Investigate the night-stand.

There it is. The black jewel. Object of tonight's adventure. I creep towards it, silent as a mouse, intending to filch it and be away before anyone finds out I was there. All I need is for Lady Rinelda to stay asleep just a little bit longer.

I reach out my hand, and someone grabs my wrist. Lady Rinelda opens her dark eyes and looks at me.

"Ah," she says. "A little sneak-thief."

I think fast. "Sorry to disturb you, milady. Just getting you a new glass of water."

"Are you new? I don't know your face."

"Started yesterday, milady."

Rinelda squints. It's dark, and I am dressed as a maid, after all. "You know I'm never to be disturbed in my slumbers," she says. "This calls for a punishment, maid. Take off your panties."

"Yes, milady." Take off my panties? Is that how she punishes people? It's ridiculous, and embarrassing, but I can't afford to raise suspicion. I slip the frilly panties down my legs, showing my thighs and a flash of the ginger curls in between them, and hand them over to Rinelda, who smiles sleepily.

"You just lost your panty privileges for the rest of the week," she says. "And the guards will spank your naked bottom every morning on the front stairs. And you'll wear them... on your head... zzzz..."

She's fallen back asleep. I grab the jewel and slip out the window, quickly as I can, not wanting to run any further risk. The breeze catches my short skirt, lifting it and exposing my underlying nudity, but I've done it. I may be wearing a maid's uniform with no panties, but I've got the jewel. Now all I have to do is get back to my room at the tavern.