I am feeling hella guilty right now for not posting for so long. grins sheepishly in attempts to regain affection As payment, I wrote ya'll an UBER chapter, which I hope you ADORE. Actually, its not very long compared to some people, but now that it's summer and I have NOTHING to do, I'll be writing a lot more. I also think my quality has improved DRASTICALLY. Okay, loves, loves. Read away!
"It seems to have simply disappeared," Dhiren grumbled as he and Farris rounded the corner.
"I'll tell you once again – it didn't disappear. That boy took it, just as I predicted," a thin mask of phony calm masked Farris's growing exasperation. "You've likely lost it forever."
"That's impossible. You just watch, he'll be right next to the cart and I'll prove him innocent," Dhiren growled dangerously.
"Well then, go ahead and attempt it, but I doubt you'll find him," Farris replied smugly and giving a sarcastic bark of laughter.
"What? That can't be true. Where is the boy?" The superior dodged forward to the cart and threw up a green blanket on the driver's seat, as if expecting to find him there.
From a small alcove in the building next to the cart, Fin gathered all the courage he could muster and prayed Farris wouldn't return him to his mother and father. A cry of rage exploded from Dhiren. "Where is he? I must find him, I simply must – damnit!" Taking a final calming breath, Fin took a forced step from the niche.
"I doubt you'll find him here," the teen advised. "But I do have the purse." Fin hefted the sack in one hand. "I couldn't turn the boy in, but I returned your possessions."
"Fin!" Farris exclaimed, shock spreading across his tired face. Dhiren's eyes narrowed.
"Hand it over," the older man ordered, his voice tinged with acid. Holding back a sarcastic remark, Fin passed the purse to Dhiren, who weighed it in his hand. "What did you take?"
"Dhiren, stop," Farris ordered, pushing in front of his senior counterpart. "He wouldn't take a thing. What are you doing here?"
"Actually, I borrowed a few pence to buy myself a bite to eat. But I swear, it wasn't any large sum of money, I swear it," the teen promised.
"Of course," Dhiren snorted. "Do you think I'm soft in the head?" Fin frowned.
"Sir, I chased the boy down in order to return this to you. If I wanted to keep the money, I would have simply told you the scoundrel got away with it," the boy explained cautiously.
"The amount of money is no object; it's the principle of the matter. I won't have a thief in my midst," Dhiren turned to Farris. "You know the boy, I presume?"
"The boy, henceforth known as Fin, is my godson."
"Are you able to explain to me what he's doing here?"
"I have no sure answer, but I can guess. He likely – "Farris began.
"Would you care to explain?"
Farris took a sharp, aggravated breath inward. "I was just about to begin, which you would have discovered if you had taken the time to wait."
"I'll remember that next time," Dhiren interrupted again, dumping out the contents of his coin sack onto the cart and beginning to separate it into small piles depending on value of coin. Holding back a sharp comment, Farris resumed his deduction.
"Fin likely awoke on the night of my departure and snuck into the unattended cart. He has probably been traveling in the back since the beginning, and when the boy cut the purse from your belt, he accepted his responsibility and ran after the thief.
"Is this an accurate assumption, Fin?" Farris asked.
"Almost a perfect representation."
"And do your parents know of this excursion?" Fin shuffled his feet guiltily.
"I left a note…" Farris raised his eyebrows disapprovingly, but all the same the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes crinkled.
"I wouldn't have expected anything more. We'll have to send a messenger back home, explaining your absence. I'm sure Leala is worried."
A short, sarcastic laugh caused the pair to start. "You can't be serious, Farris," Dhiren said, his tone condescending.
"Is something troubling you?" Farris asked, his voice tight.
"This adolescent – child – of yours is not going to be accompanying us on this mission. It's an affair for adults and adults only."
"Fin is quite capable for a boy of his age. I'm sure that he will not only be harmless, but quite possibly even benefit our undertaking." The teen stepped forward towards Dhiren, straightening his back and puffing his chest.
"If you give me the chance, I'm sure that I can prove myself worthy to your cause,"
"Ha!" Dhiren scoffed. "I doubt you even know what our cause is – do you?" His eyes flashed to Farris.
"I decided he had come of age," Farris explained. "Fin deserved to know. It's part of his past."
"I thought we agreed that the information was confidential," Dhiren glared at Fin.
"Well there's nothing we can do about it now."
"We can send him home," Dhiren suggested.
"Do you expect me simply to load him into the cart of a stranger to take back home?"
"If there's no other solution, then I suppose that is what I expect of you," Dhiren shot back. Fin, perceiving the upcoming decision by the obviously superior Dhiren, stepped between the two men.
He turned to Dhiren. "Sir, I would expect that my decision to follow the scoundrel who stole your purse would prove my worth. If it weren't for me, you would be without funding for the continuation of your journey." The older man sniffed haughtily.
"Being in service to the royal family, I would easily request more funding from the palace. It would have been no trouble."
"You are being entirely unreasonable!" Farris cried. "Fin has proven his willingness to assist us. He could save your life and you wouldn't be grateful enough to allow him to accompany us. He's coming and that's final. Come along, Fin. We're in need of some more supplies. We'll be back in an hour's time."
---
"Is there a reason Dhiren is so hostile towards you, Farris?" Fin asked as they wandered down the busy streets of the bazaar, avoiding the people mulling about them.
Farris paused at a stall selling various weapons of picked up a bundle of arrows. "How much does this cost?"
"Thirty-four coranders," the pudgy man behind the counter replied, leering at his customers. Grimacing, Farris promptly dropped the arrows back onto the table and turned back to Fin.
"Bloody steep prices," he muttered. "What did you say?"
"Dhiren seems awfully bitter. I've never met somebody so resentful towards you," Fin observed.
"I have my guesses, the primary one being jealousy."
"Jealousy? His position is obviously senior to yours – it is, isn't it?" Fin asked.
"No, no. You see, most men employed by the palace for more personal affairs – such as the one at hand – must go through years of training and service for the army before they arrive at their positions.
"On the contrary, I didn't get an ounce of training and never wanted to live as I do now, but I ended up this way all the same, in respect for Kaylen," Fin noted an expression of remorse pass over his Godfather's face.
"Finally, Dhiren isn't accustomed to working with those of lower ranks who are entirely familiar with the case at hand, much less more so than him. When we report back to his superior, I'm often forced to explain the background, sometimes the outcome of our explorations as I know each and every inner entanglement of the case. I don't think Dhiren sees that I'm not out to usurp him." Farris sighed.
"Over the years, my frustration has been growing and I'm beginning to overrule his power as a result of my frustration. I can't possibly get thrown off the case because their majesties owe a great debt to me, but Dhiren is completely susceptible, a fact of which he is quite aware."
"Ah. Wouldn't it be unwise to force him to bring me along, then?" Fin asked.
"In a sense, it is quite foolish, but having somebody of your age on the case will be extremely beneficial to our progress. Unlike us, you'll be seen as innocent and will likely be able to slip into places where we would be considered suspicious. But, like me, you received no training whatsoever, and Dhiren will most likely resent you for that."
Fin nodded. "I understand. Hopefully, I'll be able to get on his good side. Ah, look at that stall over there. All merchandise on sale."
"Good eye, Fin. I'm sure the talent will come in handy during this expedition," Farris said, clapping him on the back. Fin leaned into him, glad to finally share something special with his Godfather.
Was that up to your standards? I sure hope so… please review, because reviews are fun! Thanks,
Catie