"Death sentence?" I questioned, leaning against the bark of the tree and staring at my un-manicured, un-smooth nails with ancient nailbeds. They were the most childish con-artists I've encountered so far.
"Yep," the girl said, nodding her head vigorously, as she popped the 'p' in yep. Her auburn curls flying alongside her head. her stance was relatively poised, but I couldn't be too sure of anything.
I stared up with curiously raised eyebrows, "Why would you say so? I did not commit a crime that you can prove."
"That is incorrect; you have something that rightfully belongs to my brother," She enunciated her words sharply. Fidgeting with her cloak, she pulled out a similar looking necklace and suspended it in front of my face. As if mocking me, the necklace gleamed under the sunlight.
"What if I say that I bought a very similar one? What are the odds?" I test the waters while planning an escape route in my head. There was no way they would be able to catch up to my escaping skills.
"Zero. It was a custom made gift form the King of Agartha, only for the Royal siblings," Replied the girl with pride.
I scoffed.
"I know that you stole it. You nearly broke my neck in the process!" The boy retorted, rubbing the back of his neck and squinting at the sky.
"Yeah, what if I'm the princess of Agartha and it's something my father made. It looked oddly familiar so I took it, thinking you stole from someone else," I grinned at my seemingly plausible version of the story. I stood up straighter and tried speaking in with a thicker accent.
The siblings rolled their eyes in creepy unison.
"You talk too much, don't you?" The girl scowled at me.
I pressed my lips in a thin line and nodded, "You, siblings dearest, are the lamest con-artists I've ever encountered!" I chuckled out.
The duo just stared at me with cold, hazel eyes burning through my soul. I raised my hands in mock surrender. "You could have chosen a better storyline than Royalty."
The girl scowled at me. "How dare you defy the words of a true royal?!" she exclaimed furiously, body stiffing in controlled rage.
The royal children, i.e. the prince and princesses, were kept hidden from the kingdom until they were of age to be coroneted or be wedded off. Media was banned to protect the image of royalty, and the elite were never exposed to the outside world.
It was relatively the most common backup story every con artist choses to build upon.
I just shrugged and waved my fingers at her face, walking past them. Her expression screamed annoyed, agitated, furious, but she settled for cold fury. Her brother was just plain surprised.
I pouted, that was easy. They didn't even try hard… I'll just…
The bubble of my thoughts was popped when I heard a number of twigs snapping and rhythmic shuffling of feet heading towards me. The footsteps grew louder by each second. My eyes widened as I secured the necklace in the pocket of my khaki shorts and ran backwards.
The brunette's smirking face came into my view and before I could help it, I was surrounded by big, bulky men. Frowning, I whined out, "Cheap move guys! It's like…so many against one!"
The girl gave me a creepy smile while the boy just plainly stared past me, like I was more irrelevant than air.
"We never promised to be fair," the girl grinned cheekily, twirling the platinum string of the necklace with her fingers.
"How about I return you your necklace and we shall be on our merry ways?" I offered, begrudgingly.
The boy smiled and a small dimple popped beside his lips.
"It's not that important Red," he spoke up.
I really don't have time to think about nicknames when the devil's death bell is ringing on my head.
"Then why are you after me, brown?" I asked with an irritated expression.
The girl snickered and the boy grimaced.
"Promise to surrender?" the boy questioned flatly.
"Yeah and end up in jail? No, thanks!" I spoke and suddenly charged in a dash.
The men were standing in a circle, without any weapons. So I decided to check if I could take them down.
Even though it's an extremely dangerous and idiotic time to run on wild guesses. But, where is the fun in not taking risks?
I ran, kicking a pile of dried leaves to illusion my path while I slid down in the gap between two men and crawled. One of them grabbed the collar of the overcoat.
I smirked, loosening the knot and easily slipped out of the coat running further away from them.
But to my misfortune, two of them caught up with me. I cursed as one of them pounced at me. I dogged, barley escaping his grim clutches. But the other one kicked my side and I ended up flying backwards into a tree.
My back hit the rough tree bark and burning sensations fired throughout my body. I coughed and spat some blood, not letting the dull throbbing ache consume me. "Seriously man? In the back? That's just plain rude!" I whined out and he dashed forwards.
In the quick assessment of my surroundings, all I saw were sticks and stones and leaves. I guess its time to fight World War 3.
He threw a punch; I bent down and kicked his shin. His balance faltered, while having the golden opportunity, I kicked his balls. He clenched his jaw and crawled on the ground. I grabbed a stone and shoved his nape with it. The man fell to the ground out cold.
"Ha!" I rejoiced, "I took one down!"
I grinned and turned back, another charged at me, roping me to the tree in mere seconds.
"Lady, he was a new recruit," some other man grumbled in my ear and I seethed.
"At least he wasn't outnumbered by 10,000!" I exclaimed, trying to fidget with the restrains as other were about to catch up with me.
Think Gwendolyn, Think.
I don't think that thinking was ever your forte.
Then fudging Talk!
"That is a huge miss assumption," the man continued.
"Yeah, then how many are you?" I questioned curiously.
He waited to ponder for a second, never tying a knot around.
"Well, we're merely 13, not much, I know, but we try being strong and out there. Really—" the man continued chit-chatting and I used the opportunity to hook his feet with her and twist them both. He fell along with me.
"You fucking cheater!" he gasped out.
On ground, the grip loosened, I broke out and shoved a stone in his face. He dogged, clutching my hand and in his deadly grip. I winced as he tried to twist it bare.
"Common, tell me all about your new recruits," I croaked out.
"One of them loves to torture around with nails and hammers," he replied with a maniacal grin.
I felt around for a stick and stabbed it in his side but he caught my other hand as well.
"Carpentry wasn't giving much business?"
Groaning, I head butted him. I have quite a thick skull. He fell on the ground with a groan.
"No, he just liked blood more."
"Well sadly, he won't be able to play with mine," I smiled and kneed him where the sun doesn't shine.
But my victory was short-lived. As soon as I turned, I was electrocuted into a daze. My body withered like a dried leaf in s November storm, trying to retain her home but failing miserably to do so.
In the end, I fell like the leaf. On the ground, out cold. Far Far away from home, buried in snow that people loved, but I hated.
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