We're running with the shadows of the night (Lark and Haelan)

[havinalark]

The temple was quiet, the only movement being the patrolling of the guards outside. In the dormitories the priests slept peacefully, trusting in the guards to protect the treasures hidden within the deepest sanctuary of the temple.

The guards, unfortunately, are not prepared for the dark shadow that knows exactly where they are patrolling and where their blindspots are, and slips through without them noticing. Nobody expects the soft, barely-there footfalls of the black-clad figure slipping through the darkened temple corridors, and they certainly don't expect someone to be able to pick the lock of the large oak door protecting the inner sanctuary and slip in, ready to do the same to the heavy padlock holding closed the chest that contains the temple's most sacred artefact - a golden statue that somebody has paid the Wing very, very good money to steal.

No, the are not prepared for any of that. Unfortunately, the wing was not prepared for what came next.

The slim redhead was crouched in front of the chest, working carefully at the padlock. As usual Lark was clad in simple black leggings and tunic, baggy enough to hide the femininity of her form, the black hood hiding her hair and a half mask covering her nose and mouth all helping to keep her identity - and gender - a secret. She appeared completely focused on the task at hand, but she had half an ear out for any disturbance, and when she heard a noise she was sweeping her tools into a pouch and disappearing into a shadowy corner, waiting to see who was coming.

Comments

[bad_thief]

He tries, taking a breath, a long, deep breath to calm his nerves and stop his heart hammering. He needs to relax, to breathe. After a second or two, he does feel better, but maybe it's because the awful idol is in someone else's hands.

Later he'll feel guilty about that. Lark is a nice girl, or so she seems, she helped him escape. She doesn't deserve any bad luck the thing might cause, but she did want the damn thing. But maybe he shouldn't have just thrown it at her.

"I... No. No one saw me. No one saw me at all." He's sure if they had followed him, chased him, he would have known. He'd just run like a startled cat all the way here.

[havinalark]

"Right, then you can stay here," she says firmly, already moving to the chest at the foot of her bed to shove the idol and her Wing clothes into a bag, she'll attract less attention dressed as she is, at least until she's safely away from her home and she can change and move to the rooftops instead of the streets. She'll take the idol to her contact, get it away from them to start with, and then figure out what to do with him from there.

"I'll get rid of this, you'll be safe here. Help yourself to food, get some sleep, I'll be back in a few hours. Don't leave, if anyone knocks just ignore it, right?"

[bad_thief]

"Are you sure?" He says, nervousness filling him. Sure she knows what she's doing but he can't help feel that she's doing something dangerous, something that might get her into trouble as well. But she's packing things into that bag and seems utterly set on what she's doing.

He won't be able to eat. He won't sleep either. He's certain he'll pace the room until she's back, concerned like a good man should be. He should go with her, to protect her. But if he's a wanted man, and she'll attract less attention if he stays put.

"Be careful?" He says, but she's already out the door.

He sighs, and starts his pacing. For a few minutes anyway, before he collapses in a heap on the chair he sat in last night. He only means to be there for a second, to think things over, but soon he slumps forward, using his arms as a pillow. Within moments he's asleep, stress and exhaustion taking their toll.

[havinalark]

Skirting around the laundry and hoping she doesn't get seen by anyone who knows she should be working, she makes her way a few blocks away from the house and slips into an alleyway to change quickly, then it's just a quick climb up onto the rooftops and she's off. She makes it across the city in a little under half an hour, sliding through the window of one of the larger, more impressive buildings near the castle. She winds up in the study of the person who hired her, placing the idol neatly on the desk and taking a seat there herself, feet up while she waits for him to show.

As Lark is making herself comfortable across town, Arryn is knocking heavily on her door, pacing back and forth. It's only a few seconds after his first knock that he knocks again, calling out "Lark, open up, it's Arryn."

