Chapter 1

Aris is caught stealing from the queens treasury. Now, facing trial, he demands to become part of the queens royal court, in order to avoid execution.

Chapter 1

The Thief

            “Get him” the guards yelled throughout the village, usually I don't have a problem not getting caught. However, on this particular day I ended up drawing a little more than too much attention to myself.

“I'm willing to bet we’ll be caught before we reach the gates” Reno was hovering above me like the annoying brat she is. She’s a ghost who was murdered and now I must get her to heaven. Only, I'm not quite sure how to go about doing that.

“Why not start being a help!” I pled and she just laughed. I shrugged it off and kept running. I quickly stopped, right in front of me was a blockade, from all angles it was the queen’s guard. Perhaps stealing from the queen’s treasury was not the best of my ideas.

And thus I was thrown into a locked down cell, waiting to speak with the queen’s knight. I wanted to speak with my father, it had only been a year and a few months since we last spoke. The door opened and a man carrying armor walked to my cell door. He placed a stool by the door and lend forward.

“You're claiming to be my son?” he said shallowly. Reno was close behind me, she trampled. “What thief is my son?”

“Aris Torium” I said, using my mother’s name. He smiled a bit.

“Step into the light” he said, focusing on me. I moved through the chains I had been bound with. “So, it is you. What are you doing playing the thief?”

“I'm looking for something; this is the only way to get it”

“You're an idiot for stealing from the queen”

“I didn’t know it was queens. I randomly selected it” I put my head down with disappointment.

“Do you still have it?”

“Of course, I told the other guard I lost it and they looked all over my clothing”

“Then, where is it?”

“I’ll show you” I began “But first, let me out” my father sighed and got up.

“I’ll see what I can do” his expression showed of disappointment. My mother was also a thief, he married her and she became the royal thief. It’s kind of a weird concept; a thief will work in the guard with the queen. Steal things from other countries, I feel like that is the only job I can take now that the queen wants me dead.

Reno held in her hand the missing treasure, in order to keep it hidden she kept it in her pocket. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Of course, no one else can see or hear you. It’s the perfect place the hide stuff, who would ever expect to check in midair?” I asked softly as to not draw attention to myself. Within a few minutes the guards arrived again.

“By order of the queen she demands a conference with you” they said and dragged me out of the cell. We were walking through the castle, it was beautiful in here. The glass was tinted, the flowers lined the hall, the floor was marble. Even Reno was having fun running around. We reached the end of the hall and I was facing the queen’s court. My father stood next to the queen, she was young. Her skin fare and smooth, next to her was my loving sister, who was also surprised to see me as a thief.

“Where is the amethyst stone?” the queen asked with no hesitation, I wasnt even standing on the plank before she got down to business.

“I’ll give it back, but first I have a request” I said, the guard locked me in place. Little good that did, Reno had the guard's key and was ready to set me free. It would be a difficult escape out but I could pull it off.

“Denied” she said without a second thought, than continued “I do not make deals with thieves.”

“Then kill me and loss the amethyst stone forever” I said, hoping that that little rock was worth that much to our queen.

“Death is not a threat to you then?”

“I’m afraid not, your highness” I was a snake, and Reno could tell.

“Then what is it you want?” she asked. The rest of the court was whispering amongst itself.

“I want to become your royal thief” I said. Reno giggled a little.

“Do you realize how stupid that sounds?” Reno rolled over laughing and I kicked her a little, making me look like a fool.

“You, what can you steal?” the queen was not convinced.

“I can steal anything her highness wishes” I purposely phrased it this way, for some reason high class people love formality.

“Alright, prove it”

“Prove it?” I asked. She must be joking; Reno got up and smiled at me.

“Yes, steal something right now” this had to have been a joke; I couldn’t possibly steal with all these people watching. Soon Reno was flying to the top and took the queens crest, hid it and fly back to me. “Let his hands free” she ordered. I was released but how would I prove this? Reno handed me the crest and smiled. I held my hand up. “You have something already?”

“Yes, I have something already” I held it in my hand; a guard came to take it from me.

