Royal Thief

Chapter 43

Rufus jumped down from the horse he was riding, he just came back from the North, he retrieved reports, some documents King Roy requested from his friend. All are neatly compiled inside the bag he was holding.

He slowly opened the door and instantly smiled when he saw the duke standing near the staircase still in his nightwear. He stared at the duke's face and wondered why Idris was looking so cold.

He walked towards the young duke to ask and greet him but before he could even reach the duke's hand, an unexpected move was made by the duke. He was slapped. Rufus was surprised and couldn't move for the next few seconds.

Idris reached the bag from James and threw it on Rufus' chest, the man looked down and to his horror, his eyes were filled with the familiar worn-out bag he was hiding for months.

"Your grace, how did you..."

"Don't lie now, you are caught, did you really steal it? I wanna hear it from you," Idris said while glaring at him.

Rufus sighed, he decided already. There's no point in lying now, might as well spill the whole truth to lessen the anger of the man, "Yes, but I did that to-" but his words were cut short by the duke's words.

"Fuck you, bastard! You can rot in hell!" Idris shouted angrily before throwing a punch across Rufus face, the man didn't avoid it and he just let Idris to smack him until the latter got tired from it, he held Idris' wrist when the man stopped.

Idris nearly hugged Rufus when he saw the man's eyes full of unspoken words and his bruised face, but his anger cannot be clouded just because he missed the man.

"Let go!" he screamed even though his body and heart said otherwise. His words aren't only for Rufus but for himself as well.

They heard heavy footsteps coming from the stairs and was followed by an authoritative voice of a man, "Seize him!" King Roy commanded. Four of his men immediately obliged and pulled Rufus from Idris.

"What's happening, your grace?" Rufus asked cluelessly even though his mouth and eyes are aching caused by Idris punches earlier. He was too stunned to even digest what the hell was happening in the manor. Is it because of the missing necklace? He has an explanation for that! He will give it in the right time!

But he didn't hear any answer from Idris mouth, the duke was just looking at the floor with his fist closed tightly as if bottling up his anger. Rufus turned his head at the majesty standing beside Idris, "Your majesty? Please enlighten me." he pleaded, hoping for a clear answer so he could finally explain the whole misunderstanding.

"Now, stop acting so innocent we won't buy that, you traitor." King Roy spouted.

Rufus was caught off guard by the king's phrase towards him. Traitor? When did he?

He struggled from the guards gripped and that alarmed the two other guards, "I don't even know what's happening, your majesty?" The two men who were holding him made him kneel in front of the two noblemen.

"You planned all of these.... maybe, you planned my father's death too?" Idris spoke, still avoiding the man's gaze.

Rufus brows met with the hurtful accusation of the duke towards him, "I never done such things!" he defended.

The guards were alarmed by his sudden burst and behavior, "Your manners, low life!" one of them shouted and hit his face with a gauntlet, blood came out from his mouth so he tried to stand and go near Idris to explain but before he could even take a step a group from his behind stabbed his thigh using a spear, he grunted when he felt the sharp metal of the spear reached his tissues, the blood flows instantly when the man pulled out his spear from Rufus thigh.

Idris gasped when he saw how the king's guard stabbed Rufus, he was hurt when he heard the man's scream and groan and it hurt him more when he saw the amount of blood flowing from the man's thigh. He started to panic and fidgeting in his place, he threw all his worries and was about to take a step to help Rufus, but King Roy stopped him and shook his head. Rufus saw how Idris gasped so he lowered his head and stopped himself from grunting in pain so the duke could stop worrying about him. He closed his eyes tightly while bottling up the pain he's feeling.

"Bring that man to my palace and do a light punishment before you bring him to the emperor's palace." Roy instructed and picked up the bag where the documents and reports were placed.

Idris gave a look at his friend, King Roy raised his brow when he saw Idris face, "What? We talked about this already..."

"Your majesty, please..." King Roy gripped Idris' wrist when they heard the man's plea.

Idris decided not to give Rufus a glance to stop himself from doing stupid things such as running back to the man and more. This will probably be the last time Rufus has touched him since the man will go to jail and will stay in jail once his crimes are proven. Rufus doesn't have any escape this time, the heaviest punishment Rufus can get is death, there are so many crimes, evidence and he is a low lifer. No noble will stand beside him. And just thinking about it hurts Idris' heart.

"Please stop worrying about him, your grace. You should get ready, we'll be leaving for the emperor's palace tomorrow, this is a heavy issue, we can't just wait for the emperor's letter to come. Besides, no one wants to anger the emperor this might turn into a treason if we're going to prolong the case."