Castle Thief {A Momojiro Tale}

Chapter 2

We arrived at the castle sooner than I had expected and I didn't have enough time to plan anything more than a way to get away from the baker. The cart came to a stop and I heard the voice of guards, the clank of their weapons and the tap of their metal toed boots on the cobble.

They opened the back of the cart and when they saw me one shouted around to the baker, "So, this is the thief?"
"Yes sir," the baker answered,
"Hmm, okay we'll bring him in to see the king," the soldier agreed,
"Thank you." The baker said, "sir." the soldier just grunted in response. He turned to his partner jabbing his chin at me and I was yanked me up by my arms, I knew better than to resist. There were too many of them, I had tried that before. They dragged me away, into the splendor of the castle.

The royal halls were decked in gold and jewels. Ornate wooden furniture at each wall, and the thrones, the thrones. Symbols of our country's power, though I could think of a million ways we could be more powerful or even less hungry with just a single stone from the armrests. Every kind of precious gem was inlaid in the solid gold. Velvet cushions and lion carvings with rubies for eyes on the armrests and seat.

The soldiers threw me down on the carpet, luxurious and red. I looked up at the king from my knees. His crown was golden and looked heavy. A ruby was set in the front, it glinted in the light from the stained glass windows.

"Greetings your Majesty." said the baker. Apparently he was here too. The king did not respond, he just stared at us, his eyes black and piercing like obsidian. The baker stammered, "uh umm, this boy has stolen from me multiple times," he spat shooting a glare at where I had been thrown to the carpet. "and I was told you were addressing the problems of uh- peasants."
"Yes,"The king said, his voice booming even in the languid hall, "what has he stolen." I didn't correct them, it didn't matter what they thought I was.
"Several rolls, loaves of bread and pound cakes over the course of a few months." his accent ground heavily on my ears, clearly he wasn't from here. The other merchants just kicked me until they decided I wouldn't steal from them again.

The king inspected me for a moment before speaking, "what's your name?" He asked,
"It's Jirou, your majesty," I answered, "Kiyoka Jirou."
"That's a strange name for a boy," he mused, "unless... you are a girl?" I nodded curtly, "why didn't you correct me?" He asked,
I shuffled wincing as I bled out on the carpet, making it even more red, "I didn't want to seem disrespectful your majesty."
"How old are you child?" He asked,
"I'm uh, Sixteen." I murmured,
"Hmm, about the age of my daughter." He noted, tilting his head he asked, "how did you get to be a thief? Where are your parents?"
"Your highness, it's a long story." I sighed, I was really hoping to avoid this part.
"We have plenty of time." He said, "tell me."

I nodded, "okay," here we go again.