One World, No Coincidences

Summary:What if Niko hadn't gotten to Briar? What if he had never even known about him? What if he had become a slave to Enihar? What if he was the one thing that could stop the girls from beating him?

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"Docks." said the judge in a bored tone. Briar struggled, at least they would remember him. It was the very least. At least someone would remember him. Soon he would be forgotten, like the countless number of those caught stealing three times. The guards' firm hands stopped him from doing any real damage. He couldn't have if he wanted to, they were too strong for him.

They threw him behind bars with the others. Soon they were to be seperated into different groups along the Sotat coast. Briar scowled. This was not going to be fun. He knew it, and they knew it. They all did. There was nothing for them to do but wait throughout the day, until all the trials were done. A few more people were tossed into the pen, but other than that, it had been dull.

Five guards came to the cell with a ring of keys encircling the leader's finger. It was so tempting, all they had to do was reach out and grab it, then they could escape and be free. But they knew that that was just a silly fantasy. The guards would catch them before they could go more than a few steps. They would be watchful of the keys, surely other thieves had tried to snatch it from their hands before. "Get up." The leader growled, kicking them when they weren't quick to obey. He snapped a handcuff on each person's hand, linking them to the next person. "Don't think you'll be able to get out of these, these have been spelled by the greatest harrier mages in the realm!" warned the guards. Many of them just shrugged off the warning, they thought magic to be fakery. A few merchants who had been caught stealing went dead white. Merchants tended to believe in ridiculous things like magic.

Briar found himself at the front of the line, the closest to the guards, and the nearest to those who wanted to harm him. His experience told him that these were not men to be trifled with. They wanted power more than anything, and this was their way of getting it. Pushing around helpless people 'till they felt like dropping to the ground and dying.

"We're walking!" cried out the guard. A series of moans issued from the group, and those who did so were cuffed. "I do not tolerate insolence! Those who are around me will be respectful to their betters, understand?" he said the last word with a sly note on his tongue. This man reminded Briar of a snake, slithering around without legs strong enough to support himself, making small warning sounds in the grass, but when heed was not taken, he ould strike the innocents.

The long walk to the various ports seemed to take forever. Days turned into months, and months turned into more. It took long periods of time to get far away on foot. Even across a country. Briar was beginning to think it would take years. He kept him mind blank, willing himself not to think of the future. He would rebell whenever he saw the excuse or the chance. He set many of his walk-mates into hushed laughter near the beginning, but near the end, they no longer found anything to laugh about.

Soon their numbers dwindled from over fifteen, to the small number of three. They were to arrive at the last port, the leader had informed them. "Then we're going to take a nice first class boat home." then they all cackled, as though it were incredibly funny. It was bad enough when they ate those rich, delicious-smelling meals right in front of them, and they couldn't even move forward for a whiff without being beaten, but now they were telling of the luxuries on the boat. All you can eat buffet lines, comfortable seating, beds so plush and comfortable that the Amar himself would die to sleep on it. Many of the thieves mouths were drooling at the thought of food, they rarely got to have any. Once every three days, the guards said, was enough for them.

Briar refused to give them the pleasure of his coveting. Of course he coveted them, but that didn't mean that they had the right to know about it. Briar steered his mind away from it. After all, he thought, a they are pitiful, morte than us. At least we know our station, they like to pretend they're more important than they are. They probably had whining wives at home, a couple coins to their name. Why else would they take this job?

The air of the ocean struck Briar once more. Every time they wandered away from it, the next time he smelt it it always came as a surprise. Some sailors he had asked years ago had said that the stench was only around the beaches, as soon as you left the seaweed on the coast, it smelt much better. The guards marched right through town, hardly even glancing about them at the people who stared openly at the chained thieves, backing away quickly, not wanting to find any of their goods stolen, forgetting that these thieves could not take anything if their wanted to. Their hands were chained and their pockets had been ripped from their clothing, taking things would do them no good, they had no where to put it, and then they would get another beating.

