I hope you liked the first chapter of the story. It should get better as I
go on.
I'm writing a prologue for this story, so you might like to read that fic too. If you don't you might get a little confused, but I'll try my best to explain everything in this story too! Thank you for reading! R\R!!!
And thanks to the people who reviewed the first chapter! You guys all get a cookie! **Starts handing out cookies.**
QUEEN OF KNIVES.
CHAPTER 2: Information.
Galux Phoenix.
Most members of the Rogue had gotten over the shock of having Golden as the Right Hand Thief. A few might always oppose it, but then answer to a few knives and daggers on which the hilt was decorated with a strip of gold wire- Golden's personal trademark.
She knew there were a couple of horses approaching the inn. Golden wondered often wondered why she was always the first to know if people came to the inn. Their sounds faded as the horses were led into the stables.
Nathan looked up from the gold he was counting, he saw the wary looked on his friends face. "How many?" he asked softly, knowing that look all to well.
"Two, or three, at most," she replied her eyes not leaving the door.
A few voices drifted in from outside. The inn door pushed open. In the doorway stood two nobles and a dog that looked like it had seen a few to many battles, not to mention a handful of sparrows.
Golden got to her feet, a knife in each hand. Her gold eyes narrowed at the male of the pair. "What do you want with us this time? *More* information?" she called to him.
Neal smiled at her, "Golden, Golden, Golden, is that the way you great *all* your old friends?"
"It is if the 'friend' could have me arrested in the blink of an eye," she snapped back, anger and annoyance built up in her veins. "Why are you here?"
"I wanted to introduce you all to my friend. Golden, Kel; Kel, Golden." Neal strode towards their table, Golden shot a look at the thieves on one side of the table, they all moved down so there were two seats empty.
"Please, sit down. I don't want to have to let her make you," Nathan offered before things got too violent. "It's nice to see you again Neal."
"Same to you Nathan, Golden," she grunted a response as she sat down again.
"Thank you, Nathan. I hope the pair of you are well," Neal replied as the noise built up again.
"Do we have a good reason to not be well?" Golden questioned.
"Uh -huh. I can see that you're in a fantastic mood today," Neal muttered under his breath. Kel elbowed him in the ribs lightly.
"Ok, small talk over. What have you really come to us for? We know this isn't a social call," Nathan's voice was soft.
"We were just checking to make sure that there were no evil elimination plots floating around. Are there?" Neal looked from Golden to the Rogue.
"It'll cost you. There are usually always plots around. It just depends on who are the targets."
"Are there any against anyone that we would need to know about? Royals? Nobles? Anyone?" Neal asked, his green eyes anxious.
"I don't know. We have our best informants at the ready at all times, they constantly have their ears open. If the words 'assassination', 'assassin' and anyone of any importance appear in the same conversation, our people know about it. And we haven't heard anything about anyone important at all since the last time you asked," Golden replied so only the other three could hear.
"That all? Nothing?" Kel inquired for the first time.
Golden looked at Kel. Really looked at her. Her hair was almost the same shade as Golden's, cropped below her earlobes. Kel's eyes were a dreamers hazel that could freeze to a cold stone. She had broad shoulders and muscles that flexed under her clothes as she moved. Looking at her hands, Golden realised Kel's were as scared as her own were.
"No, sorry. If there was we'd let you know, we know how to reach you," Nathan replied with a sigh.
"Now, are you going to pay up, or what?" Golden chirped, a slow grin worked its way over her face.
"Fine, fine. How many for today?" Neal asked with a sigh.
"Since we couldn't really give you anything useful, just one each," Nathan put in.
Neal rummaged around in his pockets for a moment before he pulled out a short throwing knife -with a gold wire wrapped around the hilt- and a small vile of clear liquid.
Golden whistled under her breath, "Nice choice, Neal. Great quality, perfect balance *and* you got it with my trademark," she turned the knife over in her hands, her eyes lite up. "How much did you pay for this little beauty?"
"A gold noble," Neal smirked as he saw Golden and Nathan falter.
"How in gods name did you get it so cheap?" Nathan demanded.
"I just called in a favour."
"I don't want to know how you got indebted like that. A knife like that -without the wire- would cost fifty gold nobles easy," Golden commented, shaking her head.
Neal smiled evilly at them.
"Oh, Nathan, you know when you get so drunk, pass out and wake up with a headache you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy? This-" Neal pointed to the small vile "- is for those times. Put three drops of it into your tea and it should clear up."
Nathan grinned wolfishly. "He doesn't mean you can get drunk all the time, mister," Golden snapped, elbowing him in the ribs.
"Hey! Aren't you supposed to be on my side?"
"No. I'm on no- ones side. Don't pout like that," Golden replied picking up her tankard, without looking at him.
Kel and Neal exchanged quizzical glances. 'What was that about?' they both thought. Neal stood with a groan, "Well, we best going. If you hear anything, you'll pass it on?"
