Author's Note: Hi! This story was written by me, Mademoiselle GoldenAura, in late 2011 for an English assignment. The assignment was to write a short story about a hero's journey. Since a hero's journey involve certain steps and phases, don't be surprised if the story is a little bit cheesy and fairy tale like. Enjoy!

Being a Lady

She ran. She ran as though she was running from the devil himself. Her feet raced down the muddy, dirt streets, leaving only the barest hints of a footprint behind. Behind her, the shouts of angry law officers echoed in the night.

The small paper bag she carried rustled with every step she took. It was weighing her down. She briefly considered hiding it somewhere and coming back to get it later, but she quickly dismissed the thought. It was too risky. The law officers would be patrolling the town for the remainder of the night, hoping to apprehend her. Anyway, after all the work she had gone through to get it, she did not want to lose that bag.

The rugged pants of her pursuers could be heard gaining on her. Thinking on her feet, the girl abruptly turned into a side alley between two stone buildings and jumped as high as she could, her fingers latching onto the edge of the flat roof. The girl pulled herself onto the roof and lay down, making sure to regulate her breathing so as to blend in with the darkness of the night.

The heavy footsteps of the law officers were now only a few meters away.

"Where did the Silver Thief go?" one shouted, his voice strained and out of breath.

"Search. He must not have gotten far." The voice of the law chief sent shivers down the girl's spine and warning bells off in her head.

The law chief was the man in charge of maintaining the law in the town, yet he was the one often breaking it. He was a fat fellow who used his power to control the goings on of the town. Bribing, threatening and stealing were concepts that were not new to him. His threats usually became a reality.

The girl knew that anyone in her situation would be terrified of the law chief, but she knew that he would not be able to hurt her if he did not know who or where she was. The girl was certain he did not know her true identity, since he kept referring to her as a "he", and she knew he would not find her, since no one ever thought to look up when searching for someone.

Her assumptions having been correct, the law chief and his officers quickly left, and the girl descended from her spot on the roof. After removing her black cloak and stuffing it in the paper bag, the girl walked through dark empty streets, heading towards her home. Looking around at the shabby and dilapidated buildings around her, the girl realised just how lucky she had been to find a stone roof to grab on to. Most of the buildings in the town were on the verge of collapse, their wooden supports having bent over the years. The muddy streets were usually empty at night with the exception of the many homeless that lived in the alleyways.

Most young women would have been terrified to walk around such a dangerous place during the day, let alone at night, yet the girl was completely comfortable. With her dark hair tied up and hidden beneath a hat as well as her loose-fitting trousers and shirt hiding her skinny womanly form, the girl easily passed for a young boy. This fact, along with her knowledge that she could defend herself if need be, gave the girl enough confidence to unworriedly walk the perilous streets of the town.

Finally arriving at her home, a tiny and supposedly haunted shack at the edge of the town, near the forest, the girl walked in and let herself fall onto one of the four mattresses in the main room of the small shack.

"What did you get," a man's voice questioned. The girl turned to look at him. His dark hair and brown eyes stared at her curiously from his position on his mattress.

"Demitri, must you ask that every night?" the girl responded with a caring smile towards the thirteen-year old.

"Angeli! We want to know what you got tonight!" a younger voice whined, his wide, blues eyes and shaggy blond hair making him look like an adorable puppy.

"I agree with Demitri and Leo. I want to know too! Did you take some food from the man who is always hitting people? Did you get some jewellery from the mean lady who screams at all the children? Did you see the law officers? Did you have to fight them? How did you get away? I want to go with you next time! Why can I never go with you?"

Faere's cute, six-year old rambling made the girl, Angeli, laugh.

"Faere, sweetie, there was no fight, because I did not get caught. It was close, but I didn't get caught. As for what I got, look in the bag."

The two younger children rushed towards the paper bag as Demitri gave Angeli a reproachful look, silently telling her that she should not have put herself in so much danger. After removing the cloak from the bag, Faere pulled out a beautiful gold necklace with blue gems while Leo grabbed a huge piece of bread.

As they were eating their bread supper, Faere asked about the necklace.

"Must we sell the necklace, Angeli? It's so beautiful. It would look pretty if we took turns wearing it."

"We need the money selling the necklace will bring us, Faere. You and Leo are growing pretty fast, so we need new clothes and some warmer blankets would be nice as well," Angeli replied, though she too wanted to keep the necklace.

