“I apologize, Your Majesty, but I

have come for another matter.” Said someone who had traveled far to come

to the palace in Rangcew.

The King of Rangcew frowned, his obvious dislike being shown to what had been said, and continued, “Then what matter is there?”

The newcomer turned towards Prince Elton, who was silently standing to the side with calculated eyes, and bowed.

“I have come to ask for the young Prince’s hand for my daughter, Clarabelle.”

The King solemnly looked at his son and frowned again, “The Prince is

my son…” Was all he stated loudly, yet his thoughts were more

aggressive!

‘This is my country, he is my person! You must ask me if you want something!’

King Lewis wanted all the power, not wanting to let go an inch! If

someone was asking for his son’s hand in marriage, why were they looking

at his son and not him!?

The newcomer was not someone you wanted to anger easily yet, he was

also not another King, so King Lewis stood and waved his hands, “I and

my son are currently busy and will have to continue this discussion

another day. If you excuse us.”

Walking off, without even waiting upon either that of his son or the newcomer, the King left the room.

“The country of Funmil is waiting upon a certain day, young Prince.”

Stated the newcomer in a quiet voice, staring at the Prince.

The Prince nodded and started to walk out of the room as well, “…We all are, Advisor Jones.”.

It wasn’t the first time a marriage proposal had been made to the Prince, nor would it be the last.

With someone next in line to the throne and still without a Princess,

Prince Elton had many suitors yet still no accepted proposal…Well

except one, from a very long time ago, which no longer counted…

It also wasn’t the first time that King Lewis was somewhat ignored,

and Prince Elton had some authority. Like today, where King Lewis walked

away, stating that he was busy, this was how these predicaments were

handled. The King would then, later on, talk to the person alone, where

Prince Elton would not be called for or asked to join…

As King, you have a lot of power already, just by stating that you are the King!

Yet, for Prince Elton, even though he was a Prince, and even though

he was next in line to rule, he felt like being a King was more than

just a title.

He had gone out there, where the homeless were, were the dirty and

hardworking people were…Where there were crimes and suffering. He had

worked hard to obtain what he had and find that his father was not fit

for the throne…He was not fit to rule!

Prince Elton had kept it in all this time, he kept in his displeasure, his disgust and his disloyalty!

For the father that helped bring him into this world, Prince Elton

had no love for him at all. David, Prince Elton’s loyal and ‘obedient’

friend, would state that the Prince wouldn’t know what love was if it

hit him in the face and that was why it was so easy for the Prince to

dislike his own father.

Whatever it was that first opened Prince Elton’s eyes to his father’s various crimes, he was glad for it!

He had already helped as much as he could in the background, by

obtaining assassins as bodyguards now, and already having someone on the

inside of the black market but he still needed to get the thieves from

Lupis on his side!

Prince Elton still had a nature of wanting things and having the

superiority thought of obtaining whatever he wanted, it was just a

matter of how long it would take to obtaining it. He was someone that

did indeed think himself as someone higher than others, but thought this

because he was able to become smarter with having the availability of

any books and the money to purchase a lot of things that he wanted so it

is only understandable that he should be of a higher status…

He has pride in himself, he also knows that he will also have

something above his father, that his father will never be able to

beat…And that is simply his age!

Yes…Anything to beat his father, the Prince wants it! No…He needs it!

The country was falling into shadow of the other countries and soon it could be looked upon as easy to be overtaken!

The people in the country of Commorda need reassurance, they need a better King!

King Lewis used anyone and anything to get what he wanted. He would

sell off his own daughter to become richer, he would deceive a family,

to become more powerful and…He was trying right up until this day, to

try and tame his son!

Prince Elton learnt a lesson a while ago, and that was that he

couldn’t just bring up one thing at a time to try and demote his

father…He had to get people behind him, he had to get evidence of a few

crimes and…He had to wait…Patiently!

So…He had to act like he was controlled for the time being…He had to

act like he was a great son, ready to do whatever his father told him

too!

***

“That son of mine is rebelling again!” King Lewis stated, now in his official study room. “Get me Advisor Rick!”

With the King’s order, a bodyguard loyal to the King rushed off to find this Advisor.

This certain Advisor Rick had been the King’s man for a long time, and they had been making plans just as long!

The newest plan of theirs was getting a woman that the Prince would

marry, a woman that would woo the Prince over and make him a puppet.

They don’t have evidence to support that the Prince was rebelling

against the King, well not since that brief moment a few years ago, but

they have heard about it and the King knew that something must be done!

Just…There had been no woman that would fit their category yet!

“Your Majesty?” An old Advisor stated sometime later.

“How is it going? Have you not found a woman yet for my son!?” The King asked in an angry tone.

The Advisor bowed loyally and said, “Not as of yet, Your Majesty.”

“Why is it taking so long!?” The King yelled.

Very few saw the King this way, as he was a two-faced King that

showed a more patient and tolerate side of himself before others. Some

knew how greedy he was, some knew how far he might go but when in front

of his Queen, his daughter and son and many others, the King doesn’t

lose his temper…

“If we choice wrongly, Your Majesty, our plans will not work! We must

be very particular!” The Advisor stated as calmly and as quietly as he

could.