[bad_thief]

Haelan shifts, groaning softly at the banging on the door. He doesn't want to be awake. He's hardly been asleep even twenty minutes, and he was warm and relaxed and everything was good in the world. Now he feels like a man recovering from a hang-over, forced to get up. He's forgotten all about Lark's warning to not open the door, he doesn't even think about keeping quiet as the chair scrapes back along the stone floor and he gets to his feet.

But the noise cuts through him like a knife through butter and he freezes, everything flooding back to him. Last night, escaping through the window, the damn horse that jarred every organ in his body, the identity of the infamous Wing, the pretty red-headed girl, the idol, the wanted posters.

He groans, but it's cut off with his own hand slapping quickly over his mouth, hoping against hope that he's not been heard.

[havinalark]

A light groan, the scrape of a chair, it might not be a lot but it's enough for someone who's listening for it, so only moments after Haelan's covered his mouth there's another banging on the door.

"Lark I can hear you in there, let me in. I just want to talk, right? You can at least hear me out, you owe me that much." His tone is at once pleading and accusatory, and outside he's pacing impatiently, glancing around like he expects nosey neighbours to be hanging out their doors.

"I went to the laundry, they said you hadn't shown up, I know you're there."

[bad_thief]

Haelan would curse, but that would really make it obvious someone was there. He fidgets, for a long moment not sure what to do and then he gives in. He isn't exactly sure what happened with Arryn and Lark, he guesses it was something relationshipy, but Lark wasn't happy and at the time, he'd left it at that.

But Arryn is his mate, and maybe he can just get him to sod off.

He goes to the door, unlatches it, and opens it just an inch.

"What do you want Arryn?" He asks, blinking at the narrow stream of dirty light shining in on his face.

[havinalark]

Arryn stops his pacing and moves to the door as soon as it opens, but the face and voice that greet him are not what he expects, and for a moment he glances around as though he's confused about where he came.

"Haelan? What are you-" he frowns, eyes narrowing suspiciously. From what little he can see, his friend looks rough and tired, like he's had a long, busy night, and his mind immediately jumps to the worst place.

"That little slut." He swears, stepping back with an incredulous look "after all the hassle she gave me!"

[bad_thief]

"Don't call her that!" Haelan bit back, suddenly angry that Arryn would even consider sucH a thing. He's exhausted, and not really good at fighting but part of him wants to hit Arryn on the nose.

"You get out of here Arryn. Before you embarrass yourself more. Go on, bugger off."

If he doesn't than Haelan will rise to the occasion and go out there and whack him. But he'd rather not if he can hep it. Arryn is a bit older but maybe those extra years will make him smart enough to go away.

[havinalark]

Arryn shakes his head slightly, almost despairingly at Haelan's comment, his internal logic deciding that the less experienced boy had been taken in by a pretty face and was too smitten to know any better.

"Haelan, Haelan, Haelan, come on mate," he says, holding up his hands in a conciliatory gesture, tone softer and more friendly "I was just a little surprised is all, she got so offended I'd been sleeping with that hot barmaid from the king's head, but come on, she was taking forever to give it up, what was I supposed to do?" He asks beseechingly, as if Haelan should understand his unfaithfulness.

"Looks like you had better luck though, eh?" He adds with a grin, waggling his eyebrows at the younger boy "all I'm saying is it looks like she got the taste for it, but honestly mate, don't get all uptight about it, she's a good lay but she's not the type you stick around with is she? Probably rope you into marriage and before you know it you've got kids everywhere, those laundry girls are all like that. Get your rocks off but don't get attached alright?" He winks "just follow my lead, mate, I'll steer you right."

[bad_thief]

Haelan's face lights up, bright red from nose to the tips of his ears. He should slam the door, he should, but Arryn was one of the little gang of street rats who saw him right those first few months after he left the orphanage, and he almost feels like he owes him a chance.

But as the other boy continues, Haelan's face contorts with distaste. He's not exactly had many- any girlfriends, and while he's messed around it's not exactly been... it's certainly not what Arryn seems to be suggesting and he's certainly not done that with Lark, or thought about it, or wanted to.

