"Cyd!" A little cannon struck Cybelline in the back. Cybelline turned around and ruffled Miri's hair, "What are you doing here?" The precocious five year old girl with pigtail tales and ruddy cheeks grinned up at the taller child.

Miri asked Cybelline the same question, "Cyd, what are you doing here?"

Cybelline looked at the beautiful landscape and said softly "I like it."

When she had been a covert operative, she didn't own anything. Her apartment could've been packed and cleaned in twenty minutes, her life could be erased in seconds. Even her few friends didn't really know enough about her to pose as a problem. She couldn't have likes, dislikes, preferences, or tastes.

But as she stood here, her feet in the rich earth, the smell of the cool air in her nostrils, with almost nothing to her name, she felt free.

Miri looked at her like she was crazy, "There's nothing here, Cyd." She pointed around here, "Ma says Pa can't grow things to save his life. " She thought about it for a moment and then brightened, picking up a rock in her giant hand, "I understand now. Cyd likes rocks!" That brought Cybelline out of her reverie, it was like being hit with a frying pan in the face.

Cybelline looked at the small piece of farmland Ithos owned and sighed. As the the home farthest from the village and closest to the highlands, it was much more difficult to grow things here.

Other people in the village had land that could produce corn and grain by the cartload. Ithos's land could produce only rocks.

Cybelline chuckled, "Yes. Cyd likes the land and the rocks."

Miri looked shook her head and tugged at Cybelline's hand, "Silly Cyd, let's go home."

Ithos was busy cleaning the chicken coops when Cybelline and Miri walked into the little yard. Miri tottered over to the old man, "Pa! I brought Cyd back!" She jumped into Ithos's arms, "Cyd told me she likes land and rocks. But Miri likes candy more." She eyed her father slyly, "Pa has candy?"

Ithos gave her a tiny piece of candy, "Don't tell yer ma." Miri grinned conspiratorially and ran off to play.

Cybelline followed in, "Myrai will find out sooner or later. Miri can't keep secrets to save her life."

Ithos only shook his head, "It's a problem when children are too truthful."

Cybelline hid a smile, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Ithos scratched his head, "Yer been out on that land, fiddlin' for a few weeks now. Are ye sure ye want to waste yer time on it? It ain't produced anything for decades."

Cybelline grinned, "Ithos, have you ever thought it's because you don't know how to farm? If you cleared the rocks and irrigated the land, maybe you'd have a chance?"

Myrai had come out the house then and chuckled, "I've been tellin' him that for twenty five years."

Ithos swelled up like a bullfrog, "I can farm, what do ye know!"

"Ye lost the oxen that pulled the plough!" Myrai glared at her husband, who instantly deflated, he muttered, "That old thing ran away."

"Then ye broke the plough." Myrai pointed out flatly, "Ye used it to build a bonfire for the children. Sayin' it'd be more useful that way." Ithos scratched his head, "It did make a great bonfire." Myrai looked slightly exasperated, "Ye old whallop."

Ithos grinned at Cybelline, "If ye'd want, take the land and do what ye want with it. I'll put it in yer name when i see the headman."

"No, it's your land." Cybelline protested. Myrai laughed, "Child, Ithos has tortured that land long enough, take it and do some good with it."

"I want ye to have it" Ithos said with determination "If ye can do better with it than I did, then it's found the right owner." Cybelline looked down, "Thank you." She didn't know what else to say.

Ithos stretched, "Tomorrow we'll go to the town market and find some seeds for ye. And mayhap some more supplies."

Cybelline frowned, "I can get the money elsewhere, I don't want to keep spending your money."

Ithos scoffed, "I earn money as a soldier so my children can spend it on things they like. Yer part of this family now, lass. I'm more than happy to spend on ye." He mock glared at her, "I'd be hurt if ye refused."

Myrai placed a hand on Cybelline's face, "Child, ye got to remember that if ye ever need anything, ye come to us first."

Ithos thought for a moment, "Old man Henrish will have a plough that we can use if we fix it up a bit. I'm not sure when can get the ox, it's ploughin' season."

Myrai's eyes lit up, "What about ---" But the look on Itho's face made her stop.

Ithos then waved at Cybelline "We can't do anything until we get ye farming supplies, go into the village and play, child. Don't worry about these things for now." He waved a hand at her, "If ye can, find the boys. Those little rag-muffins run half wild, if ye can make sure they haven't burnt down half the village by now, I'd be grateful."

Cybelline grinned and set off for the main village, she'd been there for a month now and met quite a few of the families. She liked the lazy pace of the country life and how they always greeted her when they saw her.

After forty minutes, Cybelline saw the outskirts of the village. A few women waved to her as she walked by.

"Yer Myrai's oldest now, ain't ya, boy?" An older lady asked, and Cybelline nodded, "The old woman cackled, "A fine lookin' lad. My granddaughter's looking for a nice boy in a few years. Make sure yer still single then." Cybelline coughed walked away at a quicker pace.

The little square was buzzing with activity as she ambled through it. Ithos had given her a few coppers and told her to ask him for more when she wanted anything that need extra coin.

Cybelline only shook her head at the kindness, inwardly she promised herself she would repay them for their generosity.

"Morning Cyd." A voice called out to Cybelline as she passed by the apple vendors. Cybelline turned around and nodded, "Yoni."

The older boy walked up to Cybelline, "Yer up early."

Cybelline grinned, "I like the market in the morning "

Yoni grinned, "I'm going to old man Sosser's, he's got a fresh batch of bread. My ma wants me to take some to yer Ma. Do ye want to come with?"

Cybelline smiled, "Sure." And fell into step with the older boy. Yoni was a strong lad with an easy going grin who befriended her in the first few days.

"Yer an easy goin' lad. And here I thought that all of Ithos's children were as cautious of anyone who ain't Ithos and Myrai" Yoni observed.

She shrugged, "As long as anyone is nice to me, I'm nice to them."

Yoni glanced at the younger boy. Cyd was different from his friends and most people who lived in the village. Yoni could not go through a day without hearing all the things that had happened in their lives. So far, the only thing Yoni knew about Cyd was that he had come into town with Ithos.

Yoni smiled, "Ithos's children are all unique." He frowned and scooted closer, "Do ye...ever find them to be odd?"

Cybelline raised her eyebrow, "Odd?"

Yoni nodded, "The little uns, Ryion and Isthan, they just don't look like us. And their eyes..." They had walked past the square and towards the areas where children played.

Just then they heard a rough and cruel voice, "Dirty...Rotten... Little Mongrol! I heard if I kill ye, I can get extra years to my life. Let's see if it's true!"

Frowning, Cybelline a few paces to discover a boy of fifteen or sixteen kicking a much smaller child curled on the ground. Three children around, watching or laughing. One of them was holding another boy by the collar and shaking him. They had their backs to Cybelline and were completely unaware of the new arrivals.

Suddenly, another child rushed over and covered the child's body with his own.

"You leave him alone, you dirty peasant!" The child roared. Cybelline recognized that imperious voice instantly. Berin shielded the child on the ground as he glared at the older bully.

She quickened her pace, just as the fifteen year old aimed a kick at Berin's face.

Berin stubbornly scrunched up his face waiting for the pain, but it never came. Instead, when he opened his eyes, he saw Voric the bully sailing through the air like a comet..

The bully's cruel grin froze on his face as he flew across the yard. And then tumbled roughly to land in a manure pile with unerring accuracy.

A small shadow loomed over him when he opened his eyes after that excruciating moment, his face covered in fresh shit.

It would be the coldest pair of eyes he'd ever seen.