Crown in The Mist (ENGLISH)

CHAPTER THREE

I stared at myself in the mirror. It really does have an effect. My hair is my most noticeable feature, that's why I dyed it black. And looking at myself now, I do look quite different. Maybe I won't stand out too much if I dye my hair. After what happened, I need to lie low. 

I touched the small cut on my neck. It's been two days since I infiltrated the palace. Two days since I flung my middle finger to the Crown Prince of Oregon. I pinched the bridge of my nose. 

What was I thinking? A middle finger? To the crown prince? 

"I must have lost my mind," I sighed. Every time I remember what happened that night, I can't help but cringe in embarrassment. I can still remember how entertained he was while watching me having a hard time removing that maid's clothes. What I can't accept was the fact that he stopped fighting and watched me instead. He did not even bother to catch me--not that I wanted to be caught-- but it's really insulting. . . and embarrassing. I got pissed that's why I made that. . . filthy gesture. 

But it's been two days. I moved to a remote tavern far from the city capital and I also dyed my hair black just in case. But the royal guards are quiet and I've seen no posters about a thief with auburn hair. Did I overreact? But he saw my face. Did he not report me? 

The bed creaked when I sat on it. Did he perhaps just let it go since I returned his belongings to him anyway. I curled on to my knees. That night when he just watched me escape, maybe he's just truly letting me go. Maybe he won't go after me. Maybe I just overreacted. 

But I still can't get over the fact that I flung my middle finger to him. If it were a different situation, I might have had my head on the floor already. 

I covered my face with both my hands. I rolled on the bed, ignoring the bawdy songs from the first floor. 

I was pulled out of my reverie when my phone rang. 

"Aizen," I said, answering the call.

"Come to 410 Elm Street Inn. I'm in room 5," he said. It must be news about the diamond I stole a few weeks ago. I had Aizen examine the diamond since he's pretty good at it.  

It was the Lazuli Diamond displayed in the museum. It is said it was the King's gift to the Queen Regent. She decided to display it to the museum as a remembrance of the King's love for the Queen. I didn't care about its history, really. I stole it because it was pretty. And it would sell a lot if I sell it in the Black Market. I found out someone badly wants to buy it and is willing to give a very generous price. That's why when I first heard about it, I did not hesitate to steal the diamond. 

But where the hell is 410 Elm Street Inn?

I looked at myself in the mirror. I wore my mask and my cap. I can't risk going out there uncovered. It's winter right now in Carnes. I won't stand out too much because of what I'm wearing. 

The ground floor of the inn I'm staying at is especially rowdy today. I fished a small bag of money from my bag and tossed it to the owner. He smiled greedily as he looked inside. That was one month's worth of my stay. 

"'Tis what I've been waiting for, young lady!" the old man shouted at my direction. I waved my hand dismissively and was about to step out when someone stood in front of me. I did not bother hiding my disgusts as he reeked of alcohol. My mask didn't even help to stop the smell. I covered my nose. 

"Look what we have here," he burped and I almost gagged at the smell of alcohol and his bad breath combined. I groaned inwardly. This is one of the reasons why I hate taverns like this. "You look like a very rich lady. Care to have a drink with us?" he grinned and I could see the tartar on his teeth. 

"No, thank you," I said dismissively and was about to walk in another direction he stepped in, blocking my way. I heard some of his companions whistled and laughed.

Son of a--

I heaved a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "You've already graced me enough with your bad breath mister, and I've seen enough tartar on your teeth. So get out of my way," 

The people inside the tavern roared with laughter. I could see his face getting red. 

"You b***h--" before he could even finish his sentence, and before he could even lift his hand to hit me, I kicked him between his legs causing him to drop on his knees, groaning in pain. The laughter got louder because of what they're seeing. I am not particularly enjoying this as it takes in too much attention. I stepped aside and was about to walk out when he grabbed my hair and threw me across the room. My hat fell from my head as I hit the table. I heard the men whistling.  I touched my temple and winced. I looked at my fingers only to see blood on it. 

“Oh, come on,” I muttered silently.

My head spun. I held on to the table to support myself. I removed the mask I was wearing. I could hear the rowdy shouts of the men inside the tavern. And I am not liking where this is going. I looked at the man who grabbed my hair earlier. He’s grinning at my direction. He walked closer causing me to take a step back. Damn, I think I hit my head really hard. And the noise around even made the pain worse. They won't even interfere when a girl is being beaten up. Damned assholes.

"Coward. You think beating me up would change that fact?" I spit on his pants. He looked at it and was about to hit me once again when he suddenly went flying across the room. He hit the glass window causing the tavern owner to mutter a series of curses and protests. The other men went quiet as they watched the man trying to get up but only destroyed the shelves around. 

We all looked at the newcomer, the one who sent the foul breathed man flying. 

"What happened to your hair?" Aizen whistled as he looked at me. 

I tried to stand straight and looked at the men. All of the men inside are now looking at Aizen and I can tell this is going to get worse if we stay here longer. I immediately pushed Aizen out and he got a hint of the urgency when the men started to stand, Aizen grabbed my hand and ran as fast as we could. Thankfully, the men were too drunk to even catch up with us so we stopped in an alleyway, breathing hard. 

I felt his fingertips on my chin as he lifted my face up. 

"What did that bastard do to you?" he asked as he examined my face. 

I slapped his hand away and I winced when I touched my wound. 

"And why is your hair like that?" he asked. 

"It's a long story," I said as I touched my wound again. Why is there so much blood? "Why did you go there? How did you know I was staying in that inn?" 

