Rob X Punzel ~ Twenty-Five!

Goldie sat at her usual spot around the rickety table early the next morning as Chay laid out the details of their heist. Everyone was tense, focused, and entirely absorbed in the elaborate plan he was laying out. “The shipment of potions should then be secured in the vault directly in the center of the high-end warehouse. Now, if we come at it through the noble district, that should cut down on the number of eyes pointed in our direction. Who has questions?”

“Just one.” Luca lifted his chin, his lamp-like eyes focused on two new additions to the group. “Who are these people, and why are you trying to get us killed by bringing newbies along on a high-stakes mission like this?”

“Not newbies,” Chay calmly asserted, prepared for this exact question. “They are on loan from the guild. Noodle is a maker; any simple tool we need, he can generate practically out of nothing for us. We don't know what we're going to be up against in there, so an extra set of hands, especially ones that can work, are always good. As for him-”

Goldie's eyes lingered on the face of the scowling man Chay was gesturing toward. Something about him made her skin crawl, and she wasn't sure if it was the fact that he clearly didn't want to be there, or if it was how his eyes were darting around the room like he was recording every motion they made, every word they spoke. Chay faltered for a moment, trying to think of how best to explain the man's presence. “He’s the Watcher.”

“Not sure what that means, but this just isn't how we work, Chay.” Tauren grumbled the words, but each of the others nodded along in agreement. “You don't bring new people in like this. These are your rules, why are you breaking them? What's really going on?”

Chay threw his hands in the air and let out a longsuffering sigh, “You know I wouldn't change things up unless there was a good reason for it, right? Well… the Watcher is in charge of documenting everything that goes right and wrong when there’s a significant reason for him to be there. Tonight, well, if everything goes good… by tomorrow, I'll be the new thieves’ guild leader.”

No one spoke for a long moment, stunned into silence. Joss was the first to snap out of it, and he hopped to his feet and clapped their crew leader on the shoulder. “Seriously? Congratulations! It's been a long time coming, and I know you've been… what does that mean for us?”

“It means cushy positions as my generals,” Chay stated firmly. “The downside is, sorry to say, tonight isn't going to pay out very well. We pull this job, pretty much every copper is going straight to the current guild leader to buy him out. We have a guaranteed offload of all those magical liquids, and he has a permanent retirement plan. Then, I take over.”

Goldie's eyes met his, and she saw the silent plea in them. Nodding ever so subtly, she murmured, “Understood.” 

The relief in his expression was palpable, and he beamed at the group, “I'll absolutely make it up to you! The best jobs, the lowest guild tax, you name it, and it's yours. The least I could do for the people lifting me up is to bring them with me.”

“So magnanimous.” Tauren fanned himself with his right hand, leaning back in his groaning chair. “As long as they don't get in the way, it should be fine. I'll take a pay cut short-term for long-term benefits.”

Joss agreed verbosely, while Luca held his tongue but eventually nodded when the others stared at him long enough. Chay finished laying out his plans in a rush, unable to keep the smile from his face as he spoke. “Goldie, only you and I are going into the actual warehouse. I’ll direct the heist, but it’s on you to get us in and out safely and hold the goods. We all know that's the most important part of the night.” 

Turning to the others, his intensity ramped down, tempered by the plans he was detailing. “Luca, you'll stay outside with everyone else, making sure we have a secure path out of there as soon as we leave the building. Joss and Tauren, you're coming to handle any guards who sniff around too closely. Noodle, you'll be on standby if there’s something we need to make this work. Mainly just stay out of the way as much as possible, but if we need a hand-”

“-I’ll build you one.” Noodle interjected, lifting a hand made out of wood and waving it at them. “You can count on me, new boss!” 

“Watcher-” Chay flinched slightly as the intense gaze of the guild assignee flicked over and bored into him. Finishing lamely, the crew leader turned aside, “-just do your thing, I guess. Just remember, this needs to go perfectly.”

Each of them stood, ready to start the mission immediately. Chay leaned forward, placing both hands on the tabletop. “By this time tomorrow, all of us will be the closest thing we're ever going to be to nobility, and-”

The table chose that moment to give up the ghost, collapsing into a pile of shards and sawdust as Chay’s full weight came to rest on it. Goldie looked down at the rotten pile of wood, grimacing at the sheer number of termites spilling onto the floor. Tauren let out a strangled gasp. “My table!” 

