The True King of Thieves

Ryomi Hayashi

Chapter Seven: Knowing What You Want

Before the two arrived at the town of Miyana, Vegeta stopped his horse and dismounted it. Once he was off of his horse, he stood and looked up at Bulma, his arms crossed.

"Vegeta, why have we stopped? What is it?" she questioned, calming the now slightly restless horse.

"I want to get one thing straight. While the Miyanans believe in the Creator, they chose to worship her in the strangest ways with ridiculous superstitions and strange laws. Ones far different from our own. One such law of their religion but not their government states that any sort of lovers outside of marriage are impermissible."

She laughed, finding it odd but not commenting on its strangeness. "So what? You think I'm going to jump you or something?"

He looked puzzled, but then didn't even bother to ask. "Let me finish, woman. Should they see us alone together without wedding marks they will assume that we are illicit lovers. Then, of course, we'll not only attract great amounts of attention, but we also may be arrested."

"They'll incarcerate us for THAT? That's ridiculous!"

"Yes of course it's ridiculous, but these are the Miyanan we speak of."

She sighed. "Ok, I'll pretend we're married. What are these wedding marks?"

"I suppose we'll have to settle for "engaged", it's not as if I thought to bring with me crushed eyewood bark," he muttered, frustrated. Reaching into his bag of clothes, he took out an already torn shirt and tore off a piece effortlessly.

"Well, get off that horse, woman, I need to put this on you," he said, his frustration growing. She rolled her eyes and got off, her feet kicking up some dirt as they touched the ground. He took her arm forcefully and wrapped the cloth around it, knotting a strange knot that faced the front.

"Done. Couples have one of these, while singles have two. The man is supposed to give his armband to his wife to propose. If she accepts, she wears it temporarily, and then wears another one smeared with eyewood bark powder once they are married."

"We have a similar system," she said, "only it's with rings."

"We?" he asked, tying a band around his own arm as he spoke.

"You know, where I come from. Hey, how do you know so much about Miyanans anyway?"

He scoffed. "Know your enemy. Besides, the Kagarian thieves were once Miyanan as well."

"Oh? How does that figure?"

"We believed differently then them. Disputes arose, and they fought us to the forest, where we've been living ever since. Because our faith permits stealing and theirs doesn't, it seemed the best method of attack. Someday, however, once we have stolen from their treasury, they will be weakened economically. Then, we can stage the Final Battle."

"Why haven't you stolen from their treasury yet?"

"Woman, what a ridiculous statement! Do you understand how carefully guarded it is?"

"Ah yes, they would expect an attack like that wouldn't they?"

"Yes, but nonetheless, stealing is what we do best. Someday we will steal all the precious treasures of Miyana and make our attack."

"Well then, I guess this Miyana place is worth seeing."

He glared fiercely at her, but mounted the horse anyway. "Might as well get this foolish quest of your over with."

Bulma smiled. Finally, she would see a city and be able to walk its streets and buy its wares. How she had longed for such a moment of even remote civilization!

"You women," Vegeta muttered, urging his horse faster. Truth be told, he was pleased to be with Bulma. He hated knowing it, but he looked forward to this little trip into his enemy's city. Because of his disgust in himself for feeling such soft feelings, Vegeta took great care in hiding it well.

He hid it so well that as they rode to Miyana, Bulma was convinced all the way there that he had lost his feelings for her. And under her mask, she was disappointed.

Elec was not a man of much patience. It only took 1 day of waiting for Wynter to retrieve his beloved Kinna before he grew frustrated and went to summon his guard.

Storming out of his chamber, he saw the young squire-in-training, Markos leaning against the wall, his sword at his hips. Elec stopped at once in from of him, sneering at his casual attitude. Markos always acted as though he were the finest swordsman in all of Miyana, despite the fact that he joined the apprentices only 3 months ago.

"Markos, where is my first guard?" he snapped, his patience wearing thin.

"Who?"

Elec's face twisted in frustration. "My finest guard! The greatest archer and horseback rider in the whole of the country!"

"Oh, him, yes. Well, I have no clue."

"What is that supposed to mean? He didn't pass by here? He always does!"

"If he did, I would've seen him."

"The hell you would, you pathetic excuse of a soldier, find me him at once!" Elec said as his hand shot out and grabbed Markos' arm, shoving him in the right direction. Markos stumbled a bit, and after gaining balance, turned to look Elec up and down strangely.

"Kinna must've been something," he grumbled, and casually sauntered away.

"Don't mention her until you or one of you worthless soldiers have found her!" Elec shouted, "and walk faster, that's an order!"

"Sure, whatever," he mumbled, not hastening his pace in the slightest. Elec watched him leave and felt a tear slide down his cheek.

"Kinna, look what you've done to me," he muttered to himself, wiping away the evidence of his sorrow with the back of his gloved hand. More tears followed, and he gave up and stormed back into his chambers and slammed the door. As soon as Markos had mentioned his beloved Kinna, Elec felt a pang in his heart that stayed even after he left. Even the mere suggestion of her absence left him in tears, almost breaking down. He knew that grief would not bring her back, but that only saddened him further.

"Kinna, come back, please," he whimpered like a small child and more tears followed at the self-pity of his helpless state.

Meanwhile, Markos heard sobbing coming from the closed door but ignored it and took action.

"Weird guy," he muttered. Walking away, Markos took stopped at a fork in the corridors and took the one to the left. He then casually meandered through the corridors and went to the training room where Elec's guard would be. Markos had memorized this route long ago; all he had done while he had been at the castle was train and guard. He needed to know the way to both and he used this path extremely frequently.

Once he had reached the mouth of the training room, he stopped and looked around at the sparing individuals. The training room was vast, littered with weapons and people using them. It would be a bit difficult to find Elec's guard, especially because he had forgotten the man's name.

He finally spotted someone who looked vaguely like him and entered the training room, keeping an eye on him. Markos wove through the people, taking care no to run into anyone and to avoid anyone who would run into him. Things were always chaotic in that room, so Markos was wary.

Finally, he reached the man, who was practicing sword movements with a very menacing sword. Beads of sweat clung to his forehead and a look of utter determination was plastered on his face. If Markos had a choice, he would much rather run off than interrupt the swordsman.

"What is it?" the man said, stopping his training to glare at Markos.

"Elec summons you," Markos said, melodramatically as usual.

"What does he want?"

"He didn't say, but if you ask me, I think he wants you to look for Kinna."

"I'd image," he sneered, "but didn't he already send some heathen sorceress to go get her? The entire castle is angry with the news, I know it's true."

Markos shrugged. "Maybe he wants backup. Hey, I know you're the most important guard and everything, but what's your name? I guess I should know it since I'm training here, right?"

The man's eyes narrowed and he walked closer and closer to Markos, impressing fear into the young man. Markos gave him an odd look that soon turned to worry as he began stumbling backward to avoid the man's advances.

"I just want to know your name, don't kill me or anything," he whimpered, backing into a wall.

A feral glare formed on the man's face and the attention of some of the people training turned towards them as the man's boots thudded across the stone floor. With Markos backed into the wall, the man had full control of him.

Tucking his sword away with a talented swipe, he leaned forward and snarled, "Kyrinn. My name is Kyrinn. Don't forget it."