2 The Thief

“We need to pack light so we won’t be slowed down too much” he called from his room as he put some clothes in a satchel along with the charm his mother had given him as a baby. He opened a side door in his room that had only a large case in it that had a very old and valuable sword in it. It may have been very old but it was crafted by the best smith in the world and was fused with magic so it would not rust or break. He strapped the sword to his back, adjusting the one on his belt so that they would not hit each other, and walked out his room into the main room in the house. It had a fire pit in one corner and 2 book shelves in the other packed with old and new books, all his sister’s. She snuck past him and grabbed one of the books from a mid level shelf and placed it in her bag along with the old book and some clothes for the trip. They were about to leave when, “Oh wait I for got something!” she said dashing into the kitchen. “Come on Cassandra we are wasting daylight” he whined stepping outside. “Calm down Mr. Impatient,” she giggled cramming some food spices into the already full bag. She was a good cook and never liked plain food, it always had to have some mixture of spices to be truly good to her. The two left down the old dirt road running along the right side of the river passing a few farms on the way to town.
Immediately after arriving in town they saw a young boy spring out of the second story window onto the lower roof of the local doctor’s shop with a bag of medical items, tumble to the ground, winced, and took off running. Dropping his bag, Calder leaped after the thief and was upon him within seconds. “Drop the bag and I won’t hurt you,” Calder commanded pouncing on the young thief and pinning him to the ground. “Get off me jerk! I need this for my mother,” he cried squirming under Calder. “What’s wrong with her,” he asked calming down. “She’s really sick and I need to help her but I don’t have any money.” He mumbled the shame showing in his face. “Good thing you stopped that damn trouble maker when you did young man,” hollered an old man as he hobbled up to them. “Please don’t make me give it back,” the thief whispered as the two got up from the ground Calder’s hand tightly around the base of his neck. “Don’t worry sir I’ll pay for the medicine,” said Calder pushing the thief toward the doctor. “I don’t see why you’re helping that good-for-nothing thief, but as long as it’s getting paid for, I don’t care one way or another,” said the doctor shaking his head in disapproval. Calder handed the doctor a few gold coins from his pocket and the doctor returned to the shop. “Here’s your bag brother; why did you just help him out, shouldn’t he be punished?” asked Cassandra plopping his bag down beside him." “You should help others that are less fortunate than yourself,” said Calder turning back to the thief, “what is your name anyway?” “My name is David, and thank you for helping me out,” said the thief who was now staring at Cassandra. “Not happening kid,” grunted Calder as he turned around letting the sheath of the sword on his belt hit David in the lower back. “Ow!! What?! What did I do?” he asked rubbing his back. “Next time work for the money so you can buy the items, don’t steal them,” said Calder turning back to his sister, “we really should be leaving now.” The two left David standing in the middle of town, a confused look on his face, holding the bag of medicine. "I'll repay you for this one day, I promise," David said turning and walking down a different road back to his home.