ROYAL THIEF

CHAPTER 5

I slowly opened my eyes and, at first, it came out difficult to focus on my surroundings. However I could understand right away to be in the same place where I had fainted.

At that moment, as strong as a punch, I was hit by the reminescence of the steps I had heard just right before losing my conciousness. I quickly tried to sit straight, but an atrociuous pain run through the abdomen, passing me from part to part, forcing me to stay still. I looked around, but nobody was to be seen.

However I had already been deceived once and I knew I had to became more shrewd.

I grabbed my knife and, stabbing the bark, I used it to stand up. Yet I just had managed to find the balance on my legs, that I heard a not so reassuring rustle behind my back. Without thinking too much or aiming to a specific target, I threw the dagger behind me.

"How many times do I need to tell you to not aim low?"

I turned around quickly. I knew that voice.

"Rubyo! You will make me die before the time, one of these days!" I said, taking a deep breath of relief and leaning on the tree.

"I am the one that constanty risks to die, little Princess." He smiled at me waving, tight in his fist, the dagger I had thrown at him.

"Sh! Don't call me like that!" I gazed at him with frowny eyebrows.

That a Princess had ended up as a thief, was something that everybody knew, but that that Princess was me, none. None but Rubyo. When I escaped the palace he didn't think twice and followed me, cleaning out my way. It has been since then. He always stayed next to me, like the most loyal mate, appointing himself as my bodyguard.

"I dressed the wound. Is it better now?" He quickly changed topic, acquiring a more grave voice.

"You are getting better!" I laughed it off, hoping it would ease the tension.

"I'd like to not to have a reason to get better in this." He ended the conversation, gloomy.

"It's time to go home." I said, turning towards the wood. 

But at that very moment a third voice interrupt us.

"Do you forget anything, Sparkle?" I stood at attention and, like me, also Rubyo.

"I don't think so, Kelpie."

Neverthless my words, Rubyo didn't hesitate to stand up in front of me, shielding me, knowing that I wouldn't be able to fight.

"Did you come back to finish up what you started, now that you aren't obliged to obey me?" I asked blatant, challenging him.

"I'd like, but no. Even if I'd love to, a contract can't be broken this easily."

"Then what do you want?" Rubyo asked, almost ranting.

"Oh, look at what we have here. The charming prince that has come to save the Princess." 

Gideon had just enough time to finish his sentence that ended up with Rubyo on him, with the knife aiming right to his neck.

"Don't you ever try, Kelpie!" Rubyo was keeping tight in his fist Gideon's white silky shirt, to ensure that he wouldn't escape him.

"It will be you the one that'll try to oppose me?"

And with a listless movement of his arm,  Gideon threw Rubyo against a not so far tree. I got shaken by the ease with which he had applied enough force to throw a man.

"No. It'll be me." I said moving forward.

"Do not call me Princess and do not ever even try to touch me or Rubyo again."

As I said those words, Gideon's eye turned gold for a brief moment, while his nose curled as the one of an angry beast. Slowly, trying to ignore the pain of the wound, I stepped closer to Rubyo that, as soon as he saw me, run towards me to help me walking.

"Take it easy, now he can't hurt us anymore. It's a long story. I'll tell you on the way, but you can trust me." I tried to reassure him, even though I knew how cynical and wary he could be.

"Hard to believe. But now get on the horse, the way back is long." I agreed and let him help me to get on the saddle, followed right after by Rubyo himself.

"Sorry, we just have a horse." He said sarcastic.

"Don't worry, I don't need one." The Kelpie answered.

Without asking too much questions, Rubyo rammed the horse, that started to gallop while, behind us, Gideon started to follow us so fast to look like he also was on the saddle of a horse.