The Thief's Rise

Zander Ferreira was the most notorious thief in Prinsburg. He pilfered from the rich, and sometimes the poor, while avoiding capture by the noble guards of The Golden Scepter—Prinsburg’s ruling class. No matter how difficult or dangerous a mark might be to steal from, Zander always seemed to vanish into thin air. Virtually untouchable, he’d become a legend within the kingdom.

Nobody knows where Zander came from. Some say he was born in a small village deep in the woods and had been stealing since he could walk. Others believe he was an aristocrat who went rogue after his family disowned him for something scandalous he did when he was young. No matter what tale you heard about his origin, one thing was certain: whenever Zander laid eyes on something valuable, it was as good as gone.

One particular morning after Zander had stolen fifty gold coins from The Golden Scepter’s treasury and left fifty silver coins behind as a calling card—a symbol that meant they were no longer untouchable—rumors of his latest score began spreading throughout Prinsburg like wildfire.

“Fifty gold coins?” Prince Theodore asked his father, King Henry, incredulously at breakfast.

“Indeed,” King Henry replied solemnly.

Prince Theodore continued eating his porridge before smirking at his father with mischievousness in his voice. “How long are we going to allow this… this thief to make fools out of us?”

King Henry paused for a moment before responding with annoyance in his voice, “Our noble guards are doing everything they can to apprehend him.”

Nodding slowly, Prince Theodore replied sarcastically, “Of course they are.”

Just then Sir Reginald burst into the dining room and interrupted their conversation by yelling frantically at King Henry, “Your Majesty! There has been another theft!”

With disdain in his voice, King Henry asked, “By the thief we’ve all grown so fond of?”

Sir Reginald, who was one of The Golden Scepter’s most loyal and trusted advisors, nodded his head in confirmation to King Henry’s question. Then he stammered with fear in his voice,

“B-b-but this time he stole… something far more valuable than gold.”

King Henry looked up at Sir Reginald with a sudden surge of concern on his face and demanded, “What could be more valuable than gold?”

Sir Reginald took a deep breath before answering solemnly, “The sacred diamond scepter that has been passed down from king to king for centuries.”

When King Henry heard Sir Reginald’s words, his face turned pale as his jaw dropped open in disbelief.

Prince Theodore sneered from across the table at Sir Reginald and said mockingly, “I told you… they’re all idiots!”

King Henry glared back at Prince Theodore and commanded him sternly,

“Enough!”

Then King Henry turned to Sir Reginald and asked him urgently,

“Do we have any leads on where the thief might be hiding?”

Sir Reginald shook his head in dismay

and replied, “None whatsoever. It’s as if he has vanished into thin air once again.”

With desperation in his voice,

King Henry said quietly,

“We must find him…

before word gets out

that The Golden Scepter

is no longer untouchable.

The citizens of Prinsburg

will lose faith in us….”

He paused momentarily

before continuing thoughtfully,

“And if that happens,

our kingdom will be vulnerable…”

Once they were alone,

Prince Theodore asked curiously,

“What do you suppose our father will do if word gets out that The Golden Scepter is no longer untouchable?”

Sir Reginald replied gravely,

“He’ll have no choice but to step down as king…”

Upon hearing Sir Reginald’s words,

Prince Theodore’s eyes lit up

as a mischievous smirk graced his face.

He thought to himself with excitement in his voice,

“Perhaps it’s time for me to take over as king…”

and then he began plotting

how he could use Zander, the notorious thief,

to make his plan a reality.

To be continued…