The Princess's Stolen Body

Chapter 5: A Thief’s Help

-Jonah-

I wished I could say meeting the princess changed my ways. Truly. Meeting her … I had to admit it left an impact on me. One I didn’t think would mean so much to me, but I actually felt a little guilty, when I “accidentally” bumped into what was clearly a rich merchant and stole his purse hanging in his belt, while apologizing. Though, I did feel a little less guilty, once he, with a cruel tone in his voice, told me to watch out. Yeah, it definitely helped the guilt, and a smile spread on my lips, as I threw the bag up in the air and then caught it again.

Sometimes, it was just too easy. I wanted a challenge for a change, but people just didn’t give me one. They were always so busy with their own lives, that focusing on their purses and diamond necklaces just wasn’t that important to them.

I smiled as I walked down the street and then I saw two beautiful women walking by me. I put the bag of coins into my jacket and then I found a stall that sold flowers. I grabbed one without the seller looking and then ran back to the brunette one and held out the flower.

The two of them stopped and giggled as they looked at the flower that I held out to one of them in particular.

“I see you haven’t changed your ways, Jonah,” Tessa said.

“I will change them for you,” I said charmingly.

That made the two women laugh. I had met Tessa a long time ago. She worked in the castle, but came often to the market, and I had once before tried to charm her. But she had, time after time, turned me down, telling me she would not get involved with someone outside the law.

“I will believe that when I see it,” she said, and walked by me with her friend.

I sighed, rolling my eyes and then walked in front of them again, holding out the flower.

“Then give me a chance. Be mine and see me change,” I told her.

“Really?” she asked, crossing her arms.

Her friend just shook her head and leaned closer.

“Don’t believe him. He is a wanted man. He will always be on the outside of the law.”

Her friend never liked me, and I didn’t like her. I liked her so little that I didn’t bother remembering her real name.

“Was I speaking to you, Anna?”

“It is Hannah!” she said.

“Oh, really?” I asked.

She crossed her arms and shot me a hard look, which just made me smile smugly before I turned to Tessa.

“What do you say?” I asked, dangling the flower in front of her nose.

She laughed this sweet laugh before pushing the flower back.

“Prove yourself to me,” she said.

“How?”

“Well, you will have to figure that out, won’t you?” she teased.

She grabbed her friend’s arm, and then gave me her wonderful and sweet smile, as she pulled her friend Anna or Hannah or whatever, with her.

“Bye Jonah,” she said in a teasing tone, looking over her shoulder and winking at me.

I just smiled, twirling the flower in between my fingers, as I watched her walk away. She really was beautiful, yet, I was no longer so sure she was the most beautiful one I had seen. Only a night ago, I was certain. Now not so much.

I shrugged a little of my own thoughts and threw the flower away. I would just have to do what she told me. Prove myself. I turned around with that thought in mind, grabbed another purse from a man walking by and then I found myself walking to one of the taverns. I was just about to enter, when someone grabbed my arm.

-Liana-

I had no idea what to do when I found myself being thrown into the mud, and I had been sitting in a dark alley just crying my eyes out and trying to wipe away all the mud and dirt, but it didn’t help. I had nothing but my own spit, and it was a poor substitute for water.

I knew I couldn’t sit here forever and turned my head to look at the many people enjoying their day. I knew I had to go out there and find someone who would believe me. But who?! I didn’t look like myself, and despite my brother, I had no one else, but just as I was about to bury my head in my hands again and cry my eyes out again, I heard someone say a name that rung a bell.

“I see you haven’t changed your ways, Jonah.”

I jumped up from the ground where I was sitting and slowly started to walk towards the end of the alley. When I came to the end of it, and saw many people walking around. I looked everywhere for the person who had said the name, and that was when I noticed him. He stood in front of two women I recognized as servants from the castle. He was holding a flower in front of one of them, and clearly trying his best to charm this young woman, who just kept telling him no, but it was not hard to see the want in her eyes. She clearly liked him, but the fact he was not doing honest work held her back. At least that was what I gathered from the conversation until she grabbed her friend’s arm and pulled her with her.

“Bye Jonah,” she said.

I watched as Jonah kept watching her walk away before he threw the flower away, a smile playing on his lips, and then … I almost missed it, but I saw the way his hand shot out and in the next he had a bag of coins in his hands.

He really was a thief, wasn’t he?!

I crossed my arms, as I watched him walk by, but an idea also formed in my head. Maybe this very thief might be able to help me. He found his way into the castle once, maybe he could do that again. I quickly followed him, and just as he was about to walk into a tavern, I grabbed his arm.

He turned his head, looking at me shocked before he pulled his arm back.

“Who are you?” he asked, scared. “Why did you grab me? Do I know you?”

“You do,” I said and walked a little closer.

He retreated before a man walked in between us, leaving the tavern.

“Listen, girl, I have no idea who you are, so-“

“Are you going to return that man’s purse?” I asked.

I glanced down at the bag he held in his hand, and he did the same thing before he put his hand behind his back and just shrugged. Oh, he was doing the same little trick again.

“What purse?” he asked, smiling smugly.

I shook my head and sighed.

“I do not care about the purse, as long as you help me.”

“Help you?” he said, looking at me confused.

“Exactly.”

Another man walked in between us looking from me to Jonah, confused as to why we were standing in the doorway talking.

“Listen, I don’t know you, so why would I help you?” he asked.

“Because I could turn you over. Is that what you want?” I asked.

His eyes narrowed a little, as I threatened him, but he might be my only option.

“And what would you say?” he asked, his confidence returning. “Do you have proof?”

“I saw it!” I said.

“Oh, did you now?” he asked. “And what will the word of a pagan matter?”

He grabbed one of my wrists and pulled the sleeve even further back, so the swirling tattoos appeared.

“And someone serving the God of Death. Yeah, your kind is not popular here,” he said.

He was about to let go and walk inside, when I grabbed his arm again and held him back. He sighed, turning to me annoyed.

“Listen-“

“How do you know she serves the God of Death?” I asked.

He looked at me like I was stupid, but then took my wrist again and then followed this strange line through it, showing it to me.

“This line here that is the symbol of death. If you do not know this, then perhaps you shouldn’t have gotten the tattoo,” he laughed.

He was about to leave again, but I held him back.

“You mean she sacrifices people?!” I asked, scared.

“Why do you keep saying she?” he asked.

“Because I am not her!”

He looked at me confused, as I yelled this, even leaning back a little, thinking I was crazy. Maybe I was … all of this was crazy!

“I am Princess Liana!”