The Thief

Chapter 19

"So little thief what did you steal?"

The Commander had a slight curious spark in his grey eyes.

"The Royal Jewels..."

There was complete deafening silence for a few minutes. I felt like I was drowning.

Please speak. Just say something. I urged in my head.

He tilted his head slightly to the side, grey eyes analysing me until finally he spoke.

"And how my dear did you manage that?" his voice sounded like he didn't quite believe me.

"With inside help but that bastard betrayed me." I looked away for a second slightly still annoyed at Lord Patrick. I truly hate that man with the very essence of my being.

"Oh do tell whom might this fellow be?"

"Lord Patrick." As soon as his name passed my lips the Commander's grey eyes filled with fury and anger. I felt terrified.

"How dare you accuse my Lord of such a lowly act?!"

Yip I had officially pissed the Commander off. I am definitely going to be executed before the hour is up.

"But it is true. That bastard tricked me! I had no idea what I was sent there to steal. I just knew that I had no choice in the matter and when I did see what it was that I held in my hands I knew that I could not let him have it so I got him back and before he figured it out he had called the guards on me! I was forced to flee the capital." I was upset. My little outburst expressed that clearly.

"If that is true then where are the Jewels now?" His sharp grey eyes watched me still unconvinced of my story.

"I returned them to Prince Edward himself but that didn't end so well..."

"Really and how might you of all people done that?"

"The ball. I had found a way to get in under a false identity and stolen invite. I returned them when I got the chance to dance with his royal highness and as you can expect I had no choice but to run as he set the royal guard on me. Cut a long story short I was caught and trialed and sentenced to death..."

"But you managed to escape under a stolen prison guards uniform and joined the army under false pretences." he finished my story for me.

"Pretty much."

He continued to watch me. Analysing me. I know he could tell that I was leaving something out. Something important. It was how I managed to escape the prison on my own. Who had helped me...

Ivor

"Is this the reason why there was such a hold up in the capital?" It was a rhetorical question but I answered anyway.

"Yes."

"I don't know whether I should believe you or not little thief. But I do have one question, why were you sentenced to death, did no one know who you were?"

Dam that struck me. The Commander knew my relation to Gerard Black immediately from just hearing my full name. Why didn't Prince Edward or the others know? Why didn't they make the link?

"I don't really know. Perhaps there was so much going on at the time that it just slipped their minds. Or perhaps the story of my father was forgotten. But my question is how did you know?" That seemed the most logical and believe option and I had a strong feeling it was true.

"About that... Gerard of the Iron Soul was my idol. I always loved hearing about him through stories as a little child. I wanted to be a great warrior just like him. I made it my mission to learn everything about him so that is how I knew immediately." He looked a little embarrassed at his confession but it left as soon as it came.