The Prince of Thieves

Hi, it's Useli! This chapter took FOREVER! I must've written and rewritten this chapter ten times, and I really felt like there was no good way to introduce what I wanted to, but I finally settled on this. Rest assured, everything I do has a reason. Be sure to read and review!

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Nero approached the amazon slowly. "Illia, can you help me with this puzzle box?" he asks her, twisting it this way and that.

"Ask the thief," she responded curtly, focusing on the horse in front of her.

"Uh...o-ok." He turned from the apparently irritable amazon and approached the thief. Nizel, Kale and Atlas were all gazing at a map they had spread out across the top of a stump.

"Hey, Prince, can you give me a hint." He glanced up from the map at the boy. "And, uh..." The boy thief looks over his shoulder at Illia. "...why does Illia seem so angry?"

"I don't know," replies Atlas, taking the puzzle from the boy, and turning it a few times. "Maybe she just needs some space?" Nero looks from the thief to back at the amazon.

"She seems really upset with you."

"Why would she be mad at me? I don't think I did anything to upset her." He tossed the puzzle box back to the boy and crossed his arms. Nero looked down at the box, turning it over and over again in his hands and drawing a blank as to the next move.

"Well, what'd you say to her?"

"The last thing she asked me about was Ella, and she hasn't spoken to me since." The boy turned his head up in thought and Atlas knelt down. "What? You know something?"

"Hmm...are you sure you didn't do something else?"

"Not that I can think of." The boy shoves the puzzle box into the satchel at his hip and crosses his arms as well. "Sometimes people just need a little space."

"Heh, maybe she's jealous." Atlas starts laughing and stops when Nero doesn't. "I'm serious. You were talking about someone who you used to be with and now she's upset."

"Nero, I can count the number of amazons I've ever met and spoken with on ONE hand, so that's not a lot. But it's a known fact that amazons don't hold relationships with men."

"Miss Illia is different, Prince."

"I'll concede that point, but--"

"We should be moving on," calls Illia. "We've wasted enough time here." Nizel and Kale nod, packing the map up and heading towards their mounts. It only took a few moments for them to set back on the path.

Nero's words stuck with the Prince. Was she truly jealous? It was hard to believe, but didn't seem entirely out of the realm of possibility to Atlas.

She had agreed to travel with him so easily, nursed him back to health despite having rescued him and squared their debt in the first place.

'Maybe there might be something to this?' silently wonders the Prince...

- - -

The world was silent...covered in a blanket of thick snow. The flurries floated down slowly, dancing this way and that at the mercy of the ever changing wind. It crunched beneath

his boots as he slowly turns to gaze around the city.

Bathed in the glow of the full moon it sparkled so brilliantly, so beautifully. It seemed so familiar, but he couldn't recall the

name. The buildings were different then any city he could recall.

"Come, child," sounded an ethereal voice from behind.

He whirled around to face an alter. Shrouded in the darkness, a woman's silhouette beckoned, urged him closer and closer still to her. "Who are you?" questions the thief, slowly approaching. He could make out nothing more then her eye's, which seemed to sparkle more brightly then the most brilliant amethyst he'd ever seen.

He had no reason to trust this figure...but the oddest feeling of complete safety over took him as he drew near. He felt as safe around her as a newborn in it's mother's arms. "Where am I?"

He could almost hear the woman smile. "You know this place. It is as familiar to you as the beating of your own heart." He stopped several feet short of the alter like structure and

the woman. "The path you tread is riddled with dangers, child. Some obvious...and others not so much."

"Who are you?"

"I am the one you have always sought since first you drew breath." He opened his mouth to respond and the woman held up a single hand, effectively silencing the thief. "Seek me out, and I shall answer all your questions."

"Where are you?"

"Your heart knows the way even if you do not. It will guide you forward to me as it has always urged you to do, Atlas." His eye's widened a bit in surprise at the use of his name.

"How do you--"

"I know well the names of all my children." He slowly holds up his hand to gaze at the silver ring upon his finger and then back at the woman shrouded in darkness.

"Are you...am I...?" There was a sparkle of amusement in her eye's as he fumbled with his words.

"You shall have your answers when we meet. Until that time, I bid you...take this." She stretched out a hand from the darkness, clutching a beautiful dagger with a glimmering

amethyst set in the pommel. He was rather skeptical but approached anyway. "It is, after all, rightfully yours..."

