I know I leave the chapters off at really annoying cliff- hangers. Don't
kill me for it, ok. My mum always said to leave it on a high so more people
will want to know what happens next.
With the whole prologue thing -o, I'll post it when I finish this story. That way I can concentrate on this one for the mean time.
Please review! And yes Youa, you get a cookie!!! So does everyone else who reviews this fic!!
Things you probably should remember: **blah blah** that's parts a dream and *blah* are in italics, they just don't show up in my fics.
QUEEN OF KNIVES.
CHAPTER 3: title
Galux Phoenix.
A noble. One of the most trusted thieves of the Court of the Rogue was a noble. Why would a noble want to give up a title and lands to become a thief? Kel knew that she wouldn't give up being a noble to become something so low and dishonourable. So why did Golden give it up?
"Do you know her birth name?" Kel asked as she and Neal put their horses in the palace stables.
"No. I think only she and Nathan know it. She hasn't been addressed as anything else apart from Golden within my company."
"Would we know anyone who might know?"
"Why are you so interested in Golden?" Neal asked Kel.
Kel thought about it for moment. "There is something strange about her. It's like she knows something no-one else does."
"I think I know what you mean," Neal muttered under his breath.
~*~*~*
**She threw a knife at a target that hang on her wall. It buried itself in the centre of the black circle at the target's middle.
"Perfect shot, Alex." A man leaned against the wall to her left. His voice was deep and clear. The man's hair was only an inch long, but was the same shade of brown as hers was. His eyes were a piercing blue.
"Thanks Leo. I know how sparing you are with praise. I was thinking, most good thieves and people like that have a thief name, right? Well, I was trying to think of one for myself, but I'm stuck for ideas. Do you have any?" Alex asked as she retrieved her knife from the target.
Leo looked at her for a little while, his eyes searched for an idea. Alex looked at him expectantly. Blue eyes met gold ones. "That's it! Your eyes!" he exclaimed.
"Huh?"
"Golden. The colour of your eyes. You could be called Golden. No -one would know it was the lovely noble, Lady Alexandria of Kenton. You've got the name, skill and weapons, but you still need a trademark," Leo told her.
"You mean trademark like the lion you leave after a crime?" she toyed with the fine gold chain - that bore her family crest- at her throat and the knife still in her hand.
"Exactly like that."
An idea hit her like a hammer. "I know!" she exclaimed.
She sat down on a chair that was next to the small, well used table. Alex put the knife on the table, she took off the gold chain and laid it next to the knife. Her gold eyes scanned over every inch of her knife until she found the small hook at the base of the hilt - right where the blade and hilt met- she opened the small clasp on the chain and threaded it through the hook before closing it.
Alex wrapped the chain around the knife hilt all the way to the top, where she anchored the end of it. The chain was a gold streak winding its way up the knife hilt.
"Very nice," Leo murmured. Alex spun and it a quick and fluent movement launched the knife at the target. It embedded itself a inch below where it should have.
"I need something lighter than this. What's gold but doesn't weigh as much as a chain does?"
"It is possible that you could use gold wire instead. It doesn't cost as much in the first place, and it can be easily custom made for you. Now, when do you leave this dump of a convent?" Leo asked, changing the subject smoothly.
"Whenever I can find the opportunity to do so. I need a time when most of the old bags are busy," Alex pondered out loud.
"Don't they do some weird religious thing on the night of the full moon?" Leo asked cunningly.
"Of course! But they lock all the doors in case someone tries to get in. but they lock the door from the inside . . . ." she trailed off.**
Golden woke with a start. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she was breathing fast. She was in her room at the Dancing Dove. Leo wasn't anywhere there, and nor should he be.
She remembered the conversation she had with Leo, her teacher, that night. She couldn't possibly forget it, even if she wanted to.
"Just a memory," she whispered to her empty room. *But*, she sat there and thought, *whenever I have that dream, someone tries to kill him-*
"Oh crap." She jumped out of bed not caring what she was wearing- just her nightshirt- and ran straight to Nathan's room.
"Nathan! Nath!" she yelled as she tried to knock his door down.
"What in gods name is it Golden?" Nathan question as he opened his door.