This advisor clenched his hidden hands as he continued to be lectured

by what he thought was an absurd man. He had been loyal for so long

now, so long that he was in the position that he needed to be in!

If anyone knew of what type of woman to get for the Prince, so that they could make the Prince a puppet, Advisor Rick knew!

They needed someone that would be able to mesmerize the Prince,

someone that would make Prince Elton unable to think properly! They

needed a woman that would listen to them and do as she was told, someone

that didn’t want much and someone that would be easily scared!

Advisor Rick knew all too well that a specific woman must take time

to find and that there was nothing else to do but endure through the

King being mad at him at this moment.

The King took a deep breath and paced the front of his desk, right in

front of the Advisor. “I don’t care anymore, if this doesn’t work,

we’ll find another way! Find someone this week!”

The Advisor went to frown but held back, he knew that if the King saw his frown he might be kneeling for another hour or two!

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Was all the Advisor could say before leaving.

Because their ‘deep’ relationship was a secret, Advisor Rick left the

palace secretly and directly went to his small house that was just

outside of the capital. The small house wasn’t his actual residence, it

was another home that he could use, especially when he didn’t want to go

home to his useless eldest son and badgering wives.

Just as he put down his coat, ready to go through the potential

females of who they could use for a third time, one if his loyal men

came to him. “Master.”

“Speak!”

“It seems the Prince is going in the direction of Lupis…I thought that if it is so, we’d tell…”

The Advisor interrupted the man, “Very good, take me to Lupis.”

Lupis…

It was known as a town outside of the capital…A town known to hold the thieves…

It wasn’t really a ‘town’, simply because of how it was situated…And where…

Any road that would lead up to the desert town would be always swept

away easily as the sand is moved by the wind. Why do the thieves live

here?

If you weren’t a thief, you wouldn’t know, but thieves, with their

hiding abilities and watchful eyes, knew very well that this sand dune

place held lots of secrets!

It wasn’t very big, this small desert in Lupis, as you could travel

by camel through the entirety of it within a day but…Their were traps,

and deep below a trail of caves could be found and thus, this was where

the thieves would dwell.

Being relatively close to the capital and having it easy for them to

disappear, it seemed that all thieves willingly led their pursuers in

this direction. Even on rare occasions some people who were running

after thieves met up here in the sand dunes as they were after two

different thieves!

It was no secret, this was exactly where the thieves were hidden but…How do you get inside!?

To have the mind of a thief, the ability to hide, to get away swiftly

and to steal, it is the only way to get inside the caves, and that is

why people might still have troubles getting in, even if they had seen

an entrance before.

Nonetheless, Prince Elton narrowed his eyes to the sight of what seemed like endless sand dunes over the land before him.

He knew about the cave type place underneath, getting his information

from David, who got it from a thief that came to the black market.

It really was quite mysterious…That there looked like there was no entrance, yet he was so certain that underneath held caves!

The caves had something to do with both of the land masses beside the

small desert. One side of the sand dunes had softer earth than the

other and caves not had just dug out by people but most of it had been

done naturally…But how is one to go about getting inside?

A certain soft noise from a distance made Prince Elton turn, to

squint his eyes to a person wiping themselves down from the sand from

their bodies.

…It was most definitely a thief!

Trying to hide as quickly and quietly as possible, Prince Elton waved as his two bodyguards, wanting them to go further away.

After waiting patiently for the thief to disappear, which was in the

direction of the capital, Prince Elton went over to where the thief had

come from and frowned…

There was nothing much there. It was just the border line of the sand and the normal land that the capital is on…

He needed to get in there! He needed to get the thieves on his side!

For him to do that, he needed to figure this problem out on his own and

show them that he was not just some normal person, that he was more than

that!

He wanted the thieves to become something more!

Yes, he’d already thought of this a while ago…He wanted the thieves

to go to the other countries and bring back information and anything

that might mean anything important!

It was written down in an old book, and probably was already

implanted from other countries but this would be Prince Elton’s first

lot of spy’s…And he was going to have their allegiance!

Still, an hour later, Prince Elton had not found a way to get inside and before he angered further, he left.

Advisor Rick had only just gotten there but sighed, feeling

frustrated to have come all that way for nothing. Continuing to

discretely follow the Prince back towards the capital, the advisor was

suddenly stunned to see that the Prince was actually following someone

suddenly.

Looking around to the area, then trying to see the person that the

Prince was following, the advisor was surprised…It was a thief!

Was…Was this the reason why the Prince was at Lupis then?

This was…This was very interesting indeed! Perhaps they could find a flaw in the Prince and use it against him!

On the other hand, Prince Elton followed after the Little Pillager, unable to stop himself from just continuing his own journey.

He had been curious all this time upon why the Little Pillager would

be out in this area…But if it were to steal, he would catch her in the

process, perhaps demand her to tell him how to get into the caves in

Lupis for her release in return…

Just that reason alone made the Prince quite happy to follow this thief, hardly able to wait to find her…

In mid thought, Prince Elton stopped and stared at the Little Pillager, as she gave some small children some food.

So, she was a thief with a soft heart towards hungry, little children?

