Fred and Rodrigo found a stream large enough to house their bodies. Fred sunk into the stream with a shiver at the biting cold water engulfing his body.

“Hey Fred.” Fred turned his head in Rodrigo’s direction.

“Yes Rodrigo.”

“How are we even going to get in contact with Luna? It’s not like we can walk in the front door.” Said Rodrigo. Fred looked into the sky. ~Shit.~

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” Said Fred. Rodrigo sighed.

“We’re going to die aren’t we.” He said with a dejected look on his face.

“I already have.” Said Fred.

“That doesn’t make this situation any better.” Said Rodrigo.

After bathing for about an hour, they made their way out of the stream and dried off on the bank for a few minutes. Then Fred put on his hunters gear. Which was a pair of short shorts combined with a long sleeve shirt and vest. Rodrigo put on his makeshift loin cloth.

Fred threw his hands into the air and squatted down. Striking a pose.

“I look good don’t I?” Said Fred Rodrigo chuckled.

“You sound like a girl fishing for compliments.” Fred just grinned in response.

“I look real good.” He struck another pose. Rodrigo rolled his eyes. Fred rose from his squat posing and put his hands in his pockets. His hand bumped into an object in his pants.

“What’s this?” He pulled out a folded piece of paper that seemed to have many different colours on it. ~It’s a map~ Thought Fred.

“Give it here. Let me see.” Said Rodrigo while extending his hand for Fred to hand it to him. Fred casually handed the map to Rodrigo.

He unfolded it. “I recognize all these landmarks. This seems to be a map of this forest.” Said Rodrigo. ~That might come in handy.~ Thought Fred. ~But it isn’t of any use right now. Right now we have one big problem we need to solve~

“Okay. Let’s brainstorm. How are we going to get in contact with luna?” Asked Fred.

“Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.” Responded Rodrigo. “We threaten someone who works there and get them to talk to her.” Fred shook his head.

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“I don’t think that will work. We’re weak right now. So the fear wouldn’t be there.” Said Fred as he pointed at his collar. Rodrigo frowned.

“You're right.” Said Rodrigo. Fred looked down at the map that had been returned to his hands. ~Maybe there’s some landmark here that I can use.~ He couldn’t read it as it was written in squiggles. But he could look at the pictures. After what had to be minutes of both him and Rodrigo mindlessly staring off into the distance. Fred came to a realisation about the map he was holding.

~This. This is paper. I’m holding paper.~ It was the most genius discovery since the bigfoot.

“Rodrigo. Have you ever heard of paper hot air balloons?” Said Fred.

“No need to dramatically skirt around the subject. You found a way to contact Luna?” Fred nodded.

“Yes. But we need fire.” Rodrigo grinned.

“I can make you a bow drill from a vine and some sticks. Give me an hour to find the materials.” Without doubting Fred for a second Rodrigo walked off into the forest. While Fred sat cross legged scratching his head at the paper in front of him. ~How do I fold this into a hot air balloon shape.~ Fred sucked in a deep breath. ~I’ve only seen these things on tv. So I don’t know how they work. But Logically I’d want to give it a dome shaped top that’s high enough that the fire would not reach the paper. And create some holes so the heat and smoke can escape allowing it to keep on burning.~

Fred sucked his lip. ~How do you make paper dome shaped.~

He spent the next two hours trying to fold the map into a dome-like shape. After the hundredth try he had finally got it down. Fred then flattened the paper. Cut two sloppy holes in it with a rock. And then folded it again.

“I’m back.” said Rodrigo.

“Good. We need some kind of base to put the fire in. Can you get that?”

……….

After a full six hours of effort they had made a paper air balloon. Rodrigo put a small flat piece of stone that he had found under the balloon. They tied it with bark from the forest

Fred then wrote on it with blood.

LUNA MEET US AT THE LARGEST TREE IN THE FOREST.

……

Fred and Rodrigo stood at where the forest line cut off into Nathaniel's household. They lit the fire underneath their balloon. Then let it fly.

“All we can do now is hope it reaches her.” Said Fred.

“Yup. All we can do is wait.” Fred and Rodrigo turned around. They walked to the largest tree in the forest.

……

Fred and Rodrigo stood at a large oak tree. It was so tall that it seemed to reach into the heavens. Fred chalked its existence up to fantasy bullshit.

Fred and Rodrigo waited till nightfall. At which point they chose to call it a night.

Time passed and the moon moved. Fred slept in a bath of fear. As he knew if he couldn’t steal those wish stones he would not have a chance against Nathaniel. And he didn’t want to know what would happen if he broke his promise.

…….

“MORNING GUYS!” Yelled a too extroverted voice. Fred and Rodrigo shot to their feet.

Standing there was Amanda. Her blond hair billowing in the wind. She had that same too enthusiastic smile on her face.

“You’re here.” He paused for a moment. Then turned to Fred. “Wait. Is this her?” he said. Fred smiled.

“It’s her.” He turned to Amanda. “Amanda. I’m going to be blunt here. Do you want to help us rob your dad?” He said. Amanda frowned.

“Probably not. But I'll hear you out.” She said, Fred smiled.

“I think that if I take his wish stones, I can teach him what it’s like to be a slave. And fulfil a promise.” Said Fred. Amanda furrowed her brows.

“So you. An outsider. Want to overthrow my dad as head of the family.” She said, Fred froze ~Shit. I didn’t think of that.~ Fred’s fist began to clench and unclench. ~If I become the head power for whatever organisation Nathaniel runs. I’d have to make someone my proxy due to my inability to use currency.~ Fred took a deep breath. ~Still. I could use the resources to find a way out of this hellhole.~

“You know what. Yeah. That’s what I want.” Said Fred. Rodrigo looked at Fred in bafflement. ~Yeah. Sorry I didn’t tell you this beforehand. But I didn’t know this beforehand.~ Amanda smiled with giddy excitement.

“I’ve read a lot of history. I know the twisting and turning stories of other nations. new ideas are worth more than just money. And foreigners are the incarnation of new ideas. I’m in. I want to see where you’d lead us.”

And thus. The heist began.