#yes marosen is the older brother of terrence from the previous story

[sparrowwritings]

Day Fifteen: Kleptomaniac

Day Fourteen -- Masterpost -- Day Sixteen

Some adventure that takes place after Snow

“Alright, hand them over.”

“I dunno what you’re talking about.” Marosen responded immediately.

Salliento folded her arms and glared at him. “You mean you’re totally innocent of stealing various trinkets from the market we just passed through?”

“Yep.”

“The one that had merchants shouting curses at each other as we left?”

“Must’ve been some kinda feud.” He shrugged. “Can’t say I blame them.”

“And why not?”

Without really looking at the mage, the thief produced an amulet out of thin air. Not real magic, of course, but just as good for the average viewer. “At least one of them was selling fakes.”

“Maro!”

“It’s not such a big deal, they’ll lose out on some coin but it’s not gonna put them out of business.” Before Salli could snatch the stolen good from his hand, he’d already tossed it to his other one and hid it away similar to how he took it out in the first place. “People like that always have other ways to make money.”

She had that familiar look on her face that Maro associated with someone wanting to strangle him once outside of the public eye. Since the two of them were walking along the semi-populated streets of the town that their group had stopped in, this counted as being in public. When she’d had her moment, Salliento took a deep breath before letting it go. “That’s not the real reason why I’m…”

“Angry. Furious. Willing to kill me.” He helpfully provided.

With another glare, she continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “Upset at you.” She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Every time I think we’ve gotten past your compulsion to steal, you end up with more things in your pockets and everyone around us mad.” Salli moved her hand to glare again. “Just why do you do these things?”

There were a number of reasons he could think of off the top of his head. He’s been stealing to survive since he was a child and something like that didn’t wear off with a few months on the road. He had been the King of Thieves’ protégé up until they’d had that “disagreement” about Maro going (even slightly) on the straight and narrow. Between Amara’s bold straightforwardness, Kerakan’s quiet judgement, and Salliento’s stubborn leadership, someone had to be having fun sometimes.

None of those answers really fit the question that he’d been given, though, so Maro answered in a vague way instead. “I just feel like it, that’s all.”

Again, the mage seemed close to actually trying to hurt him. Without magic, even. “You…feel like stealing.”

Marosen gave her his widest, most annoying smile. “You’ve heard the stories they tell about us already. What’s the Four without their Thief?”

This time she did hit him. A smack to the arm counted as a win in his book. “You’re just lucky that Amara and Kera weren’t there to witness you stealing merchandise again.”

“He what?” A boisterous and deep female voice reached the two long before the warrior slid into view. Kerakan, the archer, came onto the scene soon after, disapproval written all over his elven face.

His grin was frozen on his face, though not out of mirth. “Guess you’re gonna find out what it’s like being the Three, then.” He muttered to the mage before he tried to flee. Maro didn’t end up getting very far before he was caught and forced to return all of his stolen goods.