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Chapter Text

"You're crazy." Linh stated.
Tam scoffed. "They have a lot of things they don't need, I'm trying to make sure that they give some of that treasure for good."
"Tam, I get going to literally any other Kingdom than Candleshade. You know what they do to thieves who are caught stealing, right?" Linh questioned. Linh didn't give Tam a chance to respond. "They die. Executed. Hung. Do you really have a death wish?"

Tam opened his mouth to speak but Dex entered the room with a platter of some bread and cups of water.
"... Everything okay?" Dex asked, noting the tense atmosphere he stumbled upon.
"Fine." Tam said, reaching for one half of the bread. "Thanks for this...and for giving us a space to hide out again."
"Well, I can't let my two favourite criminals get caught, otherwise who'd take care of the rest of us peasants?" Dex smiled slightly at Tam and Linh.

Linh reached over and grabbed the other half of the bread.
"Yeah, well your two favourite criminals may go down to one if Tam decides he's actually going to try and steal from Candleshade." Linh huffed.

Dex blinked and looked at Tam who swallowed down a piece of his bread.
"What? Are you mad?" Dex questioned.
"I'm not crazy." Tam scowled. "Dex, the crap that they have in that kingdom is worth a ton. It'll help out those who can't even afford bread."

"Yeah, but Candleshade?" Dex questioned. "Why don't you stay here and steal from our royals in Everglen? They have a lot of gold and their punishment is less stricter on thieves, especially if they have good reason to steal."
"Can't risk getting you involved." Tam answered. "Everglen is like a safe haven for us."
Dex frowned.

Linh sighed. "Tam, we just stole from Choralmere. Why don't we to to... I don't know... Havenfield?" Linh suggested.
"Too far. Candleshade is literally a day's ride away from here." Tam responded.

Linh looked at Dex, trying to plead him with her eyes to help convince Tam that this was a bad idea. Dex slightly shrugged at Linh, unsure of what he could say. Linh looked back at Tam, he had that fiery look in his eyes. Her brother was stubborn, he wasn't backing down.

"You know what? Fine." Linh crossed her arms. "Go to Candleshade, try to steal from them, but I'm not coming. You can do whatever you want."
Tam seemed to tense up a little when Linh said that.
"Fine..." Tam mumbled, glancing away.
Linh seemed to look slightly relieved, taking Tam's mumbled 'fine' as a 'fine, I won't go and try and steal from Candleshade'.

"Well, now that's resolved..." Dex began. "How about you two help me with some chores? My siblings are being annoying again."
"Yeah, of course." Linh smiled at Dex.
"Mmhm... Sure." Tam responded.

*****

There was no way Tam wasn't going to go to Candleshade. He knew the consequences, but Tam considered himself as a smart and pretty sneaky thief. So, when the night fell, he waited until Linh was asleep to scribble a note and to grab the things he needed for this journey.

Tam wasn't going to get caught, therefore, he wasn't going to die. He'd be absolutely fine. He'd be back here within 3, maybe 4, days, and Linh won't have anything to worry about.

Chapter Text

Tam would say he was already making great progress. It was night time, dark in the palace halls with a few torches lit but Tam blended in with the shadows. Tam adjusted his mask on his face and ensured his hood was up, covering his silver bangs to not draw unwanted attention.

Tam managed to hastily slip into a random room of the palace. He glanced around, seeing a bunch of treasure, like gold, scattered about this room. His eyes lit up at the sight. He already had a decent amount of things in his sack, but this...this was the jackpot.

Tam scanned the area with his eyes, trying to spot for any traps or tricks. Tam spotted none. He took a hesitant step forward, slowly walking further into the room and closer to the treasure he found. His fingers grazed by some jewels, admiring how pretty they were. But Tam set his focus on the chest full of golden coins. These would be useful for the lesser well-off people in this kingdom and for Dex. So, Tam quietly scooped handfuls of these coins in his hand before setting them into the sack already partially filled with some treasures. Tam tried to make as little noise as possible.

Tam spent a good few minutes, just picking out what to steal as if he was casually browsing the marketplace. However, Tam froze in place when he heard loud and heavy footsteps reaching closer to this room he was in. He glanced around for a quick exit or some sort of hiding place. His boot scraped against the floor and that caught the attention of whoever was outside the door.

Tam quietly, internally, scolded himself. He took another quick scan of the room but suddenly the doors burst open and Tam was faced with some royal guards, unsheathing their swords. Tam swallowed hard.

Well, there was no escape. Unless if Tam wanted to risk it by running past the guards, but he wasn't that crazy-

Tam grabbed a random object and he quickly ran at the guards, hit one of them in the head, making them stumble back and allowing Tam to dash out, carrying the sack of treasure over his shoulder.

"Thief!" One of the guards shouted loud enough to alert others.
'Crap, crap, crap!' was all that was running through Tam's mind as he kept sprinting, turning around the corners of the halls. If he just turned left over here, there was a window he could jump down from and break his fall in some bushes.

Just as Tam was about to turn, some more guards appeared and Tam stumbled back a little. He went to turn around and was met with guards behind him. Welp, this situation wasn't good.

"Drop the treasure." One of the guards gruffly said.
Tam was reluctant. A guard pointed their sword against his back.
"Drop it."
Tam internally groaned as he set the sack of goods down and held his hands up.
"Since nothing was officially stolen, how about you just let me go?" Tam suggested, looking at the guards.

One of the guards grabbed Tam's wrists, holding them behind his back, Tam scowled as another guard tugged his hood down.
"Ah, silver bangs. you're one of the mystery thieves that's been terrorising multiple kingdoms. Where's your partner in crime?" The guard snarled.
Tam glared at the guard. "...Not here. It's just me." Tam answered.
The guards glanced at each other.

"Ro, go and make sure the Prince stays in his room and is safe. You," The guard pointed to another one, "alert the King and Queen that we caught a thief, then you," He pointed to another guard, "search the palace, alert the others, his partner could be hiding."

Ro scoffed slightly. "And what are you going to do?"
The guard holding onto Tam grinned. "I'll lock him in the dungeons until the King and Queen want to talk to him."
The guard roughly shoved Tam forward and Tam grumbled. Being quiet was the smartest option right now. The other guards went and did what they were told.

Well, this didn't go according to plan.

