A very average looking girl sits in a corner of the orphanage staring at the wall and and hugging herself. She was always in that same corner hugging herself and watching. She learned much sitting in that corner. She learned that her mother was a street rat that died giving birth to her. She had learned that the orphanage was a front for the defias, and that the reason that the children got food and shelter was because they gave some of the older boys to the Thieves for training. She also knew that some of those boy got thrown into arena's to fight. Once in a while a child will get put with real parents, but most those children are not children so much as babies. The women that work in the orphanage try to keep the kids hopes up, they try to only have a few of the boys sent of to training camps. Everyone tries but Teri knew that no matter how hard the women tried to save them. The children where most likely not going to see adulthood. If they did they would live on the streets or be untrained soldiers in the war. Either way they would not live more than a year after leaving the orphanage. Teri felt comfort in knowing she would not live. Seemed like a hassle to try and fight war after war. Winning one just to end up in another. A constant fight to keep a few select people sleeping in nice homes and eating good food while everyone else starved in the streets. Why go fight and get tortured for some lazy noble anyway? If she was lucky she might be able to get sent off to the arena's. The kids there get feed well before fights. She might be able to die knowing what it was to have a full belly. The main problem standing between her and that last meal was that the Defias where only fighting boys. The man that came to pick the boys would be here today or tomorrow. She might have a chance this time. They did not have a lot of older boys. He was going to need to come back with the right number of kids. So it was her or kids to young to fight. All she had to do was stay awake.
Slowly her head began to nod sleep was starting to take hold. tears rolled down her eyes as she fought to stay awake. All she had to do was stay awake if she could just fight sleep she could die soon with her belly full of food. Than she saw him. The most wonderful sight she had ever seen. A defias come to collect boys for the arena. She heard the women talking to the man he wanted one boy over 8. The woman told him that we did not have any old enough to go. The oldest boy was 6. She begged him not to take one as young as 6, but he did worry over her pleas. This was my chance. Leaping from the corner in the deepest voice I could muster "I am 9 sir." The man turned and peered into the corner his glare was cold as he began laughing "You are nothing more than a girl." I smirked as best as I could and readied myself to get hit "Does it really matter to you if it is a boy or a girl that dies on the arena floor? You will still get your gold." Than he smiled a very happy smile. It was odd to have someone happy with me. "Pack up the girl she comes with me. If she fights the way she talks she will earn enough to feed the orphanage for a few months before she dies." Those words where the nicest things I had ever heard I could not help but smile at him "Can I have a full belly when I die?" the man looked down at me smiling a few tears in his eyes as he nods.

Bazil has come back to see her before each of her fights. It was always a bitter sweet visit. He would bring her all sorts of treats and candies so that if she lost her stomach would be full just like he promised. Each time though he also brought a rather large bag full of gold. Telling her all she had to do was stay alive and he would give that gold to the orphanage. Each time she would nod and eat some of the treats and hand the rest back "Keep them for when I am finished." She kept winning every time she was put in the ring she came out of it walking sometimes limping, but she came out alive. Bazil would come and take her to get patched up and hand her the rest of her treats. When Bazil came this time though he seemed different. It had been 6 years she spent fighting he had never looked so worried. Bazil came up to her and held her tightly "Teri you will not be walking out of the ring this time." As she heard the words she smiled and nodded. "I am glad it is time. This has taken to long." Bazil pulled back and smacked her against the face. "Do you not realize what you have done in this life? You kept that orphanage open with every win you gave them food enough for months and blankets." Teri looked unmoved "I fought and they lived. I was not meant to last this long. I look forward to freedom in death." Bazil than kissed her with passion. Teri shoved him off of her a look of shock and fear passing over her face. Bazil smiled at her "I will find a way to bring you back from this. You will not taste death for long." Teri hit him hard "Leave me in death." He walked off shaking his head throwing her treats to the ground. "You will be mine Teri even if it is in death."