"I think Leo's in trouble. And lots of it," she fidgeted with the hem on one of her nightshirts sleaves.
"You sure?"
"Uh- huh. I have to get to him quickly. I'm going to take Dodger. I can't wait any longer. You know where I'll be." She turned and ran back to her room.
She put on all of the sheaths that she could and placed in each one of her trademarked knives. She pulled on a pair of breeches, a shirt and her boots.
"Time to move."
~*~*~*
Leo was thrown against a wall. He grunted in pain. A trickle of blood ran down his face from a small cut on his cheek.
"Why are you doing this to me?" his voice was steady despite his pain.
"Because I was paid to. My employer has a very high price for your head," Leo's attacker sneered at him.
"How much do you recon he would pay me if I brought him your head instead?" Leo asked cheerfully. He climbed to his feet slowly.
"That will never happen!" the other man snapped. He was skinny, weedy, and looked as if he was any skinnier he would be non-existent. His hair was a mess of dirty blonde and really needed a wash.
"Do you know why I'm called Leo?" Leo asked, his voice cold with hate and fury.
"Because you thought it sound good?"
"No. There once was a legend that spoke of an animal the ruled over all others; The Lion. He was fast, strong, silent, fierce, and no other animals would dare challenge him.
"He ruled over his land with an iron paw. And when he died he would pass the lands on his oldest son. Such a pity that the last lions died so long ago. Now, they are little more than legends," Leo informed the other man.
"A old friend of mine told me that the Yamani word for lion was 'leo'. That was all he ever called me after that. And I became Leo. One of the greatest thieves around. Has anyone ever told you how any times I've been caught?"
"No. how many time then?" the other man was getting annoyed at his target.
"Once, and that was because I was young and stupid. Now, do want to try and complete your job?"
"Yes. I'm sure your head would look great mounted on a wall."
"Want to bet on that?"
~*~*~*
Dodger was a fine black mare. Known for her speed and fast reflexes. Golden urged her horse on softly. "Come on, girl. You can do this. Only a little further."
She was riding to the very outskirts of Corus. To her teacher. Her friend. To one of the few people she really did care about.
"Hang on, Leo. I'm on my way." She urged the mare into a faster speed.
After a few minutes she slowed, then stopped Dodger outside an inn. The inn itself wasn't as big, nice or well kept as the Dancing Dove was. She dismounted handed her horse over to an stable -hand before dashing inside.
She raced up the stairs, taking them two at a time until she reached the second floor. Golden ran down the hallway until she came to the very last door. She fiddled with the handle for a moment before swearing when she found it locked. She shoved the door with her shoulder; it did no good.
Getting angry at the door she took a few steps back, then kicked the door with all her might, right next to the handle. The door shuddered a bit but didn't open. Angry burned off her skin as she kicked it again, this time the door slammed open.
Looking inside the room she saw an upturned table and other various items scattered across the room like someone had just thrown them there.
Leo was standing only a few feet away from the door, in his hands were two knives, both of quiet fine quality. A few metres in front of him was another man. This one was scrawnier than Leo, unlike Leo he held a medium axe in both hands.
"So glad you came, Golden. I was beginning to think you wouldn't," Leo said, his voice calm.
"Sorry I'm late, I got held up a bit. Need any help?" Golden replied just as calm.
"Nah, I think I can handle this one on my one. What kind of thief would I be if I couldn't?"
"A really, really bad one?"
"Exactly. Now I have something to finish," he turned back to his attacker.
"Huh?" the other man asked realising he was being spoken to.
"I said I wanted to finish this now." Leo relied bluntly.
Leo lunged at his opponent. Forcing the other man to defend as he slashed at his exposed arms. Leo skipped back so he was just out of range. Droplets of blood dripped onto the floor. The other man leaped at Leo, chopping down with the axe wildly. Leo jumped to the side and turned so that he face side on the his opponents arms.
With the hilt of his knife he hit the other man square in the forehead, knocking him out cold for a few hours. Leo pushed him onto his back and took the axe off him. After checking to make sure that he was completely unarmed, Leo stood with a groan.
"You ok?" Golden asked, her eyes filled with worry.
