As the sun was just rising, Lyra walked up the ramp she had snuck onto the night before. She pressed the portfolio of papers tightly under her arm and kept a carefree expression on her face. The pirates grinned at her, bowing mockingly as they opened the door to their captain's cabin.

The captain was lounging on his chair, a goblet of wine in one hand. "Ah, Bryndotter, you have returned to us!"

Lyra stepped up and slapped the papers on his desk. She shot him a cheeky grin. "There you are. Plenty of proof of Morganna’s plans to frame you, courtesy of the Thieves Guild."

The captain looked slightly taken aback and leaned over to flip through the papers. As he read the contents, his grin widened and absently, his hand tipped and a few drops of wine splattered on his desk. "My, my I admit I doubted you land rats would deliver."

"We do know our business."

The man leaned back into his chair, examining Lyra, his eyes occasionally flitting back to the papers. "So that man was worth this much to the guild."

At the greedy glint in his eyes, Lyra rolled hers. "Hardly," she said dryly, "however, Morganna has been pushing her luck with us as well. You just gave us a reason to strike."

As an afterthought she added, "Oh, but we would like Geryl back, all hands needed on deck and all that."

The captain laughed and stood up. He placed his hand on Lyra's back and steered her onto the deck. With a signal, two sailor's lugged Geryl up from below. Besides a few new bruises, including a quite dramatic black eyes, he was fine. They cut his bonds and he walked over to Lyra, rubbing his wrists.

She turned to the captain and nodded. "Pleasure doing business with you."

The captain tipped his large brimmed hat. "Well I couldn't very well refuse a bear cub."

Lyra couldn't repress her scowl and the captain smirked before turning on his heel and leaving his men to roughly guide the thieves off the ship.

As soon as they disembarked, the plank was removed. Geryl leaned down and whispered, "So...what just happened?"

Lyra snorted. "I saved your useless ass and we're now fighting with Morganna. I hope you can feel your hands because you've got a job to do."

Geryl seemed surprised by Lyra roughness. Usually she quietly observed, her sharp tongue coming out only when it needed to. But she had been up all night and being reminded of her father left a bad taste in her mouth. Geryl raised an eyebrow but just winked painfully through his black eye.

"Well, I owe you one."

"Damn right. Now hurry, there's a safe lock with your name on it."

Despite being exhausted, Lyra enjoyed watching events unfold as Raldo had predicted. It was now clear to her why he was the leader.

The pirates brought the papers to the guards, the guards were bribed by Morganna, but they didn't give in as usual thanks to a few choice threats from the guild. So the case went through to the Jarl, expedited by his steward who was also on the guild's side. Geryl had done good work at cracking the Jarl’s safe and taking his seal, entrusted to his steward. They had promised to return the seal, only if it would be used to rule the case in the captain's favor.

Morganna was livid. She managed to avoid being jailed, but she faced a huge fine that the Jarl was happy to receive. The pirates swaggered out of Taka and soon Raldo was visited by the angry aristocrat.

They met privately, but her screaming could be heard through most of the hideout. However, Raldo had another file. One documenting many other questionable dealings of Morganna, especially ones that robbed the Jarl of due taxes. Threats were tossed and as much as Raldo hated using blackmail—considering it a dangerously thin leash—he counted on it being the basis for a more healthy professional relationship with Morganna.

Lyra was satisfied. She didn't care about Morganna, but she was relieved the pirates were gone. Her rank in the guild had increased and she'd even been approached by the guild weaponmaster.

Broden was a quiet and reclusive man, but a master with almost every weapon. He had an on and off relationship with the guild, running his own mercenary trade on the side. As things settled and the trickles of 'well dones' from other guild members petered out, Lyra was ready for her success with the pirates to fade into old news. Then Broden approached her.

"Heard how things went down from Geryl. You're not much good in a fight without your poisons. That brain of your is going to be splatted on a wall if you don't shape up."

Lyra gauged her chances and looked up at him cockily. "Well Broden, what do I need to do to meet your standards."

With that, her training began. She went out on fewer missions— becoming the private project of Broden was a twenty-four hour job. Most nights she slept on the training floor, unable to move from where she'd last fallen. Broden was a good teacher, he quickly gauged her strengths and weaknesses.

