Stuck onto a tree is a poster. It reads, 'WANTED: Dead or Alive. Tailor Sharpshooter (Thief)'. The poster is stamped with the royal seal and has a drawing of Tailor, though admittedly, the drawing doesn't look exactly like the man that they are searching for. Below that poster is another, similarly inscribed, for Sendak and Haxus. Their pictures are much more realistic, and actually are well done.

The trio runs past this particular tree. Tailor can't help but stop and pull the poster of himself down, "Oh no, no, no, no, no! This is bad! This is very bad! This is really bad!" Tailor turns the picture toward the other two men, "They just can't get my nose right! Look at that thing!" "Who cares?" Sendak groans.

"Well it's easy for you to say! You guys look amazing!" Tailor gestures to their wanted poster.

At that same moment, on the ridge above them, the cavalry appears. The trio takes off running into the woods. They run until they find themselves stuck at the bottom of small ravine. "Okay, okay!

Give me a boost and I'll pull you up."

Sendak and Haxus look at one another, and Haxus speaks, "Give us the satchel first."

"Huh?!" Tailor gasps, "I just! You don't trust me? After all we've been through?" Sendak and

Haxus have stony, serious expressions, and Tailor clutches his chest, "Ouch."

Tailor hands over the bag and then they quickly make a human ladder to boost him up over the ravine wall. Tailor climbs up no problem, and he glances back down once he reaches the top. It's

Haxus who speaks, "Now help us up, pretty boy."

"Sorry," Tailor smirks, waving the satchel at them, "My hands are full."

"What?" Haxus gasps, checking his belt, and realizing that it is indeed in Tailors hands. "Tailor!"

Tailor laughs brightly and runs away as fast as he can, unfortunately, he runs into the path of the castle cavalry. He can hear the man in charge tell the others to retrieve the satchel at any cost. He slides under a large tree root, just in time for the arrows that fly from the soldiers crossbows to miss him. Tailor gasps and runs as fast as he can, taking sharp turns and making jumps that he knows horses can't follow.

The commander and his horse seem to make it through, and Tailor curses under his breath. Ahead of him he sees a vine, with a smirk, he grabs it and swings his body around, knocking the commander off the horse and landing squarely on its back. Tailor laughs loudly and urges the horse forward.

Only the horse has different plans, it seems. He stops suddenly and turns to glare at Tailor. Tailor glares back, "Come on, flea bag! Forward!"

The horse lunges after the satchel and Tailor can't help but wonder how the hell this is his life,

"No! Stop it! Give me that! It's mine!"

In their tussle, the two of them get too close to the edge of a cliff, without even realizing it, and they both fly off the edge. Tailor screams, thrown off the horse (at least he has the satchel) and continuously chants the words 'why me?' in this head.

Somehow he lands on a large pile of thick bushes, he can feel bruises forming, but nothing is broken, and he's alive. Tailor laughs hysterically, "Ha! Take that karma!"

Then he hears the horse shriek, and he knows that it survived too. Tailor spares a moment to wonder what they feed those damn things before hiding and allowing the horse to pass him.

Once the horse has gone, he moves from behind his rock hiding place and leans against the stone behind him, only there is no stone there. He grunts, and the horse neighs loudly. Tailor moves the greenery aside, ducks inside, and holds his breath as the horse passes by a second time.

He continues down the path and comes to a clearing. There's a water fall on the far side, which empties into a gently flowing river, the sun shines here beautifully, illuminating the mountains, but the most exquisite thing, is the tower in the middle of the large clearing. It is huge and looks ancient, made entirely from stone, so tall it appears to be part of the sky.

"Wow." Tailor breathes, it seems a good place to hide out for now, and he makes his way towards it. Once he's at the tower he realizes there's no way to get in at the bottom. Tailor frowns, and glances up, there's an open window... So all he has to do is scale the building. He can do that any day. Tailor pulls two arrows from his bag and uses them as anchors to climb up the tower walls.

When he finally gets to the top, he swings himself inside the window then quickly shuts it tightly. Tailor leans against the wall and breathes deeply, finally aware of just how winded he actually is from this whole ordeal. He laughs softly and opens the satchel, peeking inside at his treasure, "Alone at last."

Keith smacks him on the back of the head with a frying pan before he ever gets the chance to know how wrong that statement is.

The man falls with a loud smack, and Keith sprints to the other side of the room, where he hides behind a chair. After a few moments, he looks out at the man on the floor, but he isn't moving at all. Keith frowns a little and slowly moves back toward the man, the frying pan still clutched in his hand.

The stranger is wearing dark blue trousers and grey boots, his shirt is this same grey color and he has on a green jacket. The collar of the jacket is popped slightly, Keith thinks it's an attempt to make his face look sharper, but all it really does is emphasize how young he actually is. Keith bites his lip softly and uses the handle of the frying pan to pull back the strangers lip, but his teeth aren't sharp and pointed like Zarkon has always taught Keith to expect.

