a tall, dark skinned woman with short hair and strikingly beautiful features.

The bigger guy was the one in charge, even though he wasn't the one talking to the head guard. Summer could tell from the way the other three flocked around him like chicks to a mother hen, and how the man speaking subtly glanced at him for confirmation every now and then. Even the quiet, dignified way he bore himself screamed confidence and authority.

The orphanage's headmaster and a guard got out at that moment with Rose stomping behind them.

The guard was holding the coin purse Summer had taken from the ginger outsider that morning, and the headmaster another, smaller purse in which Summer knew Rose kept all her savings.

Damn it. So they were doubting Rose.

Heart beating loudly, Summer got closer while staying on the trees. Rose's voice rose to a high pitch, echoing in the evening woods. "That's my money, you thief!"

"If you know what's best for you, stay quiet Rose!" the headmaster said as the guard handed the purse to its original owner.

The small auburn-haired man looked from Rose to the purse now back in his hands with clear confusion. He probably wondered how such a sweet-looking tiny brunette pickpocketed him. Summer would have been amused if her friend wasn't in a serious predicament. All because of Summer.

"We found it in her room," the guard said. "With more money. The headmaster says it's his."

"It's not his!" Rose said, her voice desperate. "He's lying!"

"Why, you-" the headmaster began, taking a threatening step toward Rose.

Summer crouched on the branch and pulled her dagger out. She had a good aim, and if that asshole laid a hand on her friend...

"Enough," the female outsider said. "Let me see that money."

The headmaster reluctantly handed her the purse. She checked its contents and nodded at the man in charge before addressing the others.

"The pawnshop owner said he gave your friend six hundred this morning. There's a little over six hundred here."

The pawnshop? Summer was growing more confused by the minute. What did the pawnshop owner have to do with this?

"Yes. She told me she traded a piece of jewelry she found in the woods. She knows my son needs the money." Rose's face turned pink as she stammered the rest. "But- but she wasn't the one who gave me th-that purse there. I-I stole it! On my own!"

Summer cringed. Rose always stuttered when she lied, but those people didn't know that. Summer was debating what to do when the woman said, "you realize that's a crime, right?"

"Yes." Rose straightened her shoulders. "But I'm the one who took it."

"Your loyalty is admirable," the headmaster said, his voice bored. "But they already know that whore is the one who stole it."

"Don't call her that!" Rose glared at him.

The headmaster took a step closer. "That's what she is! I told you to stay away from her, but you don't listen. You just have to ruin my life!"

The headmaster gripped Rose's arm. Rose gave a small scream of pain.

"Hey!" the dark woman said.

Summer saw that they all moved to intervene, but not before her dagger sailed through the air and sank into the headmaster's fleshy arm.

She couldn't let her friend take the fall for something she herself had done. Rose already had much to worry about. The decision was made. If they'd take summer in for the crime, so be it. She was, after all, a thief.

***

Leon heard the dagger's whistle travelling through the air a moment before it hit its target. He didn't know which one of the two cried louder, the headmaster or the small woman called Rose.

He, like Al and Ida, though, focused his attention on the woods from where the dagger came flying.

They didn't wait long. A few seconds later, a shadow separated from the thick trees. Ida and Al had their swords drawn. But when the person came into clear sight, they all stood stock still.

There, walking towards them with purposeful strides and a glare on her face, was a tiny slip of a girl. She was dressed in all gray with a mass of brown curls surrounding her pale face, her steps so light and springy that she barely disturbed the dirt and grass beneath her feet.

The only distinct thing about her were her eyes. Even from the distance, Leon could see they were an unusual bright shade of blue. No, not blue. Violet. Her eyes were the color of violets.

"Summer, you idiot!" Rose cried over the headmaster's pain-filled howls, "What are you doing?!"

"Shut up, Rose," the girl said in a calm but carrying voice. "I couldn't possibly let you take credit for my work now, could I?"

She was heading straight to the headmaster who was sobbing on the ground. The head guard stopped her with a hand that was meant for her arm, but she easily sidestepped him, pulled the dagger from the headmaster's arm and sprang out of the way before the guard and the head guard could touch her. The two men glowered and stepped forward, intent on catching her.

"Stop," Leon said.

