<div class="floatleft">(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/b7/3b/bb/b73bbbe4eeac8cb95ad88173e348dfe0.jpg)</div>The night was dark, there were clouds obscuring the crescent moon. Though it was balmy enough, Hani was not cold. Her form fitting black tunic and trousers melted into the night. She wore a hooded cowl that covered her hair and face, leaving only slits for the eyes. Black gloves and boots with soft soles completed her stealthy outfit.<br/><br/>The cobblestone streets were slick with dew, but she did not let it stop her. She was agile enough to scale a brick building and climb to a roof. Tonight she was searching for an artifact only recently sold to the pawnbroker, Fidel  Zenithar. His building was sturdy and well guarded on the street level. Not so much the roof.<br/><br/>Her eyes were well adjusted to the darkness and her hearing was enhanced with a magical amulet under her tunic. The footfalls of a patrol echoed through the night as she sat in the shadow of the chimney to wait until he passed. As soon as the footfalls faded, she moved to the edge of the roof to peer over. The balcony that more a decoration than a function was right below her.<br/><br/>Silently she dropped over the edge with the aid of a slender cord attached to the chimney and wrapped around her waist to allow her to move quietly and quickly. The cord was left wrapped around the support of the balcony. Her slim form was vulnerable in that few tense moments as she tried to ease the window open. To her relief, it was not latched, and she was soon inside the attic of the pawn shop.<br/><br/>The various chests and crates of goods stored up here were not to her interest. The artifact would be kept in the vault below. She worked cautiously to the trap door that led to the next floor down. Listening intently to the sounds below, she determined that the upper floor was not occupied. Opening the trapdoor and slipping down by way of the retractable ladder, she fastened the latch to keep it in place. This was her escape route and she needed to make sure she could get out of here.<br/><br/>This level was partly an old apartment that was now vacant. Old Zenithar did not trust anyone to live there, but it would certainly make sense for him to have a live in security guard. Hani smiled as she thought he might be looking for someone soon.<br/><br/>The stairs were old in this building and creaked when she put her weight on them. She froze for a moment as the sound echoed in the stairwell. Nothing was heard for a long minute as she waited. She could still escape if anyone heard her. Cautiously she continued to the door to the next level, which was locked. Pulling out her lockpick, she took only about half a minute to get the door open. This was the street level and she could not afford to be seen. No lights burned in any of the windows or hallways. The shop long closed and locked up on the outside.<br/><br/>The vault was in the back office and had no windows, which made it easier for Hani to close the door and use her tiny witchstone, which glowed when she whispered the spell. It was on her wrist and allowed her to see the vault lock, which was complex and trapped as well. She knelt next to the vault door and used her probe to ferret out the trap and disable it. This took her about fifteen minutes, the longest she figured it was worth the task.<br/><br/>The lock itself soon unraveled to her skill, and she opened the safe to peer in at the wrapped bundle. She reached in to grasp it and pulled it out. The dagger was a magically enhanced work of beauty. Made of mithril and silver, the hilt was studded with three gems, each one a different spell of protection. A ruby protected from fire, the sapphire from water and the extremely rare Mythic gem protected from evil.<br/><br/>Hani did not have time to contemplate her treasure, as it was soon close to the next guard patrol to pass the shop. She wrapped the dagger back into its protective sheath of deep purple silk and placed it in her pouch.<br/><br/>Relocking the vault, she also took a minute to reset the trap. With any luck, old Zenithar would not realize the theft for many days. She would need time to get it to her fence. He had promised her a hefty cut of the black market sale. Not everyone could afford the fortune it represented.<br/><br/>Retracing her steps, Hani made it back to the roof without making any more fuss. Once there, she paused as the patrol went by. A smirk on her face was hidden by the cowl. She was not home free yet. All she had to do was make it back to the Dew Drop Inn, without being seen. Not hard to do for her, but now she had something on her that would be difficult to explain to a zealous guard.<br/><br/>Dropping to the roof next to the Pawn building, Hani ran across three more roofs before being forced to go to the ground. Her room at the top attic level of the Dew Drop Inn was ahead. Below she could hear the distinct clatter of a patrol. Hani frowned, it was rather late for the patrol to come here. She peered over the edge of the roof she was on to see who it was. If it was not so dark, an observant guard could see her, if he looked. Of course all he would see would be a dark shape, possibly a cat or owl. Hani froze as the guard looked around.<br/><br/>She hoped he was merely looking to meet someone here, or maybe the Inn. He appeared cautious, as if not sure he was being watched. Maybe he did not trust whoever he was meeting?<br/><br/>Hani withdrew before he spotted her, laying flat on the roof and listening. Her heart pounding as she wondered how long he would stand there? Soon enough, he moved on, his footfalls echoing down the street.<br/><br/>When it was safe to do so, Hani went down the side of the building in the back and crept out of the alley to the Dew Drop Inn. Making her way up the back of the building, she entered her attic room from the window and closed and locked it behind her. It did not take her long to change into her bright blue skirt and white peasant blouse, lacing a darker blue corset over the top of the blouse to secure her modest treasures and emphasize her waist. After combing out her long red hair in soft ringlets around her face she went down the stairs to begin her work shift.<br/><br/>Her father, Malcolm was behind the bar and smiled at her as she came into the room. There were only a few diners in the dining room, most of the dinner crowd had already left and only stragglers met in shadowy corners to do business or simply to relax. Hani went right to work, helping in the kitchen to clean up and called out only to serve when the present cocktail waitress was too busy to carry out drink orders. This was the late shift. Easy going and not much to do but serve drinks and clean up after the last of the diners left. She went from table to table, wiping off the spills and keeping an eye on the  door in case anyone came in and needed to be served.<br/>