Indeed, the Prince was quite specific, not wanting to give the Little

Pillager any credit. As far as he was concerned, feeding little

children like this didn’t make up for running away from him and stealing

something of his from the last time that they had met!

The children ran off, probably back towards the commoner’s area,

while the thief traveled straight towards the same vandalized and broken

home that the Prince saw the last time that he had been led here!

Again, she had led him to the noble’s living area outside of the

capital. It was obvious upon why it was the noble’s area, it was because

of the hill and the view one would receive upon living in a house here

but again, the same person had led him here twice…Is it a coincidence?

Why would a thief…

He couldn’t spend all day waiting for this thief to steal, so

instead, he marched straight towards this broken house and just as he

went to walk through the half opened, old front door, a mouse ran past.

Stopping, Prince Elton let out a big sigh, this really was ridiculous!

Walking in further, the Prince looked around, to suddenly see the thief pick up the mouse and then stare at him.

Seeing her touching that creature, the Prince frowned.

“What are you doing here?” She called out, making the Prince blink.

What am I doing here? He suddenly thought.

Seeing her look away, then sigh, he found himself wondering what she was thinking. Why was she here!?

Is there something left to steal from this place? This place didn’t even have a front door that would close!

Her thoughts were far from why she was here…No, she was more pondering upon why he was there!

Why is the Prince, the heir to the throne, here of all places!?

“You’ve followed me…” She stated, guessing to the only possibility.

“I did.” He finally said something. What was the use in lying, he had nothing to fear!

Putting her mouse to her shoulder, Alison turned around and left, “Then you know the way out of here.”

She was not in the mood to tend to royalty and since she had done

nothing wrong, how could he capture her? No, he will disappear in mere

moments from this place!

To Alison’s surprise, though, as she sat near a particular window,

she found that not only did the Prince not leave, but he had followed

her to the room that she was now currently in!

Having just put water over the fireplace, she had been wiping a cup down with a clean rag, to come to a halt.

As they stared at each other, the Prince couldn’t help but be

curious. He saw it, this place might not look as though it was being

lived in, but it was…She must be one of those people that went to other

people’s homes to live when it was vacant…Which was probably something

that he could catch and trail her for!

When the Prince broke eye contact to sit opposite her, like her near the window, Alison sighed again.

He was a Prince, she can’t exactly treat him terribly now could she? She will have to do this carefully…

She hadn’t wanted to involve the Prince, simply because she didn’t

want anything to do with him…But now that he was here, why not make the

best of it!?

“Would you like some tea, sir?”

“Please, that would be…Nice…My Lady.”

Ah, so noble. Manners of a Prince! It was obvious to her though, that

he must be thinking that he had given her probably more manners then

she deserved…As much as Alison might be mocking him inside her head at

this time, outside she turned into the best hostess that she could be.

“I’m sorry, sir, but I do not have a large variety of tea…” She stated, already making the tea anyway.

“It is not a problem. Carry on…” The Prince stated, seeing that she was doing so without his consent anyway.

This woman was…Annoying…

“Is the gentleman in this part of the capital for business?” Alison

asked, being obvious about her curiosity. She also looked at the Prince a

smile.

The Prince frowned at the woman and ignored her question, “I am getting very thirsty.”

If you’re thirsty then go and have a drink elsewhere! Why are you here!?

“Do you know about the noble family that used to live in this residence?” The Prince asked.

Yes, it wasn’t like he didn’t want to leave this dirty place…In fact, he did wonder how he had gotten this far but…

He was curious though, if the thief knew anything of this family,

before he would capture her and make her show him how to get into the

caves at Lupis.

All these thoughts led him to this question, but what he got after asking it, made him go silent.

The woman…She looked away, swallowed and blinked a few times.

Why did she look like it was a hard question? Why…Does she look like

she’s going to cry one second and then in the next second look angry?

Alison shrugged, after regaining herself.

She had never thought that the Prince was going to go straight to the point like that!

Did he know much about what had become of this family? Did he even care?

“I’ll get you your tea!” Alison stated back, giving him what he had given her just a few moments ago.

“Woman! You test…Me.” Prince Elton stated, nearly giving away that he

was a Prince. He had nearly forgotten that this woman didn’t really

know his identity, as he had never told her. But…Why did he care to keep

it a secret though?

…Then there was the certain fact that he didn’t know that she already did know his true identity…

Alison rolled her eyes and put out the cup to him, staring at him like she had all the courage in the world.

The Prince lowered his head and took the cup, almost grumbling his dissatisfaction.

Once this woman tells him what she knows of this family, he was going to catch her and torment her for this!

Silence entered the room, as they both drank a sip of tea and just

sat there while in their own thoughts. One was thinking of ways to bring

up the family that had lived in this residence once again, and in the

best way possible…While the other person was wondering how they could

force the other to leave the broken house, getting mad that they had to

lose out on tea on them!

Milo, her mouse, suddenly went off her shoulder and raced towards the Prince…

Should I stop him? She wondered, watching the mouse yet not making any inclination of stopping the little thing.

Seeing the Prince get tensed up and even try to move away from the mouse, Alison let out a laugh.

The Prince looked at her and it suddenly clicked into his head…She was that little girl!

She had laughed at him back then too!

