The Empress' Palace, Ereve. Several months ago.
"You are as radiant and beautiful as a thousand suns, my lady." The Knight bows low as he kisses the Empress' hand.
"Oh, Knight Marthew, your words are sweeter than sugar. Truly, you are the light of my life." The Empress titters as she blushes, her eyes focused on the Knight's chaste lips on her hand.
"My lady, would I - I dare not violate you with my unworthy lips." The Knight says as he takes a slight step back. The crestfallen look on the Empress' face is obvious.
"My dear Knight, it is but a prayer. From one sinner to the other." She reassures him. "Kiss me, my Knight."
Marthew grunts, and finally relents. "If my lady wishes."
"It is as your lady wishes," she says, and shivers when he wraps his arms about her and presses his lips to hers, and - oh!
A knock on the door interrupts Aria, nearly sending the book out of her hands as she sits up in shock. The Empress of Maple World closes the slim volume quickly, face flushing as she tucks it back underneath the thicker and infinitely less frivolous A Complete History of Maple World which she then places carefully on the settee.
Empress Aria paces to the door, careful to avoid fisting her fingers in her dress as she's wont to do. "Come in," she says, as calmly as she can, and her advisor Elena, a slim brunette woman with stern features, bustles in.
Elena seems to ignore her obvious state of distraction. "The King of Ariant wishes to see you." The advisor says quickly, her arms folded. She's garbed in flowing noblesse robes of white and gold.
"Again?" Aria can't quite keep the edge out of her voice.
"Yes. But it's not about the tax issue this time, Empress. It's about... a theft."
"A theft?" I could care less then, Aria thinks. "I'll pen him a note with my dearest condolences."
"He wants to see you personally, in Ariant. Four days from now."
Aria notices Elena looking at A Complete History of Maple World. "Did you agree on my behalf, again?"
Elena's gaze flickers back to her, and she recognises the look on her advisor's face. It's guilt. "Yes, Empress."
"What if I don't want to see him?" Aria asks.
"The King of Ariant-"
"Is a valuable trade partner. Trade in gems and minerals account for 38% of Ereve's import volume. Trade in textiles accounts for 19%." Aria says, barely pausing for breath as she intones the dry facts she's learnt so many times as Empress. "And yet the King of Ariant is even more immature and foolish than the King of Ludibrium, who is himself like a little child despite being a fully-grown man."
"Empress -" Elena pinches the bridge of her nose and exhales slightly.
"So what is it this time, then?" Aria sighs. It's not Elena's fault and they both know it, but the mere mention of the ineptitude King of Ariant always seems to rile Aria up, and she suddenly feels a small lump of guilt.
"Phantom's robbed him clean. He's even taken his prized gem, the Rose Jewel." Elena replies.
"Phantom?" Aria looks at the taller woman now. "Master Thief Phantom?"
"The one and only, Empress."
"So Phantom broke into the vault and grabbed all the jewels?" Aria pauses. "Didn't he give that exact same story several months back? Yelled that it was an emergency or something."
"I hear he really got robbed this time." Elena says, and if Aria didn't know better she'll have thought her advisor was enjoying herself. "Robbed clean."
"So all his jewels are gone?"
"Mostly."
Aria looks at Elena carefully, and considers. The King of Ariant may be a jerk, but trade with his country accounts for - "Very well. Arrange a meeting for me. Just keep it short."
"I will." And the smile Elena flashes her reminds Aria that perhaps she's not the only one who's not keen on seeing the King.
It's a few days later when Elena accompanies Aria in her royal carriage to the Ariant palace. The air is stifling and sticky - as it always is - but that isn't what bothers Aria. What bothers her is what she sees enroute to the palace from the sky station; children mill about the small entourage - Elena had insisted on some security detail - dressed in little more than scraps for clothing, their hands outstretched for food and coin. The buildings look more rundown than she remembers. It troubles Aria, especially when they pull up to the King's palace. A wasteful pond and fountain ensemble runs parallel to the road the carriage takes as they enter the palace grounds proper; the high wrought iron gate behind them closes and it's almost as if they're in a different world. Lush vegetation and brilliant flowers and golden statues dot the palace gardens as the carriage loops toward the main foyer.
It sickens Aria, and from the look she catches on Elena's face, it's obvious her advisor doesn't approve, either.
Aria disembarks from the carriage as gracefully as she can with Elena behind her. The King of Ariant appears then; a rotund man with flushed cheeks and a large belly with a larger ego to boot. He's dressed flamboyantly and sweating, his servants desperately fanning him and trying to get him to cool down.
"Good morning, Empress. Come, I have matters of great import to discuss." The King, puffing his chest slightly, keeps up a brisk pace with little regard for the more petite Empress' smaller steps.
