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It was a year and a half since Caligula abandoned her to Eorzea's savagery, and with Copper Poppy gone Yolie was alone in La Noscea, the eleven year old Garlean using her meager coin to look for passage to the mainland. Vylbrand was a lovely home, but with Copper buried, the child had no desire to remain longer. She wanted to find a safe place without the pirates, and... Well, figure out how to live from there. Admittedly, she missed her Zee-zee. The older boy was a comfort in Garlemald at the doctor, even protecting her from Caligula's wrath using his title as a prince, to a degree, but now she feared never seeing the Best Garlean Ever again. After all, the realm didn't like Garleans and Caligula had dumped her on the border of Gyr Abania, on the wrong side of the Wall, without papers.

So... She was alone, soon to be hungrey, and homesick, a stunning mix that left her sad. Zee-zee was sure to hit a growth spurt that would launch him to the heights of their race -- Yolie hoped she did too, and started to nibble a stale biscuit before bumping into a pale, roguish hyur absently, the child sullenly stopping to murmur an apology. One must never use cuts, after all.

At first, her impulse was what it as for all strangers, and Yolie flinched, waiting to be reprimanded or driven away, or worse, but it ended quickly when he didn't lash out, and the young Garlean looked down, swallowing a moment. Had he seen? Copper and Silver had once, seeing through her bangs, and - and well if he did she wondered, but the girl drew no attention to her third eye and instead answered.

"I'll be alright ser." Yolie replied, quietly. "Just a bit sad and distracted is all. Do you know if the ferry is leaving Vylbrand soon?" She looked up hopefully at that moment. She visibly didn't understasnd his meaning, really. Kindness? Did he mean chocolate? Gyr Abania and other provinces had that - her sitter in Garlemald whom brought it from his campaigns told her so - and such other wonderful stories. She missed him too and his warm safe presence, considering he was far kinder than Caligula.

"Uhm... Chocolate? Do you mean chocolate by that ser?" She asked, not really sure how else to address it in her young mind.

More like Copper, then? Oh. The girl blinked, then swallowed.

"No, ser. My caregiver passed recently of age and his son cannot keep me." Yolie bowed her head politely. "I'm offputting because I'm different."

And wrong -- gods knew she was harbor to some birth defect of some sort. That was why she was dumped after all- preservation of Garlemald. Still, she blinked at Thancred, deciding he may appreciate understanding.

"Not to seem rude, ser, but most would not fancy the sight of a Garlean in any location they consider as 'safe'. I understand not everyone likes what my homeland does nor do I expect them to. I'm sorry if I'm upsetting you, ser. I'm just trying to move to an easier location to live with less pirates trying to find new barge additions."

Blunt? Maybe, but he seemed smart enough to communicate with normally... Then again, most adults didsn't speak to her as a child -- except one, and he wasn't seeing her again.

And she still missed him.

"I have biscuits!" Yolie offered Thancred one immediately, not minding if the older man's company, before looking down at her feet.

"I don't have the money for finger sandwiches." The girl wrung her ponytail shyly before looking up.

"Just the ferry." She seemed apologetic, looking at her feet soon after again in a gesture of shyness. She felt bad not carrying much coin, but. She couldn't collect much either. It felt wrong to beg - pleading the mercy of people who feared her -- for it was not snobbishness she learned quickly, but fear of the Empire and her citizens.

"You can have a biscuit though. Silver helped make sure I made enough until I found work."

"Well, if it's no trouble, I'd very much appreciate sandwiches." Yolie smiled gratefully, bowing respectfully before looking him over, head tilting slightly. He seemed -- seemed like a very well mannered version of a rogue from the rogue's guild, actually, and she giggled. Her mind was hazy with such things but she could almost see a boy her age in oversize clothes trying to learn knifecraft and she reached, taking his hand shyly.

"They know you for good things right? Not the 'Dutiful Sisters'?" Her eyes twinkled mirthfully at that, and she remained smiling.

"Sorry -- you remind me of them only very polite. They're kind of creeped out because I told them I don't like hurting people."

Seeing things was unheard of in Garlemald, and her ability was weak, but practice was helping, especially in a magic rich land, and she leaned close.

"I can work. I'm s p e c i a l." Yolie explained, and rubbed his hand fondly. "Silver said it'll help me get good work because he wants me to be okay." She then stood tip-toe to whisper in Thancred's ear.

"Sometimes I see things about other people. And, uhm, I don't know Eorzean letters, but I can read them anyhow. Garleans can't magic though so it's a secret that I can okay?? I'm weird!"

"My dessi..Destination is anyplace I can get a nice job and earn my keep." Yolie smiled then, a sort of shy smile.

"I want to be able to earn coin so I can buy chocolate, and I know how to make lots of stuff cause of Silver and Copper! Copper was a merchant and Silver is and Silver said if I could work cooking he'd help me get good 'grediants, but Master Langsyth said eleven year olds can't work for him yet so I'm hoping to find a job elsewhere. I know how to sell and buy thinghs too, I got to help Copper sell stuff, 'specially at the Shroud 'cause the Garleans at the wall like to sneak themselves imported treats!" And oh, this make her eyes twinkle! "They don't know I'm supposed to be kicked out of the Empire for being broken like father said and they were even nice to Copper after I got mad!"

Now she was pleased as punch with herself -- the guards being nice was no small feat and that they caved so easily was a mark of pride. She also didn't miss Thancred's meaning and she hugged the tall man tightly.

"I can make them be nice to you too, mister! And we can get nice things to help you too!" She didn't know what his business was, but he was calling her gifted -- and she smiled shyly.

"Zeezee used to tell me noone in Garlemald should know we could do special stuff because we're not supposed to. Nobody else can do anything magic, not even his daddy, and his daddy was a crown prince." And while Yolie had never met the Crown Prinnce, Yolie knew if Zenos was careful of who he told they talked in their minds too, she sure had to be! But, Eorzea was magic -- so masybe it was safe? She never tried with Coppwer when her Special Talent startled him to learn, but with the delight of a child, she reached out slowly for Thancred's mind, the throwback to the ancient gene all but happyto oblige as she tried to nudge and poke to show him.

"Back in Garlemald I'd be almost military age." Yolie said patiently, blinking to Thancred. "And the poorer areas get jobs by now sometimes. Good ones like messages or something!"

Never dangerous. THAT she knew -- working was normal to her, but then she didn't know how things worked in Eorzea.

"When you're fifteen summers you can join the military but at twelve you can join Academy ifg you've a lot of coin."

So really, where lay the problem? Learning a trade was very important and she liked learning!...Especially since Caligula mostly sent her to normal schooling at best for a while. There was no specializing there -- so she had to explore on her own what she liked - which for her age then was tricky.

Still, she didn't get mad, but did perk when her mind finally found his. Like others in Garlemald, it was so QUIET and likely wouldn't know what was going on unless she spoke up, and the girl beamed at Thancred shyly before looking at her feet.

This is my other special trick but I don't have anyone to talk to with it anymore ser. She explained in a scared mental voice. Not since I got left. Zeezee said we have a skill our ancestors long long long ago did but these days it's gone. But nobody thinks it's real but us either so. Please don't get mad, ser.

She mentally snapped back when the reaization he might be upset crossed her mind, and she shrank a bit anxiously. She knew she was Bad so whyopen up to some nice stranger now?

...Possibly the loneliness.

"Mmhmmm. That's just how it is." Yolie shrugged, then motioned gently, refraining from reaching to ask for held.

"Mmhmmm. There's Eorzeans like me?" She asked, eyes widening. "Really?"