Cherry Tree

-Chapter 8-

~Elex~

The sun rose over the bustling marketplace, casting its warm glow upon the colorful stalls and lively vendors. It was the morning after my encounter with Prince Ariol, and as I navigated the crowded streets, my thoughts were consumed by the events of the previous night.

Beside me walked Julia, her fiery red hair catching the sunlight as she weaved through the throngs of people. She was more than just my partner in crime—she was like a sister to me, a constant presence in my life through thick and thin.

As we strolled through the marketplace, our eyes darting from one potential mark to the next, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of my mind. The encounter with Prince Ariol had left me on edge, my senses heightened as I scanned the crowd for any signs of trouble.

But trouble found us before we had a chance to react. With a shout, a group of palace guards burst from the crowd, their swords drawn and their faces twisted in anger.

"Thieves! Stop right there!" one of them bellowed, his voice echoing through the marketplace.

Julia and I exchanged a panicked glance before breaking into a run, weaving through the maze of stalls and alleys in a desperate bid to escape. But the guards were hot on our heels, their footsteps pounding against the cobblestones as they closed in on us.

With nowhere left to run, we found ourselves cornered at the edge of the marketplace, surrounded on all sides by the gleaming walls of the palace. The guards advanced, their swords glinting in the sunlight as they closed in on us.

"Give yourselves up, thieves!" one of them commanded, his voice harsh and unforgiving.

With a defiant smirk, I raised my hands in surrender, meeting the guard's gaze with a steely glare. "You'll have to catch us first," I retorted, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

The guard's face darkened with anger, but before he could respond, Julia stepped forward, her expression fierce. "You think you can intimidate us? We've faced worse than you," she spat, her voice ringing out like a challenge.

The guards exchanged a wary glance, clearly taken aback by our defiance. But, with surprising strength, they wasted no time in apprehending us, their hands rough as they bound our wrists and led us away towards the imposing gates of the palace.

And as they dragged us through the palace corridors, the weight of our actions finally sank in. We were prisoners now, locked away in the palace dungeon with no hope of escape. But even in the face of captivity, I refused to back down—I would face whatever consequences came our way with the same unyielding defiance that had brought us here in the first place.