Disclaimer: I don't own any Sly Cooper characters; they belong to Sucker Punch Productions/Sanzaru Games.

Claimer: I own all of my original characters.

Here's chapter 8! And I know it's short…but what I have planned for the chapter will be much more exciting…I just had to set it up first. ;) Anyway, I still have my poll on my profile page, so please help me out with that so I can figure out what type of story to do once this is completed. (I have multiple ideas in mind I'm just not quite sure what to do next) And as always, feedback is always appreciated so please read and leave me some feedback and let me know how the story is going, thanks!

Chapter 8: Katherine's Plan

Nottinghamshire, England 1453 A.D.

Katherine delicately placed her paws on the top of my chest, letting her fingernails gently latch onto my jester costume as she kept her lips to mine. It was a rather blunt action by the princess, but it was indeed a sincere one. I placed an index finger underneath her chin and tilted it upwards, finally allowing our kiss to unfold. I hadn't planned on this happening when I came to see the princess, but in all honesty I was glad it had unfolded. I had gotten used to seeing the princess everyday, for I was the knight assigned to watch over and protect her. However, when I was stripped of my title and knightly duties, I was no longer allowed to see the princess. Now, I'd been reduced to sneaking into her bed chambers to even speak with her. After moments that seemed like days had finally passed, Katherine and I parted. Her small paws slid a bit down my chest and a blush formed on her cheeks as our gazes met.

"Pardon my enthusiasm." She giggled, a smile forming on her lips as she moved her curls from her face. I chuckled at the princess as well, bowing my head as I did so.

"I enjoy your enthusiasm." She removed her paws from my chest and strolled towards her bed, her smile quickly fading from her features. She sat on the edge of her covers, looking at me with sigh.

"Oh, thou dost not look like a knight without thy armor, Sir Galleth." I nodded, strolling next to the princess, gesturing to the seat beside her. With an approval from the female, I sat beside her, seating myself properly on the bed before speaking.

"Well, I am no longer a knight, my lady. I have no need for armor anymore." She sighed, taking my paws in her own, squeezing them tightly.

"Thou will always be a knight, Sir Galleth! Why did thee lie to my father, Sir Galleth? Because of this, thou title was stripped and thou art no longer allowed in the castle. Thou did not corrupt my mind, Sir Galleth; it has always been in my blood to steal."

"I know this Lady Katherine," I patted the top of her paw gently and met her gaze, "but thou would have been executed if I had not said something. T'was worth it if I could have saved a fair and gracious princess such as yourself."

"Then I should thank thee…but it would have prevented me from marrying that horrid Maxwell." She growled his name, showing that she was not fond of the skunk. I knew how much of a tyrant he was, but I needed to ease her mind.

"Now Lady Katherine," I said as I patted her paw again, "Prince Maxwell could not possibly be that difficult to stand." She scoffed and stood from her seat, pacing around the room.

"Oh he is the devil, Sir Galleth! He is nothing more than a cold blooded man with a heart of stone and a stench strong enough to melt steel. He dost have my father fooled, Sir Galleth. Maxwell hast always claimed that he greatly dislikes thieves, but Maxwell is a thief as well! His entire family hast been made up of thieves since the beginning of time! And I discovered the worst thing about him just this morning…he is French!" she shook her head and flopped down upon her bed again, sighing deeply, "But I am still forced to marry the horrid skunk at the end of the next fortnight."

"My lady, may I tell thee that Maxwell dost not deserve to marry a woman such as thee? Thou doest deserve a prince that makes thy heart flutter and not care if thou art to give him a daughter instead of a son."

"I would marry thee Galleth if I could." She leaned against me, her head resting my shoulder. I couldn't help but smile at her gesture, and her offer, and I gripped her paw in response.

"And I would greatly accept thy offer, Lady Katherine of Nottinghamshire. If I had the power, then I would be more than willing to set thee free from thy tower and allow thou to live a free life away from thy father and that horrid Maxwell." She smiled, snuggling closer with a sigh of content.

