Lady Thief [on hold]

~ Chapter Five ~

Key and Link were able to get back into the palace with relatively little opposition, but the heavy tension caused by their disagreement hung above them like a storm cloud.  With neither willing to concede on their opinion or converse otherwise, they had nothign else to do but walk back to the palace in silence.  She was relieved when they finally got back, and were let in without need of lengthy explanation.  Key’s brow furrowed as she thought about it. The guards had let them in easily, once they’d explained who they were and why they were there. Was it because the guards had known about them beforehand, or were they really that gullible? If she’d been a total stranger and walked up to them with that same story, would they have still let her in?

Key said good bye to Link as soon as they were back in the courtyard, and Key headed back to her room in the elite swordsman house. When she walked in, she saw that it was still relatively empty, with even Master Xi’an missing from the main room. They must still be in their rooms Key thought to herself. If any of them are even awake, anyway.

Key glanced up at the clock at the head of the main room. Half past six. The breakfast bell didn’t even ring until seven. She still had a half of an hour to kill. Weary, she headed back to her room, shut the door behind her, and plopped down on her straw mattress. Not even bothering to take her shoes off, she kicked her feet up and lied down on her back.  A few straws of hay poked at her spine uncomfortably, but she ignored them.

There was no way she was going to fall back asleep now, and she knew it. Absentmindedly, Key started playing with the thin silver chain around her neck. Sliding her finger along it, she found what hung from it, the prince’s stolen ring. She balanced it between her fingers and held it up in from of her face, inspecting it nonchalantly. In the light now, she could see that it was more exquisite than she had thought.

The ring was a thick band of lustrous gold that gleamed like metallic sunlight. The large ruby inset in the middle was held in place by thin golden claws, which, upon further inspection, Key found to be carved in the designs of an eagle’s talons. Radiating outward from the gemstone were designs of over lapping scales, which were outlined in black ridges. Other than this, the ring seemed plain, until she looked at the flat, inner side. Just behind the gemstone, there was an peculiar shape carved. Key brought it closed to her face, squinting, just to be sure that she was seeing it right, but she was.

Carved in the back of the ring was an eye. A single reptilian eye. It too was outlined in black, as if a calligrapher had sketched it with a dip pen in quick, smooth pen strokes.

Key let it drop again, hiding it under the high neckline of her shirt. She was still torn on what she should do with the ring. Even possessing it in the palace was highly, highly dangerous. At the same time, she couldn’t have sold it while she was in town earlier today. Selling a stolen ring in the home town of the prince she’d stolen it from? She was leery on selling stolen belongings in the country that she’d gotten it from, let alone the same exact city. At the same time, the idea of throwing the valuable possessions was away was too revolting an idea for her to even consider.

So, that left her the dilemma of where to hid the ring, whether to hide it with her things or keep it on her person. Hiding it among her things wouldn’t be a good idea, or so she figured. Her things could be searched at any time, even without her knowing, if anyone of any power had any suspicions. Should anyone find the prince‘s ring among her stuff, it was going to be very hard to explain that.

So, that left her with wearing it on her, at all times. She couldn’t wear it on her finger. No only was it too big for any finger other than her thumb, but it would be painfully obvious. Pockets could be searched, and would have to emptied, should she be asked to do so. She couldn’t hide it in her hair, especially since Vida the Afrikkan warrior princess seemed bent on chopping it off. The necklace was the only thing she could think of. She could easily hide the majority of the chain under her shirt, and a simple necklace would escape the notice of most. There was no chance of it getting stolen from her, as anyone twisted enough to try to reach down her shirt to grab her necklace would be sworn at, punched in the face, and possibly end up missing a hand or having their throat slit, depending on if she could reach a sword or a dagger first, though it would probably be the dagger, considering she didn’t have her sword.