Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews! I felt kinda bad about going a long time in between updates, so I wrote this one as quickly as I could. It'll give you a little inside peek at who Alexander actually is. Like, not just the thief or the jerk he is around the other thieves, all though he's still pretty arrogant. I hope you guys all like it!
Simon walked Alexander back to the inn in silence. The younger boy attempted to make conversation but never succeeded. Simon was furious. He knew he wasn't supposed to leave the inn alone. Alexander may be twenty, but he acted like a child, and he couldn't be trusted to keep out of danger. He'd come close to being arrested so many times, Simon wondered if he ever cared. Which, of course, he didn't. In fact, he was eager for it. Alexander's father was a judge. The only places in which he was careless, his father was currently staying in. Alexander hated the man he was named for. He'd run away and had become a thief simply for the pleasure of shaming him. He looked forward to his trial and arrest, which he'd plotted for years. He'd make no effort to plead innocence, and when the gaurds dragged him away to the dungeon where he'd wait out his final days until execution patiently in solitude, he'd rip off his mask or disguise and say, "Goodbye father," his final farewell and the revelation of his true identity. The greatest and last disgrace to Alexander Carmichael's name. Yes, Alexander eagerly awaited that day. But Simon could never know that.
As he thought to himself, Simon acknowledged the fact that Alexander's behavior was something he should've become accustomed to. After all, they'd grown up together, and his best friend never changed. He still recalled the day they first met.
Simon was seven at the time. He'd been running through the fields just beyond his family's property, scarfing down candies he'd stolen from his nanny's secret jar- even then he'd had an aptitude for thievery- when he came upon a girl. She was indeed a strange creature, dressed in his brother's pants she had to keep pulling up, a cap twice the size of her head, and mud and dirt patching her face. The mud hid her features well enough that she could've passed for a boy if it hadn't been for the long brown braids hanging down from her cap. He gave her a curious look as she leapt around in a mud puddle, giggling.
"What are you doing?" Simon asked. She looked up.
"Dancing the ballet, what does it look like I"m doing?" Her sarcasm, which was normally lost on that prat she was forced to entertain, made Simon want to smile and confuse him at the same time. Girls didn't act like that. As far as he knew from his sisters, they just sat around sipping tea and looking pretty.
"You're a girl." He said.
"So I've noticed," She replied.
"Girls don't play in the dirt."
"This one does."
"Shouldn't you be wearing a dress?"
"Shouldn't you?" The two children examined each other closely, circling one another like sharks. Then the girl broke into a grin.
"Do you want to play? We can be pirates. Of course, I'd have to be the captain. A scrawny fellow like you could never be a good pirate captain." She said. Simon was indignant.
"Why would you make a better captain than me?" He asked. She smiled wider and struck her most heroic, boastful stance.
"Because I'm Xandra, and I'm the best at everything." Simon made a face.
"You're just a girl," He scoffed.
"You're just a boy."
"Girls are only good for cooking and cleaning." Simon remarked.
"Boys are only good for being great bloody gits." Simon's eyes widened in surprise at her language.
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
"Are not!"
"Are too! Like that prat Ralph. Like that prat Ralph. Like my brother. He's like you, but better looking because he looks like me. What's your name?" Xandra asked.
"Simon Barret. Who are you?"
"Alexandra Carmichael, but only the biggest gits call me Alexandra." She replied. "Do you want to play pirates or not?"
"I can't play with you, you're a girl!"
"Oh, I shoulud really get you for that." Simon laughed.
"You could never fight me."
"Would you like me to prove it?" She asked sweetly.
"Well, I can't fight a girl! I would accidentally hurt you." Xandra's face went red with anger.
"You're a little prat Simon Barret!" I'll get my brother, he'll make you sorry!" SImon laughed and she stomped her foot, splashing him with mud. "Alexander!" She screamed. She ran off, tugging up her britches as she went. She returned several minutes later dragging a boy nearly identical to herself along by the wrist.
"Alexander, this boy was being disrespectful." She told her brother.
