Donner and Thalia: The Anastasia Academy (Episode 5)

Chapter Four

4.

Thalia was told that once the package was obtained, the meeting place for the exchange and payment would be at the Graceful Hawk tavern in Leobruck, a town about halfway between the cave and Hillshade. She heard it was a usual spot for Thieves in the area to meet for exchanges and discussions of business. Thalia felt a bit odd walking around a town in broad daylight wearing her black leather stealth suit for anyone to see her in. If this tavern was a usual meeting place for thieves, then people in this town were probably able to spot a Thief when they saw one. Maybe she should get a hood like Emerson's suit had? She would have to sew it on herself, though. She didn't want her mother knowing that her uncle gave her a Stealth Suit, much less that she had started using it enough to want to customize it.

Donner followed her through the town. That must have been a sight even for those used to seeing Thieves here. A Knight and Thief, working together no less. His step was cautious, and he kept a hand on his sword hilt.

Thalia reached over and rubbed his shoulder, "You seem nervous. Don't worry, they're a little intimidating if you let your imagination run wild, but they're working men just like you," Thalia said as the entered the Graceful Hawk and took a seat at a corner table. Donner's foot was tapping on the floor as they waited for Thalia's contact to arrive.

The waitress came to them with what they thought were the two ginger beers they ordered. She put them on the table in front of them and leaned to Thalia's ear, "Your bill is covered, courtesy, for a member," she said. Just like Thalia thought, people saw her outfit, and they knew right away that she was a member.

Donner grabbed his glass first, taking a big swig of it, and his eyes shot open, "This isn't ginger beer," Donner said, looking at his glass, "I think this is mead, they gave us real mead, the Dapper Spice would never do that," he said, taking another drink. He shook his head, and Thalia could see him wringing his other hand.

"Are you sure you're okay? You seem really nervous," she asked, rubbing his back.

"I just need some time to process what I saw. It was just a vision. Who even knows if it was real? Besdies, we're being paid a lot of gold to get this to the Academy and that's where it belongs," Donner said. "You just started working for them, they wouldn't give you something this important, right?"

"Yeah, I'm just a Neophyte, if it was something that important, they wouldn't give me the job," Thalia said, trying to reassure her friend.

"Are you officially in the Thieves guild?" Donner raised his eyebrow to her.

"It's complicated," Thalia said, "Like, you're a registered Knight, but you don't have your name yet, so at the end of the day, your missions are really just freelance work, that's all I am, a freelancer. Neophyte is just the name they give to new Thieves who are just starting out. Emerson told me that there is a ceremony that you have to go through to really be considered part of the guild. And whatever it is, it's not a ceremony I ever intend to undergo," Thalia said. "We're both amateurs Donner, and if what we found was that important, they wouldn't task the mission to an amateur," she said.

"Well, well, well, the Fox herself," two men came to their table, one leading the other as they pulled out chairs and took a seat across from the two kids. The one leading had shaggy black hair and a scar just above his right eye, "Christopher Naven, Guild accepted, this is Steve, also accepted," he said, pointing his thumb to the bald shaved man with a scraggly black beard next to him.

"What was that about not having a name?" Donner asked.

"It's just a pet name, my uncle calls me it. Nothing more," she said before turning to the two agents, "Thalia O'Conner, Guild Neophyte, may you move quiet in the night," she said, fist to her chest and bowing her head, reciting the oath of the Thieves guild.