The journey back seemed almost dreamlike. Tara plastered a small smile on her face while they traveled west on the pass towards Lethra, humming an unknown tune softly to herself.

"Ya know, ya don't look so scary without that damn cape," Twill joked. Tara looked at him then placed her hand against the brown leather hilt on her hip. "Woman! I get it. Put the pointy away for cryin out loud!" He shook his head and Tara smirked to herself after releasing her grip on the handle of her sword.

     "So now what?" He asked.

     "One pit stop at Lethra and we'll be done," Tara stated. She picked her leg up and crossed it over the other then rested her head against her hands she entwined together behind it. She sighed at the relief of being able to make a difference, for the better.

~*~

"Rina!!!" Dia screamed at the top her lungs. The poor girl scurried in as quickly as she could, refusing to lift her head up.

"Yes ma'am?"

"I need you to clear out the spare room down the hall from here. Mr. Hilder is going to be staying with us for the time being."

     Tomas remained stiff against the soft cushion of the elaborately stitched armchair, clutching the rests tightly beneath his hand. He tried to keep himself calm and collected, but the sweat dripping down his face said otherwise.

"Right away ma'am," Rina bowed her head.

     Dia waited for Rina to close the door and listened to her footsteps moving down the hall to the spare room. She brought her attention back to Tomas, covered in sweat, the top of his shirt saturated around his neck.

     "Tomorrow night we'll make our move Mr. Hilder, and please don't think about doing anything funny. I'll have someone escorting you."

     Tomas nodded quickly before wiping the fear from his forehead.

~*~

"Twill! Stop messing around and help me lift this!" Twill moved around to the side of the cot and reached down to a large fairly new looking chest and lifted with a loud grunt.

"What the hell they got in here? A bunch of damn rocks?!" He yelled breathing heavy against the strain, "Ya couldn't bring one of the others to help with this horse shit?"

     Tara groaned as they made their way out of Tomas's room at the inn,"Damien and Erin would probably get us killed with their clumsiness and Gwen is too nervous. Seems you're my only option, but even you have your faults."

     "Like what?" He asked curiously.

     "Like not knowing when to shut up for one," Twill rolled his eyes and struggled to make it to the bottom of the stairs,"Also, you're too slow," she added quickly.

     "Woman, I'm in my seventies! Give a man a break--sheesh."

     The rest of the way to the cart outside of town was quiet. Lethra was asleep while Tara and Twill moved as fast as they could with the overly heavy chest they had to heave. The alley beside the inn seemed to never end, until they finally reached the wall and dropped the chest to the ground with a loud thud. Twill leaned backwards, cracking his back and showing relief on his face.

Tara looked at the ground, searching for the rope that Gwen and Erin were supposed to throw over while Tara and Twill retrieved the item.She found it finally laying in the corner and reached for it, collecting dirt on her palms in the process. She tugged a good couple feet of it down to her and waited. A few moments later it was tugged away from her; indicating the others' grip on the opposite end.

"Good, they're in position," Tara said bending down with the end of rope,"let's get this chest secured.

After Twill and Tara had made sure to tie the chest as tightly as possible with great difficulty, Tara tugged yet again. This time the chest moved slowly away from the ground.

"Sneak around the gate and meet me on the other side."

Twill nodded and hobbled away down the alley, the sound of him favoring one foot over the other rebounded off the tall wall behind him. Tara cracked her knuckles followed by her neck and began her ascent, following closely behind the chest.

     Whatever the chest held weighed a ton and made no distinct sounds as it wobbled back and forth through the air. The lock on it made the opportunity of peeking an impossibility and the curiosity was driving her nuts.

     After several minutes the top of the wall was just in reach. The stone felt cold on her hands from the moss that grew along it, making her question the strength of her grip through the numbness. She watched at the chest tilted slightly as it hit the plateau, and rushed up the last couple feet to meet it before it fell over the other side.

     It took all her strength to sit the chest up straight before waving down at Gwen, Erin and Damien, who stood near the rope on the grass below, letting go as soon as they saw her. Tara reached for the rope and pulled up all the slack. She sat down and tried like hell not to drop the chest down and crush anyone below. Behind gritted teeth, she lowered it down where the rest of them waited to catch it.

"Got it," Gwen whispered loud enough for Tara to hear.

"Oh thank god," she muttered to herself, drenched in sweat and breathing much heavier than usual,"let's get out of here."

~*~

"Ma'am."

"What is it, girl?" Dia sat down going through a box of jewelry, admiring each piece with a pleasant demeanor.

"Gwen and the others are in the hall. They have a chest with them."

"Perfect!" She stood up, pushing aside her luxuries and clapped her hands together with a smile,"show them in."

Rina went out into to the hall and no less than a minute later Tara, Gwen and Erin walked in carrying the large chest, clearly exhausted.

"Great job, girls. I'm sure you tied up the loose ends as well?" Dia looked at Tara who gave her a small nod. Tomas nearly salivated looking at the chest that he had forcibly parted with the night before.

"You three deserve a nice rest. So out!"

The three of them bowed their heads and walked out quickly, careful not to slam the door too loudly behind them.

"Open it," she commanded Tomas. He rose from his seat, offended as the scent of his pants wafted up in his direction. He reached into his pocket,pulled out a small key, and placed it inside the chest. The clicking of the lock was near ecstasy for both Tomas and Dia--until it was open.

Tomas stifled a cry.

"What's wrong?!" Dia walked closer to the chest and peered in to spot a large collection of rocks taking up space. Tomas frantically pulled them out searching for any sign of his wealth, muttering incoherent things as he did so. Dia nearly pulled her hair out with rage, and the sound of her screams were enough to wake up all of the inhabitants of the fortress, as well as all of Maber.