Thief {Part Three}

Post by Neonhyper

The ill blood still lingered between them, weeks after the heist of the noble party. Barely more than a few words had been spoken in the midst of the haggling, buying, and black market trading of the goods they had liberated, which amounted to much. Yet, Ethyn was a compulsive spender, and as the days ticked by, while Nasia found herself reclining on a couch decorated with silk sheets and gaudy throw pillows, the foodstuffs were precariously teetering on the edge of nothing.

A moment was taken to reflect, that if perhaps they had not been so eager to ignore each other over the events at the party, the predicament they were currently in would not have existed. Or, for that matter, if Nasia had swallowed her fear of detection and they had waited out the long night they would also not be here. While the thoughts crammed and fought within her mind, there was no changing what had happened, and so the only course of action was to face the consequences.

The thieveries they performed were always about execution, catching the shopkeepers unaware before snatching the goods and fleeing before the guards arrived. Always about proper execution. Yet when the two of them refused to speak to each other, the execution is just waiting to go wrong.

And so it did.

A misfired arrow led to a fidgety entrance into the baker's shop, with the clatter and spray of colored glass, disorienting the two thieves as much as the family that ran the business. Ethyn barely managed to avoid having his head crushed open by a frying pan as a woman screamed and dropped a platter of bread. In the midst of the ruckus the baker called to his son, who ran as fast as he could to warn the guards about what was taking place.

The standstill that followed in the bakery was too long, as the crash of heavy footsteps and commanding calls signaled that there would be no time to grab any pastries. Nasia and Ethyn had only exchanged a glare before dashing to the window they entered from. Shards of glass cut into flesh, leaving beads of scarlet, but they didn't care as they scrambled out into the alley next to the bakery and began to run.

It didn't take long at all for the guards to notice them and start to pursue. The chase wound through the streets, but no matter how much they attempted to distract or halt them, the two thieves could not put enough distance between themselves and the guards to take cover in an alleyway. Still Ethyn tried, taking the most confusing way through the side streets of the Bazaar's back roads, until he was certain that the clomping metal-on-stone was far enough behind them.

Unfortunately, his calculations were off.

As they slunk into the alley to catch their breath, a stalwart line of armored figures blocked the way out, cornering the two thieves in what they thought was their safety. Ethyn and Nasia backed up until they were pressing their forms against the farthest wall from the guards, a couple of which were advancing towards them with glaives drawn and shields in front of them.

So Nasia thought about all the things that could have made what had gone terribly wrong to go terribly right, as her heart pounded nearly through her chest and her vision swam into blurry unbelief. The chaos was snapped by a gentle touch on her wrist as the guards continued their steady walk, farther away than it had first seemed. Ethyn looked her way when he had gotten her attention, with eyes filled with the expression of an animal knowing there was no escape from the hunter.

He let go over her wrist for barely a moment before pulling her close, into the kiss she had only imagined in childlike fantasies and perhaps not in the moment of inevitable defeat. When he pulled away, his low-keyed murmur was all that kept her from being bound to the floor in shock, "Run."

With that, he stepped back and turned, dashing headlong into the guards who were not expecting the sudden display of fight. Ethyn smashed past the group in the middle of the alley, causing them to turn and run back after him as he headed for the line blocking the way out. Nasia watched him with wide eyes, his last words burning bright in her mind.

"Run."

So she did, turning and taking the distraction to scramble up onto the rooftop above and took cover behind the base of a spire a good distance away from the alley. Her heart continued to bound, blasting in her ears with heavy thuds as her breath came out haggardly. Despite it all, her mind was the most distracted, replaying what she had seen and felt with surreal imagery. Even worse was when she saw the procession on the bright cobblestone road below.

The guards, their gold and blue armor glaring in the bright morning sunlight, dragging a manacle bound and beaten Ethyn along as if he were nothing more than sack of dirt.

---

The night still bathed the world in darkness, save the twinkling pinpoints of light that were the stars above. Day was fast approaching however, as the sunrise peaked out over the world and the hues of red and orange broke through the blackness of the heavens. Nasia walked out across the rooftop, no longer losing her balance as she once did, to sit next to Ethyn, whose legs dangled out over the alley below. She rested her head on his shoulder as the sun became fuller and fuller, and he didn't pull away.

---

Rumors spread across Silvermoon like wildfire, greedily lapping up any exaggeration that could meet the ears of the next hearer. An execution lingered on the forefront of everyone's minds, as it had for the past week when the first traces, partially ignored, had wormed their way into daily gossip. The hours until midday dragged on like the whim of a torturer to people who were expectantly waiting for the event, and even more so to those who were dreading it.

Nasia crouched in the shadows at the edge of a perch overlooking the Court of the Sun, where the city officials had already erected the gallows on a higher terrace above where onlookers were to stand. She bit nervously on her lower lip, examining the crowds as they poured in from all directions, crowding against each other as time ticked by. Many of these people did not really care what was happening; most, she assumed, were only grateful for a repose from the monotony of normality.

