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A young elfess walks along the path towards Trollsbane, seemingly in no hurry to arrive. She thinks back to what seems like only yesterday, when her and her older sister left their home after the terrible tragedy which took their parents.

It had been many years since she had actually seen her, however. Kiilii had always been a bit of a free spirit, following rules and common sense only when it suited her. Aurica had already made the trip to Gobiath some time ago, but Kiilii had chosen to go another way. Her own way, in spite of her older sister's protests that it was too uncertain and dangerous.

It was, at first.

She had no sooner arrived at the small village on that faraway island than she was robbed of the few posessions she had brought with her. Vowing revenge, she soon learned the various subversive arts of moving quickly, striking hard, and not being seen until it was far too late.

Eventually becoming one of the best and most infamous of the local riff-raff, she decided to leave after receiving one too many threats from the local monastery. The monks never really had anything worth taking, anyhow... the true reward was watching how a group of people who had taken a vow of silence reacted to all their food and clothing being mysteriously placed on the highest branches of a tree.

But the threats never really bothered her. Truthfully, she missed her sister, even though Aurica was a little naive. Granted, they'd had their altercations before, but that was always over who got to go into the village with Father or who got the last piece of bread.

As she approaches the walls of the city, she begins to think of the riches that must be inside. But even Kiilii has a little voice inside her head, telling her not to set the halflings aflame and whatnot. As long as her sister is around, she must not ruin whatever reputation Aurica has earned for herself--no doubt a good one, and with friends and other acquaintances. No, Kiilii should behave herself.



At least while Aurica's around...

The small letter flutters lazily to the ground as Aurica leans against a tree. Simultaneously, every possible emotion is coursing through her mind, throwing what was a normal day into chaos.

Nineteen years. Would she even recognize Ki anymore? Much can happen in that time, even if one is nearly immortal. Aurica had never spoken of her sister to anyone, not even Searavae. When they had gone their separate ways, it was not under the best of terms. Not like Kiilii ever really listened, anyhow.

It wasn't so much ignorance, as it was arrogance. Kiilii knew she was right, even when the exact opposite was staring her in the face. Even after the destruction of their hometown, Ki wanted to go back to look for survivors even while the fires were still blazing. Regardless of the fact that the heat was unbearable even from 50 stadia outside the smouldering remains of the gates, Ki still believed that her best friend's home was still fine and standing, with the family just sitting down to dinner as the flames wiped the rest of the town empty. Aurica had to physically restrain her from running back into the blaze.

"O Five, I hope she's changed..." Aurica sighs.

Not that she ever truly despised her sister; instead, they were as close as any two sisters could be. Aurica was the timid, shy one--Kiilii was the one known for instigation and rumor. They often kept each other in balance throughout childhood, with Ki getting into trouble and Aurica always bailing her out.

It had all changed when they became refugees, though. Kiilii was becoming more and more daring, stealing an apple here, a loaf of bread there, until one day when she had come quite close to being captured while slaughtering a farmer's prized pig. That was when Aurica put her foot down, stating that if that was the life Kiilii would choose, then Aurica would have no part of it. Ki had retorted with the statement that since they no longer had a home city, no laws would apply to them.

It was on the crossroads near the port for Gobiath that Aurica had made the ultimatum that either Kiilii repent of her unsavory ways, or she would be left to fend for herself. Ki, being Ki, decided on the latter. The last Aurica had seen of her was Kiilii walking over the crest of a ridge, headed for a nearby town. Since then, no word had ever reached her of her sister's fortune.

Sitting upon the soft earth near Vanima, Aurica pulls out her pipe. What would they talk about? What could be said? Had Ki finally reformed, or had she become like Seravae's mother Arkadia? Lighting her pipe, Aurica searches for any answers that might be hidden in the swirling wisps of smoke. Watching them float away, still witholding their secrets, Aurica begins to doze off. Maybe in the morning, she would know what to do.

If anything.