A Tale Of Misery

This story in all its glory is dedicated to dear ol' Tanny. Thank you once more for your help.

Rowen Keaton -Prince of Thieves, ruler only over his younger brother, and even then does not have that much control over what he does- sat in an old, black leather chair, with his legs resting on the table in front of him. He wore a dark blue suit that hung loosely around his thin frame. On his head he wore a white panama hat pulled down over his eyes. He had white hair -though he was only about thirty- that was chopped short, and his face was tanned from being under the sun. At the moment he looked like he was asleep, and would fool you into thinking so for he hardly moved.

He pushed the hat up from his dark eyes and surveyed the room. It was a conference room with dark red wood panelling on the walls. The table his feet rested on was in the shape of a coffin and around it were seats like the one he was currently sitting in. The room was empty, as far as he could see anyway. But he couldn't see behind himself.

'You don't knock do you?' He asked to the room. There was the clinking of a glass stopper being taken out of a bottle and the sound of liquid sloshing into a glass. The stopper was replaced and footsteps sounded. A younger man walked into Rowen's view holding a brandy glass.

Pulling out a seat, he sat down and crossed his legs. He wore expensive black shoes and black pants held up by suspenders. On his upper body he wore a white shirt and around his neck was a loose grey tie. His hair was greying though he was only in his mid-twenties and it was slightly longer than Rowen’s.

'You know I never knock so I don't see why you always ask me that question,' he told his brother.

Rowen smiled and took his feet off the table. Both brothers got to their feet and hugged each other. Once their ‘hellos’ and ‘how have you been’s’ had been passed they sat back down.

'So,' said Rowen, pulling his chair closer to the table. 'How did it go?'

'It went great!’ exclaimed James, taking a sip from his drink. ‘I got the girl at the agency to make me a copy of the floor plans.'

Rowen nodded.

'And she told me that Doctor Gustave will be having a party down at his place on the weekend and has given the personal the time off,' continued James happily. ‘There is not going to be anyone there besides the normal security.'

'He's not doubling it or anything?' Rowen asked in surprise.

James shook his head, 'the girl said that "Doctor Gustave has such faith in his security that he highly doubts that anything could get past them",’ James repeated, his eyes closed. He opened them, ‘I for one think that Doctor Gustave is an idiot if he thinks that no one could get past a couple of lousy security guards!'

'On the contrary, James, the girl said that "Doctor Gustave has such faith in his security that he highly doubts that anything could get past them". If Doctor Gustave thinks that nothing could get past his security then I think we should watch our step,’ Rowen warned his brother.

'Pfft!’ exclaimed James.’ We can handle anything this guy throws at us; he's only mortal after all,' James frowned, 'he is, isn't he?'

Rowen shrugged. 'My sources haven't been able to prove otherwise. But he has been known to not appear in the full moon.'

'Well, I still think the man's an idiot to leave his fortune in diamonds inside his own company building with no added security.'

'It is strange that he would not double his guard, which is exactly why I think we should be careful about this.' Rowen got to his feet and walked over to the drinks tray. James watched him quietly as Rowen poured himself a drink.

‘Is there something on your mind, Rowen? Anything wrong?’ James asked when Rowen had sat back down.

‘No…’ Rowen relied slowly, ‘nothing’s wrong.’

‘You know you can tell me anything.’

Rowen sighed. ‘Anything?’ he asked.

James nodded.

‘Okay then. The thing is, James; don’t you think we’ve stolen enough?’

James gazed at Rowen with his mouth open in surprise. ‘Stolen enough?!’ he cried.

‘Shhh!’ Rowen shushed him quickly. James closed his mouth, opened it and then shut it again a couple of times as if trying to work out what to say.

‘Are you saying you want to quit?’ he finally asked, frowning.