[center][h1][color=c4df9b][b]Tayla[/b][/color][/h1][/center]

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Foolish? Dumb? Naive?! Tayla's face darkened with every condescending word that left the white haired woman's mouth. Her words adding fuel to Tayla's hatred. Its growing flames drying up her tears.

[color=c4df9b][b]"You asked me why I joined the clan."[/b][/color] Tayla said coldly. [color=c4df9b][b]"I joined because of privileged little princesses like yourself. People like you who have never known what its like to scavenge in the trash for their next meal. People like you, who talk as if they care for those beneath them, but in reality they know nothing of their struggle to survive. Unlike your country, everyone in the clan has an equal opportunity. We all start from the bottom, and each of us can rise to the top."[/b][/color] 

Movement by the stairs caught Tayla's eye. She didn't dare look towards it. Instead she lowered her left hand to the dangling remains of her sleeve which hung from her right side. Tayla continued talking. [color=c4df9b][b]"You think the Crazed is the real reason the Emperor wanted to invade this country? Are you really silly enough to think we haven't stuck our... 'claws' in your country yet?"[/b][/color] Tayla let out a dry laugh. [color=c4df9b][b]"If anyone here is naive, its you."[/b][/color] 

A shadow of a man inched closer to the white haired woman. In his hand he held a knife coated in deterrents. [color=c4df9b][b]"And it is that same naivety that will-."[/b][/color]

The floorboards let out a creak behind the white haired woman. Cursing Smit immediately rushed forward, getting in a slice with the knife. 

Meanwhile, Tayla reacted with hesitation. Pulling on her dangling sleeve, raising it up and across her left side so that it covered her neck. She tasted the saltiness from the blood in her mouth. She used its taste to trigger her magic and harden her sleeve so that the woman's rapier wouldn't skewer her neck. She then kicked her feet against the ground underneath her while ignoring the pain that shot from her right foot. The push sent Tayla sliding away from the woman. With her right hand, she reached into her pouched and popped a brand new set of cotton tufts into her mouth. 

Getting to her feet, Tayla gave a determined look towards the bell...