The Thief Princess by Princess Locke

AN- I have very few characters so that's why this was late. Thanks to Krystal I can now write this chapter.

Thanks to:

EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!

Sakura Sage- Again, thank you very much! Not much to say except that the ground is a really long way away and if your jaw hit it, you must be a snake! (I mean that in a good way) ~.^

A-Wolf-Called-Skya- Thanks! I'll read your story sometime, hopefully after I'm done with this chapter. As well, since you seem into wolves, have you ever read the Immortals quartet by Tamora Pierce? They're great books. I think you might enjoy them.

krissa amberia- I'm a pacifist. I think that shows in my writing. Heh, what can I say. When God says we must love one another and forgive, well, I take it to heart and it shows up. Plus if Anowa died, my last plot twist would be gone and the story never would have happened anyway because then Locke wouldn't be pure and innocent. Thanks for the review anyway.

Phantom Moon- Thank you! Your work is wonderful too! I have "Four Tides" on my favorites now though I have yet to finish it (I can't believe you finished and I've only just begun). Well, sorry for the wait, here's the next chapter.

CD- To Krystal and Sonya. Krystal for the character names and Sonya because you can now only read this through my e-mails, Winding Circle is really going to miss you.

~~~

Chapter 5- The Journey North

I never looked back. Don't think I could have continued had I. I don't think I wanted to either.

Maybe I was afraid to.

Maybe not. But I didn't either way. No sense dawdling on the past. I didn't look back once I was out of sight, not even when I stopped at a small inn that night.

During the day I rode. At night I rested. Sometimes I passed people on the roads, other times it seemed like my only company was Nikaki. Sometimes at night the inns would be crowded and so noisy sleep was futile and homesickness was strong, other times it would be so quiet you could hear even the smallest whispers echoing in the common room.

A week had gone by. I stopped at a small inn called 'Denore Inn', I remember because the name was odd, and that night slightly odder. The first moon, Nikaki, had already risen and I was tired and hungry from the road. I unsaddled and brushed Nikaki in the stables quickly then took my bag inside.

The innkeeper was a fat man in his late years, his gray hair and beard were proof of that. He wore comfortable clothes with an apron over them and greeted me with a cheeriness that was genuine. I gave him a silver shinel and a maid went to prepare my rooms.

I walked up the stairs to my room and found the maid standing there. She was a short girl, a little younger than me. She wasn't pretty, but rather fat and ugly. Her brown hair was cut in such a way that her face seemed far more plump than it was. Her hazel eyes, though, were sweet and thoughtful. "You oughtn't be out on the road alone this far from a town." She told me, her voice was pretty and melodic, like a singer's voice. She was right though, I was nowhere near a town.

"Why not?" I asked sweetly as I placed my bag right inside the door."

The girl gave me the key and I locked door. "Things could happen. 'Tis a dangerous place, the road."

She and I walked back down the stairs and into the common room which was crowded with people. The girl steered me toward an empty table in the back where I had a good view of the common room. I sat and the girl asked, "Are you hungry?" At my nod she continued, "I'll have Daddy fix something good for you. He makes the best food."

She hurried off. I liked her, she was nice, a little strange, but nice. A few minutes later she returned carrying a tray of food. She set the food before me and took a seat across from me. "I'm Krystal Denore." She told me.

I bit off a piece of bread, swallowed, and replied, "I'm Locke Stone, nice to meet you." I continued eating and she watched me intently until someone appeared at our table.

"Hey Krystal, who's the friend?" He asked, obviously meaning me.

Krystal went red in the face and, turning to face the intruder, practically yelled, "Git, Alex. For once can't you leave me alone!"

I turned to face the man. He must've been twenty or so. His long brown hair was pulled away from his rather handsome face and back into a braid that reached mid-way down his back. His eyes were brown and cold. He was dressed in brown riding clothes and a dagger hung at his side. I hated him at once, I don't know why. Maybe because Krystal hated him.

He grinned smugly and held up his hands in mock defeat, "Okay, okay. You win. I'll go away... for now."

He sauntered off and Krystal turned back to me. "I hate him." She stated bluntly. "I hate him an' I hate his friends."

I swallowed a bite of my food before replying, "Who was that? Why doe you hate him?"

Krystal sighed. "That's Alexandrite. He and his friends come in here 'most every night and party. They get on my nerves an' they're not the sort you want to associate with. Alex has taken to teasing me all the time, sometimes I just want to scream!" . "You shouldn't take Alex so seriously," A new voice said. I turned and saw a woman standing there, though for a second I thought she was a man. Her black hair was cropped boyishly short and shined almost supernaturally in the dim room's lighting. She had a round, cheerful face and large black eyes.

Krystal reacted a bit more calmly to this person. "Git, Onyx. Alex is YOUR brother, not mine. He doesn't mean anything when he's teasing you, he does when he's teasing me." She put her head in her chubby hands as a gesture of frustration.

Onyx smiled slyly. She reminded me of a cat. "Alex lives to get under people's skins. If you let him, he's happy. But I recommend you not." Then she slinked off and disappeared.

I finished eating and turned to Krystal, who had her head on the table like she was sleeping. "I agree with Onyx." I told her, "You shouldn't let Alex bother you so much." I stood and left.

Before I was out of earshot though, I heard Krystal mutter "Me life is doomed."

I shook my head with a small laugh and headed to my room to sleep.