That girl…That girl was…From this house!

With the suddenly thought, the Prince was stunned and didn’t even know that Milo was making his way to his shoulder.

Seeing a movement, the Prince looked towards his shoulder to find the

mouse! He rummaged around, looking very strange while doing so because

the mouse didn’t move from his shoulder as he tried to walk ‘away’ from

it, losing the cup of tea in the process.

“Get it off me!” The Prince stated, going to knock it off but didn’t want to touch it directly!

Alison fell into a pit of laughter and could only hold onto her

stomach with one hand, while pointing at the Prince with the other.

The Prince got angrier and angrier as time went on and finally found something to use to get the mouse off of him.

It was the saucer of the teacup, and he used that to push the mouse off of him!

Seeing the mouse hit the wall, Alison immediately stopped laughing and practically pounced towards the mouse.

“Milo!” She yelled, picking up the mouse.

The Prince watched as that annoying woman had gone from laughing one moment to see her almost crying in the next.

“Get out!” She yelled at him.

That…How dare she!

The Prince flinched when she stood up, looking down at him. Perhaps

he shouldn’t have put so much force into making the mouse get off him…It

was completely obvious upon how furious she was at him! His thoughts

led to think that he couldn’t blame the woman for looking at him like

this. He had followed her, he had also invited himself in here, he had

also not been polite and answered her question then…Well, he did want to

potentially use her…

He probably deserved a furious stare like that coming from the Little Pillager…

“Get out!” She stated again, turning away from him. “Milo?”

Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, the Prince did feel

slightly guilty yet…He also had not achieved his goal either! This is

what he would usually call, ‘unproductive’!

He hadn’t gotten any information yet upon the family…Wait…She is the family so…

As the Prince went into thoughts, Alison saw that Milo was alright and so she let out a breath of relief.

The little, light brown mouse sniffed the air near her and walked again.

“Thank god…” Alison stated, giving the mouse a tiny pat on the head.

She really wouldn’t be ready if anything had happened to Milo…As it

was, it had taken a while to get used to him being close to her!

Friends were not a forte of Alison’s…It never was…

She had been brought up in a way that she was outspoken and had enough ‘power’ to get away with it.

Not knowing much of the ‘power’ when she was young, she missed it after she had lost her family.

Having been the fiancé to the Prince, she could not do too much

wrong…But afterwards, without that power, things got very bad and she

had to learn very quickly when to keep her mouth shut!

After losing her family, being left behind, she had gone quiet for a

while. Afterwards, being forced to become a thief, she had gained that

outspoken part of herself back and well…She still had no friends…Except

for Milo.

Milo was persistent, just like her. He continued to come to her, as much as she had pushed the small vermin away.

Oh well, it had been a year now, since that little mouse was born and

sitting there all by itself. She really did try to let it have a life

of its own, but she had become mother to the thing…

Since it was small…Alison taught the little thing to go into rooms.

Sometimes it didn’t do much of a job but on the times that it did, and

found a ring, a necklace…A key, Milo came in handy!

Her heart had accepted Milo and they were the best of friends!

“I apologize for my behavior just now.” Woman, you must understand that I do not apologize easily!

Turning to the voice, Alison bit her lip and looked back away, “I accept your apology. Please leave.”

If he weren’t the Prince, Alison thought…

Feeling the Prince move, hearing one…Two footsteps, Alison slowly turned and looked at him, seeing him looking at her.

He used to be my fiancé.

She used to be my fiancé.

“I’m…Glad, that he is ok…Your mouse.” The Prince stated, nodding and looking at her hand, where Milo was.

Alison nodded too, her teachings, from a young age, would be now to probably curtsy and send His Highness off but…

Looking away and through the window, Alison waited…Waited for the Prince to leave.

Dam…

The Prince couldn’t help but think he was bested in this situation and took one more look at the annoying woman, then left.

She was the girl, that girl that laughed at him so long ago!

Next time…The next time we meet, I’ll find out then! With that

thought, the Prince walked with more determination and finally left

through the broken front door.

Alison looked out through the window, to the far distance, seeing the

top of the wall of the capital and seeing the palace beyond that.

The Prince will be going there, and I will be too, she thought. She

was waiting on one more thing before going, having already made the

decision quite some time ago now. She was going there to steal from the

King with a few other thieves! She had spent so much effort to get the

thieves to want to do it, without her being the one to have come up with

the idea, and finally, when one more thief is ready with whatever he

was waiting for…It was going to be it!

She will get revenge by stealing money or whatever was of worth to

the King! And yes, her first stop would be the King’s very own chambers!

***

Falling into the opening of the caves in Lupis, Alison got up and

only wiped herself twice before continuing to walk in a particular

direction. She hadn’t been here often, as it also took her a long time

to get in here in the first place but…It was like an acceptance!

Before being able to come into the caves at Lupis, she wasn’t spoken

to by any other thief. She wasn’t classified as a real thief right up

until she found the secret to this place.

It really was unique!

“Allie, apparently they’ve been waiting for ya to get here.”

Alison looked at who spoke to her and she nodded, running ahead now.

She hadn’t thought that she was late but apparently, she was!

