Doria was haunted for days afterwards by the sounds of the guard's voices once he'd jumped from the window. "I saw him! I saw his face!"
He was berating himself. – How could he have been so reckless? He'd become a little too cocky with his talent, expected never to be caught. But he almost had been.
It was a very good thing that the artist who had drawn his picture hadn't been the most talented. The picture on the WANTED posters looked almost nothing like him, so he was safe for now. He hoped.
The exchange had been made. Doria had met the same man as before in a dark alleyway to get the money. It was still a little too dark to see the man's face, but Doria swore that he recognised the voice from somewhere… Anyway. He'd got the money, and it was enough to see him through at least another year. This relieved Doria no end, for he wouldn't have to except another job while the whole city was on the alert after a big burglary at the palace.
And all through this, he had never stopped thinking about his Meggie. He wondered whether she might be feeling the same way. No. Impossible. His thoughts often wondered off to form a plan to get himself into the Folchart household as a butler or a serving boy. You never know…
Meggie was meeting Farid. For once, busying herself with her clothes and hair and telling off her maid fro being too slow, she was nervous. When was the last time she had seen Farid? A week ago? A month?
He said that he had a gift for her; something that she'd truly love, and Meggie couldn't help wondering what lengths Farid would still go to to get her back. She watched her cab pull up, brushed down her dress, patted her hair, and stepped in. The nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach was mounting.
When the cab driver pulled up at her destination, Farid's home (a huge old mill house where he lived with his teacher, Dustfinger), her stomach was fluttering. She stepped out and made her way to the door. As soon as she got there and had lifted her gloved hand to knock, the door was pulled open. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise as Farid appeared in the doorframe, offering an arm for her coat.
"Farid." She said, politely.
"Meggie."
She stepped inside.
"I have something for you." He said, and led her through to the living room, the expression on his face excited and nervous. He's probably feeling the same way as me. Meggie reflected, as she sat down.
Farid plonked down beside her, wasting no time in draping an arm around her.
"What is it you have for me, Farid?" asked Meggie, her boot beginning to tap impatiently.
He didn't say anything. He just lifted the gift out of his pocket. A beautiful diamond necklace.