Leandra stared in wonder at the many stalls in just one of the market squares. The bright glare of the sunlight and audacious colours that adorned the stalls made her blink after the dark, shadowed alleys.

“Oh!” She said in wonder and followed Cassian through wide walkways, staring greedily. The wooden stalls were all built the same but they couldn’t have been more different in every other respect. They passed a strong smelling stall, which was overflowing with fish; another burly man was selling large rush mats in every glorious colour imaginable; a jewellery stall; a bread stall; a basket stall; a fruit stall. Leandra ground to a halt beside a stall that was laden down with cages, peering from between the bars were the blank eyes of tropical birds. They were all different, each one. Leandra’s mouth opened in enchantment; they had long plumes or wing feathers, all in exotic colours. She stood there for a whole five minutes before Cassian found her again,

“I thought I told you to stay close…” He began angrily, but she interrupted him,

“Cassian – look!” He stared at her enchanted face and then at the birds, “Aren’t they wonderful – I’ve never seen anything like them!” He grinned reluctantly,

“They’re gorgeous – come on.” He dragged her reluctant form from the bird stall and they continued through the market place, Cassian and Brice watching Leandra, Leandra watching the bustling stalls and people.

Eventually, and much to Leandra’s dismay, they reached the edge of the market. She turned wistfully back to take a last glimpse at the busy square then followed Cassian back into one of the dark alleys.

“Keep up.” He called, not even glancing behind him; she frowned at his back then stuck out her tongue. Cassian smiled. Leandra walked on then saw Cassian turn, confused she glanced behind her; checking to see if anyone was following, then, convinced that there wasn’t, back at Cassian. Slowly and deliberately he stuck his tongue out at her a devilish smile lighting his face before turning back round. Leandra gasped; how had he known?

“How…” Leandra raced to catch up with him, wincing a little at the stiffness of her leg,

“Are you all right?” She was touched by his concern,

“Fine.” She assured him, “I know about your hands,” Cassian glanced consciously at his gloves and wasn’t at all displeased when she clasped one to show that she didn’t care, “And you obviously have eyes in the back of your head…” Cassian laughed at that,

“Nothing so drastic.” He assured her, Leandra, smiling with him, glanced down and realised that she was still holding his hand. Blushing, she dropped it; Cassian kept talking, in the hope of making her comfortable again,

“It’s just a general awareness of what’s going on around me.” Leandra looked at him with interest,

“And the fighting?” She asked,

“Taught myself, absolutely nothing to do with magic or anything like that.” He looks proud, thought Leandra, proud that his fighting has nothing to with his, his, his abilities; how strange, shouldn’t he be proud of his gift?

“What about your hairpins?” Cassian asked her, gently because she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, she started slightly then looked sad, Cassian cursed silently, anticipating the answer too late…

“My father, adoptive father that is. He made sure that he had taught me about, well, at least a little bit about everything.” They fell silent. Leandra gave a little, bitter laugh,

“I guess he knew that one day I’d need self-defence skills.”

They walked and walked, talking about nothing in particular, as the shadows eventually lengthened and the sun sunk lower. They had walked through markets, the slums, small trading posts on the edge of the city ‘river’ (which was enormous in girth), had passed beggars and thieves, both of whom greeted Cassian with the same respect and familiarity. Leandra slowly began to realise that, though she had never heard of this thief, everyone else had. At one point in the day she had left Cassian talking to the blind beggar (who had recognised him a little to quickly for Leandra to believe he was really blind) and walked over to a poster plastered to the side of a crumbling building.

Staring back at her from the paper was Cassian, looking as handsome as he did talking to the beggar but perhaps just a little more dangerous. It was an exact image; down to the staff and headband he wore. While she was reading it he came up behind her, and swore when he saw what she was looking at, and when Leandra had turned to stare at him in surprise, he coloured slightly,

“I thought all of these had been taken down.” He explained, with false modesty glittering in his eyes, but also something else, a streak of worry perhaps?

