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[Korin d'Rue]

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Korin knelt before Kestryl, just out side the entrance to despise. For the second time he checked over her armor. "Are you sure you are ready for this?" He asked looking into his daughters eyes.

"Daddy I'm a big girl now." She said as she puffed up her chest and rocked foreward on her toes to try and make herself taller. "I is ready for dem Liziards."

Korin adjusted the little leather helm on her head and smiled. "Ok just do it like we have practiced and remember I am right there with you." He stood up, Looked down at her.

Kestryl drew her rune blades and marched into the cavern. At her first sight of a lizard man Kestryl froze. It spotted her and made a bee-line for her. Korin watched as his little girl braced herself. The Lizard struck first. it's Clawed hand landing solidly against Kestryl's head Knocking her backward and to the ground.

Korin stepped in and with two blows had ended the Lizards attack on his little girl. turning he moved over and knelt beside her. Her nose was bleeding and she was shaking her head.

kestryl looked up. "Big lizard!"

"Ok come on we are getting you out of here." korin said as he helped her to her feet.

Kesstryl wiped her bloody nose on her sleeve, and stomped her foot. "NO daddy I'm going to get dem Lizards." she took off up the cavern.

Korin gave chase yelling for her to stop but as he rounded a corner Korin could see a Lizard man bearing down on Kestryl. This time she was ready and as it swung at her she ducked under it and cut deep with her rune blades. The lizard hissed loudly as its tiny brain registered pain from two gashes one on each leg. Kestryl struck again drawing blood again with her attacks. As the Lizard fell foreward unable to support its own weight on its wounded legs Kestryl swung again. this time each blade found its mark. The Lizard slumped to the ground and bloody froth pouring out of the two slashes in its throat.

Kestryl jumped up and down "I did it daddy I did it" she sang as she jumped and danced around.

Korin was smiling very big. "Yes baby you did now loot him and lets go." He kept watch as his little girl collected her gold off the corpse and shoved it into her pack then he lead her out, and back home.


Two hours later.




Korin openned the door walking inside his home. Korin could see Laramie standing with her back to him, Her hands on her hips. Sitting on the couch was his little girl. Her head was wobbling from side to side. and she had the hiccups.

Korin was not sure what was going on but when he heard Laramie screach "He did what?" Korin thought it time to go. He turned as Quietly as possible and started tip toeing to the door.

"HIIII Daddy" Kestryl's voice broke that slience.

"You!" came another screach from Laramie. As she focused her verbal attack on him.

[Laramie Royce]

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"She's drunk." Laramie's usually quiet and calm voice split the air eliciting a wince from Korin. She watched as his blue eyes darkened and he crossed the room to their daughter who was bouncing happily on the couch. Leaning down he sniffed and doubled back on his heels.

"Yes, she's drunk." He must have known he was in for it because he came round Laramie's backside then and settled on the opposite couch to their little girl. "How did it happen?"

"She got it off the lizardmen YOU took her to kill!"

A very giggly and inebriated Kestryl chimed in then. "Daddy said I could have the shiny things!"

Whirling from Kestryl to Korin Laramie did the math. "Those bottles are shiny Korin. Didn't you check to see what she had grabbed?"

"I didn't think about it.."He trailed off.

Unsure if she wanted to laugh or scream Laramie knelt down in front of their five year old, her dress scraping the hardwood floors.

"Kes, sweetheart from now on you have to show me and Daddy every thing you get off those monsters okay? It could be something that could hurt you."

As thoroughly chastised as she was going to be Kestryl gave her Mother a huge hug before announcing she had a gift for her. Running as fast as her quickly sobering legs would taker her up the stairs she disappeared from view. A half giggle, half sigh escaped Laramie. "I'm not so sure this was a good idea."