“You're quick, use that to get close. You're clever, use concealed weapons. You have intuition, strike the right places and all you'll need are your daggers.”

Lyra found she enjoyed training even more than thieving. As she became good enough to start winning against other guild members, she felt the thrill of power. To be able to push someone to the brink, to get them on the floor, their life in your hands...it was intoxicating. She had not felt the rush since she had fought Fenrin. She began seeing his face in her opponents, her eyes growing wild. Soon she had a new nickname.

"The tigress stalks her prey," Geryl narrated from the sidelines as Lyra circled her opponent, Tyr, a senior guild member wielding a sap and shield. Lyra tuned Geryl out, focusing on her opponent. She moved closer and the man moved, lunging with his sap, but she dodged and it cracked against the floor. She tried to move in, but her dagger was pushed back by the shield.

"Ah, the tigress cannot bite through tortoise shell."

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

A few chuckles came from the onlookers. Lyra shot Geryl an irritated look and then cursed as Tyr dove forward, covering his exact movement with his shield. Lyra jumped back, but he swung his shield and it caught her on the arm, the force behind it knocking her off balance. She barely dodged the sap once more and danced back.

She looked at her opponent, vision going red. She could see Fenrin there, his grin telling her she would never win. Never could beat her older, stronger brother. She flipped her daggers around in her hand and let out a battle cry, charging Tyr who merely lowered his shield to deflect her.

At the last minute, she swerved, going around him. She stabbed her dagger into the wood floor and used it to pivot her momentum and then released it, jumping onto Tyr's back. He tried to get his shield around, but couldn't turn fast enough. Lyra dug her nails into his shoulder and flicked the dagger over his neck. He froze and she stayed on him, breathing heavily.

There was a moment of quiet and Geryl laughed. "The tigress pounced, sinking her claws into her prey."

A few cheers and condolences to Tyr, who turned to tell Lyra it was luck but stopped when he saw her eyes, still distant and burning with rage. He grunted something about next time and quickly left.

Geryl walked up and leaned against Lyra who tensed. Geryl didn't react and the fire faded. Lyra suddenly noticed that they were almost the same height. She had grown—in more ways than one. Geryl wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Let me buy you a drink, Lyra the Tigress. That was quite the match to watch."

"And narrate apparently."

Geryl grinned and Lyra let him lead her out of the sparring ring. In truth, Lyra didn't mind the new nickname, she felt it fit better than snake, which is what her poisons had named her. She never wanted to use poison again in battle. It didn't have the same satisfaction.

Tigress was a strong name, a fierce one, and for giving it to her, Lyra let Geryl take her out.

They went to one of the many bars in Taka. It was seedy, but most were, but at least it wasn't a sailor's pub. Geryl ordered the drinks and Lyra let herself get drunk. She let Geryl's wandering hands find their way onto her thigh.

Geryl was a well-known and open womanizer, his classically roguish nature attracted many towards him. He claimed to have slept with every woman in Taka and although few trusted that claim, enough conquests were verified to make him the envy of his peers. Lyra examined him as he regalled her with a humorous tale about robbing a man blind by convincing him that his wealth was preventing him from winning the woman of his dreams.

Her mind was fuzzy from the alcohol and noted that he was handsome. His crooked smile and many times broken nose were endearing on his otherwise symmetrical face. As the story came to an end, Lyra laughed and let her head lean on him, him somehow having gotten close enough.

His arm went over her shoulder but only tarried for a moment before continuing so his hand could feel her rump appreciatively where it had started to slide off the stool. He leaned over and whispered, "You're a pretty girl, Lyra."

"You're not half bad yourself." Her words only slurred slightly but when Geryl stood quickly, yanking her up and into his chest, her vision took a second to keep up.

"Let's go somewhere."

Lyra didn't answer, but let herself be dragged up the inn steps. Geryl was behind her, his hands slipping under the front of her shirt and his lips caressing her neck. She tingled all over and a new kind of fire lit in her.

