"I am certain the High Lady Estanda will understand, dear husband." Alteima said, whipping out her fan and waving it against her heart shaped face. Somehow the air did not rustle her immaculately wrapped up hair, the elaborate bun of dark brown hair tied up, letting only a small stream of her waves to cascade down her shapely shoulder in a fashionable side ponytail. "Time is of the essence, wouldn't you agree?" 

Lord Tedosion, a handsome older gentleman with a thick body, looked unconvinced at his wife's rebuttal, but did not push the subject. "Indeed, master thief-taker, your task is of the upmost importance. You came recommended highly, and for that we entrust our search to you." 

"As well as the city watch, I imagine." Davin replied, giving a gracious bow to hide his grin. The thief-taker was not unused to being hired for purposes that were not widely accepted throughout the civil government. The Lady Alteima was good, very good in fact. A lovely woman with a full bosom, she had big eyes that betrayed just how clever she was, but he could tell she pushed for this in order to gain higher standing in the circle of High Lords, and her husband going against her would only cause some to question his loyalty. And yet, if they failed and it was found out that he aided in the attempt, they would both be looked upon with some small amount of scorn for not plotting with their fellow lords to being this thief to justice for the good of all. A gamble, but they had made the correct one, however. Davin Baln'ashar was very good at what he did. 

"You will be rewarded quiet handsomely, of course." Alteima remarked, giving him a coy smile. Had Davin not been privvy to her machinations, he might have felt a quickening of his heart at her look, but he had his own contacts. Alteima was as cutthroat as they came, which was why her husband had taken Lady Estanda, her rival, as his lover. The money she promised, however, was doubtless very real. He smiled back all the same. 

"Worry not, my Lord and Lady. I will return within three days with your quarry in tow." He promised, granting them another courtly bow. 

That had been nearly forty hours ago. 

In that time, Davin had pulled every stop in his impressive repertoire to pinpoint just exactly who had the gall to infiltrate the Stone of Tear and steal some of its most auspicious items. After threatening or paying off a few witnesses and guards, he had learned the most likely candidate was a woman of ambiguous appearance. Pretty, perhaps beautiful by all accounts, but it was hard to gauge if she was a local or not. Dark hair, inquisitive eyes, an extravagant if plump figure, and not very tall. Most thief-takers would have scoffed at the idea of the culprit being a woman, but Davin was from Ebou Dar, where women dueled over men and the fairer sex was innocent until proven guilty over marital disputes. Women were not to be underestimated, he had received more than a few scars from them.  

He now found himself just outside of The Maule, the long stretch of docks that spanned the entirety of Tear's western coast, and it was midday. Davin had taken a lunch, and decided to eat it above an awning in the southern district, within sight of the walls of the inner city. The Fingers of the Dragon were so close, he could smell the pungent humidity from that web of rivers and waterways. It was just as he was about to take the last bite of his trencher that he saw someone step out of Coliers Street and stride into the local wine shop. Davin's sharp eyes peered below as she disappeared from view, and he rolled over the odds and the description of the culprit in his head. 

He had theorized that whoever was the thief, they would not have taken to an inn, and he made certain by making sure to know all records of the local inns in the outer city. The inner city was too full of watchmen and too easily watched by the High Lords for her to stay in. Davin was certain they would wait close to the docks, but not too close so as not to arouse suspicion, but with the ships grounded, it was only from some false hope they would keep in that area; an idea of freedom and safety, tantalizing but not entirely rational, unless they got lucky. Perhaps he had found his mark? 

One moment, he was above the crowd below, the next he had appeared on the muddied street, doing his best to keep the wet and the dirt from catching him before he stepped into the winery. He spied a few foreigners, but most looked like merchants from Mayene or Illian. The locals were dressed as they usually were, in loose pants and wide hats to keep the rain and mud of the less clean outer city from their hair. But then his eyes fell on the woman that, at least to his observations, stood out. A travel worn but handsome dress, a woman that matched the description he had gathered, and she sat alone. He fixed his hair, the wind doing him a small favor of making his mane look fashionably windswept, but he still smoothed what loose hairs there were before he approached her with a congenial smile. 

"Yes, one for me as well." Davin said with a raised finger, telling the attendant before the man had fully turned away. He gave the thief-taker a nod and turned to gather the drink. Without asking permission, Davin sat next to the woman with a casual air, glancing her way as if he had noticed her for the first time. 

Davin was a darkly handsome man, not as well-formed as some, but he had a chin that looked sculpted and a sharp, commanding nose. His body was trim and tall, though he was no aielman in that regard. He wore a leather brown jerkin with red trim over a white linen shirt, buttoned with the collar wide and disheveled. He had left his falchion and mace outside, but a long dagger was hidden at the small of his back. 

"Ah, forgive me, I hope I am not intruding. May I sit?" He asked, but as if it was the natural flow of the conversation, he spoke before she could answer, leaning in to whisper conspiratorially. "The wine here is tastes like a Saldaean's horse water, but it does it's job."