Ari Tailor, age twelve, stood outside the door to Claw's chambers, fist poised to knock. He hesitated, knowing he didn't want to enter that room, then let his hand drop. Claw had warned him not to say anything of this meeting to another soul, not even his best friend and fellow rogue Malik; that could mean only one thing. If he went in that room, he'd be drawn into a plot against the Rogue.
He was in desperate straits, true, but not that desperate. He had always been loyal to his friends and to his people, who in this case were one and the same, and not just when it suited him either. He was one of George's loyallest subjects, even if His Majesty had yet to know it. Ari figured that Claw had a right to challenge George's kingship, but somehow he had a feeling the treacherous rogue was going to go about it the wrong way, and he didn't want to be a part of it.
On the other hand, if he didn't go in, he risked a charge of treason, since he didn't know for absolute sure what Claw's plan was, and if he refused to meet the man, Claw could easily bring that charge down on his head. And besides that, Ari had reason to believe Claw would have him stalked and killed...
Trembling with hesitation, Ari lifted his hand again, and finally rapped on the door, having decided that he would go in, but he would refuse to get tangled in any plots against His Majesty. Immediately a gruff voice called out from within, 'Come in.'
Ari obeyed, peeking his head round the doorjamb in his trepidation.
'Well, come in, boy! Don't just stand there gawking,' Claw said irritably from his seat in a corner.
Ari had seen Claw several times already, but it came as a great shock to see him up close now. His face was smattered with ugly purple scars, almost as if he'd aged prematurely, for his body was in its prime. A handsome black velvet patch, at odds with his less-than-noble garb, covered one eye, and everyone knew that it hid an empty socket. Ari had to avert his gaze from the one-eyed man's stare, lest he give away his repulsion and thereby infuriate Claw.
'So,' said Claw, seemingly ignorant to the young boy's discomfiture, 'You came. I wasn't sure you would. I'm glad you turned out more reliable than I'd thought, boy. What's your name?'
Ari gulped and forced himself to look up into Claw's face. 'Ari Tailor, sir,' he replied.
'And,' Claw said, leaning forward in his chair, 'you're ready and willing to serve me?'
'I... I'd like to know what my mission's to be first, sir.'
The glint in the single eye was dangerous. 'Eh, and what if I gave you these?' He pulled from his pocket a good-sized pouch; from the clinking noise it made, its contents were obvious.
'I'd still want to know what it is I've got to do. 'Cause I'll not be going against His Majesty all unfair like, no offense, sir.'
'Oho, so you'll play it that way, will you? Smart lad. But not smart enough... Are you willing to give your life for your precious Rogue? Because that is your choice: serve me, or..' His gesture was unmistakable.
Ari stared at him, dark eyes round with horror. He was speechless for a few moments, then fear took hold of his soul and he replied, 'Y-you made your point quite clear, sir.'
'Good, I'm glad to hear it.'
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After the boy left, Claw sat at his desk, pondering the meeting that had just taken place. He was suspicious of his easy success: he had expected the boy to give a little more fight than that. Instead, all it had apparently taken was one well-placed death threat...
A wary beast by nature, Claw didn't believe a word of it. He scrambled out to the hallway and down the stairs of the inn where he was lodging, single eye searching for his most trusted ally, Kayin of Dunlath. Kay was lounging at one of the inn's tables, scuffing his boots idly against the rush mats on the floor. He glanced up as Claw came clattering down the stairs, surprise at his master's hastiness showing in his mismatched eyes.
'Ho, what's the hurry, Claw?' he asked, pulling up a chair. Claw shoved it aside.
'No time for that, Kay. Get out of here and follow that boy, the one what just left. Make sure he does what he's supposed to-you know what that is.'
Kay nodded and pushed back his chair. 'It will be done... Your Majesty,' he said lightly, his eyes impassive as he exited the inn.
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Ari slipped through the streets of Corus, the only real home he'd known throughout all his twelve years, but now it didn't seem quite so welcoming. Rogue members seemed to be popping up everywhere he went, so much so that it almost seemed to his fear- and guilt-ridden mind that they were following him.
You're being irrational, he told himself sternly. Nachum's always on that corner begging, and Khira's never far from the Black Cat... Now quit being stupid and just do your job, fool... you never should have accepted that bribe!
Traitor!
The word echoed round in his mind until the repetition became utterly unbearable. Shaking his head as clear as he could, Ari continued down the street. His steps became heavier and heavier as he drew nearer to the Dancing Dove. He didn't want to do this, he couldn't betray George... but he was too young to die! He was sure he'd seen one of Claw's agents trailing him-he had a good eye, and was much quicker than Kay thought he was. Ari was also sure what the man's purpose was, and it wasn't to make sure he didn't get accosted by errant Immortals. It was to make sure he didn't betray the betrayers.
Finally, his footsteps brought him to the back entrance of the Dancing Dove. Shutting his eyes momentarily against his ugly crime, Ari shoved the door in and dashed to the common room where George was sitting.
'Majesty! Majesty, come quick! Claw's took by Provost-men!'
George-a pity he was so off-guard!-followed him through the back entrance-way, and immediately was shoved into the mud of the stableyard. A ring of Claw's men quickly surrounded him.
Ari watched breathlessly as George single-handedly beat them off, not without considerable damage to himself, but still the feat had an almost miracle-like quality to it. Ari's admiration for his king only grew, as did his guilt.