The two guards stopped and looked at her, vexed, while she threw the dagger up the air and caught it again and again.

"Felix, take a look at him," Leon ordered, not taking his eyes off the girl. Felix crouched down beside the wounded man.

"You are Summer," Al said in disbelief.

The girl waved her hand in front of her and made an exaggerated bow. "At your service."

She straightened and looked straight at Leon. The impact of those eyes was... unsettling. "I'm the one who stole the ginger's purse. Rose has nothing to do with it. She didn't even know it was stolen."

Felix got the guards to carry the headmaster inside.

"Rose, go inside," Summer said. Rose was about to argue when Summer shook her head. "Berry. Think of Berry."

With tearful eyes and a resigned expression, the woman dragged her feet inside.

"You almost killed him," Al said, still frowning.

"I did no such thing. I aimed for his arm. The blade would have barely gotten through the layers of fat. He'll live." She shrugged. "So, are you going to arrest me for stealing that money, or are we clear now that it was returned safely to its owner."

"That's not how it works," Al said, sheathing his sword.

"I figured. A word of warning, though. They," she nodded to the guard who walked out of the orphanage and joined them again, "will either kill me or let me go. They won't keep me in prison."

"Why?" Ida asked.

"You haven't heard?" She gasped. "How very lowering! I should work more on my reputation. They're afraid that with my rotten luck, the prison would either burst into flames or crumble to dust."

Leon was almost amused. He remembered one of the guards saying something along those lines earlier. But he remembered that she was a thief, however, and that she stole more than a bag of coins.

"Nonsense," Al stepped closer to the girl then stopped when she threw her dagger to her other hand. "Give me that dagger."

She smiled, twirling the dagger between her thin fingers. "Why?"

"Because I'm arresting you," Al said, annoyed.

"I can-" the guard said, eager to get his hands on her. Al shot him a look that shut him quickly.

Summer tossed the dagger to Al. Al handed it to Ida.

"Take good care of it, will you? I'm very fond of it."

"You're assuming you'll see it again," Ida said.

The girl's smile widened, her eyes holding a mocking gleam as she offered her hands out in silence.

"What're you doing?" Al asked.

"You won't bind me?"

"No." Al sighed and took her arm.

"A gentleman," she said. "I thought your species was extinct."

Al grunted. The girl looked at Leon. "So, big master, to which dingy dungeon you're taking me?"

It was interesting how she figured he was the person in charge. Sharp girl.

"Ida, stay with Felix," Leon said. "Al, let's go."

He, Al and the girl walked through the wooded area separating the orphanage from town.

Leon took the artifact out of his pocket and showed it to the girl. "How did you get this?"

"That old thing?" The girl frowned. When Leon kept quiet she shrugged. "I found it in the creek. Why do you have it?"

"In the creek?" Al asked.

"Yes, it was floating in the creek last evening. Why? Is it yours?"

Leon weighed the artifact in his hand. "This is too heavy to float. Maybe you should consider changing your story."

Her eyes laughed at him. "Why should I change it? I'm telling the truth. I found it floating in the creek."

Leon decided they could wait to have this conversation.

The sun was setting when they reached town, so there were hardly any people out and about. The few individuals still lurking around looked like they hadn't gone home simply in order to find out more about what was happening. It was a small town, if it could even be called that, so there must be very little excitement to go by.

It was difficult to miss the way the girl was looked at and whispered about. Some people glared, a few spat on the ground after she walked past, and others looked downright jubilant that she was in trouble.

Leon glanced at her. She didn't look the least bit disturbed by the display. A tranquil smile pulled her lips up slightly, her eyes stared straight ahead, chin raised and back straight. If he hadn't been walking right next to her, he would've believed she was ten feet big.

"You're quite known around town, aren't you?" Al asked.

"Yes, quite," she replied. "So where are you taking me?"

"Someplace we can talk in private," Leon said as they walked into the inn. He spoke briefly to the two guards stationed at the inn's entrance.

The inn owner looked like he was about to argue when he saw Summer, but decided to simply glare at her and mutter something about trash finally being dealt with.

When Al opened the door to his room, the girl stopped at the doorstep.

"Why do we have to talk here?" she glanced at Leon, a flicker of worry clouding her odd eyes.

