(One-shot. My SECOND fic where I'm NICE to George! lol.)
George Cooper was fourteen years old the day he encountered Vick Rumson. The tall, scarred thief-king from Tusaine was visiting Tortall's current Rogue, creating some sort of alliance. George had laughed at this. Alliances between thieves was almost as foolish as befriending a noble, in his eyes.
The boy had been walking down the dusty streets of Lower Corus, kicking stones, hands shoved in his pockets. As people walked by him, he would apply one of his many tricks. Skillfully his hands would dart from beneath the cloth to reach into a passerby's pocket while they looked the other way. After five years of serving the network if thieves in Corus, he was getting pretty good.
It was while he was enjoying these contumacious pastimes when George made the mistake of pick pocketing the wrong man. Just as George's hand slipped into his victim's pocket, the man turned with a snarl, grabbing George's wrist and twisting the boy's arm up behind his back.
"Almost, son," his captor growled. "Now, what do I do wiv ye?"
George gritted his teeth and attempted to wriggle out of the man's hold. It was no use. He had a grip like iron.
"Do you know who I am, boy?" the man asked. For the first time George noticed several people accompanied the man. "I'm Vick Rumson. Rogue of Tusaine."
"Well my name's George Cooper, and if ye don't let me go, ye'll regret it once I'm Tortall's King of Thieves." he twisted again, to no avail.
Vick laughed, and surprisingly, released George. Big hands gripped the boy's shoulders and turned him to face Vick and his men.
"Buddy you're a boy, make a big noise, playin' in the street gonna be a big man some day. You got mud on your face. You big disgrace. Kickin' your can all over the place." Vick stared hard at George, telling him these words, with a melody behind it.
One of Vick's cronies stepped forward. "Buddy you're a young man, hard man. Shouting in the street gonna take on the world some day! You got blood on your face, you big disgrace. Wavin' your banner all over the place!"
The group started walking away, leaving George, mouth agape, in their wake. After several minutes, the boy headed down the winding lane again.