I can't stay... he realized suddenly. Claw's never going to oust King George, and I can't possibly ever make this up to the Rogue. It's inexcusable... And with a sorrowful gust of breath, he turned and sloped off. He was never heard of in Corus-or Tortall, for that matter-again.
He was in desperate straits, true, but not that desperate. He had always been loyal to his friends and to his people, who in this case were one and the same, and not just when it suited him either. He was one of George's loyallest subjects, even if His Majesty had yet to know it. Ari figured that Claw had a right to challenge George's kingship, but somehow he had a feeling the treacherous rogue was going to go about it the wrong way, and he didn't want to be a part of it.
On the other hand, if he didn't go in, he risked a charge of treason, since he didn't know for absolute sure what Claw's plan was, and if he refused to meet the man, Claw could easily bring that charge down on his head. And besides that, Ari had reason to believe Claw would have him stalked and killed...
Trembling with hesitation, Ari lifted his hand again, and finally rapped on the door, having decided that he would go in, but he would refuse to get tangled in any plots against His Majesty. Immediately a gruff voice called out from within, 'Come in.'
Ari obeyed, peeking his head round the doorjamb in his trepidation.
'Well, come in, boy! Don't just stand there gawking,' Claw said irritably from his seat in a corner.
Ari had seen Claw several times already, but it came as a great shock to see him up close now. His face was smattered with ugly purple scars, almost as if he'd aged prematurely, for his body was in its prime. A handsome black velvet patch, at odds with his less-than-noble garb, covered one eye, and everyone knew that it hid an empty socket. Ari had to avert his gaze from the one-eyed man's stare, lest he give away his repulsion and thereby infuriate Claw.
'So,' said Claw, seemingly ignorant to the young boy's discomfiture, 'You came. I wasn't sure you would. I'm glad you turned out more reliable than I'd thought, boy. What's your name?'
Ari gulped and forced himself to look up into Claw's face. 'Ari Tailor, sir,' he replied.
'And,' Claw said, leaning forward in his chair, 'you're ready and willing to serve me?'
'I... I'd like to know what my mission's to be first, sir.'
The glint in the single eye was dangerous. 'Eh, and what if I gave you these?' He pulled from his pocket a good-sized pouch; from the clinking noise it made, its contents were obvious.
'I'd still want to know what it is I've got to do. 'Cause I'll not be going against His Majesty all unfair like, no offense, sir.'
'Oho, so you'll play it that way, will you? Smart lad. But not smart enough... Are you willing to give your life for your precious Rogue? Because that is your choice: serve me, or..' His gesture was unmistakable.
Ari stared at him, dark eyes round with horror. He was speechless for a few moments, then fear took hold of his soul and he replied, 'Y-you made your point quite clear, sir.'
'Good, I'm glad to hear it.'
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After the boy left, Claw sat at his desk, pondering the meeting that had just taken place. He was suspicious of his easy success: he had expected the boy to give a little more fight than that. Instead, all it had apparently taken was one well-placed death threat...
A wary beast by nature, Claw didn't believe a word of it. He scrambled out to the hallway and down the stairs of the inn where he was lodging, single eye searching for his most trusted ally, Kayin of Dunlath. Kay was lounging at one of the inn's tables, scuffing his boots idly against the rush mats on the floor. He glanced up as Claw came clattering down the stairs, surprise at his master's hastiness showing in his mismatched eyes.
'Ho, what's the hurry, Claw?' he asked, pulling up a chair. Claw shoved it aside.
'No time for that, Kay. Get out of here and follow that boy, the one what just left. Make sure he does what he's supposed to-you know what that is.'
Kay nodded and pushed back his chair. 'It will be done... Your Majesty,' he said lightly, his eyes impassive as he exited the inn.
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Ari slipped through the streets of Corus, the only real home he'd known throughout all his twelve years, but now it didn't seem quite so welcoming. Rogue members seemed to be popping up everywhere he went, so much so that it almost seemed to his fear- and guilt-ridden mind that they were following him.
You're being irrational, he told himself sternly. Nachum's always on that corner begging, and Khira's never far from the Black Cat... Now quit being stupid and just do your job, fool... you never should have accepted that bribe!
Traitor!
The word echoed round in his mind until the repetition became utterly unbearable. Shaking his head as clear as he could, Ari continued down the street. His steps became heavier and heavier as he drew nearer to the Dancing Dove. He didn't want to do this, he couldn't betray George... but he was too young to die! He was sure he'd seen one of Claw's agents trailing him-he had a good eye, and was much quicker than Kay thought he was. Ari was also sure what the man's purpose was, and it wasn't to make sure he didn't get accosted by errant Immortals. It was to make sure he didn't betray the betrayers.
Finally, his footsteps brought him to the back entrance of the Dancing Dove. Shutting his eyes momentarily against his ugly crime, Ari shoved the door in and dashed to the common room where George was sitting.
'Majesty! Majesty, come quick! Claw's took by Provost-men!'
George-a pity he was so off-guard!-followed him through the back entrance-way, and immediately was shoved into the mud of the stableyard. A ring of Claw's men quickly surrounded him.
Ari watched breathlessly as George single-handedly beat them off, not without considerable damage to himself, but still the feat had an almost miracle-like quality to it. Ari's admiration for his king only grew, as did his guilt.
I can't stay... he realized suddenly. Claw's never going to oust King George, and I can't possibly ever make this up to the Rogue. It's inexcusable... And with a sorrowful gust of breath, he turned and sloped off. He was never heard of in Corus-or Tortall, for that matter-again.