~~~

The next day I left before sunrise. The air was chilly and dewy outside, yet refreshing after spending the night at yet another busy inn. The world around me was oddly silent in the pre-dawn light, yet I was comforted by it.

For the past few days I had traveled in open space but after an hour of riding that morning the landscape changed to woods. Rather dense woods. At midday the sky became overcasted and by the third hour past it began to rain. By sunset the road was far to muddy to continue and make it to the next inn. I groaned as I set up a camp beneath a large tree in a spot that was still dry thanks to leaves.

I ate cold rations because I didn't want to start a fire and went to sleep.

I was aroused sometime later that night by voices. Hushed voices but I could still hear. The rain had stopped finally and all was still.

The voices were talking to each other and I wondered if I was going insane, "Amethyst, you get the girl. Citrine, you see if she's got anything." A familiar voice said.

"Hey boss!" A female voice almost shouted. "I found a purse with lots of gold shinels in it."

"Shh!" The first voice replied. "Be quiet, Emerald. Do you want that girl to wake up?!"

To late. I grinned mentally. I felt a shadow standing over me and as unnoticeably as I could I pulled a dagger from a hidden sheath. The person -probably Amethyst- raised her own dagger but before she could bring it down I jumped up and at the same time knocked the dagger from her hand.

Amethyst gasped and fell back. Distantly I was aware that all movement around me had stopped and all eyes were on me. "You have got to be the worst thieves I have ever met." I told them coolly, still standing in a guard position with my dagger ready.

Alex stepped out of the shadows and I realized he was the one that had spoken first. I kicked myself mentally as I remembered where I'd first heard him. Stupid! I thought, Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Alex laughed as Amethyst stood up. "Silly us, we should have known that a girl like you could never have made it this far alone without some way of defending herself." Alex clapped slowly a few times.

I glared at him. "I'm not a dainty lady, Alex." I replied, emphasizing his name. I made a show of looking at the other thieves -there must've been ten or so- and added. "I'm also not stupid. I think anyone with a even half a brain could've caught you stealing."

Alex drew his dagger. "So maybe anyone can catch us stealing, but you won't even live to brag." He lunged at me and I barely had time to get out of the way.

The bandits moved to form a circle around Alex and I. He came at me again and I blocked with my dagger, silently thanking my father for all those lessons in fighting. He drew back and I saw an opening, I lunged forward and he blocked me with his dagger. Suddenly he jerked to the side and I slipped. In that split second I was off guard he brought his dagger up and cut my right arm, rendering it useless. A thin trail of blood traveled down my arm as I switched hands. He came at me again and I just barely had time to block. He pushed down on his dagger as I pushed up in a test of strength I was sure to lose.

Perhaps it was from the loss of blood, perhaps just the adrenaline, but for some reason, time slowed down. I mean, WAY down. I saw an opening and I dropped and rolled to my right, wincing as dirt got into my wound. Alex stumbled slightly but recovered quickly. I stood and blocked as he lunged again. He back off and slashed at me in a horizontal cut, followed by a vertical one. I blocked and continued blocking, waiting for a chance as he came at me. There! He swept sideways then vertically, I caught the hilt of his dagger with mine and, using the last of my strength, knocked the dagger from his hand.

I jerked back, knowing I had won. Alex straightened and looked at me with his cold eyes and suddenly, they weren't cold anymore. He smiled, "Well done. Not many can best me in a fight and those few who can are older than me. I must know the name of my worthy opponent."

I blinked in surprise before stuttering, "L-Locke Stone." I was dimly aware of my wound which was now throbbing dully as the adrenaline thinned.

"Well, Locke Stone. You have proven yourself worthy, why don't you join us and teach us a few things about being bandits since we are no good according to you." Alex said, his voice sounded distant.

I think he figured out that I was quickly losing consciousness because he walked over to Amethyst and she gave him bandages. He walked back over to me and bandaged my arm gently, smiling as he did so. "Even girls like you get hurt." He told me when he finished. "Sorry, for, um... cutting your, um.. arm." He apologized.

