My next order of business is to find something to eat. This shouldn''t be too hard. I have passed plenty of eateries so far already after all. Small business mostly, catering to the hard working city folk that can''t afford to take any time off to cook for themselves. Many seem to cater to the other surrounding businesses and the people employed there first and foremost, but they don''t turn away the occasional passerby either.


    My chances to get my hands on some actual food shouldn''t be too bad everything considered. What makes it a little harder are the dwindling contents of my purse. I should still have enough to get a meal or two, but beyond that I''ll probably have to generate some income first.


    The thought alone is almost enough to kill my appetite. How am I going to get my hands on some coin? Should I try to get inside the actual city once more to join the adventurers'' guild and do some questing?


    I''m not too sure about that. But what other options do I have? None that sound any more appealing than adventuring. Not at first anyway. Before my mood can get any worse a particularly pleasant smell makes me stop.


    I don''t know what exactly it is, but it has to be something sweet, that much seems clear to me. It is unlike any aroma I have smelled in a while, not only ever since I got here. I turn and take another careful sniff to pinpoint the direction this promise of sweet goodness is coming from.


    Finally I decide on one of the nearby side streets. Although, is it alright to call it a side street? After all there is very little difference to any of the other streets around here. None of them are paved. None of them are straight. None are particularly wide. I can''t help but snicker. Delivering letters around here has to be a real nightmare.


    Then my amusement turns into serious contemplation. No, actually, anyone who comes through here regularly probably knows their way around. Never mind the people actually living here. They probably navigate by the looks of the houses. Those are rather distinctive after all. Yes, that makes sense.


    I on the other hand walk around somewhat lost for a little while longer. That isn''t very stealthy or even just moderately inconspicuous. People are already looking my way. Well, some are.


    It is a good thing and not a small relief when I finally find what I''m looking for. Thank all the gods and goddesses. Sweet, fried buns, glazed with honey. And, I''m not entirely sure, but they might be filled with jam too.


    My mouth starts to water as I approach the street side stall selling these delicious treats. Most of the customers seem to be locals, but no one even bats an eye as I step in line too.


    A wooden sign lets me know, that I will have to pay a penny for every bun. That is painful considering my lack of funds, but at the same time it is a price I''m willing to pay. Every once in a while you just have to treat yourself to something delicious.


    As it is my turn I drop one of my few remaining bronze coins into the bowl next to the got fat, like the others before me have. The very next moment I''m already holding a still warm bun. It is not one of those that have just come from the hot fat though. Those would still be entirely too hot. It is a very fresh treat anyway.


    I walk a few steps and lean against the nearest wall for a moment to enjoy my meal. Warm, sweet and delicious! A little fatty too. Pure finger licking goodness! Sadly it can''t last forever. All too soon I lick the last crumbs from my fingers.


    With a sad sigh I resume my walk through the streets outside Riverrun''s walls. I take in all the sights and make note of secluded corners. I especially keep an eye open for spots where the wall might be a little easier to scale than elsewhere. I try to estimate where blind spots might be too, where I wouldn''t be seen from guards stationed at the towers along the wall.


    And, of course, I do my best to remain inconspicuous while I do all that. I never linger too long in any one place and I never look too hard at any one thing. After a little while my efforts are rewarded with not one but two divine whispers.


    [*Ding!* You have unlocked the Streetwise general skill at Level 1!]


    [*Ding!* Your skill Stealth has leveled up to level 6!]


    Oh my, what a nice surprise. It certainly puts a smile on my lips. I''m left wondering though, how [Streetwise] is different from [Gather Information]. Is one for interacting with people and the other for getting to know the city''s layout with your own feet? Possible, but I''m not quite sure yet. I''ll have to figure it out eventually.


    I don''t even glance in the direction of the gate as I cross that particular street this time around, to then continue my exploration in the direction of the riverbank on the other side of the city.


    I can''t help but wonder why the city would be built here. Sure, the bend of the river is somewhat defensible, but at the same time I suspect that they get regular flooding too. That can''t be nice. Sure, anything built inside the walls is probably spared the worst. Out here though? Not so much. Probably. Or maybe the river isn''t quite as prone to seasonal flooding as I suspect? It isn''t limited to a narrow bed after all. The elevation the city is built on might just be safe enough.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The rest of the day passes quietly and as it does, the crowd on the streets changes bit by bit. The hard working folk head home only to be replaced by another kind of hard working folk. Those and the kind that is hardly working as I soon find out, as a shiver runs down my spine and the hair at the back of my neck stands on end.


    A brief divine whisper accompanies this feeling.


    [*Ding!* Your skill Danger Sense has leveled up to level 4!]


    On one hand the level up notice for the skill is nice. On the other hand it is a reminder that the city is not necessarily any less dangerous than the woods.


    I puff up my cheeks and look around carefully to take proper stock of the situation.


