Purloined Shadows Purloined Shadows . Chapter One The candle was lit , and the thief was standing there , blinking , caught . She was young , rather dirty , wearing ragged black clothes that were surely quite smart and expensive weeks ago when she had stolen them from one of the city ' s best tailors . The look of surprise slipped from her face , and she took on a blank expression as she put the gold back on the table . " What are you doing here ? " the man with the candle asked , stepping from the shadows . " That ' s a stupid question , " the girl replied , frowning . " I ' m obviously robbing you . " " Since nothing I have is missing , " the man smiled , glancing at the gold on the table . " I would have to say that you ' re not robbing me . Attempting to rob me perhaps . The question I have is , why ? You know who I am , I assume . You didn ' t just come in through an unlocked door . " " I ' ve stolen from everyone else . I ' ve taken soul gems from the Mages Guild , I ' ve robbed the treasury of the most secure fortress , I cheated the Archbishop of Julianos … I even pickpocketed the Emperor Pelagius at his coronation . I thought it was your turn . " " I ' m flattered , " the man nodded . " Now that your ambition has been thwarted , what will you do ? Flee ? Perhaps retire ? " " Teach me , " the girl replied , a little grin finding its way unconsciously on her face . " I picked all your locks , I slipped past all your wards … You designed them , you know how difficult that was for someone without training . I didn ' t come here for six gold pieces . I came here to prove myself . Make me your student . " The Master of Stealth looked at the little girl burglar . " Your skill is not in need of training . Your planning is adequate , but I can help you with that . What is without hope is your ambition . You are past stealing for your livelihood , now you steal for the pleasure of it , for the challenge . That ' s a personality trait which is incurable , and will lead you to an early grave . " " Haven ' t you ever wanted to steal that which can ' t be stolen ? " the girl asked . " Something that would make your name known forever ? " The Master did not answer : he only frowned . " Clearly I was fooled by your reputation , " she shrugged , and opened a window . " I thought you might want a willing accomplice on some great act of thievery which would go down in history . Like you said , my skill at planning is only adequate . I didn ' t have in mind an escape route , but this will have to do . " The burglar slipped down the sheer wall , dashed across the shadowy courtyard , and within a few minutes was back at her room in the run - down tavern . The Master was waiting for her there , in the dark . " I didn ' t see you go past me , " she gasped . " " You turned on the street when you heard the owl call , " he replied . " The most important tool in the thieves ' repertoire is distraction , either planned or improvised . I suppose your lessons have begun . " " And what is the final test ? " the girl smiled . " When he told her , she could only stare . She had , it seemed , not misunderstood his reputation for daring . Not at all . Chapter Two " " For the week leading up to the Eighth of Hearthfire , the skies above Rindale were dark and alive as clouds of crows blotted out the sun . Their guttural squawks and groans deafened all . The peasants wisely bolted their doors and windows , praying to survival that most unholy of days . On the night of the summoning , the birds fell silent , their black unblinking eyes following the witches ' march into the glen . There were no moons to light the way , only the leader ' s single torch in the gloom . Their white robes appeared as indistinct shapes , like the faintest of ghosts . A single tall tree stood in the middle of the clearing , every branch thick with crows , watching the procession without moving . The lead witch placed the torch at the base of the tree , and her seventeen followers formed a circle and began their slow , strange , wailing chant . As they sang , the glow of the torch began to change . It did not diminish at all , but its color became more and more grey , so it seemed a pulsating wave of ash had fallen on the witches . Then it grew darker still , so that for a moment , though the fire yet burned , it was darkest night in the forest . The penumbra continued until the torch was burning with a color without a name , emptiness beyond mere blackness . It cast a glow , but it was an unnatural scintillation falling on the witches . Their robes of white became black . The Dunmer among them had eyes of green , and ivory white flesh . The Nord s appeared black as coal . The crows watching overhead were as pure white as the witches ' cloaks . The Daedra Princess Nocturnal stepped out of the pit of uncolor . She stood in the center of the circle , the tree of pallid crows her throne , aloof , as the witches continued their chanting , dropping their robes to prostrate themselves naked before their great mistress . Wrapping her night cloak around her , she smiled at their song . It spoke of her mystery , of veiled beauty , of eternal shadows and a divine future when the sun burns no more . Nocturnal let her cloak slide from her shoulders and was naked . Her witches did not raise their head from the ground , but continued their hymn of darkness . " Now , " said the girl to herself . She had been up in the tree all day , dressed in a ridiculous suit of mock crows . It was uncomfortable , but when the witches had arrived , she forgot all her aches , and concentrated on being perfectly still , like the other crows in the tree . It had taken considerable planning and study between her and the Master of Stealth to find the glen , and to learn what to expect in the summoning of Nocturnal . Gently , silently , the burglar eased herself down the branches of the tree , coming closer and closer to the Daedra Princess . She let herself break her concentration for just a moment , and wondered where the Master was . He had been confident in the plan . He said that when Nocturnal dropped her cloak , there would be a distraction , and it could be quickly taken in that instant provided the girl was in position at the precise right moment . The girl climbed along the lowest of the branches , carefully pushing aside the crows that were , as the Master said , transfixed by the Princess in her naked beauty . The girl was now close enough , if she only reached out her arm , to touch Nocturnal ' s back . The song was rising to a crescendo , and the girl knew that the ceremony would soon be over . Nocturnal would clothe herself before the witches ended the chant , and the chance to take the cloak would be over . The girl gripped the tree branch tightly as her mind raced . Could it be that the Master was not here at all ? Was this , was this conceivably the entire test ? Was it only to show that it could be done , not to do it ? The girl was furious . She had done everything perfectly , but the so - called Master of Stealth had proven himself a coward . Perhaps he had taught her a little in the months that it took to plan this , but what was it worth ? Only one thing made her smile . On that night when she had stolen into his stronghold , she had kept one single gold piece , and he had never suspected it . It was symbolic , as symbolic as stealing the cloak of Nocturnal in its way , proving that the Master Thief could be robbed . The girl was so lost on her mind that she thought she imagined it for a moment when a man ' s voice yelled out from the darkness , " Mistress ! " The next words she knew she didn ' t imagine : " Mistress ! A thief ! Behind you ! " The witches raised their heads , and screamed , ruining the sanctity of the ceremony , as they charged forward . The crows awoke and burst from the tree in an explosion of feathers and toad - like cries . Nocturnal herself whirled around , affixing the girl with her black eyes . " Who art thee who dares profane ? " The Princess hissed , as the pitch shadows flew from her body enveloping the girl in their lethal chill . In the last instant before she was swallowed alive by darkness , the girl looked to the ground and saw that the cloak was gone , and she answered , as she understood , " Oh , who am I ? I ' m the distraction . "