- - -

Atlas woke with a start. The thief leaned up quickly. He slowly scanned the area, finding himself no longer in a snow covered city, but a small clearing in the forest. "Whew,"

breathes the Prince. "What a strange dream." Something clatters to his immediate right and he looks down. His eye's widen in absolute surprise as he stares at a dagger. "What the..." He reaches down and picks up the weapon. "I-Impossible."

"Unh, Prince?" questions a tired voice. Atlas jumps, hides the dagger behind his back and looks over at Nero. The boy slowly sits up and rubs his eye's. "Is it time to get up?" The Prince shakes his head.

"No. Go back to sleep." The boy nods and lays back down. Atlas stands and wanders a few yards away from their camp, gazing at the glossy black sheath of the dagger. 'It's impossible. It was only a dream,' the Prince tells himself silently. He grips the handle. 'It feels real enough.' Drawing the weapon free of the sheath he looks over the weapon slowly. It looked real enough, as well.

He scraped a thumb across the edge of the blade and recoiled immediately, looking in amazement at the thin line of blood it had drawn from just the slightest contact. "Hmph...no way is THIS going in my boot." He returns the weapon to it's sheath and releases a heavy sigh. "I must be going completely mad," mutters the thief.

"Atlas," came a voice from behind. He jumped at the female voice and turned immediately. At his aggressive move, Illia responded with a grip on the hilt of her sword. "What are

you doing?"

"Nothing. What are you doing up?"

"What are YOU doing up?" counters Illia, releasing her grip on the hilt of her iron sword. "And out here no less. Did you see something?" He just shrugged in response.

"Just stretching," lied Atlas. "It's almost dawn and I wanted to be ready for once." The thief turned and headed back towards the camp. He had nearly passed the amazon when she caught him by the wrist. He slowly glanced back at her, a single golden eyebrow arched in question.

"Do not lie to me. What have you got in your hand?" Atlas held up the weapon for her to see.

"I took it while we were in Atlantis." She released his wrist.

"It doesn't surprise me." It was Atlas's turn to stop her as she turned to return to the camp. It was a move that the amazon didn't particularly like. "Let go."

"Why are you so agitated, Illia? What is going on with you?" Illia looked away from the man, something she'd never done before. She focused her gaze back towards the camp fire several yards away from them. It's orange glow splashed through the tree's, vainly attempting to bring light to the surrounding darkness of the world. "N-Nero seems to think that you might be...jealous." Atlas starts laughing at that and stops when she doesn't join him or respond. "You're supposed to laugh."

She turned quickly, pulling her wrist free from the lax grip of the thief. "What do you think of me, Atlas?" He cocked his head slightly. Illia almost never asked his opinion and for

her to do so out of the clear blue was a bit confusing. "Honestly."

"I think you're the single greatest swordsman--"

"Swordswoman," corrected Illia with a rather sever look on her face. A sparkle of amusement dances in his amber eye's and a smile appears on his face.

"Single greatest swordswoman I've ever met in my life."

"And...as a woman?" She stepped closer now, only inches separating them. "What do you think of me as a woman, Atlas?" The thief chuckled.

"An amazon seeking a man's approval? I believe I've seen everything now. But since you asked...I cannot think of ANY woman I'd like to have at my side more then you, Miss

Illia."

"Why is that?"

"You rescued me, nursed me back to health and then turned your back on your own people to travel with me. I don't think anyone else would have done that."

"When you tell it like that it makes me sound rather foolish."

"Well, what would that make me, then?" The two shared a small laugh. He wasn't sure what spurred the action, or just WHY he followed through with it but before he could stop himself he had leaned down and giving her a chaste kiss upon the lips. Illia stood there in silence for a few moments. "Sorry, I--"

He was silenced when the amazon slanted her lips in a rough kiss, one hand gripping the back of his neck firmly. Already she was trying to take control of the situation.

Atlas had no problem letting a woman take the lead...especially if that woman happened to be Illia. The Prince devoured her lips, hungering for her kiss like nothing he ever had. It felt more then right to the both of them.

Before Atlas could respond further someone cleared their throat, attracting their attention. Both looked over quickly at Kale. "Sorry to

interrupt, but don't you think that perhaps we should be going?" questions the scholar.

