Chapter 1

She was feeling faint. The cold of the rain made her shiver, her body trying to create heat as she huddled in the alleyway, looking out onto the town square for a likely target. Her stomach was cramped in pain, a desperate reminder that she hadn’t eaten in three days. Her last attempt to lift a purse had been almost fatal as her target ended up being an arms man for the local lord. He had beaten her black and blue for her efforts, and left her bleeding in an alley several blocks from where she was. Her skull still ached, but she was glad that the arms man had not seen through her disguise, and had though her a simple beggar boy who had gotten overly ambitious. The beating had been painful, leaving her with aching ribs and a limp that was just starting to fade two days later.

Finally she saw a likely target. A cloaked man riding a large, fine stallion trotted down the town streets through the cold drizzle, his cloak drawn tight against him, sheltering him from the occasional gust of wind. She snuck out of the ally and stalked her prey, hoping for a chance to cut his belt pouch. A man with a horse that fine might carry enough currency to last her several weeks if she was careful. The rain was her ally now, muffling her footfalls, as she kept to the shadows and moved closer to the man.

He dismounted in the middle of the town square, and tied the horse to the hitching post in the public square, next to a water trough that was over-full with the rain. He moved toward the tavern through the rain. She watched as he walked through the muddy square. He moved with a smooth gait, even through the mucky streets as if the mud and squalor of the town was of no importance. He wore fine boots, that shone in the torchlight, indicating that they were made of oiled leather, waterproof that most people could not afford.

As he moved closer to the tavern, several drunks stumbled out, cursing and swearing at each other, and stumbling and slipping in the mud. One shoved one of the others, causing him to stagger towards the stranger. She tensed, and prepared to dart forwards, hoping beyond hope that this distraction would enable her to lift the strangers belt pouch. The drunk took several staggering steps and bumped into the stranger, nearly knocking him over. She saw her chance and darted towards them, as the stranger flared his cloak and cuffed the drunk with a open hand across the ear.

“Be more careful of where you step.” A low bass voice said with a level but menacing tone.

“Sorry sir. Just having some fun with my friends”