The next few nights were just as fruitless, and Korlys found himself dreading the long days of fitful dozing punctuated by nightmares – disjointed memories of his 'seduction training' as a senior apprentice mixed up with imagined scenes of Mario's rape, with a chaotic hodgepodge of the torture he'd endured a few weeks ago and the events of his current mission thrown in like a deranged menagerie.
All Korlys wanted to do now was get back to Amaranthine – to Mario. He had already been away longer than he'd expected to. Every day increased his anxiety and the urge to leave. Would they even still be there? Would Mario hate him for slipping away with only a note?
The assassin pulled on his boots and slipped his daggers into their sheaths, carefully checking to make sure he had all he needed. With a weary sigh, he opened the door and slipped out into the night.
oOo
The chapel was dim, lit mostly by a bank of candles at an altar in the front of the room. Behind and slightly higher than the candles was a statue of Andraste, her arms open wide as if to embrace the penitent. There were wooden pews on each side of a central aisle, and in intervals along the sides of the room were lamps burning low. Perfect for an assassin.
The man he'd followed was kneeling in front of the candles, his head bowed, and Korlys could hear a low murmur coming from him, but couldn't make out the words. The assassin crept up the aisle, sticking closely to one set of pews and listening for any sounds that might indicate someone else was coming.
When he was little more than an arm's length away, Korlys stopped. It sounded like the Templar was weeping quietly and praying to Andraste. He was repeating variations of the same phrases over and over as if by his persistence he could force her hand: "Sweet Andraste, if you'll protect me I will be a new man, I swear. I'll never touch another kid again, I promise. Please just keep me safe."
As far as Korlys was concerned, Piers had put himself beyond redemption the moment he'd put his hands on Mario. Unwilling to wait any longer – although the hour was late, there was no guarantee a Sister with a bout of insomnia might not come to the chapel to pray, or another late-night penitent searching for absolution – the assassin slowly drew his stiletto from his boot. It was coated with a fast-acting but short-lived poison that would put the Templar into a deep sleep. There wasn't much of it, so he'd saved it for this monster.
Korlys closed the remaining distance soundlessly, then clamped one hand around the man's mouth while simultaneously pricking his neck. It only took a few seconds before Piers was rendered unconscious, but his struggles made more noise than Korlys was comfortable with due to the Templar's heavy armour, which the man had refused to take off ever since Korlys had dumped the first body in front of their barracks.
The assassin quickly stripped off Piers' armour and hoisted him around his shoulders. Draping the man across his upper back, he hooked an arm around the Templar's right leg, grabbing his arm in a fireman's carry. It allowed him to keep one hand free, although it was his non-dominant side. Still, it would be enough.
He didn't relax until he was safely back in the meager little room with the door locked and Piers tied securely to the chair. Korlys put the brand into the fire one last time, then sat and waited. He'd stripped Piers' clothes off, since he'd discovered with the last Templar that it made his work a whole lot easier.
It wasn't long before Piers regained consciousness. Korlys saw fear in the man's eyes to be sure, but unlike the other two, they also held a craftiness, as if he'd grasped the situation immediately, and was already evaluating his options and estimating the odds of success for each of them.
The assassin didn't bother informing him that the odds were zero, or that he was in the hands of a Crow, because none of that really mattered. Korlys had all night, and sooner or later the hopelessness of his position would become apparent. The only thing that did matter to him at this point was making sure that Piers knew Mario was the reason he was here.
And for that, he would have to remove the man's gag. But not yet. No, first Korlys wanted to make Piers suffer. He might have all night, but every second of it still wouldn't be long enough, in Korlys' opinion.
Early middle-age had started to balloon the Templar's stomach out into a potbelly, albeit a small one. Korlys applied the brand there first and was gratified to see that calculating look in the man's eyes obliterated by overwhelming pain.
Korlys waited patiently for the muffled screams to taper off. Once he judged Piers to be sufficiently in control of himself to be able to listen, he raised the brand so that the Templar could get a good look. "You have seen this symbol before, in a different context, have you not?"
The man nodded, breathing heavily, sweat running down his face in little rivers. Korlys continued. "I am going to remove your gag, and when I do, I only want to hear one thing – where you have seen this before. If I hear anything else – pleas, bribes, promises, lies – I will use it again. Do you understand?" A more vigorous nod this time. "Bene." The assassin loosened the cloth tied around the man's mouth and pulled out the gag.
It was clear Piers was reluctant to incriminate himself, but believed Korlys enough to be too afraid to lie. "It looks like a tattoo I once saw."
"Where did you see it?" came the quiet question.
The man licked his lips, his breath still coming in little gasps, as if he'd run a long distance. "It...it was on a thief named Mario."
"And?" Korlys prompted.
Here Piers' face crumpled. Tears filled his eyes and started running down his face, mingling with sweat. "Please," he whined.
