2A/N: I really need help thinking up a title for this, so feel free to put ideas in your reviews. Also, since this is a new story, plot ideas are welcome, but I give no guarantees about actually using them.
)O(
Mosira ran faster than she ever had in her life. A can fell off her backpack, but she didn't stop to pick it up. Any pause and she would be caught, forced to return home to a life she didn't want.
When she'd left home a month and a half ago, who would have believed that her parents would care enough about her to send the Emperial Rangers after her? Mosira probably should have realized that as the daughter of the heir to the Emperial throne, she was of paramount importance to the Empress.
She stopped for a moment, panting for breath. Mosira risked a furtive look behind her, checking to see if the grey-clothed Rangers were still on her tail. Seeing that they weren't close, she pulled out her water flask and drank heavily from it.
Jack sat in his small, one-man sailboat, thinking about his parents' last words.
flashback
"We're sending you away Jack, not because we don't want you, but because we want you to go somewhere in nlife, and the only way you can do that is to get an education. We are sending you to Meris for that purpose. There is boat waiting for you at the dock, along with provisions and everything you'll need to get off to a good start there. Go now, and the Great Dragon's speed and blessings be upon you."
end flashback
With the shore of Meris on the horizon and approaching him, Jack's thoughta just wouldn't refrain from thinking about his parents—he was 18 for the Dragon's sake!
When Jack arrived a few days later at Port Meris, he was immediately flabbergasted by the immensity of the port. People dressed richly mingled with people who appeared to be beggars—all were talking with raised voices, bustling to and fro, and haggling with street vendors.
Jack saw a fruit merchant and walked over. After standing around confused for a few minutes, he came to the conclusion that the merchant was giving the fruit away. Jack took an orange and casually walked off to find a place to eat the fruit in peace.
"Thief!" It had taken the merchant all of two minutes to discover that Jack had taken the fruit. "Guards! Arrest that boy! He stole my fruit!"
The guards hurried to arrest Jack. Jack, not knowing that he was the guards' prey, continued walking.
When they caught Jack, they grabbed him off of his feet, took hold of his arms, and dragged him until he was outside the city walls.
"Don't you dare return," they yelled after him.