Synopsis: Chance?

Lia Graye isn't really Lia Graye.

Her name is Elizabeth Wight. But her street friends have no idea.

"Lia" used to be a rich little spoiled princess. (Well, not exactly a princess, but a pretty decently high level noble). Until she managed to do something to shame the entire Wight family. Exiled by the Apths, the rich citizens of Euronia, she is forced to become a Hawn and live in the extreme poverty-ridden conditions of the city. It didn't take her much convincing to get her to leave. Her last words as Elizabeth Wight: "I'd rather spend my time with dirty criminals than you bastards who try to act all high and mighty and do crimes behind locked doors."

Lia thrives as a pickpocket and a near-professional thief. Working with a not-quite-so-legal shop on the poor side of town for a man named Firg and alongside a boy named Pahven, she has been trained nearly since the moment she joined the streets how to make a living in the not-so-honest way.

In a city where poverty makes up three quarters of the population, crime obviously is present in vast amounts. The capitol city may have had a king in residence, but he didn't much care for the state of any particular city. The king's concerns are elsewhere, on the borders of the country which are under attack.

The one in charge of the city was an easily persuaded to turn a blind eye to the majority of the city's crimes. But when such a slacker for a leader dies (is killed...?) then the city panics. Some run from the city, others stay and try to calm down for fear of their criminal record coming back to haunt them.

Others, like Lia and her friend Pahven, simply try to survive as others decide to go out with a bang. The streets are suddenly a much more dangerous place to be living.

Lia takes on a job for the much-needed money and gets caught. But gets away.

And joins pirates, who are providing a very convenient distraction.

Yet again, Lia Graye is not Lia Graye.

She becomes Zaye Blahk. And spends years aboard a pirate ship, gaining her sea legs and plundering and singing songs like any good pirate would do.