Reshi was waiting for Dani at the end of the day, lounging outside the shop with a short, fawn-colored Felinae dressed in simple brown clothes that set off the darker shades of her fur nicely. Dani paused to look the two over, noting the dagger on the Felinae’s hip, and tucked into her boot. Not a lady or whore for sure, not that Dani even wanted to think about Reshi with a whore. But whores tended to have less obvious weapons, and they usually didn’t wear trousers either.

Cautiously, Dani approached the pair, shooting a glare at Reshi. “Ya left me with the prince earlier. Now he’s throwing a fucking ball and expects me to get all dolled up for it.”

Reshi snorted. “Ya ain’t gonna go to no ball. He’s probably makin’ shit up anyways. An’ I didn’t want Fawn ‘ere makin’ a scene in front of those silly ladies.”

“Mrs. Haversaun says it’s a guarantee that he’ll throw the ball, he wouldn’t have mentioned in front of those particular two silly ladies if he wasn’t going to.” And Dani could see why already, it had only taken two hours for other ladies to start flooding in, hoping to get their own fancy dresses for it. “Besides, even if you don’t trust him, don’t you trust the queen? She’s going to be sending fabric over for my dress tomorrow.”

Mrs. Haversaun had managed to keep her calm when the royal messenger arrived late in the afternoon, but excitement slipped out as she started to sketch ideas for Dani’s dress. She’s have a variety of sketches ready by tomorrow when they got to see what fabric they were working with. And she was going to send over her personal jeweler to design something special for Dani.

She felt a small thrill of panic flutter through her as she thought of it all. This had all gotten out of hand so fast! Dani pushed the thoughts of today aside as she studied the Felinae. Reshi frowned at her news. Let the old man stew a little, he was the one that had left her to the prince and Mrs. Haversaun! As if Mrs. Haversaun would say she couldn’t go to a ball and advertise her work.

The Felinae studied her, amusement dancing in her large green eyes. “It sounds as if she’ll be goin’ ta a ball Reshi.” She purred, her tail giving a little flick.

“We’ll see ‘bout that.” He muttered. “Let’s go, Raycor will ‘ave dinner ready by the time we get home.”

“Is your friend having dinner with us?” Dani asked, falling into step slightly behind Reshi and his friend.

“Aye, that she will. This is Fawn, she’s a representative from the Thieves Guild come ta talk to ya.” Reshi said, his face still set in a deep frown.

Dani froze for a moment, a chill running down her spine. The Thieves Guild had sent a representative to talk to her? Shit! Running would be pointless, at best it would just put her in deeper trouble, at worst it would drag Reshi and the others into trouble with her. She swallowed hard, and hurried to catch up to the pair. “Come to talk to me? About-”

“About your encounter with a certain noble.” Fawn cut in smoothly, her ears swiveling as they walked through the market. “Let’s not give too many details ot in the open, it can wait until we’re in private. Reshi was telling me that Raycor made some of his famous pasties after all, and I brought some wine to share.” She patted a bag that Dani hadn’t noticed at first.

That had to be a good sign, right? They wouldn’t bring wine if she was in deep trouble. At least, she didn’t think they would. “Just- just to be clear, that whole thing was my idea. The rest of the family didn’t have anything to do with it, so they don’t deserve any trouble.” Dani forced herself to straighten a little. She wasn’t going to give in to the urge to shrink down, she had to make sure that her family was safe.

Somehow.

And besides, it was true. It had been her mess and she should be the one that cleaned it up. Or suffered the consequences from it.

“Don’t worry.” Fawn smiled at her, sharp white teeth shining in the fading sunlight. “If the guild wanted you dead, you’d already be dead.”

“Why doesn’t that reassure me?” Dani muttered, feeling the color drain from her face. She supposed she could be relieved that they didn’t want her dead, but then what did they want? Did the Thieves Guild had a dungeon? She knew sometimes they cut hands or fingers off those that broke their rules. She flexed her fingers, a movement that Fawn did not miss.

“I like yer kid Reshi, she’s smart.” Fawn laughed, ducking into a side street. “This way, guards ahead.”

Reshi followed, and so Dani did as well. She glanced towards the group of guards as she turned into the side street, spotting Sir Derrick among them. Shit, he would definetly know her if he saw her! Dress or no dress. She hurried after Reshi and Fawn, following them through the twisting side streets and rough steps that made led into the Rats Nest. Of course they only got worse the further in they went, occasional short tunnels interrupting the daylight, steep steps leading to hard packed dirt streets and narrow alleys that connected at odd angles or even went overtop other alleys.

Reshi and Fawn chatted as they wound their way to Raycor’s, the sun nearly set by the time they arrived. But light shone through the windows and cracks in the door, and the smell of pasties warmed over the fire wafted out to them. Reshi opened the door, gesturing for Fawn and Dani to go in ahead of him. “Evenin’ Raycor, ladies.”

“Reshi!” Azra barreled into Reshi, giving him a tight hug before bouncing to Dani and doing the same. “Dani! Ya were ‘sleep last night, Da says yer stayin’ wit’ us fer a while!”

