Chapter One
Running as fast as he could, Antonio sidestepped the two guards in front of him and sprinted around the corner. Using the nearby fruit stall as a step stool, he climbed onto the building as the guards yelled at him from down below.
"Thief! Come down and return what you stole or we'll come up after ya!" one of the guards yelled up as he waved his sword around. The sun glinted off the blade, and Antonio did not want to imagine that coming at him.
"Really? All of this for a loaf of bread?" he muttered, but with a small smile he saluted his pursuers and leaped to the next building.
He knew the guards were following him from the ground, so to confuse them he jumped from one rooftop to the next. A variety of objects, such as fruit, were thrown in his direction. "I steal one lousy loaf of bread and their throwing the whole fruit cart. What a waste of perfectly good food," he sighed.
"I'll get you, street rat!" the lead guard, Ludwig, yelled. 'Street rat', Antonio grimaced at the insult thrown at him. Of course, he had to use the name street rat. He motioned to his pet monkey as he sprinted down a back alley. "Meet me at home, 'k Gil?" The little monkey gave a mischievous grinned and bounded off.
He leapt onto the ground, guards behind him now, and dodged blows from curved swords and spears alike. He hid in a deserted alley and watched as his pursuers sped on. Taking a sheet from a random clothesline, Antonio wrapped himself up and strolled through the market place acting as innocent as possible.
He grinned when he found that no guards were in sight. They think they can catch me, but I always get away, he thought to himself. They won't find me now; I am a master of disguise, a thief among commoners, a lone peasant who won't ever get caught. He immediately chuckled at his made up nicknames. Of course he wouldn't get in trouble. You're only in trouble when they catch you.
A hand closed on his shoulder tightly, spinning him around. His green eyes met steely blue and he cursed.
"Got you, you little street rat." Ludwig growled as he ripped the cloak off Antonio's back. I'm in trouble; Antonio cursed himself internally as Ludwig called the other guards.
Antonio struggled to get out of his grasp. "You're not going anywhere, you thief-" Ludwig started to say before a ball of white fur and red eyes shot out from a window and yanked the turban over Ludwig's face.
"Am I ever glad you don't listen to me, Gil!" Antonio laughed as he sprinted off in the opposite direction, away from the guards.
Noise died down as Antonio and Gil leaned against a stone wall and shared the loaf of bread. Gil greedily tore into the bread while Antonio just laughed. As he went to take a bite though, he paused. Just beyond the opening of the alley, two small kids were digging through a dirty trash can in search for food.
Gil stopped chewing momentarily to look in Antonio's direction. When he noticed the two other peasants, he scoffed and continued on eating with renew vigor. The young thief sighed and slowly got up, his half of the bread still untouched. He walked over to the two boys, one with white hair full of grime who behind a slightly taller blond boy with a curl above the base of his neck.
"Here," Antonio smiled. "Take it. Don't be afraid." He quickly added when he noticed the two boys were backing up. "Please, take it." He urged them, his arm extended with bread in hand.
The blonde boy, suspicion still in his eyes slowly came forward and took the food. Antonio's smile grew as he backed away slowly. The younger boy took a couple bites and started to giggle, grinning foolishly at his blonde companion. The older boy began to smile as Gil reluctantly came forward. The small monkey pushed the half eaten bread into the others hands and sauntered off, mumbling incoherently. Antonio smiled at his little friend and nuzzled his cheek.
Horns blared and cheers erupted from the nearby plaza which drew the young thief's attention away from the two kids. He gathered the small monkey on his shoulder and went to investigate. People lined the edges of the main road to Italia, and a gleaming white horse when held a polished royal prince pranced down the middle. Bits of conversations reached Antonio's ears as he struggled to get a better view.
"A prince probably from far away,"
"That horse is probably richer than I am!"
"Another suitor for the princess,"
Antonio turned to leave when the two children slipped into the crowd. They came out in front and headed straight for the prince. The horse stumbled as the two poor kids blocked his way and the Prince pulled out an embellished whip.
"You impertinent peasants! Get out of the way!" the royal shouted, drawing back his weapon. Before the whip could touch the young boys though, Antonio stepped in front and he blocked the attack with his arm. He let the whip curl around his lib before he yanked it out of the other's hand and threw it in the mud.
Antonio scowled as the rich man looked down at him with visible disgust. "Maybe if I was as rich as you, I could afford some manners!" he said to the royal who's fair skin flushed red with anger.
"Why don't you run off and find some food to steal," the prince suggested with a sneer. Antonio flinched at the irony of what he just said but shrugged it off. "I have much better thing to do they look at you, a poor excuse for a human being." He scoffed.
"Oh so you think you're better? You almost have a big enough ego to match your eyebrows!" the crowd laughed and jeered as matching green eyes blazed at each other.
As seconds passed, the rider eventually just turned away and snorted, "I'm not the one who scrounges for food with no one to love them. "You peasant," the man spat out the word as if it was a disgusting food continued forward once again on his horse toward the high gates of Italia, "will live alone and die alone."
Anger washed over Antonio as both horse and rider rode through, gates closing behind them. Murmurs of talk reached the tan man's ears but he ignored them and minutes later the crowed dispersed.
"Come on, Gil," Antonio sighed as he motioned to his friend. "Let's go home," Gil took to the tan man's holder, eyes still gleaming with fury, but seemed to relax somewhat as Antonio left the plaza. Both monkey and man traveled through deserted alleyways and broken down sand buildings until they reached a certain one, far form the last scene took place. Up the cracked staircase and through the neglected, sandy doorways the two made their way to a spacious room.
From the ceiling and walls hung ripped and dirty cloths of purple, red, and green while rugs and pillows littered the bare stone floor. A large hole in the wall gave to a panoramic view of the city. Beside the hole lay a slab of sand covered in cloth and pillows which served as the pair's bed.
Antonio gave a sigh as he gazed out on the darkening city, the sun setting behind him, making the remaining light shine onto the palace. "Someday Gil. Someday we are going to have servants and guards for ourselves. People to cook for us and people to clean for us. That will be the life." Antonio said dreamily as Gil climbed into bed, snuggling into one of the softest pillows. "We will be rich, live in a palace, and never have any problems at all. We will be inside looking out-instead of outside looking in." he sighed again as he tucked his furry friend in, soft murmurs of sleep already escaping him. Finally Antonio lay down, gazing one last time outside at the palace before setting his head down to sleep.
I am so proud of myself. I planned to update ever two weeks, cause after my last story, a week is not enough time at all! I can't guarantee that i will update two weeks but i will get to it as soon as i can.
So if anyone can guess who the suitor is, virtual candy to you. (Though i made it pretty obvious!)
I can't wait to finally bring the romantic interest in! You all probably know who it is but i wanna keep it suspenseful just cause it makes me feel good! Until next time. REVIEWS ARE APPRECIATED. EVEN IF IT IS JUST TO GIVE ME A COOKIE...I LIKE COOKIES.
~Maple
