The man frowned and stared at her for a moment, “Did you see someone or not?”

So pushy, she thought, pouting her lips.

In an instant, her wrist was held tighter and she frowned, hearing, “All you need to do is answer the question!”

Now that she looked at all of the men, they really did look like they were searching for that man.

“Pay me and I’ll tell you!” She stated frankly, after all, she was a thief...She can’t give without getting something in return! And that’s if she gave anything at all!

Of course…She did not include the small item that she had already taken, that was…That was payment for startling her…

“You already took something of mine, so now you will tell us!” Said the handsome man.

Pursing her lips, then smiling at the handsome man, she then looked away, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Jumping, to a hand going into her clothes, she gave out a small shriek, “Hey!”

The handsome man put in front of her face then what she had taken before and she looked at him with a smile, “I found it on the ground…”

Coming to a stop, with both her words and actions, for a quick moment she showed a surprised look upon now seeing what she had stolen just before from this man…Royalty!

Unable to stop herself from getting a flashback that made her stiffen up, she cringed.

No! She wasn’t hopeless anymore!

He can have his token back!

Get it away from me!

If only she hadn’t seen it, because now she was angry!

If only she had been a real thief from the beginning! If only…

Sighing, she tried to forget her thoughts for now, but she had to try to get away from…Here…As soon as possible!

She didn’t want to spend another minute in the presence of a royal! At least not until they have lost all their money!

With remembering that long term goal and thought, the woman was no longer stiff and edgy anymore…

“Thief…” Was all he said, putting the item away, back inside his own clothes.

Not only did she want to get away fast, but it seemed that she might not be able to push these men any further anyway. It might be time to cut my losses, she thought, as she figured she probably won’t get anything from them. Not unless…What if they knew that she saved the person that they were looking for?

For some extra tender, it was worth a try! “Yes, I saw someone, he was locked in the place and I saved him!”

“Locked in?” Two of them asked her, coming a step closer.

The woman narrowed her eyes and now finally wondered why that person was locked in. “Yeah…Locked in. There was scrap metal over the windows…Isn’t that weird?”

“Where did he go after?” The younger, other man said.

She looked at him and raised an eyebrow, “Well, he chased me around and then tied his saviour up! Why are you looking for such a nasty person?”

She was curious but if…If they could get distracted somehow…She could get out of here!

It was either pay her and she’ll tell or if they get distracted, then she’ll run…

The one to her side chuckled, “He is much smarter than I gave him credit for.”

Frowning at the handsome man, the woman then looked at the other two, “If you pay me, I’ll tell you which way he went.”

“Just pay the girl!” The middle-aged man stated, “We need to find Cid!”

“It’s alright, I know a few of the thieves, I’ll just talk to them and get this little girl kicked out!” One of the men said.

Next came two people speaking, making two of them look from one to the other.

“I’m not a girl! And you can’t tell me what I can and can’t do!” The woman yelled out, pouting and crossing only one hand over her chest, as her other arm was still being held by a certain handsome man…

The other voice that spoke was the middle-aged man, “What are you talking about? How would you know other thieves?”

Frowning, the woman looked from one to the other and then at the man’s hand holding hers. With a swift motion, she broke out of the weak spot of his hold and started running.

To what she thought might have gotten her some time, as the men seemed into their own conversation, she was wrong. Straight away the handsome man was on her tail and quickly catching up to her, with the other two coming towards her too.

Well, that didn’t go as planned, she thought.

Stopping suddenly, she put her hands up and smiled, “I saw a bee…It’s gone now. I’m scared…Of bees…”

Not one of the men believed her words, especially since she didn’t look scared at that moment. It was completely obvious that she was just trying to get away and only stopped because she knew that she would have been caught!

One of the younger men shook their heads and sighed too dramatically, “I never liked thieves!”

“Yes, when we get home you need to explain yourself to me boy!”

“Just wait until he tells you what he really does!” Stated the ‘handsome’ man.

Was this another ploy? Or…Where they making fun of her?

The woman frowned again but didn’t run, thinking that perhaps they were doing this to her on purpose!

“What does that mean, Your…”

Elton cut off the father of his friend and bluntly stated, “He’s into the black market.”

“What a friend you’ve turned out to be!” David shouted out. “This is why I wanna go out to the sea, even my friend stabs me in the back here!”

“Then you shouldn’t have said anything to begin with! Isn’t your flaw that has led us to here?” Elton stated frankly, flicking David on the forehead. That short sentence made David think for a moment and look away in defeat…Rubbing his forehead in the process…

He was right, he shouldn’t have said anything about knowing thieves! He also should have known that if he had brought up this point in front of his father, that His Highness would bring his hidden ‘job’ to light happily…That is what the Prince wanted…He wanted David to spend more time as someone in the black market, instead of what he was doing with his father!