"Because we say so," Al nodded inside. "Get in."

She hesitated for a second. Then walked inside, roughly bumping into Al on her way in. On purpose, no doubt, since there was more than enough space to go through without touching him. Al glared at her back. Leon could tell that his friend already didn't like Summer.

"Sit." Al ordered.

"I'd rather stand, thank you." She smiled sweetly, then leaned against the wall by the bed, her arms crossed. Al stood by the window, Leon across the room from him next to the door.

"So where did you get the pendant?" Al asked.

"I told you, I found it in the creek last evening."

"You're going to stick with that story?"

"I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Is it yours? Did you lose it or something?" she looked genuinely bewildered, but Leon didn't believe her. She was too cunning.

"It belongs to someone," Leon said. Her violet gaze swung over to him. "It was stolen a few weeks ago."

"I found it yesterday. I needed the money so I pawned it off."

"What? You couldn't just steal the money?" Al said with a derisive smile.

She grinned at him. "I could."

"This pendant," Leon said, "was stolen a few weeks ago from a fortified facility in the capital."

Her head reared back, then she scoffed. "Well, I definitely didn't steal it, then. I had never gone past the mountains, let alone the capital. And to steal an old jewelry piece, nonetheless."

"Or so you say," Al said.

Her smile was genuinely amused now. "It would be more profitable to just rob the magistrate's wife. She has gemstones and gold more valuable than that piece of sh-" she cleared her throat, "art, that piece of art."

"So you've never left town in the previous weeks?" Al asked. "Is there anyone who could testify to that? Other than your friend, Rose, since we know she'll do anything to keep you out of trouble."

She laughed. "No. Even if someone could testify that I never left town, you think they'll do it? For me? You've seen how eager they are to get rid of me. Half the people who saw us come in here would pay to have me hanging off that window by my neck. The other half would pay you to take me out of town into whatever prison you'll be taking me to."

"How do you know we'll take you to some prison out of town?"

"Let's see. For some unfathomable reason, that pendant is valuable enough to have royal guards sent after it. And you believe that I stole it, no matter what I say."

"How do you know we're royal guards?" Leon asked.

"The guards you sent searching the woods for me have loud voices," she said. "So, since you will not kill me, and you will not set me free, the only option left is to take me captive."

"You seem pretty sure we won't kill you," Al asked, leaning over the window sill. The sunset's orange glow streamed through the glass, setting the girl's violet eyes on fire.

"You won't," she said, that mocking gleam in her gaze again. "You royal guards follow the rules to the point. You won't kill me, at least not until you're absolutely certain I did what I was accused of."

"You seem to know a lot, for someone who lived her whole life in a small town," Leon said.

"I read a lot." She smiled at Leon.

Leon was beginning to realize she had two set smiles. One was mocking, taunting, the other was of genuine amusement. He didn't make the mistake of thinking he had her all figured out. However, she certainly was a unique individual.

"You're right. You will be coming with us." Leon stepped towards her, she straightened off the wall and watched him. "And you will come willingly."

"Stop," she said when he was a few steps away from her. Her smile vanished.

"What?" he asked, then it dawned on him.

Her eyes reminded him of a cornered wild cat's. She was nervous. A woman, alone with two male strangers in an inn room. Of course she would be nervous.

He would have been offended had he not remembered she didn't know him.

"We won't hurt you, Summer," he said.

"Right." She looked between him and Al, her arms still crossed tightly. "That's what they all say."

"You're insulting us." Al said, offended.

"I don't give a damn about your pride," she said with a glare. "If you come an inch closer you'll lose an eye."

Al gave a bark of laughter. "You're too confident for your own good, girl."

"Al." Leon shook his head at him, then looked back at Summer. "I give you my word, Summer, no one will hurt you as long as you are in our custody."

She didn't look like she cared about his word. He added, "However, you will have to cooperate. We'll be leaving for the capital in a few of days."

"Why the capital?" she asked.

"There's a person who has survived the theft. A witness. He might be able to recognize you as one of the thieves, or make you a free woman if you aren't one of the criminals."

A total of twelve guards had been killed during the heist. The only one who survived did so barely. He would have travelled with them, except that the injuries he'd sustained during the heist made constant movements difficult.

