White Book, Black Book
Hawke had made it to Denerim as the farmers had finished harvesting in the fields. She patted Red's neck and headed towards the Pearl and her fence. The stable lad greeted her with a smile and didn't intrude while she rubbed down her own horse and carried her own things. She took a deep breath, her pack dangling over her shoulder and went in the back door to the underbelly of the city. Well-ordered chaos greeted her, servants bustled from table to table in the half light and when she pulled one's sleeve they sent her off with a nod in to Dawn's direction.
Hawke waited patiently while the middle aged woman finished her business with another, a customer by the looks of it. A fancy noble looking for a fun time, or looking to hire someone for a job. Dawn glared holes into the back of his head as he left but was all smiles for Hawke. "You're here late."
She settled on the stool. "Family problems."
"Ah." She nodded knowingly. "Happens." She slapped her hands on the counter. "What can I buy from you?"
Hawke shook her head. "I need work, Dawn."
"Now, love, you know I'm just a fence." Hawke stared at her until she sighed. "Fine, but you get caught, you know the rules." She pulled out a white book. "I've got some and I'll write you a list. There's a sweep that just came in. It's not a lot though, our other services have been needed more."
"I'll take some out of the black book." Dawn looked up and found storm eyes staring her down. She shook her head and Hawke cut her off. "I've killed before and I need the money. I'm not some squeamish child."
Dawn shivered. "Maker, girl, what happened?"
Hawke studied her a moment. "My father is dead."
"And that woman who birthed you placed it on your shoulders." Hawke nodded. She pulled out the black book. "Give me a moment to write them down. Memorize them and-."
"Then burn the list." Hawke smiled with too many teeth and Dawn wondered what she was unleashing on her city.
A sweep was easy enough, get in to the house and take anything of value that you could carry. Hawke was perched on a neighboring roof watching the place. It was a merchant's home, a lovely wife and two young children that he was taking out for the evening to make up for his infidelity that morning. She felt a little sick when he had come into the upstairs of the Pearl, her first official job. He had a favorite whore and she had hid in the wardrobe. A sovereign had gotten the girl's agreement to ask him questions, a second sovereign was a tip. He had droned on and on about his lovely young wife but how he was too virile for any one woman. She rolled her eyes again, more like she was exhausted chasing his spawn and told him to hump a nug. They loaded up into the carriage and left so Hawke made her way down the side of the house and through the back door.
Kitchen was empty, they weren't so well to do they had their servants living with them. She ignored the gaudy and fake furnishings in the downstairs rooms and headed up to the bedrooms. She didn't bother with the children's room and went straight for the woman's jewelry box. She dumped the box and then tossed the fakes back into it. The pearls and a few rings were real at least. She sighed and checked under the bed and then his dresser. "Some sweep."
She headed back downstairs and realized she had missed a door. She grinned when she turned the knob and it was locked. "Finally." She hunkered down and set her lockpicks in motion; it was a simple lock. She could have just forced the door, but the best way to steal anything was to make sure they never missed it. Books lined the walls, stuffy books on the history of the Chantry. She curled her nose and focused on the desk, five drawers and no locks. She sorted through some boring papers, letters he was writing to his lady at the Pearl, and finally the bottom left drawer gave her something. A whole sack of sovereigns, she jingled it in her hand. She'd have to give Dawn her cut but it was still better than nothing. She let herself out the back door and climbed the garden wall. She settled her bag against her spine and stuffed her hands in her pockets, whistling a cheery tune as she strutted past the guard. It was definitely better than nothing.