The evening had started out as any other for her, piles and piles of parchment spilling off of her desk at home. She sighed and wondered yet again why she had even accepted her position in the first place, and again felt the great weight pressing perilously down upon her. Frowning, she shoved the papers off her desk and rose, leaving them strown upon the floor, the spilled inkwell left to soak into the oak of the desk.

Slowly she walked down Emerald Lane, heading for the Sacred Grove. The feeling of peace and tranquility washing over her as she stepped through the invisible barrier. She glanced at the sleeping elves lying on the comfortable fronds, a couple snuggled together in the hammock, and sighed, averting her gaze. Silently, she made her way to the portals, their elliptical depths shimmering before her, and stepped into one.

The dock workers paid her no attention, a few sailors smiling at the pretty lady before she left them behind. It wasn't long till she reach Arkane, and ignoring the guards, headed north along the path. She parted the brush and started along the faint trail coming soon to a city of dark streets, rogues and thieves, beggers and insane priests, and rats... plenty of rats.

Her dark green eyes scanned the shadows, searching for something and moving on as they failed to find it. She sneered at the large serpentine thing before her and moved past. There, perhaps, was what she sought. Endless hours spent in conversation with a Speaker and her mother, words bantered back and forth, insults flung and batted back again. This was interesting, but not she came to find. A presence snuck in, and they talked on, unalerted to him until he could take no more and prayed to be taken home. She gasped and cursed, glaring about her, she knew things would be taken badly now, no matter what she told anyone. She curtseyed and fled home to where he awaited her.

They spoke in private, tears springing to her eyes as she revealed her extreme unhappiness to him, though he didn't completely understand. For an hour, they spoke, in hushed whispers till he was called away. He bid her stay, always stay and she nodded, sighing. The moment he had gone, she slipped out of the Grove, and headed for the jail, not knowing what she was doing nor why. She found him there, sitting wretchedly in his cell. She looked at the guard and he reluctantly allowed her entrance. 'Leave us' she commanded, he nodded and disappeared around the corner. She drew her dagger and pointed it at his throat, much to his disdain and surprise. He sneered at her as they exchanged words, he couldn't possibly grasp why she had come, unless it was to gloat over him.

She tossed the dagger to him, her heart feeling very empty and cold already. Her inexperience with the blade caused it to fly sideways, it's tip nicking his upper arm and falling to the floor as he tried to dodge what he thought was an attack. Shaking her head she just turned to open the door, thinking only that every child needed a parent... like her children hadn't had. Seeing his opportunity, he scooped up the dagger and aimed for her back, throwing it hard with a flick of his wrist. She turned to tell him he was free to be with his son and found a blade embedded in her right shoulder. With a gasp, she looked at him, finding him a blur of motion. Her head hit the bars with a resounding crack, a rusty darkness flooding her vision, her knees collapsing beneath her, she melted to the floor.

'Thank you...' His whispered words fell on deaf ears as he slipped into the shadows, and out of the jail.