"Where hast thou been dwelling, Sir Galleth? Certainly not inside the castle." I shook my head and cleared my throat before explaining.

"In the village, my lady, among the other peasants. It shall require some getting used to, but shall adapt, do not worry about me, Lady Katherine." Katherine's head came up from mine, a questionable look on her features.

"With the peasants?" she repeated, "Art thou allowed to leave the village? To live where ever thou wishes to settle?" he paws firmly gripped mine as she turned to face me.

"I suppose that I could, my lady. However, I decided dwelling in the village would allow me to see thee. Is that not what you wish for, Lady Katherine?" she shook her head, standing as she did so.

"No, Sir Galleth, dost thou not see? This could be the answers to our problems!" I stood as well, cocking my eyebrows in the process.

"My lady I am afraid that I dost not understand." She squeezed my paws tightly, becoming more and more excited as the time passed by.

"This could be our chance to escape, Sir Galleth! Escape this horrid lifestyle we live and make a chance for us to start life anew!" she jumped up and down a bit in excitement, trying to convince me of her plan.

"Lady Katherine, art thou trying to tell me that thou wishes to leave thy kingdom and thy father to run away with me, a knight who hast been stripped of his title?" she nodded and continued to explain.

"Yes, Sir Galleth! I wish to leave this horrid lifestyle I live now and start over…with thee, Sir Galleth of the Cooper Order. Thou said not moments ago that if thou could than thee would set me free from my prison here and set me free. Well then I choose to accept thy offer, Sir Galleth. If thou still offers it to me, that is." I smiled, gripping the sides of her face and nodding. I could not believe my luck, Katherine was actually willing run away with me; something I had been dreaming of for many moons now.

"My lady, I graciously give thee my offer and I might say that I am more than honored that thou should accept it. But may I ask thee how thou wishes to make this anything other than a fantasy? You cannot simply leave thy castle and if I were to be caught inside…"

"I do have a plan, Sir Galleth, but it should be of up most risk. In a fortnight I am set to be wed to Maxwell, but the morning of the wedding, father is giving me a pre-wedding ceremony. Father and Maxwell shall be distracted by the guests and mother would be guarding me inside the bride's tent. All thee will have to do, Sir Galleth, is sneak inside the tent and retrieve me. We would be able to make our escape and leave this horrid land!" Katherine was correct, it was a risky plan, but if we were to wait too long, then she will be wed and our plans would be foiled.

"We would have to be careful, my lady, for if we were to be caught…the both of our heads would roll before night fall. However, I would be willing to do so for you, my beloved princess." She smiled, laughed, and jumped in pure happiness, running her paws over my cheeks.

"Oh how I thank thee Sir Galleth!" I smiled, bowing my head to her before realizing that the sky was becoming darker and I would need to make haste and leave.

"My lady, with our plans set I must tell thee that I must leave now. If anyone were to find me in thy chambers, then our plans would remain a fantasy." She nodded slightly, following me to her door.

"Then I shall suppose that I will see thee next at the ceremony?" I nodded, placing a paw on the handle and turned to the raccoon.

"I shall be counting the moments until I may see thee again, Princess Katherine. A fortnight is a lengthy period to not gaze upon a pretty face." she giggled again, cupping my cheeks in her paws and planting a soft, gentle kiss upon my lips. I kissed her back, savoring the feeling until we would meet again. We parted ways and I smiled, winking at the raccoon.

"Thou must be careful, my lady. If thy father were to catch thee giving a kiss to a former knight, then thou would become a scandalous maiden." The princess rolled her eyes playfully, brushing her hair from her beautiful face.

"Sir Galleth Cooper I would rather give the man I love a kiss than even gaze upon the man I have been set to marry." I chuckled and left Katherine's room; locking the locks again and replacing the key in my pocket so I could return it at a later time.

"Until the ceremony, Sir Galleth Cooper." Katherine's voice whispered though the door. I smiled, sliding a paw down the heaven wooden surface before quickly making my way down the stairs of the castle, avoiding guards in the process, and outside into the village.