Joss dropped a hand on the bigger man's shoulder and patted him comfortingly using exaggerated motions, his eyes rolling for added emphasis. “It's for the best, Tauren.”

“No. It's a bad omen,” Luca whispered darkly, sending a chill down Goldie's spine. “We've sat around this table while planning every single one of our jobs, and they've all gone off without a hitch. Now it just falls apart? I say… I'm sorry, my gut says we should skip this one.”

Goldie saw a flash of panic—closely followed by fury—cross Chay’s face for a heartbeat, then he smoothed his expression into a neutral smile. “I think it just means we won't be needing to plan heists anymore. This is the last job we're ever going to need to do, at least something this dangerous. Come on, let’s go. If it gets too hairy out there, we can always just walk away.”

Everyone turned to glance at Goldie, and she rolled her eyes when she understood why. “Other people can say the word ‘hair’. It's not my thing, people.”

Her grumbling and calm demeanor broke the tension, and Chay sent a thankful glance her way. “On that note… shall we?”

“Let’s shall,” the answer resounded, notably missing Luca’s voice.

 Soon, they were taking turns going up the ladder onto the roof, even their reluctant lookout. Goldie joined them a moment later, looking around at her small family. Each of them were bound, not only by the thrill of the heist, but a deep loyalty to each other they’d been building over the years. Then she glanced over to the new additions, feeling a pang of concern at their presence—she might not want to admit it, but Luca’s words had spooked her. He was insightful, and like it or not, they were similar people. Taking a deep breath, she forcibly put those doubts aside, turned away, and began jogging along the thieves’ road after Chay. 

“I can hang out with other people, it's not a problem. It's healthy, even. Not to mention, I hitched my wagon to Chay a long time ago… I’m not about to abandon him just before he achieves his dream,” the golden-haired thief murmured to herself as they leapt from rooftop to balcony. Settling into the motion, she felt her overactive adrenaline start to burn away, leaving behind confidence in the practiced motions she was making. 

They moved as a cohesive unit, each person knowing the pace of the person in front of them, every stop pre-planned to avoid the searching eyes of guards, bypass checkpoints, or simply to catch their breath and get closer to each other if they had spread out too far.

Hopping over the wall from the merchant area into the citizens’ district always felt like stepping into a different world, but today? Today, something special was happening. Chay motioned for everyone to follow him as he tucked and rolled, shoulder checking the thick layers of plywood nailed into the side of a building and slipping to the ground. As the others joined him, he looked around and saw wary eyes on all sides. “You all saw what I did?” 

“A whole street full of young men wearing armor and armed to the teeth?” Luca calmly recounted as he stared their leader down. “Specifically, thirty-two small groups on the street, looking restless and frustrated. No women on the street between the ages of approximately eighteen and twenty-six, which likely has something to do with the back and forth between the different groups.”

They bickered back and forth for a few minutes about what this might mean for them, but finally decided to drop to street level and simply listen in as they moved toward their destination. However, as soon as Goldie stepped into view, she drew the attention of nearly every one of the young citizens. Feeling the weight of their stares, she nearly faltered, but pressed forward casually as if she were unbothered by their stares. 

“Finally!” one man in the middle of the crowd shouted out, striding forward and waving at her with a bright smile on his face. “Someone who isn't throwing themselves into that death trap the queen opened this morning…. and a right beauty at that! Hello there, allow me to introduce myself-”

“Shove off, Birchard!” The words were followed by a *wallop* to the side of the man's head that sent him tumbling, and the fist-thrower stepped in front of Goldie, bowing in a courtly manner. “Beautifulness, let me be the first to thank you for gracing us with your presence. Please do tell me you aren't on your way to the queen's arena? Half of us had our engagements broken this morning, when our intended answered the proclamation… and the rest of these louts didn’t even have someone promised to them!”