[Kestryl d'Rue]

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Kestryl made it up the steps after falling off of them a few times. Wispering each time "I hate these stupied stairs." Once reaching her room she throws the door open making a loud nosie as it met the wall. She drops to her knees swinging her chest at
the foot of her bed open and slinging all the clothes into the air that were piled on top of Laramie's surprize. Kestryl reached the bottom and saw the pile tucked in the cornor of the box just deep enought to keep Laramie From finding it. Kestryl stands up and heads down stair.

In her soft sweet voice she yells...... "Mommy now close your eyes and hold out your hands."

Kestryl places the small pile of leather in her Mommy's hand. "Open your eye's Mommy!" Kestryl said with excitment. "That's what I got off a big grizzly bear from the forest where Daddy went to take me to kill those scarey skeleton men and zombies."

Kestryl looked back at Korin winking to him. Knowing without him by her side she would of easily been turned into bear food if Korin had not portected her. As Laramie walks over to speak sharply at Korin Kestryl begins to jump up and down on the furinture.

Her mother turned and said, "Now it is my time for surprizes." Kestryl closed her eyes as she had made her mother and to Kestryl surprize it was a a beautiful blue dress she had made for her. Again with speed Kestryl runs up stairs leaving a trail of clothing. As Kestryl tried her dress on running down stairs looking like a small miniture of Laramie. Twirling and singing sweetly she hears her father speak.

"Want to go show your Mother what I have taught you these pass few days?"

Kestryl stops swiftly and hold out the bottom of her new dress. Looking innocently up at Korin "In my new dress daddy?"

[Laramie Royce]

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Foreboding and ominous the entrance to Despise loomed before the trio. Turning round to face her Korin looked directly into Laramie's eyes making sure he had her full attention. "Stay close to me. Don't wander."

She nodded once and stepped to the side behind him. The knot in her stomach grew tighter as their five year old charged ahead, runeblades out and spinning. The first of five lizardmen went down fairly quickly and without Kestryl needing any help from her Father. But as the second and third descended, Laramie watched Korin step in and with two blows removed the extra leaving their daughter to fight one on one.

If she stepped too far to one side Korin's hand would snag out and grasp her wrist pulling her back to his side as their daughter continued her onslaught. One such occassion came to pass twenty minutes into the demonstration as Laramie had gotten 10 steps out. Heated breath, foul with age old bones and carcass graced itself across her neck and she spun just in time to see Kestryl cut through the creature as if it were a slice of bread.

Heart in her throat she looked up shaking and met Korin's blue eyes. Intense and focused he quickly looked her over as if appraising her for damage. She knew he was about to speak and fully expected it to be gruff and aimed in her general direction when Kestryl cut him off.

"Did'ya see Mommy? See how I got the one that su'pized you?" Grinning from ear to ear at her accomplishment Kestryl bounded in circles around Laramie.

"Yes Baby, I saw!"

A half an hour later they were back at the Tower. With Kestryl hopped up on sugar and bouncing all over the house Korin and Laramie took position on the living room couch. Seriousness lingered in the air lightly touching the outer folds of jubiliation that Kestryl had instilled.

[Korin d'Rue]

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Korin sat on the couch, Even though Kestryls was dancing around and making all kinds of noise. The silence between Laramie and himself was deafing. Korin had so much to say, but he wanted to pick his words wisely. It had taken all of his internal strenght not to yell at her in despise. He had told her to stay close to him, and she had not. She had not gotten far off but just enough and he had been so focused on Kestryl that he had not noticed the Lizardman coming at them from behind. Lucky for Korin Kestryl had seen it, and dealt with the danger before he had time to react.

Korin was not sure who he was more mad at Laramie for wandering to far away from him or himself for putting her in danger to start with.

