My lips were dry and my throat felt parched as I lay on my belly on the cliffs overlooking the sea as turqoise as the beads that encircled my wrists. It was mid-day and I could feel the sun burning down mercilessly on my already tight feeling skin and my whole being wanted to jump up, race down the steep path and plunge into the waves, yet that would only alert my prey. I could see him approach, his little nutshell bobbing on the waters, looking almost helpless but still it steadily approached.

I could hear my stomach rumble, how long had it been since I had eaten? Too long, my mind rather unhelpfully supplied the memory of a lean little pheasant roasting over my campfire. I fought the thought down and concentrated on the task at hand. My hand slid down my side as I saw my intended target dragging his boat onto the sand. A few boxes were stacked in the back, but long not as many as I had hoped. Yet this would be better than nothing.

My eyes narrowed and I lay my head lower, hoping that my red hair would not give me away. There was nothing for it, I had lost my brown cape in a scuffle outside Adana, as well as my dagger. The space at my side was woefully empty, my fathers beautiful bronze sword used to be belted there but all that was left was the supple, well worn weapons belt. I sighed. One day, they would pay. And they would start today. I watched as the man began to offload his little boat. The boxes seemed to be empty and I breathed a sigh. So much for letting them start paying, I thought to myself as I watched him stacking them well beyond the tide-line and covering them with a fishing net. But pay he would. I grinned as he started up on the path, not even looking around. Cocky little man. My eyes narrowed further and my heartrate sped up as he disappeared beyond the first bend of the path.
I shuffled back just a little and crouched in readiness. There he was. I could feel my pulse race in my throat.
He must be feeling secure, he even began to whistle. I couldn't believe my ears.

You son of a swine, you don't have a chance.

A savage scream tore painfully from my dry throat as I vaulted over the edge of the cliff and dropped onto the unsuspecting man. He screamed too, and it made me laugh as he crumpled underneath me. I hit him squarely in the face and felt his nose break under my fist. My other fist connected with his temple and his eyes dimmed immediately. "Not so strong now, are you?", my voice was rough and I looked down at the unconscious man. "But you know too much to stay alive."
It took a bit of effort, but I managed to twist his neck until the telltale crunching, cracking noise. Blood still flowed freely from his nose, but that would stop.

My hands flew through his clothes that were almost as tattered as my own and I found a small satchel with silver coins. Not much, but better than nothing. He carried no weapons except a dagger, but I knew that this was not the man who had my fathers sword. No, he was small fry. But I remembered his stink. And for his involvement, he deserved only death. A shame it had been such a quick affair, but I was too weak at the moment to drag the game out in any way.
I made his coat my own, it was quite a simple garment but of better quality than my old one. His shoes I took as well. They were a little too big, but I would fix that tonight. And I would leave his corpse to be found.
Zeri is back. And some of you better start watching your back.
It was my turn to whistle as I strode down the path and pushed the boat back into the waves. I retraced my steps in my own footprints and made off towards the east, where my camp was.