Although the temptation was strong, Angeli knew what her priorities were. Her family came first. They might not be related by blood, but they were connected by their experiences and their present. All four of them had experienced what society did to orphans and had seen some of the evils of the world. They had found each other and managed to survive together. Angeli had taught them the importance of secrecy and the ways of fighting and escaping. She had done everything to make sure her family stayed safe, healthy and cared for, something her parents had not done. She was not going to keep a necklace when it could make her brothers and her sister even safer. She was not selfish, like her parents had been when they were alive. She would do anything for her family, even risk her life.

ooooooooooooo

They were gone. Demetri. Leo. Faere. They were all gone. The shack was in shambles: the mattresses were ripped apart, the blankets missing and the little mementos made by Faere and Leo when they were younger lay trampled on the ground. Only the necklace remained, hidden beneath a mattress.

Angeli screamed in rage, her anger emanating off of her in waves. She fell to her knees, holding the piece of paper scribbled with Demetri's writing. Angeli could tell it had been written in a hurry, possibly seconds before he had been captured with the others. All he had written was one word, yet than one word evoked feelings of terror in Angeli.

Aloysius

Aloysius was the King's Lawman. After the royal family, he was the most powerful person in the kingdom of Albyen. He was in charge of anything having to do with the law. He was a man that was feared and respected by all. If he had captured Demetri, Leo and Faere, Angeli knew it would be impossible to save them. It would be hopeless to even try. She'd be dead before reaching the palace gates.

"No! I will not give up!" Angeli suddenly shouted, eyes blazing.

Angeli didn't want to abandon her family. She didn't want to be like her parents who had left her. She was stronger than them. She wouldn't give up no matter what. She'd sneak into the castle. She'd attack all the guards if she had to. She'd find Aloysius and force him to tell him where and why he had taken her family.

Angeli's thoughts were disrupted when a floorboard creaked on the outside veranda.

Slowly and calmly, Angeli snuck towards the front door of the shack, avoiding all the floorboards she knew would creak, and placed her back flat against the wall to the right of the door. She lowered her breathing to a pace that would be inaudible to whoever was on the veranda and that would allow her to hear every noise around her. It was as though she had vanished into thin air.

"Hello?"

Angeli did not react. Her breathing pattern did not change, her form stayed invisible to the untrained eye and her eyes did not even blink.

"I know someone is in that… house. I may not know who you are, but I know that you want to save those kids. I can help you," a woman's voice said.

Angeli remained motionless. She knew that the first rule of survival was to never underestimate your opponent. People often underestimated her and that didn't get them very far. In fact, it didn't get them anywhere at all. They usually had to be carried to the healer's cabin by their friends.

"Hello? I'm trying to help you! Do you think you can simply run into the palace, take those children and run back out? It's not how it works over there. You'll never make it onto the castle grounds without getting killed by a soldier or shot by an archer. I can help you get in! I know about you. The rumour is that the Silver Thief lives here. I heard so in town earlier when they were taking those three children. Let me help you!" The woman's tone had grown desperate as she attempted to convince her listener.

Angeli watched as the door was opened and a beautiful young woman wearing a tattered servant's dress walked in. The blond woman took several steps into the shack, glancing around her for signs of another being. Her bright green eyes passed over Angeli without a second glance and continued to roam the room. Seeming to believe she was alone, the woman let out a long sigh and started to walk back towards the door. A loud screech resonated from the woman as she noticed an arm blocking her way.

Angeli stepped away from her position against the wall.

"You're a girl! The amazing Silver Thief is a girl! This is great! It'll make it so much easier to sneak you into the palace. We can make you blend in with the noble brats that attend school there! Why do you look so surprised? What? Did you think I was going to give you a way to get into the castle, attack everyone and escape? That would be mad. You'll have to be more subtle than that! And what are you wearing? Are those trousers? No! No! No! You should not wear trousers! I have much to teach you if we're to make you blend in with the nobility."

Angeli was struck speechless by the sheer confidence and enthusiasm of the woman.

"I'm Evelyn. Evelyn Tinmdaer," the blond woman announced.

Suddenly regaining her ability to speak, Angeli introduced herself quietly.

"Angeli."

