His Ocean Blue Eyes

♔Chapter Four

I winced, sitting against the tree. My shoulder ached and blood still poured from it. I looked down at the broken arrow on the ground, shaking my head at the thought of letting myself get hurt.

Mare walked over to me, putting her head down against my cheek. I brought my hand up, stroking her muzzle as she inspected my shoulder. I sighed, pushing myself up with the help of the tree.

Mare stood alert, ready for me to mount her and ride, but I walked to her saddlebag, reaching in to grab a bandage I had stored in it weeks ago.

Made watched me, her mane swinging about as her head shook. She leaned her neck down, watching me before beginning to eat the grass on the ground.

I pulled my shirt off, ignoring the pain from my shoulder or the cold chill from the evening wind. I deposited the clothing on Mare's back, letting it lay on her saddle as I, once again, inspected my shoulder.

I walked to the small river ahead of us, bending down to grab a handful of water before putting it over the wound, washing most of the blood away. The wound continued to bleed, but for a second, I saw what I was dealing with.

It wasn't a bad wound, but could easily turn into one if it got infected. I brought the bandage up to it, starting go bandage my shoulder while deciding I'd get herbs when I got to Ulive.

I walked over to Mare once the wound was bandaged, grabbing my clothing off of her saddle and pulling it over my head.

Mare looked up at me, standing alert and ready once more. I shook my head, pulling myself into her saddle as I grabbed the reins.

She took off, galloping through the trees as we neared the border to Ulive.

"Halt!" Mare stopped as I pulled on the reins, jumping down after the guard spoke. "What business have you here?" I turned, walking to Mare's saddlebag and pulling out a letter of passage, handing it to the guard.

"M's man," he whispered to himself, handing the letter back before stepping out of the way. I mounted Mare once more as he turned towards the tower. "Open the gates!"

The gates creaked and groaned, making the thought of them falling off their hinges come to mind. Mare began walking through the gates.

The town came into view as we passed the walls. I dismounted Mare, guiding her to the stables once the gates closed behind me.

After settling her in and paying the stableman, I began on the walk towards the Platinum Quaff. The town was covered with wooden sidewalks and bridges over the small creeks.

Children played loudly in a field to the right and adults swarmed the streets, chatting about something interesting. The market bustled with men, women, and children alike.

The bar wasn't much better for sound. Fights and bickering was going on along with shouts and hollers. Laughter came from tables of drunks and highmen.

I walked towards the bar, knocking on the counter to get the bartender's attention. "M?" He asked, and I nodded. His mouth curved into a smile as he walked to the side of the bar, opening the gate.

I followed him behind the bar and back past the curtain. A table rested behind it, and cloaked men sat, chatting and laughing. It was an odd sight.

"Lyric!" One cheered and I had enough sense to wonder if they had been drinking as they awaited my arrival. The man in the middle shook his head, holding his hand to the first one silencing him.

"You may go, Gerard," the middle spoke. The bartender bowed, like he was in the presence of royalty, before turning and leaving.

I shook my head, taking the last steps to the table that the cloaked men sat at. I placed my hands on the end of it, holding myself up as I held a yawn back.

"We have been waiting many days for you to arrive," the one on the left of me spoke, making everyone nod. I looked at him, not losing my balance as I spoke.

"I ran into some trouble halfway here," I said, feeling a little lightheaded as one nodded. Their eyes all traveled to my shoulder.

"We can see," the middle spoke again, and I looked up at him. "The mission, however, will have to be completed with the wound."

"What is the mission exactly?" I asked, tilting my head in question. Creepy white smiles showed through their dark cloaks.

"The kingdom of the Ulive area is having a ball this Saturday in expectance of finding a wife for their son," the middle spoke, the one at the right of me picking up after him.

"We would like for you to sneak in and steal the royal crown," he said, continuing before anybody could cut him off, "it's covered in jewels that could be worth a fortune."

"You, yourself would get fifty percent of what the crown sells for," the left spoke. I opened my mouth to speak, but I was cut off by the middle again.

"That is, once we get it sold in the Dark Market," I nodded at his obvious words. Every thief knew they had to wait for their missioned goods to go through the Dark Market before they were allowed to get paid.

"Yes, sir, but do you have any plan on where to begin?" I asked, also knowing that they usually researched the missions they were planning to give to their thieves.

A small journal was slid my way, the man extracting his hand as soon as it rested on the table. "In here is a map of the perimeter of the castle, along with the easiest to hardest ways in."

"After that, we can only give you a map based off the memory of an old worker from the castle," I nodded, reaching out and grabbing the journal.

"May I go?" I asked, looking to the group. They nodded, allowing me to turn and begin walking before stopping me.

"Wait, there's a catch about the mission," I stood still, allowing whoever it was to speak, "the grandfather is the most observant of them all, I would keep out of the same room as his as much as you can."

I nodded, walking out past the curtain and back around the counter as I made my way out of the bar.

Mare almost jumped from her place when I appeared. I walked over, immediately placing my hand on the underside of her muzzle as she walked out.

The stableman untied her from the post in her stable, allowing her to be completely free.