<b>Dutchess Tara Hohenlohe of Ostbering, The Grand Avenue, Auxcora City<br/>
</b><br/>The bustling carnival drew more than just onlookers. It was well-known that the thieves of Auxcora thrived in dark alleys, where their victims could not see what they were doing, and in crowds where it would be easy to brush against a passersby and lift their pockets without their notice. It stood to logic, then, that the throng of the carnival would be a prime target. Drawn to the performances, the audience would be as blind to quick fingers as they would be in the dark, and they were, of course, clumped together, pushing and shoving for a good view at the front of the pack.<br/><br/>One by one, the distracted proved to be a treasure trove for opportunistic thieves, many of whom were quite familiar with the myriad acts of the acrobats by now. One among them saw an opening in the Duchess - dazed and clouded in thought, keenly unaware of her immediate surroundings. Perhaps for a minute, for seconds, but it took only a split second for deft fingers to relieve her of that heavy coin purse weighing on those lovely athletic hips. And then they would be gone...<br/><br/>No, not quite. The thief couldn't help but ponder another moment at the supple curves wrapped in tight leather, shaped and toned to perfection by her years of hunting on horseback. Thieves were purveyors of mischief, after all, and this thief was a little more cheeky than most.<br/><br/>With a little bravado and a little cunning, the thief enacted his plan. A flat palm smacked against that well-rounded cheek snug on her rear, loud enough that she might have heard the slap amidst the roar of the crowd, but she would have certainly felt it. This would have her attention, which would have him on his back in moments, which was where the cunning came in. Some silver coins from her purse somehow dropped to the floor, right around her. The sound of tinkling coin drew the attention of some of the commoners - the sight of silver drew the attention of more, roused shouts and excitement that had them rush towards the Duchess like a stampede. Amidst the pack of geese pecking for silver breadcrumbs, the thief made their escape, dashing quickly to slip into a nearby alleyway.<br/><b><br/>
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