Ehzi walked through the Grand Bazaar looking for his next mark. Today was Solis, the last day of the week meaning he had the day off. Solis however, was also the busiest day at the Bazaar and filled with fools ready to lose their purse. Fazil wouldn't approve of Ehzi coming here, but Ehzi couldn't resist coming back to where it all began for him. Plus he heard a rumor that Princess Madi Ex'ol would be here and he always dreamt of stealing from a royal.

Ehzi stopped at a silk stall and grabbed a piece off the pile that lay there. He rubbed the piece of silk between his fingers, the soft fabric was no doubt worth a good deal. The merchant stopped his conversation with the man next to Ehzi to greet his new customer.

"Only the finest silk, imported from the coastal city of Emmendor blesses this stall," the man said to Ehzi. "You'll find no better for its price in all of Ex'ol." Ehzi looked up at the man as if pondering. This man was dressed lavishly in his silks. Rings decorated each of his fingers showing his wealth. The man had grown fat, no doubt on the labors of better men stationed below him. Ehzi hated men like this.

Ehzi looked the part of the wealthy customer, wearing finely fitted clothes and a silk black cloak himself. He had short wavy black hair that matched his cloak, and the pale skin of the traditional Ex'olian. He sported a bejeweled scimitar at his side that was common amongst men in Ex'ol. Everything Ehzi wore was his, but each piece once belonged to wealthy men like this merchant before Ehzi relieved them of that responsibility.

Ehzi looked at the man and replied, "And what would that price be?"

The man stood smugly with his hand on his paunch. He answered, "One gold, two for that fine piece you hold."

"Hmph, I've seen much better quality than this not even ten stalls away. You're a thief if you think it is worth that much." In truth, Ehzi couldn't tell the difference between most silk. They all felt the same to him. This got the reaction he was hoping for though. The merchant's face turned a blotchy red as he began to bubble with anger.

Ehzi tossed the silk back on the pile that rested on the stall. As he turned to leave Ehzi put a hand on the shoulder of the man next to him. He said to the extravagantly dressed customer, "Go six stalls left and two down and you'll find a better deal than this."

With that Ehzi walked away to curses being hurled from the angry merchant behind him. Ehzi got what he went to the silk stall for. Not the satisfaction of slighting the merchant, that was an added benefit. He had found his mark, the wealthy customer, and with it the purse he now held. He opened it and did a quick count of what lies inside. Only two gold. The man was smarter than Ehzi had given him credit. Pickpockets weren't common in the north part of the Bazaar as there were guards posted throughout this section, but there was always still the risk.

Every Solis Ehzi came to the Bazaar and played this game. The same game with the same rules each week. He would come with no coin on him and see how much he could steal in one day. His best day was when he stole an entire spice stall pretending to be its owner. He pushed the unattended stall out of the Bazaar, even enlisting the help of two guards to get it over the bridge. He tipped the guards with another man's purse that he happened upon earlier that day. Two silver each.

Today was a slow day though, with only two purses totaling about five gold. The north part of the Bazaar had grown heavily guarded. Ehzi couldn't help but think that he was partially to blame for the added security. The last few Solis had been the same, watchful guards standing post throughout. Some of the wealthier patrons even brought their own security. This upset some of the popular pickpocket groups that frequented the Bazaar. Ehzi though reveled in the competition. The game just became more difficult and with it, he started to think of new ways to steal.

A new tactic he had been using was placing an empty purse on a mark and accusing them of stealing from him. Once they found the empty purse they were often embarrassed enough to pay him what he claimed was missing. It wasn't fair though since he looked just as wealthy as them. If this was five years ago when he was a poor and disheveled boy he would never have gotten away with this method. So today he forbid himself from continuing with this trick to keep the integrity of his original game.

Around midday, Ehzi wandered over to a food stall. He took out some of his stolen coins and paid the young attendant for a stick of the spicy meat he sold. He wandered the market eating his food enjoying the sunny day. It was approaching Faril and the cold would soon arrive, so he enjoyed the warm day as it may be one of the last before next year.

Ehzi stopped, becoming suddenly alert. He grabbed the wrist of the person who was reaching into his cloak as they passed by. A terrified young boy looked up at him with shocked eyes. A familiar face approached from Ehzi's left. Of course, it was one of Samil's boys.

Samil walked up with a wide grin on his face. "Run along Matan. Take the rest of the day to reflect on your mistakes." The boy ran away, rubbing his wrist where Ehzi had gripped it. He was lucky that it was Ehzi who caught him. If it was anyone else the boy would have lost his hand for theft.

