Sunlight streamed in through a tiny, filthy window, coming to rest on a small, sleeping figure in an equally small bed. Lex was deep in dream until the wolf-pup, Ronan, came scrambling in, covering her with licks and barking excitedly. With a soft groan of protest, she finally sat up and smiled sleepily at him. Her long brown hair escaped the usual tightly bound braid during the night. It surrounded her in soft waves. Her small fingers quickly went to work and before long, it was fastened once again. With a small sigh, she tossed the thin covers aside and began her morning routine. Her mentor, the great mage Master Owen, known in some circles as Owen the Marred or Owen the Sullen, was out of town on business and she had plans to prepare a nice homecoming for him by restocking some of his supplies. She made a mental note of which spices and herbs were running low and quickly fed the animals. A bowl of chicken gizzards and bread soaked in broth for Ronan, a small cup of strong whiskey for Nin, the cactus cat, and a handful of fresh berries for herself. She stopped only to patch another hole among many in her tattered cloak and was soon out the door. She arrived at the market around mid-morning. She took a deep breath as she walked by various stalls and their rich aromas. She smiled at the kind lady that always saved her a ration of rock salt kept hidden even from the occasional noble that deigned to shop there. The man with fresh cod insisted she take two filets even though she only had enough money for one. A beggar, known only as Muddy Gale, sat on a street corner mumbling incoherently and scratching his arm. He suddenly quieted and looked up with some semblance of a smile as she handed him a small jar of salve. She returned his smile and continued on her way. This was the typical visit to the market. Except, this time, Lex was being watched. A pair of eyes took in every detail from behind a veil of shadows. At first he saw her as he saw any other mark. He began sizing her up and picking up on small habits: where she kept her money, what she was buying, how many knots she used to fasten her satchel. After a while, he couldn't help noticing how her knee-length braid swayed gently, how her eyes sparkled when she smiled, how when she spoke to people, she truly connected with them" He mentally shook himself. He never let anyone affect him or the job he set out to do. So how had this girl, this average-looking, inconsequential girl, seemingly charmed him' He chuckled to himself, another rarity as he prided himself on not making a sound when sizing up a mark, and resolved to continue in his task. In another village, about a days worth of travel, an old man coughed and sputtered himself into consciousness. He swore loudly, cursing the pounding in his head and the rot in his gut. He rubbed his scraggly chin and peered at the unfamiliar room about him and wondered idly where "that girl" had disappeared too. Finally realizing he was not in his own home, but in a shady little inn, he grumbled miserably and made his way, bleary eyed, to the window to shut the moldy drapes. He picked up a half empty flagon of very bad wine from the bedside table and took a large swig, grimacing at the acrid taste. As he looked around the small, filthy room, something in the corner caught his eye. For the next several minutes, he muttered mild curses and feeble orders to a cloak that hung on a rusty nail. Suddenly, a fond memory crept into his muddled brain: an image of Lex smiling at him from the kitchen as she cooked breakfast. He mumbled something resembling "good morning" at the image before it vanished, leaving him alone once more. Raucous laughter from downstairs startled him out of his trance and he swore softly. With a weary sigh, he began rummaging through a pack Lex had carefully prepared for him, hoping to find some food. He grumbled again, wondering aloud where "that idiotic girl" had gotten to, and didn't notice his wine was perched precariously on the edge of the table until it was too late. With a resonating thud, the flagon hit the floor and splashed bitter wine all over him. He sputtered and coughed as rage bubbled from deep within him and erupted in a single bellowed word. "ALEXIA!" Unaware a thief still trailing her, Lex decided she was done for the day and began to make her way home. Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a strange sensation. She was almost certain she had heard someone call her name. She stopped in the middle of the small pathway and turned in every direction. The thief quickly ducked behind an abandoned cart and held his breath. He silently cursed himself for getting into this predicament. Just what was so special about this mere slip of a girl, anyway' He chuckled to himself as he realized he was just a little bit enamored with this creature. He peeked out from behind the cart and saw Lex thoughtfully chewing on her lower lip before she gave a small shrug and continued walking, seemingly dismissing whatever had stopped her in the first place. After he was certain it was safe, he moved away from the cart and continued to follow her. Idly, he wondered what he would actually do when he caught up to her. Would he rob her" Befriend her" Seduce her" Having weighed his options carefully, he made his decision.