YOUNG BLOOD ( A. SKYWALKER ) [1]

PROLOGUE

A six year old Layna Hale watched as Corellians shuffle into the diner nearby, her stomach growling as her eyes follow the many plates of food being served to the customers inside. The six year old girl never had the luxury of indulging herself in mouth watering food like the people in there, she didn't have any choice but to settle with the bits and pieces she would pick up or manage to steal. There are some days when she would go to bed starving, and there were some days when she would come back with various cuts and bruises, courtesy of the many merchants she has been stealing from this past year.

Layna was orphaned at age five, and she had absolutely no one else to turn to as the only family she had ever known was her mother. But then, Layna lost her as well - she didn't have anyone or anything left. Because of her loss, she had to learn how to live independently at such a young age, and she did what she had to do in order to survive in such a harsh environment. She resorted into stealing, pocketing money, food and clothes from merchants, random passers-by, and tourists. There were times when she'd successfully steal without their knowledge, but Layna isn't always that lucky, and she'd get beat up by the people she's stolen from. And that was more often that she'd liked, considering that her reputation has made it harder for her to steal anything from anyone, as word has spread about her throughout the streets of Corellia.

"Layna." The brunette child peered over her shoulder, her dark brown eyes locking onto a slim figure holding a basket in her small hand. She was met with the sight of the girl holding the basket up to the hungry girl, raising the basket's flap so as to present the contents of the basket to the brown haired girl. In the girl's hand was a steaming hot bun fresh from the baker's oven, and the delicious scent wafted in the brown haired girl's nose. Layna's eyes widened in realization as her eyes stopped on the smiling face of the tanned girl in front of her.

Although Layna has been left without a father since her birth, and without a mother since her death a year ago because of an illness, she was never truly alone. Layna only had one friend, and the young girl considered the raven haired girl her best friend. She was one of the kindest souls Layna has ever known, and not many people have been kind to Layna or her mother in the first place. It was nice to have someone treat you like a person, and not the scum people think you are just because you weren't part of the higher society with decent clothes and decent food.

Aria Altair was the daughter of a pilot just as Layna was, but Aria's father was a very well-known pilot who managed to achieve fame and status. It was something Layna's father never got a chance to do as he was killed in action before Layna was born.

Aria was not like any of those well-to-dos that treat Layna like she was the scum of the Earth because she had nothing. Aria was just like Layna in a way, she always craved adventure and she always craved the rush of doing something that would probably get them in trouble. She lived for the excitement, which is why the two girls get along well.

Layna still remembered the day she met the raven haired girl for the very first time. She tried to steal from the young girl in the market, only to be discovered and to the thief's surprise, the girl actually gave her the money instead of reporting her. Although wary at first, the young thief reluctantly accepted the money and Layna found herself seeing the pilot's daughter almost everyday in the streets, with either food or clothes in hand. It was thanks to Aria's kindness that Layna got to eat most of the time, instead of only once a day at most. She is thankful for her best friend for being there for her when she needed someone the most, if Aria never bothered with her that day in the market, she would have probably died of starvation.

"Thank you," Layna croaked out, taking the warm bun in her hand and smiling as she took in the fresh bread's scent. She took one huge bite out of the bun, savoring the taste of warm food in her mouth as she hasn't that that luxury in a while. Swallowing it slowly, she sighed in content as she felt the food descend into her stomach, making the growling quiet down. The raven haired girl giggled, placing the basket in her best friend's free hand and watched the hungry girl scarf down the rest of her bread.