The assassin held the red-hot brand less than an inch from the man's belly.
"Okay, okay!" the Templar yelled, sucking in his stomach as hard as he could. "I spent the night-" Closer now, and the sound and smell of singeing hair filled the air. "I mean raped, okay? He wouldn't have sex with me so I raped him but I'm sorry I'm a changed man I'll never do it again I swear please just let me go." Piers' words ran together in his eagerness to get them out.
"Never do it again?" The coldness in Korlys' voice gave no hint of the fury suddenly raging within him, but every muscle tensed as he struggled to stay in control. The assassin concentrated on regulating his breathing to calm himself. "I can guarantee that, at least."
As Korlys set the brand aside and prepared to replace the gag, Piers babbled, "No! Wait! Wait! Who hired you? I'll pay you double. No triple! Do you want gold? I have gold! You can have it all! I swear! I'll give you anything you want, just tell me what you want!"
"All I want is to see you suffer and die," was Korlys' automatic reply, as if it had been pre-programmed into him. Suddenly he was back on the ship, strapped to a board and hanging upside down, listening to Velasco and his apprentice discuss him as impersonally as if he were a piece of furniture. Nothing prepares you for being in the hands of men who mean to hurt and ultimately kill you. Nothing, he'd thought as he'd discovered how useless his Crow training had been to prepare him for that. He felt the burning sensation of seawater flooding his throat and sinuses again, the desperate struggle for air.
NO! Korlys heard himself say – whether it was aloud or just a thought, he couldn't be sure. He looked at Piers, who, he suddenly realized, was screaming for help, staring at him and pressing himself against the chair with all his might as if to somehow increase the distance between them.
Korlys turned to look behind him, wondering in his confusion what had terrified Piers so much, and caught a glimpse of himself in the tiny mirror above the washbasin. A gaunt face stared back at him, dark half-moons under black eyes that widened in horror as it dawned on him that he was the monster he'd fought so hard not to become, no better than Velasco. Nonononono! his mind screamed at him as he fought to breathe.
Move! The voice of his allenatore cut through his panic as self-preservation kicked in. No matter how reluctant the residents might be to call the guards, even they weren't likely to ignore the loud screaming for long, especially given the other two murders. Korlys turned on his heels, and without further thought, pulled out his dagger and slashed the man's throat so deeply he felt the blade skitter across bone.
In the abrupt silence, Korlys could hear a dog barking in the distance. It punctuated his movements as he mechanically wiped the blood off his blade and his hands. He grabbed his pack and shoved the few things he wanted into it, deliberating a moment before adding a loaf of bread in with the brandy. He couldn't imagine ever being hungry again, but it was a two-day journey to Amaranthine and his funds were low.
As Korlys shouldered his pack, his gaze fell on the brand lying near the hearth. It was still way too hot to conceal, but he suddenly didn't want to leave it here. Not quite sure why – it was still emitting a dim glow, and thus would be a threat to his escape – he picked it up, and after a quick glance out the door, slipped into the darkness.
oOo
Mario entered Claudio's room and plopped on a chair with a sigh. Trade might bring more coins than breaking into houses, but it was so boring. He was glad that this would be the last 'business trip' they'd be doing – once they left to save Kelton's cousin, they wouldn't have to pretend to be merchants anymore. Hopefully. But until then, it'd be a pity not to use this chance to make some extra money shipping cloth… and doing some honest burglary later.
He glanced at the other three, who completely ignored his arrival. Attrei was frowning at the thick notebook, shuffling through the documents and papers around him, muttering under his breath. Keeping books didn't look like an exciting job, either. Claudio was going through a long list of items, crossing some out or making little marks beside others, and Kelton was reading the newspaper. Even the brats ignored him, fully focused on their game of cards.
He endured the tedious silence for a full minute, but then he couldn't take it any longer. "So what's the news?"
Kelton glanced up. "Well, it seems the 'City of Thieves' has at least a few honest citizens, because there's a long letter to the editor from one of them complaining about all the crime."
"I agree!" Mario said, keeping a straight face. "Why, an honest merchant can't go to an inn without being robbed twice in the same night. What's the world coming to?"
Attrei's mouth opened, but Claudio gave him a swift kick under the table, and the mage closed it again. Kelton pretended not to notice. "The Qunari are still in Kirkwall and there's still a lot of tension between the mages and the Templars, so nothing new, really."
"That's good news," Mario said. "There's still time to prepare." Or wait for Korlys. "Did you get what you wanted yesterday?" Better not mention poisons in front of Kelton, they'd agreed – he seemed mostly okay, but he still was a noble, and a possible future ruler of Amaranthine.
"Yes," Kelton said. "The only item that I really wanted and couldn't risk getting in Amaranthine was a weapons rune that not only keeps the edge of a sword sharp, it protects the wielder from hostile spells. I just need to pick it up today from the enchanter."
