Precious seconds passed as the cloaked man pulled out four more narrow hooks of metal and jammed them into cracks in the bed frame. When they were settled to his satisfaction, he grabbed a coil of thin rope from his belt and looped it from one hook to the next. He did the same to the second bed where a dark-haired boy slept deeply, snoring softly. Cautiously, he tossed the free end of the rope over the top of the canopy frame, catching it before it dropped to the bed. Moments later, a pulley of sorts had been erected on both beds. He had scarcely finished when a soft click sounded behind him. In an instant, the stranger had hidden himself in the shadows of the bed curtains and was watching the door with wary readiness.
The door opened silently and a second figure entered the room. This one was smaller and appeared to be carrying two wineskins. The first person relaxed as the second person shut the door softly behind them and turned toward the bed. Silently, the first strode across the room and took the skins from the other.
"So you were successful?" he murmured.
"Of course," the second person replied in an equally quiet tone. "Didn't I promise you?"
"You did, but you never know. Your timing is perfect. I was just ready for you."
A third coil of rope was produced and the two worked in silence together looping the wineskins carefully onto the ropes and suspending them above the beds.
"Is the door rigged?" the taller of the two asked.
"Perfectly. Make sure to jump when you run. The others have already taken care of the rest."
"Understood." He glanced at the windows where heavy curtains blocked the picture of a peaceful winter night. Peace that they were about to shatter. "To your place."
The two settled themselves between the beds, each grasping the ends of the rope. The shorter of the two counted with his fingers, holding out his hand so that the taller could follow along. One. Two. Three…
"Now!"
They pulled the ropes.