"I've heard from my advisor." Aria nods slightly at the woman in question.
"Then you'll sympathise with me, no doubt." The King leads them to an open air room overlooking an internal courtyard filled with lush plants and flowing water. "It's an atrocity!" He finally declared as he plonks down onto a cushioned armchair made of the gaudiest-looking fabric Aria has ever seen.
Two servants offer her tea, and she accepts gratefully.
"My condolences." Aria gives the King a neutral smile as she sips her tea slowly. She watches as the King's face turns even redder as he continues his monologue tirade. Next to her, her advisor Elena shoots her a look, and thus Aria keeps her amusement well-concealed behind a careful, planned expression.
"When I catch Phantom - that no-good useless thief! How dare he steal from me! I am the King of Ariant! And the nerve!" The King flings a card across the table, and his advisor next to him holds him back quickly as if to prevent him from throwing another tantrum.
"My apologies, Your Highness. The King is much affected by the loss. Do not take it personally." The advisor said to her quickly.
"No offense meant, and no offense taken." Aria says as she slides a hand to pick up the card.
"You are truly magnanimous, your Highness. My lord -" the advisor then turns to the King, now sullen and quiet like a sulky child. Aria finds it increasingly difficult to maintain her civil and polite facade and so she takes to examining the card.
It's embossed gold, as flashy and ostentatious as he is, but yet, refined somewhat, a checkered pattern of red and white with the motif of a mask. She flips it over to reveal an image of a crescent moon, signed with a flourish: Phantom.
"May I recommend some additional security before I arrive? I can already imagine the Rose Jewel on the Lumiere."
Aria can't resist a slight snigger. This Master Thief Phantom sure has a wry sense of humour. She's heard about him before, of course, but it's the first time she's actually reading first-hand the calling card he always leaves before a heist to taunt his victims.
They say that Phantom only steals from the rich, and that his skills are legendary. Nearly every ruler in Maple World has lost something of value to him. Except for her. Ereve has nothing but trees and grass, things of natural beauty that have no worth for the Master Thief. Aria bites her lip slightly, card still in hand, the King still complaining on and on - he doesn't seem to notice she's hardly paying attention, if at all.
Nobody has ever seen him, and rumours swirl about who he's in league with. Regardless, the common folk treat him as a curious spectacle, while the nobility and rich double their guards and hide their valuables in even more secure vaults. Still, Aria muses as she watches the King of Ariant stand up and stomp out the room, pushing his servants out of the way in the process, even the most secure vault has nothing on Master Thief Phantom.
The Ariant advisor apologises immediately, bowing profusely and repeating that the King's "just not in a good mood today", and Aria nods politely as she gives Elena a glance. Her advisor - and former tutor - says some choice words to the Ariant advisor, who nods sheepishly.
"He's never in a good mood." Aria observes softly, wrinkling her nose slightly as they're led out of the room. They follow the red-faced advisor down the hallway and back to the main hall. Elena doesn't entertain her until they're out of the King's palace and safely ensconced in their royal carriage back to Ereve. "I can't believe he called me all the way here just to listen to him complain about his stolen stuff."
"Watch your words before them." Elena eyes her sternly, and Aria resists the urge to roll her eyes as she looks out the window. Elena sighs. "I'm not saying I agree with you -"
"I know, but he's such a jerk." Aria says. She continues looking out the window at the passing scenery. The air is hot and sticky, and while she can't wait to be back at Ereve, she's occupied, at least, by what she sees outside. The royal carriage takes them through a slightly more circuitous route back through the cleaner and richer parts of Ariant, and suddenly Aria can't help but start to think that the King truly deserves it. "He deserved it."
"Pardon?"
"The King." Aria muses as she looks out at the clean buildings, homes to rich merchants and the nobility of Ariant. She can also see that the houses further beyond are not as clean nor as beautiful. "He deserved to be robbed of all his precious jewels. So many people in his country are starving."
"He is...trying."
"Trying? Selling one jewel can feed all his people for at least a day." She can't keep the edge out of her voice.
"Your Highness," Elena says in that tone she reserves when there's a lesson she wishes to impart. "That does not make it right to steal from him."
Aria slumps back in her seat. There's really no point arguing with Elena, who will of course always encourage her to take the diplomatic view on things. She doesn't realise that she's still holding on to the card until she looks down at her hand. And suddenly she can't help but hope that Phantom's theft can humble the King; there's no hope otherwise.
Master Thief Phantom, eh? I'm starting to like him already, she thinks to herself, and a corner of her lips turn up in a smile as she slips the card into the fold of her robes.