Regal [h.s au]

03. Attack

AMELIA

I flip a golden coin in the air, watching as it spins before catching it with one hand and slapping it on the table I'm sitting at, already planning my next robbery. The latest one has been a success more or less considering the victim is currently staying under my roof.

Talk about inconvenient.

I must admit, he seems sweet. So innocent at first glance, but there still might be a rotten man beneath that facade.  Only that kind of people comes here, feigning they're gentlemen while in fact, they're here to do unlawful things and commit crimes they cannot commit while being in the borders of one of the kingdoms.  Not to mention their frequent visits to the local... pleasure house where they cheat on their wives without a second thought.

There are two kingdoms and between them, a large area of land is sprawled, surrounded by thick woods and forgotten by everyone.  It goes by the simple name of Frontera (border), considering that is its purpose - to divide the kingdoms. It belongs to no one, there is no ruler to enforce any laws nor bring justice, therefore this is an ideal place for murderers, scammers, thieves and any other type of criminals.  And they come here to do whatever they please since there is no one to stop them.

And people who live here are in constant danger, unable to seek any help, forced to protect themselves however they can. My family and I are one of those people. We have to do dishonourable acts as well, but we do it to survive, not to bring harm to anyone.

Well, except to bastards who deserve it. And my oh my, is that fun! The look on their faces when I steal something from them... priceless, not to mention hilarious.

I steal from the rich people (no, not to give to the poor) who live in the kingdoms, purposefully blind and deaf to all things we have to go through, coming here to break the law themselves. They pay people here to do their dirty work, treating anyone who lives here like filth, as if we're inferior to them.  Rotten people, the lot of them. With their expensive carriages and clothes, noble titles and fake smiles. I detest them.

And this one, Mr Smith (if that is his real name), he seems to be the most peculiar of them all. He had a chance to expose me, even capture me back in the woods yet he let me go. I need to find out what are his intentions and why has he tracked me down if not to perhaps find out who else works with me and capture us all, giving us away to one of the kingdoms where they'd have us hanging from the gallows.

My thoughts are interrupted when one of my workers, Ronan, clears his throat, annoyance written over his expression. His beady eyes greedily glance down at the coin I'm fiddling with. "I talked to one of the whores from-"

"You know how I feel about that word," I interrupt him sharply.

He rolls his eyes. "I talked to one of the women from the pleasure house and she said she has another prey. A lord of some sort, along with a few of his companions. Very easy to get drunk. Extremely wealthy."

"Sounds like you can handle that without me. You know I like a challenge."

"While we're at it, is there a particular reason that rich lad is here? It seems a bit dangerous, his men might recognise us."

"He's off limits. Silas knows what is he doing, don't interfere into that," I reply flatly, my eyes sweeping over a few of my workers lined against the table, leant back in their chairs while I sit at the centre.

Actually, Silas doesn't know what is he doing 99% of the time, but they don't need to know that.

"Pretty glittering rings, he has. Not to mention his fine clothes along with those from his companions," Ronan presses, piles of gold almost visible in his eyes instead of his pupils.