Story: Opening the door to destiny: The theif and the Queen (all chapters)

On the outskirts of a huge town called Nersh, a wondering woman sat down on a log bench just next to a large goddess fountain.  Nersh was the molding pot of all the allied city citizens who reside around the area.  The woman was holding a wanted poster, the posters were posted all throughout the town about a woman thief named Shadow, bounty being rewarded either having her dead or alive. In theory, many believe this thief to be the descendant of the master thief named Black Cat, another famous female thief. It is told that Shadow was taught in her young years of being raised how to live the life of thievery. Also it is told that Shadow will one day come for Knight Euclid Andreas which is told is the one who killed the Black Cat.

Crumbing up the wanted poster, the woman tosses it like it meant nothing to her as she took a bite from her red apple. She appeared to be waiting for someone or something. Many who walked by her starred at her oddly dressed attire, noting the fact she dressed in dark colored garbs. Suddenly she lifts her head as one of her targets come to walk on by, then behind her past the fountain. He was one of the King Gregory’s Knights. Taking a small mirror in hand which was lying next to her, she tilts it while holding it to look as if she is looking at her face while in turn coming to look behind her at the man who stopped to take a chat with another one of the King’s Knights. Concentrating, she watches their lips as they go to engage in a conversation.

“Greetings, has the shipment come in yet?” said the Knight that arrived. In the mirror, the woman saw the other knight smile as he replies, “Yes sir, everything is loaded in the room just down from the King’s like ordered. When I say everything, I mean it sir.” The other knight nodded in the mirror, her ears picking up a, “Good work, Lad.” With her task completed, the woman gives a sly smile under her hood, noting a job done. “Phase two,” she whispers to herself with a slight chuckle.

Standing up from where she sat, she tucked her mirror into her hooded cloak’s pocket in the inside, removing her hand to stretch out her fingers while she walked up to a man who was walking towards her. Head down, she looked from her peripheral vision under her hood, making sure to calculate her move and as on cue, the man bumps into her. Once he did, she slipped her hand as quick as she could to take the little pouch of whatever that was visible from inside his tunic. He comes to not notice, quickly coming to apologize before continuing on to wherever he was going. Getting a few feet away, she decides to check to pouch, opening it to only grin in satisfaction from the sparkling gold inside. “People are so easy,” she whispers to herself, continuing her stride.

On her way to her destination, she came across a blind prophet, the crazy old man going on about the usual, “End of the word” speech, with “Fighting is not the answer, turn back now” on the sidelines. Shaking her head, she keeps on walking. Walking on past many easy ‘targets’ she called them, nothing coming to be on her mind but the thought of completing her next task. When she finally came to a stop, she was facing an Inn, opening the doors only to have some curious minds turn their gazes to her with a questionable stare.

“Welcome stranger,” said the Inn keeper, “How may I help you this day?”

Continuing to look down, she sets down a few small gold coins, coming to say in a melodic tone, “I’d like some goats’ milk.” The man raises an eyebrow at her curious figure, but shrugs regardless and gets her what she asked for. While she waited for the man to come back, she decided to look around the room, the thirst for more gold fresh on her mind. Before she made any movements to complete her train of thought, the man came back placing a glass of goats’ milk down in front of her.

“There you go mi’lady. Would you be staying here for the night?” He asked with a kind tone, one that proved to her he meant no harm. Answering him with a firm, “Sure”, she places down a few more gold coins. He took them as he extended his other hand to point to the stairs that lead up. “You’re room will be the second to the left.” Pausing, he hands her a key before finishing his sentence, “Enjoy your stay for the night.”

Draining her glass like it was nothing; she places it down on the table with a visible smile that made the man’s face light up. With a nod to her head, she takes the key and heads her way up the stairs. The place was neat to her liking; it seemed she’d have a good day rest tonight before the real fun begins for her. Coming to step inside her room after unlocking it with a rusty key, she sets her pack down next to her neat bed before lying down to stare up at the roof, heart pounding from the excitement for what was to come. For her, Lady Shadow, will sneak into King Gregory’s castle and steal his most prized possessions which just earlier today she found out was near his room. From previous spying, she was told the room is guarded and is heavily locked. That would be easy to find, for her at least. Closing her eyes, she dozes off for just a bit, waiting for the sun to go down before she headed on her way to the castle where she was to meet her friend, Sophia the blacksmith.