"You wanted a Magebane enchantment?" Attrei asked, clearly disappointed. "I thought you wanted to save the mages, not fight them."
"You know, for once I agree with him," Mario said. "Wouldn't a Templar bane be better?"
Kelton laughed. "I'm not planning on fighting with Mariel, of course. But that doesn't mean the Templars won't use the mages under their control against us if they happen on us before we escape."
Anastasio looked up from his cards. "Could such an enchantment protect against Templars too? They have spells against mages, do they not?"
"You know, I don't see why it wouldn't work, if Templar abilities really are spells." Kelton turned to Attrei. "Is that the case?" If so, the Chantry is a bit more hypocritical than I thought.
"That's what my mentor used to say. But I'm not sure if it would work – when I draw glyphs, I can also limit the unwanted effects, even though I'm just a beginner, really. I think whoever crafts the runes would know how to make sure not to affect the Templars, or they wouldn't be able to use it."
"Sí, I agree," Claudio said. "It would be amazing, though – to turn the weapon created by mages they robbed of their magic against them… Speaking of weapons," he said, eager to change the topic, "you need a staff, Attrei."
Mario straightened in his chair. "What for? He's done fine without one until now."
"I had one when I left the Circle," Attrei admitted. "But whenever people saw me, they'd start screaming for Templars, so I decided not to bring it with me when I went to the city. It was too much of a giveaway."
Mario burst into laughter. "Yeah, cause we totally couldn't get that you're a mage without it. Changing into a sparrow is what everybody does at least twice a day."
"But that was different! I… well…" forgot it at the tree, but they, especially Mario, didn't need to know that. "I left it at the tree, and afterwards, there was no time to go back and search for the staff," he turned to Claudio.
Claudio shrugged. "No big loss. It was an apprentice staff, sí? That is like a wooden sword. It is meant only to teach you how to handle a staff. But if we are to face Templars and maybe maleficarum or abominations – if one is to believe what is told about Kirkwall, there is no lack of them – you need a proper one. As for why he needs it," he turned to Mario, "a staff is sort of a focus… it makes spells much stronger and last for longer."
Mario wasn't convinced. Attrei's spells worked just fine on the Crows. Surely the Templars wouldn't be worse? But he couldn't say so in front of Kelton. Damn it. "And you know where to get one? And how much it will cost?"
"As for where, I hoped our noble friend may help us with that." Claudio looked at Kelton. "You seem to know a lot of interesting places and shops around the town. Does it include a magic store?"
"Alamar has everything you could ever want, legal or otherwise," Kelton replied with a chuckle. "Sure, I can show you where they are."
"You know, this staff sounds expensive." Mario crossed his arms. "Since Attrei only needs it because of this dangerous rescue mission you hired us for, you should be the one who pays for it."
"Isn't this a business arrangement? Do your customers normally provide you with such things, or are your expenses your business and we just pay you?"
"We agreed you'd also pay for the extra costs, didn't we? Well, here is one such extra cost."
"I agreed to unexpected costs during the rescue. But I'll be happy to subtract that from our agreed-upon fee, no problem," Kelton said with a nod. "However, since you will retain the equipment once the job is completed, I'm afraid we will have to renegotiate the total price," the noble added.
"If a single weapon, necessary for the success of the mission, makes up a big part of it, then I'd say yes, we have to make a new deal," Mario said dryly.
"If it doesn't, then it's a business decision between you and your partner, and I have no financial obligation," Kelton returned.
Attrei looked from Mario to Kelton, both looking equally determined. "Don't argue," he pleaded. "It's a business deal, but we're not in it just for money. Don't forget what we want to do – save an innocent girl from a fate that's worse than death." He didn't understand all the fuss about the money – Mario and Korlys were always able to make sure they had lots, even to pay for dresses they took from actors, and now that they had started shipping goods, they made hundreds of golden coins every day. So what if they had to spend some for a staff?
Leave it to Baby to ruin a negotiation that could spare them a few coins. Not in it for money! Easy to say for someone who never had to work a day in his life. Then again… Mario had met tons of cold-hearted guys who were all about business and money. He'd never met anyone like Baby, and he suspected he never would again. He sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Just go and buy it. I still have some work to do."
He turned to the boys. "I'll need one of you with me, but the other can go with them."
"I can be a scout for them," Anastasio volunteered quickly. He didn't want to miss seeing what the inside of a magic shop looked like. Maybe there was a book that would teach him how to fly!
Dante looked at his friend in disbelief. What was so exciting about carrying bags with stuff they bought? Had he forgotten what Mario told them in the morning? He was going to get back the stolen stuff for Lord Kelton, and he'd need some real scouting done. "I will be happy to help you, ser," he said eagerly.
Mario gave him a little nod. "Good. Gasparo, please don't forget to buy some ingredients Giannio will need, okay?"