"Hey! Kale! Perfect timing," responds Atlas, a bit irritated. Illia takes a step back, freeing herself from the arms of the Prince.

"We should go," agrees Illia, sounding irritated as well but it seemed she was doing a better job of hiding it. The amazon walked towards the fire, leaving the two of them alone...

- - -

Kale shoved his specticals up the bridge of his nose and looked over at the Prince. He hadn't spoken a word to the scholar since they had broken camp and now the sun was fairly high in the sky.

Since the two had drifted back a few yards from the others, the scholar felt he could address what he had interrupted. "Exactly how close have you become to Miss Illia?" questions Kale.

"That's none of your concern," responds the Prince.

"You always told me never to mix business and pleasure...but now you're breaking your own rules?" The thief shifts a bit in his saddle and looks over at the male now.

"It's more like a guide-line I have then an actual rule, and one I'm choosing to ignore, Kale." The scholar shook his head slowly, suddenly looking very serious.

"Alright. Tell me this...how do you expect this to end?" The Prince cock's his head a bit in confusion. "She's an amazon and you're a thief. A damn good thief, but a thief all the

same. Do you honestly expect that she'll not return to her people?"

"I don't think that far ahead and neither should you. It's not good for you to worry about things that haven't happened, yet." Atlas looks forward, just in time to catch Illia looking over her shoulder at them.

He flashes a charming grin from under his hood to which she responds by looking back. Atlas spurred his mount forward, eventually coming to be side

by side with Illia.

"I see that you and Kale are getting along," comments the woman. "Hopefully it'll last this time."

"Hopefully, but not likely. I think once the excitement wears off he'll be back to his normal self...unfortunately." Illia manages to surpress a smile.

"And I thought you two were friends."

"We are. But that doesn't mean we always get along." The thief sighs a bit. "Nizel, how long until we reach the next town?" The man turns his head up in thought.

"If memory serves, we should reach the next town by this time tomorrow. I'd caution you against a bit of honest thieving, if I thought it would do any good." Atlas laughs and

nods.

"Well, just for arguments sake, what do I have to look forward to?"

"The town itself is considered to be a part of Atlantis, but is ruled over by a duke who answers to the ruler in Atlantis. He's rather unforgiving to even the most petty criminal, so be careful. Also, I'd ask that you keep to the shadows when we arrive. I noticed several posters with yours, and Miss Illia's face before we left the city. It seems the king of Solis does not like being made a fool of, Atlas. It's a blow to the ego."

"Oh, how awful! Had I only known what sort of damage I could do to his fragile ego by stealing his crown! I should apologize at once."

"Don't instigate," comments Illia, much like a mother scolding a misbehaving child.

"You heard her, Atlas," agrees Nizel, a wry smile on his face.

"Don't instigate, Nizel," counters Atlas, in a mocking tone of voice.

"Would you two knock it off?" questions the amazon. "You sound like children." The two continue to pick at each other, much to the dismay of Illia. "I'm going to have to separate

you two before the day is out, aren't I?"

"Probably." A chuckle escaped before she could stop herself. Atlas immediately called his mount to a halt. "Wait." Everyone stopped and watched as the thief scanned their surroundings. "Hear that?" Nizel nods in agreement. Kale listens carefully to the loud calling.

"It sounds like an animal," speaks the scholar. "It's probably a fox caught in a trap." He slides from the saddle.

"Can't be," retorts Nizel. "What could one possibly trap here?"

"Wait here while I go have a look." Kale hands the reigns of his horse to Nizel as he passes. "I'll be right back." Atlas sighs heavily.

"You're going to get bitten," calls the thief, watching him disappear into the thick brush. The Prince slides from the saddle which is immediately followed by Illia. "Damn him. He's

going to end up getting mauled or run through with a sword for freeing a trapper's catch."

"That's Kale," comments Illia simply. "Always the noble one." Atlas brushes back a thick, low lying branch and nearly runs right into the scholar. "Kale, what is..." Her words are

stopped when she notices the absolutely HUGE animal caught in the trap.

The sleek white wolf snarls in warning, amber eye's glowering with anger. The beautiful white fur upon it's hide leg was marred an amazingly vivid shade of crimson.

