The Thief

Chapter 1

The air is thick and humid. A fine layer of sweat covers the top of my brow. It feels like I am being cooked alive by the scorching sun. I lift my arm to wipe the sweat away with my sleeve.

My attire doesn't help rid me of this humid  heat. My tattered, brown clothes are in rags clinging to my body due to the sweat making me itchy and uncomfortable.

I continue my trek down the street into one of the busier areas, where many of the rich folk can be found. The city is huge, filled with as many people as this is the kingdoms capital.

This is where the current royal family reside, in their magnificent castle with towers probably high enough to reach the heavens above.

We are soon to get a new king as the young prince is about to claim the throne from his dear mother, the Queen. His father, the King, sadly died when he was just a little boy, too young to take his rightful place as king.

I have never seen the prince, but many who have have claim that he is extremely handsome, the most gorgeous man throughout the five kingdoms.

Finally reaching the market, I find the vast number of stalls filled with all sorts of wonders. There were fruits and vegetables, spices, fish, jams, ribbons, materials and so much more.

I continue down in a leisurely pace when I notice a fairly rich woman standing quite close to my decided path. I looked down seemingly distracted as I purposely bump into her as if on accident.

As we collided, I managed to slip my hand into her pocket swiftly receiving her purse as she stumbled back a bit.

"I am terribly sorry, milady. I was not looking where I was going." I apologised. She just rolled her eyes before rudely uttering "Watch it."

She walked off with no knowledge that I had just pick-pocketed her. I silently chuckled before placing it in my bag that lay over my shoulder. This bag held all of my belongings other than the clothes that I am wearing. It contains a second set of more comfortable clothes along with a small blanket, my dagger and of course now, the women's purse.

Passing by a stall selling the finest of fruit, I  discreetly grab an apple while the stall owner had his back turned for a second.

I continued my walk now munching on the fine piece of fruit and every now and then stealing a wallet or two. I do of course know the consequences of stealing.

If I am not careful enough I could get caught and thrown into the dungeons or worse- get killed by one of the guards that patrol the streets.

Taking a sharp turn down a small quiet alleyway, I followed it for a while before I got the strangest feeling of being watched.

This caused me to become more aware of my surroundings. I looked around, taking notice of every detail.

There was slight movement to my left causing my gaze to thoroughly examine the area from where the it had come.

Nothing....

I started to walk towards it  still taking caution, I pulled out my small dagger from my bag. Every part of my being was screaming for me to turn around and head back to the market but I couldn't, I was far to curious for my liking.

As I turned the corner, a gloved hand came out over my mouth before I could let out a scream which unfortunately for me, had been muffled by the material.

Another hand soon followed it grabbing my waist and pulling me into a hard chest, moving to grab the dagger out of my hand and placing the familiar cold, sharp metal against my throat.

The person then turned around and pushed my back against the wall, dagger still at my throat and hand still covering my mouth.

"Promise not to scream?" I looked up to see a well built man, probably in his early forties. He was wearing a long black cloak which somewhat covered a fancy suit that held multiple medals just below the right shoulder. He also wore a long blue sash lined with yellow stitching resting over the suit.

He must be someone who holds great importance with the royal family. I nodded hastily, not wanting to anger a friend of the royals.

"Good." He then moved his hand away and smiled menacingly. Quite possibly the creepiest thing I have ever seen.

"Been watching you for a while now, Miss Black." He chuckled. My eyes widened. No one is supposed to know my name. I haven't told a single soul, especially not in this part of the kingdom!

"H-how do you know my name?" My voice coming out weak. He just chuckled again.

"I know many things. For instance: I know how your family died, I can't imagine how you must of felt-well still feel." He moved away from me, taking my dagger away from my throat.

"You know nothing of my feelings." I spat. Who the hell does he think he is? He has no right to bring up that part of my life.

"Kindly return my dagger, I am leaving now as I have better things to do than to talk to people like you." I held out my hand waiting for him to place the dagger in.

"Like what, continue your stealing? I could easily just go and tell the guards that you are a thief, after all they would listen to me, you know." He said while twirling my dagger amongst his fingers, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

"How di-" I began only to be cut off.

"Like I said, I know many things, but I am not here to talk about that. I have a deal to make with you." He stopped his twirling and looked me dead in the eye.

"Well it depends, what is it?" I asked.

"Well I need you to break into the palace and steal something for me."he replied.

"Are you mad!? You want me to into break the most heavily guarded place in the whole Kingdom!?" I whisper-shout, not wanting to draw any attention from the occasional wanderer who may accidentally be in earshot of our conversation.

"If you don't, I will tell the guards that you are a thief, which you are, and I am sure that you know what happens to a caught thief and if that doesn't work, I will keep this dagger of yours, your father gave it to you if I am correct."

At this I paled, that is the last thing I have left to remember my father by, it is my most prized possession. It was passed down the generations from my great grandfather, who used it to save the King Matthew the fifth.

The man handed my dagger to, what looks to be, a guard I hadn't noticed before. Only one way for me to get it back.

"O-okay, I will do it."

"Good, that wasn't so hard now was it?  I will send someone to find you later to give you all the details. You break in tonight, it is the only gap I can get you. You must be in and out in the blink of an eye." He was about to turn and leave but I stopped him.

"Wait, I didn't get your name."

"Patrick, Lord Patrick." With that said he walked off leaving me with a shocked expression on my face.

Lord Patrick is the dead king's brother, he is the prince's uncle.

My question is why the hell does he want to steal from his own family and what the hell have I just gotten myself into?