“I’m here.” She stated, sitting down to the closest chair, not even

bothering to move it to face the other two…It really was a different

world to the one that she was brought up to be in, that was for sure!

She didn’t even have to look at people when talking to them down

here. She wasn’t looked at with posture in mind either, as she put a

foot up on the table.

“Just as you wanted, the library is yours. We already know about how

long it is for…Now for the date…It’s tonight when the moon is directly

over the pond at the back of the palace!”

Alison took her foot off the table and gave one nod of the head, leaving straight after.

Thieves don’t normally collaborate and well, in a way they still

weren’t. They had pride, pride in their abilities, which did give them

all something to connect to but…It didn’t mean any thief was another

thief’s best friend!

They were all going to the palace alone, they were all going in

different places inside the palace alone and…They might be going in at

the same time but it didn’t mean that they were going in the same area.

The only thing they were collaborating with…Is the time and place…That

was all.

Having already agreed to only going for a couple of hours, to be far

from the palace by dawn, they had also agreed on different areas upon

getting in as well.

You could probably say that they are helping each other out by not working together…

It was weird but for some reason, Alison understood. She also agreed

to this as well, simply because she really started to obtain the

thoughts and ideas that a thief would get…How else had she been able to

make it into the caves if she hadn’t!?

Leaving the caves and falling into the sand, Alison took more time to

dust herself off this time. Before going into the caves, she knew she

was already going to come back out soon so why would she have bothered

dusting herself off earlier!?

Actually, the floor of the caves held a lot of sand and no one

cleaned in the caves so…The sand will most likely just stay there and

build up over time…

“Tell me where the entrance is!”

Looking up to the sudden voice, Alison went wide eyed. What was he doing here?

The Prince looked like he was breathing more harder than usual and

looked around like he could find something in mere moments, making her

let out a quick laugh.

“This is the exit.” Alison stated, walking out of the sand and continuing to dust herself down.

“Then, where is the entrance?” The Prince asked, watching her.

She dusted herself off more, not saying anything in return, when she was suddenly pulled upon.

Crashing into a chest, Alison looked up in shock.

The sudden closeness of the Prince stopped her thoughts as she stared

at him. The Prince looked upon her lips, suddenly aware himself upon

how close they were and went quiet.

It was at this time that the advisor was certain that he had found

the perfect woman to make his new granddaughter and to make…The next

Queen!

The woman seemed to have obtained the Prince’s attention, looking

like she could contain a lot more. The woman also seemed to be without,

which meant he had something to offer her. The woman also seemed to have

a past, which was something that they could keep as a threat…

The more he looked, the more he was satisfied with this one particular woman…She was the one!

She was going to be the diamond that sets his way to becoming the

real King behind the one on the throne. Even if he doesn’t sit on the

throne himself, he was going to be the one with the power, the one to

shape this country to how he wants it!

What the advisor didn’t anticipate was the history that these two

people had, and especially that of Alison. He also did not think that

instead of him playing her and the Prince…That perhaps he was the one

being played instead…

Running away from the Prince, after gaining a chance, Alison was chased down and then placed against a tree.

“How can you expect me to accept that as an answer?”

The Prince was getting grumpy!

‘Think like a thief and you’ll be able to get in easily!’

That was not the answer that he was looking for!

Alison gave a slight, cheeky smile and shrugged. The worst part of

this information is that they already have the answer! Well, said the

thoughts of a thief!

“Fine…”

Alison found his breath against her ear and found heat rising to her face.

Feeling an arm slowly going around her, she blinked, holding her hands up, not knowing what else to do with them.

“Tell me then what you know of the family that used to live in that

noble residence. Do you have any kind of evidence against the King?”

His hot breath and quiet words made her senses lose their…Senses!

She could only think of the arm holding her waist and his voice. He was so close!

The Prince frowned, not hearing a word and pulled back a bit.

Seeing her stare at him, the rise and fall of her body while she

breathed…In a quick instant, the Prince let her go and looked away…

It seemed that it really was time for him to marry, Prince Elton thought.

Looking back at the woman, the Prince sighed and tried to put certain

thoughts aside for now. Whereas Alison finally became more aware and

ran like the wind!

I hate the Prince! I hate the Prince!

She didn’t know why she was saying that repeatedly while she ran, but

she just kept saying it and while she said it, it was like she was

using her anger to run faster and faster!

Without looking back, Alison went towards the capital and didn’t stop

until she was near the palace. Would the Prince think to look for her

here? Is he still behind me?

Sticking herself into some small space, unseen from the main walkway, Alison tried to get her breath back.

She was breathing so hard that it took a long time for her to breath normal again.

The time to have run from Lupis to here…It would have taken a while

but…Had she really run all the way? She can hardly remember it!

Having him so close to her like that was scary! Just thinking about it gave her goosebumps!

Yep…She had panicked! Panicked like crazy! The only thing on her mind then was ‘Run’!

It wasn’t just her that felt strange…The Prince had chased after her

for a while but ended up in a carriage afterwards. He had someone

watching both Lupis and the vandalized house, so he decided to go back

to the palace.

