Her days of waiting, of being locked in a cell, were over. Life in the cold depths of the Capitol – the center of the High City – hadn’t been too different when compared with sleeping on the streets. However, she hadn’t seen the sky in so long. She missed the sun – the mornings and evenings of watching the sun appear and then disappear at the edge of the world. She missed running over the rooftops, the wind chilling her skin. And now she would never see this world again. She had made a mistake and she would surely die. Her punishment would be death, and the Seven Sins would not be gracious enough to grant her one last request. 

Now was the time. They had drugged her – how and when was unknown to her. But they had taken her from her prison and transported her somewhere else. Metal walls were now her cage – and they seemed to hum with energy. Gathering strength, she pulled herself to her feet. She rubbed at the raw skin at her wrists which were finally free of the cuffs that had bound her. She could still feel the weight of her pocket knife that still somehow remained in her pocket. Circling the area, she tried to find an exit, but the walls were seamless. But as time drew on, the hum seemed to grow and she could feel the vibration of the floor beneath her. The only explanation she could come up with was that she was in a machine. The ground shuttered, throwing her into one of the metal walls. Fear filled her as the temperature began to quickly rise. 

Over her beating heart she heard a loud buzz and the sound of static. “Prisoner 162 found guilty of thievery and treachery against the system. The Seven Sins have blessed you with disintegration.”

The words chilled her to the bone. Being of the High City, she knew that she possessed certain traits that people of the lower worlds did not have. But there was no way to survive disintegration. Out of all the options of how to die, she did not want to be pulled apart atom by atom – to leave nothing behind. The thought was too much to bear. And to die in such a confined space … all she wanted was to be free. 

The floor beneath her rocked and her cage grew louder as the gears whirled and electricity crackled. And then the world around her went quiet. The world turned white as a resounding bang resounded through the air. The machine rocked back and her head slammed into the metal. Blood dripped down the back of her head, and as she lifted her gaze, she felt as if the world had slowed around her. As the white haze thinned, time seemed to still. It was then that the wall seemed to melt away and she found herself falling backwards. The world of metal was replaced with bright blue. 

Phoenix could feel the wind whipping through her hair and she was enveloped in the sensation of falling. Instinct took over - habit developed from running through the High City. In seconds her feet slammed into the ground. Her knees bent and her hands slammed into the ground, trying to absorb the shock of the impact. Her muscles and bones ached as she remained still, crouched down in the small crater. Her rapidly beating heart was evidence that she was still alive. 

---

The routine was always the same. Wake up early in the morning to tend to the animals. Fresh water was always needed as well dry feed. After that, it was to the fields to tend to the grains and vegetables that grew there. His hands were rough and covered by calluses, no longer smooth like the royals in the palace. It was rough work out here, but it was a good life. Fate had led him to this tiny village, to the Rivers who did not care to know of the young boy’s crime.

And it was upon this farm he had been raised. Things that he had learned were of no use out here, except for maybe the small practice he had with a sword. But then again, he had learned much more from the boys in the village. He had at least learned to hold his own in a fight without weapons. Straightening his back, he dug the shovel into the ground and leaned against it. Whipping his forehead, he surveyed the area around him – enjoying the peace that was present.

Jaxon had no future besides what lay before him. It was a future he still found difficult to accept. Every day he interacted with commoners, people who worked more and earned less than those in the castle so far away. And there was nothing he could do for these people, not as a criminal. Lifting the shovel, the man made his way to the farm house, where he placed the shovel before making his way around to the path that led to the village. There was going to be a royal decree, and he knew what it would be about. His father was dying, and therefore the decree could only be an announcement of his father’s death and the official announcement that his uncle would rise to throne.

However, as the man dressed in royal garb spoke, the prince could barely believe his ears. "And thus it is decreed that whomever shall present the Thief of Time to the Royal Court shall be the one true heir. His Royal Majesty King Edward."

Finally his chance had come. He could have to leave this village and try to recall as much of the legend as he could from the tales his mother had taught him. Perhaps the future was not set in stone, and maybe fate would give him back what was stolen all those years ago.