When Kestryl had worn herself out dancing and singing her songs of triumph over lizards. she curled up on the couch beside Kestryl. Korin had to give a little laugh when he peeked around Laramie. Nestled up under her Mothers arm Kestryl was asleep all worn out from her adventures. The cherry lollipop that she had been working on now hung half out of her mouth and drool dripped from the end of the stick.
Korin stood and removed the saliva covered candy and handed it to Laramie. He gently picked up Kestryl into his arms and with Laramie following close behind him carried his little warrior princess up to her room. Laying her into her bed Korin bent down and kissed her forehead. Kestryl smiled briefly, then snuggled into the covers and went back to dream land.
Laramie as all good mothers had to make sure Korin had tucked her in right and after she had adjusted the covers and kissed Kestryls cheek, she turned to Korin and together the left thier sleeping daughters room.

In the hallway Laramie was the one who broke the silence between them. "Korin, I know you want to yell and scream at me." she stood facing him her eyes down cast. "So just do it and get it over with, Please."

Korin looked at her standing in front of him, Her head bowed and her body braced for an onslaught of verbal abuse. "No." Korin said as he shook his head. Reaching out he placed his fingers under her chin and raised her face so that her eyes met his. "I am not going to yell." He peered into her deep brown eyes, "atleast not this time."

Laramie gave a half hearted smile, "This time?"

"You Scared me in there today." Korin began

"I know and I am sor......." Laramie started to say but Korins finger tips against her lips stopped her speech before she could finish.

"You just listen!" Korin said in a stern voice. "OK?"

Laramie just nodded her head.

Korin took a few minutes to gather his thoughts before beginning to speak. "In here, In this house. You do as you see fit to run this place and take care of Kestryl and me." Korin noticed a smile creep up on Laramie face with his words.
"but out there," korin pointed towards the wall as he spoke. "That is my place to take charge and it is my job to keep you and Kestryl safe."
Korin took Laramie by the hand and lead her down the stairs into the living room and they sat on the couch.
Looking at Laramie, "Do you remember when we first met, how I told you that we come from two different worlds?"

Laramie nodded her head.

"Well this is what I was talking about." Korin put his finger tips together as his elbows rested on his thighs. "In a smithy or with a needle I would be lost." He paused for just a moment. "but out there is where I am at my best." He turned his head and looked at her. "I only want to keep you and Kestryl safe. I want to teach Kestryl to defend herself and one day to take her place at my side. Just as I always want you by my side."

"Kestryl is a fast learner she probally got that from you cause I know she did not get it from me." He smiled when Laramie did at his statement. "She will be as good as me one day maybe even better." He looked back down at the floor, "But that will take years of practice."

Now Korin knew that it was the time to get to the whole point of this conversation. And it was this part that he feared the most.

Standing up he turned to Laramie. "Outside of these walls, You need to listen to me and do what I say when I say." Korin watched Laramie's face as he spoke. "If I tell you to run, You run." His voice had changed it was now more stern. "You do not ask why, You just run."
"If I tell you to stay close to me you stay close." Korin noticed Laramies head slowly dropping and he knew that she was not fully understanding his point.

Dropping onto one knee in front of her he raised her face so He was staring into her eyes once more. "Darlin I am not trying to be controling or bossy, I just want to keep you safe."

Korin reached down, and removed a dagger from his boot. "this was my first weapon, I want You to keep it with you at all times and I will show you how to use it, Properly." Korin then leaned in and kissed her forehead as he closed her fingers around the hilt of the dagger.

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[Laramie Royce]

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Korin's fingers overlay hers on the dagger. Gripping the metal tightly she stared down at it wide eyed. She'd held weapons in her hands before when forging them with the hot steel but this was different. The intention was different. Lifting her gaze off of the dagger and back into his eyes she nodded once in understanding.

She really wasn't okay with Kestryl learning to fight let alone herself. Realization that he was right though, in every bit he had said about their difference in worlds was slowly sinking in. She gave no reply immediately. Hand in hand they ascended the stairs and closed the door.

Somewhere between the sheets and the pitch black night illuminated softly by the glistening snow outside the window she whispered, "Alright love, I'll do as you ask."