“Pardon me, kind sir,” Nykira cooed as she staggered into the tall, young man. She’d seen him approaching on the darkened street, his garb and the composite long bow over his shoulder marking him as a huntsmen, forester or ranger, likely from the nearby Moonwood. Not typically the richest of targets, but pickings had been slim of late, and her grumbling stomach prompted her to take what little coin she could get. Deftly dipping her hand into the pouch at his side she found it completely empty. But he suddenly seized her by her arms at the elbow and spun her around, forcing her against a wall, her hand still caught in his pouch. “Didn’t find what you were looking for?” Aeron mocked with an amused smirk, looming over her by a good ten inches. “I may have just arrived in the city today, but I didn’t come by way of a turnip cart.” “Let me go!” she demanded, squirming desperately. Unable to break free of his strong grasp which pinned her arms to her sides, limiting her movement to such an extent that she couldn’t even unsheathe the daggers at her hips, she knew if he turned her over to the Watch it would mean years in a cold dark cell… if they didn’t just chop off one, or both, of her hands! “Why… so you can go steal someone else’s purse?” he mocked with an amused smile. Taking the opportunity to get a good look at her as he stared down into her face, he couldn’t help but be awestruck by her breathtaking beauty. He’d known more than a few attractive woman, including an elf or two, but none could hold a candle to this moon elven rogue. She had a classically elven slender figure which was graced by nubile feminine curves and staggeringly gorgeous features cast in alabaster skin that almost shimmered in the pale moon light, while her short wild mane was black as wet ink, but it was deep sapphire eyes that drew him in. He could drown in those radiant pools and die a happy man. Seeing his reaction, the same one every man had since she was barely a century old, she stopped struggling and pleaded with a feigned demure smile; “Please sir… I’m just hungry. I haven’t eaten in days. There must be something I can do to convince you not to call the Watch.” Though he could imagining just how convincing she could be, he knew her offer was just a ploy to distract him, but he heard her stomach grumbling, and as good a liar as she might be, he didn’t think she could fake that. Quickly shifted one hand from its grip on her arm to her shoulder, he reaching into the same pouch she’d found empty just minutes ago, to pull out a cloth wrapped bundle which he offered to her. Opting to take the bundle over going for her daggers, she unwrapped it to find a large piece of elven bread. The nut and fruit fortified pastry could’ve sustain a full-grown man for a day and would’ve lasted her two, but her hunger trumped her restraint, so before she knew it she’d devoured the whole thing. Returning the empty cloth to him, she ran her hands along his arms and chest, worked their way up to his broad shoulders, feeling the rippling muscles beneath his rough garb, as she smiled alluringly. But the moment his grip slacken, she stomped down on his foot with all her might, surprising him while assuring he couldn’t pursue her well, as she broke free and dashed into a dark alley. “Here,” his shout prompted her to turn just in time to catch the small object he threw to her… his purse, heavy with coins. Stopping for a moment in shock, he answered the question on her stunned face before she seemed to unnaturally vanished into the shadows; “Now you won’t have to steal anyone else’s tonight.” “I wouldn’t have given that away without some ‘compensation’ lad,” a gravelly voice surprised him. ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* Disclaimer: Some of the material presented here may be the property of Wizards of the Coast, LLC© taken from the Dungeons & Dragons® Forgotten Realms® Campaign Setting authored by Ed Greenwood & Sean Renyolds, the Dungeons & Dragons® Forgotten Realms® Campaign Accessory Silver Marches® authored by Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl and/or other sourcebooks registered to Wizards of the Coast, LLC©. This is unofficial “Fan Content” permitted under Wizards of the Coast, LLC© Fan Content Policy, it is not approved or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast, LLC©.