A king's duty

The Heist

My shoulder dropped down with the weight of the bag I had just thrown over it."This is it," I mumbled under my breath, staring up at the enormous size of the stone wall before me. Although, his royal highness, King Louis, calls this place a chateau it could pass for a hotel if one wished it to be. It loomed over me in the darkness, somewhere up there the king slept soundlessly in his gold laced sheets. Finally, someone will be able to share that wealth.
I had spent months planning this heist, nothing could go wrong that I hadn't already thought of. I planned to somehow find my way into his dining room or private collection chamber. Then throw in as much gold and diamond encrusted anything into my sack, and run as fast as I could out the nearest window, past the immaculate gardens and out of the town. Plus, it's not like the king would miss a few precious stones from his vast collection of rare and extravagant trinkets and riches. If I must say the people need it more than he. That's the whole reason I'm even here; the people. I've done everything I've done to give back in my court and once I heard what King Louis built I was enthralled as well as enraged.
So while I dream of what may lie beyond the walls, I scale the large outer facade that encloses the property. My nails hurt from the pressure of pulling up my body. It's a slightly good feeling though because I know the people's treasure awaits for them and I would go through anything for that beauty.
Once the last meter of the wall is beneath my head I peer out over the lush gardens. I have a full view of the castle grounds. 500 meters at least before an enormous lake, a large flight of stairs, a small courtyard then the grand chateau. The water in the lake reflects the bright moonlight nicely illuminating the yards but keeping it dark enough to hide my body beneath the shadows. Perfect.
I threw my legs over the wall and land on the soft grass below with a light thud and a small grunt slipping past my lips. I shot up and immediately began to run towards the lake. My shadow although dark was there following me and growing longer as it ran faster chasing me towards the mansion.
I ran for a good 5 minutes full pace only slowing once I reached the bottom of the long flights of stairs. "God, why do rich people have to have so much land?" I said out loud holding my upper body up, my arms settling on my hips for support. I let out a long sigh tilting up my head. The gold trim that ran all along the top of the chateau sparked and glowed from where I stood.
"Cause they're rich," a voice answered from behind the smooth stone banister. I turned my head to face the new, possibly deadly, company. A young man, approximately my age, stepped forth. The moonlight seemed to cause his skin to glow even under the black vest and shirt he adorned. His cerulean eyes glinted with mischievous and made me back up a few steps in caution. He was a god. Possibly more than that, no flaws were visible on his golden skin.
"Who are you?" I questioned regaining a bit of my composure.
"That is not important. What is important, is that I wish to accompany you in this little heist you plan to undergo," he smirked at me playfully. His statement shocked me. How did he know? He reminded me of the jesters in my court. Although, there they are useless and he seems to be anything but.
"Why? And how do you know what I'm here for?" I said feeling braver than I was before and took a step forward.
"Why? Why not? The rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting more destitute. We must do something. So I wish to follow you on your Robin Hood like quest to aid you, and it's quite possible that everyone in all the land knows you're here," he said. "So come lets go, we have no time to waste, sir," he nodded his head towards the top of the stairs and began to jog up them.
"Wait" I grabbed his arm. He seemed much stronger than a regular peasant; strange. " What do you get out of this. Everyone wants something," I questioned.
"Nothing, just to help you and those in need," he tugged at the hem of his black vest.
" I don't believe you," I stated straight Into his eyes. He gave me a hurt look. " Ouch, all I want is to help. I can act as your guide and I know the castle quite well so I could show you the way, plus you have no choice," he brightly stated. I studied my feet deciding whether I would allow this or not.
"Fine," I huffed after a good minute," I will allow you to accompany me but if you do get me into any trouble you are getting the fall for all of this." Instead of the expected reaction his face light up.
"Thank you, now can we please go?" He complained. "Sure but just keep up," I warned but before I could say, he had already turned and was at the top of the stairs. He kept a constant jogging pace until we came upon the bottom of the castle-like manor.
"Just know you have to keep up with me I'm not going to change my plan just so you can join," I warn him once we both stop.
"Funny," he smiles and straightens his body. "I was going to say the exact same thing," I rolled my eyes at his tone, but smiled under my breath none the less. He fixed a small strand of light brown hair that flew into his eyes staring at me innocently.
I rolled the supply bag off my shoulder letting it drop carelessly onto the ground. I knelt down and rummaged through it for my rope and hook.
"My goodness, you really weren't prepared. Everyone knows that they leave the nobles quarters open, so that it can make it easier for nobles to gossip," the boy said sassily flicking his wrist and pointing at a door a few archways to the right.
"Right I knew that," I lied smoothly, throwing the supplies back in the satchel. "I was just checking the time," I said walking towards the door.
"In your bag," he quirked an eyebrow up.
"Yeah sundials and what not, " I joked reaching out for the large door, he slid in front of me and grabbed the handle holding open the door for me. Bowing as if he were a doorman and I the king. If only he knew who I actually was.
"Welcome to the king's get away," he raised his arm as I passed into a grand foyer. It was just as beautiful as I had imagined it, better actually.Gold licked up the marble walls, while silk wallpaper held firmly to the sides of the large room, a large mural engulfed the ceiling above us, in the center sat a decadent table obviously the finest, with golf and ruby silverware glinting in the darkness. I heard a whistle from the man I was with.
"Pretty huh?" he ran his fingertips along the trimmed walls. "Now you know where our taxes are going to," he scraped under his fingers as if uninterested that any sort of precious metal was probably under them now. I shook my head unable to answer. This was horribly magnificent, I loved it yet hated the waste. This was the peoples money that had bought this, but it was a pretty waste.
