The ride was less than five minutes. She left the horse just inside the woods in order not to be seen or heard by any guard nearby. “I trust you not to run off.” She rubbed his nose again. Orvin had never run off on her.
The guards manner was a one story white building with many adjoining rooms. She had never actually been inside, but Arland had shown her the blueprints and made her memorize them incase she ever got trapped inside. Either during a theft, or incase she was captured so she had a better chance of escaping. There was a patio around the back where a door led in. Quietly as she could, she tip-toed over and peered inside the window by the door. There was only one guard in sight fast asleep in the living quarter‘s rocking chair. That meant there were at least four roaming around somewhere. She looked all around her outside. No one. Where were they? Her questions seemed immediately answered when five guards came walking through laughing in their haughty manner. Aphria rolled her eyes. They seemed to be poking at the sleeping one who Aphria finally noticed had a liquor bottle half emptied next to him. So they were going to be occupied for a while. That was a good thing. Now. What to thieve…
She came here for gold. There had to be a chest inside somewhere. They usually brought one to the king up north once a month or so. It was all the money they ‘taxed’ from the townsfolk. If she could get that back, it would be a miracle. And of course, as she was still watching the fools of the guards, she spotted it right out in the open in the living area. How dense could they be keeping their valuables in plain sight? Were they that vain to think they wouldn’t be thieved? Now all she had to do was wait. It would only take a brief moment to run in, grab all the coins from the chest, put them in the potato sack, then run out accounting for how heavy that sack would be. She had to concoct some extra energy inside her not to drag it out, but to lift it. She could do it. She wouldn’t let herself fail.
After a while of trying to wake their inebriated friend, the others seemed to separate from each other and go through different halls. Perhaps to their quarters? She didn’t dare go in just yet. Her instincts told her it didn’t feel right. And not a few moments later all returned with different liquor bottles. She felt herself sink. They would be in there partying. But to her surprise they all left through another door which she remembered led down a long hallway toward another kind of living area. Aphria smiled. She waited a few more moments before quietly entering.
Her heart beat was the only thing she could hear besides the drunken guard’s snores. There was no way she could wake him. The others had tried so hard. But still she aimed for silence. It was broken when she heard laughter coming closer from up that same hallway. There was no time to let panic take her, she had to find a place to duck. The only place she saw was a small table in the corner. Hopefully they wouldn’t notice. Hopefully they wouldn’t stay long. If her heart beat was loud earlier, it was nothing compared to now.
“Didn’t want it to go to waste now did we?” She heard one of their voices. She didn’t look up for fear of being spotted. She saw their shoes in the gap between the table cloth and the floor. He was going towards the drunken guards chair and picked up the half emptied bottle.
“He would just think he drank it all.” The other one laughed and they both exited back through the hallway. Their loud conversation and laughter was muffled and getting farther away. Her heart fluttered. She ducked back out from behind the table and quickly ran over to the chest and opened it. Just as she suspected, it was full of coins. The townsfolk were too poor to pay with paper. As fast as she could she shoveled handfuls into the potato sack until the chest was emptied. She closed it and stood up. Taking a breath she lifted the heavy sack trying her best not to grunt or groan in the process. Her muscles would surely ache later. She carried it out the door she came into. Looking around making sure no one had come outside, she ran as fast as she could back into the forest and to Orvin who was still waiting on her. She was proud of herself for not dropping a single coin, but felt the muscles in her arms already starting to burn. Slower than usual, but still fast as possible, she hopped back on the horse and rode back to the town. She was clutching the sack in front of her.
She didn’t realize the breath she was holding until she actually spotted the market. A large smile appeared on her face. She got away with it. She put Orvin back in his stable, gave him one last rub on the neck and heaved the coin sack back inside the market.
“Aphria!” Sal called to her. “Can you fetch me some crates?”
She set the sack down next to the door. Her arms tingled in pain. Her muscles were definitely going to start aching that night. She spotted two crates, picked them up and brought them out front. She noticed one of the guards dressed in normal clothes chatting with Sal. “Would two be enough?” She smiled politely at the man trying to make no indication that she knew who he was.
He seemed to look her up and down. She realized that she was probably sweating and didn’t even bother to check if she had any twigs in her hair or mud on her pants. “Actually I believe I change my mind. I don’t think I would be taking any fruit home.”
Sal’s face grew disappointment. She knew he was smart enough not to believe the guard would actually buy anything. But hearing those words still had to have some effect on him. “Well if you change your mind, you know where to come.” He tried to take on his best smile. He turned back to her. “Thank you for taking time to organize back there.” He said just as the guard left so it was definitely heard.
“Thank you for covering.” She smiled at him. “Do I look a mess?”
“Aphria.” He rolled his eyes and took her by the shoulders. “You don’t know how to look a mess.” He kissed her cheek. “I am glad you are safe. Did you get what you came for?”
“Yes. And them some.” She couldn’t help but take a giddy tone. She led him in the back and showed him the bag and opened it. “Good gods!” He clutched his chest. “Please pray that you don’t get found out.”
“I won’t.” She shook her head. She took out to large handfuls and gave them to him. “This is for now. There will be more later. It’s my gift to the town for always being so kind.”
“Kind?” He was taken back. “Aphria you and your kin have done so much for us.”
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