CHAPTER 3

Two peasants walking along the main streets of Cenaria were walking towards the House of Council. They were each carrying a heavy sack which seemed to glow gold. One of them, the taller, cleaner man began talking.

"You think that a rich politician like Lady Graesin would send her guards to pick up her taxes. Instead she uses us servants like slaves!" he shouted. The other, younger man turned his head to reply.

"Well what did you except? If you ask me, I think all of Cenaria is bloody corrupt. Haven't you heard of the new law they put in effect? All of the city guards are now collecting more taxes from people like us; saying that it's for a new building location. It's a load of bollocks if you ask me!" The older man looked at him with shock. When he spoke, his voice was slightly shaky.

"I've heard rumours of those guild rats in the Warrens being abused by the rich all the time!" The younger man seemed a little confused.

"What would the rich be doing in such a shitty area?" he asked. Surprisingly, the older man smiled.

"Most of the rich are young men who need… certain pleasures that only the Warrens provide." When the young man was still confused, he said, "Brothels, prostitutes!" The young man was shocked. For a moment, he seemed to faint.

"What?! But I thought that all the brothels were run and controlled by the Sa'kage!"

At that, the old man's instantly darkened. A young couple walked by and looked at the two peasants suspiciously, before they headed off through an alley.

"Quiet you fool! If everyone discovers what we are trying to do, they'll have our blood!" he whispered. And then another voice spoke to them.

"Oh you don't need to worry about anything!" The two peasants turned around and two daggers flew between their eyes. By the time they had dropped to the ground, the wetboy was with them, picking up the gold-filled sacks.

In the House of Council, a young, petite but strict-looking woman was pacing up and down the hall. The two peasants she had sent to fetch her taxes had not returned. They were already twenty minutes late. 'Don't they know that I hate having to fucking wait? Don't they know what I can do to them?' The woman cherished the thought as one of the courtiers entered.

"My lady, our guards have returned with taxes from the north of Cenaria. We are still in the progress of collecting and they will take some time. King David's demands have spread our forces thin. Is there anything you need?" he announced. The woman faced him and smiled. At least she got some of the money.

The other politicians would be arriving soon. The meeting would be to apply some new laws and tighter security measures. She rolled her eyes as she thought about it. The only reason she decided to go into politics was because the pay was incredible. Only half to what the King himself earns. The rest of the other stuff that was involved bored the hell out of her. She hated corruption more than anything, although even she had taken bribes from time to time. But now, just with everything else, she was bored. She wanted to end the corruption and she knew there was one criminal organisation that was the heart of it.

Durzo Blint had been hiding in a tree on the House of Council grounds. The grounds were strictly forbidden to everyone except the King, politicians and city guards. For ten minutes he had been studying the numerous guards' patrol patterns. He was severely disappointed. Two men always walked around the perimeter while the main mass stayed at the entrance to the grand hall. It looked like he was just going to have to fight his way through. Better take out the two guards first. He continued to watch as the two men returned from their perimeter patrol and switched with another two guards from the group. When they went out of sight from everyone, Durzo covered himself in shadows and stuck to the shade, stalking his prey.

The sergeant of the main group was getting a little edgy. So were the rest of his six men. From what had seen of the wetboy's performance with Frial Bane, he made himself and his men stay fully alert. Come to think of it, what had happened to the two other men he sent around the perimeter? Before he could even contemplate the thought, a shadow had enveloped them. The sergeant realised that one of his men fell down with a dagger in his heart, while the rest were fighting a man in mottled robes. The battle did not last even ten seconds. All of his men had been slaughtered by the intruder's big sword. The sergeant decided to attack. He knew instantly that it was foolish to try, because by the time he took to lift his own sword and bring it crashing down, the wetboy had already gotten right up to him, with a dagger threatening to cut his throat. And just when he thought it was over, the wetboy spoke.

"Where is Yelda Graesin?" The sergeant seemed to not believe what was happening. However, the wetboy reminded him with a gesture of the dagger that was still very close to his throat.

"You already know she is in the hall!" he replied. He was impressed with himself for even managing the answer. Again, surprisingly, the wetboy smiled.

"Just making sure. What is your name?" he asked and pressed the dagger till the sergeant was struggling to breathe.

"Gamble." he answered. And with that, the wetboy knocked him out and his last sight was of the attacker walking in the grand hall before he succumbed to darkness.

Yelda Graesin sensed that something was wrong. Judging by the screams of violence she heard, there must be someone trying to enter the House of Council by force. Either it was a messenger terribly dressed, or an intruder with evil intent. She then heard another noise moving past her.

"You know if you want more money, taxes aren't going to help you."

She looked up at the beams near the roof and, unbelievably, saw a man crouched on top of one. A wetboy. No doubt who sent him.

"I demand to know what you're doing up there and to know who sent you!" the politician shouted. She moved back a little to get a better view of the wetboy.

"You know who sent me and you know what I'm here to do." He answered. Yelda Graesin turned towards the entrance and ran. Before she could exit the hall, Durzo was blocking her way with his big, black sword. "I hate cowards!" he gritted through his teeth. And before Graesin could reply, the big sword was thrust into her chest.

As Gamble began to stir, he noticed the wetboy walking out of the hall. However, as he reached for his discarded sword, Durzo Blint was next to him. Not again! he thought as the sergeant felt a great shock strike his head once more.