"Who?" Attrei blurted out, confused. "...Oh." Darn. Of course. Mario was calling himself Marcus, and Claudio was Gasparo, and Korlys was supposed to be Giannio, but it was so annoying.
"No worries. We're partners now, right?" Kelton said easily.
"Yes, we are!" Attrei agreed, not daring looking at Mario. "And we're going to fight Templars together, right? We'll need to trust each other with our lives. But how can we do that, if we can't trust each other with our names?"
Claudio was the first one to take pity on Attrei. Poor lad looked so embarrassed by his mistake. What he said was true, too… and this charade was getting too tiresome anyway. "Va bene. I guess we should reintroduce ourselves? I am Claudio Simone. Pleased to meet you."
Mario took a deep breath in. If Korlys saw this! But there was nothing he could do now. "Mario Gethin," he said unwillingly. "Pleased to meet you."
"Kelton Langdon, at your service."
"Ok, ok," Mario grumbled. "The sooner we begin the better. Meet you all here for dinner."
"We should head out, too," Claudio suggested. "Choosing the right staff might take some time."
"No time like the present," Kelton agreed, and they headed out.
oOo
Kelton opened the door to Cures and Curses, the biggest magic shop in Alamar. "After you, gentlemen," he said, allowing the mages to walk in first.
Anastasio followed after the adults, trying to keep from looking too interested, although he was bursting with curiosity. The shop was packed with row after row of shelving as far as the eye could see, stuffed with all sorts of interesting looking items all the way to the ceiling. The bookshelves marching down the center aisles were so tall the apprentice's chin nearly pointed straight up, so far was his head cocked back in his attempt to see all the way to the top. The shop had a cozy, comfortable feeling, partly from the warm glow coming from lanterns placed here and there, and partly because of the organized chaos of the merchandise. It looked like an oddly neat pack rat worked here.
At the head of each row was what looked like an umbrella stand, filled with staves. "How will you ever choose?" he asked Attrei.
Choose? Ah… the staff. Attrei sighed. He could spend hours in this shop. When Claudio and Kelton mentioned a magic store, he imagined something like the storeroom they had in the Tower. But this was to their simple storeroom like that fancy double-chocolate cake with chocolate flowers was to the simple fruit cakes in the Tower. In other words, incomparable.
Some objects were ordinary – enchanted little things that mages used to make their lives and work easier. Even apprentices had a few, like enchanted quills that helped you remember correct answers on the tests, although they were strictly forbidden, and if you were caught using them you were in deep trouble. Some he vaguely recognized from the books he'd read. But most of them he didn't recognize at all.
"I have no idea," he admitted.
"Why are there so many different ones?" Anastasio asked. "Do they all do different things?"
"They give different boosts, so a mage can choose one best suited for their abilities," Claudio explained.
"Oh." Anastasio looked at some of the staves more closely. "How do you know which ones do what? I do not see any labels on them."
A man bustled up to them, looking every bit as eccentric as the store. He had to be the shopkeeper. "I can help you there. What abilities are you looking to enhance?"
"Well… I'm a mind mage, and a shape-shifter," Attrei started.
"That's pretty impressive. How did such a young mage manage to develop two specialties? That's usually the work of decades," the man replied, peering at Attrei from over wire-rimmed spectacles.
"Ah, shape-shifting is not really a specialty. It was always considered just a bit of fun in the Tower… I never knew it could be actually useful, until recently. My main specialty is mind magic."
The hairs on Claudio's neck stood up as Attrei nonchalantly admitted he was a runaway apostate. Thank the Maker Mario wasn't here. "Sí, a staff with extra willpower and focus would be best, I think," he said aloud.
Kelton absorbed the conversation with interest as the shopkeeper bustled off, picking out several staves while muttering to himself, although he couldn't quite make out what the man was saying. He didn't know enough about magic to understand all the implications of what was said. Yet, anyway.
The shopkeeper came back with an armful, and held out one particularly ornate one to Attrei. "Try out this one – it's one of my best models."
The staff was beautiful, with the handle made of ornamented dark wood plated with iron, and the metal spiral with a red stone as head. It was long, at least twenty-five inches longer than him, and quite heavy. He couldn't imagine carrying it with him all the time. "Do you have any smaller and lighter ones?"
"And less obviously a staff," Claudio added. "Maybe something that looks like a polearm?"
"Hmm, well most staves don't have a pointy end, owing to a dearth of mages who know how to use a weapon without hurting themselves." The shopkeeper thought a moment. "I suppose you could modify a staff to add something pointed to the end, but it might alter the properties. But, you can get anything in Alamar with enough money and a bit of time," the man said with a wink. "An enchanter could put an ordinary blade on the end of a staff and give it a similar enchantment, and I know of one who's an expert on that. If you are interested, just pick out the one you like best and he will swap out the end for a blade with a similar enchantment."