He turned to walk out when she spoke, "so you'll just trust me to stay here?"

"No. There'll be guards outside. You won't attempt any such nonsense as escaping, though." He opened the door. "After all, I know where Rose is, she could easily become our suspect instead of you. And you do care about Rose, do you not?"

He closed the door before hearing her answer. The two guards he'd spoken to earlier were now posted in front of the door.

He looked at both of them. They stood straighter. "You will not touch a hair on her head. Understood?"

As he and Al walked down the steps, Al said, "you'd never actually take her friend instead of her."

"Yes. But she doesn't know that. Let's keep it that way."

***

Unlike the capital, where streets buzzed with life well into the night, the townspeople here went home and locked their doors as soon as all shadows merged into one.

On their way to the orphanage, very rarely did Al and Leon see anyone, except in that place in town where business flourished at night. And even then, customers quickly went in and out of the women's houses then hurried to their own.

Felix had stitched the headmaster's wound and bandaged it when Al and Leon walked past the head guard inside. They sat in the hall around a long table with another man Ida introduced as the town's physician. He was tall and wiry, with a mess of gray curls and shifty eyes.

"He was kind enough to come with his tools, I borrowed them to stitch the wound since mine were in the inn," Felix said, nursing a cup of tea.

A few lanterns illuminated the place enough for Leon to see the dreadful state of the orphanage. The table was chipped in places, the wooden floors creaky and unsteady, the chairs mismatched with more than one missing a leg. There was no child in sight.

"Where is that cursed whore?" the headmaster said, his face ruddy and sweaty. "I hope you taught her a lesson! How dare she?! After everything I've done for her!"

"Where's the woman?" Leon asked Ida, who was busy glaring at the headmaster.

"She's been upstairs since you left."

Leon looked at the headmaster. "Have her called down here."

"You don't really need to hear what she has to say," the headmaster said. "She's as bad as that harlot."

Leon simply continued to stare at him. The headmaster shifted uneasily in his seat then called for a maid. A plump, middle aged lady with squinting eyes, graying hair and a clean apron appeared in the doorway. She vanished up the staircase after the headmaster ordered her to call Rose.

"Uh- if you don't need me anymore," the physician stood, looking flustered and eager to leave. "I'll be-"

"Sit down," Leon said quietly. The man lowered himself back to his chair, wiping beads of perspiration from his brow. He and the headmaster studiously avoided each other's eyes.

Rose came down. She was small and delicate, almost the same height and weight as her friend. But he'd never use the word delicate to describe Summer.

She sat as far away from the headmaster as she could, Leon sat across from her, Al leaned against the doorway next to Ida.

"What did you do to her?" she asked in a meek voice, fidgeting with her hands.

"She's safe," Leon replied. "Do you know if she ever traveled away from town in the last month or so."

Rose frowned. "No. She checks in with me at least twice a week. She never traveled. Why?"

"Where does she live?"

"In the woods." She pursed her lips to the side for a moment. "That's all I know. Is she in trouble? She only stole that money because I need it, you know. She's a good person. She truly is."

The headmaster scoffed. Rose glared at him, her eyes filling with tears.

Leon sighed. He really was not made to deal with civilians. He'd rather face off an army than deal with a crying woman.

This one was made with sterner stuff, though. For as soon as the tears appeared, they vanished behind brown eyes glittering with rage.

"If you cared half as much about your grandson as she does, she wouldn't have had to be in this situation!"

"What's wrong with your son?" Ida asked.

"He's ill," she said, her voice trembling. She sniffed. "He's been ill as long as he could walk. The physician prescribed a medication, and if he doesn't take it, he'll have seizures and a fever."

The said physician looked like he was breaking into a fever himself. He was sweating profusely, his gaze flickering all over the place without meeting anyone else's.

"Felix, why don't you go take a look at the boy," Leon asked. "If that's okay with you, Rose. He's a brilliant medic."

Brown eyes widened with hope, she looked at Felix. "Really? But I've no money to pay. Everything I've had was in that purse."

"Don't worry about it," Felix said, his freckled cheeks tinged with pink. "I'll only see how he's doing."

Ida went with Rose and Felix up the stairs. The physician stood. "I think I'll-"

"Sit," Leon said quietly. The physician sat down again.

