The Princess Thief {CURRENTLY BEING REWRITTEN}

chapter thirteen

SO SO sorry this one took a while to get up and that it's a little short. It's more of a filler chapter. There's a lot that's happened since I posted my last chapter. I had my graduation!!! I've also been working on trying to find a way to earn some extra money, which I'm considering starting a Patreon. I'd LOVE to be able to do writing more full time and making it a career, but I'd feel more comfortable going that route if others were interested in supporting me. Give me your thoughts on that and/or on how you're liking the story so far. There's a lot coming up. ;)

"Can I ask you something?"

Elidor glanced over his shoulder with a smile. "Sure."

Brenna bounced a few steps so she could walk beside him. It was a nice day, and with the bounty hunter left long behind them, they decided to take a stroll for a little while. "What is it about this orb? I know you need—you mustneed it for something important, otherwise you would have given it to your other thieves and be done with it. But why?"

He let out a sigh. "I have this friend. She helped me in ways no one ever has before in my life when I needed her the most. If it weren't for her...well, I'd hate to think of what might've happened."

Brenna opened her mouth, then closed it. She wanted to ask what he meant, but it sounded too personal for her to snoop into his private affairs.

He continued anyway, "There was a raid on the village I grew up in. I was still very young at the time, but I still remember that night very well. Our village was small, and we had no way to defend ourselves. They killed my mother and... I didn't know until years later that the last king had hired the outlaws to attack. Giving the village protection was his way of taking control. All for a little bit of land."

"I'm sorry, Elidor. I didn't know."

"You wouldn't have. It wasn't even in your own country, and our village was too small for anyone to take notice. Anyway, this friend of mine...she showed up, took me in. Unfortunately, there was another raid. That's when the orb was stolen and given to your family as an early present to get your family to take notice for an alliance. I'm not really sure how or why, but the orb is very important to my friend. She told me it was given to her for safe keeping and no one should have it."

"Did she say why?"

Elidor shook his head. "Better not to know all the details, just in case. I guess this is sort of my way to pay her back for all she'd done for me."

His actions made so much more sense to Brenna, but it was still a mystery to her. What was so important about this orb? Why would this 'friend' be so concerned over who possessed it?

"I have another question?"

"What is it?"

"If this friend of yours took you in, how exactly did you get involved with a band of thieves?"

"Oh, well...it's sort of a long story, full of slightly embarrassing details."

"Then sum it up for me." She grinned.

He chuckled. "Um, I guess the best way of putting is that once I got older, I thought I knew how to go about things. I got involved with some people I really shouldn't have, and one thing lead to another until I found myself indebted to a hidden village of thieves."

"Indebted?"

"I might have pickpocketed one of them. Turns out stealing from a thief gives you a life sentence to pay off a thief's personal pride."

"How is that going so far?"

"Oh, he hates me! There's no way I'll ever pay off my so-called debt to him. He's going to go to his grave despising me, although I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to kill me before going underground."

Brenna shuddered. "Sounds awful."

"It is!" Teena chimed in from behind. "I've lost count how many times I've had to patch him up because of his fights with the others. He'll most likely get himself killed one of these days."

"They have to catch me, first!" Elidor exclaimed with a smirk, although Brenna was certain she could see a little uncertainty in his eyes. Even in their short time together, she'd always seen a certain glimmer in his eyes when he smiled.

"Maybe you could find another job," Brenna suggested.

He looked at her in surprise. "What?"

"I have plenty of jewels, far more than I care to wear. Perhaps it would pay off your 'debt' and you could do something where you don't get beat up or have to worry about anyone wanting to kill you."

"That's mighty generous of you, Princess, but I'm not so sure it would be as simple as that."

"It's worth a shot, isn't it? I don't mind doing it."

He looked like he was about to protest further, but then shut his mouth. He was quiet for a few moments before asking, "What would I even do? I'm only good at being a thief."

"Just accept the offer," Teena said. "You won't last much longer with us, and you know it."

Brenna looked back at her. "What about you?"

"Oh, there's no way I can leave."

"Why?"

"That's my business, little majesty," she remarked.

Brenna turned to Elidor, who just gave her a kind smile. She let out a breath, determination set in her. "I'll figure out something for you. Both of you."

She heard Teena laugh. "That will be the day."