The Dragon Stone

Chapter 1

                   The marketplace was busier than normal, mostly because of the tournament going on in the castle over the next few days. Crowds were packed together walking from one shop to the next. It was hard to walk down the street without bumping into someone, which made Kalin happy. She liked busy streets and large crowds, it was not as if she wanted attention for herself. Actually the opposite was usually true, she liked to hide. "Hiding in plain sight" is what she called it. It was not if she could not attract attention if she wanted, she was cute: short, long blonde hair with green eyes, slender, short for her age and self-assured. She just did not want to be seen or at least be remembered because of her job.

Kalin watched the people move from one shop to the next, not really seeing them as people mostly as targets. Judging them for what they might have and how difficult it would be to take it, would their treasure be worth the risk. This is what set her apart from the "pickpockets", she studied her targets. They were not just random people she just happened upon. She watched them from afar and then picked the right time and the right place. Once she watched a target for half the day before she took his bag of gold, she ate for a week off of that one score.

She was watching her next target, he had grey hair with blue eyes, he was a professor from the nearby university. He was shopping for a book, and not just any book. He was checking out the books of the third book store and not browsing but actually asking the shopkeeper. This must be a rare book and if so then it would be expensive and if it is expensive than the professor would have a lot of money on him. This was definitely her next target. She had been watching him for about two hours and not yet been able to tell where he keeps his money bag. She watched him turn from the current shopkeeper and she saw the bulk in the right hand side pocket of his robe.

Kalin watched him leave that book store and headed south towards the University, she assumed he could not find the book he was looking for. She moved quickly down path and she noticed something out of the corner of her eye, a white robe so bright it almost lit the area around the wearer. He was young for a mage, he had brown hair and green eyes, his beard was not long at all but he walked with authority and purpose. It would appear he was walking towards the professor. The robe was of the finest material she had ever seen, it must have been made with elven cloth. He must be rich, must have something on him of value. She would soon find out, one way or the other. Most pickpockets would never think of stealing from a Mage but Kalin had stolen from several different Mages before and has never been caught.

She watched the Mage walk up to the Professor and give the common head bow of respect the nobles usually give each other. She was walking slowly toward the two of them, looking down at the ground as not to be noticed. The two talked closely to each other and she could not hear anything they were saying. Kalin saw a man on a horse about to ride by them which would be a good way to get bumped into them.

As the rider passed behind the Mage's back and to the Professors right she threw herself against the horse and bounced off of it and in between the two. As she fell she snuck her hand swiftly into the Professor's right pocket to relieve him of his money bag. She was able to put the money bag into her waist band before she fell to the ground.

The Mage reached for her to help her up which allowed her the chance to empty the pocket of the Mage as well. "So sorry, so sorry" Kalin said over and over again acting as though it was a complete accident.

"No harm, we are both alright" the Mage said to the poorly dressed girl. She was up quickly and gave her apologies and then quickly departed.

Kalin walked away from both of them as though she had been dazed. She smiled with her performance and hoped it would yield a good return. She walked as quickly as she could without bringing attention to herself.

Kalin felt as though she was being watched so she looked over her shoulder and saw the Mage and Professor following her. They were probably ten or fifteen feet behind her. She began to run and dodge the people in the crowds.

Kalin ran as fast as she could and she looked back and ran right into a large group of people and bumped into a solid figure and fell to the ground. The person who she fell into, reached down and picked her up and held her in a strong grip. Kalin tried to shake loose but she could not break the grip and the more she struggled the tighter the grip got.

Kalin looked at her capture and found a woman with fiery red hair with green eyes, who must be a head and half taller than herself. The woman was dressed in shiny armor and a beautiful helmet adored with a purple dragon atop it. The eyes were a darkest blue but fierce as a lion's roar at night. "You had better watch where you are going Girl!"

"Let go of me!!" Kalin said with as much bravery as she could muster.

The warrior looked with surprise at girl as she is not used to being talked to in such a way. Kalin could feel the grip on the front of her tunic getting even tighter. "Gladly" the warrior said and lifted her higher getting ready to throw her in a nearby puddle in the street.

"Pyria!!" Someone from behind the warrior shouted. "Let that girl be!!" A man with black hair and red eyes yelled to the woman.

''Thief! Stop him!'' yelled one of the men running towards them. They looked at Kalin and asked the Mage "Is this who you are looking for?"

"Yes that girl stole something from me", yelled the Mage.

The warrior held the thief even tighter. "You're not going anywhere."

The man behind Pyria stepped out behind the great warrior and the Mage and Professor both bowed their heads and said "Prince Dorian."

"What did this girl steal from such a great and powerful Mage and his very intelligent professor friend?" asked Prince Darion with a grin.

"She...I mean..." the Professor stumbled with the words to explain.

"She stole a very precious item from us", explained the Mage. "He picked it from my pocket."

"Well, she must be really skillful to take it from you?" Prince Darion said almost laughing. "Thief, please empty your pockets and give everything to Pyria."

"Thief give it to me now!" Pyria commanded.

"Why should I?" Kalin asked.

"Because the Prince commands it." Pyria said.

"So you're the Prince uh, more like a brat." Kalin said.

"What did you say to the Prince?" Pyria said while tightening her grip on Kalin. Kalin looked at her because it began to hurt her.

"I said that he is a stupid brat." Kalin said and Pyria wrenched down even more. Kalin began to tear up.

"How dare you say that to your Prince!" Pyria yelled.

"So I am a brat am I?" the Prince asked.

"Oh yes very much and you're not my Prince." Kalin said and the pain finally causing to make Kalin try and reach back behind her to brake Pyria's grasp.

"Well Pyria take back what she stole." The Prince command.

"Yes my Prince." Pyria said. Pyria reached into Kalin's pockets coming up with the two money bag's she had taken from the Mage and the Professor. She then found a stone in another pocket and as she grabbed the stone it Pyria let Kalin go and screamed out in agony. Kalin took the chance to make a run for it but three arrows landed in front of her. Kalin looked back to see the archer with brown hair and blue eyes and the Prince on the ground checking if Pyria was ok. "Guards take her to the dungeon." The prince said in a quiet voice. The guards hesitated to catch Kalin. "Now!" the Prince commanded. You could hear the worry and anger in his voice but the anger was so fierce. It made the guards flinch with fear. They then run to Kalin and shoved her on the ground and dragged her to the dungeon. When she looked back to see the archer on the ground beside the Prince looking worried about Pyria.