19 Midnight Gold

"Haha! This is great." Anna traced her fingers along the creases of the map of Kertin. After a pampering bath, and a fulfilling meal, Anna decided to carry out her masterplan.

"This again…ugh." a small glossy snake sighed, exhausted. Minutes ago, Anna laid out her plan, even preparing the necessary materials. Years ago, admittedly she was a good source of entertainment, from the excitement on her face at the beginning to her malefic laugh at the end, everything in between intrigued him. Over the years her pranks escalated from entertainment to a painful experience.

No matter how much he disregarded humans, he could not watch the way Anna played them in her palms. She was playing them so good at it now, no one knew who she was behind her well build façade. She pretended she was dumb, making her tutor's life a nightmare and resulting in being ridiculed behind her back.

Anna became much more apprehensive after she found out her father has been following her.

Mielda, that shy little maid that looks like she could faint at the sight of blood, was Anna's father spy. She reported everything and all about Anna's day, though daily reports. She would place the letter in an antique vase underneath the King's portray where her father would later pick it up.

"What do you mean? I love it." With a cynical voice, Anna replied whilst tucking away the map.

Looking outside, Anna noted how much time she had left. The late afternoon sky, coloured in warm shades of red, rose and orange, indicated that night will soon follow. Anna opened a tiny chest, placed near the end of the bed and roamed through it.

At the bottom of the chest, sat a violet set of pillow and blanket. Anna took them out and placed them on the bed. Although they looked like normal, a mere pillow and an insignificant blanket, inside the pillow Anna has hidden a very special pair of attire. It was an all-black uniform, a mask to cover her face and two small daggers. The blanket was wrapped around the sword Alessia gifted Anna more than four years ago.

She got dressed and waited for night to come. When it came, Anna jumped out of her room out the balcony.

Before her lay the small courtyard where two soldiers kept watch at night. Torches lit small sections of the courtyard. On her right lay the stables, but since she did not need a horse she won't risk passing through there. On the left, a small cottage housed all the staff including the soldiers. It would be too tricky to pass them without waking one soldier up. The courtyard was very small, even if the mansion was relatively large. Behind her lay, a cliff and Anna decided to climb the mountain.

She looked left and right again, before climbing the balcony and reaching the roof. She landed quietly on the roof and slowly made her way towards the cliff. She looked up and realised that the mountain only extended for five more meters before a plateau was reached.

Digging one of her daggers in a small hole of the rock she anchored her first step. Lifting herself, Anna dug another dagger through the same process. Bit by bit, she climbed the rocks.

"Who is there?" she heard a voice behind her yell. Anna panicked and lost footing for a second brushing her foot past some unsteady rocks. The detached and landed on the tile roof, causing one to break.

"Assassin!" a soldier ran towards the bell and sounded the alarm.

"Fuck!" Anna grabbed a rock that was pocking out and propelled herself upwards. She has underestimated the attention of the guards. A grave mistake.

The panic began to start as soon as the alarm was set off. Her guards did not even have time to sleep for more than two hours before the alarm woke them up. They were confused and disoriented and this let to a state of chaos.

"Hurry! Catch the assassin. Protect the princess!" the two soldiers were pointing at the mountain behind the mansion.

"Come on!" Anna finally touched the end of the cliff and lifted herself. More rocks hit the roof, confirming her position.

Anna's eyes were still getting used to the lack of light. She looked behind her. What a sight to behold. From this point, the highest one in the city, Anna could see the flickering lights inside their houses. Even now, the city was energetic, some bars or inns seemed to brim with life.

On her left, a bright reflection of the mercury coloured moon blinded her sight. The tremulous sea, hit the cliff bellow her with a strong force, whisking the calcite stones before releasing. With every hit, a gust of chilly air hissed through the gaps of the stones, imitating the screeching sounds of a dying man.

The misty breeze hit Anna's face, sending a shiver down her spine. Her ponytail fluttered in the air in all directions, obstructing her vision. She was sat like a conqueror at the highest point, enraptured with the beauty bellow her. The plateau reached far into the horizon, everywhere she looked, the never-ending small heathers, mosses and grass surrounded her.

A whooshing sound came from behind her. Anna turned her head and an arrow scraped her cheek. It stuck the rocky soil beneath her. She suddenly woke up from her dreamy admiration and ran along the edge of the cliff, where the mansion was, leaving behind her the angry sea.

"You did it again. When will you learn?" Angus materialised beside her. He was not in a good mood, but when was he really?

"I cannot just stay in the house. Look around us." Anna giggled like a little girl and twirled around. The chilly air reddened her nose and the grass beneath her feet felt like bits of clouds.

"You...huff" the snake said nothing more and followed her. Now that they escaped the danger, for a little while, they might as well enjoy their freedom.

Reaching a slope Anna rushed down towards the city. She landed in a noble's mansion from the looks of it. The house was almost just as big as Anna's resort, but here the land was precious and scarce, so even owning a courtyard was considered rich.

"Baron Jerot…pleased to meet you." Said Anna grinning. The baron was well known around town, partly because of his flourishing business but most important for being a loan shark. He did not have much power, the magical one that is. The other type of power he had. Terror. He was the nightmare of every debtor.

In the Empire, it was not illegal to offer credit, as a national bank did not exist. Thus, people looking for a loan had to either borrow from their families, friends or the last resort – lenders. Greed drives people to extreme lengths, and people like baron Jerot profited of poverty-stricken citizens.