"No! No! No! That will not do! You must speak with confidence and dignity if we are to convince the royals and the nobility that you are one of them!"

So began Angeli's training on how to act like a proper lady.

oooooooooooooo

Angeli stared at the large iron gates. The gates were approximately the height of four grown men and were covered with a pretty sheen of silver. On either side of the gate stood thick grey walls that looked like they could prevent a manticore from entering.

Angeli stared at the gates with their walls for what felt like an hour, but was in reality just a few seconds. She observed these gates guarded by about a dozen soldiers as Evelyn explained Angeli's presence to the guards.

"Good day to you, sirs. Miss Angeli has arrived from the kingdom of Pordie seeking admittance to the prestigious Queen's Academy of Education. She…"

Angeli tuned out Evelyn's preppy speech and continued to stare at the gates. The gates were honestly nothing special, if one were to ignore the silver. Yet, Angeli refused to stop staring at them because if she did, her eyes would focus on the magnificent castle that stood majestically at the top of the grassy hill. Angeli knew that once her eyes so much as glanced at the castle, her nerve would disappear. She could not let that happen. She had worked too hard these last two weeks to even consider changing her mind.

"No! No! No! That will not do you must hold your head high!"

"No! No! No! Why did you wear these shoes to that dress! Where is your sense of fashion?"

"No! No! No! You must use the left fork, not the right one!"

"No! No! No! No! NO!"

Angeli did not want to have endured all those comments and insults for no reason. She had spent day after day with Evelyn learning the ways of a lady. She had endured high heels, dresses and manners. She had learned every possible noble title that existed and studied arithmetic, English, French and debate. Angeli was surprised her brain hadn't melted, but she supposed that had to do with the fact that every night, she would relax by practicing her fighting and sneaking skills. Evelyn had insisted that it wasn't ladylike but Angeli had stood firm. She liked Evelyn, annoying attitude and all, but she would not give up doing what she did best. Angeli knew that if something went wrong with the plan, she would have to fight her way out. Evelyn did not understand that.

Evelyn had once been a noble attending the Queen's Academy of Education, but when her father deserted the army a few years back, Evelyn and her mother had been ostracized by the nobility and forced to leave. Evelyn's mother had fallen into a depression and died a few months back, leaving Evelyn alone to work in the filthy bar in town. Evelyn had told Angeli that she was helping her because she wanted an opportunity to return to life in the palace, even if it was simply as a servant.

"But why?" Angeli had asked curiously.

"No one will recognize me. Anyway, the castle is a wonderful place where people are treated properly. The King does not allow the nobles to mistreat the servants. I'll admit that the nobility can be quite rude and obnoxious but they won't go so far as to act inappropriately toward a woman. Now let's move on to dancing," Evelyn had responded, effectively ending the conversation.

Angeli had not pushed the subject.

"Miss Angeli. The wonderful soldiers have granted us admission to the castle."

Angeli removed her gaze from the gate and moved her eyes over the soldiers, watching as they all lowered their eyes in respect, acknowledging her rank.

"Thank you, Evelyn. Don't forget to bring my bags." Angeli held her head up high and walked towards the opening gate, Evelyn dragging the three large bags behind them.

Before stepping through the gate, Angeli hesitated briefly, worry coursing through her. Then, she thought of Leo, Faere and Demetri. The uncertainty vanished.

Angeli walked passed the gate and stared straight up at the castle, at her new life, at least until she found her family.

Angeli wondered how Evelyn could have possibly convinced the soldiers that she was one of the rich. Evelyn, as though knowing what Angeli was thinking, removed a scroll from her pocket and passed it to Angeli.

"What is it?" Angeli questioned.

"This is what will get you recognized as a noble. Every noble family has one. It proves that you are one of them."

"How did you get it?" Angeli wondered, shocked.

"Some things are better left unsaid," was all Evelyn replied.

The new noble and her servant followed the path up the hill towards the gleaming, white castle, each anticipating the great adventure ahead.

"Oh. Angeli?" Evelyn inquired.

"Yes."

"Try to blend in."

oooooooooooooooo

Blending in was easier said than done. Learning to be a noble and actually having to behave like one were two different things. Angeli put to use everything she had learned in her two weeks with Evelyn on just the first day. Walking into the palace courtyard, Angeli had been greeted by the Queen and her advisor, the latter having made sure to thoroughly check the scroll. The Queen had also taken the time to judge Angeli's abilities and personality. Angeli had done everything Evelyn had taught her, smiling at the right moments, saying the right words and keeping her eyes down, yet she could not help feeling that the Queen had walked away disappointed.