Ehzi looked to Samil, disgust apparent on his face. "You shouldn't use boys with no training in this part of the Bazaar. It's even dangerous for us here."

Samil shrugged, "Fazil has his ways and I have mine. My way keeps me from wasting time on ones that will disappoint me in the future." Ehzi turned and walked away, leaving Samil standing alone in the center of one of the walkways. If he stayed looking at that filth any longer he might have hit him. He wouldn't let Samil ruin his day.

Ehzi finished his midday meal and began looking for his next victim. He was very precise on who he would pick. Now that he no longer stole out of necessity, he often made challenges for himself. He would pick people that had guards or try to take more than just purses. One thing he noticed recently was that he had become reliant on using his crafting to help him steal and today he was trying to resist using it.

A small crowd was forming at the far end of the walkway. Crowds were good distractions so Ehzi naturally walked over to join the commotion. Once there he noticed the cause of the gathering. The rumor was true. Princess Madi Ex'ol was wandering the Grand Bazaar today. She was accompanied by six guards. No doubt all of them were Peritus in metal along with another craft. The elite royal guard had a reputation. Ehzi's heart raced at the excitement. It would finally happen. He would steal from a royal.

Ehzi walked with the crowd following the princess for a time, trying to find a way past the guards and to her. He noticed a couple of overly excited people get stopped by the guards. They seemed to be keeping an impenetrable barrier between the princess and the people. After a time he decided his only approach would be a Clumsy King. It's good he dressed the part today.

A Clumsy King was a very simple technique. There were only two parts to it. First, Ehzi approached the princess like an eager subject hoping to get their ruler's favor. He got close to her, but the dutiful guards intercepted him and gave him a firm shove. Ehzi tripped and fell toward the princess making an undignified yelp. The princess turned at the commotion and saw Ehzi on the ground being held down by one of her guards.

Princess Madi spoke firmly, "Hopun, this is unnecessary. Can't you see he means no harm? Release him." The guard that held Ehzi knew a command when he heard one and released fallen Ehzi.

Ehzi laid on the dirt floor for a moment. He started to stand but upon putting weight on his right leg he realized it wouldn't support his weight. He fell forward once again, reaching out a hand to try to stop his fall. He found support and realized he was holding onto the princess. Swords hissed as they were unsheathed. Ehzi became painfully aware of the metal edge that was against the back of his neck.

He slowly removed his hands from the princess and raised them. He spoke carefully, adding a hint of terror to his words, "I'm terribly sorry Princess. I didn't mean to touch you, I seemed to have sprained my ankle in my excitement to meet you."

The princess gave a pointed stare to Hopun who stood behind Ehzi. The sword was slowly removed from his neck. Ehzi could sense the hesitation in the act.

The princess looked him up and down. He tried his best to seem like a nervous young man. "What was so important that you needed to shove past my guards to get to me."

Ehzi had to be careful with his response. He knew one of her guards would be a powerful watercrafter and would be reading his emotions to see if he was lying. They were the same age at seventeen, so he came up with an easy answer. He used watercrafting to mask his true emotions, replacing them were a slight shyness and the excitement of a question desiring an answer.

Ehzi blushed, using firecrafting to flush his cheeks, "You're even more beautiful than I thought." He glanced away but quickly looked back at her before continuing, "I was hoping I would gain your favor and begin courting you." He bowed slightly, favoring his left leg as his right wasn't much use.

Madi smiled at him, "I'm sure you mean well, but my father would have to approve something like this. I'm afraid I know his answer as well, and it might not be to your liking."

Ehzi stood up firmly, "Then I will go to him and implore that he consider it."

She smiled again, "What is your name?"

"Ehzahn, your highness. Forever at your service," he answered with another bow.

"Well Ehzahn, I wish you luck in your pursuit and apologize for the inconvenience my guard has given you."

She turned away and began to continue down the market walkway away from Ehzi. He started hobbling in the other direction. In his pocket was a ring made of solid gold, and a giant ruby resting on top of it.

The obvious part of the trick is Clumsy. He fell and fell again until he reached his mark. The subtle part is King. If Ehzi was dressed as a pauper, he would have been kicked on the ground and the entourage would have been on their way without a second thought. He needed to look the part of the wealthy noble to be able to get an opportunity to get close. That was a painful lesson he had learned early in his life.

