Withered and battered by time and excess, her body ached to the marrow of her bones; there were times when only her trusty staff maintained her equili...rium and kept her aright. The elder local folk called crone and eccentric, some quietly referred to her as "The Witch," sensed, no, she felt, there was someone, or some thing, following close on her heels. Behind her, as she shuffled slowly through the new-fallen snow, that some one, or thing, was watching her every move very closely. The one who. Someday you'll be famous and battle-hardened, but you don't want to forget where you started. After walking the whole day, you begin to wonder if maybe this was the best idea. You haven't seen anyone on the roads except for one or two traders headed towards your village. The City is another day or two ahead, and you haven't heard so much as a growl from anything besides your stomach. Your whole life visiting adventurers had made it sound like there was trouble around every corner and brigands. Hart whispers in my ear, “Gray, can I talk to you in the other room?”“Uh yeah sure.” I get up and follow him into the adjoining empty classroom. I look at Mr. Hart’s face taking in his sexy stubble and the way he never buttons the top button of his shirts revealing his collar bone. He leans down and kisses my lips sending a bolt of energy through me.“Woah,” I say pulling away, even though he’s sexy as hell I don’t want to be caught kissing him. “Mr. Hart,are you sure we should be doing this. I wasn't someone who took advantage of this service often, as I rarely needed it, but now I had a serious need. With a few phone calls, and a small amount of cash (less that it might cost someone else), we had all the necessary paperwork to prove that Lara, now Lara Stone, was a citizen, a resident, and legally eligible to work. I won't lie, her choice of a last name stung, but since she couldn't use mine without it looking too suspicious, I accepted her choice. She said she chose Stone as her.