Dani couldn’t help but smile. She could almost even forgive the bundle of joy for kicking her all last night. Almost. “For a little bit I guess. Yeah. How was the bakery today?”

“It was good.” Therija said as she set down plates around the table. It would be a bit crowded, but nothing they hadn’t dealt with before. “How was yer first day with Mrs. Haversaun?”

“Uhm....” Dani thought back over her day, trying to figure out a way to sum it up in a few words. Between Reshi and Wulfram, the ladies squealing over the ball, and the flood of business in the afternoon, it had certainly been, “Eventful.” She finally decided on. “It was eventful.”

“As eventful as yesterday?” Therija looked at Dani from under raised eyebrows. Shit, she was channeling Najia now. She did not want to deal with Therija in Najia mode.

“Not- not quite. But the night is still young.” Dani cleared her throat. “What can I help with?”

“Go ‘head an’ sit down. We’re almost done, an’ I know ye can’t be feelin’ too good considerin’ the condition ye were in last night.” Therejia handed Azra silverware to set out, the tarnished metal catching the lamplight.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Well, Therija wasn’t wrong. The wound on her shoulder had started to ache early on, and had just gotten worse as the day wore on and she moved it more. She hoped it didn’t bleed through the dress, but no one had said anything about seeing any blood. So she was probably alright.

But it still felt bad to be sitting while the rest of the family was working. Dani sat in one of the mis-matched chairs around the table, Fawn taking her place beside her. “Hopefully this will help with the not feeling good.” She said, pulling out a bottle of wine. It was large, and had a simple label on it. Nothing so fancy as the Elven wine down in the tunnels. But it had to be better than the stuff Reshi gave her yesterday.

“Ohhh!” Azra paused, wide eyes on the wine. “Do I get ta try some too?”

“No.” Therija said firmly, and Raycor chuckled.

“Ye be too young yet, my small. Ye’ll be ‘avin’ cider. But it’ll be nice’n warm fer ya. Been simmerin’ it in the kettle.” Raycor nodded to the kettle next to the fire, a sweet aroma wafting up from it.

“Jus’ a lil’? Jus’ a sip?” Azra pleaded, looking up at Raycor.

Raycor chuckled and picked up a tray of pasties. “No.”

Azra jutted out her lower lip, and stomped back over to the table, climbing onto a seat next to Fawn. “Fine.”

“I suppose if you want to sulk I won’t give ye the candy I brought fer ya.” Fawn purred, looking down at Azra with a slightly less toothy smile than the one she had given Dani earlier. “I’ll jus’ eat it myself.”

“Candy?” Azra’s pout immediately disappeared, and she looked at Fawn with wide eyes. “Ye really brought me candy?”

“Aye, fer after dinner though. Thank ye Raycor.” Fawn said as the large man set a pastie on her plate. Therija poured some thick gravy over it. It was a routine that reminded Dani of Najia again. Therija looked so much like her mother, and had stepped in to do a lot of her duties when she had died.

If Dani was honest with herself, it was one of the reasons she had left. The house just seemed... wrong without Najia there. Maybe she should have stayed, but she had just been in the way anyways.

Raycor and Therija finished passing out the food, and Fawn poured them all glasses of wine, filling the mismatched cups as equally as she could. Azra got her cider, and seemed perfectly content with it now that she had the promise of candy after dinner. Reshi took the seat on the other side of Dani, Raycor, Therija and Azra filling in the table.

“Now Fawn, what ya doin’ ‘ere? Ain’t expect ta see ya any time soon.” Raycor said.

Fawn took a sip of her wine, a good faith gesture to show it wasn’t poisoned, and smiled at Raycor. “Aye, been too long, ain’t it? Dun worry, I ain’t here to cause any trouble. I just been sent to provide an... invitation.”

“Oh aye?” Reshi picked up his own glass, taking a sip. He shrugged slightly at the taste and took another, bigger drink. “Like as not one we can’t refuse, eh?”

“Oh, you can refuse it. But then Alodia might just send Bear, an’ none of us want that. Your family has always been in good graces with the Thieves Guild, and the leadership knows the mistakes that youth makes. I seem ta remember that was what ended yer career, isn’t it?” Fawn asked casually, her mischievous gaze flicking to Reshi.

“Aye, that it was.” Reshi said with a sigh. “Din’ expect Dani here ta take after me in that regard. Eat up lass, ye be needin’ it.” That last was directed at Dani, and he gave a nod towards her as yet untouched food. Azra was eating like she was starving, and the others had already started in on their pasties while Dani’s lay untouched.

She felt a twinge of annoyance, but cut into the pastie anyways. “You act like I haven’t eaten all day. I had the pastie for breakfast like everyone else, and then another at lunch at Mrs. Haversauns!”

“Ye ‘ad an apple an’ fergot yer pastie there. If yer lucky ye’ll eat it tomorrow ‘fore ya draw mice ta her shop.”

Shit, she hadn’t thought he had noticed that. She winced a little at the reminder, and slumped down a bit as she ate a few bites of her pastie. But the slouch only pulled at her shoulder wound, and she straightened back up. “Sorry... I’ll eat it tomorrow, we just got busy.”