*Clang.*

The first man rejoined the conversation by swinging a small warhammer around and crumpling the breastplate of the man who had punched him, sending him soaring away. Then, weapon held high, the combatant stepped forward, keeping a careful eye on the others around them. It was for the best, as dozens of young men were closing in on all sides. “As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, there's a good chance that hundreds of maiden citizens are about to lose their lives… especially with the lady’s prison being emptied out with the promise of a pardon—no matter the crime—if they manage to succeed in the arena. In short-”

“Come away with me, and I guarantee my family will allow you to marry in!” another voice broke in, rapidly followed by dozens of similar proclamations.

“We own the finest restaurants in the artisan district-”

“-never be without the softest silks!”

“She smells good? Do all women smell this good?”

“My mother told me to secure a bride, and I fully intend to do so before lunch!”

A brawl broke out as the clamoring young men grew more frustrated by the second, and Goldie's jaw dropped as the air quickly grew thick with the scent of blood and clashing of steel. Tauren patted her on the shoulder, then waded into the fight, throwing fists left and right while laughing. Luca distanced himself immediately, and Chay grabbed her hand and started pulling her through the crowd as fast as he could manage. 

“They've gone mad!” Goldie gasped in horror as a trio of teeth scattered across the cobblestones in front of her. They burst out of the side street, onto the main thoroughfare, and the brawl spilled into the road behind them as the spurned young men gave chase. Sharp whistles filled the air as guards came running, attracted by the blood spilling in front of people who paid their salaries.

Goldie and Chay ran right past them, and the guards only glanced their way to confirm one small fact. “Squad! There's another lady of marriageable age out in the open; go crack some skulls and keep her safe while she moves toward the palace!”

“Disperse immediately!” a deep, threatening voice echoed across the road. Goldie's eyes snapped to the guard in ornate plate mail who was bellowing at the suddenly silent mob. “By order of the queen, any woman—no matter her station in life—with a Full Class and an empty Conjoined Skill slot is to be allowed to make an attempt at winning the Crown Prince! No exceptions! Anyone found to be ignoring the Queen’s proclamation will be summarily executed.”

Dozens of swords were drawn in unison as the guards prepared themselves; only to be put away as the mob dispersed almost instantly, the young men scattering like cockroaches caught in sudden lamp light. 

Goldie kept running, Chay at her side—just as he had been for the last four years. Halfway through the district, they slowed down, and Joss easily slipped into position beside them. Tauren trotted up a short while later, face showing a wide smile with a hint of blood, which was dripping onto his teeth from a split lip. Luca and the Watcher showed up shortly after, simply stepping out of an alley as they walked past, as if they’d been there the entire time.

When they got to the checkpoint into the artisans’ district, they waited for a few moments. Chay finally grew impatient and belted out, “Abyss it, where did Noodle get off to?”

“He picked up a new career on the way over here.” Tauren chuckled softly as Chay growled and slapped a hand to his forehead. “Someone's weapon broke, and he stepped forward and fixed it for them. The guy had taken a blow to the head and swore on his life to take Noodle into his household in a high position to thank him. The new guy just grinned and shook his hand while agreeing. There was a flash of system light, and the other guy seemed shocked that Noodle had taken him up on his offer, but… nothing he could do about it at that point.”

“By the system, I figured I'd have at least one job done before someone noticed how useful he was and tried to hire him out from under me,” Chay growled in frustration. “Bah! Whatever… let’s go.”

“Good for him,” Goldie murmured, seeing the others nod in appreciation at their fellow’s good fortune—but not missing Chay’s narrowing of eyes as he examined the intent of her words. She reached out and placed a calming hand on his shoulder, only for him to shrug it off and turn away. 

Goldie looked around, seeing the unsympathetic eyes of her fellows, which matched her own subtle longing. Skipping an apprenticeship and being directly hired into a wealthy citizen’s retinue was a dream each of them still held, even if they had mostly given up on it by now. Standing straight, her eyes sparkled with sudden intrigue, “On the plus side, now we have an easy explanation to get us into the noble district. I'm on my way to the palace arena, and you're all escorting me because there's mobs of young men walking around.”

Chay’s scowl cracked, and a bit of his earlier enthusiasm returned as he softly cackled. “They're practically opening the vault door for us!”