“It’s her highness’s crest” he said with disbelief. Quickly she began to fiddle around to find it.

“How did you?” she starred at me.

“Like I said, I can steal anything”

“Very well, I will make you my royal thief. I have never used the thief since I fired the last one from stealing from my treasury. Do not make the same mistake, dismissed. I walked off without even being unbounded by the guard, thanks to Reno. I left everyone stunned. “Is that really your son?” she asked my father. Even my father and sister were unclear as how I did it. I was now walking alone in the castle, it was peaceful. Well, was until. A foot came into vision and I was half dead on the floor. Pain sparked my whole body.

“What the hel-” I looked up to see Tamillia. Reno jumped with excitement and the two huddled together. “Reno, you're still hanging around with this guy?” she asked pitifully.

“Tamillia!” I jumped up; she looked at me and turned back to Reno. “Hey not here someone will see you”

We went around to her room; she had become the physician of the castle. “I was waiting for you to get here, any news on how I can get back?”

“I don't know how to get either one of you back to where you need to be” I was honest. Tamillia jumped back into her chair and sighed.

“Well, what are you two doing here?”

“Aris got caught looking for his treasure”

“Aris! You cannot take Reno out on such dangerous trips” Tamillia held on tightly to Reno.

“She’s a ghost, remember. And you're a dimension hopper with supernatural abilities.” I pointed out. The girls got made and threw a few things at me until I made my escape out. The two of them giggled together, I left them to play together and walked down to the armory where all my stuff was being kept.

I could hear the queen complaining and my sister talking with her. Apparently that amethyst I stole is a priceless gem that has only been found once. “I swear, if that brother of yours lost it!” she screamed. Now I had it with me, Reno gave it to me after we escaped from death. Or rather, I did.

“I have your priceless gem right here” I interrupted their conversation and the queen went back to her proper state.

“Where is it, thief” she asked. I held it out in front of me, she reached for it and I pulled it back. She looked to be the same age as me, almost, maybe a bit older.

“Your young to be a queen aren’t you?” I asked.

“Aren’t you young to be a thief?” she asked. I handed her the gem and sighed.

“So, I was wondering if I could go and collect all my things”

“I'm sure Richard has them with him” she said and quickly left me there. Richard is my second oldest brother.

I walked down the halls looking for him, anybody really. They all seemed to be avoiding me, perhaps because I was dressed in black and looked like a thief, which was true. I finally found my father working his post. “Where is Richard, the queen says he has my stuff”

“Do not address the queen so rudely, as a part of the royal court you should know this” he said, looking out at the kingdom.

“I’ll admit the view up here is great” I jumped out to the side and looked over the edge. “High up too” he pulled me back quickly.

“Are you stupid, a height like that could kill you” he warned.

“Ah, so you admit you are worried for me” I said.

“I promised Anne I would keep you safe” he said, my mother?

“So that’s it. Well you know wha-” Richard cut me off as he came down the hall.

“Father, the treasury has been secured. Aris?” he looked over at me.

“You have my things, could I have them back?”

“Your things?”

“Yes, he is the thief that broke into the treasury” father interrupted.

“You did?” he asked in disbelief.

“And now he is the queen’s thief”

“You are?”

“Yes, can I have my items back?” I became irritated with it all, I may have cheated death but I still needed to figure out how to send a ghost onto heaven and a strange dimension girl back to her dimension. I was a bit busy. Soon I collected all my items from Richard and made it back to the physician’s quarters.

“Aris!” Reno flew over to me.

“Hey, we were wondering where you went. Got all your items back?” Tamillia asked.

“I do, but I really don't know how to go about getting you guys back to where you need to be” I was honest, again.

“It’s late, where are we going to sleep?” Reno asked.

“Let’s go to the abandoned part of town and find a house” I offered.

“As the queens thief you have a room in the castle” Tamillia reminded us.

“Sure, but I will not give her the satisfaction that she owns me” I said, I escaped out the window, almost like I had forgotten how to use doors.