Chapter Text

"You're not my mom, you know? You can't ground me and lock me in my room all night." Keefe said as Ro pushed him into his bedroom.
"I've been ordered to lock you in here and stay with you all night." Ro stated as she shut and locked the door behind her.
"What? But I haven't done anything bad recently! I've been behaving so well-" Keefe began to whine.
"You and I both know that's not true, but your parents haven't figured out whatever little prank you've been doing just yet." Ro said.

Keefe blinked.
"Oookkaay..." Keefe said as he backed away towards his plush bed and sat down. "So...why am I being locked in my room with my bodyguard?"
"There's a thief in the palace." Ro answered. "Possibly two. We caught one, but he's usually with a girl, so we're searching the palace and keeping you safe."

"A thief?" Keefe questioned.
Ro nodded. Keefe let out a low whistle.
"Gotta say, I'm impressed this dude even tried. Most people know my parents execute those who try to steal and get caught." Keefe said. "Kinda wanna meet him."
Ro shot Keefe a glare. "Absolutely not. The guy will be brought before your parents tomorrow and they'll decide his fate. You have no say in this, and you are not to see this thief. For your own safety, Keefe.

Keefe grumbled.
"Since when are you a good bodyguard?" Keefe questioned.
"Ha-ha, real funny, Prince Keefe." Ro rolled her eyes.
Keefe cringed at the use of his title.
"Eugh, God, Ro, don't call me that when it's just us two, seriously, I'm gonna barf." Keefe fake gagged.
Ro snickered.

"Pfft, whatever you say, Your Highness."
"Eugh, you're doing this on purpose now!!"

*****

Did you honestly think Keefe wouldn't try to see this thief that attempted to steal from his castle?

Keefe waited for the right moment. Ro fell asleep (Keefe totally didn't have some handy sleep sedatives in his room) and so that was when Keefe escaped his room. He managed to get through the palace halls with no guard spotting him, which was quite impressive if Keefe did say so himself.

Keefe made it down the spirally staircase to the dungeon. He had no torch as to avoid any suspicion or getting caught. He reached the end, and he stayed hidden behind the pillar as he peeked his head out to see a guard on duty and a male in dungeons.

"You guys are wasting your time, no one else is here but me." The mysterious male said. "And really? You have to kill a guy when he didn't even successfully steal? You can't let me off with a strict warning?"
Keefe smirked slightly at the male's words.
"Rules are rules, kid." The guard said.
The male huffed. "Not a kid." 
The guard stayed quiet and Keefe heard the male sigh as he slumped back against the cell wall.

Keefe tried to squint his eyes to see if he could see this thief better. Keefe noticed the shine of silver from the boy's hair, which intrigued Keefe more. He tried to look more closely, but Keefe being Keefe, he managed to trip a little and nearly fell flat on his face. The guard was instantly on alert, drawing out his sword.

"Just me!" Keefe exclaimed, placing his hands up.
The guard huffed. "My Prince, you shouldn't be here."
Keefe smiled sheepishly. "Uh...My parents said I could see the thief?" Keefe attempted to make an excuse to stay longer and actually speak to this thief.
The guard sighed and shook his head slightly as he stepped closer towards Keefe.
"It isn't safe for you right now, I'll escort you back to your chambers." The guard said, pulling Keefe towards the steps.

Keefe stumbled a little and he caught one last quick glance back to the thief in the cell. Their eyes locked for a split moment before Keefe disappeared from view.

Tam huffed quietly to himself in his cell.
Just what exactly was the Prince doing here and why did he want to see him?

Chapter Text

Tam should have listened to Linh.

"Tam, I get going to literally any other Kingdom than  Candleshade . You know what they do to thieves who are caught stealing, right?"
"They die. Executed. Hung. Do you  really  have a death wish?"

Tam thought that stealing from one of the biggest kingdom's would be easy. Tam thought it'd be good since the Sencen family are one of the most richest families in the world (not as rich as the Vackers, but still quite wealthy) and they certainly don't need all those jewels and gold, especially since there are many living in poverty in their kingdom.

But noo. Tam had to go, even though he knew he could die if he got caught. Tam just had to disobey his sister and wander off himself to steal from the Sencen family.

So, here he was. On his knees, looking up at the most cruelest, ruthless leaders, the King and Queen of Candleshade, Cassius and Gisela. Tam's wrists were bound together behind his back, and he had his weapons taken off of him.

Tam was going to die. This was his fate, and Tam could practically hear Linh scolding him in his own head.

Tam kept his gaze on the monarchs who were sitting in their thrones and whispering to one another. Tam decided that staying quiet would be wise, just in case Cassius and Gisela had a heart and thought; 'Hey! Why don't we just let this kid go? Let him off with a warning!'

Tam watched as Gisela waved a guard over and whispered to her. Tam blinked as he swore he heard the words: "Bring the prince down here."

Tam watched as the guard hurried off after Gisela's order. Tam then rested his gaze on the King and Queen. Gisela stared down at the boy.

"I must admit, you are a fool for attempting to steal from us, but at least you have a brain by choosing to stay silent." Gisela tilted her head to the side slightly as she stared at Tam. Tam didn't respond back, not wanting to piss off the Queen or King any further for the sake of his life.

A few moments passed and Tam heard the doors of the throne room open. Tam looked over his shoulder and spotted the prince entering.

Tam studied the prince's face. So, this was the guy who tried to sneak a look at him last night in the dungeons. The prince seemed confused and amused at the same time, especially when the arrogant prince noticed Tam on the floor.

"Uh, so...what's up?"
Tam looked away again, looking at Gisela and Cassius. Gisela sighed and she rubbed her temples.
"Must you speak in such an informal manner?" Gisela slightly scolded her son.
"Well, mother, I am simply confused. You like to deal with these thieves yourself! What's so special about... this one?"
Tam felt the prince give him a side-glance.

"Keefe," Cassius began. "You are reaching that age where we need to give you more responsibilities, so that you can take over the Kingdom when your mother and I cannot any more."
Keefe stared blankly at his father. "Erm..."
Gisela sighed at how clueless her son was being. "We think that we should leave this thief in your care." Gisela said simply, looking at Keefe.

"What?" Both Keefe and Tam blurted out at the same time.

Tam instantly shut his mouth, the anxiety rising in his chest. Tam looked at the floor and Keefe glanced at the thief.

"Mother-" Keefe began.
"You may do as you wish with the boy." Gisela cut Keefe off. "Throw him in the cell, torture him, whatever you please."
Keefe blinked and he looked over at his father. Cassius shrugged slightly as a way of saying, 'do as your mother pleases'.