    It seems I have managed to maneuver myself into a particularly badly lit, curving alley in between several buildings connecting two other streets that are hardly any better. There are no doors or windows that would allow me to enter any of the buildings to either side.


    There is some detritus piled up against said walls too. It''s probably due to the cover provided by this very trash that I only spot the figure leaning against a wall in between me and the alley''s exit ahead as I''m almost upon them.


    As I stop, so do the two others who are behind me. I think they have been following me quietly and at an unobtrusive distance for a while at least. Yes, they have moved not entirely unlike me. That is probably why I only notice them now.


    All three wear hooded cowls and, of course, the obligatory bladed weapons. Theirs are not just over sized knives either. No, those are daggers with two edges, easily one and a half hand spans long and very pointy. Not bad. Not bad at all.


    Finally the shady figure ahead of me pushes off the wall, to block my way. It''s only now that I can see that it is a man, or maybe a boy who tries too hard, to act like a man.


    He looks like he has seen more than his fair share of hardship. He isn''t exactly starving, but he isn''t eating too well either. A nasty scar runs across his face, and in the process his nose too, from one side to the other. That must have been a nasty injury and apparently he hasn''t received any magical healing. His teeth don''t look too good either, but at least he isn''t missing any. Not yet anyway.


    I shake my head and grimace, as I move my sword hand to the hilt of my weapon under the cloak. I try to sound bored as I address the one ahead.


    “Let me guess, this is supposed to be a mugging, right?”


    Now the trio really stops dead in their tracks. The one in front pulls his dagger halfway free of the sheath as he eyes me up properly. I can feel the unwelcome tingle that goes along with an identification skill. This one too feels nasty, a lot like the guard''s earlier today.


    Whatever he sees, whatever the skill shows him, apparently is not inclined to change his mind. Finally he speaks up. His voice sounds raspy.


    “It is. Now, why don''t you just drop your pack and your purse. Your weapon too. Don''t be stupid. No need to make this harder on yourself than it has to be.”


    I nod, as if to signal understanding. At the same time I take half a step towards him. Mostly to make sure there is a little more distance in between me and the other two. I try to sound cold and condescending as I speak again.


    “You picked the wrong woman. You really did. Know Kronk? The bandit lord? Heard of him and his gang? By now they are probably taking down the wanted posters. Might be able to get a look at his ugly mug tomorrow. Heads, pikes and walls or some such. You bunch don''t look half as tough as him and he couldn''t kill me. I on the other hand had no trouble sticking him with my sword. Again and again.”


    That, of course, is a very liberal interpretation of the events of yesterday. I completely omit some little details, like the fact that I didn''t fight him alone, or that he in fact knocked me out of the fight before the others ended it. These goons really don''t need to know though.


    The divine whisper that follows my bold statements helps reinforce my smug smile.


    [*Ding!* You have unlocked the Intimidate general skill at Level 1!]


    The brows of the scarred one furrow and the other two back off ever so slightly. I''m neither out of the fire not the frying pan yet, but maybe the trio will see reason after all.


    The scarred one doesn''t back down though. Not yet anyway. Instead he pulls the rusty blade of his dagger free of the sheath completely. His voice is a dangerous hiss now.


    “So what! You won''t even get to draw your blade here in this narrow alley. We''ll stick you like a pig first! We''ll see if you are still so full of yourself once you lie bleeding in the muck!”


    It sounds like one of the two behind me wants to say something, but the apparent leader of this little gang shuts that one up with a demonstrative swipe of his blade, before anything can actually be said. Of course. If he is the leader of a gang in a neighborhood like this he can''t afford to appear weak.


    Damn it. Damn it all. I really don''t want to kill three stupid kids who sadly don''t know any better. Ah well, who says that I have to give in just because he insists on acting tough? Let''s give this another try. My brows furrow and I emit a low growl. I try my best to maintain this threatening growl as I reply. I take my hands off the hilt of my sword too.


    “Good. You aren''t a completely brainless thug then. Now tell me, what is to keep me from bashing your heads against the walls until your brains spill out? You have a plan for that too?”


    I crack my knuckles for emphasis at this point.


    [*Ding!* Your skill Intimidate has leveled up to level 2!]


    I lace my voice with an acidic sub tone before I continue.


    “You are probably asking yourself, little thug, how often will I have to bash your head against a wall to crack your skull. Twice? Or maybe three times? Now the only question you really should be asking yourself is, do you feel lucky?”


    I pause for effect.


    “Well, little thug, do you feel lucky?”


    [*Ding!* Your skill Intimidate has leveled up to level 3!]


    The scarred one ahead is staring at me, mouth agape, at least at first. Then one of the two behind me breaks and runs. That is all it takes. Without much delay the apparent boss of the trio makes a run for it too.


    That leaves only the third, he might be the dim witted one of the trio. He is still standing there, shaking in his boots. At least until I turn halfway, to look at him directly. Then, at long last, he too runs.