"Shut up!" He almost yelps as Arryn continues, the pink turning a deeper shade of red. "Of course she wouldn't sleep with you if you were banging someone else, you idiot. Treat a lady with a bit of respect!"

Although the barmaid at the King is hot, okay, but that doesn't mean anything.

"Get out of you, okay? She doesn't want you hanging around."

And then he slams the door.

[havinalark]

Arryn scoffs at the reprisal, shaking his head again "mate come on, she ain't a lady," he tries, but the door is slammed in his face before he's even got the words out.

He throws his hands up in annoyance and calls out "look, fine, but when you get over this girly little smitten thing you've got going on you'll see her for the slut she is, come talk to me then okay? Since you're my mate I won't even say I told you so."

[bad_thief]

"Fuck off Arryn!"

Whether or not Arryn will even hear that through the door he doesn't know and part of him doesn't care. He knows this is probably going to come back and bite him in the ass, especially now he recalls that he can't actually denied sleeping with Lark.

He pulls the door open again a moment later, just to add that, but Arryn is already gone. He shuts it again, and moves back to the chair. This time he doesn't bother to put his arms down as a pillow, and just lets his head hit the wood of the table.

He's cursed. The idol cursed him, and this is his life now.

[havinalark]

It's not long after that Lark returns, slamming the door shut behind her with a thunderous look on her face.

"That son of a bitch," she swears, stalking over to the chest and flipping it open with her foot. She dumps a jingling sack in there and then starts stripping off her Wing gear, which she didn't bother changing out of on her way back, without stopping to think she's not actually alone.

[bad_thief]

She won't think she's alone for long, as the slam of the door and her venous words have Haelan up and on his feet.

"Did he find you?"

He can't imagine she's talking about anyone but Arryn. She doesn't like him, that much is clear and now Haelan understands why, he really can't blame her. He should have opened the door and given Arryn a thump, but it's too late now. Maybe Lark did it instead. It was probably better, coming from her.

[havinalark]

"What?" She spins round, holding her tunic in front of her chest while one hand scrambles quickly in her pack for her blouse "did who find me?"

His question makes no sense to her, she was the one who went looking after all.

"Wait, Haelan, did somebody come looking for me? Who was it? Did you talk to them? Do they know you're here?"

[bad_thief]

Haelan's eyes dip down, he can't help it, and then go right back to her face. No no no he's not looking he isn't, he didn't mean to and besides he didn't see anything. Just the hint of roundness where the tunic didn't cover everything.

She's going to kill him, isn't she?

"Arryn" he croaks, wondering if she's ever murdered anyone else, and where she's hidden the bodies. "He came to talk to you and I told him to go away."

[havinalark]

"Oh." she replies flatly "That son of a bitch." she turns away from him again with just a hint of colour in her cheeks, quickly switching from tunic to blouse and pulling her skirt on over her leggings.

"Let me guess, Lienne finally moved onto someone else and he came back to beg forgiveness because it suited him to be on my good side because he thinks it means I'll sleep with him again." she spits acidly, shoving stuff into the trunk and standing up.

"Am I close?" she asks

[bad_thief]

Haelan hesitates a moment. He should have been the one to turn his back. He's in her house, she's been kind enough to look after him and yet all he can do is stare like he's never seen a girl before.

"I... think it was something like that," He says. Well, Arryn had never really said why he'd come over. But that seems to be what he was saying, when he wasn't making suggestive comments.

"He... didn't believe me when I said you weren't here. I think he... I think he thought that we'd... I'd... er."

[havinalark]

"Slept together?" she finishes for him matter-of-factly, sighing "Of course he did, that's how Arryn thinks, he doesn't see any other reason a man would spend time with a woman."