"Of course," Golden replied. Neal grinned down at her, he took the tankard from where it was in her hands and drained it, his eyes never leaving hers.
Kel and Neal left the inn followed by the white dog.
"What was *that* about?" Nathan asked her in a whisper.
"I don't really know," she replied. Complete And Utter Lie.
~*~*~*
Outside the inn Neal and Kel mounted their horses once more.
"Why do you go to them for information? Why not ask the palace spies?" Kel wondered aloud.
"Their information is usually right and do you think the palace spies would tell us simple knights *anything*?" Neal replied.
Kel cringed, "Point taken. What happened between you and that Golden person back there?"
"She tells them all that she has 'a talent with knives', but it is a lot more powerful than she choses to let on," Neal sighed.
"You think she has the Gift? But with knives?"
"I'm not entirely certain. I'll see if Alanna and George know anything about her having magic," Neal shook his head in exasperation.
"What position does she have at the Rogue?" Kel asked.
Neal blinked his green eyes as a thought just entered his head. "Which of Nathan's sides was she sitting on?"
"His right I think."
"His right!?" Neal yelped. "She's his Right Hand Thief? That is one of the greatest honours a thief can have! Wow, she really has advanced."
"What do you mean by 'advanced'?"
"Well, Golden started off here about six years ago, then she was just a little girl with a couple of dozen knives to her name. She knew how to use them too, she just wandered in there. She strode straight up to Nathan, he wasn't the Rogue then- only a young thief, put a hand on his shoulder exchanged a few words then sat down next to him. I think they knew each other from somewhere else because he never questioned her about anything of her past, he seemed to know it all already," Neal replied, smiling at the memories.
"How did you know all that?"
"I was there -with Alanna- that night. I don't know how or why, but as soon as she walked in the whole atmosphere changed somewhat. She made one of the biggest differences to a place like that in such a short time." Neal knew he wouldn't forget that night in a while.
"Is it just me, or does she seem to act a bit more like a noble than a commoner?" Kel's question interrupted his thoughts.
He thought about it for a moment. He bit his lip a little. "You won't tell anyone? Promise?"
"Course not. Why?" Kel asked, interest running through her veins.
"Golden does act like it at times at times. She hides it well, but a few people can actually tell. I'm surprised you noticed. The truth is: Golden *is* noble born."
~*~*~*
**Author hiding behind her computer chair** Did you like it? Huh? Huh?
Well if you did could you leave a review for me? I would really like that! You get a cookie if you review!
Thank you.
Galux Phoenix.
P.S. The button you want to push is down there! V.
I'm writing a prologue for this story, so you might like to read that fic too. If you don't you might get a little confused, but I'll try my best to explain everything in this story too! Thank you for reading! R\R!!!
And thanks to the people who reviewed the first chapter! You guys all get a cookie! **Starts handing out cookies.**
QUEEN OF KNIVES.
CHAPTER 2: Information.
Galux Phoenix.
Most members of the Rogue had gotten over the shock of having Golden as the Right Hand Thief. A few might always oppose it, but then answer to a few knives and daggers on which the hilt was decorated with a strip of gold wire- Golden's personal trademark.
She knew there were a couple of horses approaching the inn. Golden wondered often wondered why she was always the first to know if people came to the inn. Their sounds faded as the horses were led into the stables.
Nathan looked up from the gold he was counting, he saw the wary looked on his friends face. "How many?" he asked softly, knowing that look all to well.
"Two, or three, at most," she replied her eyes not leaving the door.
A few voices drifted in from outside. The inn door pushed open. In the doorway stood two nobles and a dog that looked like it had seen a few to many battles, not to mention a handful of sparrows.
Golden got to her feet, a knife in each hand. Her gold eyes narrowed at the male of the pair. "What do you want with us this time? *More* information?" she called to him.
Neal smiled at her, "Golden, Golden, Golden, is that the way you great *all* your old friends?"
"It is if the 'friend' could have me arrested in the blink of an eye," she snapped back, anger and annoyance built up in her veins. "Why are you here?"
"I wanted to introduce you all to my friend. Golden, Kel; Kel, Golden." Neal strode towards their table, Golden shot a look at the thieves on one side of the table, they all moved down so there were two seats empty.
"Please, sit down. I don't want to have to let her make you," Nathan offered before things got too violent. "It's nice to see you again Neal."
"Same to you Nathan, Golden," she grunted a response as she sat down again.
"Thank you, Nathan. I hope the pair of you are well," Neal replied as the noise built up again.
"Do we have a good reason to not be well?" Golden questioned.
"Uh -huh. I can see that you're in a fantastic mood today," Neal muttered under his breath. Kel elbowed him in the ribs lightly.
"Ok, small talk over. What have you really come to us for? We know this isn't a social call," Nathan's voice was soft.
"We were just checking to make sure that there were no evil elimination plots floating around. Are there?" Neal looked from Golden to the Rogue.
"It'll cost you. There are usually always plots around. It just depends on who are the targets."
