A new beginning (Sam)

by **Nyahna Sasin** on August 22nd, 2010, 1:15 am

He raised a non-existent eyebrow. Basic grasp of larceny, smart, quick, and spoke his language. She seemed to be the kind of person she could get along with. The idea of having her assist him was interesting, and had merit.

Still, just how talented she was, was to be seen. If he was to utilize her skills, then first, he'd have to get a good idea of just how good she was. It was one thing for her to say she was good, and quite another to actually show it.

His mind made up, he nodded. "Very well. Meet me at the Rearing stallion on the eleventh bell." That should give her time to finish whatever she was doing when she ran into him.

He indicated for her to turn around again so he could change.

by **Samuel Blackwell** on August 22nd, 2010, 3:43 am

A childlike smile spread across her face for a split second in reaction to his affirmative. It was quickly smothered by her forced calm and cool demeanor. Of course she left out being new to the city and not knowing her way around at all, but she figured she'd cross that road when she came to it. She slowly turned around keeping all signs of excitement or anticipation from showing. Mentally she tried to draw herself a map of the way to Rearing Stallion. Sam was pretty sure she had been there once before. Inside her mind though her imagination would not comply, instead she began to imagine what tests or trials he might put her through or what adventures she might have in the near future.

by **Nyahna Sasin** on August 23rd, 2010, 4:35 am

Hiding a grin at her smile, he shifted back into his human form, and changed into his second set of clothing, stuffing his used clothes into his satchel. He was now wearing black pants, and a green silk shirt. The headband, he wrapped around his arm. The knife, he slipped into his boot. Now, with a bit of luck, he could go unnoticed for a little longer.“Eleventh bell. Rearing stallion. Don’t be late.”

He hesitated, then told her “You can call me Sasin.”With that, he turned, walking back out to the streets. He had a lot to do.

by **Samuel Blackwell** on August 23rd, 2010, 2:49 pm

Waiting for him to leave before she coolly an calmly turned around, Sam decided, since she wasn't sure how long it would take her to find the Rearing Stallion, that getting there way too early was better then getting there way too late. So she headed out immediately to find the Rearing Stallion. She strode off into the now growing crowds of people, confident if not excited about her future.

by **Nyahna Sasin** on August 24th, 2010, 1:25 pm

10th Bell, 57th chime

He had gone skulk around the market for a while, but his heart wasn't really in it. He was more nervous about whether or not he had done the right thing. After a few chimes, he returned to his room to think, and prepare. He retrieved the lock and thief tools from his other set of pants, and placed them in the satchel. All the empty pouches were tossed into another part of his bag. He had an assassin's dagger in his boot, and an angle knife in his bag.

With a few chimes to go, he grabbed his bag and ran out the door. He forced himself to walk normally to the Rearing, and, pausing to take a deep breath, stepped inside as the 11th bell rang.

by **Samuel Blackwell** on August 24th, 2010, 3:59 pm

Much to her own surprise Sam was able to find the Rearing Stallion easily. She had left far too early and though she only had to wait twenty chimes it felt as though each chime drug on forever. Slumping down she laid her head on her hands which were folded on the table. Her hood shadowed her face completely and to anyone else she would look as a child napping at a table. Though she was not asleep in the least. WIth her eyes closed she focused on the sounds and smells of the tavern. Various alcohol scents drifted into her nose. To her youthful nose the alcohol was overpowering so she turned her focus to her hearing. She remembered reading about thieves who could count the number of people in a room by just listening to their footsteps, breathing, and other sounds.

Sam scowled. There were too many noises. The sounds overlapped and masked one another she could only count up to four or five people before loosing track of the sounds. In frustration she sat up and opened her eyes.

The tavern light was bright after she'd shut her eyes for a short time. She fluttered her eyelids to adjust her hazel eyes to the light. Pulling it out of her pocket, she egan to play with a copper miza coin. Her dexterous hands rolled the coin along her knuckles. She practiced her sleight of hands as she did when she had free time as a child. She faked dropping the coin and catching it with her palm. Tucking it in her sleeve Sam moved it to the other hand.

So focused was she on moving the coin that she was startled by the sound of the eleventh bell and dropped her copper miza to the ground. As it hit the ground with a klink she fell to her hands and knees to get it. The coin rolled across the floor and under her table. She crawled after it and snatched it up.

by **Nyahna Sasin** on August 25th, 2010, 5:28 am

The second he stepped inside, the first thing he saw was a head ducking underneath a table. Smirking, he walked over to that table, and sat down. "Come now, I'm not that frightening." he teased.

One she got up from underneath the table, he spoke. "So, Samuel." He paused for a second. "Isn't Samuel a boy's name? No matter. Let's see how good you are, shall we?"

He handed her the lock from his bag, along with a pick and tension wrench. "Keep it under the table."

by **Samuel Blackwell** on August 25th, 2010, 6:20 am

Sam nodded silently. Taking the lock in her hand she felt it's texture and size. It's weight in her hand was intimidating. In her other hand she took the pick and wrench. Setting the lock between her knees under the table she closed her eyes to focus on the clink and clicking coming from the lock. She slid the tension wrench along under each the right pins while she began to shift the the others with the pick. A scowl of frustration played across her face, her eyes still shut. She had not had much practice at actually picking locks before. Courier work let her meet all kinds of people including a locksmith where she learned the basics of picking a lock. The scowl worsened. She had one last pin to go and it kept slipping beneath the pick. Catch - slip. Catch - slip. Catch - CLICK. Here eyes opened wide in surprise which she quickly masked with pride as the final pin shifted. Sam's trademark puckish grin spread over her mouth as she slid the tension wrench in the rest of the way and turned it. Click. The lock came undone, and Sam neatly handed it, the pick and wrench back to Nyahna Sasin. Though it probably took her more time than it should of, and her form was unpracticed and sloppy - she proved she could do it so she thought that had to count for something.

by **Nyahna Sasin** on August 29th, 2010, 5:15 am

Watching her as she closed her eyes, he reflected that this really wasn't going to work in real life. Focusing on just the lock was very nice and well in theory, but in practice, there were a multitude of things she was going to have to pay attention to as well. Just thinking about what she was doing meant ignoring any knights that may be coming her way. Or any thieves trying to steal from her. Actually....

Standing up, he walked around the table as if to watch her from behind. He waited until she was fully distracted, trying to deal with a slippery pin, then lifted the waterskin from her belt. Returning to his side of the table, he waited for her to finish.

Taking back his tools and lock, clicking it shut, and replacing them in his bag, he nodded at her. "Not to bad, considering this doesn't seem to be your line of work."

Quickly reviewing her performance in his head, he began to explain a few things. "I'm quite impressed that you managed to do it in such a short period of time. I've seen people take longer on simpler lock. You seem to have rather steady hands, which is good. You seemed to be having trouble with the last pin, however. Always do the hardest one first. Do an easy one first, and it'll slip back later. Always annoying. Finally," he said, a smirk on his face. "Be aware of the things around you. You never know when a guard will come, or a thief decides you're an easy target."

He lifted up the water skin, and handed it back to her. "Any questions?"

by **Samuel Blackwell** on August 29th, 2010, 4:37 pm

Her eye's went wide at first but then her composure found her quickly. She would have been more surprised did she not now he was a professionally thief. As her eyes turned to normal, a small humble smirk found it's way to her face. She folded her hands in her lap, "Just one." Sam paused gathering her courage to ask the only question, "Does that mean you'll accept my service?"

(OOC: Sorry for the short post, very busy but didn't want to slow down our good pacing. )