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Fanny was zipping from one building to another, rushing her way into the Lightborn Squad’s headquarters for her communication device is beeping ceaselessly, meaning that they have received an emergency summon from their leader, Tigreal. She got there as fast as she could but she was still the last one to arrive, and Tigreal were already briefing the team about the reason for the summon.
“This mission is a secret, if word comes out that the crown of the queen was stolen even with our high investment in security, people might lose trust on the royal guards and even the Lightborn Squad.” Fanny was shocked with what she heard, she knows only one person who is able to steal a highly guarded artifact such as the queen’s crown, but it can’t be him. He promised.
“It is not confirmed yet, but the witnesses think it might be the King of Thieves—” Tigreal was cut off by Fanny. “But that’s impossible! He retired! That was the terms when the Queen given him amnesty for his crimes!” And it was true. Claude, The King of Thieves, Fanny’s boyfriend, promised her and the queen that he will never steal again.
“Old habits die hard, I guess. I mean the testimonies of the witnesses matches the description of the Thief King, and I told you it is not confirmed yet. Now go, the crown won’t find its way back on its own. Find that thief before words come out!” And so the members of the Lightborn Squad scattered and followed different leads.
Fanny still doesn’t believe that the thief is Claude, she can’t accept it. Yes, he was one of the most notorious thief, but he is true to his word, he knows the word honor, and Fanny knows that he will keep his promise.
As she dart through town, following one of the possible lead Tigreal gave him, she can’t help but remember the time when she first met Claude. She have long known him then from his reputation, but no one have come to known the true identity of the Thief King, including her, until that day.
The Lightborn Squad are usually reserved for dangerous missions or missions exclusively for the queen, but once in a while some ridiculously rich, corrupt and manipulative, power hungry nobles will pressure the queen to have the knights of the squad take on missions for them. And today is that day for Fanny. Apparently a noble’s mansion was robbed by the Thief King in broad daylight, and although the royal guards are already doing their job to catch the thief, the said noble insisted that the queen send one the lightborn squads to find the thief, if she truly cared for the welfare of her subjects, for the said noble was an owner of a farm and a mine and a lot of his workers will not be able to receive their wages if they could not retrieve his wealth that was stolen by the thief king.
“Hmp. Concerned for the workers? As if a greedy noble like him truly cares about them. For all I know they are overworked and undercompensated.” Fanny said to herself as she lazily zips from buildings. She just can’t find the enthusiasm to do the mission wherein nobles who thinks highly of themselves are involved.
She never thought that her being lazy will let her stumble upon the thief king out of luck. She spotted the suspicious figure, darting from shadow to shadow with a sack slung behind his back and a monkey sitting at his shoulders. Fanny still wasn’t sure thought that it was the thief king so she tried to lie low and follow the suspicious figure from afar.
But Fanny never expected what happened next. After following him, she did find out the he was the real thief king! But what was more surprising is when the thief tore the sack with a knife then hurl the whole sack into the settlement of the farmers and miners working under the said noble, causing money to rain in the whole settlement.
A noble cause, but a crime is still a crime. And as an officer of the law, Fanny cannot overlook this. She caught the thief by surprise and delivered him to the queen.
But the queen, knowing that Claude was harmless, and that she can use his knowledge on thievery, escaping and security, offered him amnesty from his crimes and to hide his identity if he promised not to steal again and serve as the palace’s head of security. Which he accepted.
From then on, Claude has been persistent on pursuing Fanny, and after knowing the real Claude, Fanny couldn’t help but to also fall in love with the Robin Hood wannabe.
Which is why she couldn’t believe that Claude is behind this! He won’t betray the queen, he won’t betray her! But what if? Fanny’s mind was confused from all the thinking but everything became clear when caught sight of Claude. He was wearing a cloak that covers almost everything, but she knows it was him. She felt that it was him.
Rage have filled Fanny’s heart for a moment, but it immediately dissipated and was replaced by sadness and pain. She can’t believe it, but now she have her proof. She wants to stop from following Claude into the alleys, she just want to pretend that this never happened, but her strong sense of justice wouldn’t let her. Her body is moving on it’s own and her cables are becoming faster and faster to keep up with the thief’s pace.
Was this his plan all along? Is this why he agreed to the queen’s terms so easily? Did he just use her? Thinking about those hurt, but Fanny just can’t stop them from crossing her mind. She finally reached the alley where she saw Claude run into, she made a sharp turn and was surprised by what she found.
Tears started falling from her eyes when she finally couldn’t keep her mixed emotions, she stood there, speechless, her mouth gaping and her blade cluttered on to the ground. She looked so miserable but the stupid Thief King looks at her with an ear to ear smile, as if he is enjoying seeing her cry.
“I know, I promised I won’t steal ever again, but I’m sorry I can’t keep my promise. I have this one last target to steal, I want to steal your heart forever and your hand in marriage. Fanny, will you marry me?” Fanny still couldn’t use her words so she just nodded and rushed to hug Claude. Queen Silvanna and the whole Lightborn Squad who were accomplices to this plan all cheered in the background for the couple who will now face a new beginning as husband and wife.