Keefe looked back at the thief, seeing how the male stared at the floor. Keefe was hesitant.

"... Send him to my room, I'll decide what to do with him later." Keefe said, looking at the nearby guards.
The guards nodded and they went over, grabbing Tam by his shoulders and pulling him up onto his own two feet. They began to drag Tam away and Tam grumbled.
"I can walk myself-!" Tam attempted to scowl.

Keefe watched as the male struggled and tried to talk back to the guards as they dragged him out of the throne room. Keefe looked back at his parents.

Gisela met Keefe's gaze and she smiled.
"Make us proud, Keefe." Gisela said.
Keefe forced a smile on his face. "I will, mother."

Keefe then turned around, deciding to take a walk around the gardens before he spoke to this thief.

*****

Keefe entered his room and he saw his two guards had gagged the poor thief and forced him on his knees again. Keefe cleared his throat.
"Leave us be." Keefe ordered, his voice stern.
"But, my prince-" One of the guards began.
"I am perfectly capable of taking care of this thief, leave my chambers now, please." Keefe gave his guard a mock smile.

Both of the guards glanced at each other before they walked off, leaving Keefe bedroom. Once the door gently shut, Keefe began to undo his tunic, feeling stuffy in his clothing.

Tam watched the prince carefully, expecting him to strike any moment now, to get rid of Tam himself.

Keefe sighed as he slipped his shirt off and he walked over to Tam.
"Let me guess, you wouldn't shut your mouth and they gagged you with...a piece of cloth." Keefe said, reaching his hand for Tam's face. Tam wanted to turn his head away, but Keefe's hand rested on Tam's chin, tilting his head up to meet his gaze.

Tam saw a soft look on Keefe's face. Tam stared up at Keefe, still not trusting him. Keefe studied Tam's face.

"Hah~ it would have been a shame if my parents disposed of you, you're quite a pretty sight..." Keefe said softly.
Tam tensed up. Did... Did the Prince of Candleshade just... flirt with him?

Keefe brought his hand to the cloth stuffed in Tam's mouth. "Do you promise you won't bite, or speak out of turn, or make a huge commotion?" Keefe asked.
Tam reluctantly nodded. Keefe took the cloth out of Tam's mouth.

Tam gagged a little, savouring the sweet air that now filled his lungs as he could finally breathe properly. Keefe backed away and disposed the cloth.

Keefe crossed his arms as he stared down at Tam. Tam's mouth felt dry.
"What-?" Tam's voice was hoarse. Tam cleared his throat. "What are you going to do to me?"
Keefe went over to his dresser and picked up a box, opening it and taking out a dagger.
"Ah, don't worry." Keefe said.

'Ah, yes, why shouldn't I worry when you are holding a dagger and I am a thief who got caught trying to steal from you?' Tam thought to himself. 'Totally doesn't make me think you're gonna stab me or anything!'

Tam watched as Keefe approached him. Keefe crouched down in front of Tam and Keefe held the dagger up. Keefe leaned in and Tam instinctively shut his eyes, accepting his fate. Tam was going to die at the hands of Keefe Sencen-

Tam blinked as he heard the rope around his wrists rip and his wrists felt...free. Tam brought his hands to his front, rubbing his wrists with with his freed hands as Keefe stood up and placed his dagger aside.

"Stand up, sit down somewhere, look around my room, whatever. Just stay there while I get changed into something more comfortable." Keefe waved his hand in a shooing motion.

Tam stood up, still rubbing his sore wrists as he watched Keefe grab some articles of clothing and went to go behind the changing screen in the room. Tam saw the unsheathed dagger on the dresser and he glanced back to where Keefe was.

"You're not afraid that I may try to murder you?" Tam asked.
"What do you gain if you kill me?" Keefe asked.
Tam heard the rustling noises of Keefe changing.
"I could kill you for the fun of it." Tam said.
"And...then get hung because you killed the prince. We both die." Keefe stated. "I seriously doubt that you would want that."

Tam stayed silent and Keefe continued to get changed.

Keefe stepped out, wearing a comfortable shirt and some comfortable pants now.
"So, what's your name, thief?" Keefe asked, going over and leaning back against his dresser.
Tam hesitated. "... Tam. Tam Song." Tam introduced himself.
Keefe smiled. "Pleasure to meet you, Tam Song."

"It's a pleasure to meet the guy who attempted to steal from you?" Tam questioned, raising an eyebrow.
Keefe grinned at Tam.
"You're an interesting character." Keefe shrugged.
"Yeah, you're an 'interesting' character too, princey." Tam mumbled to himself.

"Seriously, what are you planning on doing to me?" Tam asked, meeting Keefe's gaze.
Keefe shrugged again. "Well, I certainly don't want to kill you, but I can't just let you go, or else my parents would get pissed at me."
Keefe scratched his chin thoughtfully, humming to himself.

Keefe then snapped his fingers. "Got it! I'll make you my personal servant!" Keefe exclaimed.
"Hah?" Tam made a face.
"Yeah! You'll be like my dog! At my beck and call!" Keefe exclaimed.

"I think I'd rather die." Tam stated.
Keefe frowned. "Wow. Harsh."

"Seriously, Tam. I don't want to watch you die. Even if you did attempt to steal from my palace." Keefe said, his tone of voice softer now as he stepped closer to Tam.
Tam sighed. "If... I become your personal servant, what does that mean?"
Keefe went over and sat down on the edge of his bed.

"I'd have to treat you terribly around others to make it seem like I'm punishing you for thieving, but I would treat you well while we are alone." Keefe answered. "That could mean hitting you, a little bit of abuse. But I would try to not be so harsh." Tam flinched a little at the thought of being hit.
"... What do you say, Tam Song?" Keefe asked, looking up and meeting Tam's gaze.

Tam swallowed. He definitely didn't want to die, but...
"... I'll be your personal servant, Prince Keefe." Tam whispered as he looked at Keefe. Keefe smiled slightly as he stood up, placing a hand on Tam's shoulder and patting it.
"I promise you, I will not let any major harm come to you." Keefe said.

Tam hated promises, they never did anyone any good and it usually created a false sense of ease.

But.

As Tam looked into Keefe's eyes, he could tell that Keefe meant it with his very heart and soul.

