People always think that being outdoors in nature is all fresh air and sunshine, and the first day had been nice. The gentle, calm sounds of the forest were a soothing change from the bustle of the city. But when Wilt woke up the next morning in yesterday’s clothes and knots in his back where he’d slept on rock, the allure was somewhat diminished.

The reality was sweat, dirt and biting insects and after three days of travelling Wilt was over it. It would have been nice to stop, bathe and enjoy the comfort of a bed and there were towns along the road, but Wilt was keeping off the normal travelled paths. When your purpose for travelling is to commit a crime it’s best to be seen by as few people as possible. With any luck it would be a quick job; in and out, and back home before they were any the wiser.

 - - -

Wilt paused at a small stream of water to wash off some of the grime and change into the spare clothes he had packed.

“It wouldn’t make sense trying to sneak into a place when they could smell me mile off,” he justified to the empty surrounds. He raked his damp fingers through the tangles of his hair; it still looked a mess but at least it was out of his eyes. Next he stripped off his soiled clothes and dipped his shirt into the water. Working quickly he scrubbed the sweat and grim of travel off his body and dressed in his fresh clothes. As refreshing as the idea had been in his head, the frigid water had been far from enjoyable and Wilt had to clench his jaw to stop his teeth from chattering. He grabbed out a chunk of slightly stale fruit loaf and a handful of dried meat before packing away the rest of his things. The loaf was dry and too hard to really chew without risking a broken tooth but the fruit was sweet and after rolling it around in his mouth like a piece of hard candy it softened enough to swallow. The meat he stashed in his pocket to eat later, or if he encountered a dog he needed to bribe.

Not too far from the stream he found a suitability distinct tree with a large knot where he could hide his pack. Checking first to make sure no creature was living inside he stuffed his pack in and covered it with some leaves and branches just in case.

“Okay tree, you watch over my things and keep them safe of me,” Wilt muttered as he gave the tree an affectionate pat before carefully picking his path out of the forest. “A wobbly branch, then three big stones; a pair of skinny twins and then a wise old crone.”  He rattled off what he saw; it wouldn’t do any good to hide his pack if he couldn’t find his way back.

 - - -

It wasn’t hard to find his target. The town of Roads End was less a town and more a random collection of cottages and shacks; so the large manor house perched on the hill really stood out. Wilt was ever cautious as he approached, the morning was still early and few people had yet to start their day, but he didn’t want to risk being seen.

He looped the perimeter once before settling in a suitable tree and sat to watch. A few hours later he had learned the patterns of the outdoor staff, which were only a pair of gardeners that judging by the size of them doubled as security. Wilt had also discovered that the tree he had chosen was home to a nest of large and rather curious spiders. Wilt, fortunately, didn’t have an issue with spiders but it was still unnerving, especially when one decided to climb up the side of his face.

“Farewell furry spiders; thank you for sharing your tree with me,” Wilt said before he slid out of the branches and moved in closer to continue scouting the area.

The house only had a limited indoor staff. There was a cook and two maids that doubled as kitchen hands and a housekeeper, or perhaps she was a personal assistant. Wilt spent the rest of the morning watching their movements and mapping out the house in his mind.

By the time the sun was high in the sky Wilt had a plan and was ready for action. Unlike most thieves and criminals, who chose to work under the cover of night, Wilt preferred broad daylight. It was his experience that during the middle of the night it was so quiet that even the soft sound of footsteps or a creaky floorboard could be deafening, but during the day with people moving here and there no one even noticed a few stray footsteps.

The two house maids had spent the morning cleaning and resetting all the rooms but now they seemed contained to the kitchen, cleaning up after lunch and helping to prepare for dinner. The master of the house, Horth, had secluded himself inside his study early that morning and had kept the blinds shut tightly since then. Hopefully the item he was looking for was not in there with him.

The main concern that Wilt could see so far was the assistant. She hadn’t settled into any discernible pattern, but fortunately she was wearing a pair of high heeled shoes that announced her approach with a loud clacking noise.