Doused Flame

by Sarayu P.

The fire wasn’t starting. 

Mila stared at the match box in her hand that refused to work. She must have gone through at least ten matches by now, which were now all broken on the ground. Her anger was getting the better of her, and she knew it. 

“Mila, we’re heading out in five.” 

The thief didn’t wait for a response and left her tent without a word. Nobody had warned her, like usual. Mila huffed, kicking aside the matches on the ground. 

“Mila!”

Mila dropped the box of matches in frustration, before getting up and heading towards the readied men. 

“Don’t make me call for you more than once again.” the Boss spat. 

Mila nodded shortly, jumping onto her horse alongside the other thieves with a stoic expression. He was her goal. Surpass him and take control of the entire gang. 

The men started to discuss topics at random, but Mila paid no mind. She studied a map of the next town they were visiting, Kaikura. 

They were in this town due to the opening of a new bank in the area. New banks were easy targets since they were never fully prepared. No one expects a bank to get raided that quickly, after all. That element of surprise is exactly what the group was counting on. 

It was late into the night when they arrived in Kaikura, and it didn’t take long for all of them to shuffle into their rooms and head to bed. 

The next morning’s fog made Kaikura look a lot more bleak than the night before. Mila was grateful for the weather, of course, since it made her job easier. After getting ready much too early for anyone else to be awake, Mila noticed a slip of paper on the front of her room’s door. 

“Sorry. Other job came up. Do this yourself. Maybe next time. Money’s yours.”

Mila read the note on her door with little surprise. Of course he bailed on her, he always did. Whatever, she thought. More money for her wasn’t something she would complain about.

It wasn’t too hard for Mila to find her way into the back of the bank and into the vault. In fact, the entire job seemed too easy. Perhaps she was getting better.

“That was it?” Mila muttered with a frown, “I could have done that half asleep.” 

“I can agree, their security must be fixed.” 

Mila spun around to see a handsome man leaning against the door frame. He had sharp ears, blonde hair, and dark skin, meaning he was an elf. Elves were known for their long lifespans and intelligent minds. Mila hadn’t even heard him enter, and that realization was scary. 

“Who are you?” she spat. 

“I suggest that you put the money down. It isn’t worth it.” 

Mila laughed, “You must think I’m a child.”

“You are a child.”

“I’m fourteen.”

“Which is the age of a child.”

“I don’t have time for this,” Mila scoffed, and tried to walk past the stranger. She didn’t know if she was feeling fear or genuine disgust at first, but a quick grasp of her wrist made it very clear it was fear. 

The man stared at Mila in silence, looking her up and down. It was like he was trying to read or analyze her, and she didn’t like it at all.

With a shake of her wrist, she snapped, “Get off of me!”

It seemed the man had snapped out of whatever daze he was in, shaking his head to get whatever thoughts were there out. 

“How about this? I don’t report you for trying to steal, and you take a walk with me.”

Mila didn’t know why she said yes. There was a slight curiosity in what this person’s intentions were. He didn’t seem like some sort of creep, and on the contrary, was rather nice to her. That, in turn, only made her more suspicious. Curious, but also suspicious. 

“Do you really have nothing better to do than spend time with a thief?”

“No, I don’t.” 

Mila disliked that answer, but continued, “So what’s your name? Or do I just call you ‘guy who won’t leave me alone’?”

“Cyne would be preferable. As for you?”

“Not telling.”

He wished to press her further, but held his tongue. The decision she made was a smart one. He didn’t seem upset at the attitude she was showing, and that only annoyed her further. 

“You’re the nicest male I have ever met in my entire life.” 

Mila said this with such a condescending tone that it didn’t really feel like a compliment. 

Nonetheless, Cyne laughed, “Why, thank you. You’re the nicest kid thief I’ve ever met.”

“And how many kid thieves have you met?”

“Zero, other than you.”

 Mila smiled a little, to her frustration, and tried to hide it immediately. Naturally, Cyne noticed. 

“Can I ask you something, Cyne?” 

“Of course.”

“Why didn’t you report me the moment you saw me? I’m guessing you spotted me sneaking around the bank and decided to go after me. But, instead of reporting me, you asked to take a walk. It’s all very strange, you know?”

“I was once like you; make of that what you will. Yet, I can’t help but wonder as to what makes you think that you must rob a bank in order to survive.”

Mila paused, “Forget what I said before about you being nice. You’re actually really weird.”

Cyne didn’t respond to this, and only continued walking. Mila really didn’t know how to feel about this mystery man. As much as she wanted to hate him, she just couldn’t find it in herself to do so. 

“Mila! You aren’t running away from me, are you?” a voice suddenly shouted from behind. 

The two turned to see a man with a rugged beard and a smile on his face standing there, walking towards the two. 

“Boss…?” Mila asked, slowly pulling out her dagger. 

The man turned to Cyne with a pleasant smile and waved, “Why hello there! I hope you aren’t thinking of taking my best thief away from me!”

Before Cyne could respond, Mila spat, “You followed me?! What is wrong with you?!”

The man’s cheery mood disappeared, “What’s wrong with you? You really wanna fight against our entire gang? I’ll drag you back kicking and screaming if I have to.” 

“Fight?- I’m not running away.” Mila sighed, putting her dagger away. 

“Where’s the money, kid?” 

“I didn’t get any. Why do you care? You said it was all mine anyway.”

“Goddamnit Mila. You had one job.” The Boss lazily pulled out his gun, pointing it at Mila and then shifting to Cyne, “How about you get on outta here before things get messy?” 

Cyne raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by the stranger in front of him. Was this old man really challenging an elf? It was laughable. But before Cyne actually had the chance to make a move, Mila stepped in front of him. 

“Leave. I never asked you to fight for me.” Mila looked up at Cyne with a coldness unlike the mocking attitude she had before. He was trying to defend her, so the look on her face didn’t make sense to him at all. 

“I’m not leaving you here with this man.” Cyne laughed a little like the mere idea was hilarious. 

“Listen, we aren’t friends. I don’t even know you.” Mila spat these words like she was staring at a bug. But more than offended, he was just confused. 

“Mila, I can be of assistance, just let me-” 

“GET OUT OF HERE!” Mila shouted.

She looked like she would start to cry if he didn’t listen to her. Cyne couldn’t help but think that he would easily win against both of them in a fight, but the urgency in her voice and the look in her eyes persuaded him to agree. Cyne sighed; he had not signed up for this. With a short nod, the man turned to leave the two of them alone. 

Once the mystery man was gone, the Boss laughed, “What splendid acting, kid! Really, if you weren’t such a good thief, you might’ve made a good actress! Though, after all the crimes you’ve committed, that could never happen.”

Mila was silent at his words. She hated every bit of what she had just done, but it was for Cyne’s own good. Mila was unaware that Cyne would have been able to handle her situation just fine, as they only met about an hour ago. And the risk that he was just a normal civilian was not something she was willing to gamble. He was, after all, the nicest man she had ever met. Perhaps one day, when she wasn’t a thief, she would meet him again and explain everything. Not as a criminal or a slave, but as a fire that could never be doused or snuffed out. As herself, as Mila. 

About the Author 

Sarayu has been writing for five years. She writes poetry as well as stories, and is currently working on a book she wishes to publish.