Now, that he was by himself in his own quarters, he sat down in a huff and put his head in his hands…

He couldn’t stop thinking about her sensual look…

As much as that woman annoyed him, he wanted her back in his arms and

looking at him like that again. She was like…A little rabbit…No, a

rabbit doesn’t act like she does…She was like, like a mouse! A mouse

that keeps running away from him and slipping through his grasp!

As Alison got busy to intrude upon the palace and steal some revenge

money, the Prince kept himself busy, trying not to think of a particular

woman who seemed to invade his thoughts if he wasn’t careful.

It really was something strange, as both of them were a bit distracted…

The Prince now understands the want a man can have for a woman, the

reason for a cold bath…Alison now understands that she will act stupid

in front of a man if he’s too close. Is it normal to be completely blank

like that?

Whatever the case, both Alison and Elton had questions and found it

frustrating that they were asking these questions in the first place!

***

Letting Milo into the small gap near the wall, Alison hid on the side and waited…

Just like normal, as she taught the mouse with so many hours, the mouse scared someone in the room, making them scream!

As the scream sounded, while they rushed out the door, that was the

time that Alison poked her finger through the window, unlocking it and

came in.

Watching Milo chase after the maid, Alison quickly locked the window

again and followed after Milo, watching her surroundings and being very

quiet.

Milo came back the way he had gone, like routine, and Alison picked

him up…Quickly, she then went towards the library in the palace…As, she

had already entered the palace!

Thieves were very adaptive…Is what

Alison had turned to think about thieves. They can scout out a place

before going somewhere to steal but then again, they also don’t really

need to scout out the place if they don’t want to. Most of the fun for a

thief is finding what you want, getting it and getting out of the place

and not getting caught! It wasn’t really a job…It was…Fun! Fair enough

thieves have to buy food and all that but still, the ‘stealing’ part was

something that the thieves that Alison knew found to be entertaining,

something that they looked forward too!

The other two thieves hadn’t scouted the palace but…Alison had spent a bit of time mapping it out.

If she didn’t have a deep, emotional reason to come here, where it

was something she felt like her life was in need to do, she might not

have bothered to scout out the palace but…It did make things

easier…Just, instead, it was a bit more boring…

The library was obviously just for show, she really was going to go

to the King’s chambers, but, since she already knew another thief was

going there, she was just going to wait until he was done, then go there

afterwards.

Having to hide behind a curtain, waiting for a guard to walk past,

Alison continued down a path, then another two paths and then hid in

among some doors, as another guard came.

“…Seems a bit weird.”

Alison widened her eyes as she felt surrounded. This voice was from

the other side of her, while the guard still had to walk past her.

“It is only normal, Princess.”

Oh, it’s the Princess? That’s right, she was getting married or

something soon. There had been a huge event, about a ring and all…There

probably was very little people that didn’t know about Princess Bethany

and her new engagement.

“Does Cid know about this too then?” The Princess asked, just as the

guard walked past. Alison held her breath, hoping against hope that the

guard wouldn’t stop here.

“Of course, it’s his duty as a future husband, Princess.”

“Duty as a husband…”

Alison smiled at the Princess’s voice, it sounded like she didn’t believe in her maid.

“I thought…”

The Princess kept talking but Alison was gone.

Now in the library, with time to spare, Alison looks around.

She did bring a bag with her, so she could take items away if she

wished to, but…She was waiting to go to the King’s quarters for that!

Looking around, making sure that dusk was not on the horizon, Alison

wondered if it would be worth checking an area that was locked up and in

the corner of the library, well at least the door was in the corner…

Wouldn’t hurt, she thought, and besides, she had more time to spare.

Being as quiet as possible, Alison unlocked the lock with a specific thieving tool and put the lock aside.

Walking into the smaller part of another type of library, Alison sighed and frowned…

How much stuff do they have to lock up?

Were there dirty secrets in here or something?

Picking up a random book, Alison skimmed through it and found that

this area seemed to be the King’s logs. It wasn’t actually written by

the King himself it was written by his most trusted servants.

Apparently, the King before King Lewis had troubles with wetting the bed…

Giving out another short laugh, upon finding out that King Lewis was

tutored secretly for an extra two years, when other King’s hadn’t needed

it, Alison closed that book and went to the next.

After coming across the fifth book, thinking that she might make her

way to the King’s chambers after, she went still to the page that she

opened.

‘There will be no evidence that I can think of for the falling of the

noble family of Truvelle but I can write down with certainty that I saw

the King make the deal to abolish them for their money’

There was one more sentence, but the first sentence stuck into

Alison’s mind and she looked at the one who wrote it. Noel Price. He

must have been one of about three that was a servant directly to the

King.

…He saw it, I have a witness!

Alison took a deep breath and decided that instead of going to the

King’s chambers, she wanted to stay here in the library and…Just like

she thought…She found evidence to support her family as innocent, making

unshed tears trickle down her face as she held it in her hands.

Her father, before he had been killed, did he perhaps have an idea that the scandal could have been done by the King?

Wanting to sob, Alison put what was allegedly ‘stolen’ by her family

and ‘used to get money’ from elsewhere, where it had been deemed as

‘lost’ back into its hiding place.

Taking a deep breath, Alison looked at the Queen’s lost crown and

wondered what to do. Her father’s note was crumbled up in the hiding

place, stating his innocence and that the crown was here but…

What to do?

