"I see him now amongst so many. He will succeed where all others have failed. He will take me, and I will destroy him. Such is my way, such has always been my way. None but the gods can own me. I see all, I know all, and I am all. He will succeed and he will die."

He and his men drew no attention, they couldn't afford to. Dressed in hooded cloaks they moved through the marketplace like specters. Specters of the most deadly kind. Knives and long curved swords hung wickedly at their waists. What seemed like everyday street wear to those they passed. The city of Amnistad no longer slept peacefully, too much unrest and death muffled between it's stone walls. Smothering it's peoples cries in a cold hard hold. You could see the fear in the eyes of the peasants and even in the eyes of the guards. Something had happened recently to frighten the people, something of importance.

Hardly a merchant blinked one richly painted eye at them as they raised their voice in sale of ridiculously over priced goods. Dressed in only the finest colors, lesser gems sparkling on their fingers. Their robes made of the best wool money could buy. Silk was only a commodity worn by the king in those days. Next to them stood large men armed to the teeth with daggers, knives and other magical charms. The color of their skin showed they were of the dessert people taken to use as body guards for the more powerful or perhaps the more un-liked merchants. Remembering to keep a wide berth between them, a signal and his men were following him into a shady part of the market. Into an alcove that led down into the palace courtyard where the nobles of the city waited to haggle with merchants for the better goods. And where some waited to pay court to the king.

He had chosen eight of his best and most trusted people for this undertaking. Nothing could go wrong from here on out. Now they would have to trust to the power of the gypsy's magic spells and potions to get them to the Seer without being noticed. But oh how he hated depending on the power of spells and trickery. All out war fare was much more to his taste. It was much more honorable then sneaking up on your enemy unseen with a long knife. Magic, pah! Once he had what belonged to him he would have no use for it again. When he sat on the throne he could ban it from his country. What use would he have for something that could be used against him so effectively? He would not be so stupid as to have his throne stolen from him as his ancestors were.

One by one his people slipped in. Each inclined their head slightly to him in respect before removing their hoods. They were each young, most only in their sixteenth or seventeenth year. Which he had chosen specifically for this undertaking. Merchants and guards are much more likely to respond to the face of a young teen then they were to the hardened face of an adult. The young were thought to be foolish and of not much consequence then to warm a soldiers bed, or run errands for a merchant for very little money. The nobles especially coveted beauty. Many were swine who would not think twice of rolling with the dogs in the dirt one day then accusing them of theft the next.

An almost imperceptible nod from him had them slinking off into the crowd. Some went back the way they had come, headed to the soldiers barracks. Others mingled with the crowd raising their voices to haggle with the merchants. A strategic bump, a flirtatious smile and still others hung on the arms of young nobles. From them he would learn all he needed to know of palace life, the people and the angry mutinous thoughts of soldiers to long forced to stand guard wearing armor in the hot sun. Image cost men more then fame and money. A soldier had collapsed on the gate as they had approached. The heat did funny things to a man wearing full battle armor. It would work to their advantage, would work to his advantage. All that was needed was the right incentive. It had always amazed him how easy it was to spark a riot. The people the soldiers it would all play out nicely.

"Oh yes of course the king has his own treasure. Heaps and heaps of it, I've seen it myself, touched it even. I'm a great favorite of his majesty." A young noble announced loudly to the young woman on his arm. He was not very handsome by noble standards. His face was just a bit to plain and his nose took up more then half of it. When he smiled a gap in between his front teeth became apparent even through no lack of trying to hide it on his part. He was quite fat and he seemed to dwarf the lady hanging onto his arm. And yet one could not help but feel sorry for him when he gazed at her so flushed and excited. He obviously did not get much attention from pretty young girls. "But they say more then gold and rubies lies hidden in his stronghold."

"Oh my! But, what else could be more valuable then gold and rubies I wonder?" She breathed in excitement gripping his arm tighter and flirtatiously leaning against him so he could feel the press of her breast against the side of his stomach.

"Ah yes." He nodded in no doubt what he must have thought of as a sagely manner even through his blush and obvious arousal. "Of course you know I must mean his greatest treasure of all."

"I beg your pardon my lord but I do not understand." She demurred eyes downcast and fiddling with his sleeve in what must have seemed a very becoming manner.

"Dearest lady can it be you have not heard of the kings Seer?"

"Forgive me sir but I have only heard rumors, do you mean they are true?" She whispered turning her face up to meet his and widening her eyes just the right amount to seem young and naive. Twisting her finger through her hair and biting her lip in what looked like an unconscious nervous gesture she appraised him with her dark some what enchanting eyes.

"Dea-dear lady I tell you this under the strictest confidence." He stuttered fingers reaching to touch the fabric of her embroidered sarong. "The rumor of the kings Seer is true, I have seen it with mine own two eyes. He is kept in a room on the ground floor where he is heavily guarded. And when the king holds court he stands behind an embroidered screen with the woman and advises his majesty in all things."

"A room on the ground floor you say? Why surely it is next to the soldiers barracks to insure he is always watched?" She half questioned half demanded acutely aware of the young nobles wandering hands as he pawed at her body.

"Oh no he is kept in the room farthest from next to the bath house." He answered breath husky as he leaned down to nuzzle her neck unaware even as she led him superstitiously back towards the poorer section of town where no one would hear him scream, or care for that matter.

The young man had not meant to give away that much. And he surely would be alarmed were he in his right state of mind, but this particular girl had an odd way of enchanting those about her. It was said she was half gypsy herself. In any case she had helped him to learn something valuable and her service would not go unrewarded. Yet for now the halfling would have to wait. Gathering his cloak tighter about himself he stole silently along the perimeter of the stone court yard. On one side it opened up into a sort of open dining hall. Long sets of tables went from one side of the are to a set of steps that lead to a raised platform on which sat a smaller table. No doubt meant for the king and his generals when toasting to the success of a battle.

He knew as any half sane man would that he could not simply move through the group of nobles and merchants right up the steps and into the palace. No another more likely way of entrance would be threw the servants quarters. Scanning the area quickly his eyes found the door. It was small and for all intensive purposes looked to merely be another part of the wall. He could only just barely make out the slight hairline fractures in it. And the shallow indentation that appeared to be where you pushed in to move it.

Moving as stealthy as possible and sticking to the shadows he made his way to it. This, this was what he lived for. The sudden rush of adrenalin that came with an adventure of this kind. He would need to be fast, quick as lightning to get in and get out. Nothing could go wrong, he had made no room for mistakes in his calculation. He would return to his men triumphantly pushing the Seer in front of him. His father would admit he had been foolish to leave such a prize. And they would regain their kingdom and their former glory, he foresaw it in his mind.

One might have wondered how it was the Seer did not see of his coming and warn the king sufficiently ahead of time to be wary. One also might have wondered why the young prince had not really taken this into account. But he had not and in the end it might very well be his down fall.

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A.N. - Okay I know that's not a lot but it's all I have for right now. Ya see I have this nasty habbit of getting an idea for a story and not planing it out. I'll get a few chapters in and realize I don't know what I'm writing about. So I'm going to be doing some major planning. And when I have it all down I'll put the next chapter out.