-1The Love of a Thief….

By:KidHeart4

Disclaimer: I do not own The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, or The King of Attolia. These books belong to Megan Whalen Turner, and are my favorite books in the entire world. The characters belong to her as well. I just wanted to write this as a tribute to her and her wonderful writing; and also as a tribute to her wonderful thief, Eugenidies, and his Queen, Attolia.

Attolia sat in her throne. Wearing her deep green velvet evening gown with a light green collar. With slightly darker leaves on its collar. The sleeves were long and loose in their medieval style. Watching the entertainers practicing for the wedding that would take place in a short time. Her wedding. She frowned for a secant at the thought. Not too long ago, she hadn't thought she would ever be promised to a man no matter what. Yet here she was, preparing to be married to a man she knew she loved. No matter how much she had fought to deny it.

For he had stolen her away, literally, and had seemingly forced her to marry him. Yet she knew deep down that she later accepted his proposal for different reasons than the promise of possible death to her if she didn't marry him.

Since before she had caught him in her own palace she had felt something for him. Since before she had ordered the detachment of his right hand, she had sensed a strange emotion growing within her cold body. An emotion she hadn't been able to name at first. For she had long ago forgotten how to use that feeling or know when it was there.

Now she knew of the love she felt for the Thief of Eddis. The one who had kidnapped her and had requested to become King of Attolia. To steal peace and to steal her heart, even with his one hand.

For so long Attolia had lived inside her palace feeling so alone that she wished to die. Wanting to remove the stone mask of stern and angered feeling. Her concrete mask of strength to protect her throne; so no one would take it from her. Yet she had longed to have something then loneliness to stand at her side when she needed someone to talk to. When she needed to someone to be with her. Though in her fight for her crown, she had forced away any possible chance for passion or emotion.

So how had he possibly been able to steal her heart away? How had he made it possible for her to fall in love with him? Yet not only that, how had he been able to help her to believe it when he told her that he loved her. When he was a thief known well for his lies and conniving plans. However, when ever he spoke those three words, she knew it was nothing but pure truth.

Now Attolia looked out one of the long windows. Reaching from the floor to the very ceiling with long scarlet velvet curtains pulled back. Revealing the setting sun as it went to rest while the moon rose from its day long slumber.

The performers had gone to eat. Though Attolia had refused food for now, claiming she wasn't hungry at that time.

Yet the truth was that she just wanted to be alone to think some more. So she could try to figure out how everything had happened. How he had stolen her away.

She remembered him telling her of how he had once watched her dance in the garden. They had both been children, though he was younger than her. He had told her how he had never seen anything so beautiful and yet so sad in his life. Imagining many others dancing around her when she was truly alone, or so she had thought. For he had been with her, watching her from his tree branch just above her.

Attolia remembered calling it calf love, until he replied that calf love normally didn't survive amputation.

He had also admitted to her that when they had met after his capture with Sounis's Magus, he had thought she was a fiend from Heck, yet he had loved her even before then. He was older than and she was years into being Queen of her country. He had also accused her of being unkind at the time.

Though even through all that had happened, even with the loss of his right hand by her own sentence, he still loved her. He had proven that to her now by saving her from the Mede. By helping her to believe that he cared for her and wouldn't let her end up trapped inside closing stone walls.

With that thought, she allowed a slight smile to come over her while she was alone.

At least she had thought she was alone.

"You look even more beautiful when you actually seem happy," he said from the throne room's entrance.

Attolia had not noticed his arrival. Not a footstep heard or a movement detected from her watchful eye as she sat in her throne still. Until now, for she stood up when he spoke; slightly startled. Her smile vanished as though it had never been.

Though he knew it had been there.

Eugenidies stood with his arms crossed over his chest. Leaning casually against the large stone door frame. His dark hair pulled back mostly, except for some bangs that ran down his face and over his eyes. The clothing he wore was a soft light blue, long sleeved shirt and riding black pants. With soft soled boots on his feet that went to his knees almost. The trim on his shirt was gold and embroidered with black threaded designs.

He then walked towards her slowly. A strange fear always overcame him when he was with her, alone or not. Her very touch sent a tremor through his entire body. Though his love for her never grew as weak as his body did. Perhaps it was just her power over him that he could not escape from, even if he wanted to. He could not steal himself away from her or the love he felt for her deep in his heart.

When Eugenidies was only a few feet from her, he stopped and bowed. Lowering his head in respect as though he weren't equal to her. Even if he was to become King in a few days. Her King.

"Why do you bow Eugenidies when you will soon enough be beside me in this position?" She enquired with a single raised eyebrow.

He smiled sheepishly, "I guess I still haven't gotten quite used to that idea."

Her expression hardened and her eyes darkened as she looked down at him from the steps before her thrown, "It was your own decision to steal me away and then ask to marry me. You have no one to blame but yourself!"

"I know that, I'm not trying to blame anyone," he told her.

Then her gaze on him eased a little. How young he still seemed to her. Especially when he did things like this. To ask to become King without really thinking about it. To put himself in a great deal of trouble only for her or the Queen of Eddis to help him out of it if they could.