Idiot! And look at that happy smirk on the that stupid Prince’s face. I just want to punch it! David glared at the Prince with these thoughts!

The woman was quite stunned to see royalty act in such a way.

Perhaps…Perhaps the Prince here was…Childish? Immature?

Flicking someone and on purposely telling out their friend’s secrets…

She didn’t like this Prince at all!

Seeing that things may turn out that his title of Prince may be told to this stranger, Elton turned to the woman and narrowed his eyes at her, “Which way did he go?”

The woman squirmed a bit under that gaze of his but ended up with hooded eyes and biting her lip.

“He’s not someone you can seduce, you’ll be wasting your time with this cold ice cube!” David stated impatiently but also in an attempt of getting his own back upon the prince who just gave his secret job away to his father!

Doing this though, probably wouldn’t do anything, the stupid Prince was never interested in a girl!

But…When he does finally find a woman, I’ll be there! I’ll tell her all his secrets! David suddenly got his enthusiasm back again and decided to focus upon getting to Cid, now that he had a plan for payback with his friend!

Now biting the inside of her mouth, the woman sighed and got series, “He went that way.”

It seemed obvious that these boys didn’t want to give her money, it was also getting out of her control fast so…The only thing she could do was tell them what they want, in hope that she will obtain her freedom afterwards.

“Was that so hard?” The handsome man asked yet showing her through his noble face how he thought her as incompetent.

The woman looked at him, showing a gaze that made him stop for a moment and blink.

What was that?

The woman clearly was dirty, in need of new clothes and a bath. She was a thief, one that probably rarely talked to people, unless it was to get out of trouble, yet…

The gaze that had him looking back in shock was one from what a noble young lady would look like if she was dissatisfied! It was not an obvious look, more pompous, a lift of the chin in near defiance and eyes that was the only part that would show of their unhappiness…

He’d seen it enough on his travels…He’d seen it enough here, back home…

“Saves me the trouble.” After her little mumble, she pulled her arm free from his, making a disgusted face.

Elton frowned at the woman who had turned and started to walk away, remembering what they had said before.

So…She clearly was not wanting to do what many other young ladies did and openly want to marry him…In fact, it seems the idea of it looked…

Who was out of who’s league here!?

It was most certainly not him out of her league! No…It was her out of his league! She…She wasn’t even that pretty!

Shaking his head, Elton asked himself why he cared, while he went to catch up to the other two.

It wasn’t like the girl had anything to offer him…Besides that of a…

Right!

She was a thief!

She could in fact become useful! As he still needed the master of the thieves on his side!

Smirking, Elton started to come up with ideas upon not only that woman but that of David helping him too!

He felt like he was one step closer in getting the thieves to work for him!

In fact…

“David.” Prince Elton said this loudly, stopping from where he was.

David looked at his father, having stopped running and walked back towards the Prince, “Your Highness?”

Seeing Prince Elton look quickly around, David questionably looked at his friend and didn’t know what to think upon seeing him this way.

Weird…

“I will not be accompanying you, but I want you to come and update me at the palace before this day ends!”

With that nearly whispered speech, the Prince turned and strode away, putting up his hand and just like it was magic, a carriage came out of nowhere, coming towards the Prince from two blocks away…

How did he do that?

“The Prince has something more important to do?” Benjamin asked, a bit upset.

David scoffed, “Nearly anything else is more important then this, father! You should know His Highness by now!”

While two went one way, to try and catch up to Cid, the Prince got into his carriage and sat down for a moment.

“…Your Highness? Are we going back to the palace?”

…I heard that the thieves often go to one place when they weren’t working, Elton thought. I remember thinking it strange that thieves would gather…

As far as Elton was concerned a few years ago, thieves worked alone. Well, many people believed that, and it is indeed half true but…

Thieves do tend to do some jobs together, using themselves as innocent ploys or obstacles so that the more important jobs have more chance of success.

Actually, thieves have a strange perception upon a job…They were somewhat the complete opposite of pirates. Pirates could not work with anyone, complaining to the bitter end if they did, whereas thieves could work together, quite brilliantly but fight after the job is done, whereas the pirates…They steal and run…

They really did deserve different names, Prince Elton thought. Yet, he thought it was quite hilarious that the thieves fight whereas the pirates steal and run. What was that about? Why wouldn’t the thieves steal and run after the job is done too? Why…Quarrel as they do?

It didn’t make any sense…

The Prince decided that he will have to ask about this, so that he could understand…The problem was, he could only ask a thief…

Upon finding out that the thieves in his kingdom were quite resourceful and stealing more and more rare and more expensive wares, it was this reason why Prince Elton had wanted to get them onto his side, instead of eradicating them all completely! It is because they may prove to be more useful being alive!

