Guild of Thieves (Book 1) ✓

𝓒𝓱.19 ~ 𝓡𝓪𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓭𝓲𝓰𝔂

Six years later...

Caine watched six year old Jezamine run through the crowd in the Market Square, pickpocketing and stealing anything she could get her tiny hands on, filling her pouch with goods. He smiled to himself knowing the girl was already a better thief than he ever was when he first started.

Another child caught his attention further up from Jezamine, also thieving from the rich. Caine knew the boy was not one of his child thieves, impressed by the boy's skills as well as his daughters. Both were talented thieves at a young age. He continued to watch the boy until he disappeared into the crowd. He would make a great asset to the Guild, Caine hoped to recruit the boy if he could find him again.

He waited patiently while leaning against a nearby pillar, letting his daughter have her fun. Pickpocketing was just the beginning of Jezamine's training. There was much more he wanted to teach her, since her mind was young and able to process things differently to adults. Adults didn't have a fast procession of thoughts like kids who tried to absorb every bit of information they could into their little craniums.

While he waited, Caine looked at the castle with hatred in his heart as all the memories of his beloved Arianna flashed before his eyes. The Market Square shifted and changed, everyone morphed into the healer, Arianna's face appeared everywhere around him. Caine started to panic when a small voice called for him.

"Caine! You won't believe the presents I have for you!"

The many copies of Arianna disappeared and vanished, the Market Square returned into view once more. He missed Arianna each day that passed since the unfortunate day when she didn't return. Six years later he was now raising the Prodigy in hopes Jezamine will become the best thief in his entire Guild.

"You did well today with your training Jezamine! Keep this up with your other lessons and you will become the best in all of Arondale!" Caine smiled at the girl who clung to his leg to avoid the patrol of Guards who walked past them with their hands on the hilts of their swords.

One day, when she fulfilled her destiny to steal the Royal Jewels, Jezamine would take over the Guild he created from scratch and become the new Leader of Thieves. Taking his place and continuing his legacy.

******

Jezamine walked behind Caine as they made their way back to the Guild. When they arrived, Finn took Jezamine to get something to eat while Caine evaluated her loot. The girl did well stealing jewellery, pocket watches, gold and more. She was already the best at pickpocketing, he knew she was ready for the next lesson: lying and deceit.

In order to sell a story and make it believable, a thief had to be quick on the spot to think of a lie. Being slow to think of a story to save your ass is the most important part about being a thief besides stealing.

There were certainly traits a thief needed to succeed in the work. To be cunning, deceiving, manipulating and much more. Caine planned to teach everything he knew to Jezamine if she was going to be his Prodigy and heir to his throne. Planning to start her new training tomorrow.

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Finn sat with Jezamine as she ate at the dining table amongst the other thieves. She observed the others, watching and listening as they told stories. The girl was waiting to hear any whispers or murmurs mentioning her mother's name. He just knew it.

Although Jezamine never talked about her, Finn knew she was curious about the mother she never knew. None of the thieves ever spoke a word about Arianna. But one day, Jezamine's curiosity would get the better of her and she would ask questions. Finn took a mouthful of the chicken leg, his mind wondered to the Leader of Thieves.

In the beginning, after the news of Arianna, Caine went into a solitary stage where he never left the Meeting Room until two years later. That was when he came out of the room with a ragged beard and dark shadows under his eyes. Caine no longer looked like the fierce leader he once was.

Over time Caine came back to rule the Guild, and surprisingly, raising his daughter for the next four years. Although Finn knew Caine was her father, he felt himself like a father figure to Jezamine. He looked after her in Caine's absence. Keeping his promise to raise the girl after Arianna's sacrifice for the jewels.

Since that day, Caine never asked another thief to retrieve the Royal Jewels, which made Finn wonder if he had truly given up on his conquest or was planning something in his head.

Caine might have found his way out of his darkness, but the darkness remained inside of him. Any thief who failed, suffered the consequences of their failure. All the thieves were scared to make a mistake or return to the leader empty handed.

Losing Arianna took it's toll on Caine, his mental state was still questionable. But Finn was happy to have his Boss back and running things again, no longer having to fill in his position and keep the others in check. His new position was as Caine's Messenger, delivering messages to the thieves about their missions which Finn didn't mind doing. He was tired of stealing and grateful for his new job, still remaining Caine's right hand man and advising him when he needed.

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Caine left Jezamine in the care of Finn, turning in early for the night. As he laid in bed, he tried his best not to think about how empty it was without Arianna. Her side of the room has been left untouched, Caine still waiting for her to walk through the Guild doors and run into his arms. He missed her each day.

His heart ached for her to be laying beside him in his arms, to smell her rosemary perfume and see her vibrant face if only it were for a moment. Her sacrifice was not in vain, Caine created a shrine with a painting of Arianna surrounded by candles. If a candle went out, it was soon replaced with another. No one was allowed to let her light go out. Seeing her beautiful face every time he stood on the balcony made him feel like she was there with him.

His mind was active, planning new jobs for the thieves, preparing Jezamine's lessons, having flashbacks of Arianna and thinking of the Jewels of Arondale. Caine never stopped thinking about the gemstones, secretly planning the day he sent Jezamine on the mission. Eventually falling asleep, he dreamt of Jezamine returning successfully with the jewels and making Caine's dreams come true.

Oh how he wished it would become his reality...