“They won’t be down for long, my lad!” Called out the blind man, “Not since your necklace escapade!” Cassian winced and told her that they had better get going and Leandra knew, call it intuition or intelligence, or just common sense, that getting out of the city with Cassian’s face plastered up everywhere was going to be very, very difficult.

Everywhere they went that day people were calling it the ‘Necklace Escapade’, fellow thieves patted Cassian on the back or expressed their jealousy with admiring smiles. Leandra examined them all with interest, suddenly understanding the depth of the reputation that Cassian had built up for himself. They didn’t talk about what he was going to do; Leandra tried several times but Cassian was excellent at stonewalling and Leandra finally gave up, wondering why she cared so much anyway.

When they reached the Northern Gates Cassian’s worst fears were proven true, the place was teeming with city guards and Cassian watched with a sinking heart as they checked practically every male leaving the city against a poster of his face.

He leaned back against the wall, round which he had been peering, and cursed softly under his breath.

“What’s wrong?” Leandra spoke quietly. Cassian simply shook his head; Leandra leaned past him, peering round the corner of the wall herself, she turned back to him, eyes wide,

“Oh dear. You weren’t planning on leaving the city were you?” Cassian ignored her, “Cassian! Answer me!” He glared at her for raising her voice, then, seeing her expression, heaved a sigh,

“Even if I was, I can’t now.” Leandra frowned,

“Why? Surely if you can’t get out you can go into hiding inside.”

“No.” Cassian replied, “The fact that they are putting so much importance on me not getting out means that they are planning something which depends on me being in.”

“This is about the necklace isn’t it?” Cassian nodded,

“It’s one of a kind.”

“But,” Leandra screwed up her face in thought, “The necklace would have been reported missing last night, if so, shouldn’t they think that you’ve already left the city?” Cassian looked at her, surprised. Leandra blushed, “I do have good ideas occasionally.” She said, rather acidly. Cassian grinned,

“Occasionally.” He agreed, “But it’s my guess that the guards have been there since last night – or very early this morning.”

“So they know you haven’t left the city yet.” Cassian nodded grimly and leant further back against the wall, closing his eyes in thought. He remained like that for a long time, but nothing came to him; no idea or plan, the city walls were too high to climb, the ground too hard to tunnel through, there would be guards at every gate and even the furthest reaches of the rivers lay within the gates.

He opened his eyes to find Leandra staring at him, hard. She had one hand on her hip, the other was twirling her hair and she was biting her lip and frowning,

“What?” Cassian asked, slightly disconcerted by her intense stare. She started to smile slowly, and then she beamed, her whole face lighting up with warmth. Cassian found himself smiling along with her, though he had no idea why.

“What?” He repeated, she just beamed at him for a few more moments before asking,

“You definitely want to leave the city?” Cassian nodded, realising that she must have some kind of plan,

“Do you have any coins on you?” Cassian nodded then frowned,

“You can’t bribe city guards; they’re chosen because they’re incorruptible. Besides the price on my head is higher than any sum of money I have.” Leandra shook her head and held out her hand. Cassian gazed at it doubtfully,

“Trust me.” She urged, her extraordinary eyes honest and guileless. Cassian stared into them and realised that he was going to, no matter what his instinct was telling him. He placed a handful of small coins into her open palm and watched, helplessly, as she disappeared into the gathering dusk.

“Oh Fates,” he moaned quietly, absently stroking Brice’s scaly head, “she’s not coming back!”

Half an hour later Cassian was near despair. She really isn’t coming back, he thought to himself, knowing it was the sensible thing to have done but unable to really believe it; she was Leandra, innocent, naïve not deceitful and sly – that was him, he was a thief for crying out loud!

He turned to walk away; shoulders slumped with betrayal, when an incredulous voice cut through the dusk,

“And where do you think you’re going?”

