Her face falls as she stares at her feet for a moment, her voice growing quiet, "He twere nae tae come back. He died tae many times and his god twould nae allow him return.... Nae, his god took him tae walk the Starry Road ferever." Taking a look up she offers a small smile. "It must have all but killed me mother. I nae even know what I twould do ifn Leucius twere tae be claimed.... Even worse tae have such a young child. At any rate, I do digress. Me mother found out ye know... the page came and found her and delivered the news. At least tis how the lady explain tae me. Ye see, me mother brought me tae the lady... she had sold all she could of me father's and her things. Even sold her instruments she did. And as the lady say... what tis a bard withnae her instruments? But anyway... she took all the money she got from selling things and give tae the lady along with me and beg her take care of me. Me mother then went off tae try find apprenticeship in her guild, hoping tae find one kind enough take her in. At least that tis what she told the lady twere her plans. Later I twere tae find out that twere the last the lady ever saw er heard of me mother."

She shakes her head and glances back with an apologetic smile. "Oh, me childhood, fergive me. I grew up in the woods with the lady and a somewhat large group of others. Methink most twere family, but as I said I twere nae ever allowed think of meself as family. Twere fine though... I enjoyed the forests. I nae learned climb er swim with the other children... nae, I nae twere allowed with them. They nae liked me... they knew I twere nae one of them I suppose. Ye know how people tend tae outcast those nae in they group, aye? At any rate tis how I grew up... spend me days watching the other children or wandering about the trees."

She looks thoughtful for a moment. "Well, tis how I started grow up. Upon what the lady tell me twere me... eighth, aye eighth, methink, birthday me life changed." She smiles, her eyes almost sparkling as she relives the excitement of that morning.

"Oh, I twere so excited, I twere. Twere the first day I twere going be allowed go tae town. I twere always wishing I could join the other kids when they went. Oh they seemed tae love it there, and they always came back with such wonderful things! The lady she sat me down she did... tell me that twere me first trip tae town and that I twere tae make her proud. I twere tae stay with another girl. And I twere tae make her proud there. I twere nae sure how I twere going tae do that... but I knew I twould do me best. I had tae please the lady... after all, she had done so much fer me, aye?"

The excitement wanes as a small cloud of sadness washes over her face. "Twere then I asked her ifn I twould see me mother there. I ask her ifn I could go tae the bard guild and find her. The lady shook her head tae me.... She tell me that she nae heard from er of me mother since she had given me up. She said me mother twere gone. Oh, how I wish I had ever a chance see her... just once, even." A small tear rolls down her cheek before she smiles again.

"But me sadness nae last long, ye know. I twere tae excited tae go tae town. I set off with the girl as I twere instructed... and ach, what wonders twere upon the way. Well, upon the trip she met up with a boy. Methink he twere her boyfriend. I nae minded really... though twere strange tae me that I usually only saw one at a time, but I twere tae busy watching the trees get further apart and watching the people go by. Ach, twere the first time I had seen so many people, and nae a one twere paying attention really, they all just hustling along."

She shakes her head a bit with a soft giggle. "Some things nae ever change, aye? Well, anyway, twere nae tae long afore... there twere... twere the biggest thing I ever did see! I couldnae see the edges! Aye, twere the town of Crossing! Me eyes must have been the size of saucers! Me insides twere all twitching with excitement when we reached the gate! The girl said she wanted go shopping and the boy agree... so tis what we did. Least tis what I had thought. We go in and out of lots of stores. Finally I say I am tired and hungry, so they take me tae a place tae get food they did. I twere talking over the menu with the man... and that tis when it happen." Her face falls as she shudders a bit at the memory, but she offers a soft smile.

"The man suddenly grabbed me, he did. He got me by the neck and shook me. 'Ye little thief! Think tae distract me fer ye little friends do ye? Well ye all twill pay fer it!' Tis what he yell at me as he grab fer a knife, but I twere able slip away when he saw the girl running away. Ach, I slipped out and I ran fer me dear life I did! I ran until I couldnae run nae more. I nae even remember stopping, but I must have. I remember waking up cold, crying, lost and alone. I knew I couldnae go back tae the lady, I had failed her. I realized how the children had all gotten they nice things, and how I twere tae make her proud. Alas, I couldnae do that. Nae, I twere tae scared, and something tell me tis nae the proper way treat people. So instead I just sit there watching the people pass by. Naeone even seemed tae notice me sit there." She shakes her head a bit with a sigh.

"Finally I saw this couple that looked nice... so I twere going tae call out tae them." She lowers her gaze, "Twere then I found out I couldnae speak. Nae a sound twould come from me throat and it still hurt ever so badly. Finally I got up and wandered about some. I learned tae pick scraps from what people twould toss aside tae eat, and found that sometimes others twould give me coin. Each time I had those coins I knew I twould be able eat fer days." She smiles softly with a nod. "I nae ever fergot that generosity. I lived like that fer a long while I did. In time I gained partial use of me voice back. I could speak just above a whisper and that did me fine, at least I could talk tae others again." She glances up with a smile and a nod. "How do I speak like I do now? Well, that have tae do with me getting me voice taken by the gods, then restored by Urrem'tier, of all gods, and that tis an entirely different story." She smiles an almost strange smile as she thinks upon that before nodding again.

"Anyway, I lived like that fer AGES. Then one day I find this table... it twere always covered with food, drink, flowers and all sorts of nice things. Ach, how I lived like a queen fer a while! Me little table twere by a garden. I always had something eat and the nicest place tae sleep. How twere I tae know it twere an altar? I had nae even known naething of the gods barely. Well, one day this lady come tae me... ach, she twere beautiful. She call me by name and speak tae me and explain the gods and the altar and what I twere doing. Ach, I twere MORTIFIED!" She blushes and looks down in embarrassment as she remembers.