The thief of a half-elf’s heart.

The burglar wrapped her arms around Khala’s back and put the knife to her throat. She giggled, ‘Not one move, beautiful. I don’t want to mar that pretty skin.’

Khala froze at first, when the blade touched her neck, but recognised the voice immediately. She relaxed a little but decided to play along, ‘What do you want? Why did you come here?’

‘Hmm~, what could it be? Your money? Your body?’ She whispered in Khala’s ear, which let a shiver run down the rogue’s spine. Her attacker looked over Khala’s shoulder at the paper and giggled, ‘Looks like I already stole your heart.’ She dragged Khala to her feet and spun her around. Giving her a heartfelt hug.

Khala hugged her back, her lover Giana, ‘I-uhm-I was just thinking about you.’ She blushed deeply, ‘Yeah-uhm-I’m not so good with writing love letters.’ She tried to change the subject, ‘Hey, looks like you practised my lessons.’

Giana was wearing a dark hood and leaned back. Her eyes glinted in the candle light as she looked at Khala, smiling, ‘Don’t worry, I think it’s sweet. Yes, I picked up another trick or two. I love running around with nobody knowing who I am and with no bodyguard.’ She laughed, ‘I’m pretty proud that I managed to sneak up on you too.’

Khala pulled off Giana’s hood, revealing the brunette’s face. ‘Yes, you did well, like a cat on her paws,’ Khala smiled, ‘So… is this a social visit or?’

‘I’d love it to be just that,’ Giana smirked and stroked her hands lower down Khala’s body, ‘And I’m sure we can find time for it,’ she gave Khala’s butt a little squeeze, which made the half-elf giggle, ‘But there is something else.’

Khala frowned, ‘Isn’t there always with us?’

‘True, I’m sorry,’ Giana shook her head, ‘But it’s important.’

‘Should we sit down for this?’ Khala suggested and Giana nodded.

They both sat down on the bed side-by-side and Giana started talking, ‘I have a suspicion that somebody will try to kill crown prince Frederick during the upcoming tournament in the capital. I need your help and your friend’s help.’

‘Kill the crown prince? Why would anyone want to? I thought he was popular,’ Khala was shocked and confused.

‘Yes, he is loved, but only among the peasants and by the church,’ Giana explained, ‘A lot of nobles and merchants fear he’ll be too harsh on them once he takes the throne.’

‘What’d happened if Frederick died, though?’ Khala asked.

‘That depends, Frederick’s wife Olivia is pregnant,’ Giana said, ‘If it’s a boy, he’ll be next in line to the throne. If it’s a girl, the King’s brother would be the next in the line of succession.’

‘So, you suspect the king’s younger brother might be planning something? Killing your own family for power? What bastards, despicable.’ Khala growled.

‘Yes, you are following along, that’s good,’ Giana smiled, ‘There are murmurs among the smaller nobles and merchants that Joseph, the king’s younger brother, and his son Richard, Frederick’s cousin, would be preferable to Frederick.’

Khala gulped, ‘So, it’s a conspiracy against Frederick? Gods, do you think they’d do something to Olivia too?’

‘I wouldn’t put it past them,’ Giana shook her head and sighed.

Compelled by her disgust, Khala nodded to herself and clenchd her fists, ‘Alright, we can’t let whatever they have planned happen. How can we help you?’