“Kid?” Cassian turned back,

“Well who else were you expecting? And stop calling me that, I have a name you know!” Cassian decided against telling her that he wasn’t actually expecting her to return, as he had a feeling she wouldn’t be too delighted at his lack of faith in her. Leandra held up something, Cassian squinted at it; as the lights that surrounded the wide passageway out of the gates didn’t pierce the blackness of the alley in which they were standing, then he realised exactly what she was holding up,

“Oh no. Definitely not, not in a thousand years…”

“I can’t believe you talked me into this.” He complained bitterly, tugging at the dark cloak that obscured his made-up face. Leandra ignored him,

“You have to look more hunchbacked.” She hissed at him, squeezing his arm in a powerful grip to get him to do what she wanted, Cassian complied by walking with his face practically touching the ground,

“Perfect.” Leandra said cheerfully,

“Why did I have to be the Grandma anyway; I’m much too tall and attractive – I should have been a belly dancer or something.” Leandra rolled his eyes; Cassian was so modest.

“I think that you are slightly too,” she coughed, “well muscled for a young woman.” Cassian turned his heavily made-up face up to Leandra and gave her his worse smile. She bit her lip; he rather suspected that she was trying hard not to laugh.

She was allowed to stay the same, though she had applied some crushed berries to her lips and some charcoal around her eyes; the affect had made her look incredibly attractive but Cassian decided he wasn’t going to contemplate that disturbing thought. As for himself, he was a hunchback, old woman; they were only halfway to the gates and his back was already killing him. As if Leandra could read his thoughts she muttered consolingly to him,

“Nearly there – you’re doing great!” He tried hard not to be pleased with her praise.

“Hey you there!” The rough tones of one of the guards cut through Cassian’s thoughts more effectively than a knife. He pulled the hood of the woman’s clothes closer round his visage,

“Yes sir?” Leandra sounded perfect, Cassian couldn’t have done it better himself. Her voice was clear and innocent and friendly, the guard coughed slightly and his voice changed,

“Evening young lady.” Cassian scowled and, stealing a glance at the guard, who was practically drooling at Leandra, saw that he was potbellied and middle-aged and trying to flirt,

“Is there something wrong?” Cassian waited with nervous anticipation,

“No, no. This your Grandma?” Cassian let out a little breath, trying to ignore the ticklish piece of hair that had fallen down over his eyes,

“Yes sir, we’re off to see my Uncle, and husband.” She added,

“Oh, you’re very young to be married.” Cassian clasped his fists together; the guard sounded a little disappointed - as if Leandra could ever be interested in him!

“I’m seventeen.” Leandra replied, sounding childishly proud and Cassian wondered who had taught her to act so perfectly; a thief she may not be but a swindler or con artist… but Cassian knew that Leandra would never do anything like that, the only reason she was lying now was on his behalf.

“Well, you be careful. There’s a dangerous criminal round here somewhere.”

“Really?” Leandra now sounded genuinely interested, “What’s he done? Is it bad?” Cassian elbowed her in the ribs,

“Terrible, atrocious…” The guard was going to continue with his description of how horrible the thief was but Leandra gave a horrified little gasp,

“How dreadful! I do hope you catch him!” The guard barely had time to nod before Leandra was babbling away again, “Oh dear! Come on Grandma. You don’t mind if we leave do you? I would be just heartbroken if anything happened to Grandma!” The guard smiled at her sympathetically,

“Of course – you run along now.” Cassian had to restrain himself from knocking the guards hand off Leandra’s arm. Leandra smiled at the guard and started to walk slowly off with ‘Grandma’.

“Hey wait!” Cassian froze, preparing to run, “You dropped this.” Cassian and Leandra turned as one and Cassian nearly groaned out loud as he recognised his green headband; no wonder his hair had been annoying him – the band must have slipped off somehow!

“Oh thank you. My spare hair tie.” Leandra explained when she saw the guard’s puzzled expression as he stared at the material. And the young woman and her grandmother walked leisurely out of the East Gates.