He had heard of the notion of spies before, and perhaps his father already had spies in other countries, but…His idea was to make the thieves his spies, of course though, it was still just an idea at the moment. He’d have to met them first and see what they are like, because, as it is, he’d only met at most three of them…Well, three that he knew about…And there was one big thing about thieves that could make this ‘idea’ not work! And that was loyalty…

Thieves don’t seem to have loyalty! They like stealing, they are proud of stealing and even can go into a team to steal, but that was just a job after all. Take the job of stealing away from a thief and they are…Somewhat empty. Perhaps that was why thieves can live so casually, so easily satisfied as long as they have money, because they don’t care for people…Well, it was something to be curious over for Prince Elton as…He didn’t understand…

He understood that he was a Prince and that his job was to become King one day and look after the people, so that was why he was doing what he was doing, but practically anything else didn’t make sense to him. He didn’t used to care that he didn’t understand but lately, he felt like he needed to fill in some gaps in his life, perhaps because…He felt a bit empty…Again, that was just another thing that didn’t make sense to him! He had such a huge job, involving many people and work, and yet, it doesn’t make sense to feel this way, to which has helped him be doubtful of feeling this way and gone this far without ‘understanding’ more…

Shaking these ‘strange thoughts’ out of his head, Prince Elton went back to his usual self, usual ‘working as a Prince’ self that is…

“Return to the pa…Wait…”

Remembering the direction that the woman went in, Prince Elton wondered if he should follow her instead.

Yet, it had been a few minutes since then so she most likely won’t be found now. But…That direction…

Frowning, not understanding this person at all, Prince Elton suddenly got out of the carriage and found himself walking in the direction that the woman went in.

Where the thieves go to meet, was not in this direction…No…This direction led to the nobles that lived outside of the capital…Well, what was left of the nobles outside of the capital…

Why…Why was she going this way?

Curiosity…He hadn’t been this curious for a while…

With determined steps, Prince Elton continued, looking out for a little brat of a woman…

Not being able to even see a shadow of a specific annoying woman, Prince Elton narrowed his eyes upon the route he was taking and thought that she must have meant to leave in this direction on purpose…Just so that he would do what he’s doing right now!

Wasting his time!

How…Infuriating!

He forgot who he was following!

Why would a thief leave openly in this direction!?

He must have been stupid to think that it was for any other reason, besides to steal or to led someone following astray, so he felt like a complete and utter fool!

She was like another David! He got along with David because his friend made him think or act differently…Yet, having him feel this way with a thief and a female…Gave him a shiver down his spine!

One simple thought followed, I will return this favor, Little Pilliager!

Shaking his head and taking a deep breath in, Prince Elton looked around, wondering whether to check on a few of the homes close by, to see if they are being robbed, or not.

Just a bit further was the nobles, some having moved into the capital, leaving houses absent but…There were a few families still behind that kept this area quite well looked after and looked upon by others.

He hadn’t heard which specific families had moved, nor which families stayed but there was one particular noble home that stood out from the rest.

It was abandoned, broken even…Vandalized…

Right…

Having not thought much of this particular family for a long time, Prince Elton shrugged and turned around.

He didn’t want to waste time upon thinking of criminals!

The woman wasn’t here, so there was no reason to stay any longer!

With a quick motion, a carriage traveled towards him and Prince Elton waited.

Taking one more look at the vandalized noble house, Elton frowned and had a sudden thought…

Back then, all that time ago, he had not been as he is now and questioned things…

And…It wouldn’t be the first time that his father had done something harsh to someone else who was innocent, and he had only found out later, when it was too late…

This noble family, there was prove, there was also a certain circumstance that made their crime real.

It couldn’t possibly be…

Widening his eyes, Prince Elton swallowed and looked at a point that perhaps someone might have missed over the ‘evidence’ that could be seen so directly back then, just like he had until this very moment!

This noble family used to have a lot of money, no doubt that was the reason why the daughter had been betrothed to him but…It would be seriously disappointing if it was a scandal!

A scandal…Something like this might even be enough to get that father of his off the throne!

The people, if they came to see…

Right, I need evidence! I need to find out if there was a scandal here first!

Now that Prince Elton had found something that could become quite a large scandal, he couldn’t relax!

Straight away he got into the carriage, calling for it to return to the palace and could not wait to get there, as he was even tempted to get off the carriage and take one of the horses, to ride back himself!

Talking himself into taking this time, of being stuck inside a carriage, to plan what he had to do to find out if what happened to the noble family was a scandal or not, he knew what he had to do upon the carriage coming to a halt at the palace.

He knew that for the moment, this would have to be a secret. He also knew that what happened, happened quite some time ago and that getting information was going to be difficult but…For some reason…Probably because this may be the very thing that gets his greedy father off the throne, the Prince couldn’t even sleep that night because of the idea of this scandal!

***