100 years later
"Rys! We're gonna be later than normal! Boss will have our heads!" shouted Saraly, a beautiful girl wearing a maroon dress which showed off her stunning, willowy figure, "Hurry it up!" the beauty unbecomingly screeched.
Rys, who was in an uncommonly good mood, stood at the top of the stairs, clad in her usual clothing: pants, shirt, boots and weapon belt which held her beloved daggers. She scrunched her face, completely focused on her decision. Stairs or stair RAIL, hmm...
"Come on, you lazy brat!" Saraly shouted.
"Heh, heh." Said lazy brat grinned mischievously as she made up her mind and slid down the banister.
What is taking that girl so long?! Thought Saraly as she marched over to the bottom of the stairs and looked up, ready to shriek again. Just as she opened her mouth she saw what was sliding down towards her. Instead of screaming out a command, this time Saraly screamed in terror. "Ahh! Rys, no!"
"Hahaha, ahh!" Rys laughed as she and Saraly collided at the bottom, the latter having not been able to escape the oncoming banister rider.
"Stupid girl," mumbled Saraly as she pushed Rys off of her.
"I hate you in the morning; you always get all grumpy and yell. Not to mention you ruined my perfect landing!" said Rys as she jumped up and held a hand out to help Saraly stand.
"Well, I hate how you always make us late to these bloody meetings. So, be like me and DEAL WITH IT!" Saraly glared at Rys, ignoring the offered hand. By the gods, she could hate that stupid girl sometimes.
Oh, yes. Let me be all cute and sarcastic. Look at me! I am witty! Saraly mentally mocked her partner.
"Now, girlies," said a menacing voice stepping up behind them, "play nicely."
Hauling her daggers out of her belt, Rys turned around sharply. To her surprise what she saw was a handsome man, 19, a year older than herself, with black hair and piercing blue eyes, it was Suicul. Cul for short. He was also their third partner, lately missing.
Rys immediately gave him a hug, "Cul! Where have you been?"
"Why don't you put those daggers away before you poked my eye out," he said after letting Rys go.
"Oh, right," agreed Rys. While she was putting her weapons away she heard Saraly ask Cul where he'd gone off to.
"Just some, um, family matters to attend to. Nothing to keep me away from my girlies," said Cul, giving Rys a wink and Saraly a gorgeous smile. Rys laughed while Saraly swooned.
"And how have you two been fairing?" Cul asked.
Saraly's face turned white and she spouted a fountain of obscenities. "We're late!!! Come ON, Rys! You too, Cul, you are our partner after all." She grabbed their hands and pulled Rys and Cul toward the Thief's Guild, where their daily meeting with the Boss was to take place.
"You're late… again," growled the Boss as a loyal servant shoved the 3 into a dimly lit room.
"And a good morning to you, too!" Rys said, earning an elbow in the ribs from Saraly and a snicker from Cul. Rys shot Saraly an annoyed look before turning her attention back to Boss. Sitting in his big throne with that graying hair he looked more like a grandfather then the head of the most powerful thief's guild in Kyrria.
Hard to take seriously, thought Rys. Well, except for the fact that he's stolen millions, and probably killed hundreds. Oh, and that whip in his hands.
"It's afternoon now. You are extremely lucky I need you or you'd be dead," Boss said casually as if life threats were passed out at every meal, which, for him, they probably were.
"Considering my line of work, I should be dead ten times over, eh? ("Eh? What are you, Kanaydeian?" hissed Saraly) I mean, although everyone loves me, not everyone loves a thief. Especially one as skilled as me," Rys finished with a grand smile.
"You must be the cockiest person I know," said the Boss after shaking his head, bad mood melting away at Rys' very uncommon humor in a place such as this.
Hmm, very refreshing, he thought.
"It comes with my job description. It helps to spread the name of fear faster," Rys explained, her eyes gleaming mischievously while Cul nodded in approval.
"Yeah, I shudder whenever I hear your name. Rys. Oh! I just said it, I'm shaking in my boots," Saraly joked dryly, "Let's get down to business, shall we?"
"I love your sense of humor," said Rys, heavy on the sarcasm and rolled her eyes.
"How do you put up with this, boy?" Boss asked Cul, but got down to business.
To Saraly and Rys the Boss, who was only known by that name, was the closest thing they had to a father. After being orphaned, thanks to bandits, Saraly toddled about the grimy streets of the seedier parts of Frell before the thieves guild found her. As far as Lasary knew, her mother just happened to drop her off on the steps of the infamous guild's headquarters. Whether coincidence or not, no one ever knew.
