thou shalt not steal -- caleb

Having grown up on the streets in a city, it was really no wonder that Caleb always found himself drawn more to cities than the wild – there was also the point worth noting where Caleb wasn’t much of a fighter and would perhaps never make it out of the woods alive on his own, but he didn’t enjoy dwelling on that too much. Caleb didn’t necessarily have a favourite city, although the women in Itaia were certainly a strong pull; but there was one particular woman in Mercarias, who carried the name of the city but none of its’ ruthlessness. Every once in a while he’d slip away to see Galiena Mercarias, or Gia, as he knew her. She wasn’t always about, but the times he caught her were worth it. She reminded him of Anna before she became… well, the Anna everyone spited and hated today. There was a charm to her naivety that warmed the depths of Caleb’s heart. He may be a thief, but unlike many of his kind, he didn’t quite share the dark edge they all seemed to have. He was a happy soul; one who actually enjoyed his life instead of cursing his way through each day. Gia was his rose in the muddy pond of this world and any time spent with her was time well spent.

He usually found a way of getting word out to her when he was about time, but it seemed as though luck was on his side as he wandered through the market place, his sharp eye only half-mindedly eyeing the fruit stall nearby, when he spotted her. Gia’s air of innocence set her apart from the others; his trademark mischievous smirk appeared on his lips and he did what he knew best: made himself invisible in the crowds, ensuring Gia didn’t spot him before he wanted to. Moments later, he appeared behind her, an apple from the scrumptious fruit stand in his hand. Caleb tapped her right shoulder and moved to her left side, his face a perfect mask of innocence aside from his eyes, which betrayed his mischief. ”Hungry, mi lady?” he mused, holding the apple out in front of him.

Gia asked a question she full well knew she wouldn’t be getting an answer to and Caleb wasn’t about to get into a conversation that would lead nowhere with her; ofcourse Caleb had not paid for it and they both knew that – but Caleb wasn’t about to create a scene with her trying to go to the vendor and explain this conundrum. Her bible verse earned a smirk from him though; Caleb was no a religious man himself. Despite his mostly positive outlook on life, a Deity was not something he believed in. He’d lived far too cruel and unfortunate a life for that – he followed his own moral compass, and did whatever he did for the health of his own conscience. Having said that, he found Gia’s belief somewhat endearing; it was all a part of her innocent charm. ”Well then, better get rid of the evidence.” Caleb took a bite from the apple, his demeanour remaining good natured.

Her request didn’t catch Caleb much my surprise; wandering off to places her father wouldn’t let her go unaccompanied was the norm in which they spent their time together. ”Who am I to refuse a Mercarias, mi lady?” Caleb tried to look serious, but the mischief in his eyes betrayed him. He held out his hand for her to take as he started to lead her away from the market place. ”Why the lake, if I dare be so bold?” He liked going out of his way to treat her like royalty; mostly because it generally seemed to make her blush, but he was simply curious too. ”Especially since you seem to be cold…” Caleb had a sharp eye; it came with the profession. It was curious that anyone wanted to be near water while feeling cold – although it was strange that she felt cold at all considering the weather was actually more towards pleasant at the moment. Caleb shrugged the thought – and his travelling cloak – off. It was probably just because she was very slim. He didn’t ask for her permission before putting his cloak around her shoulders – it was the gentlemanly thing to do, right?