Flash Fiction February 2025 Day Seventeen: An Object Of Value (Abigail)

A/N: I still feel bad for the captain he doesn't deserve having to deal with Viola trying to talk to him all the time when he just wants to be left alone.

 Flash Fiction February 2025 Day 17 Prompt: Value

The look on Sadri’s face is one of utter horror as he realizes his mistake. All color leaves his face for a moment before it turns a deep shade of red as he increasingly panics. Finding the ring he now knows to be stolen gives it to me and begs me to return it to the owner's house without being seen, he didn’t know it belonged to her or that it was stolen, only that it was an object of value in good condition. Calming him down, I promise to return the ring somewhere in the owner's house so it appears as if it were never missing in the first place. Luckily the owner, a rather dreadful and annoying woman, lives in a quiet neighborhood not often patrolled by the guards. Even in the middle of the day it should be easy enough to break in without being seen by anyone. Now calm enough for the time being to get on with running his shop and going about his day I let him know that I will report back as soon as the task is done. Trudging over from the slum that is the Grey Quarter to the quiet district that houses many of the manors and being careful to avoid the black ice and strange pools of blood in the graveyard that lies in between it’s confirmed that the lady is out for the day. I spot her from afar hassling the poor retired ship captain who so very much wishes he were talking with anyone else. Picking the lock isn’t overly difficult, the neighborhood is empty and the nearest guard is in the market, it would take them some time to get over here if called. Wandering through the house I find a side table to place the ring in and scan quickly to see if there is anything of value worth taking that would, unlike the ring, not be missed or noticed that it was gone in the first place. Slipping a few things in my pockets on the way out I head back to the shop, and tell the very anxious man the job is done. Relieved he gives me a small reward and thanks me for the help, reminding me if I ever need anything while in the city that I know where to find him and his collection of goods both used and new, and certainly not stolen.