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A.N. Hello. How ya'll doing? Hope your doing well. Anyways this story is my pride and joy so please enjoy!
'...'thinking "..."talking
Deep Emotions
by Seifersfire
"What happened?"
"Someone said the house collapsed in on itself, the guards are still looking to see if anyone survived."
"I doubt it look at that mess!"
Wood and straw were scattered everywhere. Ski reached out her small hand trying to lift herself up. She felt pain sear through her back as she pulled her knees under her.
"Help!" Ski's voice was barely above a whisper to her own ears. She struggled, pushing on the boards three times her small size. Tears ran down her face as the salt stung the deep gashes along her face and neck. "Please help!"
Ski's seven year old mind couldn't comprehend what had just happened and everywhere hurt. She just wanted someone to come and make it all better. "Mommy, Daddy... Please help!"
"There's someone moving. Over there!"
Sunlight poured over Ski's back as the heavy weights disappeared. The young girl screamed in agony as pain seared through her back.
The men cringed as the saw the magled body before them, she'd carry the scars for the rest of her life. The sobbing child was handed over to a group of women already laden with bandages and salves. Hopefully, the child would survive...
'I’m so hungry.'
She eyed the fruit stand not five feet away. 'But I don't have any money. And just taking it without asking is wrong.' Her stomach grumbled again. 'I wonder if they'd let me borrow some food? Maybe if I'm really nice.'
Ski walked over and gently tugged on the merchant’s shirt putting on her best cute face. The man turned to her and his face softened when he saw her. "And what can I do for you little lady?"
"Umm... Sir I was wondering if I could... If I could borrow some food."
"Borrow? You want to get it now and then bring money from your parents?" the man asked, his bushy eyebrows coming down in slight confusion.
"No Sir, I don't have any parents and I don't have any money either. I thought maybe.." Ski took a big breath and did her utmost to look as adorable as possible. "... I could give you a kiss to pay you back."
The merchant smiled and Ski's face lit up in triumph.
"If I gave you food my little girl wouldn't get any and I need to feed my little girl." The Merchant patted her on the head and turned to another customer.
Ski scowled at the mans' back. She had put the cute face on and everything! Her stomach grumbled and Ski glared at that too. Defeat written on her face she turned to leave when she saw a brown pouch on the ground with a peice of bread sticking out of the top.
Tentatively her delicate fingers reached out and grabbed the bag. Ski ran as fast as her feet would carry her and soon sat down and enjoyed her prize.
Even as she thought about that day her hands unconsciously touched and caressed the scars all over her body. She had gotten them when she was seven; her house had collapsed while she was still inside. Her entire body was covered in light scars that almost gave the impression of stripes. Her body had healed and the scars had had ten years to fade, however in the light of sun or torch you could still see them. They attracted some attention, not much but some. Everyone knew who she was. It was doubtful that anyone couldn't recognize her, not many people walked around with the impression of having stripes. It made her life as a thief rather complicated.
Tonight was a very special night for Ski. Times were getting tough and the Merchants were getting smarter. Ski was hungry and the pickings were overtly slim. She had had her eye on the castle for a long time. It was no small feat to steal from a castle, especially King Straton's castle. He was the most ruthless King to sit on Kendell's throne in over two hundred years. His murderous nature was far more known than his non-existant mercy. Inside those castle walls was a payday, the likes of which Ski had never seen. She was hoping it would be her last.
She slinked through Kendell at the midnight hours only stopping to avoid being seen. Once she reached the castle walls, she looked straight up and saw the guard leaving the tower. She smiled to herself for having such good timing. She reached around and found a foothold and then another slowly making her way over the twelve foot wall. She crouched at the top of the wall rubbing her hands against the soft leather of her pants, the stone had bitten into her fingers. A cloud passed over the moon giving her the darkness to hide her. She scanned the courtyard, it was a cold night so the gurads were sticking close to the main doors. 'Good. At least some part of this will be easier than I thought.'
A shadow moving towards the tower caught her eye. Quickly she dropped down to the other side landing ungracefully on her rear behind a set of bushes. Ski rubbed her abused posterior, grumbling at herself for being so careless. She glanced over the bushes and watched the guards’ movements trying to find a safe, non-suicidal way in. She would have a chance if she stayed in the shadows along the west wall... But it was going to be close.
Soundlessly she rose from her position and began paralleling the west wall. 'Who knew footsteps could make so much noise.' She stopped just outside the moat and made sure all her weapons were well secured. The last thing that she needed was her sword or daggers falling off while she was swimming. Once she was sure everything was secure, she methodically slid her body into the moat watching the ripples her body made carefully.