"I'm fine. Did you have the dream again?" Leo put a hand on her shoulder.
"Yes. I better get all your cuts cleaned. Sit," she ordered him before collecting some hot water and a cloth.
She pulled a chair up to where he was sitting. Golden dipped the cloth into the water before dabbing it against his cuts and wounds.
"I still wonder how you manage to get yourself into positions like this, Leo, care to explain?" she asked mildly.
"I was reading a book in bed and he came through the window in here. I heard a noise from out here so I ventured out here and he though me at the wall."
"That gotta hurt," she winced in sympathy.
"It did," his voice was dry as autumn leaves. "He nicked me a bit," Leo gestured to the cut on his cheek. "I involved him in pleasant conversation- "
"As pleasant as you can get when he's trying to kill you," She remarked.
He glared at her. "I was halfway through the conversation when you burst in, thank you. I don't need my student's help, I hope you realise."
"Oh, you *really* need it now." Both knife experts looked at Leo's attacker as he struggled to his feet. The scrawny man looked around until he saw his axe on the table a few metres away. He leaped at it. Not fast enough. Two knives had been buried in his chest. Both of them had been decorated with a strip of gold wire.
"Nice shot," Leo commented.
"Thanks," Golden drawled, her voice dry.
"No problem. Anyway, I wanted to know who he was working for, but he never got a chance to answer," he gestured to the corpse laying on his floor.
"Bummer." {AN: do they even use 'bummer' in times like this? '~' I'm not sure '~'. Can anyone tell me if they do?}
"I want you to come back to the Dove with me. I don't want anyone else coming after you," she said, her eyes concerned.
"Why should I? I'm older than you, I don't need you as my body-guard."
"Because you're the only family I have left, Leo, I don't want to lose you as well."
"Fine. But I want my own room," he smiled at her.
She grinned back. "Ok. While you're there, don't do anything to stupid."
"Is that what you expect me to do? Something stupid?" he mock glared at her.
Golden's grin widened. "Honestly?"
~*~*~*
did you like that chappie? This time I didn't leave it on a cliffie! Please review!
And Julia if you're reading, HI!!!
GalPhoe.
Please review!!!
With the whole prologue thing -o, I'll post it when I finish this story. That way I can concentrate on this one for the mean time.
Please review! And yes Youa, you get a cookie!!! So does everyone else who reviews this fic!!
Things you probably should remember: **blah blah** that's parts a dream and *blah* are in italics, they just don't show up in my fics.
QUEEN OF KNIVES.
CHAPTER 3: title
Galux Phoenix.
A noble. One of the most trusted thieves of the Court of the Rogue was a noble. Why would a noble want to give up a title and lands to become a thief? Kel knew that she wouldn't give up being a noble to become something so low and dishonourable. So why did Golden give it up?
"Do you know her birth name?" Kel asked as she and Neal put their horses in the palace stables.
"No. I think only she and Nathan know it. She hasn't been addressed as anything else apart from Golden within my company."
"Would we know anyone who might know?"
"Why are you so interested in Golden?" Neal asked Kel.
Kel thought about it for moment. "There is something strange about her. It's like she knows something no-one else does."
"I think I know what you mean," Neal muttered under his breath.
~*~*~*
**She threw a knife at a target that hang on her wall. It buried itself in the centre of the black circle at the target's middle.
"Perfect shot, Alex." A man leaned against the wall to her left. His voice was deep and clear. The man's hair was only an inch long, but was the same shade of brown as hers was. His eyes were a piercing blue.
"Thanks Leo. I know how sparing you are with praise. I was thinking, most good thieves and people like that have a thief name, right? Well, I was trying to think of one for myself, but I'm stuck for ideas. Do you have any?" Alex asked as she retrieved her knife from the target.
Leo looked at her for a little while, his eyes searched for an idea. Alex looked at him expectantly. Blue eyes met gold ones. "That's it! Your eyes!" he exclaimed.
"Huh?"
"Golden. The colour of your eyes. You could be called Golden. No -one would know it was the lovely noble, Lady Alexandria of Kenton. You've got the name, skill and weapons, but you still need a trademark," Leo told her.
