A den of thieves

Azella slowly opened and closed her eyes several times as they refused to focus. She tried to recall what happened through the haze as she regained consciousness. In the dim light she looked out and saw bars. Bars? they were surrounding her. She moved her right hand up to her forehead, and felt the weight and heard the sound of heavy chains dragging. She had been shackled! Where was she?

Her eyes finally cleared, and she was able to see. She was in a cage. Someone had shackled her hands and feet. The front of her blue velvet dress had been ripped open, exposing the fancy silk underwear Aleshanee had given her. "You can attract more flies with honey" she had told her, and so had given her clothing to make her look like one of the higher priced whores instead of a beggar who was selling herself to survive. "I must have attracted some maggots, too" thought Azella.

Azella heard the footfalls of heavy boots. Quickly she decided to pretend she was still ****, but kept an eye cracked open. A door flew open at the far end of the room, and a tall, shadowy figure walked in, carrying a prone figure of a woman. They were carrying the **** woman right toward her, which could only mean she was soon to have company.

Sure enough the shadowy figure approached the cage door. Another figure she couldn't see following came around with a ring of keys and unlocked the cage door. They carried the prone woman inside and shackled her to the wall in much the same way Azella had been shackled.

One of the figures started pawing at the new girl's dress. "Hey, you heard Steiner. no messing around with the merchandise. They're supposed to wake up on their own first before we do anything. He wants to talk to them before we strip them, or anything else."

"Bloody Steiner" said the pawing figure. "He always spoils our fun. I think we should get a new leader." He stopped pawing the prone woman and turned to look at his partner.

"We make out very well under Steiner" schooled the other figure. "Who else would you suggest lead us? You? You think with the little head more than you do the big head. It's a wonder you have enough intelligence to move your legs."

"I do not think with the little head!" the first figure retorted angrily.

The second figure pointed to Azella. "Oh really? Is that why you cut her dress like that? Steiner's right, we could have sold that dress for a small fortune. Now it's cleaning rags. You bungle everything because you think with the little head, Boffin. You got to start using your smarts before Steiner decides he's had his fill of you.

Boffin pointed an angry finger at his partner. His mouth dropped open, and his arm went down to his side. "All right Bert. I see your point. I haven't decided which of these two lovelies I want to try out first any way." The two men left the cage, and locked the door behind them. Then they left the room.

Azella breathed a sigh of relief. Now she knew exactly where she was. She knew Steiner rather well, but only as a man. He was the head of the thieves' guild. She wasn't sure though if Steiner sided with Trimon, or if he was against him. One thing for sure, she had to find out one way or another. But how was she going to convince him of her mission, even if he wasn't allied with Trimon? She sat there and thought about what her next course of action should be.

While she pondered over what she would do, the **** woman next to her suddenly flopped over into her lap. Not knowing what else to do, she held the woman's head and sat and thought. She looked down at the woman's face. Then it dawned on her. This was no ordinary woman. This was a Noble, perhaps a Princess. She was too finely dressed to be anything else. It was then she knew she needed to talk to this woman as soon as she woke up.