“An’ tomorrow will be busy too I reckon.” Reshi sighed. “Don’t lie ta me again lass. Tomorrow we’ll ‘ave Mrs. Haversaun over fer dinner as well. Like as not all she ate was a damn apple to. I thought women folk were meant ta take care o’ others, but ye can’t ‘ardly take care of yerse-ouch!” Reshi pulled his hand out of Fawn’s range, giving her a glare that could have rotted fruit.

“What?” Fawn looked at Reshi with wide-eyed innocence, retracting the claws she had just dug into his hand. “Oh yes, I believe we were talking about making mistakes, weren’t we?” Her face broke into a toothy chesire cat smile, and she winked at Azra. “We all make them, no matter how young or old. It just tends to be more common in youth. If we are smart, we learn from them. If we are very lucky, mistakes turn into gains.”

“I don’t think my mistake can be turned into a gain.” Dani said softly, and took another bite of her pastie. She supposed that she was hungry, and she loved pasties, she wasn’t going to waste all the hard work and effort that went into making this meal. Especially not with Azra sitting right there. She had to be a good example.

Or at least as good an example as a screw-up like herself could be.

Fawn looked at Dani in surprise, her eyebrows raising. “You really don’t think so? It’s already turning your life around. You have the attention of a very handsome, very high-ranking noble, and you’re already invited to a ball that they’re throwing in your honor. Besides, if the guild leadership thought that your actions were just going to bring trouble they wouldn’t have sent me. I am the one they send when people show promise, and you show promise.”

“She ain’t gunna be stealin’ no more.” Reshi slammed his hand on the table, hard enough to rattle the plates. “I never shoulda tauhgt ‘er ‘ow to, shoulda listened ta my sister-in-law an’ let ‘er teach ‘er sewin’ an’ become Lattie’s ‘prentice from the get-go. That promise ain’t doin’ nothin’ but leadin’ ‘er to an early death!”

“Aye, an’ we dun want our girl ta wind up dead.” Raycor spoke up softly, looking at Dani. “We know ya might not like what we be doin’ but we jus’ want what’s best fer ya.”

“And if she wants to keep stealing?” Fawn asked, her ears giving a little twitch.

“Then I keep my word.” Reshi growled, his voice low. “An’ turn ‘er in myself.”

Silence fell heavy on the table, and Azra watched the adults with wide eyes. “Is- is Dani goin’ ta jail?” She whispered.

“No, Dani ain’t goin’ ta jail. We’re tryin’ ta keep ‘er from goin’ ta jail.” Raycor patted Azra’s head lightly. “It’s one o’ the reasons she be stayin’ with us fer a bit.”

“Is this ‘bout why she was naked when Reshi an’ Fawn brought ‘er home last night? Is she in trouble?” Azra’s lower lip trembled, and she looked up at Raycor, tears brimming her eyes.

“Aye, it is. But look at ‘er, see? She’s right there, an she’s just fine. Right Dani?” Raycor and Azra looked at Dani, and a lump formed in her throat. Azra looked so scared, she couldn’t stand to make it worse. Even if she wanted to yell at them that she was the one who got to decide what she did with her life.

She couldn’t put them through that fear again. She smiled thinly, and nodded. “Aye, I’m alright. Just a little sore from an adventure. I won’t be stealing anymore, and didn’t you hear? I’m even going to a ball in a month.”

“Ya really are? Goin’ to a ball? Wit’ fancy dresses an’ ladies an’ ponies?” Azra asked and wiped at her eyes with her sleeve.

Dani’s smile grew a little more genuine. “Well, I’m not sure about the ponies, but fancy dresses and ladies for sure.”

“Will ya tell me all ‘bout it?” Azra asked, the fear fading a little bit more.

“Yeah, I’ll tell you all about it. But you gotta be good for Therija and Raycor. Maybe I can even make your doll a new dress out of some of the material for mine. If you’re really good.”

“Really? A fancy dress?” Azra leaned forward, her eyes widening. And there went the last of the fear.

“Yes, a fancy dress.” Dani nodded. “Just gotta be good. I think I need some fresh air though, I’ll be back.”

Dani picked up the rest of her pastie and hurried outside, not waiting for permission. Damnit she was an adult, she could go outside if she wanted. Maybe if she was lucky Reshi wouldn’t even follow her. But she didn’t want Azra to see her cry, and the whole mess made her desperately want to cry. All these people seemed to have different plans for her. The Thieves Guild wanted something from her, Wulfram wanted something from her, Reshi wanted something from her... and that was perhaps worse, because if she didn’t do what he wanted he’d turn her in!

There, that was what really hurt. He had taught her to steal, and now one mistake and he wanted her to just give it up. Everything he had taught her! She tilted her head back to stare up at the stars.

The door behind her closed, and she caught the scent of cinnamon and vanilla as Therija approached. She wrapped her arms around Dani, hugging her tightly. “Ya okay?”

Dani turned, returning the hug just as tightly. “I don’t know. I just... I don’t know.” Dani closed her eyes tightly as the tears spilled over, and hid her face against Therija’s shoulder.