"That depends on how much money and time we are talking," Claudio said. "We are leaving the day after tomorrow, early morning. Would it be possible to do it?"
"Oh anything is possible, with enough coin," the shopkeeper replied with a chuckle.
Claudio looked over the staves. They came in all sizes and materials – one looked like it was plated in silver – with all sorts of heads. There was one particularly nice model, with a figure of a naked lady in flames. Hmm… maybe he should get himself a new staff, too…
He finally chose one slightly shorter than Attrei. It was made of light wood, with a leather grip. The head was an ugly skull with tentacles – no loss there if it was replaced. "Try this one. Do the poses for…" 'waking nightmare spell', he wanted to say, but caught himself in time. "One of your more difficult spells."
Attrei nodded and gave it a try. The staff was much lighter and easier to use than the previous one, and he could almost feel the mana pulsing in it. If he cast the spell with this in his hands, the difference would be enormous. He wouldn't have to worry that real badass guys, like Hilario, wouldn't be affected. "I like it."
"Alright." Claudio turned to the shopkeeper, not missing the twinkle in his eyes. Brasca. He doubted he'd be able to get the price down. "How much is it, and how much would it cost with a new head?"
"For the staff, the customization, and the rush priority, it will be one thousand sovereigns. Half now and half when you pick up the staff."
Seeing Claudio pale, the shopkeeper continued smoothly. "If that is out of your price range, you can choose a cheaper model." He picked out one that looked much simpler. "How about something like this?" The end of the staff had some sort of pointy symbol on it already. "It would be much easier to modify this one to look more like a polearm, and it wouldn't have to have a new enchantment applied to it. I could let you have this one for five hundred sovereigns, and you can pick it up tomorrow, since it won't take long to modify."
Five hundred? One thousand? Attrei's eyes almost popped out of his head. They did have more than enough, thanks to the business deals they had made in the past few weeks, and they could always make more. But Mario liked to remind them that they didn't really know that; they might be on the run again the next day. If they spent most of their money on a single staff… better not to go there. "How – how about one hundred?" he blurted out.
The shopkeeper shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't do that – staves are specialized equipment; only mages are interested in them, so I cannot give discounts since I won't be able to make up for it in volume."
Attrei looked at Claudio, with a worried frown. "I don't think Mario will be happy about this."
"Eh, he is all bark and no bite." Claudio shrugged. "You cannot take this trip without a proper staff, and I doubt we would find any decent one for less than this."
"Alright." Attrei could just hope Claudio was right about that.
"Excellent choice," the shopkeeper said. "I'll have this delivered to the armorer to make it look more like a polearm right away. Now, is there anything else you might need? Lyrium, amulets, spell books? I have one that includes the Crushing Prison spell – very powerful!"
Attrei shook his head. They'd already spent too much. "No, thanks-"
"What he means is, that depends," Claudio cut in. "We would like a set of protective amulets and rings – six of each, if you can make us an interesting offer."
"Well, that depends on the quality of the amulets and rings. Some are much more powerful than others. Are you thinking of apprentice-level jewelry or Grandmaster level? Naturally, the latter will be more expensive."
"The best you can find for one gold each," Claudio said. The shopkeeper nodded and headed off to a back room. Once the door behind him closed, Claudio turned to Anastasio, who looked like he was dying to get something, but didn't want to ask. "Is there something you would like?"
It was too much to hope that he might be included in the total. Claudio must have ordered six each because he expected Ser Korlys would be back and that the mage Mariel would also need some. But, he was burning with curiosity about this spellbook with something called 'Crushing Prison' in it. Maybe if Attrei got it he would let him read it? "Perhaps Ser Attrei should also get the book with powerful spells in it?"
Kelton spoke up. "What is this so-called 'Crushing Prison' spell supposed to do? It sounds pretty powerful."
"If it is the one I think, it traps you in a spirit cage, and then it tears up your body," Claudio explained. "It is usually lethal. But it requires years of experience in Spirit magic."
"But, if it is in a book, can you not just learn it?" Anastasio piped up. "Would it not have all the steps to take?" How hard could it be to learn a few words and gestures?
"It would," Claudio agreed. "But you would not have what it takes. Think of it this way. If you read a book about the Crows and the skills they should have, would it make you a Crow?"
"Not me, of course, I was referring to Ser Attrei," Anastasio replied hastily, feeling his cheeks heat up. "And I was closer to being a Crow than you ever were," he added under his breath as he kept his gaze on the floor, anger and embarrassment causing him to speak rashly. He wished the ground would just open up and swallow him whole.
Before the boy could dig himself a deeper hole, Kelton spoke up. "It is good to be prepared, but just remember that we aren't trying to hurt anyone, just help my cousin. I want to use the least amount of force necessary." The whole business with the Crows was something he would consider when he had a moment to himself, maybe get Jenny to do some digging for him. But this was neither the time nor the place.