But, being raised as thieves, they harvested a sense of freedom uncommon among any social class. Almost unafraid to speak their minds, the girls were offered an education anyone would be envious of. Languages and mathematics were nothing compared to training one's nimble fingers to pick a pocket, or a lock. Fighting was ingrained in girls at an early stage, the only way to survive.
Having a background together and Cul, their other partner in crime (literally), kept the two from killing each other when their tempers rose.
One glance at Saraly and Rys would tell you how very different each girl was from the other. Saraly, with her straight brown hair and serious amber eyes towered over Rys, who was a year older and looks varied completely. Rys had strawberry-blonde mess of hair and gray-blue joker eyes. With Cul's black hair they made the perfect team, each looking different from the other confused the people they robbed.
"Well, good sir, the hair was blonde-no, brown. Wait, was it red?"
"No, no it was black, right?" The villagers always puzzled as the sheriff interrogated them over the thieves.
Rys enjoyed tricking all their victims. She never really liked the whole stealing bit, preferring to watch puzzled expressions. Never did she feel more alive then while planning an "operation."
Saraly wasn't much of a thief- or perhaps too much. Her love for the rich and glamorous led to many close calls with the law. She was also quite fond of acting smarter than she was, taking credit for Rys' plans, presenting them as if they were her own.
And Cul, well, Cul had been recruited by Rys to join her and Saraly as the escape strategist. He hated to talk of his past, the only thing the girls had on him was his uncanny resemblance to the aging Boss.
"Rys! Pay attention!" yelled a very agitated Boss, "Twenty lashes when I'm done re-explaining!"
So much for refreshing, now it's an inconvenience, he thought.
Saraly chuckled, "Serves you right," she whispered. Cul looked at Rys with sympathy in his eyes.
Rys' good mood vanished as quickly as water turns to ice when Saraly touches it. As anger flared within her tiny body, Rys aimed a punch right at Saraly's face.
Saraly screamed and threw her arms up in front of her face to turn to protect herself, but she never felt anything. Instead she heard a loud whip cracking. The Boss had lashed out his whip, cracking it fast enough to catch Rys around the wrist, mere centimeters from Saraly's perfect nose.
"Damn," moaned Rys as she saw a deep welt forming.
"Now, pay attention or you'll earn yourself another twenty lashes!" shouted the Boss, "I have decided to let my very best team in on a little secret." Boss stated in a soothing voice leaning forward in his chair with excitement.
Cul sighed and rolled his eyes, he knew what was coming.
Rys caught her friend's reaction and began to throw confused looks from the Boss to Cul and back again. What was that for? She questioned Cul with her eyes. The man pointedly refused to answer.
"This is very important. If you fail, you will never be able to work again- or breath for that matter for you will be dead," Boss continued as casual as before, ignoring Cul's scene. "There is a ball tomorrow night at the palace in Frell, something about His majesty, the Prince and some engagement," Boss spit out 'his majesty' looking angered but continued. "You three are to go and steal the Gem of Power right from under their noses! The ball is perfect cover!"
Rys' eyes grew wide enough for a train to pass through, her mouth hung open like a fish. Highly unladylike, she acknowledged and corrected her features.
"What's so special about that? It's only a stupid old shiny rock," Saraly asked haughtily, when she didn't know things it only made her mad.
"Do you not know the story, then?" asked Cul. Saraly answered in the negative.
"Well," Cul began, nice and slowly for Saraly, "about 100 years ago there lived a great sorcerer named Lucius," Cul's eyes faintly glowed red as he talked of the evil sorcerer and the evil, vile, disgusting thing he had done. "The King Gareth Charmont the second and a man unknown stole his powers from him and supposedly encased them in a jewel, the aptly named 'Gem of Power'. If the power were released, the heir of Lucius would rise, crushing all good once and for all," Cul finished, his eyes glowing a brighter red then before, scaring the girls but exciting the Boss.
After a minute or two of silently staring at Cul, Rys decided to snap her fingers in front of his face. He immediately snapped back in normal- looking as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
"Lucius' reign is on the way," the Boss began before the girls could ask Cul any questions, "Will you be on his side or otherwise? Think of the power you would hold if you were on the side of Lucius' heir! The gold and riches you would get. The positions you would hold as his supporters."
