Innocent Eyes

Chapter One: Good Business

The streets of Corus,

The capital of Tortall,

In the twenty-second year of the reign of

Jonathan IV and Thayet, his queen

Mid-October, 460 HE (Human Era)

Adellyn shot up in bed, there was someone pounding on her door. She shoved back the covers, jumped out of bed and hurriedly pulled on an over gown on top of her night shirt then smoothed her hair and pulled open the door.

"Finally your up! You really should start get'n up earlier, you're Pa aint happy when we come downstairs wifout you" A stocky boy in his late teens babbled all in one breath. He had curly brown hair and ruddy cheeks.

"Nice to know I'm missed" Adellyn drawled to the boy "What's His Majesty want now?"

"He wants you t'come downstairs so 'e can tell you the jobs 'e 'as for you t'day. And try an' show a little respect for once, he is your father you know" replied the boy wearily

"If you insist Kaleb, now kindly remove yourself so I can get dressed" Adellyn said with a smile before shutting the door in Kaleb's face.

Adellyn made her way over to a cider chest at the foot of her bed; she pulled out a forest green skirt and a creamy white long sleeved blouse. After laying out her attire for the day she quickly gave herself a scrub from her washbasin then carefully donned her clothing and sheathed daggers. After brushing her hair she gave herself a once over in the mirror that hung on her wall. She was a voluptuous girl of nineteen with striking deep set brown eyes in an oval shaped face. Curly ebony hair fell just past her shoulders and full red lips graced her porcelain features. Altogether she was rather happy with her appearance except for her nose, in her opinion it was too turned up at the end giving her an overly mischievous look. With a sigh she made her way down to the common room of the Dancing Dove, an inn that had been her home for as long as she could remember. When she entered the noisy room she quickly spotted her father, the King of the Court of the Rogue, sitting in his customary chair at the head of the table near the fire. Dancing around the room to avoid stepping on last nights left over drunks she immediately made her way over to her father. He was a tall well built man no older than forty with ebony hair and the same deep set brown eyes as his daughter. All in all the King of Thieves was an impressive man to behold. He looked up just as Adellyn reached his side and gave her a wide and cheeky grin.

"Ah, so sleeping beauty has finally arisen. It's so lovely of you to grace us with your presence Adellyn dear" the Kings deep voice rumbled with amusement.

Adellyn gave her father a mock curtsey "Of course Majesty, I wouldn't even dare to think of not gracing you with my dazzling presence. May I enquire as to what your Majesty wishes of me this morning?"

Her father's grin grew wider and he reached out to embrace her "You grow more like your mother everyday my dear. She was a player you know, one of the finest I've ever seen. It looks like you've inherited her talent as well as mine".

"Yes Da, I do know what mum was, you remind me of it every time I go even slightly dramatic. But enough of that, what's my task for today?" Adellyn smiled

"There are nobles coming into town today, a group of the King's Own. I think that it's time you used your mothers talent to acquire a bag of Noble's off a Noble" the King replied winking

"It's as good as done Da, just you wait and see!" Adellyn grinned.

There was a snort from the other side of her father. Adellyn's head snapped around when she heard it and her eyebrows drew together when she saw who had snorted.

"What is it Toby? Dun you think Trix is up to it?" the boy called Kaleb called from down the table. "I assure you she's more'n capable"

Adellyn smiled at Kaleb's use of her thieving name before returning her glare to the man on her father's left.

"Well Snatch, do you think Adellyn's up for the job?" the King inquired.

"Oh I'm positive she is, Art" Snatch replied to the King "I'm just not positive she can do it honestly"

It was Adellyn's turn to snort "Oh and you think any kind of thieving is honest?"

"No my dear, I was simply referring to the fact that I don't think you can pull it off without using your, err, your 'womanly charms'" Snatch said slyly

"Are you implying that I'm not capable of thieving without, without seducing someone? How dare you!" an indignant Adellyn exclaimed

Arthur or Art as the King was known began to chuckle at the look on his daughters face. "It's alright dear, I'm sure Snatch is just playing; now why don't you go and do what you do best"

Adellyn stared at her father; did he think she could only pull a job by using her feminine assets? Did the entire court think that? Well she'd show them, she'd show them she was as good as any thief. She turned on her heel and strode quickly to the door of the inn and was just on her way out when she had a sudden inspiration. She grabbed up a woven shopping basket from a stand near the door and finally made her exit.

Adellyn strode through the busy streets of Corus looking for the company of the King's Own that was rumoured to be arriving today. While she searched she also purchased things from the markets around her such as eggs and apples to help her with her plan.  After an hour or so of wandering she finally caught sight of the said company. They were all clad in muddy armour and were riding tired looking horses. All in all there were around fifteen or so men but there was no mistaking the Noble's of the group. There were three of them, riding straight backed and proud on their weary horses. Adellyn surveyed them from the side of the street where she stood watching their procession; the one in the middle was an enormous man with curly black hair and very broad shoulders and was obviously a Knight. On his left was a man with very straight red hair and who also had to be a Knight because of the shield he wore strapped to his mount. And lastly, on the right of the big man was a man who looked to be in his early twenties, he had the bands around his arms that signified him as a Sergent and a kind and mischievous face with twinkling blue eyes and dark hair. The large man made a series of hand signals to his men and they all halted abruptly and dismounted. They made their way over to an inn and the large man disappeared inside for a short time. When he returned Adellyn overheard him telling his men they could house their mounts in the inn's stables for a short time to give them a chance to look around the market place as they had "All been yabbering about since they came in sight of the city". The men let out a cheer and made off in their own directions. Adellyn grinned to herself; this made her job all the more easy. She pushed off from the wall she had been leaning against and looked around for a Noble she could target. Her eyes fell on the young man with the dark hair and blue eyes; perfect, she thought. He was walking along through the stalls admiring things when Adellyn caught up to him, she bustled past and pretended to trip when she was just in front of him making all her groceries fly from her basket. She fell to the ground using her hands to break the purposeful fall.

