How long had it been since she'd last seen him?

The moment she had arrived in his life, he never seemed to have time for her. Dianthe was dumped here, there, wherever it seemed convenient. Diomed had no use for her, and he never failed to mention that. Sure, he made sure to send her to school, and sure, she got food and clothing...But where was the love?

It took her a while, and one too many times of being yelled at, to finally see Diomed, her father, for what he was. And she didn't like it. She didn't like the fact that he was playing with the emotions of others. She didn't like the fact that he boasted about having imbued. She didn't like it when he came and got her, yelling at her and taking out his anger on her that the stones produced, what he liked to call, freaks.

She didn't like it. Perhaps, if he had kept her at his side, actually groomed her and taught her...Maybe it would be different.

The night was dark, it was going to rain. The small parcel she had contained what she thought she'd need; A compass, some snacks, her favorite sheepy, and some money she'd managed to convince her latest babysitter to part with.

She was going to be her own person. She wasn't going to keep letting her father hurt others, and ruin the futures of whatever children he decided to keep having. She was going to find someone to help her become strong.

She was going to become a protector. A warrior, like the one's she'd seen on the telly. And she wasn't going to let anybody stand in her way.