What kind of King would he be anyway? One that would bring her people to come demanding for his blood, or so she had been told by the Queen of Eddis. One that her barons greatly disapproved of, yet she ignored them. It was her decision that he would become King. She had chosen who her husband would be, not them. Although they had tried to, even to throw her at the Mede's hands. She scowled at the thought; and Eugenidies didn't need to ask why.

He hated the Mede if not just as much than even more than she did. He would have risked everything to save her from their hands. To watch her be won over by their ruler. He would never let that happen. Now he saved her from that, and she would always be his now; or he would be hers. However way she put it didn't matter to him. All he needed was to know that they loved each other.

Now he finally broke the silence, "You didn't come to dinner?"

"I wasn't hungry."

"Are you now?"

"A little. Have you eaten at all?" She then asked him.

He shook his head, though he didn't tell her that someone had sprinkled sad all throughout his food once again. He just told her that he hadn't been very hungry.

"Then shall we go to eat?" She then enquired.

He nodded as he offered her his arm to escort her. She accepted his gesture, willingly for once.

No one else, but the guards here and there, were awake. Though none seemed to be near where they walked down the halls of the palace.

It wasn't long before Attolia realized that they weren't headed for the dinning hall as she expected. She turned to look at The Thief, yet he only smiled down at her. He wasn't going to tell her. Her expression turned to suspicion as she continued to watch him. Allowing him to lead her to wherever he was bringing her.

Though it wasn't long before she found out.

Eugenidies pulled his arm away carefully to walk ahead of her only for a moment. Pushing open the doors to the outside garden. Bowing as he held the door open for her with his one good hand.

She watched him still as she walked passed him and out to the garden. Her eyes widened when they fell upon what he had put together just for her.

A fairly large blanket of a blue slightly darker than his shirt rested on the ground. Embroidered with beautiful white roses and flowers and golden leaves. Upon it were two plates with covers over them to keep the food on them warm. Candles waited to be lit as they rested safely in holders.

Attolia turned back to Eugenidies, who had by now closed the door without a single sound behind him. Stepping towards her with a smile as he offered her his arm again.

This time she allowed him to see a hint of surprise as she slowly took his arm. Allowing him to bring her to the blanket as he helped her to sit down carefully. So that the slightest thread of her fine dress wouldn't be ruined.

Then he took his place in front of her. While he did, she looked around her. It had been a long time since she had been out in the garden. She hadn't known that the flowers had grown to be so beautiful that Spring. Their petals of white, pink, red, blue, and purple from various types of flowers. Their leaves a deep rich green about the shade of her dress.

She now looked up, gazing up into the night sky. The stars dancing with their white lights. Watching over the two of them as they sat in the palace garden.

That's when she realized where they were sitting. Close to their blanket was the tree she had long ago danced beneath. The tree had hidden in its branches to end up watching her. Alone. Sad. Beautiful.

He had watched her dance and that was when he had fallen in love with her.

She looked to him now, seeing his smile as he looked at her.

"When did you do this?" She asked him when she found her normal voice.

"Before I went to see you a few moments ago," he told her.

He had snuck into the kitchen, knowing that His Queen had not eaten. Of course, neither had he with his food ruined by someone who showed their anger of his plainly. Someone who would rather see The Thief hanged or tortured than become the King of Attolia.

Yet he didn't mention that to her. He didn't want to bother her with that right now. He would learn to deal with his own problems when he was King. He would prove that he could be a good husband to Attolia and a good King to her country.

Now he poured the two of them some wine. Then they ate the food he had prepared so carefully, even with his one hand.

She noticed his fake hand resting on his leg gingerly. His real hand taken by her own punishment, before she realized what she had felt for him. When she asked him about it and how he could still care for her, he answered her that he had loved her long before his sentence. She then had told him that she had lived with his pain and grief ever since.

Now here they were, soon to be wed. He would then be Her King. The one she had chosen to be hers and would never give up to anyone.

Once they were finished eating he reached out for her hand. She looked at him with a bewildered expression, yet she then accepted the gesture.

Eugenidies helped her up slowly and carefully. Guiding her to beneath the deep green leaves of the tree's branches. Hiding them from any guards who may walk by during their watch on the palace's walls above. Then The Thief smiled as he looked at Attolia.

"I've wanted to be with you like this for a very long time," he said to her.

She was confused only for a moment. Realizing that he wanted to be alone with her in this very same garden just as they had been so many years ago. Without anyone else around to see them or stop them.

Only this time, he wouldn't need to hide from her. She wouldn't need to dance alone. Instead he would dance with her, just as she had dreamed of as a child. Together cherishing an old and a new memory that they would secretly share without anyone else knowing.

She smiled as she looked up at him.

He smiled back.

Then they danced.

"Thank you Eugenidies."

"Your more than welcome, Attolia."

"I love you My Thief."

"I love you My Queen."

With that he bent his head down slightly. Brushing his lips over hers while he held her close. Before being her King he would share one last kiss with her as her Thief.

The End