"True," Claudio said, half-amused half-annoyed with the boy's flippancy. "I did intend to buy some books for my private use, and a couple of textbooks… but let us wait to see what the shopkeeper offers."
As if summoned, the shopkeeper reappeared, a tray of amulets and rings in his hands. "All these are one gold each, with various properties." Anastasio could see their properties were listed in little labels under each of them. He wished he could pick one out for himself, but didn't dare to hope, especially now.
Claudio sorted through the jewelry, putting away overpriced trash that the shopkeeper accidentally mixed in. Finally, he chose some with a good variety of properties, some with physical resistance, some with magical resistance. He glanced at the kid, trying hard to look nonchalant, like nothing had happened. Hmph. Little fool. He picked several amulets and rings with similar properties, different mostly in appearance, and pushed them towards Anastasio.
"Which ones do you think Dante would like?"
Anastasio's heart sank, but he looked them over carefully before pointing out two of them. He wasn't surprised that Claudio would punish him in such a way. It was only what he deserved for his lack of restraint, after all.
Claudio nodded, adding them to those he chose, then picked one more of each. "These, please. And I have a list of a few books here, if you have them…"
oOo
When they returned to the inn, Mario and Dante still weren't back. Claudio was relieved; Anastasio's behaviour couldn't be ignored, of course, but he wanted to solve it himself. He still remembered how the boy had cried in his arms, how tightly he had clung to him, hungry for the tiniest scrap of affection. Perhaps there was still hope; perhaps the damage the Crows had done wasn't permanent. But it required a sensitive, careful approach – something neither Mario nor Attrei could do.
"Anastasio, unpack the bags, then come to my room," he said.
The apprentice complied, finishing up the chore and hurrying to Claudio's room quickly. His heart thudded in his chest as he knocked lightly and then opened the door to the healer's room. Seeing Claudio sitting in the chair next to his desk, Anastasio came the rest of the way in and closed the door behind him. The healer had never really had a hand in meting out punishment, but then again, Anastasio was sure no apprentice had been so disrespectful to the man, either. "You wanted to see me, ser?"
Claudio motioned to the boy to sit down. Suddenly all the wise words and ideas evaporated from his mind. Dio mio, what did I get myself into… He cleared his throat, mostly to get some time.
"Anastasio. I am not angry with you, and I will not punish you. I only want to talk," he said. This would be difficult enough without the boy being worried about punishment. "Whatever you say, I will not tell it to anyone else, so please be honest with me. Do you regret not being in the Crows anymore?"
"Ser?" Anastasio's mind raced. Why was Claudio asking? Was it a trap? He couldn't recall ever hearing the healer declare any sort of allegiance to Korlys and his friends, but he hadn't given any indication that he wished to return to the Crows, either. Although Anastasio would have been surprised if the man had, given that Ser Korlys would have picked up on it immediately.
"It just occurred to me that probably nobody asked you two about what you want. Attrei and Mario probably took for granted that you wanted out – you know what their opinion of the Crows is." They might express it in different terms, Mario's being way more direct and colourful, but neither made any secret about their strong dislike of the Crows.
"But did you want out? You could have been a senior apprentice by now…"
"Of course I would have been a senior apprentice by now," Anastasio replied indignantly.
"Of course, of course." Claudio laughed, lifting his hands in apology. "Hm. Illario had wanted to give you two the final test on our return trip. But I assume he did not get a chance to tell you about it?"
"No, ser," Anastasio said, feeling suddenly numb. He hadn't, but both he and Dante had known what it probably entailed, even as they'd told each other it would work out differently for them.
Claudio nodded. "Let's assume you would have won and become his senior apprentice and all of us – well, almost all – would have returned back to Antiva. Do you regret that you are here now, with a couple of runaways, a street rat, and a cute but naive apostate?"
Anastasio shrugged, unwilling to commit himself and too confused to figure out where the healer was going with all this. Why the sudden interest in him? Best to be noncommittal for now until he learned more.
"That is not an answer," Claudio pointed out, amused. "Anastasio, I am not trying to trick you-"
"Then what are you trying to do?" Anastasio interrupted, emboldened by the healer's forbearance.
"I am trying to understand what is going on. How do you feel about your changed situation? Are you angry that you are stranded here with non-Crows, while you could have been trained as an assassin? Do you think this life cannot offer you the opportunities you would have had as a Crow?"
"What do you care?" Anastasio blurted out, feeling cornered by the barrage of questions. He could feel something big and overwhelming threatening to break free, and he knew once it was out he'd never be able to stop it, like a wall of water threatening to sweep him away.
"I do care," Claudio said softly. "I know you are scared and confused. I have been a healer in the Crows for ten years, I know all the lies they tell. The worst one is that caring for people gives them power over you, allows them to control you, and you inevitably get hurt. You have been taught that, too, sí? But it is a lie, Anastasio. The Crows tell that lie, because it is easy to keep you alone. If you do not trust anyone, if you have no bonds with other people, you are more likely to stay with the Crows and obey their commands."