"Don't bother." I told him as I sat back on the ground. "I've done worse." He sat with me and slowly so did the rest of the would-be bandits. "I thank you for the offer to join you but I'm on a mission and I have my own merry band of thieves back home." I said casually, gesturing to the bandits.

Alex looked sheepish as he fidgeted with the tip of his braid, "We are actually much better but Emerald is slightly..." He trailed off, he didn't have to finish.

The one I guessed was Emerald glared at him and I laughed. Then I remembered that Emerald had taken my purse, "Where's my purse?" I asked sweetly. Alex untied my purse from his belt and handed it to me. It felt lighter than it had when I'd taken it off. "Where's the rest of my gold?"

Alex again looked sheepish as he pulled a few shinels from his own purse and handed them to me. "You're a clever one." He grinned. "Come to our camp and meet the rest of us. Tomorrow we'll show you a quick way through the woods."

I nodded, "Sure... As long as you promise not to try to steal anything of mine."

Alex raised his hands, "Hey, this thief knows when he's been defeated."

I laughed as I stood. The others stood as well. I rolled up my bedroll and put it in my bag, then saddled Nikaki and mounted her. The other bandits mounted their own horses and together we rode off the way I'd came (so we were actually going back toward the inn) for a few minutes then turned off a smaller path and rode back a mile until we came upon a large camp.

The camp was not silent despite the late time. In fact, it was very much alive. In the center a fire was going and people sat around it, chatting. We stabled our horses at the edge of camp and headed for the center. The place was filled with tents of many sizes, I guessed the camp housed twenty families and a few bachelors.

A woman with graying black hair and gray-green eyes greeted Alex with a hug and a kiss on his cheek, I guessed she was Alex's mother. My guess was confirmed when Alex introduced us. "Locke, this is my mother, Carnelion. Mother, this is probably the only teenager better than me with a dagger, Locke."

"Hello," I said with a slight bow, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Carnelion smiled, "Come child, you must be tired. I'll take you to our tent where you can stay."

I shook my head. Tired? What is this word? I certainly wasn't tired. "No thanks." I told her, "I'm wide awake, I don't think I could sleep again."

Carnelion laughed, "Then why don't you come over by the fire where it's warm and tell us about yourself."

We headed over to the fire and sat down in an unoccupied spot, Alex and Carnelion on either side of me. "So, where exactly are you from?" Alex asked.

"Bashile." I replied simply, squashing a small wave of homesickness.

"Where are you heading?" Carnelion questioned.

"Far away from here." I didn't like being interrogated and I didn't like talking about my task, bad enough it's a legend I was after, didn't need to be ridiculed for being caught either.

"Why?" A new voice spoke this time. Onyx sat beside Alex, staring at me with curiosity.

"I'm on a mission."

"To do what?" Alex asked.

"Nothing you need to be concerned with." I replied.

Carnelion turned to Onyx and asked, "What are you doing up? I thought you'd gone to sleep a while ago."

Onyx shrugged. "I was sleeping until a certain Chrysoprase woke me up." She glanced at Alex as he quickly scrambled to his feet.

"Shoot, I forgot about Chryso. She's gonna kill me." Alex rushed away and into a tent.

"Who's Chrysoprase?" I asked Onyx.

"Alex's wife." Onyx replied simply. "Chryso is nine months pregnant and we're expecting the baby anytime soon, I wouldn't be surprised if she went into labor tonight."

"Oh." I stood and stretched with a large yawn.

"You sure you're not tired?" Carnelion asked.

"Maybe just a little." Okay, maybe just a lot, but she didn't need to know that. I yawned again. Carnelion laughed and showed me into the large tent that Alex had disappeared into. the tent was sectioned off into four parts by curtains and curtain doors.

"You'll sleep in Onyx's room tonight." Carnelion said as she pointed to the right curtain door where Onyx stood. "I sleep there." She pointed to the center curtain. "And Alex and Chryso sleep in the left room." I nodded again.

