A small group set out from Beecham's Corner, seven men in total, and before they reached the border, they'd lost two. Not by an ambush from the enemy, but by pure bad luck, They were walking a small path on the ridge of the mountain-range and one man tripped, pulling along the man in front of him. And there was nothing Hood could have done, just look in horror as the boy Ancor fell to his death. At the wrong time at the wrong place. Hood had been certain the place he was walking would have been safe, right behind him. He cursed, for he had come to like the boy, a brave young man, probably head over heels with the princess. It really was a shame, had the boy stayed with the prince, he'd be alive. Hood made a mental note, to light a candle for the boy at the Church back home. To pray for his soul.<br/><br/>Strangely enough it was a walk in the park after that incident. Crossing the border, the group of thieves didn't see anything that they had been expecting. No heightened security, no throngs of soldiers, readying themselves to invade their country. Everything seemed to be as it should be, with the exception that their Kingdom had been attacked and the princess kidnapped. And by the following morning, they had figured the story out. A local warlord had set his eyes on the princess, only to be turned down by her and the King, for various reasons, the warlord had bribed some of the Palace's staff, to find a way in to kidnap the princess. And at the same time kill her parents, purely out of revenge for being turned down. The five remaining men, on their way to free the princess, were among the most hardened thieves in the Kingdom. But thieves were not murderers, Hood was proud to have never killed anyone, although he knew that would change. The found an underground way into the fortress the warlord was residing. A farmer they had crossed paths with, had readily given them directions to yet another underground cave-system, that would lead to the dungeons. 'T'Fortress s;nothing, t'is underground you need be, sir'.<br/><br/>Inside, and underground, they split up. Each man been given a specific task. The other four would hunt down everyone in the fortress, a task soldiers probably couldn't perform, but men so well at home on the Thieves Highways, were certainly up for the task. Hood would go after the warlord and then the princess, taking her home. But via a different, longer way, to avoid the mountain-range. They would all make their way back to Tillie's bar, in their own speed, and Hood had promised to reward each of them richly. Silence fell upon them as they headed out, with Hood first going down. He wanted to locate the princess first, before heading for the warlord.<br/><br/>It was much easier than he had expected. The man sat alone in a small room next to the dungeons, drinking heavily. 'I'll just have to keep her locked up, she's bound to give in, she'll marry me. She's got nowhere to go'. He never saw it coming, Hood sneaked in, as silent as he'd ever been, cutting his throat with a long blade, the man had not even time to have a final breath, such was the severance the blade made. A large key hung at the furthest wall, which he picked up and carefully made his way into the dungeon-section. No sounds were heard from above, he knew he could lose a man or two, but he trusted them with their tasks. If the warlord had been so easy, his men shouldn't be hard to take out either. He heard a faint sobbing, and unlocked the door. But he refrained from entering, only looking at the young, naked girl sitting in a corner. 'D'not fear, M'lady, I's come to rescue you'. He looked over his shoulder, noticing a large, thick cape, undoubtedly belonging to the warlord and he rushed to get it, to go back to the cellar. He held the cape out in front, openened, holding it with both his hands. 'Lemme wrap this 'round you, M'lady princess. Them call me Hood, I live in't'city of t'palace. Come, time to head home'.