"What am I supposed to do about it?" She looked at him like she simply couldn't believe his stupidity.
"Put the fear of God into him!" She yelled. The boy grinned as though he'd like nothing better and cracked his knuckles. Then he took a good look at Simon.
"You're a small one aren't you?"Simon shrugged, eyeing the boy nervously. "How old are you?"
"Seven," He replied.
"Really?" Alexander seemed truly shocked.
"Why? How old are you?"
"Six." Alexander said. Simon hadn't yet begun growing much yet, and the fact that the younger boy was taller irritated him to no end. Little did they know Alexander wouldn't grow much more after the age of fourteen. "Well then, let's get to the fighting shall we?" But before they could, another little boy in a fine white shirt and clean black pants came running. The children groaned inwardly.
"Alexandra!" The blonde child called. "Alexandra!"
"What do you need now Ralph?" She asked. He walked over and snatched the cap off her head. "You give that back!" She yelled, trying to steal it back, but he held it too high for the small girl's reach. He stuffed it in his pocket. Then he pulled out a neat white hadnkerchief and began wiping the dirt and mud from Xandra's face.
"What the devil have you been doing Alexandra?" She swatted his hand away and rubbed the remaining dirt away herself.
"Playing."
"Well you looked positively dreadful." Ralph said, shaking his head at her. Her face was finally clean and Simon was taken by surprise. With a clean face, she didn't look quite as much like her brother, but seemed rather pretty. How strange. "Your mother wants us back for tea." Alexandra scowled.
"Tea. With you. And Mother. However did I come by such luck?" Ralph grinned.
"That's the spirit Alexandra." She gave her brother a pleading look, hoping he'd excuse her somehow. No such luck. Ralph noticed Simon and glared. "What are you doing here Barret?" The two knew each other from Sunday school, and never liked one another.
"I could ask you the same Bentley."
"My family has been invited to visit the Carmichaels."
"Then go visit with them," He said, shooing the blonde boy away. Ralph scowled and grabbed Xandra's hand.
"Come along now Alexandra." He pulled her away by the hand. Simon glared as they walked away. Ralph truly was a prat.
"Well I suppose there's no point to my fighting you now." Alexander replied. "What's your name?"
"Simon Barret."
"Alexander Carmichael." The two boys shook hands in an attempt to appear grown up.
"Is Bentley a friend of yours?" Simon asked sourly. Alexander snorted.
"Far from it. The git's dead-set on Xandra." Simon crinkled his nose in slight disgust.
"He wants to court her?" Alexander nodded. "But...he's eight."
"And she's six, but age is no matter to my father. The two have been betrothed since Xandra and I were four." SImon made a face.
"She's to marry that prat? No wonder she's so awful." Alexander scowled. After all, it was his sister Simon just insulted. But he did not argue. Ralph was an absolute git in his opinion, and he'd hated his father for promising his sister to him at such a young age.
After some time, Alexander and SImon became inseperable. He learned why both Carmichael children were named for their father- they had to get their arrogance from somewhere. They grew to be handsome young men, but not quite as gentlemanly as Ralph. Simon was the more proper of the two, but by a thin margin. Alexandra became a beautiful young woman, but she still enjoyed dressing in her brother's clothing and snuck out with the two boys from time to time. Simon became slightly keen on her, but he could never show it for fear of his arse being handed to him by his best friend, who was quite protective of his sister. The three often plotted to rid Alexandra of her awful lifelong fiancee, but their plan was never completed. It all ended with the first robbery. Their days of scheming and childishness came to an end, and so began their life of crime. And when they left, one friend had to be left behind.
What'd you think of that? What's your opinion of Ralph and Xandra? I thought this would be a good opportunity to introduce the two of them, because they'll be important to the plot. And some of you might be wondering why Alexander has to be kept locked away and in disguise. There are two reasons: one, Jack Merridew is after him, and wants his head on a plate. And two: He's the second most wanted man on the continent (other than Jack, who, I might repeat, is out for his head.) So yea, Hope you liked it. Please review!