"I'm holding you to that." Tam huffed, glancing away from Keefe, breaking their eye contact.
Keefe grinned. "Oh, I can tell you're going to be a pain in my ass."
Tam felt himself smile and he snickered at Keefe's comment.

"You really think I'll become an obedient servant right away? Nah, you gotta earn that, princey." Tam looked at Keefe.
Keefe blinked at Tam and smiled.
"Yep, you're gonna be fun to keep around." Keefe grinned at Tam.

Tam felt strangely at peace at the thought of being Keefe's personal servant. Yes, Tam would likely face hardships from the guards and probably from the King and Queen too. But... Tam had a gut feeling that Keefe would uphold his promise, that he would take care of him and ensure no major harm ever came to him.

The only thing that was in the back of Tam's mind was Linh.

Would Tam ever be able to see her again? Or would Tam be trapped in Candleshade, leaving his sister to believe he was killed for attempted theft? 

Chapter Text

"I cannot believe him." Linh huffed, pacing back and forth across Dex's room.
Dex was sitting on his bed, watching Linh pace and huff at a piece of paper. Dex had his trusty sidekick, his pet dog, Lovise sat on his lap. She was a small, fluffy golden dog, but she was a fierce small dog.
"Are we sure he isn't just pranking us?" Dex questioned.

Linh stopped and faced Dex.
"Dex, you and I both know that once Tam has his mind set on doing something, he'll do it." Linh said. "God! I should've realised he would have snuck out at night!"
Linh huffed as she sat down next to Dex before she laid back on the bed. Lovise looked at Linh but stayed on Dex's lap.

Linh looked at the note Tam left again.
'Linh, 

           I know you're gonna hate me for this, but I know what I'm doing. I'm going to  Candleshade  and I'm helping out those who need it once I've succeeded in stealing from their royalty. Sorry, but I'll see you soon.

                                                           - Tam'
Linh frowned at the note before she pocketed it away.

"I need to go to Candleshade." Linh stated as she sat up and got up from Dex's bed.
"What?" Dex questioned, watching as Linh grabbed her bag of things.
"It's been 3 days. I need to find Tam. Or...see if he's dead." Linh said.
Dex blinked.

"And where are you going to stay? Your silver tips give you away." Dex pointed out.
"I'll tie my hair back and keep my hood up." Linh snapped slightly. "I'll be fine, Dex. Before Tam and I had you, we survived years on the streets while thieving."

"But Tam's not with you. You'll be alone." Dex reminded Linh.
Linh tensed up slightly at Dex's reminder.
"... I'll survive." Linh mumbled, trying to convince herself more now than Dex.
Dex sighed.

"Look... I have a friend in Candleshade, she may let you stay with her temporarily." Dex said, going over to his desk to quickly note down something.
Linh blinked and she watched Dex.
"Seriously?" Linh questioned.
"If you mention I sent you to her, it's more likely she'll let you stay, even for a few days." Dex answered, giving Linh a piece of paper.

"Her name is Marella Redek. She's a blacksmith in Candleshade, she lives nearby her forgery in the village, so I'd suggest you find the forgery first and then look for her then." Dex said. Linh looked down at the note. Dex tapped the paper lightly. "Give this to her too."
Linh nodded, carefully pocketing away the note.

She then looked up at Dex.
"Thanks for everything, Dex." Linh said softly. "I'll come back once I find out what happened with Tam and either bring him with me if he's alive, or...come back by myself."
Dex nodded. "You should go then." Dex gave Linh a small smile.

"Stay safe."
"I will, thanks again."

Linh gathered her things and she went off to begin her journey in finding out if her brother was okay and where he could possibly be in Candleshade if he was alive.

Chapter Text

Tam had to admit being Keefe's personal servant wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. And here is exactly why...

It was early morning and Tam went to Keefe's chambers, entering them to see the prince was still asleep. Tam went over and he gazed down at Keefe, sleeping peacefully in his bed. Keefe was sort of cute when he was fast asleep. His bed hair was terrible and Tam always grinned at the sight of it.

Tam grabbed a spare pillow from the bed and he (gently?) whacked Keefe in the face with it, causing Keefe to slightly jump from the sudden sensation and grunt softly into the pillow.

"Wakey, wakey, Princey." Tam said, placing his hands on his hips.
Keefe groaned and brought the pillow closer to his face, rolling over, still half-asleep.
"Mmh... five more minutes..." Keefe's voice was muffled by the pillow.

Tam sighed to himself and slightly shook his head.
"If you wake up late, your parents will get rid of me. They barely were happy with you telling them that you were keeping me as your servant." Tam said.
Keefe snorted and sat up, the pillow falling onto his lap.
"Oh man, their reactions were priceless!" Keefe exclaimed, stretching his arms up in the air.

Tam averted his gaze when Keefe sat up. Keefe liked sleeping shirtless, so Tam saw Keefe shirtless every morning, and night, when having to help get him ready (since apparently the prince can't change himself without his servant's help at his big age, Tam was convinced Keefe did this on purpose).

Keefe noticed Tam averted his gaze. He smirked slightly to himself.
"God, Tam, we're both guys, relax. I know I'm smoking hot, but-" Keefe began.
Tam scowled and his cheeks flushed red.
"Oh, you shush! Just get up and get dressed." Tam huffed as he went over to the drawers to pick out clothes for Keefe to wear.

"I need help from my servant though~" Keefe grinned as he got out of his bed.
See? Keefe was totally doing this on purpose.
Tam sighed and he looked at Keefe. 
"And who dressed you before I came along? Mommy dearest?" Tam cooed in a mocking tone.
Keefe smiled.

"Pfft, I am capable of dressing myself, you know." Keefe said.
"Then why am I dressing you?" Tam questioned as he went over to slip the shirt over Keefe's head.
Keefe avoided wearing his formal clothes as much as possible. And hey, look! It seemed Tam would get the answer to his question of why Keefe wouldn't get dressed himself.

Keefe grinned as Tam pulled the shirt down onto his body.
"'Cause then we're super close like this..." Keefe said, his hands going over to rest on Tam's waist.
Tam felt his face grow hotter.
So, Keefe definitely was doing this on purpose and just admitted it.
"Get off me." Tam mumbled, puling away from Keefe's grasp.

Keefe laughed softly. "Awh, you're so cute when you get flustered, Tammy~!"
Tam grumbled. "Don't call me 'Tammy'."
"Tammy, Tammy, Tam-" Keefe continued, smirking.

