The moon looks white as bone, a little dull brownish color dyes its outline, didn't look particularly different, it is supposed to turn blue when the casting is complete, and if luck has it he would be there by then.  

Cobbler thought if he had to skip town, the sewage would be the best place to go by, if he didn't have his breathing mask, he would have honestly considered the possibility of just being killed. The toxicity levels were one thing but the smell of it has been used for tortures. He wonders if he should visit the orphanage before he leaves. 

He didn't recall anyone loitering around this area of the slum other than the ones who were dumping the bodies, but he knows those people, they are too stupid to do anything else but that. So how was it that both the parties, him and them have yet spot each other? Perhaps they only come at night to perform it. 

He can't be sure until he asks, he would need some kind of blackmail to establish this friendship. Maybe how he knows of this and if he were to die, his companion will pass on the coordinates of the teleportation on to the Children of Silver. This would ensure that he can participate in the thievery without much hassle. 

The only companion he could trust however, doesn't exist, no idea comes to mind on who he can turn to that won't condemn this act of regicide. Perot, the one that had sponsored his education? Impossible. His mage acquaintances who he communicates with in grunts and snores at Magelius? No. And for the thieves, he knows? They will blackmail him instead.

The young merchant he met in the market a few days ago? He was a charming and funny guy, japed about a lot of forbidden things and he bought all of what he stole without question, at a high price too, the way he hid was intriguing as well, right in plain sight. 

He could be it, yes, but he only met him for around five minutes. It does not help he is a terrible judge of characters, many a time where he thought a particular person would fall his little traps and the consequence he paid for his misjudgment had scarred his ego immensely. 

It was still worth the effort than doing absolutely nothing and going back to where he is. He vaulted over the chimney, estimated his jump swiftly in his head and rolled onto the second roof. A series of these, and he finally made his way to the market district, he panted rapidly as he tries to regain the composure, to speak convincingly and properly to him in the dead of the night, even having repeated that speech very thoroughly in his head, he still had little confidence that he would be able to thoroughly convince him at this hour in this state. 

The adrenaline of the acrobatics he performed still pumped uncontrollably in him while he slowly and carefully descends down the wall to the young merchant's window, fusing the silver knife into the evenly arranged gap less bricks, holding his knife horizontally, it resiliently held it's ground as inches by inches he slowly slide down. The walls of the market district were not designed to be climbed. 

The matter of if it was even possible for him to maintain a clear manner of speech while being this distracted came to him. It would be disastrous if he fails to convince him and he would have to escape by the sewage channel empty-handed, in fact, what if he just tells regardless? Whatever it is, things always don't go as planned. Ever. He would have to just prepare for full measure. 

He came to the steel window, he was about to thrust the silver knife into the mechanics and allow it to fuse and melt with it before it opened on its own.  

The boy stumbled back a few steps as Cobbler made his way in, the boy was so terrified that he looked as if was on the verge of relieving himself. It must have finally occurred to him that it was a thief as he ceased the stupid look of sheer terror on his face. 

"Been wondering about this for a while, why don't thieves just steal from fence, they get all the goods, thieves give them and-"

"Then we will have no one to sell things to. It will be the same as killing a golden goose. And other fences are subtler than you. Disguised as well as I am, and they get out of dodge the next day. You are not even wearing a mask, and I know where you are staying from following you. You should change some of your approaches if you want to be a better fence. Although I am sure you have your ways. I was speaking exclusively of the other fences here." Not wanting to insult the one he was about to deal with.  

"All right, good point. So, what brings you here?" Cobbler saw him subtly unsheathing the dagger behind his back, it became evident to both of them that the distrust was mutual, that comforted and agitated them at the same time. Cobbler was assured; he was in a conversation with a calculating and guarded man. 

"Troubles brew when thieves kill people. Especially in the market district." Cobbler said clearly, he thought maybe he can articulate, after all, he garners that his confidence must have been boosted when he gave a well-reasoned explanation to clear up the merchant's confusion. 

"I know, but what if you knock me out and take my gold?"

"Well, if I proceed any further, you can just shout out for the watchmen. Keep your distance." At that moment, the young merchant felt stupid and Cobbler thought he was, the distrust no longer comforted him, he scrutinizes his action further, this one might just be stupid or delirious from some night work. 

He should have his valuable locked up inside his safe, knocking him out would be useless. Either way, the chance remained that he may have misjudged someone yet again. 

"I will get right to the point. I found a coordinate of an imitation Child of Silver teleportation to the Queen's chamber, and I don't know exactly what it's for. But I can make a few guesses, this is the only magic that can eradicate the barrier. These are the coordinates for it. Tell the guards about it if I don't return in the next 24 hours. They should have completed the summon in a day or two. I will give you a quarter of what I steal. It is a small favor." 

