Polymath Redux

Chapter 7: To the lady and gentleman, a Solaris style greetings to you!

Yda.

Pick pocketing and information brokering was her game, she lived life as a rat, getting into the nook and cranny of all sorts of pockets and classified information. For the past 17 years that's how she had lived her life and although she had amassed quite a bit of fortune with it she continued to do this.

It was no longer just about survival, it was about the game. The thrill of the hunt! For now she lived a free life with little to worry, the 'patrons' of the capital city were very 'generous' and 'plentiful'. However that was it, there was one thing that defined her particular character; a creed to her life if you will.

It was the fact that she hated the nobility. No, perhaps not limited to merely nobles, anyone rich, be it merchants, traders, adventurers or knights. Even royalty was not exempt from her disdain, why? Because it was because of the rich that her life was trampled to the ground and that she had to even resort to pick pocketing to survive!

Then, on a bright mid summer's day, she happened to chance upon two particular people that looked rather well off. Well, at least one of them were. They were walking around the streets of the marketplace; a handsome looking young man, perhaps not any older than her, wearing a sturdy looking armor. It was dirty but those usually were the best kind as they were hard working, meaning their pockets were also 'hard working'.

Next to him was a woman, perhaps a little older than the man, she looked rather well off, she even showed off her great sword slung on her back. It looked extremely expensive, no saying it was 'expensive' would rather be an insult. She didn't know what kind of ancient tomb she had to raid to obtain such weaponry but there it was. Unfortunately even for Yda, stealing a great sword was too tall of an order, but this just mean that the woman's pocket was also 'plentiful'.

Perhaps they were some kind of adventurer couple? Or so Yda had thought about, but their relationship didn't particularly look 'lovey-dovey'. Then adventuring friends, comrades? Well, no matter they were just targets. 'Thanks for all the hard work', Yda prayed to them in her heart as she lined her sights up for the plundering.

Though she did consider it a little odd that the man carried no visible weapon even though he was wearing armor. Well, that wasn't any of her business, her business was 'infiltration' and 'recovery'. Wearing a subterfuge she crept closer to the duo walking around like they weren't paying attention, 'all the better to steal with, my dear', she commentated to herself in her mind.

She started phasing out and drooling just thinking about how much gold would be in that fat pocket of the lady's or even the man's. The problem was where they were keeping their gold, most of the time for adventurers they placed it in their pockets of their dominant hand, though Yda couldn't find any noticeable bulge. There were smart adventurers that left their money at their inns or whatnot but for someone who carried around an expensive looking great sword that kind of thinking probably wasn't on their minds.

As she drew closer the female companion opened her mouth to talk.

"Master..."

Out of all the words, Yda did not expect her to address the man as 'master', why did the servant look more lavish than the master? There were a few scenarios in which this could be the case, perhaps that armor was more of a heirloom? Which would explain the damage to it... yeah... 'that might just be it', Yda thought, reassuring herself that she hit the 'jackpot' today.

"Don't worry about it."

The man replied with a carefree smile. Though that smile looked rather fishy it wasn't anyone of her concern. 'Oh, I'll show you something to worry about, soon enough!' Impish thoughts ran through her brain more and more as they drew closer and closer. She even started fantasizing about what she would do with the loot.