If I take it with me, then I have stolen it and my family’s scandal

may be brought back to the present time, making it harder to be believed

that it was all a scandal. No, I need to find ‘Noel Price’ at least, I

need to somehow beg him to become my witness!

Deciding that she could come back to get the crown as evidence when

she finally needs it, Alison left everything where she left it, except

that of her father’s note which she wanted to read again. She thought

that perhaps her father’s note could lead her somewhere else as

well…Maybe he left another note at home…

Alison had already looked everywhere at home, just like that of the

people that had gone through her house and ransacked it, but she had

never found anything like this…Ever…

For the first time since her family had been wrongfully killed,

Alison held something very important, so important that she was shaking…

Alison left the library and made it easily past the guards.

The Princess this time wasn’t talking, most likely sleeping now,

making Alison nearly laugh. The Princess must be getting nervous to her

upcoming marriage to Cid to be up so late this night!

Just as Alison closed and locked the window, that she went in a few

hours earlier, she thought of the Princess’s marriage, only to suddenly

be hit near her neck in the next second…Then everything went dark…

***

The Prince frowned upon hearing that thieves were in the castle. He already had enough of thieves!

Closing his eyes once again, the Prince opened them to find that it

was practically already morning. He had been unable to sleep, right up

until the thieves had come into the palace!

Doing his usual morning routine, the Prince was a bit quicker this time, not wanting to think of a specific thief!

“It is said that one thief was killed on sight, the other is in the dungeon.”

The Prince smiled, thinking of another way to learn on how to get into the cave in Lupis!

Very well!

Making time to go down to the palace prison, the Prince stood in

front of the thief that will probably be exiled or beheaded for what he

was caught doing.

Looking at him, he immediately thought of the Little Pillager and so he looked away.

This was getting absolutely ridiculous!

Seeing the thief stand and come closer to him, the Prince stood back

and shook his head…He wasn’t going to give this thief any chances!

“Tell me how to get into the Lupis caves!” The Prince demanded.

The thief smiled and turned his head to the side, “Tell me, where is the key?”

The Prince narrowed his eyes and stared at the man, who had a crocked smile.

His idea upon making thieves his spies reminded the Prince to not

kill this man and to instead use him as a way to understand thieves

better. “What do you want?”

The thief frowned and looked at the Prince like there was something wrong with him, “…The key…”

The Prince sighed, “I mean, what do you want even if you weren’t in this cell?”

Seeing the thief look up and then look back at him and shrug, he said, “Another key?”

A little bit…Exhausted, the Prince finally spook again, “…You don’t want anything?”

Hearing booming laughter, the Prince was ready to flog the thief that was inside the cell.

Why was he laughing!?

If he couldn’t find a weakness with a thief then how was he going to get the thieves to work as his spies?

Dammit!

“Work for me as a spy in another country.” The Prince blurted out.

This was attempt number two, and well…This thief could be killed, and no one would be the wiser if it didn’t work.

“…A spy?” The thief asked, coming closer to the bars.

The Prince watched him try the bars toughness with one of his hands

and said, “Yes, instead of stealing from your own country, steal

information or things from another and…I’ll pay you…”

Seeing the thief try the bars again, even seeing him frown afterwards, the Prince waited…His patience was running thin though!

“A thief…” Started the man inside the cell.

The Prince interrupted him, “A spy…”

Staring at the man, who was now looking at him, the Prince waited, only to be stunned in the next moment.

In a matter of just a couple of seconds, the thief was out and even

had a robe that was just outside of the cell, as something he picked up.

The Prince was a bit stunned, but he pulled out his sword like it was his instincts and put it up against the neck of the thief.

Over a short amount of time, the thief was back inside the bars,

without the rope, and the rope was now attached to another part of the

room, as another type of way to keep that door closed.

“A spy uh?” The thief stated, almost like his recapture hadn’t happened.

Prince Elton smiled, he saw how the thief had gotten out and was

pleased. Spy’s need to be like that, they need to cause a distraction,

only to escape…This man, he liked him a lot.

“Who is your leader?” The Prince asked.

Hearing a light chuckle, the Prince waited for the thief to speak back while he sat down.

“We are our own leaders…There is no monarchy in among thieves…”

The Prince thought that this as a good thing, because then he will become their leader!

There was a question though…If there was no leader, then why were three thieves in the castle as the same time?

“But there was more than one thief in the castle last night, how…”

“Did you see us all in the same room? We only choose to steal from

the palace together, it didn’t mean we were in a team.” The thief stated

openly, cleaning his nails.

The Prince sighed and put a hand to his chin in thought.

The thief looked up then and clearly asked, “Who was it that died? A man or woman?”

The Prince looked at the man in the cell and said, “I don’t know”

“…Oh, I see…” The man in the cell was not sad or happy, just curious

upon who had the bad luck out of the three of them…No, it wasn’t bad

luck, it was not being good enough to get away…

The Prince frowned, “Are you telling me a third thief was here last night?”

With a twinkle in his eyes, the thief smiled, “Yep! And whoever it

was must’ve gotten away! Betchya it was Allie! She’s smaller and

trickier…Yeah…”

“She…Allie?” The Prince suddenly had a bad thought, “What does she look like? Does she have a pet mouse?”

