A while later, they arrived at Venus City. One out of the two big cities in Mulgard Kingdom.
"This city looks more beautiful each time we come here," Kiyan said looking at the city from the carriage.
Venus City was nothing like the village the boys lived in. It was far larger, bustling with people.
The houses were more properly built. The smallest houses reached as high as two storeys and though, a few nobles would visit their village, a lot of them lived in Venus.
The quality of the porticos of each house they rode by was top tier, beautifully designed with flowers.
It soon got quieter as Edward took a turn to one of the shady parts of Venus where fewer buildings could be seen.
Shadows cast over them as they made their way through two buildings with a pathway in between them. Edward made a stop in front of the round building at the end of the pathway behind the large buildings.
Two well-built men putting on black overcoats stood guard at the entrance. Both boys stepped out of the carriage and thanked Edward who looked at them with concern.
"This will be the last time." Kiyan smiled at him telling him he didn't need to worry anymore and walked towards the building with his brother beside him. Seeing the brothers, the men quickly let them in.
"Second floor, third room to the left." One of the men told them where to go. The twins gave a simple nod.
The door was shut behind them as they walked in. Inside the building was a bit dark and crowded, as usual. In this building, shady dealings, illegal trading - human and otherwise, took place. Every business made here was kept away from the ears and eyes of the public.
Only people of shady agendas were allowed in. Kiyan and Raten were exceptional.
Maxwell Keave was the owner of this place and the man they were about to meet. Going where they were told to, they arrived in Maxwell's room. Giving the door a soft knock twice, it was opened for them and shut as soon as they entered.
There was a large, round table in the center of the room. It had three seats on each side with one at the head where Maxwell was already seated.
Maxwell was a man of large build. He had a beer belly and wore a monocle over his left eye. In his mouth was a tobacco pipe. He seemed to be in the middle of sorting the gold coins that were on the table.
"You're finally here. Have a seat." He spoke, his eyes still fixed on the gold in front of him.
The brothers took the seats to his left and remained quiet. They had learnt to never disturb him when there was money in sight.
"Were you able to get it?" He asked in his usual throaty tone when he was finally done.
"Yes, we were," Raten replied, taking the pouch out of the bag and placing it on the table. He pushed it slightly so it slid to Maxwell who caught it and opened it up.
He poured out what was contained in it.
"Just like you asked, we got the five Mulgard customized gold rings, two diamond-encrusted necklaces, and a single gold necklace," Raten spoke once more while Maxwell smiled.
He then gave a signal to one of the men who stood behind him. A small pouch, almost similar to what the boys had was thrown over to them. Raten frowned as the pouch felt light in his hands.
"Ten gold," Maxwell said.
"We agreed you would pay what the jewelry cost and all of those cost at least seventy!" Raten argued.
"We will not be tricked again like last time, so save your story," Kiyan said, just as Maxwell opened his mouth to speak. "Just pay us, and we'll leave."
"Bwaaahahahaha! Seventy gold? Aren't you the greedy ones." Maxwell laughed in his ever-annoying voice. "You should appreciate what you're given."
"You should pay us what we agreed on." Raten retorted, anger evident in his eyes.
"The eleven-year-olds have become quite demanding, don't you think?" Maxwell waved his hands at one of his men who stood behind him to get rid of them.
He did this almost every time they worked for him, just so they would have a reason to come back.
As the man neared, he was sent back crashing into the walls and Raten could be seen with his hand held out. The same trick pulled on the people in the village was used again. Quickly getting up, he and the other men were about to act, but Maxwell stopped them.
"Are you looking for a fight, boy? You won't get out of it alive." He said.
"We only want what you promised," Raten replied placing his hand down.
"You kids have been nothing but a bother anyway. Here's your money." Maxwell yawned throwing three more pouches at them. Kiyan counted them all and it amounted to Seventy gold.
"Satisfied?" He asked.
"We'll be taking our leave now," Raten said getting up from his seat.
"It was nice doing business with you," Maxwell spoke as they were about to leave.
"The only nice part is us not having to return here ever again," Kiyan said as they walked through the door.
Seeing them come out of the building in one piece, Edward breathed a sigh of relief. He had seen them come out badly beaten and bruised most times and would even help clean up their wounds before taking them back to their village.
"Never again?" He asked when they neared.
The twins nodded with a smile and got in the carriage. Hurriedly, Edward headed back to their village.
It was nighttime when they arrived, the moon could be seen illuminating in the starry sky. The streets were almost empty as they slowly rode by.
Edward stopped at a good distance from the twins' home. The brothers alighted the carriage and thanked him.
"I'm just doing my job," Edward stated. He was paid by Maxwell to be a private transport to Kiyan and Raten whenever he sent them on what he usually called 'errands'.
"Stay out of trouble lads." He bid them farewell.
"Do have a good night Sir!" They waved him goodbye.
Walking as fast they could, almost jogging, Kiyan and Raten headed home. They arrived home and walked in to find their father seated on a carved mahogany chair by the window constantly tapping on the cane he held in his left hand.
The lamp in the centre of the room was the only light source.
"As much as I want to believe you boys were out stargazing, you weren't." He spoke in a low tone, shaking his head slightly. "Stop staying out till late. How many times must I say it? Are you trying to get yourselves killed!" He turned to look at them. The rage in his gaze sent chills down their spine.
"We're sorry." They said in unison with their heads hung low.
The sound of a cane hitting the floor was heard as he moved closer. Afraid of getting hit, Raten said, "We promise Father, we won't do it again."
"Yes Father, this is the last time." Kiyan pleaded.
"I heard Mr. Cunningham's jewellry were stolen today." Their father said ignoring their plea.
Hearing his words, the boys shook in fear. Their father was the only one who knew they were the village's notorious thieves. They moved back attempting to create a distance between them and their father.
"Why so silent, can you not speak anymore?" He asked calmly. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" There was a switch in tone for he almost shouted in a fit of rage.
Slowly, they lifted their heads and looked up at their father who crouched a bit to their level. His large body cast a shadow over them. His dark hair fell over his shoulders. With his grey eyes staring deep into their souls, he asked
"Why did you steal from him? I remember you both had promised you will never do that again. What exactly did you need the jewellry for?" He sounded calm, but that ice masked rage so deep.
"W-we need, we needed s-some money..." Kiyan stuttered trying to explain.
A hard tap of the cane on the floor startled both boys.
"You needed money. That's why you stole?!" He yelled. "Am I not doing my best to provide?" He gasped for air, falling back as he held his chest.
"We, we did it for you!" Kiyan cried. "Yes, you are doing your best, we just want to help."
"I don't need your help. I am fine." He fell back on the chair. "You don't need to do anything for me."
"You are not fine!" Raten shouted in anger this time. "You willl work, you keep saying. But everyone denies you work. Even when you get something, you don't get a decent pay. We are not proud of what we did to Mr. Cunningham, but we had to. You are ill father." A tear rolled down his cheek as he said the last sentence.
"We just wanted to afford a healer." Said Kiyan.
"Still, you shouldn't go about stealing. Not when you already have targets on your backs. Are you looking for a repeat of last time?" Their father said.
His eyes softened as they were now clouded with a different emotion. They were trying to get help for their dying father, but he would never accept it at the cost of their lives.
"I can't lose you too."