Guild of Thieves (Book 1) ✓

𝓒𝓱.3 ~ 𝓐 𝓕𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴

To celebrate his success, Caine decided to shout the lot of them at the local tavern, the Red Lion's Den. The owner and the waitresses had their work cut out for them keeping up with the group's orders, drinking themselves into oblivion.

Caine sat at the back of the tavern, away from the thieves, observing everyone as he drank his beer. Some people showed potential, he could tell by looking at them. Others were lacked skills but could be trained, and a few were absolutely hopeless. He planned to test them all to see if his analysis on each and every one of them were correct. If they didn't pass the test then they would be cut from the Guild.

He had everything planned out, years of dreaming and plotting, Caine knew what he wanted for the Guild. The others didn't need to know of his scheming plans to make a lot of profit and very quickly for himself. To become the richest and most respected man in all of Arondale was the ending to his dream. Eventually he joined the others, drinking until he could no longer remember his own name.

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Arianna opened the store late the following day, her eyelids heavy as she prepared for another long day. Having stayed awake all night until she had enough medicine to last her a couple of weeks and even had some of the plants left over and stored away, saving herself a trip to the forest for a long while. She sat behind the counter, waiting for patients. She loved her job but some days were slow, like she knew today was going to be.

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After the tavern came to closing time, the thieves and other patrons were kicked out onto the streets. Caine stumbled back to the mill factory, the others heading back to their own homes. The thieves would move into the factory over the next following days, then Caine planned to start his operation and start giving jobs out to begin making a profit.

On the way back to the factory, Caine thought it would be a smart idea to climb onto the rooftops to get a better view of the night sky above him. Halfway up the wall he lost his grip and balance, landing the wrong way on his ankle. Pain radiated up his leg, and he cried out in agony, his body now covered in scratches from the cobblestone. He was afraid to look at his ankle in case the bone was sticking out.

When he regained his surroundings while groaning in pain, he picked himself off of the ground. Making his way to the Apothecary in hopes that it was still open at this late hour, smiling as he pictured Arianna and her beauty.

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Arianna closed the store late, after what she thought would be a slow day had turned into a chaotic day, as more and more people fell ill with the flu. Luckily she prepared the medicine beforehand otherwise today would have been more chaotic than it already was.

As she locked the door, she heard odd footsteps coming towards her. Spinning around, Arianna found herself nose to nose with Caine, the man stinking of liquor.

"Caine? What are you doing here?" She asked startled by the way he suddenly appeared and was wary of his close proximity to her.

His bloodshot eyes stared into hers as he leant in, closing the distance by pressing his rough lips against hers. Kissing her passionately in the streets of the Market Square. Both surprised and shocked, Arianna pushed him away with little effort. Caine stumbled backwards falling to the ground and grabbed his ankle in pain.

"Look at the state you are in! Let's get you inside." She knew the man needed medical attention.

Arianna didn't hesitate, reopening the door and lead Caine inside onto one of the beds. Her heart raced from being kissed by the man, but she maintained her professionalism as she tended to him.