A loud knock cut off Keefe's annoying chant. Keefe cleared his throat.
"Come in."
The doors opened as Tam folded Keefe's pants onto the bed to let Keefe change into them himself.
"Your Highness, the Queen and King informed me to tell you to ensure you are properly dressed for dinner later on this evening. If you do not comply, they will ensure you are punished." A worker of the palace said.

Tam stopped his movements for a moment.
'They will ensure you are punished.'
Now, what did that mean?

Keefe forced a smile. "Ah, I understand. You may go now."
The worker nodded before leaving and shutting the door. A silence overcame Keefe and Tam. Keefe grabbed his pants for the day and stepped behind the dressing screen to change privately while Tam decided to prepare Keefe's 'proper' attire for later this day.

"So, you get punished? Your parents ground you, or-?" Tam was about to tease.
"Funny." Keefe sharply cut Tam off.
Tam glanced over, seeing Keefe's blonde hair poking out from the top of the dressing screen.

"The King and Queen don't keep their punishments light, huh? For anyone..." Tam quietly said.
"Mmhm..." Keefe hummed quietly in response.

Keefe stepped out from behind the dressing screen, revealing he was now fully changed in some casual attire for the time being. Tam didn't know what to say. A small silence came between them.

"... Let's go." Keefe said, walking to the doors of his room. "I want to practice some archery."
Tam quietly followed Keefe out of his room.

*****

Tam watched as Keefe hit directly the center of the target after letting go of the bowstring. Keefe huffed as he drew another arrow.

"You're really good at that." Tam decided to compliment Keefe.
"Well, my parents ensure I'm perfect at everything." Keefe grumbled as he pulled the string back with the new arrow in it.
Tam heard the arrow fly through the air, hitting the target in the center again. He looked at Keefe.

"You seem irritated, my Prince." Tam said, smirking slightly as he used 'my Prince', something that annoyed Keefe when people referred to him as that.
Keefe's cheeks flushed a little. He exhaled a soft laugh and glanced at Tam.
"Your Prince? I'm flattered-" Keefe began to tease.
Tam's cheeks tinted pink.
"You know that's not what I meant." Tam scowled.
Keefe laughed softly again.

Another moment of silence overcame them as Keefe drew back another arrow and shot at the target.

"How extreme are these 'punishments'?" Tam asked.
Keefe tensed up a little.
"What? Do you actually care about me, Tammy?" Keefe decided to tease.
"You're avoiding my question." Tam stated.
"And now you're avoiding my question." Keefe smiled at Tam as he set aside his bow.
They faced each other and held eye contact.

"Your Highness-" Tam began.
"You know I hate it when you call me by those titles. When we're alone, please, just call me by my name." Keefe basically begged softly to Tam.
Tam swallowed.

"Keefe. I'm stuck with you now, as a way to ensure I stay alive. You spared me from being executed. Of course, I'm going to start caring and worrying about you." Tam said.
Keefe blinked, surprised by Tam's honesty.
"Since when do you have a heart?" Keefe teased slightly.
Tam rolled his eyes. "Oh, shut up."

Keefe fiddled with the hem of his shirt slightly.
"... The punishments aren't too bad. I can handle them." Keefe quietly said. "I don't get punished often, well... as a boy, I did, but nowadays I rarely do." Keefe explained.
Tam looked at Keefe. He felt like there was something more that Keefe wasn't telling him, but Tam didn't press on the topic.

"So... I'm guessing you're done with archery now." Tam said, noting how Keefe had his bow to the side. "What do you want to do now?"
Keefe thought about it for a moment.
"How about we go on a walk in the gardens? They usually make me feel relaxed, and I need that now before I have to suffer this supposedly 'important' dinner with my parents." Keefe smiled at Tam.
Tam gave a small nod.

*****

Tam helped Keefe into a more formal shirt for this dinner. He buttoned it all the way up and Keefe huffed, tugging at the collar.
"It's like my parents want to choke me." Keefe said.
Tam snickered. "It's not that bad." Tam said, watching as Keefe went over to his vanity to 'fix' his hair, combing away the unruliness of it.

Tam wanted to laugh at how Keefe looked with his hair combed back. He bit back a laugh but couldn't stop himself from smiling. Keefe noticed this as he saw Tam's reflection nearly snickering.
"What?" Keefe questioned.
"Nothing at all, Your Highness." Tam smiled.
Keefe rolled his eyes.

"Shut up."
"I didn't say anything."
"Stop laughing at my hair! My parents want it like this!"
"Pfft- I'm not laughing!"
"Yes, you are!!"

Their playful bickering was interrupted by a knock on the door. The door opened and both Keefe and Tam looked over.
"It's time to head to the dining room." Ro said.
Keefe sighed. "Thanks, Ro. Tam, c'mon, as my servant you have to make sure my cup is always full and attend to me during this."
Keefe walked out of the room and walked past Tam.
Tam grumbled, "What fun..." Before he followed behind Keefe.

As Keefe and Tam walked, Ro followed behind and let out a snicker at Keefe's appearance.
"Lookin' good, Prince Hunkyhair."
Tam nearly snorted at the nickname while Keefe's cheeks turned red out of embarrassment. He shot a glare at Tam and Ro who both had amused expressions on their faces.

"Both of you, shut up."

Chapter Text

Linh had finally made it to the forest outside of Candleshade and ensured her identity was concealed. She had her hood up, hair tied back and made sure her silver strands of hair wasn't visible. She fiddled with her bag of things before she built the courage to actually enter the village of Candleshade.

She walked around, and it seemed quite normal. Children running around and playing, people selling some stuff, or just doing small daily chores. She silently avoided the people to try and find the forgery.

Linh glanced around as she further stepped into the village. She noticed some children hiding behind some barrels, looking at the stand that was selling some fruit. Linh hesitated but she casually stepped by the fruit stand and managed to sneak a plum or two into her hand and her cape before she went over to the children and handed them the fruit.

The children blinked and their eyes lit up as they looked at Linh. Linh gave them a small smile and held her finger over her mouth to indicate for them to stay quiet. As she walked off, she glanced back, seeing the children instantly digging into the fruit and happily eating it.

Linh continued searching for the forgery. After a little while, she did find it. She heard clanging coming from the inside and she slowly entered. She saw a blonde female forging some sort of weapon. When the blonde seemed to finish and step back, looking at her work, Linh cleared her throat. The female looked over and saw Linh's cloaked figure.