Still she loathed them as much as she loathed those who would try to take pleasure in the death. The death she was going to stop. Nasia ran her fingers gently against the weighted pommel of the throwing knife tucked within her tunic, turning her gaze away from the disgusting gathering of people and once again fixed it upon the gallows and the two warriors on either side. Azure banners embroidered with the outline of the phoenix seal waved briefly in small breezes, a trumpeter beneath each and every one.

The sun moved steadily, soon a couple of minutes trickled into an hour which became two until finally the golden orb rested in the middle of the sky. Beneath Nasia's perch, the Court of the Sun was packed full of people, shoulder to shoulder, at least a thousand. She bit her tongue to keep from spitting. She hated all of them.

A droning note resounded in the air from the trumpets, silencing every inkling of chatter that had once drifted on the remnants of the wind. Following it was the bugling tune of announcement, causing all eyes to drift up to the terrace with the gallows as a quel'dorei man stepped in front of the grizzly stage of execution. He was adorned in armor much like the guards, yet it was far more ornate and marked him of far higher status than the rest. A scroll was situated in his hands, a quick glance of the text was all he needed before he rolled it up and looked over the people.

"Citizens of Quel'thelas! Today we are here to put an end to one who would defile the perfection of the quel'dorei!" Nasia snarled as the guard-captain smiled smugly at the cheers that rose up from the crowd in response. "Bring the murderer forth."

He side-stepped, making room for the procession of guards, accompanied by another choir of trumpets. Nasia's throat tightened at the sight of Ethyn within the center of the guards, struggling against the bindings that held him as he was pulled and shoved along. The crowd was an uproar of jeers and yelling, all calling for justice. Ethyn was shoved up onto the gallows, the swinging necklace of rope that hung above him seemed to mock every movement he made. Still, he glared at the crowd below, as if he were not standing on death's row.

"His crimes, from thievery to outright murder, number many and are still the lowest form of blight upon our race! The punishment is death, justice for blemishing the quel'dorei! Anu belore dela'na!"

The roaring approval sent Nasia's blood boiling again, and she ripped the throwing knife out of its hiding place, holding it at ready. The guard captain allowed the crowd to continue to shout, Thalassian cries for death and justice as he approached Ethyn, fitting the noose around his neck. Nasia had no idea what was said, but she could see the sly retort upon Ethyn's lips, which obviously angered the guard captain enough, who stalked over to the lever that would sentence Ethyn's life.

Nasia waited as the captain's fingers tapped against the handle of the lever, seconds felt like minutes and it seemed like an eternity before the man's wrist snapped back. She threw the throwing knife with all the strength she could, aimed to slice the rope in half. Eternity dragged on still.

And she collapsed to her knees, staring on.

The dagger had hit one of the posts of the gallows.

The rope intact.

Ethyn hanging lifeless above the ground.

And the tears would not stop.

---

He pulled back the violet curtain he had set up front of the entryway after they had gotten rid of the rotting door. There wasn't much in the abandoned building, a few empty crates and barrels, but it was better than huddling on the roof all the time. Nasia had thrown some blankets on the floor and marked where they would sleep, along with setting up a crate table with the barrels to use as chairs.

"We're going to be living here forever, aren't we?" she asked him, laughing.

Ethyn shook his head, "I hope not. One day we're going to hit the jackpot, and then we're going to leave this dumb city behind," he trailed off for a moment, before continuing, "buy us a big house by the sea. No, I don't think we'll be living here forever."

She leaned against a wall and smiled brightly, nodding, "Good."

He loved that smile, and that's all he could think of as he walked over and sat next to her, staring at what they had transformed into their home.

---

Outside Silvermoon the sun was dropping off into the hours of eve, the crowd having finally dispensed from the Court of the Sun, and given proper way for the criminal's body to be disposed. Two guards dragged the boy's limp corpse past the gates, with the sole intent of burning it until only ashes remained. One turned to look at the other, as if to ask a question, only to find that his partner was crumpling to the ground with an arrow through his throat.

He didn't have time to look around, collapsing himself into darkness as the blade of knife speared through his skull. Nasia swung her bow over her back and ran up to where blood was already running through the grass of Eversong, creating a river of pooling crimson. She didn't care. She pulled Ethyn's body from among the group of corpses, straining to carry his weight, but managing to do it nonetheless. Her cheeks were red and stained with tears; tears that were starting to pool again.

She walked into the forest, with no plan of where she was going to go, simply that she was going to go somewhere that nobody would ever find, so that nobody but her would ever know. So she walked, and she walked, until the sky was night and she cried her eyes dry once again and her the aching in her feet would not stop. Eventually she found it, nestled away from prying eyes.

The crashing of ocean waves lapped at the bottom of the rock wall, a beautiful sound to hear the tides swelling, retreating, and spraying. Atop the cliff sat a small grove, a cluster of trees and their golden and verdant leaves shading the area beneath, grass that was soft and smooth. She set Ethyn's body down near one of the trees and walked to the center of the grove, dropping to her knees in exhaustion. A few minutes to catch her breath was all she would allow herself.

