Thief Lord

The Thief Lord

When the Thief Lord and he's band of misfit orphans accepts Barbossa's mysterious job from "The Conte", he gets a picture of a wooden wing from a magical Merry-Go-Round and an address. He's set to rob Ida Spavento, a photographer and former orphan herself. Victor, the detective following Prosper and Bos trail, catches onto the Thief Lords plans and follows the orphans back to the abandoned theatre "The Star Palace", he then searches for the owner of the theatre, Dottor Massimo, a millionaire. Victor makes he way to Dottor's mansion to buy the theatre, he's offar is refused. But, there he discovers a boy, who looks similar to the Thief Lord, named Scipio Massimo. "He quickly lowered his head, but Victor had already recognized him. His hair was tied back in a tight little ponytail and his eyes didn't look quite as arrogant as they had before, but there could be no doubt: This was the boy who had so innocently asked Victor the time, just before he and his friends had tricked him" (Funke, Chapter 17, page 114.) Victor makes his way back to the theatre where he is captured by the orphans and taken hostage. After hearing the boy's story, Victor comes to the conclusion the boys are better off on there own, and agrees to keep their secret, and sends their Aunt on a wild goose chace.

Meanwhile, the Thief Lord and his band of thieves set up to lob Ida's household. They are caught by Ida's housemaid and then are sent to Ida. The Thief Lord spills his plan to Ida and tells them about their situation with the Wing and the Conte. Ida then tells the children the story of the merry-go-round of the Merciful Sisters that can turn children into adults and vise-versa. Ida goes on to explain that the merry-go-round was soon stolen from the orphanage, never to be seen again, except for the one broken piece of wing from the winged lion that the thieves had failed to notice.