"Goodnight." I called over my shoulder as I headed into Onyx's 'room' and set my bag down. I had fallen asleep earlier in my travel clothes so I changed into a cotton nightgown. Onyx gave me a blanket and pillow and showed me where to sleep. I fell asleep quickly on the soft matt and didn't awaken again that night.

~~~

As luck would have it, it rained the next day. I walked out that morning and heard rain beating on canvas but oddly didn't feel anything. I looked up and saw that the camp was protected by a large piece of waterproof canvas strung between trees about twenty feet up.

The fire was going, I learned that they never extinguished it. Several people sat around eating breakfast as one of them cooked and served it. I walked toward the fire and was greeted by Carnelion.

"The roads are far to muddy to go anywhere today." She told me. "You may stay here today and if tomorrow is nice we will show you a shortcut through the woods and toward the city. It will cut down you're traveling time by a few hours." She guided me toward the fire where we got breakfast from the woman cooking and sat down in the same spot we had last night.

We pretty much ate in silence. Onyx joined us a little later on. After breakfast Onyx showed me around. I liked her. She made the camp seem interesting that rainy and dull day. I got to see what the different chores were around the camp and I met some interesting people. At noon Onyx and I had just sat down for lunch when Alex raced from the tent.

"Someone call Tourmaline! Chryso has gone into labor!" He yelled then dashed back in. Someone raced off and returned with the midwife, Tourmaline.

"'Bout time." I heard Onyx mutter beside me. I sighed and continued eating.

Once, some time ago, a thief named Ashie gave birth. The child didn't make it due to birth complications. It almost killed Ashie and that scared me. I must have been eight at the time, perhaps a little to young to know of such things. I mentally sent Chryso my best wishes and prayed that the child make it.

Four hours past and Alex emerged from the tent again with a squealing baby boy. He smiled as he announced they had named him Peridot. The whole camp cheered, Alex was the leader and now the leader had his first son. I cheered too, relieved to know that my prayers had been answered.

The next day it rained again. Carnelion told me that the rain probably wouldn't let up for a week. I decided I'd help out with the chores around camp. First I helped the woman wash laundry and hang it out to dry, and got really wet in the process. Then I helped with cooking and learned a whole lot of new recipes. Then I took to sewing and that's when I first met Chryso.

Chryso was a short woman in her late teens, only slightly younger than Alex. She had pale, nearly white, hair and light blue eyes. She always had a dreamy look on her face but she was fun to talk to.

I didn't care much for sewing though. The week passed and I tried different chores. Still the rain did not stop. Two weeks passed. Then I got sick.

It was nothing much, just something that had gone around the camp, but it was enough to keep me in bed for several days and the rain stopped. I got better late in the evening of my fourth day being sick and I had decided to leave the next day. I woke up before dawn and heard the steady beating of rain on canvas and groaned.

So then a whole month passed. When the rain finally let up I left. It was early in the morning but half the camp was awake to see me off. I had become practically a member of the bandits and they'd been like a second family to me. Alex, Onyx, a man named Garnet, and I rode off as the camp called goodbyes to me. I smiled and waved goodbye to them until we were out of site.

We rode for a few hours before emerging from the woods near the main road. Garnet turned to me and said, "If you head North for a few more hours you'll come across one of the major Rosalina cities. You can stay there for the night then continue on toward your destination."

"Where ever that may be." Alex added.

I smiled and climbed down from my horse. Alex and Onyx did the same. I hugged each of them, then remounted. "Remember Alex, you have a baby to raise so try not to get killed." He smirked at my comment. "And no more teasing Krystal, next time you see her tell her I'll see her again sometime." I turned to Onyx, "And you, Auntie Onyx, take care of Chryso and Peridot when your loving brother is not around." I glanced at Alex who was trying not to laugh at my nickname for Onyx.

"Yes Mother." Onyx replied and Alex burst out laughing. Don't ask, he liked to laugh and he pretty much laughed at everything.

"See you all, when I see you then." I told them, the waved and I nudged Nikaki into a trot, eager to get to the city before nightfall, yet not eager to leave such wonderful people behind.

~~~

AN- Wow, nine hours to type this (not non-stop). I hope it's okay, I had writer's block.

Next chapter should be up in, oh say, a month. Maybe less. I need characters.

~CONTEST~

Who can be the first one to figure out what is so special about all the characters introduced (besides Krystal). Remember, Alex's full name is Alexandrite and Chryso's full name is Chrysoprase. All the bandits have one thing in common, guess it and you'll win something, I don't know what though, probably nothing but hey! Guess anyway for fun.

~Fun Fact~

Ashie is a cameo from one of my discontinued series The Legends of the Stars. She played the part as Star's guardian and mother to Angel and Darien. In this she is mentioned in chapter three and again here as further proof I have few characters.

The name of this chapter was originally "Long Road North" then it was "The Bandit Problem" then "Road Kill". After much debate I decided we'd stick to just talking about Locke heading North even though we still have another month or so of traveling before she even heads a different direction (see why she gets three years?).

~Spoiler~

This isn't the last you'll hear of Onyx or Alex. Both have minor roles in "The Forest's Secrets" and both have very big secrets I haven't even begun to hint at though by now it's probably obvious.

Anyway, Now that you've read through everything. Please Review and tell me what you think. Flames not welcome but critism is, remember, the line is definite. Flaming is hurtful, critism is as nice as possible.

Thank you.

~Locke~