This will be an ongoing fan fiction based on a character from the roleplay Valton: A New Hold. It details the events that lead him to the town of Valton, and all the misadventures that happened in the weeks between leaving Anvil and his arrival at the edge of Valton, practically a new man. I will tell the story of a man whose life was normal for 16 years until a single event turned it upside down and forced many of the most difficult choices and changes of his life upon him.
So far i'm not even fully done the first chapter yet, but i'd like to hear what people think. So here it is, The Unexpected Adventures of Walid.

Streets of the City of Stros M’kai, Morning, 16 years ago

Walid’s eyes opened, a great glare blinding him as he became aware of the hot sand underneath him. “Wh-Where am i?”
“On my damn front porch you filthy little twit!” A large dark skinned man said as he gave the boy a swift kick to the ribs, the pain nothing compared to the hunger pangs wracking his innards. Struggling to his feet the boy hurried away from the man and down a nearby alley that smelled of rotten vegetables and feces. Halfway down, another alley intersected. Upon reaching this intersection several boys came running, tackling him to the ground and flailing their fists at him. Only their swings inflicted no pain, and after a brief moment Walid realized who it was.

“Nazir, Jalla, Cocius!”
Standing over him were two Redguard children like himself, a young boy, slightly older than himself named Nazir, and his sister Jalla, who was a year younger. With them was an Cyrodillic boy who was only ten years of age, yet still a part of their group because people thought he was more innocent, and while he created a distraction Walid and the other two would carry off food from a market stall. Normally an Imperial would stick out among the group, but somehow the Hammerfell sun had made him nearly as dark as the rest of them. The four of them were all orphans, and did their best to stay alive on the street for no one had any time, money, or patience to run an orphanage for such “Dirty little vermin”.

“Walli! Where were you last night? We slept outside the Inn and at the end of the night just before closing someone simply tossed a half eaten pheasant out the window at us!” Cocius exclaimed with great enthusiasm. He had used this nickname for Walid ever since they first met just over 2 years ago.

“I—I got lost looking for you guys and eventually I guess I must’ve just collapsed and fell asleep.” It had been days since he ate, the others had an unimaginable stroke of luck having that pheasant literally fall into their lap.

“We’re going to the city gates to try and beg for a bit of coin, coming along?” Nazir said tilting his head and waiting for a response. Thinking on his stomach, he simply didn’t have the patience to stand around hoping some ignorant traveler felt generous enough to give him barely enough for a few scraps of bread.

“No, I think I’m going to the market. Maybe some fat merchant will drop his coinpurse” Though laughing as he said this, it was very unlikely. Most people in the market held their coins tight to keep grabby little hands from stealing them.

With a nod and a see-you-later, they parted ways and Walid went scurrying towards the market. The second he entered, a stall full of juicy looking tomatoes caught his eye, even through the bustling crowd of people. My favorite. Normally this would be done with the help of his friends, but not today. The hunger burning through him was too much too resist, and they had already played that trick once this week, anymore would call too much attention from the guard.

Weaving through the crowd, the boy slowed as he approached the stall, waiting for his moment. When the merchant turned to make a deal with a customer, Walid darted forward and snatched a bag of tomatoes. Before he even made it three paces the merchant yelled and a group of guards came running after him, their mail the most unhappy jingle he had ever heard.
Sweat beaded instantly on his forehead and his heart dropped. Getting caught stealing was the worst thing that could happen to you in the market, for it had become a big problem this last six months and the guards were forced to crack down hard.

“Get back here you little bastard!” The oldest guard shouted, already somewhat tired from the run. No one had ever beat Walid in a race, and I doubt a bunch of guards would make today his first loss.

Just as these thoughts entered his head, and he looked back to see if the guards were still chasing him, a guard came around the next corner grabbing his tattered tunic and slamming him to the ground.
“We’ve been on to you and your little friends for the last month. We just haven’t been able to peg down what part of the market you were lurking in.” The guard that had just appeared spoke sternly, just before kicking him and dragging him to his feet. Just then two more guards came the other way, laughing and cursing him for making them run.

“We’ve got you now vermin!”
They proceeded to take turns striking the boy, over and over, though the old one who had caught up seemed to take the most enjoyment. The older guard swung at him once more, but failed pitifully. Walid ducked and the guard overstepped him and fell on his rear. Spotting a long hunting dagger at the guards belt Walid snatched it and lunged at one of the other guards, aiming straight for the throat.

