I'll see you around? what does that even mean? He frowned as his horse galloped along the rocky mountain roads. The sun was about to set. A pastel orange hue was cast upon the horizon.
'What's on your mind princess?' Sydney interrupted his thoughts and brought him back to reality.
'There was this girl' He said more to himself than to his friend.
'You mean the one with the curly locks who knocked your watch which by the way was very entertaining to watch'
"You saw her do it!?"
"Of course she wasn't as smooth she thought she was but then again I don't think it was a bad attempt pretty decent in my opinion given her lack of experience besides you didn't notice shit"
'Okay, okay now I did feel something but I chose to ignore it because I was just taking in the view and I thought it was a breeze'
'Yeah sure whatever you say, Princess'
'Don't call me that' River rolled his eyes at him wishing his uncle would fall off his horse.
His attention, however, was diverted towards a little light coming through the woods adjacent to the path they were on. He slowed down a little and Sydney followed his lead.
"What you see something kid?"
"Hey uh could you grab the map real quick the one from dad's journal" River pointed towards his rucksack now moving away steadily from his horse and towards the woods?
"Sure"
His steps picked up the pace as he started to make his way towards the light pushing all the leaves away with his hands. He ended up in front of a little cabin; typical in structure and composed of wood from the neighbouring trees. It looked deserted from the outside but the little light bulb right above the door seemed to still have power somehow.
"These trees are around a hundred years old, the forest tells you stories you know that kid?" Sid said as he finally caught up with River.
"Sydney let's go take a look inside I just wanna check something out"
"Okay sure, you reckon someone lives in there?" Sydney came close to one of the windows and tried peeking in.
"Well, that giant lock with cobwebs on the door tells me no one has been in there for a while" He replied as he tried yanking it. He took out his lock-pick kneeling down to the level of the lock trying to open it.
"Here I'll just open it give me a minute I almost-"
SMASH!
"What the hell Sid!?"
Sydney yanked his hand out of the now broken window, shrugged at River and jumped right in.
"You would've taken your time with your lockpicking skills"
"My lockpicking skills are fine" River replied as he jumped in as well.
"Sure they are kid"
"Hey, would you quit calling me that and look around for something interesting?" River snapped and turned his attention to an old rack.
"Right let's get on with it" Sydney pulled his leather gloves on and started rummaging through boxes.
"You find anything yet?... Riv? hey, what are you looking at?" Sydney turned towards River who was intently staring at a painting right above the fireplace in the cabin; it was covered in dust but was not damaged it was a young portrait of someone familiar.
"Shah Jahan" River whispered in shock.
"Huh?"
"Jesus, Sydney that's Shah Jahan well when he was younger and not tied up in a tower"
"So? it's just a silly old painting given the state of this place and the type of old shit lying around it's not a big deal unless it's worth something"
"It could be worth well over a few million dollars the royal painter did not paint this though someone else did"
"Well if the painting is worth so much let's just nick this then eh?"
"Sid, don't you get this really really valuable portrait covered in cobwebs was just lying here as a clue if make it to what we were told we might find just imagine how valuable that would be"
"We'd be set for life I would never have to work again"
"You've never worked a single day in your life anyway Sid"
"Hey! of course, I have"
"Stealing is not a job"
"Whatever"