Chapter 1: The Merchant’s Home

I watched the merchant’s home from two houses away. The large gargoyle I was hiding behind was more than big enough to hide me. I watched as the door opened and both the merchant and his annoying wife walked away. I waited until they were down the street further and carefully moved back. I quietly moved to the side of the building and lifted the narrow board. Each end of the board had rags wrapped around it. I pushed the board across the gap between the houses and let the other end down onto the edge of the other house.

Staying on my stomach I crawled across and then moved quietly to the other end of the house. Another board and I was on top of the merchant’s house. I moved to the back and spent a few minutes watching the windows of the house behind the merchant. I unrolled the rope from around my waist and secured it to a crenel. I took a breath and slipped over the side and down the rope.

The first window I came to was a small one into the attic. It was not even locked and I slipped in. I pulled the rope in behind me. Quietly I moved to the narrow stairs down and stopped at the door. It was locked and I pulled out a narrow black case with my tools. I used a small bar with one end that was slim and slid it between the door and the jam. A little pressure up and the door opened. I put my tool away and stepped out into the third floor hallway.

The servants were all out for the evening and I made my way to the stairs. On the second floor I turned left and moved down to the engraved door at the end. I pulled two small tools out of my case and knelt to pick the lock. Twenty seconds later I was stepping into the merchant’s bedroom. There was a second door on the left wall. It was thick and had three deadbolt locks.

I grinned and moved to the door, “people are really dumb.”

I pulled out a long, thin punch and turned to the opposite side of the door. I used the punch to push the center pin out of the three hinges. I pulled on the door and it came out on the hinge side. I moved it sideways and looked into the tiny room. The small chest had a single lock that I was able to pick quickly.

I opened the chest and smiled at the stacks of gold and silver. I left the silver and took the gold. Two hundred gold pieces and a small bar. I closed and locked the chest before putting the door back. I put the pins back in the hinges and cleaned the floor. I locked the merchant’s bedroom door and made my way back to the attic door. I used the slim bar to hold the small locking bar up as I closed the door.

I tossed the short rope out and squeezed out after it. I closed the window behind me and climbed back to the roof. I coiled the rope and stuffed it in my pack before moving back the way I had come. After crossing to the next house I pulled the board after me. I did the same thing after crossing the last board. I moved to the back of the house and almost all the way down.

A light rope lay coiled with the center loop held together by a large metal ring. I put the loop of rope over the nearby crenel and dropped the rope. I held the metal ring and pulled down on the two ends of the rope as I slipped over the side of the roof. I made my way down hand over hand until I was on the ground. I relaxed my hold on the rope and the metal ring drop down the rope. I pulled on one end until the other end finally left the roof and the rope fell.

I coiled the rope and put both the rope and the metal ring in my pack. I slipped through the overgrow garden to the back wall. A jump and I was hanging from the wall. I pulled up and twisted so that my body rolled onto the top of the wall. I glanced up and down the narrow alley before dropping to the ground. I began walking and after a couple of blocks I felt them behind me.