Disclaimer: awww, just read the one from the first chapter. ;)
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They arrived at a small stone building a little while later. Inside it was quiet. Most of the rogues were out doing business, or catching some winks. Talia was still horribly upset about how close they'd come to being caught, but Wes just acted like it was nothing. He was one of Talia's good friends, and a year older than she was. He'd been doing the business of a rogue ever since he was seven years old, and he obviously loved it. Talia hoped that she would feel the same way about it soon.
They deposited the items from their bags in a safe spot. Tomorrow someone would pick everything up and sell it. The money would be divided up between the five families that lived in the den. Talia's and Wes's were two of the families. They were all rogues.
Wes yawned loudly. "Our little adventure tonight wore me out. I'm going to bed. See you in the morning." He left her standing at the bottom of the stairs as he tromped to his family's living quarters.
She had to agree. It was only a few hours until dawn, and she had to rise early to help with the chores. She sighed deeply and found her own family's quarters. Her younger sisters slept soundly on their beds. Her mother was snoring inside her bedroom. Talia knew her father would be out causing mischief. She collapsed into her own bed and drifted quickly off to sleep.
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It was the next day, around noon, and Talia stood idly by a merchant's shop. She waited for her younger sister to show. She would distract the shop owner while Talia filched some items of value. She was hungry, but wouldn't eat until her job was done.
There was suddenly a loud commotion down the street. People ran from their shops to see what was going on, as did the merchant whose shop she waited at. She knew it would be a perfect time to take what she wanted, but curiosity got the better of her, and she went to see what was going on.
The crowd was thick, but even at fourteen Talia was small. She squeezed through the shouting people and made her way to the front. There she stopped and stared. She recognized that face. Sir Knight Thom of Pirate's Swoop rode proudly down the street, surrounded by a grand escort. Everyone knew he was the son of the famous Lioness and a man who used to be King of the Rogues. Talia was awestruck. She had never seen him up close before. His fiery red hair and flashing smile caused him to stand out from the rest of the crowd.
As his procession was riding passed Talia, he looked down and saw her. He was looking straight at her! Talia couldn't breath. He was a noble and a famous knight, looking right at her! He turned away. His eyes had only been on her for a second, but it had seemed like an eternity.
"Talia!" someone was whispering to her.
She turned and looked around. Her sister was motioning for her to come out of the crowd. She squeezed out and stood next to Lalo, her eleven year old sister. "Let's steal some things while we still can!" Lalo said.
Talia nodded. They crept into the merchant's shop and began to stuff jewelry and little scarves into their pockets. The procession outside was moving away down the street. "Let's hurry, Lalo," Talia said. They filled their pockets to the brim and headed for the door.
A large shape blocked the doorway. "What are you doing?" it demanded. It was the merchant!
Talia tried to hold it in but she couldn't: she screamed. "Run, Lalo!" she screamed at her sister. She shoved the man in the stomach, making him stumble back. It was just enough to let Lalo slip through the doorway and dash off. But the man quickly grabbed hold of Talia's arm and didn't let her go.
"No you don't, you little thief," he growled angrily. "You won't get away that easily."
~~~~
ooo, cliffhanger! hope this is getting interesting! R/R!
~~~~
They arrived at a small stone building a little while later. Inside it was quiet. Most of the rogues were out doing business, or catching some winks. Talia was still horribly upset about how close they'd come to being caught, but Wes just acted like it was nothing. He was one of Talia's good friends, and a year older than she was. He'd been doing the business of a rogue ever since he was seven years old, and he obviously loved it. Talia hoped that she would feel the same way about it soon.
They deposited the items from their bags in a safe spot. Tomorrow someone would pick everything up and sell it. The money would be divided up between the five families that lived in the den. Talia's and Wes's were two of the families. They were all rogues.
Wes yawned loudly. "Our little adventure tonight wore me out. I'm going to bed. See you in the morning." He left her standing at the bottom of the stairs as he tromped to his family's living quarters.
She had to agree. It was only a few hours until dawn, and she had to rise early to help with the chores. She sighed deeply and found her own family's quarters. Her younger sisters slept soundly on their beds. Her mother was snoring inside her bedroom. Talia knew her father would be out causing mischief. She collapsed into her own bed and drifted quickly off to sleep.
~~~~
It was the next day, around noon, and Talia stood idly by a merchant's shop. She waited for her younger sister to show. She would distract the shop owner while Talia filched some items of value. She was hungry, but wouldn't eat until her job was done.
There was suddenly a loud commotion down the street. People ran from their shops to see what was going on, as did the merchant whose shop she waited at. She knew it would be a perfect time to take what she wanted, but curiosity got the better of her, and she went to see what was going on.
The crowd was thick, but even at fourteen Talia was small. She squeezed through the shouting people and made her way to the front. There she stopped and stared. She recognized that face. Sir Knight Thom of Pirate's Swoop rode proudly down the street, surrounded by a grand escort. Everyone knew he was the son of the famous Lioness and a man who used to be King of the Rogues. Talia was awestruck. She had never seen him up close before. His fiery red hair and flashing smile caused him to stand out from the rest of the crowd.
As his procession was riding passed Talia, he looked down and saw her. He was looking straight at her! Talia couldn't breath. He was a noble and a famous knight, looking right at her! He turned away. His eyes had only been on her for a second, but it had seemed like an eternity.
"Talia!" someone was whispering to her.
She turned and looked around. Her sister was motioning for her to come out of the crowd. She squeezed out and stood next to Lalo, her eleven year old sister. "Let's steal some things while we still can!" Lalo said.
Talia nodded. They crept into the merchant's shop and began to stuff jewelry and little scarves into their pockets. The procession outside was moving away down the street. "Let's hurry, Lalo," Talia said. They filled their pockets to the brim and headed for the door.
A large shape blocked the doorway. "What are you doing?" it demanded. It was the merchant!
Talia tried to hold it in but she couldn't: she screamed. "Run, Lalo!" she screamed at her sister. She shoved the man in the stomach, making him stumble back. It was just enough to let Lalo slip through the doorway and dash off. But the man quickly grabbed hold of Talia's arm and didn't let her go.
"No you don't, you little thief," he growled angrily. "You won't get away that easily."
~~~~
ooo, cliffhanger! hope this is getting interesting! R/R!