I fly down the cold hard stone steps in the palace, listening for any sound of approach. If I get caught by the guards, I will certainly be killed. But I won't get caught. Stealing of any sort is prohibited, but stealing from a prince is a whole new level of crime. I jump over the last steps and slide through a hole in the wall, clutching my bag full of treasures close to my heart. When I'm halfway through the courtyard I hear the familiar sound of the palace alarm blare. I have 2 minutes until the guards close all of the gates and run after me. I jump over the stone wall and race towards the protection of the woods. One minute. I keep running. 30 seconds. Once I reach a sufficient distance from the castle, I slow to a walk and peer inside the bag. I smile. Alice will be happy tonight. Along with the gold I'm bringing back, I brought fresh peaches for her. I puff out my chest proudly. This has been my biggest haul in a few months. It would help support my home and family, if I had any. I snort. My home, a pile of dirt in the middle of the woods. My family, no one. I guess you could count Alice, after all, I'm the only reason she's alive. Alice lives like the classic old lady who lives in a gingerbread house in the forest and eats children. Except, if she lived in a gingerbread house, it would be long gone. She has no family, barely enough money to live in her house, and desperate for anything. Dangerous, but I trust her. She lives just outside of the woods from my camp, and is well aware of my thieving from the palace. She could turn me in in an instant and make a lot of money, but as long as I bring her food and a quarter of my gold, she stays silent. I look up as the forest thins and see her house. I sit next to a tree and split my gold in half. Then half again. Then, I take back a little more. If I bring her food, she takes less gold. I walk out of the forest and nimbly step over her rotted, molding steps. I knock on the door, once, twice, and hear footsteps coming. Alice opens the door and glared at me. I'm too late, and I know it, she woke up an half an hour ago to wait for me. "Good evening Alice." I smile up at her and she grunts in response staring at the bag in my hand. "What do you have?" She asks. "Peaches and gold. Your favorites!" I say with mock enthusiasm. That gets a small smile. She snatches the bag and turns it around in her hand. Then, turning to me, she teases me. "Get out of here you thief!" I turn and race back into the forest, pick up my other bag full of gold, and start my long walk home.
