Part 1

Yes, she had nodded at the man, saying she understood him. And she really did, she was nothing more than a simple thief. But she also knew that she had no choice but to continue. Her hunger were bigger than her fear, and even though her wrist were still hurting and started to turn blue, all she could think off was the piece of bread back there on the floor. The tears that filled her eyes as she ran towards the gates were only there because she regretted so much she had dropped it.

She reached the end of the city and stopped. This is how far she had ever been... The trees in the forest were unknown and frightening, and she had no idea where the road lead but to Goldshire, where she had never been.
The hunger made her dizzy and all of a sudden she felt so tired and sick of it all. Within a second her feelings turned into a hate that was directed to nothing and everything at the same time and it overwhelmed her so heavily that she walked towards the city wall and sat down, leaning against it.
She was the smallest person in her own small world and she hid her face in her hands and cried silently.

Lorya didn’t notice the heavy armoured horse that stopped next to her, and she didn’t notice the paladin jumping down from it. Not until he kneeled next to her, his sword hitting the ground and his hand were laid on her tiny shoulder, did she look up. The tears had made stripes in her dirty face.
He took one of his gloves off and carefully wiped the salty water from her cheek. She must have looked surprised because he smiled warmly at her and spoke to her with a kind voice.
"Don't be afraid little girl, I wont hurt you."
She was used to the guards being rough, laughing at her or sometimes grabbing her a bit to hard, but this was new and it made her nervous.
The paladin looked at the ground next to her and asked if he could sit down. Lorya didn’t dare to say no, so she nodded and wrapped her arms around herself - the only protection she had.
He sat down and leaned against the wall, just like she did.
"Its a wonderful day, don't you think..?" He didn’t expect an answer, just smiled and looked up in the sky.
A few minutes later, when Lorya dared to look at him she realised she recognised the man. The very rare moment as she had been playing with the children outside the Orphanage, he had been there around the Cathedral.
She had also been running every time he came close.
"Oh how stupid of me!" the paladin chuckled. "I have something for you!" He reached up for his bag that was tied up at he saddle and found a shiny red apple. The paladin gave it to Lorya that gently took it and looked at it as if it was made of gold.
"Go on, young lady, is all yours"
It took her about a minute to finish the apple. It felt like her stomach was burning, and the apple had just waken up a even deeper hunger.
The paladin smiled at her, but then his face went serious again.
"I saw what happened at the bar, and I understood that you must be hungry. That man that threw you out… What a fool! Didn’t he understand you were just hungry?" He shoke his head and continued. "You don't have a home, do you?"
"The city is my home."
"I meant... parents. And a house." This time she shoke her head. He strokes her hair gently.
"Poor kid...What’s your name, girl?" Lorya smiled quickly and blushed.
"I am Lorya, sir."
"Listen, Lorya... I have to go, duty calls you know." He smiled and continued, "I don't want you to be hungry, so please, take this, and spend it carefully."
He picked up a few silver coins from his pocket and put the money in her little hand. She stared at them with big eyes.
"Th-thank you..." He sat up on his horse again.
"I work in the Cathedral District. I will have food for you whenever you want. But look at your wrist, little one... It’s blue. That guard held you pretty hard, didn’t he?"
She nodded quickly.
"He doesn’t seem to like you much."
She blushed and felt uncomfortable for a while before looking up at him again.
"And he is my boss, if you understand what I mean. So if you want my help, Lorya, you cannot tell anyone that I am your friend. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir... I do."
He turned his horse around and left.
Lorya sat there for a long time and looked at the money in her hand. She knew that this coins was enough to ease the hunger for at least two days.
The coins made her feel independent and older. And someone cared for her!
 She smiled.  

Part 3