"Cy why are you dressed like that?" Isthan looked up at the redhaired green eyed youth. Cybelline had changed into men's clothes, her red hair cut to shoulder length. With the help of a few potions and some make up, her face became more masculine, just has she had done in the Dycathion palace. Cybelline smiled at Isthan, "It's easier to move around like this." Isthan looked around, it was true, very few women traveled, especially in a country at war.

Cybelline was once again Cy, she wore a white blouse with a brown vest and black pants, simple traveler's clothes. Three boys walked beside her as they headed towards the main market. In one of the boys' arms was a little red fox who snored slightly as he slept. Red woke up and looked around, "I'm hungry."

Cybelline looked down at him, "You've eaten a flock of sheep since we left Dycathion. Do you know how far that farmer chased us?"

Red stuck his little tongue out at him, "That was only one meal. Besides we paid in coin."

"I paid." Cybelline said, her eyes cool, "I was going to offer a fox pelt instead. A beautiful red fox pelt from a glutinous fox with a bottomless pit of a stomach. " But Isthan and Berin had held Red with their big eyes begging Cybelline not to. Cybelline sighed, she wasn't really going to do anything, but those puppy eyes made her feel as if she had done something wrong.

Ceric smiled, "We can take Red around and see what's to eat around here." Cybelline gave him some coin, "Come back by sundown. Make sure that your brothers don't burn down the entire city." Isthan and Berin smiled, looking as innocent as angels. But Cybelline knew better.

These boys seemed to have "trouble" stamped on their foreheads. It was Isthan who stood watch as Berin opened the sheep pen for Red. Between the three, they had eaten some sheep and took the rest into the land in the ring. Isthan told Cybelline that he had seen the farmer beating his neighbor's children because they played too close to his sheep, and wanted revenge. Cybelline smiled and told him that was not how revenge was taken.

That night Cybelline took the children to the magistrate's house, stole the magistrate's wife and deposited her in the farmer's bed. The magistrate's wife had spat at Isthan for running into her. Cybelline remembered that.

She made sure that neither would wake up until the morning. She'd also took some coin from the magistrate and placed it in the farmer's home, it was considered "payment" for the food her family had eaten.

Ithos didn't know what to say when he learned what happened, he shook his head and grinned. Myrai gave them a lecture but sent them off with a kiss on the head each. As far as child rearing goes, Cybelline liked their style.

Now, Cybelline sat at a mead stall, the choice of drink for most of the city and listened to gossip as she waited for Ithos.

"With everything that's going on do you think the Festival of the Fox will happen?" One of the women asked her companion, they sat a table away from Cybelline. She looked worried.

The man chuckled, "You think our Prince of Thieves would care about what's happening? Londaros never really could control this city. And now that this city is between the Dycathion and Londaros border, things are even more complicated. But, let's be honest, even if the world burned around us the Festival of Fox would still happen."

Ithos sat down besides Cybelline with a smile, "Ere now lad, a bit of good news finally." He ordered a glass of mead, "We'll get to see my friend soon. Once the Festival ends."

"What is the Festival of Fox?" Cybelline asked.

Ithos took a swig of mead, "The festival is a three day celebration of the God of Trickery, the Fox. He's the god of thieves and spies. We've been invited to the castle fer the celebration."

Cybelline looked at him, "Your friend lives in the castle?" She wasn't that fond of castles.

Ithos nodded, "Aye. He's one of my oldest friends. And a friend of the current Prince of Thieves." Ithos shook his head, "Is it me or are the rulers getting younger every year?"

"It's definitely you, Ithos. You're too old."

A young man with a bright smile stood beside them. He was a ruddy man of sixteen or seventeen. His eyes were a dark sapphire that seemed to sparkle mischievously. A wide, smiling mouth and an open, friendly face greeted Cybelline and Ithos.

Ithos looked around and cursed, "Phillip, don't ye have a city of thieves to run?"

"The Queen can handle it, afterall, I'm only a prince." Phillip said in an easygoing tone, "She's just a year younger but she's already better at it than I am."

"She ain't in charge of the theives. Ye are." Ithos said disapprovingly.

Phillip sat down and casually ordered a mead from the blushing maid, "But they're not as half as interesting as your pretty companion here."

Cybelline sipped her mead and grinned, "I'm touched."

Phillip gave a half bow gallantly, "You know, in all of my learned and long years--"

"Yer sixteen, me laddy." Ithos growled.

"--- Ithos had never introduced me to any of his family. So you must've imagine my surprise when I heard the old man has brought his son." Phillp accepted the mead from the maid and blew a kiss.

He took a coin from her ear, a slight of hand that would have seemed smarmy had he not been so handsome, and gave it to her. The girl giggled and nearly tripped on her way back. It was not every day that you met the Prince of Thieves.

Phillip turned around, "So, Ithos, can I interest you in a city tour?"

"No." Ithos picked up his mead, "Last time ye took me somewhere I lost a bag of gold to ye. Me wife made me sleep in the den fer a whole month. I'm never going anywhere with ye."

Ithos pointed to Cybelline, "My son Cy has all our money now. He'll keep it better than I ever did."

"Oh?" Phillip said, his eyes a lit with interest. Cybelline looked at him with large, innocent eyes, and smiled like a gullible youth. She had nothing better to do, it would be interesting to see what this Prince of Thieves had up his sleeve.

"Good. In that case I'll go ahead and corrupt your innocent son." Phillip said with a wicked grin, stood up grabbed Cybelline's arm and pulled her to her feet. He looked her over, "You need a change of clothes. I've got just the right gambling house that'll make us a fortune. You'll have a proper set of court clothes by the end of day."

He clapped an arm around her shoulders and walked her away fast, "I'll have her back by sundown." Without another word, he disappeared like wolves were chasing after him.

Ithos looked after the man in mock anger but his face changed the moment they left. After a moment, Ithos chucked, "Ye want to corrupt that one? Don't blame me if that lass has ye crying by the end of day."

---------------------

At the city's edge, two young men entered the city.

"Lord Norian, are you sure this is the safest place?" The thinner boy asked the older man, the boy's voice was soft, and he looked frail compared to the dark, handsome lord Norian.

Lord Norian's eyes flashed with annoyance. But he tamped it down, with a grin he looked at the boy, "My lord prince, trust me, I would never place you harm's way."

After entering, a few men greeted the two. One of them looked like a small mountain, his fat shaking as he bowed, "Your royal highness, your grace."

The two men nodded, Lord Norian directed, "Take his highness to rest."

Norian waited until the teenaged crown prince was gone.

"Is everything ready?" He murmured to the men. The man nodded, "We've got the shipment. You'll have this city by the end of the festival, my lord."

Norian smiled, "Good. Make sure that you keep an eye on that dratted Dycathion scum, the moment he enters the city, is the moment he dies."

"Yes my lord." The man bowed and left.

Norian sipped the liquid honey mead and smiled. Indeed, if his plan worked then he would be one step closer to the throne. And then, he would crush the bug Killian and the useless Crown Prince. He gritted his teeth, he would show his father who was the right son for the throne.