As the man fell, he instinctively moved to break his fall with his elbows. Unfortunately his fall was broken by his wife, and his weight came crashing down onto the woman's head. Crunch. The man scrambled to his feet, trying to make sense of the situation. He looked down, the back of his wife's head was awash with blood, seeping from the dent he had caused. He screamed. Shocked, the girl used this distraction to make her escape. She yanked the window open and slid down the wall, trying to use the Ivy and vines to slow her descent. She hit the ground hard, but took most of the energy out of it with a roll. She broke into a sprint, towards the wall she entered the estate by. She practically flew over the wall as she made her escape into the nearby woods

‘Not exactly what I had planned’, she thought.

Though it wasn't the first time people had been hurt from her line of work, she felt some guilt for the fate of the woman. Catching her breath, she started to move through the forest. North of the estate was a hamlet. A small, sleepy village, it was the perfect cool off location for thieves. The Inn at the center of the village was always full, though it was a small village, people seemed to spend more time at the bottom of a bottle than tending their fields. The girl pushed open the door of the Inn, and made her way to the bar. Ordering a tankard of ale and tossing the Innkeeper a gold coin, she moved to a booth in the corner of the Inn. She hoped this would provide her some privacy, so she could relax after the ordeal she had faced.

The Inn door opened again, a huge figure stood in the doorway. Ducking under the door frame and into the room, this giant of a figure strode into the light. Standing at around 8 feet tall, with a colossally muscular build and a bull's head. A Minotaur. While usually, you would expect the Inn to erupt into chaos and confusion at the sight of such a creature, the Innkeeper merely pulled out a bucket and filled it with ale. The Minotaur stepped over to the bar and paid for his drink, from a coin purse tied around his waist. In one giant hand he held the bucket, as if it were a pint sized mug to a normal man. He scanned the room for familiar faces, as one does when entering a popular watering hole. As he glanced towards the corner he spotted the girl, and strode over to her booth.

‘Evening.’ He said, his voice as low as you’d expect from such a creature.

‘I see you’ve found me, Aleric.’ The girl replied, smiling.

‘Did the tools I forged work as expected?’ Aleric asked.

‘Flawlessly, your skills speak for themselves.’ she replied.

‘As I thought.’ Aleric took a large gulp from his bucket, and threw the girl a large toothy grin.

At this point, you may be wondering how a creature, like Aleric came to be a blacksmith in a small village primarily populated by humans. Twenty years before this tale, the Minotaur homeland Stethas was annexed by the Kingdoms of man. This caused a bloody and grueling five year conflict between the two factions. Minotaur city's were razed to the ground, and several of humanity’s main harbours were crushed. Though, eventually peace was found after the human King Tyridar had his alchemists create a disease to destroy the Minotaurs from the inside out. Minotox, was the result. Minotox caused the Minotaurs to go mad, lengthening their horns, driving them mad with blood lust and unable to differentiate friend from foe. Noticing this dishonourable and uncouth tactic, the Minotaur chieftain Clotus could not fight back, and sued for peace in return for an antidote. It was only then that the world was at peace. But enough about politics, this story is about a humble thief, after all.

Though an honourable race, Minotaurs are no strangers to necessity. One must do what one must to survive. Aleric was no different, hence why he forged lockpicks, window shims and a manner of other tools used to gain access to to things that aren't yours.

“The job go well?,” Aleric inquired, after a hefty belch.

“I got a decent take if that's what you mean,” the girl replied.

“Oh Zerith, always with the juicy details,” the Minotaur laughed.

“There was one complication,” she said.

“Oh?”

“Yes, as I got into the master room, they came upstairs earlier than I was anticipating.” Zerith frowned upon saying this, her mind flooded with flashbacks to the gristly event.

“Tell me more.” Aleric leaned in, as if proximity caused the information to come faster.

Zerith recounted the ghastly events to Aleric. All the while his grin growing wider with every gore spattered detail. He loved things like this, as a calf he always enjoyed tales of murder and mutilation best.

“I'm just going to lay low for a while,” Zerith mused aloud.

“It's probably for the best, an aristocrat like that commands some influence with the law.” Aleric, replied.

With this, Zerith waved goodbye to Aleric and headed to her room. No doubt to clear her head for the coming days.