Angeli rapidly learned that the ladies in her classes were quick to judge and pretentious. For the first few weeks, they stared at her in every class, as though they were just waiting for her to make a mistake. Eventually, their attention was diverted to some other subject, but Angeli still had to watch her every step.

A few times, Angeli found herself in precarious situations, like the time Rosella Snowl, daughter of the Duke of Rindin, called the commoners vermin. Angeli barely managed to leave the room without attacking the horrible girl, so she considered calling her a "rotten piece of garlic" a success.

Other than a few incidents similar to the Rosella ordeal, overall, Angeli managed to become a wall flower amongst the nobles, allowing her to have the space she needed to look for her family. Sure, she had not made any new friends, but who wanted to be friends with women who screamed in terror when a fly was in the room?

ooooooooooooooooo

Angeli sat in the royal gardens, her face tilted towards the sun. The colourful flowers blossomed around her, releasing their fragrance as she relaxed amongst them. Opening her eyes, Angeli looked up at the blue sky, then down at her blue, silk dress and laughed at the similarity. Her carefree laugh could have made the grouchiest of men smile.

Angeli liked living in the palace. Sure, the nobles weren't particularly friendly, but the servants were nice and the cooks seemed to like her. People at the palace did not live in fear like those in town, which made them easier to interact with.

For a second, Angeli allowed herself to imagine what it would be like to live here with Leo, Demetri and Faere, but she quickly dismissed the thought. It would not happen. As soon as she managed to save them from Aloysius, they would have to run away.

Angeli's train of thought was interrupted as a group of ten or so young men walked out of the castle. Angeli assumed they were noble's who attended the King's Academy of Education, the brother school of the Queen's Academy. Not wanting to appear as though she was eavesdropping, Angeli relaxed her muscles and closed her eyes, acting as though she had not noticed anyone walk outside from her position in the garden.

"…and the man claimed that he had done nothing wrong! Can you believe it? That farmer had the nerve to tell me that he had no choice other than to steal those vegetables! He's a farmer! He produces vegetables. I told him so and he told me they were all stolen! Unlikely. But I gave him the benefit of the doubt," a smooth, confident voice recalled to his friends.

If Angeli's eyes had been open, she would have rolled them. The arrogance rolling off this man was ridiculous.

"When I then asked the farmer why he hadn't gone into town to buy some vegetables, he told me he was too scared. Too scared! Can you believe it? I wanted to call him a coward, but I restrained myself," the man continued.

Angeli couldn't take it anymore. This guy was clearly idiotic. If she heard anymore of his speech, she would throttle him. In fact, if Angeli hadn't gone through those lessons with Evelyn on being a lady, she most likely would have throttled him. Slowly, Angeli opened her eyes and stood up from her spot on the bench in the garden. Casually, as though she had heard nothing, Angeli walked away from the beautiful gardens and towards the majestic stone castle.

As she passed the group of men, she heard one of the stupid man's friend's say:

"That was mighty strong of you, my lord. You are a kind soul."

Angeli couldn't help it. She scoffed.

About a dozen pairs of eyes turned toward her.

"Was their something wrong with what Lonnie said, miss?" the stupid man with the nice voice asked.

Realizing that it would most likely ruin her wallflower plan, Angeli decided that stating her true thoughts would not help her accomplish her goals.

"Of course not, my lords. I have a slight cough. I'm sorry if it gave you the wrong impression. It comes at the worst of times," Angeli spoke, head lowered to display shyness.

"That's quite alright, miss. Now what was I saying? Ah yes. So the farmer was begging for forgiveness and I told him that if he faced his fears by going into town, he would not be arrested. He chose imprisonment! What a coward!"

Angeli lost it.

"He's not a coward. He's a brave soul for enduring the likes of you."

"Excuse me?" The stupid man's voice no longer had the charming tone it had before. It was now cold and determined.

Angeli was not intimidated by the change in tone. She'd faced worse.

"I'm pretty sure you heard me, unless you're deaf along with stupid."

The stupid man's friends were silent, whether in fear of their leader or speechless due to Angeli's words.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" the stupid man demanded angrily.

