Kingdom of thieves

Kingdom of thieves - part 13

She ended up staying several days in the prison cell.

 Cain allowed her out to stretch her legs and have a walk around the grounds surrounding the prison regularly.

The guards had their own quarters within the palace that included the prisons. The whole area was separated from the main palace by a high wall and guard towers with only one entrance, an enormous wrought iron Portcullis. Guards patrolled the wall at all times and two or more guards always stood watch on either side the gate.

All of this was to keep the royal family safe from the criminals that resided there.

It seemed a daft idea to keep the prisoners almost at the centre of the royal family's home, and Cain saw it more as a boast of their power than any real military reason.

The large open area in front of the Portcullis served as the guards training area and was also where sporting events and games were held. It was large enough to have its own stables and for the guards to keep and train their war horses. There was even a balcony area and stands for the spectators, to watch the men sparing or attacking wooden posts and life sized dummies.

Narla preferred to walk around the outside of the arena, stopping to observe before moving on.

At first he had himself and two other guards escorting her but she made no move to harm anyone or to try and escape, and it seemed over-kill to worry too much, surrounded, as they were, by high walls and hundreds of the very best palace guards, so he had relieved the other two who had gone, gratefully, back to their posts.

He would have preferred to go back to his princesse's side but she had requested he stay by Narla and he had grudgingly followed.

The thief was an odd one.

She did not shrink from the stares and whispers that followed her when she went on her walks and the chain connecting her wrists hardly seemed to bother her, she kept her back straight and her head high, returning sneers and smirks when ever they were directed at her, she still wore the rags they had found her in, minus the heavy red cloak, which she had discarded because of the heat of the midday sun, she now stood in a dirty pair of loose trousers that were hacked off at the shin and a loose shirt, too big for her, she was almost swamped in it. Her feet were bare and covered in filth and her face and arms were no better. She had tied her matted and knotted hair back with a piece of rag, the gold in her ears glinted in the sun.

He could see a little more of her face. She might be pretty if she cleaned up a little.

She stopped and sat cross-legged on the ground to watch two men sparring, one was a newer recruit and the other, a seasoned veteran, the recruit had little chance but his face was set with determination and sweat dripped off his skin.

With a yell, he charged, he had skill but as he swung the wooden sword over his head and down, the veteran stepped to the side, and smacked him across the back with the flat of the blade, leaving a sore red mark, the recruit hissed in surprise and pain and staggered a few steps, when he regained his footing he turned back to his trainer, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"He ain't quick enough" Narla said as she watched the recruit retake his position., "He shoulda  moved as soon as his opponent moved, make the dance longer an give im the advantage" she shook her head.

"Hes new, he'll learn" Cain said, he and Narla rarely spoke, but their interactions were remarkably less hostile than their first meeting. He liked her bluntness and honesty, and he didn't believe she meant harm to the princess, he even believed that she may like the princess, her reaction to the future queens likable personality was obvious and he recognised that she posed no immediate danger to the crown but he still didn't trust her, he had heard too many rumors and stories.