"That is one big wolf," speaks Atlas, laughing a bit. "Well..." He places his hands upon his hips and sighs. "...now what, Kale?" The scholar shoves his glasses up the bridge of his

nose.

"I suppose we ought to free it," he tells them, slowly approaching. The wolf watches him the entire time, amber eye's never leaving his person as he grows closer and closer. He slowly extends a hand towards the trapped animal. "Easy, boy. I'm not--"

There's a loud snarl and Kale yanks his hand back in time for the loud 'click!' of it's snapping jaws to fill the air. Atlas begins laughing immediately as the scholar falls on his ass.

He approaches and helps him stand up. "Any more ideas you'd like to put out there?"

"I'd like to see you try, Prince!" Atlas nods in understanding and turns towards the wolf.

"I thought you'd never ask, Kale." The thief brushes back his hood and approaches the animal carefully. He extends a hand, holding the wolf's gaze with his own...and to both Kale and Illia's complete amazement, places it upon it's large head.

The thief kneels down next to the wolf. "Easy, girl, easy. Just let me have a look." It's snarls turn into whines as he examines the cruel metal trap. "Illia, I need a thick branch, something to help me pry this open."

The amazon disappeared into the brush and Kale slowly approached. "How...?" The Prince glanced back at the scholar and smiled.

"It's an animal thing."

"Obviously." He extends a hand towards the wolf once more, only to yank it back when she snarls at him. "Seems she only has eye's for you."

"Very funny, Kale." Several moments pass before they hear the approach of Illia, who kneels down by the wolf's trapped leg without so much as a growl in warning. "Or, maybe she just doesn't like YOU, Kale." It took a bit of doing but in only a moment's time the steel jaws were pried open and the wolf stepped free.

"Hey!" came an angry voice. All three of them glanced in the direction of the man's voice to find a trapper standing there. "What do you think you're doing?!" The wolf began to snarl, hackles raised and fang's bared as she stared at the man.

"Freeing a trapped animal," speaks Illia. "One that shouldn't have been caught to begin with." The trapper approached quickly, hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"It's not wise to mess with a man's traps." Illia responds in kind, with Atlas gripping the hilt of the dagger in his boot. Confronted with such odds the trapper takes a step back.

"What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

"There are always more furs to take. Go somewhere else." The trapper took the advice, slowly backing away from them until he disappeared into the brush. Atlas looked in the direction of the wolf only to find her gone.

"Why do females always run off on me?" he askes aloud.

"Just your bad luck, Atlas," comments Kale. "We should be going before it comes back."

"Oh, I'd wager that's not the last we'll see of her." The scholar adjusts his glasses slightly.

"Really?" Atlas slowly looks over at Illia, a wry smile on his face.

"Wolves are proud creatures, you know. She'll be back to repay the debt, that much I'm sure of." Kale and Illia both rolled their eye's in response.

"While I highly doubt that, stranger things have happened, I suppose. Now, if you please, let's go..."

- - -

The sun was just beginning to disappear behind the horizon when they had come across a small trading post. Goods and wares of all kinds were being peddled tirelessly by the men and women coming and going.

"We shouldn't linger here," comments Nizel. "Look." He motioned to a message board, from which hung many different pictures of criminals.

The newest of them happened to be a pair of nearly two foot long posters, emblazoned with the images of Illia and Atlas respectively.

Atlas slid from the saddle of his horse and approached the message board. "Well, I'd say that captured me fairly well," jokes the man, examining his own hooded likeness. There

was little else to identify him beyond the black hood.

No description at all. But the vast sum of gold offered for him and for her was simply amazing. Combined, it was enough to buy one a kingdom. "They didn't capture my eye's all that well, though. But my, what a lovely picture of Miss Illia, wouldn't you agree?"

"This is no laughing matter. These posters will only make traveling all the more difficult."

"Just relax, Nizel. It's not the first time my face has appeared on a piece of parchment. How about you, Illia? Are you worried?" The amazon shrugged in response.

"Should I be?" she questions him. "We're going to attract attention no matter where we go. The best thing we can hope to do is try to attract a little less as we do move."

"Well said. But even so, we should get a move on." He tore down both posters and tossed them away. "I'm not all that eager to acquire a set of bracelets this early in our travels..."