She had never been with a man. Suddenly a hunger roared to life and she turned, her lips finding his. She kissed him desperately and his tongue slipped into her mouth. She felt her back bump into a doorway painfully as Geryl steered her into a room, but she hardly noticed.

His shirt was almost off and Geryl pulled away for a moment to remove it completely. As soon as it was gone, Lyra leaned back a bit, panting as they kissed. Somehow he got hers off without stopping and she felt her breasts press against his warm chest. His hands fondled them roughly, but she didn't care.

She ached and gasped as he pulled off her pants and undergarments, pulling her thighs up. He pressed her against the wall, massaging her legs as she continued to lock her fingers in his hair, pressing his face onto hers.

He lowered her down and thrust into her. She gasped in pain but it was swallowed by his kisses. He kept going and her fingernails bit onto his back. In a single movement he turned, tossing her onto the bed. Her hands clutched at the bed sheets.

"Ahhh..first time little tigress? Enjoy it." She barely had time to process his words before he began once more. He leaned over, his lips tracing her shoulder and biting down. She moaned, her body shaking. She moved underneath him overwhelmed by the sensations rippling through her.

Her hands flew to his head again and she felt him shudder. He withdrew and she felt a sticky warmth on her leg. His weight came down on her more and he turned to the side to pulled her in front of him, arcing their bodies together and one hand rubbed her neck as the other lingered on her thigh.

Lyra was exhausted. It wasn't long before both fell asleep.

"Hey Tigress, you up for round two?"

Lyra's eyes opened and she flinched to see Geryl propped up on his elbow lying beside her. His eyes roamed shamelessly down her body and she flushed. Memories of the night before came rushing back and she licked her dry lips. She gave a fierce nod and he grabbed her shoulders pulling her into him. His kisses began soft but became more feverish.

Lyra explored his body with her hands, feeling his abs and the corded muscles of his back. He guided her into different positions and she followed, enjoying the new experience. When they had finished, she opened her eyes and looked up. He was putting his pants on.

She watched silently as he got dressed. He opened the door a crack. "I have a job to do, Tigress, but the room’s yours until noon." He gave her a wink and slipped out.

Lyra lay back down and dozed off.

She slept with Geryl a few more times, but both soon became bored and looked for new partners. Lyra's awakened sexuality was good news for many men she found had noticed her as well. However, after Geryl, she realized the power of sex, how it changed how you were viewed and how people treated you. She didn't let herself get carried away, using her allure to get what she wanted while never letting anyone think they could use her.

Lyra had risen in the guild yet more, but she grew nervous as her year of banishment grew to a close. She knew Bryn would come looking for her as he had promised, and she intended to keep her own of never going back to him.

Finally it was her birthday. Her eighteenth birthday. She walked into Raldo's office where she had asked to meet with him and Zari, the first guild members she had met.

"I have to leave for a while. My father ordered me back after one year."

Raldo nodded. "Ah, then you must return."

She spat and Raldo raised an eyebrow. "Not likely. I've told you, I don't intend to remain tied to him. No, I'm going into hiding, he'll send people after me. They'll no doubt track me here."

Zari's mouth was a straight stern line. "We won't tell them anything."

Lyra looked them both in the eyes. "No, I want you to tell them everything."

Raldo's eyebrow raised and Lyra sighed, explaining, "The Thieves Guild has been good to me. I have no desire for my father to tear it apart, which he will if you lie to him. Tell them everything they ask, be completely blunt and honest. Leave the avoiding to me. I'm going west, so tell them that."

"And they'll believe it?" Zari asked with a snort, Lyra shrugged.

"Maybe, but tell them that's all you know. I’m not sure if I'll be back so I want..." She paused, words of gratitude unnatural on her tongue. "I wanted to thank you for taking me in and teaching me."

Zari smiled, seeing how difficult it was for Lyra. She stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. "You drive me nuts, Lyra, but I'm glad you came and the Thieves Guild has been better for it."

For a small moment, Lyra let herself be held, her heart softening. Maybe she shouldn't leave...

She pulled away and nodded at Raldo who waved his hand, dismissing her with a smile. Lyra exited the office, grabbed her packed bag, and left Taka.