The Forty Knives of Fifty Theives

Chapter 5

Chapter V

There were more than three castles that were known in the age of the fifty thieves. There was a pyramid that was a stronghold for the families of the thieves. If towns had known about those women and children of the supposed threats then there would be trouble for the families. So to protect them they were hid away in strongholds made of thick dirt or clay as they called it. The stronghold weathered many attacks and was as invincible as the castles themselves. But the castles were more of a darker magic. So to cancel out the aura the thieves built three strongholds that were close to the three castles. Now the strongholds are used as army facilities, where a certain destined maiden resides.

After the thieves died at the one castle the families of the surviving ten left with their husbands to form the Black Market. The others lived as long as they could and carried on with the peasant life. One family went to a forming Nation and lived outside the Capitol. There they built a life and had children, till the line ended when a boy lost his parents in a mine explosion. The boy is the last of that surviving family's bloodline. Little does he know about it but his great ancestor's loyal friend was the survivor thief who had fled back to a town near their castles original standpoint. Now two children are unaware of their destinies that have been tied.

Josh

In that moment I wanted to steal her away and keep that amazing little fighter for myself. She was better than any gold and worth more than all the jewels in the world. If I sound crazy and dumbly in love than I am. So instead of doing what I wanted, I did what I could to make her feel better. I just hoped I wouldn't half to see her break down again, it was like pouring acid on my heart then stuffing it with molten lead and setting it on fire. Tears always gave me pain.

So when the supper bell rang throughout the base I walked next to Megan guiding her to the dinning hall that was in the main hall of the base. The hall was crowded with soldiers sitting or standing. Some were in line getting their trays loaded with food while others ate at the tables next to comrades. A collection of people were crowded by the bar trying to get drinks. The place smelled of the raw meat sent in from the capitol. Also there was some type of gravy and potatoes from some farm village. Megan stood behind me in line her tray in her hands. After getting our servings we marched on to a table near the corner of the room. It was one of the smaller tables. I had always sat at this one with my recruits.

Megan was picking at her meat with her brow furrowed. She immediately moved on to the potatoes after one bite of the chewy and fatty texture. I swamped my potatoes in the gravy from the meat relishing the sweet aftertaste.

"Do they always serve this?" Megan asked scrutinizing the meat.

"No, the food varies on different days," I answered smiling at her disgust with the food.  

I wondered what Megan would usually eat for supper. Before coming here I barely ate three meals a day. I was too worried about where my next meal would be coming from to enjoy the food. When I came here I ate anything and didn't care of the taste. Now I'm a bit more cautious. Like on taco nights I know not to get the soft taco wraps because there've been weevils in the dough. Megan picked at the meal and ate in small bites. She didn't complain or push the tray away in disgust like one of my other recruits, she just ate slowly.

"What am I supposed to do while I'm not being trained?" Megan asked while she moved her potatoes farther from the pool of gravy on her tray.

"Well they have a library and a bar with some card games every night. Also you can send a letter home every month, but I'd wait till something happens before you go wasting chances to talk to your family by mail." I shrugged.