Anna climbed a wall of the cottage, this time quieter. She landed on a metal forged balcony and looked inside the house. The summer nights were often spent with the windows opened and Anna profited off this. The thin fabric curtains billowed in the refreshing summer air. A man and a woman, slept in the cosy bed, surrounded by fluffy pillows and a thin blanket.

Both were naked, the air in the room a witness to their rendezvous from earlier. Anna wrinkled her nose in displeasure but moved towards the study desk from the room. Like an angel of death, she crept around them, searching for something.

'There we are.' Anna found a book, with moderate edge chips and a faded spine. She opened it and inside were scribbled names, sums and dates. She knew she hit jackpot, but she wouldn't leave just like this.

She searched the room for a place where he would hide money. Seeing that nothing comes to fruition, Anna's gaze landed on the bed. The man's chest was rising and falling in a rhythmical manner, while his snores filled the room. She edged towards them and walked on her knees. She tilted her head to look underneath the bed, grabbing hold of the mattress cover.

Underneath, a small wooden chest sat surrounded by other three books. Anna stretched her slender arms, and grabbed them one by one, bringing them towards herself and tucking them inside a pillow cover she stole. Lastly, she opened the chest, and gold coins, small silver coins and a couple of jewellery reflected the shimmery light of the candles in the room.

She filled the pillow with as many pieces of jewellery as she could without making any sound. After this, the chest was placed back in the same position, this time surrounded by a note Anna left him.

She cautiously backed away and moved aside from the bed. She looked at the pair of man and woman. The man had black hair and a scar on his right arm, remnants from a fight. He was skinny but lean and he was hugging the woman with one arm around her waist. The woman, on the other hand, was plump, with auburn hair. Anna noted their complexions and then disappeared through the balcony.

A chilly breeze whizzed seconds after her departure and the woman hazily opened her eyes. She looked around the room her eyes landing on the balcony. She felt as if something about this room was different, a different smell. But she disregarded it and went back to sleep, cuddling in her lover's arms.

Anna rushed past the alleyways, thought its dark parts like a shadow. She climbed a small stone wall and walked on it for a good ten minutes, observing her surroundings. She reached a crossroads, and she instantly recognised it.

Descending towards the port, Anna entered the less-privileged area. Here houses were made of only stones, sometimes missing small portions of it. Some people slept on the streets, angrily glaring at her. She approached a small kid, shivering, dressed only in a ragged dress.

"Hey kid!" the kid flinched and woke up from his slumber. He darted away but was soon caught by an ominous shadow. The kid paled, struggled to free himself and almost yelled if not for Anna stopping him.

"Don't attract attention. Or else you won't be able to keep this for yourself." Her palm uncovered a gold coin. The kid's eyebrows rose in shock but soon they fell back down. His eyes narrowed and looked at the person who was giving him the money. Nothing comes for free. He knew this. Tempting as it might be money never landed in his hands for nothing.

"I don't want it." Whispered the kid. Anna's head jerked back, a blank look on her face. She took a better look at the kid, not knowing its gender. The child looked like a boy, but girls often disguised themselves as boys to survive on the streets. He was too young for his figure to be distinguishable, so Anna assumed he was a boy. Girls do not often survive this wretched environment.

"You won't get a second chance." Said Anna twirling the coin between her fingers.

The boy's lips thinned, eyeing the coin. Without notice, he jumped on Anna grabbed the coin and dashed in an alleyway.

Anna laughed but did not follow him. She walked deeper into the favelas, throwing coins left and right like rain. They landed on the stone alleyways or doorsteps, sometimes landing on some sleeping children. She placed them like Easter eggs, in cracks between walls, in pots of plants set around the city or even in people's homes.

"Ugh…I ran out of money." Anna's hand was rummaging through the pillow cover but came empty-handed.

"What are you going to do with the books?" asked the snake. Anna stopped walking and turned her head slightly. The snake froze seeing her smile, his head unconsciously shook in denial.

"They are a present…for someone special." Anna tossed the pillow on one shoulder and continued her journey around the city.

Soon, they reached a well-illuminated street, that even during the night you could find people. Red lamps and lanterns, vibrant coloured banners invited people from all walks of life. Women dressed in thin fabric dressed walked hand in hand with drunk men laughing or singing. Some were sensual, smiling towards Anna, others acted shy while others even threw their handkerchiefs at Anna.

Anna averted a handkerchief that almost touched her, only to bump in a sailor. He wobbled, mumbled something but crashed meters away from Anna. No person offered help; it was a natural occurrence to see such a sight. She was not going to help him either, so she walked past him as if he did not exist.

"Here we are." Anna stopped in front of a large building. It was painted black, a contrast to the brightly coloured street and above massive letters lit from behind with crystals wrote 'Sobob Casino' There were no women outside, only some men smoking and eyeing Anna curiously. Inside, however, a whole new world opened.

Men and women sat around pool tables, some concentrated on the games while others were commenting the game. People circled different tables playing roulette, blackjack, craps, baccarat drinking cocktails or beer. Sailors preferred card games, but some nobles around here seemed to enjoy roulette. In the middle, at a massive circular bar, men and women dressed in black suits served alcoholic beverages to the loud crowd.

Everything around dripped in diamonds and gold, it did not look like it fitted this city. Flashing lights blinded Anna for a split of a second and made her lose focus. She looked around the hall and upstairs in a selective area, Anna spotted a group of men. There were no women around to entertain them, but they did not look out of place.