Crystal palace, it really does live up to it's name in sheer size and for the lack of better terms, the flashiness. Even but under a waning moon, it shines to a point of damaging one's eyes. Maybe it was his curiosity or maybe it was his anticipation that brought this man to the building.
"It's not even that impressive" He said under his breath to himself as he had unfortunately fell through the door. A chuckle of a laugh escaped his mouth as he wandered in the fallen door. After replacing it upon the frame, he began to step in, one shiny black leather shoe pressed forth, pushing his body to move the other in front. The moonlight caught itself, weaved in the building. Even without artificial lighting, things could be made out without his hands leaving oily residue on any glass.
A noise; more of a clatter really came from inside the palace. A thief? Perhaps a smuggler of some sorts. Robert didn’t want to be the one to face this bandit in the night. The sound of rustling filled the palace. A single squeak of the rubber sole of his shoe echoed in the silence. The rustling stopped for but a second and began to rustle furiously into the distance. In half a heartbeat, Robert took flight into the darkness.
“Anyone there?” He questioned the air. Without the light of the moon reflecting the sun in this room, he could see nothing. “I don’t mean to be rude but is anyone there?” He questioned again. No reply. Maybe it was his imagination running wild. He took a step back and stepped on something… fluffy?
A massive hiss came from his feet as the poor reaper fell flat onto his back. Before he could see what was before him, he was faced with black eyes, saliva dripping from between yellowed teeth. With a swing of his scythe, a flat end of the hammer was up against whatever attacked him’s face.
“NO STOP!” cried a voice. All was silent. Whatever was bearing it’s fangs at Robert had backed down and wandered back to the voice. It was a familiar voice, however. One that Robert had heard many times, but not in words; just cries. He pushed his glasses up, brushed off his suit which was now covered in dusty prints and turned to look at the owner of the voice.
A small blonde haired girl in braids stood there holding the large fuzzy thing in her arms. “You… you’re one of the orphans, aren’t you?” The girl nodded to his statement. What a bad way to meet again, both guilty of breaking into a prestigious building only meant for the rich and famous earls of England.
“I don’t mean to be rude, but how on earth did you get in? And with… that thing.” Robert questioned her.
“He’s not a thing. This is fluffy, my pet.” Fangs were bore was he looked into the black beady eyes. “He’s a ‘coon and we got in same way you did.” She pointed to the other room that was lit with moonlight. “Through the door.” She smiled valiantly as she made this claim. No wonder the door fell off of the hinges so easily... He thought.
Robert couldn’t deny that he too, was guilty of aimlessly wandering into the palace before its grand unveiling. “Well, you better get out before someone sees you.” He warned her as he tried to lead her and her rabid animal back into the other room.
“No!” She shouted as she wandered back towards the darkened room. “I don’t want to go back.” She was an orphan after all. And he was kind of to blame for putting silly ideas into their heads as he was hunting for a suitable human career.
“Then it’s not my fault if the queen cuts your head off” A bluff.
“Then I’ll jus’ tell her that you let me in.” She threatened him. He shrugged it off coldly, although inside, he was rubbing his neck in fear. His head liked where it sat right now. Just you wait until i get a report to reap your poor soul. Then we'll see who gets the last laugh. He thought to himself, but didn't dare to say out loud and reveal his status as a reaper.
"What will get you to leave?" His voice blunt with a hint of annoyance in it.
"I wanna see the obsidian earrings." She shone her most innocent smile to him while in her voice, she whined. "They're in the next room."
"Go look then leave." He waved his hand whilst the other pushed his dark framed glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose.
"Come with me." She tugged the sleeve of his suit. He looked at her with his emerald eyes. She batted her little eyelashes and he gave in easily. She cheered and tugged him along to the next room. Many glass cases sat atop round marble pillars about the height of his hip and just above the little girl's shoulders.
"Over there!" She said as she pointed to one of the cases. Within sat... nothing? "Where is it?" She looked high and low but alas, to no avail. She found nothing in the base but a red velvet pillow with an indent where the obsidian and diamond earring would have sat.
"I don't mean to be rude, but can we go now?" It sounded more like a command than a question. "They probably put it elsewhere for safe keeping." He said with a hah-in-your-face tone of voice. Her eyes welled up with tears as the two headed back to the moonlit room and front door. To their surprise, the front door had been broken down and the police flooded the place with lamps. With a swift move of his hand, he covered the girl's mouth and held her within the shadows. He knew there was no way they could have got off trespassing scott free.
"Quiet if you want to keep your head" He said as he held her close to his mid-torso. The police looked around, ready to arrest.
"Come out with your hands out!" A policeman shouted. "We know you're there, you dirty jewel thief!"
tsk he thought how do we get out now? He had an idea that might have been crazy enough to work.
"Let your raccoon go." Robert told her in a whisper.
She shook her head and held onto the masked bandit. Robert gave her a pinch and she loosened her grip for a second, releasing the large rodent. It walked off towards the light of the policemen's torches.
"You stop there!" a policeman shouted as he shone a torch in that direction. The raccoon seemed more than but a bit irritated at the light and promptly attacked the policeman. Calling for help, the other policemen ran to his aid.
"Now!" Robert called as he grabbed the girl in his arms and made a run for it while all the authorities were distracted. Running as far from Crystal Palace as possible, the dynamic duo made it back to the orphanage.
"B-but my 'coon." she whined but Robert's face stayed unmoved.
"He'll find his way home." He answered with uncertainty, but tried to reassure the girl. "Don't break into any more places, okay?" He told her as he helped her back up into the second floor window of the orphanage and made his way across town back to the smithery.