“Mouse? I’ve seen that damned thing, you know what that little thing is capable of!?”

The Prince didn’t even know that he had suddenly stood up, making the thief stop and look at him.

“That damned woman! Stealing from the palace! She…” Could she have died?

The thief gave out a small laugh and said, “If ya find that mouse, give him to me! Or…You could just tell me where he is…”

Rushing out of the dungeon, Prince Elton went towards where the body

would have been taken and started to feel strangely panicked!

“This damned rope!”

“I’m surprised the Prince let you talk to him the way you did.” Said a defeated voice from the nearby cell.

The thief raised his eyes for a moment and let out a small sound. “Prince, hey? Ay, who are you?”

There was no way to see the person through the wall, but there was indeed another in a cell just like the thief. “…Nobody…”

“Well, ello Nobody! My name is Chad! Say…How long have you

been…Here!” The thief let go of the rope and it flopped a bit, meaning

that it was no longer as tight as it was before.

“…A while…” Was all the voice said, before going silent once again.

“Ever thought about getting out? Why would you wanna stay here?” The

thief asked, pulling once again on a specific part of the rope, then

giving it a bit of a flick. Slowly and surely the rope knot was making

its way towards the bars, so that Chad could undo it.

There seemed to be no answer to what he asked and so he stopped pulling for a moment, “Nobody? Are you there?”

This nobody was none other than Steven Otter, the son of Leonard

Otter, who had been here since Cid had become the fiancé of Princess

Bethany. It had only been…Days but Steven looked like he had been here

for weeks…

“Wah, got it!”

Hearing something fall to the floor lightly, Steven sighed.

He was in a terrible state and was waiting for a particular person to

bail him out. He didn’t know specifics, but he was willing to do just

about anything to get out of here!

He had been whipped, then practically left for dead…He…He was so hungry!

In the next second, Steven heard a door open and someone came to be in his sight.

“Ah, so you’re Nobody, uh? I’m Chad…”

Steven frowned…He already knew he was Chad and…Why doesn’t he get him out too!?

Seeing the thief take in a breath and pull up his pants, he then said, “…Well, nice to meet you, hopefully we never met again!”

“Hey!” Steven yelled, getting up. He had not had so much enthusiasm

since before he was put in here and nearly fell directly back to the

ground. “Wait!”

Chad half turned to Steven and gave him a look, “I’m not doin anythin for free, boy.”

“…My father owns the jewellery store in the capital…”

Chad smiled and interrupted, “Ah, why didn’t ya say so! Blimmey, nearly let go of a rippa!”

With that they both quietly exited the dungeon, nearly being found

out, but Chad followed after Steven when they were out of the palace

gates, to make sure that he got his payment for releasing ‘Nobody’ from

his cell…

***

What if it was her?

Fair enough, it’s wrong to steal from the palace but did they have to kill her? Surely, they could have just taken her captive!

The body would have been taken out of the palace quite quickly, so

the Prince rushed out of the palace and found that David was on his way

towards him.

“Quick, take me to the place where they take dead bodies…Quick!” The Prince stated.

He might have been frantic slightly, but he honestly didn’t know

where to go after leaving the palace…It was good timing that David was

due to report to him on this time and on this day!

“Where else would they be?” David stated, raising his eyebrows to the strangely different Prince.

“Where!” The Prince yelled, making David frown.

“What’s wrong with you?” David asked, as he turned and started running.

Prince Elton followed David and didn’t respond to him. Their time

running wasn’t too long and before long, the Prince was before a body

that had been killed during the night.

…It was a man…

“She’s alive…”

David watched his friend suddenly change after seeing the body and wondered what was going on with him. “Who’s alive?”

Finally, back to himself again, Prince Elton glared at David and turned around.

He will get word soon, upon when she will return to her home or Lupis

so…He will just go back to his normal routine for now and wait!

“Here.” David said, handing something over as he started walking beside him.

“Your Highness!” Prince Elton stated, taking what David had for him.

“Your…Silly.” David stated, turning his head.

The Prince stopped and stared at David. She was like this too, not treating him like a Prince and making him angry!

She was alive...

…That’s good!

And just as he asked, he opened the paper to see information upon the noble family of Truvelle…

Allie…It was short for Alison.

Yes, I remember now, the Prince thought, my fiancé’s name was Alison…

***

Waking up, Alison frowned.

She hadn’t seen that one coming!

“She’s awake! Send word!”

Taking a deep breath, Alison saw herself in a bed and with really warm sheets. It fell…So comfortable!

A maid came in then with a basin of water and Alison couldn’t believe

it…It was very similar type of routine she used to do before her family

was ruined.

She must be at some nobleman’s house!

What was she doing here?

Washing her face and her arms, like it was an old habit returning,

Alison waved her hand, and the maid went, feeling vexed at the ‘thief’s’

actions!

The maids were told that this person was now the daughter of their

little master and so…They had to treat her as such but…This thief was

beneath them!

Just as Alison got up, a man came into the room in a rush and smiled, “It’s true!”

Suddenly, she was taken into a hug and Alison didn’t know what to do!