We made it to the old abandoned town and found a half decaying building. The roof was gone and the weather not so great. Reno began to explore the ruins; I found a lot of things, such as jewelry, gold, and more amethyst. So the queen wasnt the only one with this stuff, there is more. But where did it all come from. I opened a chest and in it I found a letter to a miner who was looking for amethyst.

 

Dear Sir Arnold,

         

          I have been exploring the mines for years now and have never seen anything like it in my life. The walls are full of amethyst and gold. It’s the most gold and amethyst I have ever seen. I am preparing my men to mine all of it and Arikzes treasury will surpass that of all the other kingdoms.

   Sincerely,

             Sir Karil     

         

I put the letter in my pocket; someone by the name of Karil sent a letter to someone named Arnold in hopes of mining out all that amethyst. Seemed like the queen’s priceless gem was worthless after all that was true, Arikzes should be loaded with gold and amethyst. So why is it all in these abandoned chests?

“Look, this place if full with treasure!” Reno yelled I turned to look at her. She shoved a piece of paper in my face. Another letter written by Karil, this one was different. This particular letter read of betrayal and Karil planned to take all the treasure for himself.

“Where did you find this?” I asked. She led the way to the largest house and we stepped inside.

“Whoever Karil was he really wanted the treasure all to himself, so much so that he went behind sir Arnolds back and destroyed the mine” Reno pointed a letter written by Arnold. “See, Arnold tried looking for the mine after Karil said that he destroyed it”

“But then why would Karil waste his time and tell Arnold in the first place”

“I don't know greed?” Reno offered. The thought did come to mind that he was filled with greed. After all, the thought of all that money just going into the king’s piggy bank seemed like a waste. Then again, I’m a thief and this guy was probably a well-respected member among the court. “We should figure out who they are tomorrow, right now I need to sleep!” she jumped onto the first comfy thing and curled up. For a ghost she seemed like an ordinary person.

By the time morning came, the kingdom was already lively. It seemed like word of my becoming the royal thief caused some sort of dispute.

“What’s with all the noise?” Reno got up drowsily and looked over at me. I was equipping myself with the goods I had found in this abandoned area.

“It’s not like I became the royal thief to be that damn woman’s thief, it was to get out of a situation” I admitted and stuffed my pockets full of gold. “We should get to a blacksmith and have him turn these into coins”

We walked throughout the town; it seemed to have quieted down. Whispers of a no good thief circled around the peasants. The guards were out on the hunt, they seemed to be looking for someone. Perhaps it was me, but I had no business with the queen yet. I knocked on the blacksmiths door and entered.

“How can I help you today?” he asked, his beard covered his whole face you could barely see his face.

“I need all of these turned into coins, in return you can keep 5 pieces there” I said.

“You’re not that thief the queen is after are ya?” he threw them onto the table and inspected my findings.

“Oh, so you’ve heard of me?”

“The whole town has heard of the queen’s new royal thief. Haven’t had one of those since the last on betrayed that poor girl’s father” he pounded them into the anvil and separated the pieces.

“Poor girl, you mean the queen?” I asked.

“That’s right, boy. See when the queen was still the princess her mother passed away and the king was devastated that he kept her far away from him. Soon his own thief began to have her own family issues and soon betrayed the grieving king. The king was so distraught with the betrayal that he took his own life in his quarters. The princess was 15 then and took the throne”

“I see, so she’s an orphan then” I asked.

“Yup, the queen never wanted a new thief. That’s why the whole town is in an uproar over the whole thing. No one can believe she reopened the position” he seemed to be in disbelief. By the time the man finished he gave me the bags worth of gold coins. Over hundreds of coins were in here. That makes me as rich as a noble man, with this I could escape this kingdom and settle down somewhere else.

“Aris, you aren’t planning on skipping out on the queen are you, what about those letters and the mine?” Reno asked in my ear. The guards were around looking for me, my father leading them.

“What about the mines?” I asked.

“Well, they could hold more than what you have in your pocket”

“Or they could be empty or the trail turns up lost. Karil said he destroyed the mine, remember?”

“But Arnold said he didn’t believe him and went out looking for the mine”

“Which turned out to be a waste of time” I pointed out, after that she was silent. I was almost by the gates when I was stopped by a familiar voice, my oldest brother, Zane.