Angeli finally looked up and found herself staring into the glaring face of a handsome young man. He was possibly the most gorgeous person she had ever seen, with pretty green eyes and short brown hair. However, Angeli refused to be influenced by the appearance of this awful man.

"Frankly, I don't care who you are. I don't care how powerful you are. I just don't care about you. What I do care about is that you're insulting a man for a fear, which he cannot control. You're assuming that his fear has no reason behind it because he's a commoner. If any noble had mentioned that he was afraid of going into town, it would immediately have been investigated as to why he was afraid. But commoners don't matter, so no one dares to look into this fear. Let's just assume his fear is unreasonable. He's a commoner. Commoners are always wrong." Angeli's rant had grown sarcastic.

"You have no idea what you are talking about." The man's voice was furious.

"I don't do I? When is the last time you went into town? Why don't you go have a walk there? Assuming you don't get attacked and killed, come back and find me after your little journey. It won't matter to those in town whether you're a slave or a King. Either way, they'll treat you the same."

With those words, Angeli turned around and left. As she walked through a door into the palace, she heard Lonnie scream:

"Hey! You can't talk to Prince Tristian like that!

ooooooooooooooooo

In her four months at the palace, Angeli got no closer to finding her family. Her days were spent in classes, while her nights consisted of her searching the castle for traces of Leo, Faere and Demetri. Yet no matter how hard Angeli searched, she could not find her family. In fact, Angeli had not even seen Aloysius during her time in the castle.

Finally, Angeli came to the conclusion that neither the King's Lawman nor her family were at the palace. Knowing that Aloysius would have to come to the palace eventually, Angeli remained patient. If there was one thing she had learned from being the Silver Thief, it was that patience was the key to everything.

Although Angeli did not find her family, she did find herself with a new stalker. It seemed that Prince Tristian had taken Angeli's words to heart and visited the town.

To say he had been surprised would have been an understatement. However, the moment he came back, rumours had been running around the castle. It was said that he and the King spent hours in the throne room discussing possible solutions to the problem that had become of the town. The rest of the Prince's free time must have been spent following Angeli because it seemed to her that everywhere she went, he was always there.

Eventually, the two got to talking and a friendship formed. Angeli discovered that the Prince was not actually stupid.

ooooooooooooooooo

Angeli was happy. As she walked back towards the castle, her dark cloak billowing around her, a smile worthy of the Cheshire cat graced her face. For once, she had used her talents for something other than stealing.

Earlier in the day, Aloysius had come back from wherever he had been these past few months and the King had declared a feast for the return of his Lawman. During the feast, Angeli had snuck out and searched the castle for her family, but it had been in vain. Her family had not been in the castle. However, when Angeli had gone through the suitcases in Aloysius' room, she had found a letter from the law chief to the King's Lawman, the former mentioning some of his recent threats and telling Aloysius that he had discovered the Silver Thief's hide out.

Angeli had been furious. She had considered hunting down the law chief and attacking him, but she decided that it would be much more productive for her to have the law chief arrested for his crimes. Not only would this finally rid the town from one of its worst, but it would also be a great problem to Aloysius, who would lose one of his important accomplices while also finding himself in a situation where the law chief may very well turn on him.

Angeli's plan had gone marvellously. She had told Prince Tristian of the rumour she had recently heard concerning the law chief and his illegal actions. The Prince had immediately gathered a group of soldiers and headed towards the town while Angeli, who knew a quicker route then the one travelled by the Prince, had rushed to the law chief's house, snuck inside, placed the valuable necklace with the blue gem on the table, escaped unseen and watched her plan unfold perfectly.

Angeli continued to smile happily as she got closer and closer to the castle. Her pride in her actions led her to be careless. She did not notice the figure hidden in the trees before it was too late.

"You! You are responsible for what has happened on this night! The Silver Thief. I will make you and your 'family' pay for your actions! Those kids will be dead by tomorrow night because of you! I don't need them! I have tons more kids. All used to do as I tell them or they can never leave their dungeon!" Aloysius shouted threateningly.

Angeli immediately analysed all her defence options. She knew she had two knives strapped along the bottom of her legs, beneath her trousers, and one blade hidden near her wrist. Just as Angeli was about to grab the one near her wrist, a sword sliced through the air, heading straight toward her. Angeli rolled out of the way just in time, but she hadn't seen the second sword and was unable to stop this one from cutting her stomach.