I stared at the boy he now leaned against the wall his golden skin blended with the real precious gold behind him his black clothes complimented his light and feathery accents, while accentuating his sharp check bones. He truly was as illustrious as this building in his own.
"Let's not waste our time here, follow me to the collection room," he breaks me out of his own trance over me. He motioned towards a door to the far end of the hall. As we walked each room seemed to be more platial than the next. More gold, more diamonds, ivory and crystal chandeliers in every room, how could someone live like this. Only to be aware of a life only filled with the best of everything.
As I walked through the endless corridors marveling at the surroundings an unknown person voiced,"hello, sir, who are you?" I froze. This is it we are going to die, I thought to myself. My confidant just turned on his heels sprightly, with his hands neatly folded behind his back and said back,"Sir, we are just roaming the halls. Our father requested us to send a message to his royal highnesses captain of the guard about the whereabouts of the possible burglary going on in his majesty's court." He didn't miss a single beat of his words. He was so confident it took me back but also gave me a bad vibe that ran from my ankles to my neck.
My mouth stood slightly ajar at his his speech, he must've spent a month reciting that learning it, verbatim. My partner still smirking turned his head to me and winked.
"Oh, well then, carry on, but do let me warn you next time the guards may not be so nice as to let you go without a little more questioning," the man voiced one more time before shifting his weight to the side and spinning to the door, practically sprinting out the room.
"Okay quickly only a few more rooms then we'll be there," my partner said ,unaffected that we almost were caught a mere second ago.
"Okay, great," I said shifting uneasily at his tone. The more we go on and the more time I spend with him, the more traitorous he seems. We almost were caught and he acts as if it were nothing, we could get hanged or worse for what we are doing. My mind raced at what he could possibly mean, who he might be.
I hadn't realized that I was not moving until he shoved my arm lightly and stared at me quizzingly. "Ah sorry just marveling at the grandeur," I lied to him glancing up at the ceiling as an extra precaution to make my statement believable. He rolled his eyes, but curtly nodded and began walking again this time I followed.
Only did he stop once we reached a smaller room with two tables situated to the sides of a very large pair of mahogany doors that seemed to blend into the metallic trim and silk covered walls. He walked up to the doors and placed a hand in each twin. I watched in a daze as he pushed them with a small grunt obviously putting forth a great effort due to the obvious bulge of his arms and legs working to move the hulking wood. Each inch that was revealed of the massive room behind the door was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. More rubies, more gold, more of anything one could ever imagine in one room. I stood unable to comprehend the lustrous room.
After a good minute or two my conscious was slightly regained and I took a few steps forward to the only thing small and dull so that I could regain any grasp of reality. A painting filled with dull grey, greens and browns combined to make a lovely woman.
"Nice isn't it?" The man said.
"Yes, but it seems to be the only thing not entwined with gold thread or silk," I joked not dating to tear my eyes from the painting.
"It's the Kings favorite. Although why is yet to come to me, I must beseech him over this question soon," he smiled and walked deeper into the belly of this dragon's lair. "It was painted by a man named Leonardo and is maybe 200 years old by now maybe more but I seemed to have forgotten it's exact age," his voice seemed to bounce of the walls the farther he walked into the immensely long expanse.
He began to walk in a sort of swagger as I caught up to his stride. He suddenly stopped and turned sharply on his heel. I looked down and noticed on his black leather boots was a buckle that could probably belong in this room due to the exquisite detail on the small golden clasp. His eyes bore into my skull when he noticed I was staring towards his feet. I met his eyes and they threw mental questions and daggers at once my direction. A small blush ran across my face, and he simply looked away.
As if to once again point to what he was spucifically showing me he over admired an object in front of him. I looked towards it and saw a sword.
"Pretty," I shrugged my shoulders lightly.
"It is the most precious thing in this room," he quietly stated, head turned down for respect or him pondering something important at the moment. "The sword that is. It belongs and has belonged to every king for the past couple centuries, but is only used at coronations then put away till the next successor comes after to claim the throne," he seemed to worship this trinket, he stared at it with wide and yet calm eyes, soaking it's power in.
We both just stood there for a while in front of it until a small crash made both of us turn.
"Who's there?" I called out. I took a few steps backwards craning my neck to see around a pile of jewels. "Please, don't be afraid. We mean you no harm," my comrade reassured. Another shuffle was heard, a small boy poked his head out from behind the view obstruction. I let out a relieved huff tis ist a young boy. He wore only slightly extortionate clothes giving him a higher class look but the way he held his stature and a rag around his hip gave away his pace as a royal servant.
"I'm sorry, I was just looking for my king he was out of bed and his mother told me to deliver him a letter for her highness." the young servant boy said quietly. I turned to the man with me his eyes widened in fear. I scrunched my eyebrows at his unexpected reaction. "But I guess I shall search no further," the boy took a few steps toward us.
My partner shook his hands in front of him and his head side to side in panic. The boy abruptly stopped, confused at my comrades actions.
"My king I do not understand," he held his hands by his side unsteadily. I took in a sharp gasp while my partner let out a loud one. My limbs locked and I suddenly found a lack of words. My tongue became tacky from horror.
"King Louis?" My breath shook.
"Surprising, huh, Prince Harry?" the King shrugged his shoulders, shooting me a beautiful yet terrifying lopsided grin.