When I had heard, we were going to steal something extremely valuable, I had all sorts of visions in my head. Fancy gadgets, deceitful notes, calling cards and cityscape chases. Reality bites.
I had been loitering on a stone wall for almost two hours now. Idly watching people go by, reading the newspaper, getting a hot dog from the corner stand. All to observe and discover the guard schedule. We intended to lift a copy of the schedule for the actual dates of the heist, but we would need intel to figure out when we could do just that. Hence why my butt ached from siting on a stone ledge.
Like most things in the princedom, metal was their forte. I glanced at the small outbuilding that housed the guards before looking at the museum grounds. Next to the shack were solid cast post, supporting a hinged gate, also iron. The first building was the most over the top, as the other wings were more typical steel supporting wood. The entry way was the opening of a bellows. First invented in the region, it represented the ultimate step forward into generating fires hot enough to smelt and smith the ores found in the region.
Giant canvas sheets spanned a massive metal framework to complete the look. This kind of architecture didn't make sense to me, but it showcased something, whatever a fifty-foot set of bellows could showcase.
So, board. Sloping lawns and decorative iron work were only so interesting to look at after a dozen times.
"Hello there, young lady, how are you on this fine young day." Blinking and cocking my head, I looked to my left to see and old man with a cane. Wisp of white hair, a valley of wrinkles, brass spectacles, and a clean outfit.
"I am well, Is good sir well today?" I responded habitually as I would to one of the many greetings I received as a princess. He guffawed at my stiff and formal greeting.
"Fine day, fine indeed." This was a bit out of her expertise, most old men that she delt with were prim and proper nobles, not exuberant common elders.
"Not as many younger kids showing up, tour just old folks and small kids. There's tons learn here; say no one to teach." His dialect was rusty and scratchy, but he seemed good natured
"Well, I'm…waiting for someone." That sounded suspicious, but the old man didn't think much of it.
"Outstand, ing, you should see the hall of rocks, it's quite the exciting. Hall of gems is there to, lots to look at, but the magic metalsmithing, now there's a good exhibit."
Gems?! They curated an entire exhibition to gems…I wonder if we set our sights to low for just the first stone.
"My grand dear just the same, pretty stones and her eyes sparkle…she three." As jovial as this old man was, even I think that was bit rude, but it was hard to be mad at the man who reduced the drudgery.
"Well, pretty young ladies as yourself, are always shinning bright." He rasped smiling as he watched a small group walk by them.
I've forgiven you completely. It was good when someone realized I was a stunning princess.
"So, you were here." Glancing to the voice on my left, I observed night terror approaching, the real terror is the monotony.
"Oh, just the person I was looking for. It was a pleasure talking to you sir." With a small curtsy she dragged the thief away.
"Quickly, before he keeps conversing." I muttered in a threatening low voice. After a few steps I let go of his arm, failing to realize that he enjoyed that more than he should have. Relieved to escape, there was no question, it was time to eat something. The rest could wait.
"Let's go!" There was a something called gem stew, which even by name sounded intriguing. Had I been at home, there was no way I could eat in grungy dirty shop front. I was a bit hesitant, but the gem stew…
I shouldn't have doubted, while simple and plain, the floors tables and chairs were immaculate, a few generic pictures hung on the wall. It seemed every cent that this place possessed went into two things, cleanliness, and quality of food. Since the outside had nothing to do with food, it was left to wallow. There menu had seven items. Gem stew, hammered bird, metallic sides, and drinks, two each. A single large cookie completed the menu.
Louis order for them, two stews teas, and cookies.
I hadn't been starving before I walked in and now, I was. Heady aroma filled the room, I have no idea what seasoning or sauces they used. Scorched meat grilling and sizzling, I could die before I get to eat. Gem stew was a stew made from fresh water white fish, since it was added last, after being glazed and caramelized, it glistened like a gem.
Soft flaky and tender, with a bit of brine and a mild sweet broth.
Its official, this princess has fallen.
It was times like this I was glad I ran; despite the hardship I knew my family was suffering. Ironically, I thought with a strange feeling, we planned to steal the stone on what was the day of my wedding. I looked to the wall. In a place like this Xavier would be, or maybe Guards Red and Blond the two females who rotated with Sir Xavier.
"What's wrong?" Louis siting across from me was another thing I had gotten use to. I wonder what would happen when we split. Would I miss him…contrary, he's just not as memorable as the strange pink monster.
"Just…I wish my family was here. Well first brother might not he doesn't like sea food. Third brother would kill for a fish soup with this depth. They have that large table in the corner there, everyone could join, father, mother…" Xavier. That man was on my mind a lot, I suppose I was a lot closer than I thought to the man who watched my back for the last few years. The image of him looking at me as we fled, still gave me chills. I wonder what it would be like if he gave me that look filled with desire for me…
No, not, denied, impossible, Inconsiderable
Right?
Preposterous!
Right?
"Its hard to not be with those you love. I don't even know my father or mother." Louis said breezily, as if talking about someone else. It shook me from whatever I thought of my bodyguard.
"It's okay. Really. you can see them again one day." I didn't know what to say in response. I had been raised in a glass jar, free from most suffering. Even if I hadn't, I had been out enough to see how people could suffer.
"As long as we still live, things can be accomplished. Weather it's to steal the world, have some bread, or hold the one we cherish." I thought about, lightly prodding my stew. Did I cherish or was it something more?
"That's pretty, who said it?" I asked distracting myself from the thoughts.
"Notes, Pancakes and other Horrors." He responded simply.
"Really?" I knew of them, a pretentious rock band who sang on the streets, famous for how terrible they sounded.
"It does sound like something they would say…it is kind of fitting."
"Good can come from anyplace." He quipped sipping his tea.
"What about that one" I asked, it sounded similar to several other quotes I knew.
"Night Terror of Alexandria." So, he said that one, its not a bad line either, I might save it for later. We resumed eating after a lull fell in the conversations
"Finish up, we need to discuss the anti-magic countermeasures that we are going to have to break." He tried not to sound awkward. After returning the dishes and complementing the amazing soup, I managed to somehow stager out of the small restaurant. That was one of the greatest things I've ever put in my mouth. Gem stew, a dish not to be trifled with.
"So what countermeasures are we talking about." We had walked a bit speaking more quietly to not be over heard.
"Undesirable magic." I hadn't known of that type of magic personally, so I asked.
"Which is?"
"It's the general protection magic that covers just about every important building. Your palace had it to." It was times like this, that he really seamed like an amazing thief, knowing just what to do.
"It did? What did you do for that?" We chose a busy park to walk through, despite the noise it was still a pleasant place to be.
"You invited me in. With the servant token, and your extension of visitation, none of the magic countermeasure would activate. They work on Intent, any one with malice or harm will trigger the wards."
Magic was something I was intimately familiar with. However, I ignored everything that didn't seem cool enough. So ritual and magical infrastructure went by the wayside. Off the cuff I responded with my first thought.
"I think theft has malice in it, what if we just borrow it?"
"I've tried that before no dice. It's going to call for set up. Were going to have to make several trips to the museum. Once we get things built on the inside, we can ignore all the magic defenses. It has a downside, if we use any magic, it will trigger everything."
Education wise, i enough to know that it isn't easy to set up.
"Ritual set up isn't easy…" Voicing my concerns.
"You underestimate me." He smirked and said with swagger.
"I'm the Night Terror of Alexandria, this isn't my first job." I decide to have faith in him, after all he was a supposed master thief, and a good leader listens to their experts.
With that settled I decide to work on my calling card.
After all, this was going to be the debut of the Beautiful Music Typhoon Thief!