Cain Hawkeye, a wanted man, sprawled on the flour-covered floor.

Was Nyx's eyes deceiving him?!

The most wanted man in the slumps covered in flour from a failed attempt at cupcakes?

Cain chuckles and sends a playful glare at two teens.

'Were those two apart of the gang too?' Nyx thought to himself.

Then a sickeningly painful headache shook through Nyx's body.

Memories flooded behind his eyes...

That very wanted man had carried him out of the flames.

Nyx remembered the screams, the roaring flames.

The screams were from Cain...

The man had tried to save as many children from there as possible but the two crow-like twins had held the man back knowing one more trip and the wanted man wouldn't come back.

He remembered the tears streaming down Cain's face then he saw darkness flood his vision.

With Iris's help Nyx limped over and suddenly hugged the criminal from behind.

Cain flinched haven't expected a hug as most feared him but he slowly turned around and returned the hug lifting Nyx up, careful of Nyx's bandaged scars.

Cain's eyes watered slightly; the thief had gotten used to children fearing him due to his intimidating appearance.

Cain was covered in tattoos and scars, the most eye-catching tattoo was that of a snake which eyes seemed to gleam an amber color.

  During the weeks of Nyx's recovery Cain and Iris stayed with him most.

Cain often shared stories behind his scars and tattoos.

One night before bed when Nyx was asking for a bedtime story he asked Cain, "Can you tell me a story about your childhood?" Cain froze and memories flooded the escapee's mind like a violent assault.

The beatings...

His mother's screams as his father threw the broken bottle at her head.

He remembered the blood spurting from her head as her body went limp under his father's kicks and punches...

Before Cain could think he had taken the knife from the damaged, wooden kitchen drawers.

He stabbed his father from behind.

The blood seeped from the man's abdomen and he glared up at Cain with such hatred as his body hit the floor.

A crimson sea of blood pooled on the floorboards...

Cain's vision swam as he shook, frightened of what he'd done.

He rushed upstairs to wake his sister and take her away from here.

As he opened their shared room door he found her broken form on the floor...

Blood everywhere, her skirts torn, bites marred her bruised skin.

Before Cain could even move, the kingdom's lowest ranked guards had came by from noise complaints.

Only to find 8 year old Cain covered in blood in front of the dead family.

They hadn't hesitated to throw Cain in prison.

They used a dagger and branded in his upper arm; "M.T.", Murderer, Thief...

They branded every criminal with the letter of their crimes.

He remembered the excruciating pain of the branding.

Red, hot pain that jolted his childhood body.

He couldn't sleep for nights after the branding and the prison medic assumed he'd die from it.

It had taken months for Cain to heal from the scar yet it remained a permanent reminder of his deeds.

He was held in a isolated cell and given little recess.

All those lonely, cold nights spent alone...

Cain snapped out of those thoughts as he felt a gentle nudge to his shoulder making him flinch.

Nyx gently shook Cain's shoulder, "Mr. Cain? Are you alright...?" Cain looked up at the child's scared face and just nodded, "Yeah, just some nightmarish memories... Ask auntie Iris for a story tonight, kid. I promised the twins I'd help them with the next robbery," Cain gently tucked Nyx in before leaving the room.

Cain went straight to his own tent and sat heavily in the desk chair, he opened a bottle of whiskey and just drank all night til the memories slowly receded.