"Are there any against anyone that we would need to know about? Royals? Nobles? Anyone?" Neal asked, his green eyes anxious.
"I don't know. We have our best informants at the ready at all times, they constantly have their ears open. If the words 'assassination', 'assassin' and anyone of any importance appear in the same conversation, our people know about it. And we haven't heard anything about anyone important at all since the last time you asked," Golden replied so only the other three could hear.
"That all? Nothing?" Kel inquired for the first time.
Golden looked at Kel. Really looked at her. Her hair was almost the same shade as Golden's, cropped below her earlobes. Kel's eyes were a dreamers hazel that could freeze to a cold stone. She had broad shoulders and muscles that flexed under her clothes as she moved. Looking at her hands, Golden realised Kel's were as scared as her own were.
"No, sorry. If there was we'd let you know, we know how to reach you," Nathan replied with a sigh.
"Now, are you going to pay up, or what?" Golden chirped, a slow grin worked its way over her face.
"Fine, fine. How many for today?" Neal asked with a sigh.
"Since we couldn't really give you anything useful, just one each," Nathan put in.
Neal rummaged around in his pockets for a moment before he pulled out a short throwing knife -with a gold wire wrapped around the hilt- and a small vile of clear liquid.
Golden whistled under her breath, "Nice choice, Neal. Great quality, perfect balance *and* you got it with my trademark," she turned the knife over in her hands, her eyes lite up. "How much did you pay for this little beauty?"
"A gold noble," Neal smirked as he saw Golden and Nathan falter.
"How in gods name did you get it so cheap?" Nathan demanded.
"I just called in a favour."
"I don't want to know how you got indebted like that. A knife like that -without the wire- would cost fifty gold nobles easy," Golden commented, shaking her head.
Neal smiled evilly at them.
"Oh, Nathan, you know when you get so drunk, pass out and wake up with a headache you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy? This-" Neal pointed to the small vile "- is for those times. Put three drops of it into your tea and it should clear up."
Nathan grinned wolfishly. "He doesn't mean you can get drunk all the time, mister," Golden snapped, elbowing him in the ribs.
"Hey! Aren't you supposed to be on my side?"
"No. I'm on no- ones side. Don't pout like that," Golden replied picking up her tankard, without looking at him.
Kel and Neal exchanged quizzical glances. 'What was that about?' they both thought. Neal stood with a groan, "Well, we best going. If you hear anything, you'll pass it on?"
"Of course," Golden replied. Neal grinned down at her, he took the tankard from where it was in her hands and drained it, his eyes never leaving hers.
Kel and Neal left the inn followed by the white dog.
"What was *that* about?" Nathan asked her in a whisper.
"I don't really know," she replied. Complete And Utter Lie.
~*~*~*
Outside the inn Neal and Kel mounted their horses once more.
"Why do you go to them for information? Why not ask the palace spies?" Kel wondered aloud.
"Their information is usually right and do you think the palace spies would tell us simple knights *anything*?" Neal replied.
Kel cringed, "Point taken. What happened between you and that Golden person back there?"
"She tells them all that she has 'a talent with knives', but it is a lot more powerful than she choses to let on," Neal sighed.
"You think she has the Gift? But with knives?"
"I'm not entirely certain. I'll see if Alanna and George know anything about her having magic," Neal shook his head in exasperation.
"What position does she have at the Rogue?" Kel asked.
Neal blinked his green eyes as a thought just entered his head. "Which of Nathan's sides was she sitting on?"
"His right I think."
"His right!?" Neal yelped. "She's his Right Hand Thief? That is one of the greatest honours a thief can have! Wow, she really has advanced."
"What do you mean by 'advanced'?"
"Well, Golden started off here about six years ago, then she was just a little girl with a couple of dozen knives to her name. She knew how to use them too, she just wandered in there. She strode straight up to Nathan, he wasn't the Rogue then- only a young thief, put a hand on his shoulder exchanged a few words then sat down next to him. I think they knew each other from somewhere else because he never questioned her about anything of her past, he seemed to know it all already," Neal replied, smiling at the memories.
"How did you know all that?"
"I was there -with Alanna- that night. I don't know how or why, but as soon as she walked in the whole atmosphere changed somewhat. She made one of the biggest differences to a place like that in such a short time." Neal knew he wouldn't forget that night in a while.
"Is it just me, or does she seem to act a bit more like a noble than a commoner?" Kel's question interrupted his thoughts.
He thought about it for a moment. He bit his lip a little. "You won't tell anyone? Promise?"
"Course not. Why?" Kel asked, interest running through her veins.
"Golden does act like it at times at times. She hides it well, but a few people can actually tell. I'm surprised you noticed. The truth is: Golden *is* noble born."
~*~*~*
**Author hiding behind her computer chair** Did you like it? Huh? Huh?
Well if you did could you leave a review for me? I would really like that! You get a cookie if you review!
Thank you.
Galux Phoenix.
P.S. The button you want to push is down there! V.