As time went by, sun setting and finally the moon showing its surface to the lands around Nersh, Dianne, known as Shadow, opened up her eyes with a look of satisfaction on her features. It was time, time to pull Knight Euclid Andreas out of his shell. With that in her mind, she sat up in her bed pulling her bag over to her. Inside was an assassin’s hood which she wore after removing her hooded cloak, fastening the buckle behind to tighten up her mask over her nose and lips. Standing up now from the bed, she makes sure all her daggers hidden on her person were secure, along with her strong bow and quiver of arrows. With that, she picked up her empty bag, stuffed her cloak inside and climbed out the window of the room.

Silent was her steps as she headed her way to the castle down the long stretch of Nersh’s main road. Barely people were about besides beggers heading to their little places to sleep. No one noticed her as she stalked her way through the shadows, preceding her reputation. When she finally arrived to the castle, she sneaked around to the side, dodging guards that walked the main stretch of the gate. She came to arrive at a small dip next to the castle, there standing an older woman, wise in her age. Built she was, for she was Sophia the blacksmith.

Arms crossed, the woman eyed Dianne before saying, “Forwards I am heavy, and backwards I am not. What am I?”

Dianne quickly answered back, “A ton, ton of gold that is,” chuckling at her sarcasm to the riddle. Sophia chuckled as well, replying, “Good to see you my dear friend.”

“Good to see you as well,” Dianne spoke back softly, “Yet I hate to cut our reunion short, but tonight is business..”

“Ah, yes, yes. Here is the key.” Sophia mentioned, handing a small silver key over to Dianne. “Take this, and head over into the well. The sewers towards the Castle will lead you into my smithing room. There, you will find a hall way that will lead up some stairs. Take the stairs, which will then lead you down another hallway on the right towards to King’s quarters. In there, you will find what you are looking for” Nodding her head, Dianne embraced the woman blacksmith, bid her farewell and left to continue her task.

With the directions fresh in her mind, she headed off to where the well was and climbed down into the tunnels beneath. It smelled of rotten flesh, but she made her way through the sewer having to knock around a few rats here and there. Finally she arrived to a door which lead to a back room into what appeared to be a smithery. Knowing she was on the right track, she found a hallway and kept to the shadows with silent steps coming up the stairs. She stopped only once when there was a guard in the hallway, hiding next to a chair that protruded from the wall helping to keep her hidden as he walked by. When he was down the hallway, she continued on her way. Finally she reached the King’s quarters, noting that everything was now high fashioned.

Taking slow breaths, she continued sneaking her way deeper and deeper. Her breath almost caught when she saw the guard standing in front of a heavily locked door. When he closed his eyes clearly dozing off, she sneaked up behind him and quickly knocked him out by hitting him in the back of the head with the hilt of her dagger. Catching him before he hit the floor, she slowly sat him down quietly before taking out a sack of lockpicks. Taking out one, she starts her job and begins her task at unlocking the door.

After what was awhile, she, with her mastered skill at lock picking accomplished getting the door opened. Holding her breath, she opens the door and steps inside a golden hued room where another locked chest was found. Quickly going back to work, she accomplishes once more to unlock the final lock to her destiny. There, once he opened the chest, beheld tons of golden jewelry of all sorts of crystals and gems alike on them. Silently, she takes a handful of the King’s most precious items and starts to stuff her bag, using her cloak to make sure they didn’t rattle in the bag. All of a sudden she hears a man’s voice calling out a name. Heart starting to pound fast, she quickly puts on her bag and runs out, only to find the man waking up the other guard. Upon seeing her, he quickly yells, “Guards!”

“Toddles,” Dianne quickly waves off, dodging the man past the door to take off deeper into the castle. With the help of her cloak, the jewelry did not rattle as she sneaked more and more inside, guards high on her tail. That was when she came across the door that will change her life forever. A door with no locks, just a simple knob to turn and so she turned it. Closing the door after entering, she was shocked to see a woman standing in the middle of a small room, an average looking woman in only her night gown looking as scared as can be as she faced Dianne.

“A-are.. you going to kill me?” the woman asked. Something compelled Dianne to set the bag of treasures down on the woman’s dresser.

