Thieves Guild

Thieves Guild - Chapter 4

After what Danil judged to be a long enough wait, going by the low position of the sun and the dimness that had fallen in the room, he stood up and gestured for the others to do the same.

'Time to split' he announced. 

They made their way downstairs and passed the baker, on his way to the ovens to take out another batch of bread. They thanked him briefly and continued out, ignoring the quiet remarks of 'Could be killed for this' from behind.

Just before they left the store, each of them unbuckled their long cloaks and reversed them. What had been a seemingly heavy, dark blue and utilitarian cloak was now a flowing traveller's garment, identical to the soft cotton ones being worn by the bustling crowds outside the bakers shop. They made sure their weapons were well concealed but within easy reach, and made their way outside.

As they made their way to the nearest tavern (although near was a relative term) they stuck to the sides of the street, their cowls left down but their collars up, observing the flow of the crowd and running with it. Talibut was a huge, sprawling city. The buildings never tended to stand exactly straight, and rooftops were bunched close together. The cobbles on the streets below were dirty and worn, with a multitude of people milling along them, going to markets and shops, or heading back from their work place. Wherever possible, they would slip unnoticed into a side alley, and reappear on the main streets. Disguise was all well and good, they reasoned, but better not to stay in the open for too long.

After 20 minutes they pulled out silently from a darkened alley. Their destination was in front of them. The Hunters Dog was a unassuming affair when observed from the outside.  It's many chimneys smoked calmly from up above, but the group knew that when the sun had set and the small pub was in business, so to would be the brawlers' guild, holding illegal and dangerous fights in the cellars below establishments as these.

They had arrived when the sky was overcast and blood red, staining the cold thoroughfares of the city in an orange dye, and catching in more smoke from the chimneys of the multitude of cooking fires being lit throughout Talibut. In short while, the tired laborers and frequenters of The Hunters Dog would begin arriving and the business of the night would begin.

Danil motioned the others back into the alleyway and lowered his voice.

'Move back a bit. We'll wait here until there's some more customers, then go in'

The other two realized the wisdom of this. Going in as small group would mean they were more likely to be looked at as they walked in, and every set of eyes meant a potential witness that could give the Keeper's guards information on their whereabouts. Better to walk in after another group, so people went back to their drinks before they could be bothered to see who was coming in last.

An hour and a half later, as the evening was turning cool and their cloaks were wrapped tightly around themselves, they looked up as they heard a bark of raucous laughter from down the street, and eyed a large group of men approaching. 

'I think this is us' muttered Danil in muted tones. They each melted back into the shadows as the men continued up the street and passed their alley. When Danil judged them to be close enough to the tavern door, he strode boldly out from the shadows, his two companions following in his wake, Eloise pulling her collar up to make her feminine face less noticeable. Women were uncommon in rough cut taverns such as this one.

The men in front pulled the door open and a cacophony of slurred speech and drunken singing emanated from inside. They moved inside in single file, behind their marks. None of the Tavern's customers noticed the three youths walking in casually, by then all their attention returned to their drinks and conversations.