?Done for the day, Mister Ravenlock?? asked the young lady seated, at the main reception desk for the Jewell Ravenlock Centre for Community Partnership.

A smile offered, as the eldest Ravenlock replied in kind. ?Looks like I am, and thankfully so. What about you, Elle??

?Just wrapping some things up here, for the summer field trips. I want to make sure, we have everything in order for the children. Truth be told, I am sorta excited myself, actually.?

A chuckle escaped Brian, as a lean was taken upon the partition of the rather large reception desk.

?Excited, eh??

?Yes, sir. I?ve not been many places since my arrival here, and I know a lot of the children have not either. So a chance to visit another kingdom, is something to get excited about, yeah??

Brian nodded softly, as he looked upon the receptionist once more. Elle was a young lady, just shy of twenty or so.. Short cut hair, of auburn coupled with bright hazel eyes. A bit of freckles tossed in for measure, and there ya had it. A seemingly normal young lady. Well, save for the fact that she was held by slavers since about the age of seven. Forced to work, doing laundry, farming and whatever else they required.. Surprisingly, nothing sexual.. Well nothing, she admitted to in any event.

That aside, she seemed fairly regarded, as she handled a great deal of her former master?s financial aspects.

Despite the fact she lost the use of her legs, when one of her master?s men had clubbed her, early into her servitude.

Despite, the loss of her legs.. The large amount of scars that adorned her petite frame.. The large brand, they marked her with, upon her shoulder (That she refuses to remove, keeping it as a reminder of her ordeal).. Despite having no true life of her own, for all those years, coupled with the starvation and gods know what else.. She was a normal young lady, who adjusted damned well.

Her rescue was nothing short of a miracle.. Especially since it was under the guise of Brian?s former Ministry Office.

But that, is a story for another time.

?I agree, Elle. Any chance to visit a new place, is exciting. And I am sure you will love Appleburg.?

?I just hope they?re ready for me!? said Elle, as she backed from the desk. A quick spin in her wheel chair, as she chuckled. ?Kerri says she knows all the good spots for us girls, and she?s gonna be our guide when the younger ones turn in for the eve. Honestly, I can?t wait.?

A shudder took hold over Brian, as a visual took form.. A half naked, Kerri.. Several of the ?JRC? staff, loads of spirits an music, and loads of guardsmen.. Snapping back to the here and now, he smiled faintly, trying not to ponder the possible legal fees, Kerri could manage to rack up..

?I am sure you will all have a good time, Elle.?

?Will you, or Lady Jenai be going with us??

Pondering, a moment Brian regarded the young lady with a warm smile. ?Well I have more free time, now that the Ministry has shut down, so I believe that we will join you all.?

?That?s wonderful!? exclaimed, Elle.

Another chuckle escaped Brian, ?Yeah, I kinda think so too. It?s been a while since I?ve been there. But I still have some people there.?

?Like the Lady Kairee??

?Yes, like Kairee.. Granted it?s been a while since she and I have spoken. But I know she is doing well, and hopefully she will be there when we visit. Perhaps, I can convince her to visit the camp site for an evening.?

?I?d like to meet her, someday. I?ve heard SO many stories about her. I think it?d be nice to meet her, at least once.?

?Well, I can?t promise anything. But like I said, I?ll talk to her and see if she can join us for dinner, or perhaps we can visit her in the castle.? A nod followed, as Brian made a mental note to check on that right away. For now he had to take his leave, there was still things to tend to, before meeting Jenai and the twins, at the temple.

?Elle, you take care. Don?t work too late, y?know??

?Oh I won?t, I promise. Sides, I got Gretchen coming here and then we?re gonna head over to Yotsuba?s for some sweets.?

Brian smiled in reply to Elle?s plans, ?Now that sounds like a good time, actually.. Wait.. Y?know, let?s do something else. I?ll cover your run to Yotsuba?s, and we?ll order a round of sweets for everyone here, tonight. They?ll even deliver, so you and Gretchen can stay and just hang out.?

?That would be great!?, replied Elle.

?Good, and it?ll keep Kerri on her toes with sugared up young ones all over the place..? His words were accompanied, by a sly grin and wink.

As sharp as a tack, Elle caught on and just nodded with a grin of her own. ?Oh yeah.?

?Alright, Elle. So here?s our card for the sweets. Just bring back the rec?well, you know the drill. I know you got it covered.?

?I gotcha, Mister Ravenlock.?

A nod offered to the young lady, as Brian turned from the desk. A gloved hand lifted his long coat, as he took a step towards the door.

?Sir??

?Yes??, replied Brian with a pause in step. A glance back towards the young lady.

?Why do you do all of this??