Svogre’s Cabin outside the Town of Anvil, Morning, Present Day

The dream still fresh in memory, Walid jumped out of bed and ran to the mirror, examining the long deep scar on his face. It ran from just above his eyebrow all the way to his jawline, but somehow his eye had been completely spared from the injury. That was the day he was forced to stow away on a ship bound for Anvil. Technically the best day of his life, for without getting caught, without losing his friends and gaining this scar, he wouldn’t be living the happy life he had for the last sixteen years. It seemed like just yesterday the dirty emaciated redguard boy had stumbled onto the docks, collapsing in front of a man loading fur and all manner of animal made apparel onto the same boat he stepped off of. The Redguard was very thankful for the new life and purpose Svogre gave him, and did his best every day to make him proud of him.

Cupping his hands and splashing water across his face to wake him up, Walid took a long gaze out the window in an attempt to judge the weather outside. It’s too warm for my typical hunting gear. He decided he would go shirtless, wearing just his fur pants. After all, one with such dark skin had no worries of sunburn. Before he could even make it down the hallway sizzling could be heard and a familiar smell wafted up his nose. Svogre stood over the fire, frying strips of deer meat in a small cooking pan, with minced garlic and chopped onion added for taste. “Yummmmyyyyy, you sure know how to make my morning.” He said with excitement, sitting down to the small table in the kitchen. It was a small cabin, with a small table, because it was only ever the two of them there. For some reason Walid never saw his father court a single woman, it was as if the hunt was his mistress, stalking prey the foreplay, and the thrill of the kill the ultimate climix.

Placing the pan of now-cooked meat in the center of the table, Svogre furrowed his brow as he gathered words in his head. “I can’t come hunting with you today my son, Dilbor needs help getting the weasles out of his barn, nasty little creatures. It should only take an hour or two, then you i`ll be back here chopping firewood.” Always a kind man eager to lend a hand to both neighbour and stranger alike, that and Dilbor shared their worship of Talos. As they ate Svogre looked different this morning. He wasn’t sitting as tall as he normally did, it was as if more wrinkles had crept across his face, and he wouldn’t speak throughout the entire meal. This seemed to be a regular occurrence these last few weeks, what was bothering him? After a quick goodbye he slung his quiver and pack over his shoulders and took off towards the forest, bow in hand.

First thing, check the snares. Rabbits and small game were easiest to hunt because they seldom required an arrow. He knew just where and how to place them and was often quite successful, today being no different. Out of the first set, three out of five snares had done their job, two rabbits, a fox, and a snare that seemed to have been busted by an animal determined not to end up on his dinner plate. As fox meat wasn’t very good for eating but still had a good pelt, the hunter took the time to skin it on the spot, working carefully with his hunting knife so as not to ruin the pelt. In the middle of re-setting the last snare Walid heard a twig crack somewhere off to his left, causing his head to immediately turn out of instinct. He caught a glimpse of a deer before it darted off deeper into the woods. Keeping low to the ground he moved quickly in the direction the deer had gone, followed it`s hoofprints and taking great care not to make the same mistake the deer had. The same twig cracking that alerted the hunter to the prey could also work the other way around. A half-hour later the trail had led him to a wide clearing where the deer had stopped to graze. Carefully, quietly, and with the utmost deliberation as if the outcome was inevitable, he pulled an arrow from his quiver and strung it, pulling the bowstring back as he took a deep breath. A little higher.. one, two..

The count of three never came, only the twang of the bowstring, followed by the sound of the arrow embedding itself perfectly between the ribs of it`s target. The arrow had barely reached the deer before Walid ran across the clearing, a grin on his face. The hunting dagger glinted in the sun as it ended the suffering of the animal, giving rise to a flashback in his mind, as if it were a continuation of the dream from the night prior. He could see himself slitting that guards throat, the blood spilling onto the sand like a bottle of red wine spilled clumsily by a drunkard who`s already had enough. Except it wasn`t an accident, however much the redguard may have wished it was for the last 16 years. Killing an animal was one thing, taking another man`s life was another. It was most likely them or him but it was the only man he had ever killed and it was a hard thing to forget. Shaking himself from the daydream Walid focused on the task at hand, immediately wishing Svogre had come with him.

He should be home by now, I should go back and get him. This one is far too large for me to bring back myself.