Thread: The Rogue and the Ransom (Fates & Morgen)

Aidans vivid, hazel eyes scanned the distance, sizing up the monumental challenge before him. In the faded twilight, the castle looked to be a threatening mass of darkness. Its towers stretched for the sky like inky lances, their flags and banners hanging sadly in the perfectly still air. He could spot the bobbing orange light of torches as guards moved back and forth like ants atop the walls. Hed expected such, what he hadnt intended on was there being so damn many of them. A quick count told him there had to be at least 25 watchmen on patrol, maybe more. And that was just to stand vigil over the perimeter. Who could say what sort of resistance he would find inside? Given the incident with the princess just two days prior, Aidan supposed it made sense. If his encounter with the kings spirited daughter was anything to go by, she would be doing whatever she could to get far away from that castle and her arranged marriage again. The tightened guard must have been her fathers way to keep that from happening. Even that might not be enough to stop her if she was determined enough. He certainly had a hell of a time dragging her all the way back for the reward the King offered to anyone who could return her safely. She was none too happy when he dumped her back before her fathers throne, returning her to her prison of high society. But Aidan was quite pleased with the fat sack of coins shed earned him. Not so pleased, however, that his eyes didnt drink in the fine scepter the King brandished whilst making his displeasure known to his daughter. Made of solid gold and adorned with enough jewels to set a man for life, Aidan had a hard time noticing anything else. The words of the man thanking and congratulating him were like white noise as he began to formulate a plan to relieve the esteemed ruler of his shiny bauble. The young man had always been a quick study of these sorts of things making detailed note of everything he could about the bastion while soldiers escorted him through. He knew it would be no easy matter to sneak In and out of the place. But he also knew that weaknesses such a an unusually short postern, an ancient tower in disrepair and a certain partially broken window on the third floor made the idea of a heist a lot more feasible. And so here he was two nights later and his heart thudding with anxious excitement. He perched himself on the highest rooftop outside of the castle gates. There were a few people walking the streets below, but thanks to his dark attire and ability to sit still as a gargoyle, they remained blissfully unaware. He wore a solid black tunic with the pants and boots to match. He declined gloves needing the flexibility of open hands for his antics, nor did he wear a cloak like most people who sought to hide their identity. Such a billowy garment would slow him down when this sort of thing required an agile finesse. Instead he wore a charcoal colored hood and concealing face mask. With the hood down tight and the mask disguising his jawline, it was nigh impossible to discern his identity. His vibrant hazel eyes might be a giveaway if he came face to face with Elizabeth or her father, but it was unlikely. If things went right, no one would see him anyway. When the street was free of any potential witnesses, Aidan went on the move. Drawing back to get a running start, he dashed for the edge of the roof and leapt. The skilled thief blended into the obscurity, barely recognizable in the inky blackness as he passed through the air and landed on the next rooftop. He came out of a forward roll, keeping the momentum going as he continued to run, making short work of the distance remaining to the castles outer wall. Hed already chalked his hands before climbing to the first roof top, so his grip was easy to maintain upon a final leap which saw him clinging to the side of the very wall itself. He kept a cool head as he looked down, noticing a pair of sentries standing vigil below him. They remained oblivious for now, and Aidan moved quiet as a mouse to ensure theyd stay that way. The ancient stone was easy to traverse lots of texture and handholds to grip onto. He was able to scurry up and over without incident, coming down on the other side. As soon as his feet were back on solid ground, he hunkered down, creeping through the darkness and staying well clear of the dirt road running from the main gate to the castle itself. There were other men wandering the grounds, but they were easy to pinpoint and avoid. Torchlight may have helped the men to see but it also did a fine telling him exactly where not to go. With a focused patience, he inched towards the postern, keeping a comfortable distance between him and the lookouts. This was all too easy so far, he thought. Yet his heart was still racing by the time he finally reached the tower and pressed his back flat against it. Another pair of guards were just above, and it didnt seem like they spotted him but he was a little too close for comfort given their vantage point. His ears could just barely make out the sound of them talking above. While he couldnt grasp any of the words, he could tell by the carefree tone of their voices that he remained anonymous. Their conversation grew weaker, fading into silence as the men moved on to another post. Aidan looked up just to make sure, confirming absence of their telltale firelight. He wasted no time, retrieving a small grappling hook and rope from the belt around his waist. It was just one of the many useful tools he kept on his person. You never knew what challenges you would run into on these little excursions. You had to be smart and you had to be prepared. Luckily, few could claim to have the ingenuity Aidan did. His mind worked quick, sizing up every situation with a glance and adapting as necessary. It kept him alive in the business of robbing the rich and powerful so far and he didnt intend to slack in that department anytime soon. One perfectly aimed launch was another to land his hook in a crenel. He tugged the rope, making sure it was good and secure before heading up. It was well timed, no one looking the thiefs way as his powerful arms and legs carried him right up to the top of their impenetrable citadel. When he was safely upon the top of the square tower he made sure to unhook his grapple and coil the rope back up, returning the tool to its rightful place at his side. He moved quick after that, navigating the walls as he made his way to the dilapidated tower on the west wing of the castle. Getting there was no pleasure cruise. The place was crawling with men, who often led to him ducking away, waiting until it was safe to move again. It was a painfully slow endeavor, but his calm manner kept him out of shackles and progressing towards his goal. In time he made it to the crumbling tower which luckily seemed disregarded even by way of men guarding it. There was no one around to witness his climb, which was easy given the shoddy stone work. No need for a grapple as he scaled the tower and pulled himself up to the broken window. Good thing his eyes were keen. The missing panels of glass were just small enough to fit a man through, but interrupted artwork of its stained glass stuck out like a sore thumb to him from the ground upon his first visit. It was likely what made this all possible, allowing him to squeeze right into the third floor of the tower. His soft boots touched the ground as quietly as possible as he found himself within in mighty fortress at last. Stalking out of the round stairwell and into the empty corridors, he wondered where to go from here. He remembered how to reach the throne room, but odds were the scepter would not be there. The king was not like to leave his valuables just lying around. The bed chambers then , he thought to himself, beginning the hunt. He wasnt quite sure how to get there, but he kept a careful watch for any armed soldiers or other custodian that might witness him. So far so good it seemed, as he crept unknown through the halls. Hopefully the king and his daughter were well off to bed by now, allowing him to sneak into their rooms and alleviate their valuables without a hitch. If things went wrong he had a pair of long, twin daggers holstered at his side. Hed use them if necessary, but he only wanted to rob these people not harm them. He could only hope to remain unseen. But considering how hard hed fought and argued with the princess Elizabeth over dragging her back before her father however, he wouldnt be surprised if he bumped right into her on another of her daring escape attempts. And surely if she realized just who it was sneaking into her fathers castle, she would be keen to get Aidan caught by way of revenge.