"Er, can I help you?" The female asked.
"Are you Marella Redek?" Linh questioned.
"That depends. Who's asking?" The female crossed her arms.
Linh slowly pulled her hood down and took Dex's note from her pocket. "A friend of Dex." Linh answered, handing the note to Marella.

Marella took the note and read it to herself. Marella glanced at Linh.
"... So, you're a thief." Marella more stated than asked. "And Dex wants me to let you stay with me for a few days?"
Linh nodded.

Marella crossed her arms and tapped her fingers against her arm.
"Why?" Marella asked.
Linh sighed. "I have an idiotic brother who may have gotten himself killed and I need to see what's happened with him since it's been days since I last saw him."
Marella raised an eyebrow. "Ah."

Marella thought about it.
"... As long as you don't cause me any trouble, then you can stay." Marella said, looking at Linh. "And if I can help with anything, that won't get me killed, then let me know."
Linh smiled, clearly pleased that Marella agreed to this.
"Thank you. I promise I'll behave well." Linh said.

"Oh! And you'll be helping out around with chores in my home." Marella smiled.
Linh sighed. "Well, it's the least I can do for burdening you."
Marella looked at Linh and she smiled more to herself now. Marella had a feeling that Linh would rub off on her soon.

"Well, welcome to Candleshade. Be careful when you're investigating what happened to your brother, because if the King or Queen caught him doing something then it's likely he's..." Marella made a gesture, slicing her throat with her thumb.
Linh grimaced slightly.
"... Thanks. Really need to further worry about the fact my brother could be dead."
"Ah, no worries. Making people worry is my specialty."

Well, Linh now had a place to stay and she assumed Marella would feed her too. She was set for her (hopefully) short visit in Candleshade to figure out what happened to Tam.

Chapter Text

When Keefe, Tam and Ro made it outside of the dining room, Ro stood by the door.
"I'll be right out here, Hunkyhair." Ro said, looking at Keefe.
Keefe nodded at Ro.
Tam huffed slightly. "Lucky..."

Keefe glanced back at Tam.
"Ready?" Keefe asked.
Tam forced a smile and raised two thumbs up. Keefe smiled slightly.
"Just...don't speak and keep an eye mainly on me." Keefe said.
"Got it." Tam nodded.

The doors were pushed open and Tam followed behind Keefe into the dining room. Keefe seemed to freeze, causing Tam to nearly stumble into Keefe's back. Tam furrowed his eyebrows before he noticed that there were guests in the dining room.

"Ah, and here he is. Keefe, this is the Ruewens, the royalty of Havenfield." Gisela smiled at her son.
Keefe forced a polite smile at the guests.
"Pleasure to meet you..." Keefe trailed off, unsure of their names.

Keefe glanced at Tam and Tam went over to pull out Keefe's chair across from the princess at the table. The blonde girl seemed a little excited as Keefe came over and sat down with Tam tucking his chair in.

"Keefe, this is Princess Sophie, and her parents, King Grady and Queen Edaline." Cassius introduced Keefe to them.
Keefe nodded politely. He couldn't believe that his parents didn't tell him that they would have guests during dinner.

Tam got to 'work',  grabbing the pitcher of water and pouring some water first for Gisela and Cassius, then the guests and finally Keefe. Keefe glanced at Tam with an expression that seemed to say 'poison my drink to kill me now'.  Tam had to bite back a smile.

*****

The dinner seemed to go by normally. Tam stood mostly to the side, occasionally pouring more water in their cups and keeping an eye on Keefe. It was sort of amusing. Keefe clearly had no interest in this Princess Sophie or her parents, but had to maintain that polite, kind facade. This princess seemed quite interested in Keefe too.

Eventually, Gisela cleared her throat.
"Keefe, you may be wondering why the Ruewens have come here for dinner." Gisela said, turning to look at Keefe.
Keefe lifted his cup and sipped the water. "Mmh... I am wondering that." Keefe said to his mother before turning to Grady, Edaline and Sophie. "Not to say your presence is bothersome, Candleshade welcomes everyone who visits us." Keefe added with a smile.

Gisela caught Keefe's attention again.
"Not too long ago, your father visited King Grady and Queen Edaline in Havenfield to discuss something and they came to an agreement." Gisela smiled at Keefe. Keefe slightly furrowed his eyebrows, sipping his water again . Tam went over to pour more water into Keefe's cup. "And...it is arranged for you and Princess Sophie to marry each other in about a year or so."
Keefe nearly choked on air and Tam froze slightly, accidentally knocking Keefe's cup over and water spilling everywhere. Tam swallowed as everyone now look at him for causing a mess.

"Ah, apologies-" Tam began to apologise, grabbing some napkins to try and dry the spill frantically before he knocked over the water pitcher and it poured all over the table, some of it splashing onto Sophie's dress too, causing her to gasp and stand up abruptly.

Keefe saw his parents seemed ready to explode with anger and he stood up, pulling Tam back.
"Okay, you should go before you cause more of a mess." Keefe whispered to Tam, his voice low in Tam's ear.
Tam swallowed and he nodded at Keefe, quickly bowing and apologising again before quickly leaving.

As Tam left the dining room, he heard Gisela and Cassius apologising profusely for Tam's clumsy actions to which Grady and Edaline claimed it was okay and accidents happen. Tam glanced back before he left the dining room and he saw as Keefe helped dry the spill on Sophie's dress and apologising. Tam noticed how Sophie blushed at the fact that Keefe was so kind and close to here. Tam swallowed, feeling a strange, bitter emotion in his chest.

When Tam stepped out, he saw Ro looking at him in confusion.
"...What did you do?" Ro asked, her arms crossed.
"Spilled water all over the table and Princess Sophie's dress." Tam answered, looking ashamed.
Ro held back a snort. "How did you mess up pouring water for some royals?" She questioned, amused by this.
Tam flushed slightly.

"...I was caught by surprise. Keefe seems to be...expected to marry Princess Sophie within the next year or so." Tam explained.
Ro raised her eyebrows. "Yeesh...really? Poor Keefe..."
Tam furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?" He questioned.
"Oh, come on, you must know him well enough by now to know he dislikes this sort of thing." Ro said. "And he's always hated the idea of marrying someone he doesn't love, he always hoped his parents wouldn't do this."

Tam hummed and nodded. Ro looked at him.
"Alright, kid...get outta here, stay in Keefe's room, clean it or something. He'll probably complain to you once this boring dinner is over." Ro said.
Tam nodded and he walked off, leaving Ro alone again.

