Chapter 2 Harmony

That apple would be mine. I was waiting for an opportunity to strike when the fruit vendor would be to busy to notice me lift an apple from his stand. I took a moment to make sure my cloak was in proper position, covering my clearly identifiable hair and eyes. A small family had just walked up and engaged the owner. It was several hours into the afternoon and the market was at its busiest. It would be perfect.

Stepping forward I slowly walked towards the stand, trying to stay calm to not give myself away. Once close enough I didn't stop, just picked it up and kept walking behind the small kids. In a few moments I was lost in the crowd working my way a few side streets down.

What a rush that was, the entire time I felt like my heart was going to stop. I wished I had known doing bad things felt so good!

I stowed my goods in a hidden pocket before I got to my destination. There was a boy with sandy blond hair, waiting on the conner.

"Hey, initiate," I greeted lazily. Freaking out he made shushing gestures before leading me back into the ally. Like most city alleys it's a set of doors, with a few refuse bins. Since its not trafficked grime and soot tended to build up.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that. I have a name." He responded, running his hands through his hair. He had a common face and a name that was, he had a name, I'm sure.

"Enough about that, I totally managed to swipe this from that mean bearded fruit monger." Pulling out the apple I showed it off. It was my first theft, and I knew I was beaming with pride.

"So, is this enough to get me into the thief's guild?"

Her companion was not as sold as she was, I could see the hesitance. it was obvious to him at least that the thief's guild was interested in more than just a few fruits.

"Normally to get in you need to have something with value, in a money sense. Otherwise joining the guild-"

"It seems that the thief's guild had become weary of living, since they want my lady to join." It was a cold, yet soft high-pitched voice, obviously thrown. Chills ran down the youth's spine.

"Man, I was sure you wouldn't be able to find me this time, Xavier." I said pouting, I worked really hard to avoid the human tracker.

"Xav-ier?" Sandy blonds voice cracked as he put two and two together.

"The Gray Rose Reaper?" It was almost too softly for me to hear, but yes, the Gray Rose Reaper was my body guard, a class A monster that wouldn't leave me alone. Despite my numerous escape measures, my bodyguard still found me.

"I'm going to die!" Without any pretense or concern for my own wellbeing the to be thief sprinted past me and dove into the heart of the market crowed.

"Tsk, He was going to be my steppingstone to taking over the thieves guild." What a traitor.

"Princess Harmony, unauthorized excursions cause problems for everyone. Please return with me." Despite the respectful way of saying things there wasn't an ounce of respect in his posture. Xavier had a free pass by father to do what was necessary to make me act and be a respectable princess. Never!

"I shall not, I'm currently…Learning how people fall into crime!" It was a spur of the moment excuse.

"My lady even an apple can mean everything to someone, so don't steal again." Ash gray amour, a giant pike, two swords, a dagger on his leg, a holster of pistols and large rifle adorned his back. Guns were very uncommon considering that most mages of even moderate talents could replace field artillery. The eyes almost glowed in the dimer light, looking a soft pale pink through the slit in his visor. I had bigger concerns, I needed more time to prep my escape spell.

"It's not like I can't pay for it…No wait they should be grateful that I even graced their fruit stand to pilfer from." I crossed my arms. For some strange reason this person was always patient with me.

"It takes time for the purser to distribute funds, and it's unlikely that the office would bother with a few coppers. Those coins could make the difference between the stand opening and closing. Does the princess care so little for her people that she doesn't mind if their livelihood falls to ruins?"

This trick wasn't going to work on me, I made sure that I picked someone who wouldn't suffer given how he was price gouging a few choice customers.

"I suppose I might…might have been wrong…bye!" The little lecture from my retainer gave me all the time I needed to build my spells to escape. A burst of wind and a dash of enhancement magic and I was easily able to clear the ally walls, from there I took off running along the roofs. Small, controlled wind burst let me leap over gaps and navigate through all the different levels of the city roof tops. I couldn't stay on the roofs, so after a few minutes of sprinting I picked a small loading dock to hop down into and take cover from.

