King Jazan's Heartfelt Valentine's Surprise

     A hand fell gently upon his shoulder, and he placed his own hand atop it in a warm gesture of welcome. Queen Nabile appeared beside him, entwining her arm with his, and together they gazed out upon the vista of Qasala at twilight. The inhabitants of the town were busy winding down for the evening; all manner of barrels and baskets of goods were being carried indoors, and shopping stalls were folding up awnings and closing their shutters before bolting their doors against the night. Nabile smiled.

     "Once upon a time I would have viewed those locked stalls as an invitation. Now I see them as a reminder that much needs to be done to keep Qasala safe." she sighed. "The Captain of the Night Watch approached me earlier today; he reports a significant increase in activity from the roving gangs of bandits plaguing the city. He can attribute the increase to nothing in particular, but it is a curiosity, and one that I feel must be addressed immediately if we are to keep our citizens safe."

     Jazan bowed his head in assent. "You are correct, my Queen. I will tell the Captain to increase the number of roving patrols throughout the hours of darkness, and instruct him to conduct checks at irregular intervals. In the meantime do you think your friend Tomos can give you any insight as to the reason for the increase?"

     Nabile nodded. "If anyone knows the reason for what is going on it will be Tomos. I will ask him tomorrow." With the matter of security discussed a comfortable silence fell between them, and together they watched as the silver moon began to show her face.

     The next afternoon Nabile took Jazan aside for a few words. He was enjoying a brief respite between meetings with his various advisors, and it wasn't often that he got to spend moments with his wife during the workday. It wasn't a social call, however.

     "Tomos has reached out to his contacts in the Qasalan thieving community," she stated.

     "They weren't exactly forthcoming, he said, but he did discover something interesting. Supposedly there is some sort of conclave of Master Thieves coming up; he was a little put out that he hadn't been invited to participate himself, but he attributes that to his close association with us. Anyway, this meeting is supposed to be taking place on the roof of the Qasalan Inn tomorrow night."

     King Jazan nodded firmly. "Then we shall be in attendance at the Inn tomorrow, to discover for ourselves what these Master Thieves have planned." Nabile smiled widely - she loved Jazan very much, but she had to admit that she did sometimes miss the excitement of life as a thief. She knew Jazan was aware of her feelings, and she appreciated that he didn't voice any particular disapproval. She tried very hard to balance her duties as Queen and her baser instincts, so his tacit understanding was very much appreciated.

     The following evening was perfect for a stealth mission. Cool but not cold, and although it was a clear night the moon kept disappearing behind passing banks of clouds, which provided intervals of cover. Jazan and Nabile were both dressed for the mission at hand. Jazan wore the stealthy Kyrii shirt, trousers and shoes, while Nabile was similarly clad in the stealthy Ixi gear. She wore the hood, but Jazan could see her eyes gleaming with excitement. He held up a hand in caution.

     "We can't go in the front door," he said soto voce; we will have to climb up the side of the building in order to avoid detection. I had Tomos stop by the inn earlier this afternoon; he was to leave a climbing rope hanging over the side of the roof for us. That way we can make our way up to the roof without being seen and without raising any alarms. Can you manage, my dear?"

     Nabile tossed her head. "Manage?" she scoffed," I can practically climb up the side of a building with one arm tied behind my back!"

     Jazan smiled, grateful that his face was covered by a mask that prevented Nabile from seeing his reaction. He bowed low in apology.

     "Of course, my dear, you are the admitted expert in this area. All the same, I would prefer to precede you to the rooftop. In the event of trouble I want to be able to react quickly."

     Without waiting for a response Jazan began his steady climb to the rooftop via the hanging rope, which was exactly where he had instructed Tomos to leave it. It was knotted at intervals to allow weary climbers to rest if need be, but neither Jazan nor Nabile needed to rest during the ascent - Jazan because he exercised daily and was in peak physical condition; Nabile because she was lithe and fit, her nerves humming with excitement. She hadn't felt this thrilled to be out in years - it was reminiscent of her thieving days, almost like being back in the Desert Scarabs. All her senses were heightened; she could feel the cool night breeze on her skin and hear the soft scuffing noises of her footwear on the side of the building. When they finally reached the top Jazan climbed over the low side of the roof and proffered a hand to his wife. She clambered up behind him and they stood silently behind the tall brick chimney the rope was attached to. Jazan peeked quickly around the side of the chimney, then motioned to Nabile to follow as he moved low and slow across the roof. Nabile followed in his footsteps - until Jazan suddenly stopped. He motioned to Nabile to stand, which she did; then he moved aside, and she could see a small dining table. Set for two, a budding rose in a vase and a single glowing candle adorned the top. She looked at Jazan in confusion.

     "But...the conclave of Master Thieves? What...who..."

     Jazan took her hands in his.

     "There is only one Master Thief here this evening," he said simply, "You. You stole my heart years ago, and I don't think I will ever get it back. Tomos helped me arrange this Valentine dinner for you, dearest. It's not much, but it is heartfelt. I know what you gave up to be with me."

     Nabile smiled tenderly, a tear wending its way down her cheek." What I gained is so much more, Jazan. Thank you for this wonderful surprise."

     Jazan smiled ruefully and pointed toward the table, where a familiar Lupe in a too-tight dinner jacket stood with a dishtowel draped over his arm. He waved at Nabile cheekily. "I wouldn't be too quick to thank me, my sweet. Tomos will be our waiter - this is where the adventure truly begins!"

     The End.