Carol
Levi Cortez
Northwind

A sudden pressure built around his waist as she moved in close. He didn't understand why. "Are you... Alright?" He asked, unwrapping her fingers from behind him and taking a step back. 

"Where are your parents? Why are you out here?" He asked, trying not to overload the young girl in front of him with questions. He could tell she was tired, cold, and another feeling he couldn't place. He glanced around, trying to figure out where she could have come from. 

"My last question is, is there anywhere I can take you? I won't hurt you I just don't want to leave you in this freezing weather. It's going to only get colder." He said, kneeling down in front of her.
Katherine
Loralie Douze
Northwind

Loralie felt his hands over hers. 'He is so warm,' she thought sleepily. And then, the sleepiness dimmed a little she felt as he gently unlatched her arms and took a step away from her. Her hands fell to her sides.

"Oh," She said as his questions sunk in. "Um. Yes. Or, I mean, I-I'm..." Her voice faltered as he knelt down, eye-level with her. It made her feel a bit uncomfortable, to have such undivided attention on her. She reached into the pocket of her dress and produced the sacred scrap of parchment. "I'm a f-foundling," She said, shivering a bit from the wind. "Or, no. I was stolen. But I thought-well... Um..." She stole a look, glancing up from the parchment at him. He seemed calm, and that bothered her. She sounded stupid. She was so tired, and she could feel frustration bubbling as she heard the confusing words that were coming from her mouth.

"I ran away, because they told me my p-parents died, but they l-lied! And they d-didn't tell me and then I ran, and I had to figure out what to do, and I was so hungry and cold, and I've been alone for so long, and-and I'm-I'm..." 

Her voice broke as a small sob came from her throat. She raised the cloak to cover her face, not wanting him to see the ugly, pained expression she was making against her will. She hoped he wouldn't hate her for getting tears on his cloak. It was a very nice cloak.

After a few moments, she slowly raised her face, wincing as a cold gust blew across it. It felt like millions of pins were being stuck in her eyes. "This is what I found," She whispered hoarsely with a sniffle, handing the parchment to the man in front of her, her head turned away, hoping he didn't see her puffy eyes. Crying, especially in such cold, was a dumb, weak thing to do. It made her face ugly and eyes sting. And it made her not look pretty.
Carol
Levi Cortez
Northwind

Levi took the piece of paper from her. It was old, faded, yellowing around the edges. He carefully peeled it open, and read the scribbled letters. 

*Leviticus Cortezial ~ Father, Alive* He read those words again and again, pausing for a few moments before looking back at the young child in front of him. A look of confusion snuck it's way into his face as he stared at the words. 

"Your mother is Rhesa? I haven't seen your mother in almost ten years. How old are you?" He asked, holding the slip of paper out to her. 

"I'm not denying that you are my child, but I just want to know. I am Leviticus Cortezial, that is no question, but if you are my child that raises a few... Questions that I have for you. Such as why search me out instead of your mother?" He said, wiping her eyes with a piece of the cloak that swallowed her. He pulled the hood up over her head, tucking her hair into it. 

"Until we figure this out, you need to stay warm. If you are my daughter I promise you I will take care of you, one way or another." He said softly.
Katherine
Loralie Douze
Northwind

A horrified look came into her eyes as he uttered the word "Mother." And then how he said it again, and again.

"T-thirteen," She said numbly, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. She was absolutely terrified. He already wanted to send her back to the orphanage. "Oh please, please don't make me go back to Mother! I don't want to!"

Her breathing quickened as she took a step back from him, forgetting to be ashamed of the tears falling down her cheeks as the panic overtook her small frame. "I won't b-bother you anymore. I'm sorry. I was wrong." She glanced around desperately, trying to figure out where to run to. She felt as thought she couldn't breathe. "J-Just don't make me go back, I don't want to. Please, I-I cant't..."

Suddenly, things began to get very swirly and odd. She felt clammy and she heard a ringing in her ears as her vision began to get murky and distorted. Her legs weren't holding her up anymore. The ground seemed to be getting closer and spinning faster, and then everything went dark as she fell unconscious.