Tales from Septins Mind

Part IV, Why not to talk to a drunken thief lord

Nicolayuth chortled as he looked through the contents of the shadowy figures money pouch. The pouch was nearly overflowing with gold and silver crowns. The figure must have indeed been high up in the watch if he could have so much money.

Nimbly stepping aside as a large rat scurried past to investigate the latest pile of dung the boy continued along. Nicolayuth waved to members of the thief lords band of cut throats as he went along, nearing the rogues chambers shortly, walking straight in.

Walking in to he found Arthur, who looked up quickly when Nicolayuth walked in, relaxing in a torn and extremely filthy armchair. “What’s with you boy, found a crown to wear?” asked Arthur suspiciously.

“No, I’ve only just done the task you set me.”

“Liar.” Stated the Thief Lord. Nicolayuth handed over the money pouch with all the gold in it. Arthur opened it up and looked through it for a long while before turning back to Nicolayuth.

“You just asked Fron to hand this over to you didn’t you. Or you just got someone else to do it. Didn’t you! ”Arthur finished in a roar, reaching out to grab Nicolayuth.

Too late Nicolayuth realised that Arthur was drunk. Making a break for the door and the relative safety beyond it he was grabbed roughly by the arm. Arthur dragged him back, eyes very bright, Nicolayuth smelt the cheap wine on his breath as the fist raised. Nicolayuth tried to squirm out of the way but it was useless, Arthur was older than him by a few decades. A fist crashed into the boys side causing him to cry out in pain.

Again and again he struck Nicolayuth, making him yell out every time. He clipped the boy on the head and the boy saw stars, falling down to the ground. Arthur started to kick his limp body then picked him up and threw him against a wall. The snap of breaking bones was audible.

There was a scurry of feet outside the door then Fron came running in. He took the situation in one glance, he ran over and stopped Arthur from hurting the boy any more. When he was sure Arthur had calmed down he picked up the limp and broken body of the boy and went to carry it off to a healer.

Fron cursed under his breath as he carried the body of the boy out of the sewers in search of a healer. This always happened. The boy got good and showed the rogue but the rogue was drunk every time. The rogue had killed his last ten apprentices in drunken rage. This was the first one that Fron had been able to perhaps save. Fron looked down at the boy in his arms. Maybe not even this boy would survive, he had such potential. Why was Arthur blind to that Fron wondered not the first time and not the last time either. Fron was approaching the closest healers house when a shadowy figure detached itself from under a wall and moved towards Fron as he walked. The old thief stopped stock still and called out.

“Who are you, what do you want. If your a thief then know that I’m the rogues under lord. Any attempt to rob me will be met with brutal decisiveness.”

The shadowy figure chuckled.

“Strong words for a middle aged man carrying the limp body of a boy to a healer.” He raised his hands as Fron opened his mouth. “I’m not going to hurt you, In fact I just wondered if you know of a boy that is a pickpocket and lives around here.” The figure paused. “Is that the boy in your hands?”

“What do you mean ‘boy’?”

“I mean a boy that I started to have a little chat with this afternoon, blue eyes, black hair, short. Like that boy in your arms your carrying to a healer in fact.”

The man stepped up to look at Nicolayuth. He gasped when he saw the twisted angle the boys arm was at.

“How did the boy get hurt? When he left me this afternoon after kicking me in the groin and stealing my money pouch he was fine. This is the boy, isn’t it?”

“Why do you care?”

“I care because I was wanting to take this boy here under my wing and teach him how to become an assassin and or thief.”

Fron still looked suspicious. The man clenched his teeth.

“Look, will you just let me help for the moment, if you find out later that I’m up to no good you can try and kill me.” He laid no emphasis on the word try.

Fron nodded his agreement.

“Good then, lets get to the healers and we can talk about this boys career path.”

They hurried of to the healers to save the life of a boy who was dying.