Tale 3. Ryoo

The boy's white-haired head nudged against my arm as he slept. Ryoo…

I was walking along when suddenly I tripped. I turned around and there was a body in the middle of the road. The body of a little boy. Was he dead? He sat up... so he wasn't. "Huh?" he asked.

"What exactly are you doing just lying there, guttersnipe?" I asked, "Your going to get killed."

"I-I'm sorry," he said and tried to stand but couldn't and fell as soon as he got up.

I wasn't exactly in a good mood that night so I decided to put him out of his misery. I pulled out a knife.

The boy screamed. I raised the knife, but at that moment for a split second our eyes met and I saw something familiar in them. I dropped the knife. "No.." I whispered. It looked impossible but I saw my own eyes in his face. In fact, more than his eyes were like me. His built, his mane of messy silver hair... He looked just like I did the day my village was destroyed.

He was Ryoo, an orphan. That day I had taken him back with me after I had given him something to eat and wear. I couldn't say I treated him like my son. Far be from it! I did treat him different than the other thieves, though. I treated him like a slave… but not some slave one just kicked around. I treated him like a favored one like my pet. Maadrath looked down on my showing affection to someone worthless. He wasn't perfectly worthless though… Because, in exchange for my taking care of him, he promised he would protect me. If something ever happened and we couldn't get away. He would let me get away while the guards chased him. He could do that because of our similar appearances. I wasn't too worried, though, he had the things about him that were different than me as well. As soon as the guards caught up to him and realized he was just some boy, they probably wouldn't kill him.

Some other day, some other time Maadrath's POV

"Maadrath-san!" Ryoo tugged at my belt.

"Huh?" I turned around. Oh, Nahkti's little brat! "What do you want Ryoo?"

"Well, since you guys are making another new plan, maybe I could help!"

"You help? You're just a kid!" I said. "Go bug Nahkti!"

"But he's planning too! Can I just watch?"

"Fine, whatever, but don't get in the way," I mumbled and kept on walking.

The other thieves were working on a plan to get into a building.

"Hmm…" Ryoo said. "How 'bout this? I could slip in and let you guys in!"

"I told you to not get in the way!" I growled at Ryoo.

"No! He's got a point!" Nahkti replied, "Since he's little and skinny, he could easily slip in through that hole there instead of us having to destroy more of the wall."

Ryoo smiled triumphantly and I glared at him. Ever since the twerp came Nahkti had given him more attention than me. I was the one who deserved it more! Nahkti's childishness was going to get him in trouble someday. Living with him, I not only discovered he acted like a man, he acted like some little boy at times too. He'd probably be dead by now without me. We went around flashing his jewelry and powers. I'm surprised the palace guards haven't caught him yet.

Nahkti Normal POV

We reached the noble's home. I wondered what was up with Maadrath. Ryoo's plan was perfectly good! I heard a thunking.

"Maadrath! What are you doing?" I asked, "I thought we were going to have Ryoo get in!"

"Huh?" She asked, faking confusion, "That's right."

Just then I heard barking. "Set take you! Maadrath!"

"Ryoo, hurry!"

Ryoo ducked into the hole and quickly let the others in.

"Maadrath, what's wrong with you?" I asked, irritated, "You just gave us away!"

"Feh! I just couldn't trust that little brat!"

We ducked just as a spear shot over our heads. We started running.

"Are you jealous of Ryoo?" I asked. Was that it?

"Yeah, finally got it through that dense head of yours!"

I stopped. "Maadrath, why? I still care about you but… it like this. You're the one I talk about the serious stuff with and Ryoo's my stress-reliever. You can't be jealous of him!"

"You don't understand us women. If you neglect me I feel it deep. I thought you favored him over me!"

"Never, Maadrath! You are my queen; my right hand! But I'm warning you! Do something foolish like that again and your in trouble!"

"Oh, alright!" She muttered and we scattered.

Back at the hideout things weren't so good. The attack had been unprepared for and many of the thieves were wounded. Maadrath was tending to Karia.

"Nahkti-sama…" Ryoo whispered behind me.

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry I screwed up. It's my fault Maadrath's so mad. She thinks you don't like her anymore."

"Yes, Ryoo-chan, I know. She told me. Don't worry, she knows I still like her."

Ryoo smiled.

Later Ryoo POV

"Maadrath-sama?" I asked. Pushing the door to the 5th abandoned hut I'd tried. Maadrath was there.

"What do you want, Nahkti's," She muttered.

"It's okay, Nahkti forgives you!" I told her, "He still likes you! Here," I handed her a wristband I had pulled off a guard. "Take this, queen of thieves!"

She smiled wryly at me: a thank for the gift. "You've got spunk, brat, a little too much. Now go be a good boy and keep Nahkti happy! He'll need it!"