Just before her head slid under the surface she drew a deep breath and hooked her foot onto the grate at the bottom. She pulled herself down to the bottom and griped the slimy grate with her fingers pulling herself along. Ski smiled at her own brilliance, without opening her mouth of course, she was no fool and knew exactly what she was swimming in; since she was pulling rather than swimming it wouldn't be likely ripples would appear. Soon she began to scan for the drain into the castle which was saying something since it was the middle of night and she was underwater. The acidic content of the water already making her eyes sting.
Her lungs were already beginning to burn when she stumbled on the drain and slid herself through one of the holes. Her lungs screamed for air as Ski untied the pigskin at her hip and inhaled the air within greedily. Once the pigskin was empty she let it float to the bottom carelessly. Ski resumed her journey looking for the light that would signal her entrance into the castle.
After ten feet the drain opened and Ski saw four guards patrolling the rim of the drain. 'Damn.'
The familiar burning sensation returned to her lungs as Ski thought frantically, trying to find some escape route. The far left corner was darker than the others and the guards had congregated towards the upper right hand corner. She pulled herself to the corner and pulled herself up on the wall. As her face broke the water it took all her willpower to not gasp for air.
Her lungs refilled as Ski stayed sitting on the edge of the corner barely daring to breathe, still not wanting to attract any attention. She braced herself on the rim of the drain and lifted herself straight up thankful for the darkness that hid her movements. As her feet came out of the water she dashed to the back of the corner of the room hoping the darkness would do her justice and the noise would be forgotten.
Splash... Drip... Drip... Drip...
"What was that?"
"I don't know sir. It was probably just the leeches."
Ski's eyes widened considerably. 'I was swimming in leeches!' Trying not to panic she peeled back one of her gloves of and stifled a scream. Ski was covered in the little blood suckers. 'EW!'
Ski slipped her glove back on and disappeared out the first door she could find. Once she exited the moat's mouth she found the nearest closet and jumped in yanking off her clothes. 'I'm going to check all sanitary... Things next time before I go swimming in a moat.' After she was devoid of all leeches and her clothes were back on she reentered the castle halls. 'Now for the fun part.'
Ski cautiously made her way thought the castle, up one staircase, through a hall, and she stopped at the steps that ascended into the throne room. Then her target caught her eye, a small side door about forty feet into the throne room.
'Why do these rooms always have to be so big? Maybe if I stay on the east wall, there's not much light there... That'll do.'
She moved silently, staying in the shadows. With every step she took she was sure that the guards would hear her pounding heart. She was not well hidden either, this room was covered in white marble light bounced everywhere. Luckily, there were two rather distracted guards, complaining about their lack of pay.
She reached the door and disappeared into it. 'Nope, these rooms definitely should be much smaller. How's a thief supposed to do this without being caught?'
The corridor was covered in torches. 'No more shadows.' she thought praying luck would be on her side, as she had been most the night. She had not gotten five feet when she heard footsteps. She crouched against the wall on the corner.
"Who's there?"
Ski replied by dousing out the torch next to her with the water left in her sword scabbard.
"Show yourself!" the guard said. Ski distinctly heard the guard unsheath his sword.
"Come find out," Ski whispered, shifting her feet and grabbing what was left of the smoldering torch next to her. The guard came closer and as soon as he was close enough Ski brought the torch down on his head. The guard fell on the floor unconscious and Ski dragged him into the nearest uninhabited room and took off. Someone would be sure to find that soon.
She crept down the last hallway and saw two guards standing in front of the King's and Queen's chambers. 'What to do?' Ski thought observing them from her hiding spot. Without warning the alarm went off and chaos ensued. In all the screaming and running no one noticed the King's doors open and close.
'I win.' Ski smiled to herself as she began looking around on the numerous tables for anything valuable. She noticed a necklace of sapphires and deep blue diamonds, it was beautiful. The chain that held it was the purest silver she had ever seen. It had none of the King's marks so it would sell easily. It was most likely a bobble of the Queen's. Ski smiled as she slipped it into her boot beginning to look around again.
"Who are you?"
Ski turned around to see a boy of eighteen or nineteen standing in front of her, his sword pointed at her throat. He had hair that was dark brown, almost black. His physic was lean and muscled; he wore leather pants of a light brown color and a vest of black. His hair fell in his face as bright grey eyes shone at her with sparks of suspicion.
"Pretty obvious isn't it?"
"You will speak of seeing me to no one do you understand? You have not seen me." And with that the boy disappeared out of the room.
'I thought I was the one trying not to be seen?' Ski thought to herself. However with the increasing noise and scuffing going on outside the door she thought it best to leave and once again disappeared into the shadows.
She was going to have to go see that rat tonight. An unbidden smile still lit her face. 'But I still win,' she thought, eyeing her boots lying in the other room.