"Got away this time." The staging area had all sorts of crates and goods stacked and piled everywhere. There was plenty of places to hide, from both pursuit and the workers moving goods about the small warehouse. It wasn't too bad to sit on the wooden containers. I would need a chance to recover from the magic I used. Magic was a fluid field-based force, not that I understood that, but my instructors insisted it was true. Each use of magic was a discharge of energy and power from the user, so it was exhausting to use constantly. My capacitance was high, well suited for big flashy magics. My royal heritage helped in that regards.

"That should be enough time for them to be looking for me somewhere else." Sneaking out the back away from the workers, I had to decide what to do next. There were a few people in the back entrance, and I walked past a gray armored man, with a full visor covering pink hair. I got three steps before my mind told me that what I was seeing was real.

"How on earth did you still find me?" I couldn't help putting ask again. Tracking magic would take an incredible amount of work the further one had to look, and sustaining it was impossible. Somehow this bloodhound disguised as a human seemed to be able to sniff me out.

"I trust my lady will follow me back with out trouble this time?" I didn't have the magic left to withstand another chase throughout the city. Xavier was aware of my capabilities and her competence was even more irritating. I never had a problem sneaking out of the castle before this demon came to be my personal retainer. They were young and strait forward, yet harsh and cold.

"Nope, I won't go back."

"If you are too tired, I will carry my lady back." I twitched, this person had no delicacy and would simply drag me along until I walked on my own or we reached out destination.

"There's no reason for me to be there right now so I'm doing distance studies. Hey, wait, you're not on duty now so you can't boss me around."

"Since our princess is selfish," Stab me in the heart why don't you.

"Refuse to behave causing her poor bodyguard to spend her one day off working." Another arrow to my heart.

"Then she wants to run and make it harder for her faithful retainer, who is working unpaid overtime." The guilt was building fast.

"Still…" I started weakly, shaken by her relentless words.

"Cooperate or I'm dragging you back to the castle naked." Ice filled me, she had done this once before, carrying slung over her shoulder with my clothes in tatters. Zero decency.

"Fine, I'll come back quietly but don't think you've won." I was a bit bitter at being manhandled into compliance. Frankly, I was the one who spread the cringy nickname "Gray Rose Reaper". Unfortunately, the knight had no problems cutting a swath of destruction though those who tried to harm me. The king let it be because when the cycle of vengeance ended, it always ended with my ash-colored annoyance alive as the sole survivor.

"This way, my lady." It took little time to reach a watch post, and even less time for the watchmen to form a ring around me and guide me back. Something about the insignia he carried made them quick to comply.

"What did they do to have to deal with the Gray-ow!" My bodyguard hated her nickname and cuffed me on the back of the head. Groaning it seemed that there wasn't a lot of levity here today.

"Sir Xavier, it seems we are troubling the local watch, surely nothing could go wrong with the greatest bodyguard in the country watching me-"He flicked my forehead skillfully from the side.

"Don't cause trouble."

We trekked back, rather than calling a carriage. I bet it was deliberate since they knew I would be fatigued from my race through the city. The grand castle came into view, and I ignored its ornate splendor. Before I could fall over an arm found its way under my shoulder. I was taller than my guard, but knight had no trouble supporting me as we managed the rest of the way to the gate.

"Don't run off, I want to sleep in tomorrow." My escort said after dismissing the watchmen who followed us. He held me up, ignoring our closeness, though his amour must have made it hard for him to be bothered.

"Come along, princess, we must get you out of those rags and presentable." The head maid said sharply as she rounded the corner into the entry hall. Having changed me as a baby, and my own rebellious nature, she had become another person who didn't have to care about my royal status.

"Your father has requested that you come for a formal audience." Even I knew that this was bad, I was so going to get it this time.