Silence broke forth as the tickling of coins was heard. Detective Gaius had thrown them on the woody table allowing them to jingle as they clink upon another.
"This is what was found in the robbery scene, I suspect the thief is a barbarian" The detective said while trying to pull out a piece of fur from his skin bag. Asa, the king picked up the rusty coins and observed them with a lens.
"1799, rupee from china" he mumbled, putting up a countenance that expressed shock. He held the coins locked in his fist When the detective said;
"Only barbarians clad themselves with fur in this era" calling his attention. The king, who was still in shock at how the 1799 rupees still existed, sought to see the detective in private.
"In 1799, February 21, a shipwreck happened on the coast of Florida. My dad had told me they were shipping the last rupees of the late king Ahab to Rome. How this barbarian was able to have these rupees is still a shock to me. I'll pay you twice the bargain treasures if you help me find him" The king had said to the detective while they were in private.
The detective hearing the watery deal resolved to find him no matter the cost. He sailed at dawn the next morning to Ephesus where the thief had ruined. He picked up random items and traced the faded footprints that were scattered in the scene. He was still busy picking up items when His attention was drawn to a footprint that had six fingers, This is a beast he thought;
"What if this barbarian thief is a beast" he questioned himself, his bones grew cold as fear enveloped him. He had wanted to retreat his search but the thought of what he was going to lose made him have a change of mind.
Gaius followed the strange footprint and it led him to an old hut in the middle of a forest. This must be where the beast lives he thought. He was about to take the next step when he felt a grasp. In the blink of an eye he was hanging upside down, a trap had caught him. Before him stood a hairy old man who looked like a warrior.
"Who are you?" He asked Gaius who was still hanging on the trap. Gaius pulled out the old rupees, "This" he said, waving it at his face.
They sat round a campfire as the old hairy man narrated his story to him.
"I was one of the survivors on the ship. The weight of the ship had buried me inside where the treasures were kept. Knowing I still had a chance of surviving, I fetched a few of them before swimming to safety. Everyone went their separate ways, I had stayed a year hoping someone would find me but no ship sailed past there. I later resolved to live in the woods "
The detective listened carefully, he felt pity for the old man.
"The king had ordered that I find you for a purpose I think" the detective said to the old man who was already captured by the king's guard.
"I'll find you and kill you if our reunion happens to turn sour" the old man said aloud as he was being led away by the guards.