Anastasio, who had been perched on the edge of a chair only by compulsion, suddenly stood and started edging towards the door. "It is not a lie! I saw it! You are just trying to trick me! What do you know about it anyway? You are only a healer!" Between each statement the teen had continued edging towards the door, and now he was close enough to be able to touch the handle. Claudio isn't a master, anyway. What can he do to me? That thought broke the last bit of hold the healer had on him, and he bolted out the door.
Great. I made it worse. Claudio rubbed his brow. Now what? Maybe he should let it be. The boy was right – what did he care? He was just a healer. But… no. He couldn't let it go. If there was any chance he could help the boy… Help the boy? Or redeem yourself? The boy doesn't need you. He can cope with it by himself. Like Korlys did. Maybe Korlys could talk to the boy. Explain how loving Mario didn't make him weak! Claudio chuckled at the idea. Well, he'd tried. Enough damage done for today. Maybe once the boy cooled off he would be willing to think about it. That was the best Claudio could hope for.
oOo
The thieves guild in Alamar was pretty decent, Mario would give them that. But when you knew where and what to look for, it wasn't too difficult to find out what he needed. The three ladies were obviously members, and Mario was sure the inn where Kelton and Claudio had spent the night was one of their associated places. Even if Kelton had called for the guards, it wouldn't have helped – they'd be on the guild payroll, too. But Mario didn't care about the innkeeper right now. His payback would come later in the night. As Claudio discreetly suggested, Mario would get their money back, with some neat interest.
First things first. If the ladies had only taken the clothes and money, Mario wouldn't have bothered. Fuck the clothes. Both fools had enough money to get new ones, and perhaps it would teach them a lesson… although Mario didn't have high hopes for that. A valuable necklace was something else though. And much more difficult than getting the money back.
A random traveler, maybe as unwitting as Baby… although Mario didn't believe there could be many such guys. But they could perhaps mistake Alamar for a normal port. If you knew where to look, however, you could see that the nickname 'City of Thieves' was well-deserved. The thieves guild ran this town, and not even a thief as amazing as himself could hope to find the right fence, break into their hideout, and take it back, right under their noses. This required a strategy.
The first step was to observe and gather information, find out what the leader's name was, and find a guy who could take him to the leader. Mario assigned the main square to Dante; thanks to the crowd usually gathered there in cafés or around shops, it was a perfect place for little rats. And Crows apprentices, apparently. He himself checked the places hidden from innocent, unsuspecting citizens.
Two hours later, when they met at the inn, they knew all Mario needed. The guild members called themselves Snakes – in an obvious, pitiful attempt to look better than Lizards. Tch. And the boss went by the title Kingsnake. His real name was Hayden.
"Excellent job," he said. "You were a great help."
"Thank you, ser! What will we do next?"
"I'll go visit the snakelets." Mario snorted. Seriously, how pathetic. "You will follow me in the shadows. Nobody must notice you. Do not enter the hideout though. Just stay somewhere where you get a good view of the door. In case I'm not back in one hour, alert Attrei. If you see me coming out, meet me here."
"I understand, ser," Dante said, with poorly masked disappointment. Mario just hoped the kid wouldn't do anything stupid to intentionally stir up trouble and play the hero. You never knew with the Crows.
oOo
Mario strutted straight up to the man, not much older than himself, who was supervising little apprentices at the square. After Dante's report, he decided he was the easiest target for this. Act extra arrogant, he reminded himself. I'm not a pitiful street rat. I'm a trusted partner of the infamous Crows.
"Hello," he said as he walked up to him. "I am Jacob. I work for Ser Illario of the Antivan Crows. I need to see the Kingsnake. Now." He said it in a confident, relaxed way, as if he did have a ship full of Crows backing him up.
The thief gave him a once-over that was meant to be scornful… but Mario caught the glint of envy in the thief's eyes at the sight of his fancy clothes and his dagger. So far so good. "What about?" the thief asked, trying and failing to sound indifferent.
Mario rolled his eyes. "Business that concerns the Antivan Crows and the Kingsnake," he said, in a slow and patient voice.
The thief hesitated. Maybe he didn't know who the Crows were, exactly – most of the Lizards didn't know the ugly truth, either – but Mario must have looked important enough to meet the boss. After all, he'd spent a full hour primping himself for the task, and Dante had given him all the information he needed to be convincing.
"Follow me," he said finally, and Mario had to suppress the urge to sigh in relief. Step one, complete.
The thief led him through a maze of back alleys, obviously trying to disorient him. It would probably work on an ordinary person, but a skilled thief wouldn't have much trouble finding their way, and as for the Crows… Mario chuckled under his breath when he imagined the sulking, offended faces of the two brats if he even suggested that.
