Guild of Thieves (Book 1) ✓

𝓒𝓱.10 ~ 𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓷 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓮𝓼

As promised Hudson gathered the list of herbs and plants for Arianna, meeting her out the back of the Apothecary with the other thieves. After they left, Arianna stored the supplies in the storage room, only to return to find Royal Guards standing at the counter waiting.

Jezamine cooed at the men from her cradle, amused by their shiny armour and swords. Arianna kept a straight face as she served them, while on the inside she panicked. Hoping she hasn't been busted for her crimes of stealing medicine.

"How can I help you?"

The men looked around the store before answering her question.

"No medical attention is needed today ma'am. We are looking for a thief who ran this way, we are just doing protocol and checking the area." One of the three men answered. "You haven't seen anyone come in here to hide have you?"

Arianna shook her head in response. "I was mixing medicine before you showed up. I also haven't had any patients or customers today."

It was the truth, no one has entered the shop until the three Guards. Wondering which of the thieves has drawn so much unwanted attention to themselves?

"Sorry to have disturbed you ma'am, thank you for your cooperation."

The Guards left the shop and continued their search for the thief, Arianna let out a sigh of relief. She wasn't being arrested today.

Bang!

"Ouch!" A voice cursed from beyond as something clattered to the floor making Arianna jump in surprise.

Who the hell was in her shop?

Opening the door to the infirmary she found Caine lying on the floor surrounded by medical utensils. The smell of liquor was strong on the man's breath as he struggled to pick himself up off the ground.

"Caine!? What are you doing here!?" Arianna rushed to his aid, helping him into one of the nearby beds. "Don't tell me you are the thief the Guards are searching for!?"

Caine laughed before he slurred. "I might have pinched a gift for you and been spotted by the King's men..."

Arianna was furious and wanted to get mad at Caine but knew it was no use, he would not remember a word she said to him. So what was the point? She grabbed a blanket and tucked him in, the Leader of Thieves fell asleep almost instantly.

After he had left the Guild yesterday morning, he never returned home. Now she knew Caine had spent the entirety of his time at the tavern drinking himself into oblivion and was in the heat with the Guards. Sleeping off his intoxication was probably best.

Leaving him to rest in the infirmary Arianna returned to Jezamine who smiled up at her and yawned. She rocked the cradle gently, watching over Jez until she drifted off to sleep as well.

Now she had nothing to do but think, as the thoughts flooded her mind. Maybe leaving Caine wasn't such a good idea after all, the man would turn into more of a mess if she left him. Arianna felt torn between her love for Caine and her decision to leave and be free of his insanity. Wishing she had gotten to know the man better before she was deeply in love with him. Moving too fast had been a mistake...

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Hours later Caine woke up to wailing and tears, Jezamine was restless in Arianna's arms. The noise went straight to his head, making the headache worse.

"Why won't she stop crying!?" Caine groaned while covering his ears. "What does she need!?"

Arianna only laughed at his questions, cradling Jezamine closer to her chest. "Look who has decided to wake up...she wants to go home Caine. I would have left hours ago but you had to be careless and reckless today!"

Careless? Reckless?

He recalled stealing the necklace with an emerald cross pendant and being nearly caught by the Guards.

"You are right..."

Arianna looked at him with raised brows. "I am?"

He knew his confession would shock her, knowing in admitting his faults that it would save an argument and getting more of a headache from her lectures. Caine repeated himself.

"You are right. I was careless and reckless. I was even more lucky to not have been caught and locked up today. So thank you for looking out for me Arianna. Can you please forgive me?"

Arianna placed Jezamine in her crib, the baby no longer crying anymore. Instead she mumbled and giggled cheerfully to herself, entertained by her own shadow in the candlelit room.

"If you do anything like this again, I won't forgive you so easily. Do you hear me Reinhart?" Arianna faced him with her hands on her hips.

"Understood." Caine smiled. "Now let's go home."

Completely forgetting about taking his family out for dinner. He helped Arianna close the Apothecary before the three of them returned to the Guild.

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After they arrived back at the factory, Arianna tucked both Caine and Jezamine into bed, watching her daughter for a moment longer before taking a well deserved break.

She hoped to dine out with Caine like he had promised her but things never went according to plan when it came to her. The man could plan jobs and missions without any troubles or unexpected changes in the arrangements. Arianna poured herself a cup of honey milk and sat down at the long table as one of the thieves served her a bowl of lamb stew.

"Are you alright Arianna?" Finn asked, taking a seat beside her.

"I'm fine Finn, it has just been a long day that's all." She recalled the day's events to Finn who sat surprised by his Leader's behaviour.

"I didn't know things had gotten this bad with the Boss...leave it to me to handle. You should get some rest Arianna." Finn said when she finished her bowl.

"Thank you Finn. Goodnight."

She made her way to bed, checking on Jezamine one last time before falling asleep beside Caine. The man snored loudly after consuming a lot of liquor, sleeping with his mouth open and one leg hanging off the bed. She was lucky to be able to get any sleep tonight at this rate.

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Caine was only pretending to be asleep like a drunken fool, only until he knew Arianna was asleep beside him. He could tell when her breath evened out and her body relaxed. Once she was in deep sleep, Caine snuck out of the room, heading to the Meeting Room where he was surprised to find Finn sitting there waiting for him.

"Finn? Do you have news about Hudson?" Caine asked eagerly.

"I do." Finn said with a smile. "He made it inside the castle without being recognised by the Guards!"

"I don't believe it!" Caine exclaimed excitedly.

He couldn't help but grin and chortle like a mad man hearing the news. Knowing Hudson would not fail in his mission. The thief would return with the gemstones and Caine would become the King of his fellow thieves and his name would travel far and wide. Thieves from all over the realm would seek to join him and line up outside his Guild.

Caine was impatient for the day to happen, so much so that he planned to wait at the round window for Hudson to appear in the distance. He wasn't going to move from his spot until Hudson returned and accomplished his mission.