"Oh damn it!" She swore as she pushed herself onto her knees. Carefully she began to collect all the apples that had spilled from her basket.

"I'm afraid your eggs are ruined miss" a soft voice spoke from next to her

Grinning slyly to herself Adellyn quickly turned around to face the speaker. It was the Noble she had targeted. Praising herself inwardly Adellyn put on a distraught face and sighed deeply.

"Oh no! Ma's going to kill me when she finds out about this! Oh I'm so clumsy, and now all the fruits got soft spots. I'm such a klutz" she wailed as she began to scoop up apples again

"Here, let me help you" the Sergent offered kindly picking up apples and putting them in her basket.

"Oh, thankyou sir, may the gods all bless you for your kindness!" Adellyn exclaimed

The Sergent waved it off with a "think nothing of it miss"

While he was bent over helping her Adellyn made sure to search his person with her eyes for a purse. It was located on a leather belt that hung around his slim waist. She smiled to herself thinking how easy the job was going to be. When all the apples were back in the basket the Sergent stood up and offered Adellyn a hand. She took it and made sure to step on her skirt so that she tumbled into him. As he steadied her with his arms she deftly unlatched his purse and slipped it into the sash around her waist.

"I'm so sorry sir, I didn't mean it, I'm just so clumsy!" she cried when she pulled away.

"No no, it's alright, we all have off days. Except of course my cousin, he's such a meathead he's off all the time" he grinned at her

"Oh I'm sure he's nothing like me sir, but thankyou again for your kindness" Adellyn smiled once more before turning and walking casually back down the crowded street. When she was about a hundred yards from the man she heard a shout.

"Oi! I've been robbed!"

Her head snapped around only to see her very own Sergent charging after her. She dropped her basket and began sprinting through the market place dodging shoppers.

"Hey! Hey you! Come back! Get back here!" the Sergent cried while he ran.

Adellyn turned her head to see how much of a lead she had and gasped, he was gaining on her and quickly. She would have to try the back alleys to try and lose him. She veered off into an alleyway praying he didn't see her but knowing that he had when she heard pounding feet coming from behind her. She swore to herself and turned another corner then another and another each time hoping she'd lost him but soon finding out she hadn't. Suddenly she was facing a dead end. She turned in all directions only to find that there was only one door in all of the walls surrounding her. Her mind reeled trying to place why it seemed so familiar but her thoughts were stopped when she heard feet skidding to a halt in front of her. Her head snapped around to come face to face with the handsome young Sergent she had robbed.

She grinned at him wickedly "Ah ha! So you finally caught up, took you long enough!"

"Yes I have and now you're cornered so kindly return my purse to me" the Sergent said breathing hard

"Hmmm . . . no, I don't think I will" Adellyn replied shrugging

"Oh, well I'll have to take it from you them" the Sergent grinned at her, he seemed oddly amused.

"Oh and what makes you think I'll let you?" she asked grinning back

"Well you see, I'm bigger than you and you have nowhere to go" he replied smirking

"Ah but what if I were armed?" Adellyn questioned

"I don't see any weapons on you" the Sergent said

"Yes but just because you can't see something it doesn't mean that it's not there" she said seriously whilst pulling out the two daggers she had strapped to her legs.

"Hmm, I guess you were right about that. But what are you going to do with those?" the man questioned

Adellyn backed up against the door at the end of the alley, "How about this" she replied and flung one of the daggers so that it missed his head by less than an inch and embedded itself in the wall behind him.

"You missed" he stated grinning

"No I didn't" Adellyn smirked

"Oh"

"Yes that's right, now why don't you run along and forget your purse, or should I say; my purse?"

"Sorry but I can't do that. You see, you've wounded my pride so I have to get it back" the Sergent said in all seriousness

"Oh well then" Adellyn replied as she threw her other dagger at his leg. It would have been the perfect crippling shot had he not jumped out of the way a split second before it hit. He got up dusting himself off.

"Had a feeling you might try that" he smirked

"Bugger" Adellyn frowned

"Yes, I think you should give it up now" the man said

"What this?" Adellyn asked innocently taking out the purse then holding it up. She dropped it down the front of her shirt "whoops"

"That's not fair!" the young man exclaimed blushing slightly "I can't take it from there!"

"Mmm hmm, that was the point. Now do you give up?"

"No, I still have you cornered, I'll think of something"

"Well think quickly, I'm getting hungry" Adellyn growled

Suddenly she remembered why the door she was leaning against seemed so familiar; it was the back door to the house of her father's best friend and fellow thief Ronin. She knew the secret knock that would alert him or is family of her presence and let her into safety. She rapped on the door in code and grinned at the pondering Sergent.

"I have to go now, don't hurt yourself thinking too hard" she said smiling cheekily as she heard the locks turning from inside

"What do you mean, you can't go anywhere. Hey!" he cried when he saw her slip behind the door. "Get back here! I'm not done with you!"

Adellyn quickly thanked Ronin and raced upstairs so she could stick her head out the window.

"Nice doing business with you Sergent!"

So what do you all think? Should I continue? Drop a review in to let me know.

Adellyn, a thief in Corus is set a task to rob a Noble of his purse. Easy enough for the daughter of the King of Thieves right? Not when she meets a certain Sergent who turns her life around. - summary