A Thief for a Bride

Thief for a Bride (chapter one - The Incident)

Desmond awoke to shouting, a lot of shouting. It sounded as if guards were running everywhere and in pursuit of someone. The noise only added to the gigantic headache he was trying to fight with sleep. He quickly threw on the shirt he had tossed over the trunk at the end of his massive bed. As he was buttoning it there came a sharp knock at his door. He threw it open and glared at his butler, Edgar. 

"What is going on?" he demanded and his short butler stiffened. 

"We caught five men trying to rob you, my lord," he said nervously. 

"They what?" he snapped. He brushed past Edgar and made his way down the hall to the stairs. He could hear his butler hurrying after him. 

"The men somehow got in through the wine cellar but were caught before they could take anything. The guards took all of them to the banquet hall." Desmond quickened his pace, anger easing his headache enough for him to focus. How dare someone try to steal from him? It was humiliating! He reached the double doors that led to the banquet hall and threw them open. Five men had been bound and gagged with their hands tied behind their backs. They were on their knees in front of the fireplace. The one who caught his eye was the smallest on the very end. He couldn't have been more than fourteen years of age! His lanky figure shook noticeably and Desmond almost felt sorry for him until his headache came back with full force and knocked every feeling of sympathy to the back of his mind. 

"I want to know who the leader in this group," Desmond said in a demanding tone. All five men looked at him and then each other as if wondering how they were supposed to speak while gagged. 

"It's him, sir," one of his guards, Alan, put in as he pointed to the man in the middle. "He confessed as soon as we caught him." He was tall and slender with short jet black hair. The boy on the end looked too much like the leader for them not to be related. He crouched down in front of the leader and grabbed him roughly by the chin. 

"Did you really think you could steal from me?" he asked coldly as the man glared at him. "You have no idea who you are dealing with." He released the man and made to leave the room when Alan spoke again. 

"What should we do with them, my lord?" he asked. 

"Hang them!" Desmond shouted over his shoulder. "I want every single one of them dead by noon tomorrow." 

* * * 

Desmond had hoped to get more sleep but after only a few minutes in bed he realized that would now be impossible. He went to his study and began reading his mail when there was another sharp knock at his door. He let out an exasperated sigh and beckoned the person to answer. When Edgar stepped inside Desmond drummed his fingers on his desk and fixed his butler with a lethal glare. 

"This had better be important," he cautioned the man. 

"My lord," Edgar said as he bowed slightly, nervously. "I think there is something you need to see." Desmond raised a single black eyebrow in question and motioned for him to continue. Edgar pulled the door further open and two guards entered holding a struggling figure between them by the arms. The prisoner wore a black hood but Desmond could tell by the clothes that it was the leader of the group of thieves. He had to hand it to the man. Although restrained and blinded he was still giving the guards a run for their money. 

"Why bring him before me again?" Desmond asked casually. "I see no point in seeing a man who will be dead by noon tomorrow." 

"Well, my lord," Edgar explained as the guards forced the man to his knees and he stopped struggling. "We gave each man a final request, as you know, and told them we would fulfill it before tomorrow. Their leader requested a hot bath, said they would like nothing more than to die clean and well rested."