"I just know. And I figured there's a problem because it took you so long to come. That’s why I decided to fetch you."  He shrugged and stopped my hand from touching my wound. But he must have noticed the plaster on my neck where I got wounded two days ago. "What happened to your neck?" He said as he shoved my hair away. 

"What have you been up to these days, Rain?" 

"I told you it's a long story." I slapped his hand again. "Why did you call me?" 

He looked at me for a few seconds before he started walking. I followed him.

"There's something on the item," he whispered as he looked around. 

"Why? Is it fake?" 

He shook his head. "That's not it. Take a look for yourself," he said and led the way to where his apartment is. 

Aizen was also a thief but he stopped doing the deed a few years ago. We were childhood friends and me and him both lived in the streets when we were young. My mother died when I was ten years old and I had no one else. He taught me how to steal. Until we grow up, we steal to survive this harsh world that won't even give people like us a chance. Aizen was once a mastermind to a syndicate consisting of thieves. I was also a part of it. We steal valuable items from museums and sell it to the Black Market. But we disbanded a long time ago. Some of us found decent jobs. Some built their own business. Some stuck to stealing, like me. 

Aizen opened a very old gate. I looked around. I am not familiar with this part of the city. 

"I'm sorry it's all dusty in here," he said as we walked down the narrow hallway. On either side of the hallway are doors marked with numbers. The lights in the hallway are not even working. I don't know if there are people living in this place aside from Aizen because it’s eerily quiet. Aizen stopped in front of a door marked number 5. He opened the door and invited me in. 

I roamed my eyes around. Save for the small table and chair and a bed on the floor, There’s nothing else. There are few magazines on the floor and some dirty cups of noodles on the corner. On the table is the box where the necklace made of Lazuli diamond is and next to it is a loupe and a small palette knife. 

"Do you want me to treat that wound first?" He asked. I shook my head.

"What's wrong with it?" I asked as I walked towards the diamond. It glinted despite the room being dark. 

"See that gold frame around the diamond? Look at the back," He said. as he went to the door to lock it. I looked at it just like he said. "It's very well-made. It's almost unnoticeable. But someone gilded a very thin gold leaf on the side just enough to cover something. What’s being covered, I have no idea. A name, maybe." 

"Why would someone cover it?" 

I picked up the loupe and examined it myself. But I can't see anything. I was about to put the loupe down when I saw something reflected on it. My heartbeat started to get faster as I stared at the reflection. 

It was Aizen, holding a bat behind me. He was looking at me, observing, like a predator hunting its prey. 

"I wonder whose name is written on this. Probably the Queen's name, right?" I said, trying not to sound nervous. He's still inching closer, the bat is already in the air. His steps were slow and quiet. I couldn't even hear it. 

"I don't know. Maybe? Maybe not," his voice was quiet. My heartbeat is getting faster and clasped the loupe tighter to stop my hand from shaking. 

"Maybe you can remove the gilding and we can see for ourselves," I said, surprised with the calm voice that came out of me. I eyed the small palette knife on the table. It might be small but it is enough to slit his throat. I gulped and looked at him, inching closer. And as fast as I could, I picked the palette knife and swung it at him before he could even swing the bat at me. He did not expect the attack and it was too late for him to avoid it. I managed to get a deep cut on his arm. I put the diamond in my pocket. I heard him hissed because of the wound I inflicted.

"What the hell is the meaning of this, Aizen?" I said and pointed the knife in his direction. 

"I'm just saving myself, Rain. No hard feelings," he said as he raised the bat again. 

"Saving yourself from what?" I asked, confused. 

"From you," he said before he swung the bat in my direction. I was quick to avoid it and he hit his table instead. I ran in the opposite direction and stayed as far as I could. I eyed the door. If only I could just go there and get out. 

"What are you talking about? Do you want this diamond? I can give this to you, i***t. Why are you doing this?" I can't control the shaking of my hands as I hold the knife. 

Aizen shook his head. "It's not about the diamond, Rain. It's way bigger than that. If I bring you to them, they'll reward me. A price more than that piece of diamond. And if I don't bring you to them, they'll kill me." 

"Who.." He must have read the confusion in my face. But he said next only added to my confusion.

"The Queen Regent is after your life, Rain. And I need to bring you to them or they will kill me."

Aizen crossed the distance between me and swung his bat. I was late to react and I used my arm to shield my head. I screamed when the bat came in contact with my arm. I rolled on the floor but I was quick to stand up just in time when he was about to swing a third one. I moved to the side and kicked the back of his knee causing him to kneel on the floor. He twisted and the bat hit my cheeks. My head spun for a moment but I managed to bury the palette knife into his arm and sliced it down. I could feel his flesh against the knife. I heard him scream because of the pain. He dropped the bat he was holding and I immediately took it. 

Despite my head spinning, I tried hard to stand up. Aizen was about to stand up but he was back on the floor, groaning when the bat connected with his jaw. I placed a knee on his chest, my foot on his wounded arm, and the knife on his neck. I tasted blood in my mouth. 

Fuck. 

I pressed the knife harder to his neck while I pressed my foot harder on his wound. He groaned in pain. 

"You know I won't hesitate to slit your throat, Aizen." I pressed the knife harder to his neck.

He did not answer as he just looked at me.  

"I'm just saving myself. No hard feelings," I said as I drove the knife into his other arm. Then to his legs. He screamed and I did not bother to soften my expression as I stood up, wiping the tears on my eyes. 

"Rain," he whimpered. 

"I hope to never see you again," I said as I went out, head still spinning, not bothering to look back as he called my name over and over again. 

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