Regal [h.s au]

02. Little thief

HARRY

The palms of my hands rub against each other as I try to dust off the dirt settled in the crevices carved in them, the result of a rather strange yet fun encounter I had with that bold thief girl. I feel both a dose of exasperation because she has managed to run away and a dose of amusement because of the way she grinned at me before disappearing with her prey. Niall and I have retreated to the place where my carriage is located, my body still recovering from the thrill of the chase.

"Well, that was surely a sight to see," Silas comments with a wide smile as he approaches me, clapping my back then shaking his hand as if he's in pain. "Woah, that thief must have been a giant if he managed to fight you. What are you made of, rocks?" He pokes my chest a few times.

"Do not poke him," Niall warns him, standing closely behind me.

"Grr, down dog, down!" Silas taunts him, baring his teeth playfully.

"Easy." I lift my hand, knowing Niall was about to attack him without having to look at him, keeping my eyes on Silas. "I hope the gold I've given you will be enough for you to provide yourself new clothes and ointment for your wounds. We have to get going now, these woods obviously aren't safe."

"You are correct and it's getting dark, going anywhere would be close to throwing yourself in front of a moving carriage - deadly unless you're me," Silas says, shooting me a playful wink. "Worry not, I've got a solution for you. I know a place where you could stay for the night, my close friend owns it."

"What do you think, Niall?" I turn to look at Niall, trusting his judgement. After all, he was right about these woods, the robbery could have possibly been prevented had I listened to him. But then again, it was worth it in a way, I've made one hell of a good memory. I don't have a lot of those, only dull, uneventful ones.

Niall takes a moment to consider it, narrowing his pale blue eyes at Silas dubiously before looking back at me. "I guess that does seem to be our best option at the moment. We cannot risk another attack, the wisest thing would be travelling in the morning."

"Excellent!" Silas says excitedly, throwing his arm around my shoulders and hauling me to his side.

"Do not touch him," Niall warns him.

"No offence, but you should train your dog better, his crude behaviour to decent people is alarming." Silas shakes his head in an obvious attempt to annoy him, making Niall hastily step forward as if he is about to attack him. Silas jumps back defensively, his cheeks becoming a shade of red once he realises Niall was just teasing him.

"Woof woof." Niall looks at him with amusement dancing in his eyes, a tiny smirk curving his lips.

I watch their exchange with a pleased smile. "You are already teasing each other, you see how easy it is to become friends."

Silas stares at me for a few moments, his eyebrow raised. "You are really a ball of sunshine, huh?" He lifts his hand to place it on my shoulder, but then looks at Niall, retracting it. "No patting, huh?"

"Try and see what happens," Niall tells him coolly.

"Right. Anyway, we should go. I don't wish to stay in these dark woods any longer than I have to." Silas ticks his head, motioning for us to follow him.

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I have been observing the large house in front of me for a few moments now, pinching my lower lip absently. There is a green neatly cut lawn surrounding it, a paved grey pathway separating it in the middle and leading towards the entrance of the house, inviting me in. The entire scenery resembles a mansion, really, with beautiful rose bushes lined against each side of the pathway and trees situated here and there, some of them peeking behind its walls, hiding what I assume is a garden.