He removed the map of the royal palace folded into a scroll slung on his shoulder and tried to give it to him. 

"It's not that hard, you can just come to me with this by the front door."  

"Watchmen." Cobbler couldn't fathom why he would say that. 

"You can come in the morning." 

"It wouldn't be safe." 

"How do I know you are going to actually give me a quarter for it? You can just take those palace gold and run if you succeed."

Cobbler was getting more and more vex and had the impulse to knock him out, only a few steps were necessary to seize him. 

All this one had to do was to tell the guards in case he doesn't come back, and he will get a quarter. But he restrained himself, he needed him.  

It also irks him that his previous preparation to persuade the young merchant had more to do with the morality of regicide and the severity of the laws regarding it but here he was, seemingly only displaying skepticism over the splitting of money. 

He gives too many moral credits to educated men or he gives too many credits to himself for perceiving who and who isn't educated. 

"How about this? I will just pay you." As Cobbler spoke those words, he wonders if he could have literally just asked his thief acquaintances instead. 

The boy snatched the pouch of coins and counted it quickly on the table.

"Done. Should have just done it the moment you got in, wouldn't have wasted so much damn time."

Finally, he was done. Now he could move on, the moment before he was about to leave, with his boots on the edge of the window and his hands outside, ready to push himself out, he heard the inexplicable.  

"But what if it's regicide?" 

Cobbler thought he didn't hear it but then decided that he definitely did after remembering everything else he said prior. 

He expected someone who can think on his feet, someone amoral, someone intelligent and here he was talking to the antonym of all of these. 

No wonder he gave that much coins to him for those goods, how much money did this idiot got cheated of? He was only funny and charming for those five minutes but now he learns that the young merchant has the mental function of a fucking toddler. An utter addlepate and wastrel. 

"You couldn't have fucking guessed that regicide might be involved when the Children of Silver is involved? And that I need you to tell the guards about it in case I don't come back?" 

"The Children of Silver, you mean that Guild?"

Cobbler's eyes widened, he looked left and right, there was no one around, but he had felt the urge of asking was anyone else hearing this? 

"Look. What if regicide is involved? I don't want to be part of that."

What...?

That was the only thought that repeated what must have been ad infinitum in his mind. 

All of a sudden, Cobbler saw not a young merchant, but an idiot child that decided he can make it out on his own and with only superficiality and bullshit, probably using his parent's money as well, thought he could become a fence and make it rich on his own.

This one was the embodiment of what he despised. Fuck skipping town, he is going to just gag and tie him up, lock his door until this blows over. 

In fact, why was this witless idiot so cautious about him knocking him out? This is the market district, their safe is built into the stones, it's not only impenetrable, but he also can't hear through the safe to tune the right combination. His safe has a combination, doesn't it? DOESN'T IT?

He should have seen that from a mile off, working in daylight at the market, his good price for buying fenced goods, it isn't some kind of elaborate setup to hide his track, he is a fucking idiot, how has this incompetent ass not been caught yet? 

Of course, his father must be friends with the court or is in court. All the implications of his stupidity should have been patently obvious.

Cobbler thought he was going to have a mental break down over just how much he had misjudged this one's character and personality.

"Well? What if regicide is involved?"

He ran forward with the full intention to maul the idiot down, the adrenaline made the clumsy thrust of the young merchant's knife look even slower even, the young merchant had forgotten completely that he was supposed to be shouting for help.

It was precisely now when he saw his lack of recourse and the complete naked idiocy. Cobbler's mind gave no resistance of his impulse and allowed his anger to perform its work, he nimbly sidestepped away from the blade and viciously elbowed at the outstretched arm resultant of the bad knifework, the grip loosened and he caught the falling dagger. 

With the hand that now held the dagger, he smashed the hilt into the young merchant's throat while tripping him down with his leg. 

The young merchant puked in his mouth midway as he felt, and choked on it as he writhed on the floor, Cobbler allowed him to hack the vomit out before positioning the edge of the dagger against his neck.

"THE PASSWORD FOR THE SAFE IS 123556!" He split it out after a mere second of struggle.

He was in disbelief over this one's sheer spinelessness, he choked him enough so he would pass out but he wished he could have just done it all the way. After emptying most of what was valuable in the safe into his belts, taking his pouch back, slinging the scroll back to his shoulder. He took some time to contemplate his failure and the only productive and encouraging conclusion was that at least his time wasn't fully wasted.

Or so he thinks. He turned to the wind from the open window and when he saw the moon, it was bright blue.