Leon's grudging admiration for the girl, Summer, grew with every new thing he learned about her. She did what she could do to help her friend's child. He admired loyalty in a person, and given the circumstances Summer was in, her loyalty was even more commendable. She would make a fine soldier.

He was also finding it difficult to judge the way she made her living. It was no secret the townspeople weren't fond of her, so he doubted anyone would offer her work. It was clear by how sickly thin she was and how shabby her dress looked that almost all she stole, she gave to her friend.

Leon found himself wondering; if he was ever put in the same situation, would he act like she did? Defy his code of honor to protect those he cared about the most?

His son's face flashed in his mind. He was eager to go back home to his own child. His brother had thought that some space would be good for his son, and this mission came at an opportune moment. But ever since he left the capital, he wanted nothing more than to turn back.

He would finish matters here and get back. Soon. Soon he would see his son's face again. Even if the boy still wouldn't speak to him.

"Where are the children?" Al asked the headmaster. "It's too quiet."

"They're in bed," the headmaster said. "They're well behaved."

"The place seems a bit run down for an orphanage," Al noted. "I know for a fact the capital provides a generous allowance for all children's institutions."

"Are you implying something, young man?" the headmaster bristled.

"Am I?" Al grinned. "It's a perfectly normal question, considering the state of the place."

"I'll have you know I run things just as they should be run!" the headmaster bellowed. "Who do you think you are, coming here judging my institution?"

"I'm not. But in a few days a committee will be coming to see how well you truly run things."

"Let them come. I'm sure the governor will be pleased with the state of affairs here."

Al gave Leon a smug look. The headmaster's statement had just confirmed that the governor might also be involved in getting this town to the state it was now. At the very least, he'd turned a blind eye.

They didn't correct the headmaster. He'd find out soon enough that the committee wouldn't be coming from the governor's office, but from the capital. Leon decided to entrust dealing with the governor to his brother.

Leon would certainly enjoy watching that scene enfold. His brother could be more intimidating than him when he wanted to.

Rose, Ida and Felix descended the stairs at that time. Ida looked at the physician as if she wanted to hang him from his lashes and whip him. Felix looked murderous, which was an anomaly for the gentle-mannered medic. Rose looked simply confused.

The physician looked ready to faint.

"What is it?" Leon asked.

"According to Felix, the substance that the physician prescribed to the boy is not a medicine. Right, Felix?"

"I'd say it's the reason the boy can't get any better in the first place."

Leon stood up. "What do you mean?"

"It's an addictive substance. It was used in treating some serious heart ailments a long time ago, but it is banned in the current medical practice after its side effects had become known," Felix said, glaring at the doctor. "The boy will be fine after he's taken off of it."

"What? But- but he was sick," Rose said. "And the medicine made it better."

"If I have to guess, I'd say the man took advantage of a normal bout of sickness that was going to go away eventually and incorporated that substance to your son's regimen," Felix said.

Rose's hand clutched her throat. "What?" she croaked out.

Leon slowly turned his head to the physician. He couldn't believe his ears. The physician looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. The headmaster was frozen.

"But why does he get sick when I don't get him the medicine?" Rose asked. "He gets better every time I feed it to him."

"It's an addiction," Felix explained gently. "His body is now so used to it. The boy would show particular symptoms when the substance is not in his blood stream. But with the right procedure, we can slowly take him off of it and cleanse his body from any remnants. I can't say anything for sure until he's examined more thoroughly, but I am hopeful."

The physician finally broke his silence. He exploded from his chair, pointed a trembling finger to the headmaster. "He's the one who paid me to do it! He wanted to get rid of the boy-"

"You liar!" The headmaster shot up, his chair crashing to the floor. "I-I did no such thing-"

"Silence!" Leon thumped his fist on the table. The wood cracked.

The medic collapsed back to his chair, and the headmaster staggered back, wide eyed.

All Leon could see was his sword cutting through their necks. One swift swipe and their heads would fall to the ground. No matter how satisfying the fantasy was, however, he was dealing with civilians, so he reined in his murderous urge.

"Al," Ida suddenly said, frowning at Al's hip sheath. "Where's your dagger?"

Leon and Al looked at his hip where the dagger sheath was strapped.

Empty.

Al cursed. "That little..."