Both girls knew what 'otherwise' meant. It meant a torture and then a slow and painful death. But, at the mention of riches and power, the girls' mouths watered.
A nice profit, and I really don't feel like dying today, Rys thought as she nodded her agreement, Saraly soon followed with a nod.
"I will not accept failure," Boss finished, signifying the end of their meeting. The three bowed at the waist and turned to leave, "Oh, and Rys?"
"Yes, sir?" she replied. Hopefully he had forgotten the lashings... she prayed.
"Don't forget about those lashings," he replied with a smug look as Rys' face fell. The Boss clapped twice and a group of humongous strong men came toward the female thief...
Back at their cottage Rys was all bandaged up and started to formulate a plan of attack. "The ball is the key! It is just the distraction we need. What excellent timing. Stupid royals…" Rys' laugh caught in her throat as she carefully pulled herself off the bed she was sitting on, lost in thought but acutely aware the pain. "Saraly and I will dress up and go to the ball. Cul, you wait outside with the get-away horses for a quick and easy escape, alright? Saraly, you must watch every one closely while I leave to steal the gem. Got it?"
"Excuse me, but who is the brain behind this team? I believe the answer is me," whined Saraly, officially jealous of Rys' natural leadership showing through even when she's in pain. She tossed her silky brown hair over a shoulder.
"Well, what other plan do you have?" Cul asked her. Saraly repeated exactly what Rys had just said. "What a brilliant plan!" Cul congratulated, smiling and winking at Rys, like every time this happened.
"I know it is." Saraly's eyes flashed defiantly. "But, this time, I'M going to do the stealing," Saraly explained, eyes going wide with the excitement.
"NO!" Both Rys and Cul yelled.
"Why not?!" growled Saraly.
"You are a horrible thief. And I'm older, so I overrule you," Rys said. Cul had to agree, remembering all of their close calls were due to Saraly and her "skills."
Saraly threw shoe against the wall."Not fair!"
"Fair," Rys calmly replied. She hoped Saraly wouldn't throw anything at her. She didn't think she'd be able to move in time to avoid getting hit without tearing open the wounds on her back.
"Not."
"Shut up!" shouted Rys.
"Fine, I'm gonna look better than you anyway. You'd look like a man who was a little mixed up in the head," Saraly spit out, kicking Rys in the shins.
"Oh, you did NOT just say that!" Rys shouted, tackling Saraly. Cul was quick to pull them apart.
Both girls were panting with anger. "I'm going to get myself a dress for the ball now," Saraly finally said in a snobby voice and ran out the door.
Cul sighed, looked at Rys, gave a quick smile and then ran after Saraly, "I'm coming, too!" he shouted after running out the door.
After the two had left the room, Rys finally allowed a quick sob to escape her lips. Tackling her partner has been good for her temper, but not her back. She mused upon this as she carefully peeled her shirt away from the fresh blood.
Saraly had made it a block away from the marker by the time Cul caught up to her. He grabbed her by the arm to slow her down. Huffing and puffing to catch his breath he stared talking to her, "You know," he paused, gulping in another grateful mouthful of air.
"You know... you are out of shape," Saraly shot before Cul could finish. She tried to tear her arm from his grasp. Unfortunately, it wasn't working.
"No, no. I mean yes, but not to what I said. Wait-" Cul groaned, releasing his hand from her arm in order to put them to his temples, trying to sort out the mess somehow.
Saraly motioned with her hands for him to continue. She was fed up. First Rys, now Cul. Why can't she have other friends? Preferably ones that follow HER command.
Finally, Cul began his thought again, "You know, I don't like it when you two fight. We're a team! And you're job is important, too. You're the backup plan if Rys is caught- the insurance. Boss will kill you if you fail, I'm positive on that."
"Don't you mean 'us'? Will kill US?" asked Saraly with her usually attitude.
Here Cul looked pained, "Umm, no. Not me."
Saraly wasn't entirely surprised; everyone knew Boss favored Cul (Just no one knew exactly why). She placed her hands on her slender waist and waited for an explanation.
Cul's hands found themselves back at his temples. "B-because I don't take part in the, ahhh, actual robbery. Since I only look after our transportation out of there, I guess I'm not that important to dispose of."
Saraly shrugged it off. "Sounds kooky enough for the Boss. Stupid, but him," she agreed.
Cul smiled his dashing smile, "Alright, I'll help you with getting those dresses. I think you would be great in a buttercream!"
Hey, everyone! Yay for new and hopefully improved chapters! haha