“No..” whispered Dianne, transfixed by the woman who Dianne knew was the King’s wife, Irene, and yet curious of one simple thing, and so she asked a question of her own. “Why, my dear, would your husband place many locks upon treasures and yet not a single lock on your door?”

Irene looked down, saddened at this question knowing the truth and so she answered, “I am not worth anything, Shadow.”

Enraged by her answer, Dianne whispered with confused anger in her voice, “Nonsense! You are worth all the treasures in the world. I would give up every penny I have to spend a night in your embrace.”

“Such bold honesty, Shadow,” whispered back Irene, embarrassed and yet amused by the actions of Dianne until she heard the guards behind the door say, “Check here,” as they came down the hallway towards her room. “Quickly, hide in my closet.”

Dianne did as she was told and hid in the closet, strangely trusting the woman. Irene ran over and quickly opened up her balcony doors and pretended to look as if she was scared that someone went out there. When the guards arrived, she quickly told them that the ‘thief’ went out and off the balcony leaving the treasures behind.

Confused, the guards grabbed up the bag as the King walked in and ushered the men out of Irene’s room. “Stupid good for nothing woman,” he muttered under his breath as he walked out with the guards.

Few more moments, and Dianne emerged from the closet slowly coming to walk up to Irene who stood her ground with a saddened look in her brown eyes. “You don’t deserve that, mi’lady,” Dianne whispered softly to her, her hand coming up to stroke the woman’s cheek. “I wish I could give you what you deserved.” It took Dianne all she could do not to love on her right then and there.

Irene looked up with hope in her eyes, looking Dianne in her own beautiful hazel ones. “Tell me; am I worth losing everything for?”

Dianne, not knowing what was compelling her to act this way, unbuckled her mask and let it hang where the woman could see her giving her the sweetest smile she could, making the girl catch her breath. Looking Irene straight in the eyes, she answered with a truthful, “You are worth everything and more.” Then with that, Dianne leaned forward and captured Irene’s lips.

All Irene could do was wrap her arms around Dianne’s shoulders as she kissed her, eyes closing after recovering from her shock. Normally she wouldn’t let anyone do anything like this, but this woman that was doing so made every fiber of her being burn with desire and so she relaxed in Dianne’s arms.

Slowly pulling away, Dianne grabbed the top of her hood and removed it, letting her long thin-braided Burnett hair fall through which stopped just above her hips. The style in her braids reminded Irene of a gypsy, coming to be mesmerized by ‘Shadow’s’ beauty. To her, she thought Shadow as a rough looking woman, but who stood before her was nothing compared to what she was imagining before.

“You are so beautiful,” Irene whispered, noting through the tight black garb around the woman in front of her showed off her nice lithe curves making herself become very shy and self conscious. She had curves, but she didn’t have the nice built body going on there like Shadow did before her.

Dianne just smiled, lifting her hand up to run her fingers through Irene’s own brown hair, enjoying the feel of the silk sliding through her fingers. “Not as beautiful as you, mi’lady.”

That was enough to make up Irene’s mind. She wanted this woman, more than she ever wanted another person and was willing to give her the night she gave up all the treasure for. No words were spoken between them then. No words needed for either one. Swallowing down her shyness, Irene began to undo the buttons of her gown, each button parting to reveal more of her cleavage. Dianne just stood there in front with patience as Irene took her time, using this time to remove her own clothes, undoing buckles here and there. Irene waited for Dianne to unbuckle all, waiting for those beautiful hazel eyes to be set on her again, eyes which showed a caring emotion within, making her feel special inside.

Once Dianne had finished unbuckling, she looked up, coming to just see the nightgown slide into a pool of cloth around Irene’s ankles. A small gasp escaped her lips, the Queen before her was beautiful beyond words. Continuing to stand before her, Dianne noticed the insecurity surrounding Irene’s being.

“Why, my Queen. Your beauty is that of a goddess. How do you say you have no worth?”

Irene took note of the loving tone in Shadow’s voice, closing her eyes to whisper, “The King makes me feel so.”