“Where do you think you're going?” he asked. Reno hid behind me.

“Just out for a walk” I said.

“Really, you got taller since the last time I saw you. Little brother” his tone was almost mocking me. Soon father caught up with him and they restrained me in order to prevent me from leaving.

Back at the castle, the queen was pacing. “You look like you're in a rush” I said looking at her with a grin.

“You took it, didn’t you!” she declared and smacked me. The two guards, my oldest brother and my father, kept me from resisting her abuse.

“I don't even know what you are talking about” my attention was on Reno who was wondering about keeping herself far from the abuse.

“The gem, the amethyst” she was right in my face now, as a queen she was very improper.

“Look, just because your fathers thief betrayed your court doesn't mean I would” I pointed out, she was angry.

“What did you just say!” she stomped on my foot; by old boots decayed enough to feel the pain of her heal. I fell to the ground in pain. “You're just a thief, if you do not tell me where the amethyst is I will kill you right now”

“What’s so important about it anyway?” I asked, through the painful shriek in my voice.

“Important. It’s the remaining gem from Sir Arnold’s findings” she said. Arnold, no it was Karil I’m sure of it.

“Wasn't it Karil who found the mine?” I asked.

“Mine?” she seemed confused. Maybe she didn’t know other than what Arnold had said.

“What mine?” Zane asked. He was bent over picking me up from the floor and I faced him.

“The mine from sir Karil’s letter” I got up on my own and pulled back from him.

“Who is sir Karil?” the queen became interested in my story, or maybe just annoyed.

“Your highness!” Tamillia ran in, almost like a miracle. Almost, Reno went to get her.

“What is it, Tamillia we are in the middle of something” the queen yelled. Tamillia dropped something and bent down by me to pick it up.

“You shouldn’t frighten Reno like that” she said with a sour face. Me?

“Hey, I’m the one that got beat up!” I yelled at her, with a smack to the head.

“Tamillia is a respected member of the queen’s court, you best remember that” my father reminded me.

“You really set yourself up since you left, huh?” I rubbed the back of my aching head.

“What do you need Tamillia?” the queen asked.

“I brought your physical results” she said with a smile. She turned back to me. “I thought you would have helped Reno by now. When are you gonna keep to your promise to me?” I shrugged. Reno laughed a little, the queen angrily faced Tamillia.

“You will be out of the job if you do not return to your post, are we clear?” Tamillia nodded and left without looking back. “I apologize; she can be a bit strange sometimes”

“Yeah but that’s because she’s not-” Reno hit me from behind, I shut my mouth. “Never mind”

“So, who is Karil?” she asked, getting back to the point.

“I don't know I was hoping you would know” I said. She shook her head and became angry again.

“Tell me where the last gem of Arnolds treasure is before I behead you” she warned. I held my hands up for her to wait. I pulled out of my father’s grip and reached into my pocket for the letter by Karil.

“According to this Karil was the one that discovered the mine full of gold and amethyst. He wrote it to Arnold but quickly turned his back on him and Karil destroyed the mine” I summarized the letter. She read it and held it down to her waist when she was finished.

“So, what does this prove?” she asked.

“Nothing, right now” I began “But I could find the mine for you and your kingdom would be the richest in all the land” I promised her fortune. That’s what all royals wanted right, more gold? She shook her head in disbelief.

“How do I know you didn’t just fake this?” she asked. I shook my head next.

“Because why would I go through all the trouble of stealing your amethyst when the abandoned town I found the letter in has a chest full of it?” I asked; her eyes twinkled in the light. Almost like the evil demon inside of her was tamed by a saint.

“Where is it?”

“To the west, I could take you there if you want” I promised. “Then I will find the mine, if I can and also the person that stole your amethyst gem” I was getting in deep, promising more things I probably could never keep my word to. Reno got up quickly and followed me as soon as I was released from my father and my brother’s grip.

“Are you sure about this?” she asked me. I nodded and followed the queen’s guard outside. We were going to get the chest full of amethyst.

Author's Note

Grammer is terrible and I havent gotten the chance to correct spelling.