Ro slightly opened the door into the dining room and saw how Keefe was apologising softly to Sophie. Sophie was insisting it was okay and it was just a bit of spilled water, that her dress would dry and not be stained.

Ro raised an eyebrow and watched the two carefully. Keefe seemed empathetic about Sophie's dress being ruined, but he did not seem to particularly care too much about the water spilled on her dress. He knew it'd dry and the water wouldn't affect the fabric of her dress.

So, Keefe was expected to marry this princess... Ro couldn't wait to see how Keefe would try to get out of that situation! Especially since it seemed this princess already seemed interested in Keefe, Ro could see it from the look in her eyes even from afar.

Chapter Text

Tam was in Keefe's chambers, looking around. He looked at himself in the mirror by Keefe's vanity. He tugged at his silver bangs, swallowing as he thought of Linh.

He wanted to let her know he was okay but...how could he? He couldn't leave the palace. And...he couldn't trust Keefe either. Yes, they've grown to be...sort of friends, but... Keefe was still a royal. He's never gone through what Tam had to go through.

The door suddenly opened and Tam looked over, seeing Keefe tugging at the collar of his shirt while slamming the door shut before his free hand messed up his combed back hair, back to its unruly, but charming, way it usually is.

"... How was the rest of the dinner?" Tam asked.
Keefe huffed as he unbuttoned the top of his shirt.
"Oh, fantastic." Keefe mumbled sarcastically. "My parents began to talk about how wonderful Princess Sophie was."
Keefe kept unbuttoning his shirt, his fingers moving quickly due to his frustration. He grumbled as he struggled with one of the buttons and Tam stepped over, pushing Keefe's hands away. Keefe looked down at Tam and how Tam unbuttoned the rest of his shirt for him.

"... You're lucky." Keefe said.
Tam raised an eyebrow as he looked up at Keefe, meeting his gaze. "Sorry, I'm lucky?"
Keefe nodded, slipping his shirt off his shoulders before chucking it away. Tam huffed as he went over to pick up the discarded shirt and place it into the basket of other dirty clothes.
"You get to choose who you marry!" Keefe exclaimed. "But since I'm a prince, my marriage is based on political gain, so I'm forced to marry someone I don't love! And I can't refuse!"

Tam looked over at Keefe as Keefe grabbed some comfortable pants and changed into them.
"... Can I even marry for love? I'm stuck here being your servant." Tam said.
"Well, you shouldn't have tried to steal from my  palace then-" Keefe began, shrugging.
"I only came to steal because I did not grow up as privileged as you, Keefe." Tam snapped. "And there are many people living in poverty in your kingdom, and in other kingdoms, while you have all of these jewels and coins!"

Keefe blinked and he looked over at Tam. Tam studied Keefe's face, seeing how he was a bit baffled by Tam's sudden snap. Tam huffed.
"You're so spoiled. Has no one ever given you a reality check, Princey?" Tam tilted his head, slightly glaring at Keefe.
Keefe stayed silent for a moment.

"... You still have more freedom than I-" Keefe began.
"And what good is that freedom when I'm stealing for the sake of being able to feed myself and others not as lucky as you?" Tam questioned.
Keefe groaned and ran his fingers through his hair.

"You don't get it, Tam!" Keefe exclaimed.
"Neither do you!" Tam scowled back.

Tam and Keefe stared at each other, their eyes locked on the others. Tam furrowed his eyebrows when Keefe seemed to smile and let out a laugh, burying his face in his hands.
"Fuck, I'm glad I kept you as my servant." Keefe mumbled.
"What-?" Tam wasn't even sure what was going on right now.

Keefe stepped closer to Tam. "You're right. I don't get it." Keefe said, taking one of Tam's hands into his, his thumb running back and forth along Tam's knuckles. "I don't know what sort of shit you've been through. But, even though I grew up rich, and somehow was born into this life, that doesn't mean I've had it easy either, Tam."
Tam met Keefe's gaze. Tam did recall how Keefe seemed to be 'punished' a lot as a child. And, to be fair, being forced to marry someone you don't love, that did seem shitty too.

Tam looked at Keefe.
"... Sorry for snapping at you." Tam said quietly, looking at the floor.
Keefe scrunched up his face, waving his free hand in dismissal before he gently tilted Tam's head up to meet his gaze again.
"Eh, I don't mind it." Keefe smiled, leaning in slightly. "I like you speaking your mind around me. Everyone else walks on eggshells around me, and your attitude is absolutely an attractive quality of yours."

Tam felt his cheeks heat up and he pulled away from Keefe, putting some distance between them.
"Oh, shut up." Tam mumbled, tugging at his silver bangs.
Keefe smiled, clearly glad that he could make Tam so flustered.

A silence overcame them for a few moments.

"So...are you gonna have to give Princess Sophie some sort of engagement ring?" Tam asked, looking at Keefe.
"Uh...knowing my mother, she'll probably send some sort of ring to Havenfield to Sophie and attach a letter to make it seem like it's from me, saying some random romantic crap!" Keefe exclaimed, forcing a smile on his face before he went over to his bed and flopped on his back on the mattress.
Tam smiled slightly and he went over, sitting by Keefe.

"... She is pretty though." Tam shrugged. "It might not be all bad."
"Well, personally, I don't fall for people because of their looks." Keefe said, glancing at Tam. "I much rather pay attention to personality."
Tam looked at Keefe. "Then maybe you can learn to love her?" Tam suggested.
Keefe groaned. "After one dinner with her and our parents, I fear I won't learn to love her. I don't know what it is, but...I just feel no spark."

Keefe turned to his side, pulling his pillow over to cuddle with it.
"You ever love someone, Tam?" Keefe asked quietly, looking at Tam.
Tam seemed to fiddle with the bedsheets as he was still sitting on the bed.
"Not...romantically." Tam said. "I've only ever loved platonically or in a family sort of way."
Keefe hugged the pillow tighter to his chest.

"... I guess I've loved platonically." Keefe said. "You know the kingdom, Everglen? Prince Fitzroy is my bud. But recently we haven't seen each other as much." Keefe sighed, laying on his back.
Tam looked at Keefe and he reluctantly laid back on the bed next to Keefe.
"How come?" Tam asked.
"I dunno, he's always doing his proper princely shit!" Keefe exclaimed. "God, the amount of times my parents compared me to the perfect Fitzroy Vacker..."

