Under the cover of night, a lone shadow silently slipped through the bars of the city gate. Its form wavered, distorted; and once through the bars, it took the figure of a human male.
The city was dark. The only light came from the few lit windows in the palace, looming dark above. The male merged smoothly with the shadows of the sleeping chit, and if he moved onward, towards the blacksmith's forge, he was not seen.
Blacker than the night itself, the bird circled, searching for the figure it had followed from the west. It circled, but knowing better, did not cry out.
Breaking from the shadows, the figure ran along a stone path leading past the forge, his footsteps making little sound on the rough rock.
He stopped just before the forge gate. Bending down, his fingers traced small footprints in the thin layer of dust coating the stone. Slowly, he lifted a bit of dust to his nose. And that small movement alerted the bird to where he would be. It spiraled upward, and turned towards the palace. It was an unnoticeable shadow as it flew through one of the darkened windows, open.
No motions to betray his worries, doubts, the male slipped inside the gate and walked swiftly towards a small shed, right of the forge. The door made only the slight sound of rusty hinges as he pulled it open; he slipped inside, and it swung closed behind him.
Inside the shed would have been dark, if not for the full moon shining through a small gap high in the wall. From here, he could see the city gate, the path leading past it.
As that would be needed only later, he settled in the dark to make plans for the future, with not even a twitch of his face giving his thoughts away. But he would have to be accepted in the city—and perhaps even the palace—to achieve his goals.
Later, hours perhaps, he looked up, his excited eyes glinting wild in the darkness. All appeared to be ready, perfect. Now it was just a matter of time; and patience.
Lost in thoughts for bittersweet revenge, the male didn't notice soft footsteps beyond the wall. He didn't hear the quiet breathing as she pressed her ear to the door. He wouldn't meet her for a long time….