She let out a gasp of pain and watched terrified as Aloysius lifted his two swords in the air and aimed them towards her, obviously going for the kill. Angeli was glad the cloak still covered her face. This way, Aloysius would not see her fear and relish it. At least she would still have her dignity in death.

Angeli closed her eyes and waited. The death blow never came. Instead, the sound of a dozen horses was heard. Using the momentary distraction of Aloysius to throw the knife at her wrist, she watched satisfied as it hit Aloysius on the shoulder.

Hearing Aloysius scream in pain, Angeli took her chance and quickly ran through the forest, the cut in her stomach slowing her down quite a bit. After running for quite a while and not hearing the sound of any pursuers, Angeli's adrenaline rush ended and she fell to the ground, unconscious before hitting the floor.

ooooooooooooooooo

Angeli woke up. Her eyes opened and glanced around her, taking in her surroundings. Her first thought was that the forest was much prettier during the day. Her second was that the pain in her stomach was gone.

Rising slowly, Angeli was happy to find that she felt great. Her body felt as though it had been completely renewed. After finding some fruits to eat, Angeli walked towards the palace and arrived at the gates, surprised to find them wide open with no soldiers guarding them.

As Angeli warily hiked the long path to the castle, she wondered why she had been willing to let herself be killed. She knew she was not like her parents. She knew that she would do anything for her family, so why was she about to let Aloysius kill her. That would not have helped her family. It would not have helped her. People like Leo, Faere and Demetri cared for her. Evelyn and Prince Tristian cared for her. Why would she have given up like that when in the face of danger? Angeli could no longer understand the reasoning behind her actions. Angeli continued to ponder her realization until she reached the castle, where she realized it was too quiet.

Angeli walked around the palace, searching for some form of life. Finally, walking into the large, cobblestone courtyard, Angeli found most of the castle's residents. Making sure to stay hidden in the shadows, she watched as Aloysius walked out.

"People of Albyen. Today, we have assembled to witness the hanging of three accomplices of the Silver Thief."

Realising that Aloysius was planning on hanging her family, Angeli, using her talent at being unseen headed into the castle, determined, and straight towards the dungeons. Recalling that Aloysius had said that he had hidden "tons of children" in the dungeons, Angeli walked to the deepest one and glanced inside.

At least fifty pairs of eyes stared back at her, terrified.

"Come on. I need your help in getting rid of Aloysius. Does that sound like a good idea to you guys?" Angeli asked them.

Their smiles were answer enough.

ooooooooooooooooo

Angeli watched as the fifty-two children attacked a grown man as the entire court, including the King, the Queen and the Prince watched on, bemused.

Making sure her hood was secure, Angeli stepped out of the shadows and addressed the crowd.

"People of Albyen. Today, we have assembled to witness the punishment of the King's Lawman. He has been found guilty of bribery, double dealing, threats, consorting with criminals and the kidnapping of children. I, the Silver Thief, accuse Aloysius of treason against the crown."

"You! I thought I had killed you!" Aloysius screamed, fury blazing in his eyes. Knowing that he stood no chance at redemption in the eyes of the crown, especially with children attacking him, Aloysius pulled his knife out of its hold on his belt and threw it.

Everyone watched, eyes wide, as the knife spun in the air, headed straight for the Silver Thief.

Angeli didn't want to die. She wanted to live to see another day, so she moved out of its way, caught it, and threw it back at him. It hit Aloysius dead on.

To this day, Angeli does not remember how she did what she did in that moment. Even when her identity was discovered, her family saved and rewarded with the very necklace with the blue jewel that she had framed the law chief with, Angeli could not recall how she performed such an act. Not even after marrying and becoming the Queen of Albyen could she recall what possessed her.

To Angeli, it didn't matter how she managed to stop Aloysius' knife. What happened had happened. Angeli did not like living in the past. To Angeli her old life was over. Stealing, even if the people had deserved it, had been wrong. Acting and then thinking had also been a bad habit that had been dismissed. Angeli was a lady now. Sure, she didn't like wearing dresses or make-up, nor did she enjoy sewing and knitting, but then again, who did?

The End.

Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed my story! Reviews make me smile. I like to smile. So... review please!