She falls silent, thinking about it, it wouldn't be the worst thing - if Arryn thinks they were sleeping together he's unlikely to make the connection between the description on the wanted posters and his friend Haelan, after all he'll think Haelan had been too busy to go stealing any idols. Still, it's somebody who's not only seen him but connected him to this house, which means it's no longer safe to be here, a cynical way of looking at it perhaps but it's a cynicism that had kept her alive and her identity secret for this long, she isn't about to take a risk with somebody else's life on the line as well.

"Right. I think we need to get out of the city, lay low for a while. We can go somewhere else, somewhere they don't have your description, I can still find work and we'll lead them on a bit of a chase until they're back to not knowing where the Wing is..." she's seen the wanted posters now, and after her 'helpful' employer explained what he'd done to keep the guards off her back, she knows who they think he is. It grates at her professional pride somewhat to be mistaken for him, but she also knows her identity is vital to keep secret in order to keep her safe "I'll see if I can find a way to drop a few hints that cast some doubt over your description as well, if we can clear your name maybe we can come back."

[bad_thief]

He nods, because she's hit the nail on the head and yet... well, Haelan would easily have assumed the same thing, if it had happened to someone else. After all, it was the main reason men and women hung out together, wasn't it? At least in his meagre experiences with the world.

"Leave?"

He's left the city before, of course he has. But he's never really gone far, no more than half a day's travel in any one direction, it's always been on the horizon. The suggestion that they have to go away isn't unexpected, for a day or so until everyone cools their heels, but he still doesn't like it.

But he knows that she's thinking. They can't stay here. He's probably pissed Arryn off, and he could tell anyone anything, especially if there's a reward dangled in front of his nose.

"Alright, we leave." He says. There's nothing he needs to fetch, not really. Nothing more than another pair of battered boots and a cloak in even worse condition than this. "Now? Or after dark?"

[havinalark]

"Later this afternoon," she decides "I need to make some preparations first. Do you need me to fetch anything for you? Pass on any messages? It's best if you stay here," and actually not answer the door if anybody came calling, this time, but she leaves that one unspoken, hoping he's learned his lesson from Arryn's visit.

She's already moving back to her chest, tugging a larger pack from under her bed and started to dig through her things, shoving them into the bag.

[bad_thief]

"Lark?"

He knows this is his fault. Really, he shouldn't have come back here. But he'd panicked and while he could have gone to find Arryn or one of the others, his feet had taken him here. She clearly had a better set up than he did- she might be the Wing but she had another life too, work and relationships and nice things. He was just a thief, and a really bad one at that.

"I'm sorry. You don't need to come. They're not looking for you."

[havinalark]

She pauses, looking over at him questioningly, and when he speaks again her face softens.

"Well, technically," she offers with a faint, teasing smile "They are. It's not your name on the posters after all..."

In all honesty, she isn't sure why she wants to go with him, she could easily send him away to safety and stay here herself, she could still clear his name and disambiguate him from the Wing and everything else she needed to do without actually going with him, and yet... she had no idea if he'd manage out there on his own, and since it was her employer who had gotten him in this trouble, she felt a certain amount of responsibility

"Trips like this are good for me," she says eventually "They keep people from getting suspicious about where the Wing is really from."

[bad_thief]

Haelan makes a face, expression scrunching up in response to her teasing smile. It's her alias, yes, but it's his damn face. No one knows her real identity but there are a lot of people that know his face. A lot of people who would turn him in for the reward money. A lot of people who, if they caught him picking their pocket, would put two and two together and that would be it.

But he doesn't say that. He hopes that he'd cope outside the city. He could walk to the next town, he could maybe get a boat in the docks and go somewhere exotic and interesting where no one would know him and he could steal interesting coins with other king's heads on them.

He hopes all that would come to pass but it's almost impossible to be sure. He's not certain. He's not sure that he knows where the nearest town is, and maybe they have posters of him too. Or will do, by the time he's walked there. And what would he eat? Where would he sleep? There's no nice warm bakery attics in the woods.

"I guess..." He murmurs. "If you're sure. I've never really... gone away for a long time before. I suppose I should learn from a master."