The Broken Kingdom

Chapter 2

"Im absolutely positive he stole it sir! I saw the damned idiot by my stall, and sneaking around!" The merchant yelled.

"Sure? Alright boy hand over your belongings," the guard sighed.

The young boy near Connor handed his bag over. Connor saw it in his eyes, he'd stolen the crown to survive, and now he's pay the price of being caught. The guard rummaged thrush his belongings, and sure enough he pulled a silver crown, a gold ring, and a jewel covered necklace.

"Alright boy, you've been proved a thief and a downright beast. Monty grab the axe, were showing those who steal what happens right here," the guard smirked.

Another one grabbed an axe and a chopping block. The boy looked up at the guard, pleading for his life. But the guard didn't care for it. He pushed the child to the ground and raised the axe. The swung it down, a clear cut to the neck. The boy's head rolled around on the floor, blood outing from hid body. Connor had witnessed such, and knew if he'd step in he'd be killed too. The guard smiled, motioning for peasants to clean the remains of the boy. Poorly dressed people scampered out of the guard's post, grabbing the boy carelessly and throwing him into a river. Connor decided now was the time to steal. He snuck behind the crown and looted all expensive looking items from the merchant who'd said he was stolen from, and the one Connor had talked to earlier. His bag was almost bursting by the time he was done thieving. He walked back into the inn and set his bag down in his room. Connor carefully examined what he'd stolen. A beautiful golden crown, jewels were embedded all around it, worn by those of a high status. A silver crown, with a blue rock at one of the middle points. 6 rings, 4 gold and 2 silver. And 3 necklaces, all gold with expensive jewels. Connor smiled to himself, he'd lucked out, all the jewelry would be extremely easily sold and he'd make lots from it. Connor carefully found a spot for each piece, hiding it, but carefully placed so that it wouldn't get broken. He ate his tender steak, and slept.

Connor woke at dawn, the sun was just rising. He grabbed his pack and gathered his belongings. He ate a piece of the food he ordered for the morning meal, and left the inn. The merchants he stole from were furious, and glaring at anyone who wore a piece of jewelry similar to the ones he'd stole. He walked to the stables, a pinto stallion, and a black mare were tied in the front. That meant they were the beautifulest, priciest horses the stable owner had. Connor just wanted a horse that'd run at his command, nothing to pretty or expensive. A stable worker greeted him.

"Hello there sir, what'll it be?" He asked.

"Just a horse that'll run, I don't need anything fancy," Connor told the boy.

"Yea sir, one on the left is Wripper and the one on the right is Beset!" He exclaimed.

Connor looked to his right, there was a stallion, he was grey with a black mane. On the left was a brown horse with a dark brown mane and white socks.

"How much?" Connor asked.

"Wripper is 1 gold and Beset is 9 silver," the boy answered.

Connor's eyes grew wide, they were way more expensive than he'd expected. He planned to just steal one at night instead of waste all the coin, "no thanks, I'll keep looking,"

The stable boy looked let down, but he turned around, shooing Connor out. Connor sat down by a well. He watched a woman play then lute for a couple of copper coins. When the sun went down the party went up. Expert bards came out and put together a happy go luck jig and bartenders set out stalls full of ale. Connor bought a tankard of ale, he chatted with some folks who were nearly passing out. Giving his tankard back Connor left the busy stalls of the market and walked towards the stable. He hoped the fence where the horses roamed in the day, and picked the lock behind the stable. It was fairly easy, shutting the door behind him Connor looked at the first horse nearest to the back door. He was a young horse, a little older than a foal. Connor passed him. He ended up at the expensive pinto. It was a beautiful stallion, and had legs like a true horse. Connor smiled, he knew he'd be causing a major loss of money to the barn owners, and probably make the stable boys pay go down majorly, but the stallion looked like it sure could run, and it had the added bonus of being a beautiful horse. Connor grabbed a saddle that looked like it would cost a lot, it had a saddle bag. He grabbed a set of reins and saddled the stallion. He led the horse out the back, and shut the barn door. Mounting the lovely stallion Connor almost made it when a guard recognized the stolen horse and yelled the alarm. Connor pushes the horse, galloping at full speed Connor saw why the horse would cost so much. He outran the guards by a mile, and was galloping to the next town. It was a rinse and repeat cycle, come to a town, spend a night at an inn, steal, grab a steed, and leave. But Connor hated it, he knew he costed the merchant's money, the stables money, and it made him feel terrible. But he had to, because if he didn't, he would die. Just like many other thieves it was the only thing he could do at the moment to get food, and live on. Connor slowed the stallion to a halt, deciding he was far past the guards. Connor was going to a city almost known for its amazing ale and the goods. He was planning to do it all in one night, reach the city, steal, leave. Then he would use the stallion to get to another city, though this one he wouldn't steal at.