by Packbats
Last updated:
(Back to Dietlinde's Sword index)
Content warning for reference to offscreen death.
Suddenly, unexpectedly, the lock turned. Dita almost dropped her needles, but she managed to turn it further, unlatch the door of the cage, and open it. Then she dropped them, hand shaking, as the thief hopped out.
"Well done", the thief said. Dita looked at her. "Picked your first lock one-handed, even - you'll be a crackerjack thief when you grow up."
Dita silently slumped backwards, leaning against the wall of the fabrican room. The thief tilted her bird head one way, then the other, then picked up the two needles in her beak and hopped onto Dita's lap.
"Princess Dietlinde," she said, "you saved my life. A lot of lives - everyone those soldiers would kill, they won't because of you. Keep these for that alone."
"...Dita", Dita replied.
"Dita?"
"Wouldn't be much of a thief if I went about having airs every moment, would I?"
The thief puffed up, pleased. "Agate, then - and don't sell those airs short. You took me right out from under those three guards with them."
Dita huffed in an almost-chuckle. "Picked that lock none-handed, I guess," she said, and held out her free hand for the needles. Agate dropped them into it and then took off towards the door, beating of wings flipping to footsteps in an instant. Dita threaded the needles into the puff of the other sleeve, and slowly levered herself to her feet.
Child-Agate looked back at her. "Looks clear", she whispered noisily. Dita nodded and limped forward.