The crowds of people thinned out until they reached a large wooden wall, so tall and straight that no one could climb up it. The wall was coated in glass, slippery smooth so that any dream of getting out would go down the toilet. A guard from inside opened a peephole to have a look. His eyes brightened, but hardly. "You've come at last. We've been needing some more ruffians lately. More ships have been coming in than ever, we sold a whole bunch to some slave traders a while back." Briar shivered. Lakik the Trickster, please don't do that to me. He prayed silently.

The guards ushered them in as the guard at the door told them what cabin they were to be in. Briar smiled. Cabins. That didn't sound too bad, bags sometimes had cabins that they went to over the weekends and on holidays. That was the best time to thieve them. Servants were never very careful, and they often didn't have the power to get an audience.

Briar was assigned to cabin 9.

It wasn't what he had expected. There was a foul reek coming from each of the widely spaced cabins. It was almost as bad as the sewers back home, but he had gotten used to the fainter smell of the above-ground areas. Briar cracked a smile. It smelt like home.

The guards unchained them and booted them into their individual cabins, which was a help, cause Briar wouldn't have been able to tell by the brass nine on the door alone. The cabins were empty, for everyone was away, doing what, Briar wasn't sure. He was told to take the empy bed. The rest had blankets that were ruffled around in a mess. "You'll start to work tomorrow, get rest while you can." said a man who has escorted them inside. He was a big burly man, with a rough beard and kind eyes that had seen too much.

Briar took his advice and slept.

The sleep he had was blissful, who would have thought that sleeping on a cushion would be so comfortable? And he was warm, he hadn't felt warm in months! He slept with a smile on his face. Or, he was, until he was booted awake.

"Wake up ye' bleater!" growled a boy his age. "Yer gonna git us all in trouble, ye hear! Now git up!" he cried, while kicking him in the stomach again. Briar opened his eyes wearily. He was too sleepy for this now.

"Go ter hell." he muttered, wanting to doze off again. Back home, people knew not to mess with him. he was one of the Thief Lords favorites. He said he had a steady hand.

"Go piss yerself!" commanded the boy angrily, his hands clenched into fists.

"Nice te meet ye too." said Briar snidely, getting up with ease. With the amount of walking he had done, he didn't think it possible for him to ever get tired again. Really. Well, last night had been an acception, but all in all he had gotten used to it.

The other boy decided to go for him with a punch to the shin. Briar staggered back, but recovered quickly, getting near enough for the other boy to punch him, but dancing around so there was no way he could come close. Finally, after confusing the other boy well enough, he kneed him in the crotch. It was low, and he knew it, but it did the job. The other boy collapsed to the ground, rocking back and forth, glaring Briar daggers.

"They usually weak as a kitten when they comes here." commented the other boy.

"Well I ain't the usual." Briar gave a deadly whisper, one that could chill any grown man to the bones.

"I'm Dart." offered Dart.

"Roach." replied Briar. He had always hated the name the Theif Lord had given him, but no one argued with him, it often left you dead.

"Pleased to meet ye." said Dart, wincing.

"I'd be pleased te meet ye too, if ye hadn't kicked me as a wakeup call." said Briar.

"Sorry 'bout that." said Dart, struggling to get up.

"It's okay." said Briar with a grin.

"Are any of you pansies up yet?" yelled a loud, booming voice. Those who were not already awake and watching the fight between Briar and Dart were waking up now. No living human could stay awake while he boomed. It was like an earthquake, so loud that whomever was around it shook and trembled until it got what it wanted. When he saw a couple of nods he smiled, a sick, twisted thing for this man. "Good. Cause I want you outside in a straight line in 20 seconds!" ye barked. Everyone jumped and raced outside as he began to count. Briar was the last to get here.

It was better to make mark of his dominance sooner than later. "Being cocky are ye?" growled the man.

Briar just looked into his eyes, that alone was enough to make him flinch. He just had to scare him, make him put his tail between his legs.

"Ah, yer new, aren't ya? You haven't yet been taught who's the boss!" he crowed.

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Author's Note: This came as an inspiration while I felt like writing Circle of Magic fanfiction and I didn't feel like working on my other one. Hope you liked it, I certainly enjoyed writing it.

I'd appreciate it tonnes if you reviewed too. Reviews are just the thing to brighten any author's day. XD

Ciao for now. ยท

Liarra