"You mean trademark like the lion you leave after a crime?" she toyed with the fine gold chain - that bore her family crest- at her throat and the knife still in her hand.
"Exactly like that."
An idea hit her like a hammer. "I know!" she exclaimed.
She sat down on a chair that was next to the small, well used table. Alex put the knife on the table, she took off the gold chain and laid it next to the knife. Her gold eyes scanned over every inch of her knife until she found the small hook at the base of the hilt - right where the blade and hilt met- she opened the small clasp on the chain and threaded it through the hook before closing it.
Alex wrapped the chain around the knife hilt all the way to the top, where she anchored the end of it. The chain was a gold streak winding its way up the knife hilt.
"Very nice," Leo murmured. Alex spun and it a quick and fluent movement launched the knife at the target. It embedded itself a inch below where it should have.
"I need something lighter than this. What's gold but doesn't weigh as much as a chain does?"
"It is possible that you could use gold wire instead. It doesn't cost as much in the first place, and it can be easily custom made for you. Now, when do you leave this dump of a convent?" Leo asked, changing the subject smoothly.
"Whenever I can find the opportunity to do so. I need a time when most of the old bags are busy," Alex pondered out loud.
"Don't they do some weird religious thing on the night of the full moon?" Leo asked cunningly.
"Of course! But they lock all the doors in case someone tries to get in. but they lock the door from the inside . . . ." she trailed off.**
Golden woke with a start. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she was breathing fast. She was in her room at the Dancing Dove. Leo wasn't anywhere there, and nor should he be.
She remembered the conversation she had with Leo, her teacher, that night. She couldn't possibly forget it, even if she wanted to.
"Just a memory," she whispered to her empty room. *But*, she sat there and thought, *whenever I have that dream, someone tries to kill him-*
"Oh crap." She jumped out of bed not caring what she was wearing- just her nightshirt- and ran straight to Nathan's room.
"Nathan! Nath!" she yelled as she tried to knock his door down.
"What in gods name is it Golden?" Nathan question as he opened his door.
"I think Leo's in trouble. And lots of it," she fidgeted with the hem on one of her nightshirts sleaves.
"You sure?"
"Uh- huh. I have to get to him quickly. I'm going to take Dodger. I can't wait any longer. You know where I'll be." She turned and ran back to her room.
She put on all of the sheaths that she could and placed in each one of her trademarked knives. She pulled on a pair of breeches, a shirt and her boots.
"Time to move."
~*~*~*
Leo was thrown against a wall. He grunted in pain. A trickle of blood ran down his face from a small cut on his cheek.
"Why are you doing this to me?" his voice was steady despite his pain.
"Because I was paid to. My employer has a very high price for your head," Leo's attacker sneered at him.
"How much do you recon he would pay me if I brought him your head instead?" Leo asked cheerfully. He climbed to his feet slowly.
"That will never happen!" the other man snapped. He was skinny, weedy, and looked as if he was any skinnier he would be non-existent. His hair was a mess of dirty blonde and really needed a wash.
"Do you know why I'm called Leo?" Leo asked, his voice cold with hate and fury.
"Because you thought it sound good?"
"No. There once was a legend that spoke of an animal the ruled over all others; The Lion. He was fast, strong, silent, fierce, and no other animals would dare challenge him.
"He ruled over his land with an iron paw. And when he died he would pass the lands on his oldest son. Such a pity that the last lions died so long ago. Now, they are little more than legends," Leo informed the other man.
"A old friend of mine told me that the Yamani word for lion was 'leo'. That was all he ever called me after that. And I became Leo. One of the greatest thieves around. Has anyone ever told you how any times I've been caught?"
"No. how many time then?" the other man was getting annoyed at his target.
"Once, and that was because I was young and stupid. Now, do want to try and complete your job?"
"Yes. I'm sure your head would look great mounted on a wall."
"Want to bet on that?"
~*~*~*
Dodger was a fine black mare. Known for her speed and fast reflexes. Golden urged her horse on softly. "Come on, girl. You can do this. Only a little further."
She was riding to the very outskirts of Corus. To her teacher. Her friend. To one of the few people she really did care about.