?Hmm?? replied, Bri as he turned around more so.

?Why do you do all of this? I mean this. Everything. The center, the Lostest Boyz and Girlz. The sanctuary, an temple. I look at the books, and no disrespect.. But if I had time and money like that I?d?well I?d help, an what not. But I?d be living a lot less hectic, that?s all.?

Brian stood there a moment.. His eyes regarded the young lady, a moment as he smiled faintly.

?Well, if you?ve seen the books you know we aren?t living like kings and queens, but we make ends meet with enough to cover ourselves. I admit, the center and all we do, hit our pockets rather hard, but it isn?t like we have never been able to manage. And we are not alone in what we do, dear. There are other hands in our jar, others who want to help and do so. So we do this together, everyone lending a hand. Even you and a lot of the other olders, y?know??

?Well I know that, Sir. I mean why, though? Why do you all do this? It?s not like I?m ungrateful, or anything.. I just don?t know why.?

Turning a moment.. Brian nodded to a rather impressive painting across the lobby. In fact it was one of the paintings he had commissioned from Julianne Smith, and it was by far one of his favorites. It was a painting of Empress herself, Jewell Ravenlock. A warm smile took hold upon, the eldest Ravenlock as he replied to Elle once more.

?I do this, because she would have me do no less.. And we do this, because at one time.. Well someone, did the same for us. Gave us direction, and drive. The want to be more than we were, and to help those, as we were helped. Alexander believed that too, in his own way.. As did Katharine, Link and Meghan.. Midara, too. So yeah, it?s because we can. And because someone did the same for us.?

Suddenly, it because quiet.. Elle, sat there looking at the painting of Jewell. Finally she spoke.

?I had no idea, it was like that. I just figured it was a tax shelter, like other businesses and what not.. Who is that lady in the painting, there?s no name with it. I see people nodding to it, and some kid left a flower next to it one afternoon. I wanted to ask, but since I am newer than some others, I didn?t want to sound silly for not knowing.?

?That, is Jewell Ravenlock. My sister, and the??

?That?s Jewell Ravenlock!??

?Yup.?

?Cool.?

?Yup, she sure is..?

?She passed though, right??

?Yes, she did.. But she?ll always be around.?

?Thanks, Mister Ravenlock. It was cool talking like this, now get on. You got things to do.?

?Y?know, I think I will. You have fun, tonight Elle.?

?I will, sir.?

That said, Brian turned and took his leave. A wave offered to a pair of students that made their way inside the lobby, as he exited. A deep breath of the dusk air taken, as he smiled to himself and down the walkway he went. A quick glance to the sky, as he spoke softly to himself. ?A lovely evening, indeed..?

As Brian faded from view, Elle went back to work.

Business hours had ended, and the only ones inside the building were those who resided there, coupled with the overnight staff. It was this time, that any staff left over could simply relax, and work as they wanted to. In the case of Elle, it was time to don her headphones, and crank some music up. She always found it much better to work, if she had music. Terra music was a straight up adrenaline shot for the youth, despite the fact she was relatively new to it. Ever since Kerri introduced her to CDs, and what Kerri called ?Music of the gods?, ie : Heavy Metal.. Elle had to admit, it was unlike anything she had ever heard.

So the music was cranked, and work resumed with a purpose.

Bobbing her head, to the music, Elle sang softly to herself as she worked on..

?Can I play with madness.? The prophet stared at his crystal ball..?

So focused was she, that she did not notice the shadow literally peel itself from the wall behind her..

So focused was she, that she did not hear the faint click of boots upon the tiled flooring, as they would have become quite apparent to anyone.. Well anyone sans Metal blasting into their cortexes.

So focused was she, that she did not hear the unsheathing of steel from sheathe..

So oblivious was Elle..

Oblivious to the point, that the hand cupped over her mouth..

There was no warning.. No inkling.. Just a sheer rise of unadulterated panic, that festered to the form, of a forceful seizure. Her wheelchair rocked violently back and forth, as the seizure made her its prisoner ever the more so.. Still, as she struggled the music played on.. Chord after chord, of metal in a sickening measure of accompanied fury.

To Elle, it lasted a lifetime.. As she felt the walls closing in.. A muffled cry escaped the girl, as eyes clenched repeatedly.

The reality was.. It was mere seconds..

What came next, was a swift drag across the chair-bound girl?s throat..

The last thing Elle felt before it all went dark.. Was a wet warmth, that seemingly flowed down her chest.. Slowly, her seizing relented as eyes watered in a rather saddened state. As movement slowed, the warmth took her.. Akin to a blanketed newborn, she felt warmth all over her form and for the briefest of moments..

She thought she could actually feel her legs..