Back again. Thanks for all the positive reviews, guys! They make my day. Another apology, Daryl's in the chapter after this one, because I was writing that one at the time I got confused, d'oh. I'm not that good at this. Promise there'll be some proper romance soon. Don't wanna rush this thing.
I went back again the next clear night. As Summer was drawing to an end the nights were getting chillier. I thought this would be a good opportunity to try out that jacket I got from the mansion. It looked just fine so off I went to Forget-Me-Not Valley. I was greeted by a cat. A little black cat.
"Hello," I said to it. It mewed at me so I crouched down and stroked it. I have a fondness for cats. As I have said before, they inspire me. They are also one of the most magically proficient of normal creatures. Ask any witch or magician. While the cat let me pet it, I noticed the collar around its neck. 'Winnie'. Evidently a female cat, in that case. She mewed at me again before darting off a few yards. Then she stared straight at me with amber eyes. Cats are intelligent. She wanted me to follow her. I was curious, and I had nothing else to do, so I followed Winnie, as strange as it sounds. She led me across the bridge and to the north path to the dead-looking farm. She sat on the path and stared straight ahead. I wondered what it was that had caught her attention (it is a well known fact that animals have a sixth sense). She didn't follow me when I started to walk, and she didn't protest when I picked her up. In fact, she started purring. She was a very beautiful cat. If I were as good looking as that…well, I think every gem in the world would be in my possession.
I carried Winnie up the path to the farm, which had flourished since I had last come, no longer looking barren and dead. The tiny little house next to the small pond and the stable had light streaming from its windows. What had caught my attention was a speck of light, a lantern, being carried along. The figure carrying it was calling out.
"Winnie…Winnie! Here, Winnie. Come on…it's going to rain tomorrow and you're gonna get wet if you don't come back…Winnie!" I looked at the cat in my arms. She looked back, and licked a paw. I walked across the farm until I could recognise the figure. Claire. Of course. I had suspected upon meeting her that she was a farmer. I hadn't realised that this was her farm.
"Claire?" I brought her attention to myself. Her eyes widened in shock, before she noticed I was holding her cat and she rushed over, jumping over tree roots.
"Winnie!" she beamed, a truly charming sight. I let her take her cat back, before she looked up and gave me a small smile. "You found my cat,"
"She seemed to be waiting for me when I arrived. Perhaps she wanted to bring me to you,"
"Yeah, right…but thanks. She's been missin' since yesterday. She seems to like you,"
"I am fond of cats. Now…since I am here, why don't we take a walk? It is another beautiful night,"
"Where to?" she gave me that funny look again.
"Let us go…to the beach,"
"Huh…well…alright. You try anythin' funny though, I'll make you wish you were never born,"
"You forget that I am not a criminal, and I have a sense of honour,"
"Whatever," she put Winnie back inside before joining me.
Walking alongside her, I wondered to myself why I had been drawn to this girl above the others. I decided that it was because of the mystery surrounding that glittering gem. I had established that hers must be something of the higher quality. Just what exactly was it?
"So, my rose…surely someone as beautiful as you must have many men vying for her attentions," I said. Something reminiscent of sadness crossed her face.
"No…not really,"
"Why not?"
"Everyone here is either content on their own, married, or already has a girlfriend…besides, none of them here are really my type,"
"What if a handsome stranger from out of town were to turn up?"
"That would depend on whether the stranger was a thief or not," she glared at me, the world 'thief' loaded with hate. And I had thought we had gotten past that. No matter. I would get through to her.
"A Phantom. I have told you before that I have honour and I have rules,"
"You have rules? What kinda rules?"
"Several. I don't steal from the poor, I don't hurt other people or animals and I always send a warning. It sounds fair enough to me,"
"But you got all that fancy-schmancy magic stuff,"
"What about it?" she couldn't find anything to say. I still couldn't identify the jewel at her heart. I wasn't getting either of the traces that made a ruby a ruby or an emerald an emerald.
"What's it to you if I have a boyfriend or not?"
"Curiosity," I waved a hand dismissively.
"Huh. Whatever," she said, before yawning. "I'm gonna go back now. I gotta get up at six,"
"That early? Then I shall not detain you. Let me walk you back,"
"What happened to 'you don't deserve to be caught out with a thief'?"
"I doubt there is anyone else around at all," I offered her my hand but she didn't take it and started walking back up the beach. She was a strange girl…but beautiful. Quite beautiful.
OK, NEXT chapter has Daryl in it. Honest. I'm running out of people that could get robbed now, but I guess I'll find someone after him. Unless you guys have any suggestions…?