"Hang on, Leo. I'm on my way." She urged the mare into a faster speed.
After a few minutes she slowed, then stopped Dodger outside an inn. The inn itself wasn't as big, nice or well kept as the Dancing Dove was. She dismounted handed her horse over to an stable -hand before dashing inside.
She raced up the stairs, taking them two at a time until she reached the second floor. Golden ran down the hallway until she came to the very last door. She fiddled with the handle for a moment before swearing when she found it locked. She shoved the door with her shoulder; it did no good.
Getting angry at the door she took a few steps back, then kicked the door with all her might, right next to the handle. The door shuddered a bit but didn't open. Angry burned off her skin as she kicked it again, this time the door slammed open.
Looking inside the room she saw an upturned table and other various items scattered across the room like someone had just thrown them there.
Leo was standing only a few feet away from the door, in his hands were two knives, both of quiet fine quality. A few metres in front of him was another man. This one was scrawnier than Leo, unlike Leo he held a medium axe in both hands.
"So glad you came, Golden. I was beginning to think you wouldn't," Leo said, his voice calm.
"Sorry I'm late, I got held up a bit. Need any help?" Golden replied just as calm.
"Nah, I think I can handle this one on my one. What kind of thief would I be if I couldn't?"
"A really, really bad one?"
"Exactly. Now I have something to finish," he turned back to his attacker.
"Huh?" the other man asked realising he was being spoken to.
"I said I wanted to finish this now." Leo relied bluntly.
Leo lunged at his opponent. Forcing the other man to defend as he slashed at his exposed arms. Leo skipped back so he was just out of range. Droplets of blood dripped onto the floor. The other man leaped at Leo, chopping down with the axe wildly. Leo jumped to the side and turned so that he face side on the his opponents arms.
With the hilt of his knife he hit the other man square in the forehead, knocking him out cold for a few hours. Leo pushed him onto his back and took the axe off him. After checking to make sure that he was completely unarmed, Leo stood with a groan.
"You ok?" Golden asked, her eyes filled with worry.
"I'm fine. Did you have the dream again?" Leo put a hand on her shoulder.
"Yes. I better get all your cuts cleaned. Sit," she ordered him before collecting some hot water and a cloth.
She pulled a chair up to where he was sitting. Golden dipped the cloth into the water before dabbing it against his cuts and wounds.
"I still wonder how you manage to get yourself into positions like this, Leo, care to explain?" she asked mildly.
"I was reading a book in bed and he came through the window in here. I heard a noise from out here so I ventured out here and he though me at the wall."
"That gotta hurt," she winced in sympathy.
"It did," his voice was dry as autumn leaves. "He nicked me a bit," Leo gestured to the cut on his cheek. "I involved him in pleasant conversation- "
"As pleasant as you can get when he's trying to kill you," She remarked.
He glared at her. "I was halfway through the conversation when you burst in, thank you. I don't need my student's help, I hope you realise."
"Oh, you *really* need it now." Both knife experts looked at Leo's attacker as he struggled to his feet. The scrawny man looked around until he saw his axe on the table a few metres away. He leaped at it. Not fast enough. Two knives had been buried in his chest. Both of them had been decorated with a strip of gold wire.
"Nice shot," Leo commented.
"Thanks," Golden drawled, her voice dry.
"No problem. Anyway, I wanted to know who he was working for, but he never got a chance to answer," he gestured to the corpse laying on his floor.
"Bummer." {AN: do they even use 'bummer' in times like this? '~' I'm not sure '~'. Can anyone tell me if they do?}
"I want you to come back to the Dove with me. I don't want anyone else coming after you," she said, her eyes concerned.
"Why should I? I'm older than you, I don't need you as my body-guard."
"Because you're the only family I have left, Leo, I don't want to lose you as well."
"Fine. But I want my own room," he smiled at her.
She grinned back. "Ok. While you're there, don't do anything to stupid."
"Is that what you expect me to do? Something stupid?" he mock glared at her.
Golden's grin widened. "Honestly?"
~*~*~*
did you like that chappie? This time I didn't leave it on a cliffie! Please review!
And Julia if you're reading, HI!!!
GalPhoe.
Please review!!!