It was mid-autumn. Venice was glistening in the noontime sun after grey morning showers. Murky waters started to shine in deep blue tones and the canals were now filled with gondolas and various pompous boats from wealthy Venetians.

Rainwater gathered together in small pools on the cobblestone streets, where people now cheerfully strolled on their way to the market, or elsewhere, in the hearth of the city. Although the sky was bright, it was still rather cold. As Ludwig stepped out of the small church on one of the many plazas in the city, he fixed his long black cape on his shoulders and put on the hat with two beautiful long pheasant feathers back on his head. After a long and somewhat dangerous journey all the way from the north, he had to thank God for bringing him safely to his destination. He entered the first church he saw to say his prayers and gratitude.

He breathed in salty air and looked around, relived to finally reach Venice.

But in the midst of this, someone behind him shouted.

Ludwig tried moving his head to see what was happening but it was too late. He felt a heavy and sudden force thrusting him down from his side and he soon found himself knocked over on the wet stone street. He shook his head and moved to stand back up again, but he felt weight pressing him down. A head of chestnut hair was currently laying on his chest. Ludwig shook his head yet again and sat up, shoving the shoulders of the culprit who knocked him down. He was met by two honey coloured eyes gazing straight at him.

"Mi scusi signore!" cried the stranger, scrambling to get up. His gaze still locked with Ludwig's. The individual stretched his arm to help him but Ludwig refused to take the hand and stood up on his own.

The culprit was nothing but a street rat, wearing worn out boots, plain peasant pants, a simple white shirt and a cape on his shoulders that once might have belonged to some noble but now was stained with...colours? Ludwig narrowed his eyes, looking at what he was now sure were colour stains. As he started eyeing the younger man better, he realised he wasn't covered in dirt like he assumed. His clothes, hands and even his face was full of either tiny colour drips or huge smudges. The boy realised he was being inspected by Ludwig's cold and sharp gaze. He shivered and cried "Scusi!" one more time before he started running away.

Ludwig was caught in his thoughts and only when he saw the boy running away did he grabbed on his side to check his coin pouch.

"Thief!" He shouted, realising there was no coin pouch with golden coins strapped on his side anymore. "Stop him!"

But people on the plaza looked at him as nothing happened; as if none of them saw him being robbed.

"You must be more careful next time," said an old man who passed by carrying wooden crates. "You are in Venice now."

Ludwig bolted to the direction where the boy headed. He ran quickly, avoiding people as best he could. 'How could I be so stupid', he thought while trying to reach the thief, 'How could I have not seen that coming?'

The boy swiftly turned into a small alley and Ludwig followed quickly after him. The thief then stopped, putting his hands on his knees as he bent over. Ludwig could see his shoulders and chest moving rapidly as he was gasping for air.

"You shouldn't have followed..." He heard the boy silently whisper.

"To hell with you, filthy rat!" He responded angrily.

"Go away..."

Ludwig had to listen carefully to hear that reply.

"Well, well!" Another voice was now coming from the dark corner of the street. "Quite a catch you got today!"

Ludwig snapped his head at the direction the voice came from. He looked at a silhouette emerging from the dark.

"A foreigner!" The silhouette continued, his voice cheerfully echoing in the street. Ludwig didn't have a good feeling about this. His head started spinning.

The thief handed Ludwig's coin pouch to the new person standing next to him, and a few other shadows emerged from the other dark corners of the street. Ludwig tensed. This was trap!

'Dear God…I survived my journey from the north all the way to Venice only to be butchered on the first day here!' he thought to himself.

The bandits exchanged a few words, but Ludwig couldn't catch what they said until the voice of the main silhouette hidden in the darkness broke their murmurs.

"Give us all you got and we'll let you live!"

Ludwig felt cold sweat coming down his brow. He held his breath and clenched his hands into fists.

"Let him go."

All of the eyes were now aimed at the boy who knocked Ludwig down and stole his coin pouch.

"With his pouch, we will have enough," He faintly, smiling to Ludwig almost like he was apologizing. "Besides, we don't need more problems with the guards."

The bandits started murmuring again, leaving Ludwig in his shock and fear.

"Very well!" The voice of the silhouette said. "Run away before I change my mind!"

Now, Ludwig wasn't a coward. He was never afraid of duels. He would always gladly accept his challengers and defeat every single one of them with ease. But this was no duel. No rules applied to these filthy street rats with no manners. The man didn't need to be told twice.

"You will pay for this! All of you!" He shouted in anger, eyeing the thief again before quickly escaping from the narrow street.

As he left, the silhouette now emerged from the dark corner, revealing his slender body and chestnut locks; almost identical to Ludwig's thief if it weren't for that one lock sticking out in the opposite direction.

"You did good, fratello." He said, patting the shoulders of still bent-over thief.

"Tell me again Lovino, why do we do this?" The boy asked the other.

"What a stupid question!" His lips twisted into a mischievous grin. "Because it's fun, of course!"

To be continued…

Mi scusi signore! = I'm sorry, sir!

Scusi! = Sorry!

fratello = brother

Note: Thank you Kirani56 for correcting my grammar and awkward sentences. I am so grateful and lucky to have you as a friend and beta reader for my gibberish.