“Then I’ll show you the truth,” Dianne said, and so Irene opened her eyes to come and see that Shadow, now stood before her naked. Exposing herself, Dianne wanted to hide her being, knowing that she wasn’t at all beautiful to the eyes and was scared for Irene’s reaction. Yet, Irene did not make any bad reaction, but simply, extended her hand to be placed on Dianne’s stomach. What she saw shocked her, and she felt bad for the things this thief before her went through. On Dianne’s body were scars the nicked and whipped across her skin all across her body. No wonder, Irene thought, that she wore such attire. Yet even with this flaw to her being, Irene still thought she was beautiful to her eye, these scars just adding to her mysterious figure.

“Show me your truth then, my dear Shadow.” No order, no command, just simply a request. Dianne walked over to the simple bed against the stone wall, leading Irene over to it as well. She beckoned for the woman to lie down, and so she did. Once more, no words were spoken between the two as Dianne kissed Irene passionately, her hands roaming across the woman’s figure ushering loving noises to escape. Throughout that night, with the moons light shinning in on them through the balcony, they made love, both content and satisfied with the world right there in each other’s arms. Irene felt special, felt loved even though that she was laying with a stranger, a dangerous, wanted stranger at that. Yet she didn’t care. Whoever this was, this woman, it must have been destiny that brought them together. It made her sad, knowing that she could not be with her after this, that her shadow had to leave her, leave her back to the hell she was living in against her will.

“Shadow?” whispered Irene, her head resting on Dianne’s shoulder as the two laid there underneath the sheets.

Dianne, whose hand was stroking Irene’s lovingly, gave a little, “Hmm?”

“What will you be up to after this?”

That simple question made Dianne’s heart clench. That’s right, after this she would have to find another way to bring Knight Euclid Andreas out of his little hole, continuing to live life dangerously and alone. Oh, how she’d give to have a lover like Irene in her life.

“Nothing,” she replied.

“Nothing, just go back to stealing and making people angry? Do you have someone in your life to go to in the end?” Irene couldn’t help but ask; she was curious if this woman even had anyone in her life.

“Same old life style, no one to go to, no family no lover,” she answered back truthfully, the own realization of it making her suddenly feel depressed.

Irene lay there, thinking, her hand stroking across Dianne’s stomach to say before she could stop herself, “It’d be nice to be a shadow like you and leave behind this damn world I’m cursed in.”

“Aye, it’d be nice,” smiled Dianne, making a blush creep across Irene’s cheeks. Then a thought occurred in Dianne’s head. “How.. Would you like to, come back with me far from this place and be mine?”

The sudden question caught Irene off guard. Stuttering, she answered back, “Yet the King will hunt me down and bring me back. It’s too dangerous… Though, I would honestly enjoy it.”

“Then it is settled,” said Dianne, making Irene sit up and look at her with confusion.

“You can’t possibly mean that,” Irene whispered loudly, shocked by Dianne’s words.

“Dangerous?  Everything is dangerous and it doesn’t mean it stops me,” Dianne said to her with a proud look on her features. Irene’s heart pounded hard in her chest. She felt so happy, and in just a little amount of time her world changed and she had hoped that her Shadow would stay true to her words.

“Shadow… What is your name?”

Dianne looked Irene in the eyes, a thoughtful look on her face before she smiles softly with her answer. “Dianne, Dianne Lysander”

Irene didn’t know how to react, trusting this to be Shadow’s real name, knowing that her Shadow trusted her just as much as she trusted the woman made her very like if she died right now she’d die happy. Dianne just smiled at the overjoyed look on her lady’s face, and to be amused by how quickly it’d turn to confusion, she removed her amulet, the only thing she was wearing right now. Silver in chain, with a crescent moon at the end, this amulet sparkled with the small diamonds that were shown on each of the moon’s craters. As on cue, Irene’s face shown a confusion as Dianne removed the amulet and placed it on Irene.

“What is this for, Dianne?” Irene asked, looking down to hold it with awe in her hand.

“As long as you wear that, mi’lady, I will always come back for you,” she told her, slipping out of the bed leaving Irene to suddenly feel sad once more from the feel of her gone. Irene sat up, bold naked to the world as she watched her lover dress back into her gear. Before Dianne tightened the mask, she leaned forward and whispered, “I will come back for you, yet it’ll take time before everything is situated,” and with that she kissed her goodbye, keeping her lips upon Irene’s tenderly before finally pulling away with her own saddened look in her eyes.

“Farewell,” Irene said to her, watching as Dianne made her way to the balcony.