Ehzi had gotten only ten steps before he heard a voice shout from behind. "He's a thief your highness, I saw him steal from you!" Ehzi turned sharply and saw Samil pointing in his direction, a big smile on his face. He'd kill that wicked man one day.

Two guards broke off from the princess and rushed toward Ehzi. He broke off into a run, completely forgetting his supposed sprained ankle. More guards from around the Bazaar joined the chase. Word was spread throughout and they began sealing the exits. Ehzi had been coming to the Bazaar every week for the last five years. This was the first time he had been caught stealing. Even though he'd never been caught before, he meticulously planned multiple escape routes. Many of these were being closed off, and he was now becoming desperate.

The two royal guards were just behind Ehzi. They would be on him soon. They were without a doubt earthcrafters, using the strength from the earth to increase their strides. Ehzi was doing the same, but earth wasn't his affinity. Another two guards appeared at the end of the market way blocking his path. He wouldn't be able to fight all four, let alone even two royal guards.

Ehzi called to the earth as his left foot planted and the ground formed at an angle to give him leverage to push off. He dove to his right over a stall and a startled merchant into the pathway on the other side. He rolled as he hit the ground on the other side and continued down his new pathway. The royal guards were quick to correct and were again gaining ground.

The last gate was closing and Ehzi wouldn't make it in time. Change of plans. He'd have to use his last resort. He reached the wall to the Bazaar where steps were leading up to the high walkway that surrounded it.

The reason they called it the Grand Bazaar was because it was the largest open market in the entire world. Inside of the city Ex'ol, the large market covered the entirety of a steep hill at its center. Most cities would have placed their castle in such a fortifiable position, but Ex'ol was a country of trade. Five gated entrances wound their way up the hill to spill into the market, making it incredibly secure. The market was split into two sections, north and south which were separated by an artificial river with three guarded bridges. Along the outside of the Bazaar was a large wall. There were hundreds of steps leading up to a walkway that encompassed the market. At the top, you would have two great views. A bird's eye view of the busy market and another of the sprawling city of Ex'ol. It was a common tourist hotspot or a place to go for a romantic walk.

The gates were now all closed to Ehzi, so his last option was up. He raced up the stairs taking four at a time, dodging market-goers on his way up. The royal guards were not letting up. He was hoping to gain some space and start climbing down the large wall, but it didn't appear like he'd have any room to breathe once he reached the top.

Ehzi climbed the last few steps and drew his scimitar upon reaching the top. He whirled around to face the two royal guards. He needed to stall and think. The two guards erupted from the stairway an instant after Ehzi. They pulled their swords out and pointed them at Ehzi.

Ehzi was backed up to the low wall that overlooked the city. He glanced over the side and saw a steep fall, hundreds of feet below down to the buildings of the sprawling city.

He turned to the guards, smiling he said, "Well lads, it seems you've caught me." He sheathed his sword in a relaxed manner. The guards still pointed their swords at him, cautious of the quick pickpocket.

Ehzi took a quick leap up onto the ledge. "Until next time," he said, saluting the two guards. Their befuddled expression was the last thing Ehzi saw as he jumped off the edge of the wall down toward the city below.

As he fell, Ehzi cursed himself for his stupidity. He never should have attempted stealing from the princess, especially after seeing Samil. Nothing good ever happened around that wretched man. He now had to resort to trying something he wasn't fully comfortable with yet. The buildings below were rapidly approaching and Ehzi called to the wind, it answered but not with the strength he was hoping for. He managed to slow his speed a considerable amount, but he crashed through the tarps that hung above the streets surrounding the hill of the market.

The Grand Bazaar was mainly for the wealthy, but the surrounding area outside was where many set up shops that were unable to get into the Bazaar. Ehzi crashed down into one of these stalls. The merchant standing behind his stall yelped in surprise. Ehzi lay there in the pile of cheap clothes in stunned silence amazed that he was still alive. Before long laughter erupted out from him. He rolled off of the broken stall and tossed the merchant a bag that contained the coins he had stolen earlier.

Ehzi was genuinely limping now, but he hurriedly went in the direction of home. Back to his hideout with Fazil and the rest of his crew. Fazil would be furious with Ehzi, but he didn't care. He had finally achieved his dream of stealing from the royals. He stopped a moment, as a thought occurred to him, what would be his next goal? What is more daring than stealing from the Royal Family? Ehzi put on his new ruby ring and continued towards home. He'd have to figure that out.