A Ruinous Encounter - Lilith

The small group walked with one another, weaving throughout the back alleyways of the market. It was better to stick to the shadows anyhow, no one could look down on them if they weren't in the plazas. No one to accuse them of the theft, though it might be true, push them, or spit in their face. Lilith hoped that one day things would be different for them. Perhaps people wouldn't look at her so disgustedly. She had always wanted to go to the market to shop but unfortunately inhabitants of the lower district were not permitted to shop in either of the other two. Her mother had tried to bring her to the middle market once, only for the guards to turn them away. Recently there had been talks of opening up the middle district's market, though she doubted she would ever be able to afford any of the goods there. It would still be nice to go window shopping, the lower district didn't have many magical items. Lilith had been somewhat lost in thought and so she hadn't noticed Nicola calling back to her.

"Hello? Tera to Lilith! Anyone in there or did you check out?" Nicola quickly waved her hands in front of Lilith's face in an attempt to finally catch her friend's attention. Lilith shook her head, pulling her thoughts back towards the present and focusing on the tiefling in front of her.

"Sorry, what up?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow towards her blue friend, who was now pointed down one of the alleys to their immediate right.

"Look'it what we have." Nicola slyly said. Lilith's eyes followed Nicola's finger and she stepped forward to get a better view down the cobbled walkway. The street led back out into the main market plaza with all of its' bustling people, but this wasn't exactly what Nicola was pointing to. Lilith noticed in an instant, sticking out like a sore thumb. Among all of the usual peoples, she could clearly see a very unlikely pair. Two aristocrats, a woman and a man. Both of them were human and adorned with fine fabrics and gemstones that only an adventurer or a dragon could hope to own. Lilith supposed that they were most likely a married couple, siblings, or both, based on their similarly pronounced facial features and thick, ebony hair.

The woman was currently looking in the window of an upper-middle tailor's stores, though she seemed rather unimpressed with the inventory. Her partner was incredibly aloof by comparison. He was making it quite clear that he did not want to be anywhere near the marketplace however, this body language seemed lost on the woman who insisted on continually walking down along the storefronts.

Lilith couldn't stand the way he looked at the people around them, as if the streets themselves were tainted. Subconsciously, she clenched her jaw and wrinkled her nose in their direction. Though he was unaware of her presence her gaze dug into his back for a long moment. She was just about to turn away when Nicola jabbing an elbow into her rib-cage.

"Sooo. If you're the best pickpocket, why don't you show us how it's done?" Nicola crossed her arms, giving Lilith a coy, challenging grin. Lilith scoffed in reply, a similar expression playing across her face.

"You're on. Anything to make those snobs look like Hill Giants. But, if I do, you owe me lunch tomorrow." Without even waiting for conformation, Lilith began slinking along the chilly walls of the street towards the couple. The other three tieflings remained away from her, but they began craning their neck to watch their friend's skills in action. Though they had seen it many times before it never ceased to amaze them.

Lilith wrapped her cordiform tail around her waist as she shuffled into the semi-open plaza, bobbing and weaving between the absent-minded people around her. As she made her way through the legs of the many adults around her and towards her target, she scanned her surroundings for guards on patrol only to find that they were absent from their usual posts. This worried Lilith much more than she cared to admit at the current moment but she continued on anyways. She was sure it was nothing.

The gap between Lilith and the much taller human man was now only a foot at most. Her heart pounded in her ear, adrenaline pouring through her veins. She leaned forward, extending herself onto the tips of her toes and spreading her fingertips towards the man's unattended coat pocket.

"I've got you now, devilrat!" Roared an unfortunately familiar voice as a firm hand coiled around her petite wrist and began to hoist her into the air. It was the dwarven soldier from just an hour before. He now held Lilith off of the ground as she kicked at his face, falling just an inch or two short of his bulbous nose.

"Ow!" Lilith called out, giving away any cover she might have had before.

"Let me go!" Lilith commanded him reaching up with her free hand in an attempt to dig her long nails into his skin. She was unsuccessful and her fingertips met nothing but his bitter, steel armor. Around them, the crowd was beginning part watching intently at the unfolding events. Among them was the noble she had been sneaking up on. He was flatly looking to her with cold, unwavering, purple eyes. It was quite clear that no one was going to step in.

"Y'know, you're kind of cute for a tiefling." The dwarf spat, leaning a bit closer towards Lilith to inspect her features. A look of terror flooded over her. Why did he say it like that? She had always been aware that she was considered pretty but she had never had an adult tell her this so openly. She was only 10. Lilith began to panic, screaming back at him.

"Put me down! You're fucking disgusting!" The dwarf seemed completely unfazed, that was until a voice spoke up from the crowd.

"She told you to put her down."