Keith relaxes a little and reaches a hand down to gently brush the strangers hair from his face, Keith can't help the surprised gasp that comes from his mouth. The man is very good looking, or what Keith has always imagined someone who is attractive would look like. Now that he's unconscious he doesn't seem quite so frightening, too. His face is smooth and soft looking, Keith almost wants to touch him again. He about to reach out when the strangers eyes open suddenly.

Keith panics and hits him with the frying pan again.

Keith groans when he realizes that the guy is really out this time. Now he has to do something with him, because if his father comes back and he's just laying around, there's definitely going to be problems.

Keith hauls him over to the armoire, surprised by how heavy he is. Once he gets him inside he pushes a chair up against the door handles so he can't get out.

"Okay, okay. I have a person in my closet." Keith laughs, "I have a person in my closet! Too weak to handle myself out there, huh father? Well! Tell that to my frying pan!" Keith swings the cooking vessel, but manages to hit himself in the head with it.

Keith groans and rubs his head, about to reply when something catches his eye. He frowns and turns, the bag the stranger was carrying when he entered the tower is on the ground, open. Keith can see something inside, it's shining brightly.

He pulls it out of the satchel and inspects it. It's a golden circle of jewels, the gem stones are massive. Most of them are clear, but the accenting colors are a deep red. Keith frowns and sticks his arm through the circle, but it's much too big to be a bracelet.

Keith arches a brow at her, and she responds with a disappointed shake of her head. Keith rolls his eyes and holds the object in both of his hands again, then turns toward the mirror. Slowly, he reaches up and sets it on his head, it fits perfectly and it looks like... Well it looks like it-

"Keith!" Keith gasps, pulling the object from his head and hiding both it and the bag in a pot under the table, "Let down your hair!"

"Coming, father!"

"I have a big surprise!"

"I do too!" Keith laughs awkwardly.

"Oh I bet my surprise is bigger!"

Keith glances over at the armoire, and mumbles, "I seriously doubt it."

Once Zarkon reaches the window he grins, "I brought back parsnips! I'm going to make hazelnut soup for dinner. Your favorite, surprise!"

"Oh." It's not his favorite but Keith isn't about to correct him, "Well, father, there's something I want to tell you!";

Zarkon sighs, and hangs up his coat, "You do know I hate leaving after a fight, especially after

I've done absolutely nothing wrong."

Keith feels his confidence waver, but pushes through, "Right. I've been thinking a lot about what you said."

"I hope you're not still talking about the stars." Zarkon doesn't say it as nicely as Keith knows he's trying to.

"Floating lights," Keith corrects, "And yes. I'm leading up to that."

"Because, I really thought we dropped the issue, son." Zarkon's body language is stiff.

Keith drifts closer to the armoire, reaches out for the doors, "No, father. I'm just saying, you think

I'm not strong enough to handle myself out there."

"Oh, I know you're not strong enough to handle yourself out there." Zarkon finally turns to look at Keith.

Keith swallows and works up his courage, "But if you just-"

"Keith, were done talking about this."

"Trust me, I know what I'm-"

"Keith." The tone is warning, angry.

"Oh, come on!"

"Enough about the lights, Keith!" Zarkon roars, "You are not leaving this tower! Ever!"

Keith's hand drops from the chair holding the armoire closed, the rest of his body is frozen in place. He feels terrified, hurt, and foolish.

Zarkon sighs and leans back against the counter, "Great. Now I'm the bad guy!"

Keith looks up at the painting he did today, of the lights he so desperately wants to see, then back at the door to his closet. His father will never let him go, so long as his father is here he never can go. An idea flashes in his mind, one that Keith knows he'll be punished for, but only if he gets caught. Keith swallows and says, softly, moving to block the closet from his fathers view, "All I was going to say, father, is that I know what I want for my birthday now."

"And what is that?"

"New paint." Keith makes his voice pleading, "The paint made from the white shells you once brought me?"

"That is a very long trip, Keith." Zarkon finally looks over at him, and Keith feels himself shrink a little under his scrutiny, "Almost three days time."

"I just thought it was a better idea than the..." It pains Keith to say it, but he forces it out, "Stars."

Zarkon sighs, but he smiles a little, "Okay, Keith. Are you sure you'll be alright on your own?"

Keith smiles back as Zarkon comes over to him. Keith hugs his father, "I know I'm safe as long as I'm here."

Zarkon smiles and goes to pack his things. Keith packs him a basket of food that will travel well. Once everything is prepared, they meet at the window. It's Zarkon who speaks, "I'll be back in three days time. I love you very much."

"I love you more."

"I love you most."

Keith waves as his father leaves the clearing, then quickly runs to the armoire and opens it. The stranger falls out, directly onto his face. Keith winces in sympathy, and edges closer to him. "Hm..."