Tam turned his head to look at Keefe and Keefe did the same.
"... I think they're planning a ball or something. His younger sister should be turning sixteen, so... y'know, sweet sixteen or something." Keefe said. "Fitz may also be looking for potential future brides too. I dunno, honestly. He's busy with helping his mother organise it for his sister. He's good at that stuff."
Tam hummed and nodded slightly.

Keefe squeezed the pillow he was hugging and he sighed.
"So, what, do you have super duper awesome parents or something? Since you have some family love?" Keefe forced a smile at Tam.
Tam let out a laugh with a small snort.
"Hah! Oh, god, no." Tam shook his head. "My parents...god, they sucked. They always thought my sister and I were just...bad luck since we're twins." Tam shrugged. "When we were like...eleven or twelve, we just...ditched them and began stealing for our own benefit at first."

Keefe listened to Tam intently, turning to his side to face Tam.
"... And how'd you get those cool silver bangs? Does your sister match you?" Keefe grinned, his hands ruffling Tam's hair.
Tam smiled and whacked Keefe's hand away.
"I can't remember, honestly." Tam said. "I think we did it before we ran off, it made our parents even more annoyed at us, but we didn't care."

Keefe smiled slightly.
"Kinda cool you guys did that." Keefe said. "So, where's your sister now?"
Tam tugged at his silver bangs and shrugged.
"... Either looking for me or she's just decided to forget our past and move on without me." Tam said. "I doubt it's the latter, we always...stick together."

Keefe furrowed his eyebrows. "... Did she try to steal from here too?" Keefe asked.
Tam snorted. "No. She scolded me for even suggesting it and told me I could go for it but she wouldn't join me this time. I don't think she knows that Candleshade's, apparently caring, Prince spared me from that fate." Tam said, facing Keefe.

Their eyes locked.

"I only spared you because you're attractive." Keefe said, smiling at Tam.
"And here I thought you said you don't care about looks?" Tam raised an eyebrow.
Keefe scrunched up his nose.
"Now, I didn't say that. I don't fall for people because of their looks. I care about looks most of the time." Keefe corrected Tam with a grin.
Tam rolled his eyes, smiling.

Tam sighed softly and he stared up at the ceiling of the large room.
"...I kinda wish I could let her know I'm okay, but I don't know where to find her." Tam said. "My sister." Tam clarified, glancing at Keefe.
Keefe sighed softly.
"... I wish I could help, but uh...you two are like a well known duo for thieving." Keefe said. "And I can't let ya go either cause...well, my parents will think I've let a criminal go with no consequence and... they'll be very angry."
Tam nodded slightly.
"Yeah, I thought you'd say that." Tam sighed, staring at the ceiling again.

Keefe propped himself up on his elbow and he reached his free hand to Tam's face, turning it so Tam would face him.
"Is...has it been that bad being here?" Keefe asked, his gaze wandering around Tam's face, his thumb lightly grazing along Tam's jaw.
Tam swallowed and met Keefe's gaze.
"No..." Tam's voice was barely above a whisper.

Keefe swallowed and he pulled back. He turned to his other side, facing away from Tam and pulling his covers up over his body.
"Good... Uh, you can go now." Keefe said, not facing Tam.

Tam blinked but he got up. He slowly walked over to the door of Keefe's room before he looked back.
"...Night, Princey." Tam said.
Keefe seemed to shift in his bed.
"Good night, Tam." Keefe said softly, still not looking back.
Tam seemed to wait for a moment, as if expecting, hoping, for Keefe to glance back at him once more. He didn't. Tam simply left Keefe's room and headed to where his much smaller room was to get some rest himself.

Keefe heard his room door open and shut and he groaned into his pillow, his cheeks flushed and his heart pounding in his chest.

Keefe had to get his shit together. Tam tried to steal from his palace and him being here was supposed to be a 'punishment' (according to his parents at least). Keefe shouldn't feel this way for a thief, much less a male. He should be falling for Princess Sophie! She was beautiful, very beautiful, but...

But, Tam made Keefe want to do stupid things.

... Much stupider things than usual.

Chapter Text

Linh was currently watching as Marella was making some new weapons at her forge. Linh had been with Marella for about a day or two now and honestly Marella wasn't so bad to stay with.

"So, there is a chance he's still alive?" Linh questioned.
Marella shrugged. "Usually the King and Queen like to execute criminals or thieves in front of the kingdom, but sometimes they'll do it without the rest of the kingdom knowing." Marella explained as she took a break from welding.

Linh sighed and buried her face in her hands.
"What the hell am I going to do with that boy?" Linh said.
Marella glanced at Linh and saw the stress was evident from her actions and expression.

"... You know, I heard that one of the royals from another Kingdom will soon have some sort of ball or fancy ass event. The King, Queen and Prince of ours will probably go to that. We could try to sneak in while they're away and look for your brother in the dungeons." Marella suggested. "I mean, assuming you're good enough to sneak by some lousy guards?"
Linh lifted her head and looked at Marella, raising her eyebrows.

"... Seriously?" Linh questioned. "You'd...join me?"
Marella shrugged, crossing her arms.
"I mean, as long as you promise you won't let me get caught." Marella grinned slightly.
Linh smiled. "I'll keep you safe." Linh said. "I guess we have...the start of some sort of plan then."

"I'm sure we can get Dex to figure out more details about that ball. I think it's in Everglen, so he should be able to ask around or eavesdrop on the details." Marella said. "He can let us know about it, and we can figure out how to sneak into the palace and search around for any sign of your brother and if he's alive or not." 
Linh nodded. "Right..."

"Well, I was always better with sneaking around than Tam was." Linh said. "I think I'll be able to scout the palace and find some way in without alerting any guards..."
Marella looked at Linh and noticed her expression changed to something more thoughtful. She was clearly plotting this in more depth in her head and she rubbed her chin.

"I'm gonna note down some ideas." Linh said, turning around to head into Marella's home instead of staying at the forgery area with her. "I'll share my ideas once you're finished! You can input your own ideas later!"
Marella smiled slightly and watched as Linh dashed away.

Well, Marella never expected herself to offer to sneak into the palace in her home kingdom, she knew if they got caught, they probably would be killed, but...Marella liked a little bit of danger every now and then, the thrill of it was too good to pass up. And Linh seemed like an expert in this sort of thing.