Timeless

24

Some thieves had taken to following the rich man about. The armored guard he has following him doesn't worry them too much. Big men like him don't usually move very fast. The rich man is paying far more attention to the pretty female at his side than his surroundings and the guard is dividing his attention between the rich couple and the young girl with them.

They decide that if they time things just right then they can take down the guard without too much trouble and the rich man will surrender his valuables and the girl easily enough.

They wait until they move near an alley then they attack. But they misjudged from the beginning. Jeshua had seen them and figured what they would be planning. So had Grey for all his apparent lack of attention.

Jeshua and Grey had trained together for so long they didn't even have to think things over they just automatically worked in tandem. Ariele and Alexis wait off to the side as the two men take care of the problem. Ari did have some spells prepared but she figured Grey deserved this since he had a very unpleasant duty later that day.

Jeshua and Grey makes short work of the would be thieves. Unfortunately for the thieves they didn't make it. Or maybe fortunately, Anna didn't go leniently on thieves and has been actively trying to get rid of the thieves guild for years.

Had the two men known who they were following they wouldn't have gone near him. His reputation was such that all thieves feared Grey. And Jeshua was almost as good as Grey.

The mood of the party had changed with that fight though. And it was getting near time to eat, so Grey bought them all some food and for once Alexis ate with the others. Ari insisted on it since she had no intention of returning to the castle anytime soon. Soon they were laughing and chatting happily once more.

Ariele stops at a woodcarvers booth. She is delighted with the various things she sees. But the booth is too dark to properly see everything so without thought she makes some lights.

The proprietor had heard that someone at the castle could make the lights once more but hadn't believed it. It has been centuries since the lights were made. He is fascinated as they go around lighting his wares like he can never get regular lights to do.

Ari sees some carved figurines and gasps at their beauty. They are so life like, so real. Even the obviously mythical creature. "How much for those?" Ari has to get them. She can see her friends represented by each animal.

"No money. I will trade them for some lights though." The woodcarver would be rich if she would be willing to do the trade. Grey tries to stop her but Ari wouldn't have it. The lights were nothing. But she does allow him to haggle the amount of the lights to figurine down to three.

Ari is delighted. "I've seen enough Grey. Can we go back to the castle now?" Grey is glad to hear it because although they've gone slow there wasn't much more to see. And he didn't want to wear Ari down.

The foursome return to the castle. Ari holds Alexis there for a moment. "I know you have things to do, but first I want to give you this." Ari gives her a beautifully carved deer. Alexis shakes her head even as she can't stop touching the carving.

"And this is for you." She hands Jeshua a bear roaring in anger. Jeshua smiles the animal shows how fierce he feels about protecting others.

"And this love is for you." She hands Grey a carving of a bird of prey coming down on its target. The carving is so detailed that he swears he sees the feathers moving in the wind. He can't speak he's so overcome. He gives her a kiss.

"And I have a few things for you." Grey says smiling at the delight Ari shows. That's something he loves about her. She's always letting you know when she's pleased by something and always is happy to receive a gift.