She began to dig, using only her hands, into the soil. Her hands were raw and bleeding by the time she finished, and the moon was in the middle of the sky, but she had carved the grave all the same. Pain shot through her as she picked Ethyn up once again, and as gently as she could, set him within the hole. She stared down at him, lifeless and pallid, and even though she had thought she could never cry another tear again, they still came all the same.

The wracking sobs continued for another hour, at least, before she found the will to pick herself up and began to carefully fill the grave with the dirt she had displaced earlier, until she was packing down the earth at the top until it was smooth. She choked down another sob and stood up, walking a ways away from the grove, stumbling in a numb daze until she returned with arms full of small, smooth, oval stones and sat aside the grave.

And for hours she chipped away at the surface of those rocks until the blades of every knife she owned went dull and morning approached. Her eyes were heavy, demanding rest, but she would not stop until she was finished. Upon each stone was carved a word when she finished; each one then pressed into a circle around the grave.

She rocked herself again, whispering every apology she could for failing him, for letting him die. When she thought she many never leave the grove again, she managed to pick herself up, and she left. Merely a shadow, a wraith, of what once was, but she left.

---

Post by Neonhyper

'They called you a thief.

Liar.

Murderer.

But I know the truth.

You were more honorable than them all.

And I never got to tell you that

I love you.'

---

In the middle of the night, the inn of Orgrimmar was still somewhat busy. People occasionally, knowing that tomorrow would bring a new round of work that needed to be finished, left for home. Others stayed, ordering another drink that would bring the count of beverages up to the point of being too numerous to bother keeping track. Waitresses attempted to avoid the worst of these spots.

In one corner, where the light of the lanterns did not fully reach, sat a black cloaked figure in pure isolation. The orc women had attempted to take the figure's order once or twice, but there was no response and eventually they gave up. From within the shadows cast by a hood, twin jade pools of light cut through the darkness, softly illuminating gaunt and coarse skin, along with part of a knife scar that ran across the left eye.

Auburn tresses, once chestnut, clung to the sides of the face in disheveled clumps that hung at the ends above the floor. The figure did not look up at any of the other patrons in the inn, eyes completely fixated on something clutched in a grip. Some people she knew would have asked where it came from. She would usually respond that Lithi gave it to her or she'd stay silent completely. The figure lifted a hand and brushed a tear away from her cheeks before it fell onto the paper.

A paper with a picture, drawn in pastels, of a girl and a boy, one with light brown hair and the other with red hair a shade too light to be real. Dark shadows of spires rose up in front of the coming sunset, or maybe a sunrise, as the two figures watched it, hands clasped together, while sitting on a roof that was green--simply because there had been no blue crayon.

Post by Morec0

Damn... excellent ending. I could really feel the emotion throughout the story, deep and sorrowful. Carry on Neon, looking forward to the sequal (which I'm assuming there will be based on your archives page) whenever it comes out.

Post by Hellborne

Double damn. I rarely show emotion of things I read, and this was way up there. So much emotion here Neon. I am pretty sure this is in my top three of your writings, perhaps even number one.

A paper with a picture, drawn in pastels, of a girl and a boy, one with light brown hair and the other with red hair a shade too light to be real. Dark shadows of spires rose up in front of the coming sunset, or maybe a sunrise, as the two figures watched it, hands clasped together, while sitting on a roof that was green--simply because there had been no blue crayon.

Ok, now a tear is going to fall.

Post by Patty

This is amazing!

Post by Neonhyper

This is amazing!

Thank you!

Damn... excellent ending. I could really feel the emotion throughout the story, deep and sorrowful. Carry on Neon, looking forward to the sequal (which I'm assuming there will be based on your archives page) whenever it comes out.

No sequel. Just a new story idea that I'm going to write up eventually.

Double damn. I rarely show emotion of things I read, and this was way up there. So much emotion here Neon. I am pretty sure this is in my top three of your writings, perhaps even number one.

A paper with a picture, drawn in pastels, of a girl and a boy, one with light brown hair and the other with red hair a shade too light to be real. Dark shadows of spires rose up in front of the coming sunset, or maybe a sunrise, as the two figures watched it, hands clasped together, while sitting on a roof that was green--simply because there had been no blue crayon.

Ok, now a tear is going to fall.

And thank you again, and again.

It really was difficult to write this part because I knew I was going to be hard-pressed to convey what needed to be felt, but I'm glad I was able to do it justice.

Post by 355559

This post was from a user who has deleted their account.

Post by Mojoworkn

Oh where to begin...

This has probably been the most heartwarming and sad pieces of writing that I have read in a long time. The emotion wasn't pressed either; you just allowed it to be what it was, which is something I believe is hard to find sometimes. It was a very truthful piece that provided a tear jerking ending to your fabulous story.

And that's about it for me! Oh, and you may or may not have gotten a tear out of me... ;)

Thief {Part Three}

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