They finally stopped in a narrow, cobbled street, with old, unremarkable, half-timbered houses with thatched roofs and rickety window shutters that once might've been painted in pale blue. No one would guess that the most important organization in Alamar operated from here. As was the point. No guards were seen, but Mario was sure they were there, as well as many traps.
"Wait here," the thief said. He walked over to the door of one house, deliberately standing so that Mario couldn't see or hear any signals or passwords. Whatever. He didn't plan to hit this house anyway.
A moment later, the thief waved him over and they entered the house. It was just as shabby as the outside, with worn couches and scratched end tables scattered about, although that was probably just in case someone caught a glimpse of the interior from the street. Thank goodness there weren't many people inside, and the few that were there didn't even look at them. Or so they pretended. The boss' office was, predictably, on the top floor. The thief knocked on the door, and waited for the reply before entering.
The boss looked to be in his early thirties. His forehead was a little too wide, and his eyes a little too beady to be considered handsome, with a thin little mustache and a deep dimple on his chin. But he had the cocky attitude of a thieves guild leader, alright.
"Sorry to bother you, boss," the young thief said nervously. "But this guy here says he's got a message for you from them Crows."
Mario slightly bowed his head. "Good day, Ser Hayden. I've got a message for you from Ser Ilario Gambino."
The man's expression was equal parts wariness and skepticism. "Is that so?" His eyes took in every detail of Mario's clothing a good deal more subtly than the younger thief had. "And what would that be?"
"There was a most unfortunate misunderstanding last night. Ser Ilario was in a tavern with an associate of his. It appears some of your operatives have… taken some of their… stuff, including a certain necklace. Ser Ilario is willing to overlook the whole incident if you would kindly agree to return the necklace."
Fuck, I hope I said all the words right. He knew he was supposed to say something else, not 'stuff', but for the life of him, he couldn't remember what it was. Whatever. Others may insist manners were important, but in Mario's opinion, they just got in the way of saying what you wanted, quickly and clearly.
The guildmaster was silent for a long moment. Then he leaned forward and said, "Who do you think you're fooling, kid?"
Mario nodded; he hadn't expected the guildmaster to give him the necklace right away. He pulled a black crow feather out of his breast pocket and placed it on the desk in front of the man. "You know what that means, yes?"
Although he said nothing, the guildmaster's face turned a shade paler.
Mario gave the man his most arrogant smirk. According to Dante, everyone who cooperated with the Crows knew what it meant – it was the 'signature' the Crows left at places where they'd killed or kidnapped someone. "Ser Ilario says there are two options: either I return with the necklace, or it will be resolved in the Crows' way. I am to be back by nine."
The man appeared to consider a long while before turning to the rat who'd brought him here. "That'll be all," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand, and the kid turned and left, leaving them alone.
That had to be good, right? It meant the man believed his story… right? Mario managed not to lick his lips and to keep his face serious. He'd never been this nervous.
He turned back to Mario with a shrewd look on his face, and folded his arms. "Anyone could know about the feather, kid. You'll have to do better than that."
Mario sat in the other chair and put his feet on the desk. "Ah, no. I don't have to do anything. Except get back to Ser Ilario before nine. He's not a patient guy, you know. Or forgiving. Perhaps you heard about Gwaren, from Petey or Rascal? Some silly operatives from Denerim tried to interfere with Ser Ilario's mission. Naturally, they failed. No one can fight against the Crows." Except us. This time, his arrogant smile was completely genuine. That was right. They had dealt with the Crows; they could deal with these Alamar wannabes. "He had lots of fun with them," he said. "Bastinado… beating their soles, I mean. Waterboarding." His voice faltered, but he continued. "Gang rape…"
"Okay, okay, so you know Crows," the guildmaster said grudgingly. He still hadn't completely lost his calculating look yet, though. "Unfortunately, I already sent my fence out to sell it. I would need a little time to get it back ... and I'm sure Ser Illario would not expect a business man such as myself not to turn some profit, right? After all, my thieves were just doing their jobs, and they depend on that money to live, you know."
Thank the Maker. Talking about the horror the Crows put Korlys through so casually was much harder than he'd imagined. "You want to profit off the Crows?" Mario looked at the guy as if he was crazy. He was obviously playing for time, though. Maybe he wanted to check on Ser Ilario? They were staying at a new inn and Attrei had put his glyphs everywhere he could, including a lamppost in front of the inn, but he still didn't want to risk it. He better not give them time to scout anything. "But... Perhaps? If you bring it back immediately, never mess in Ser Ilario's business again, and keep the price reasonable. Don't push your luck, though. The Crows are not exactly generous guys."
The man nodded. "I will send a runner to fetch you just as soon as I find it. Where are you staying?"
"Right here," Mario snapped. "As I said. I am to return to Ser Ilario with the necklace, or with your negative answer. I will not risk his wrath. This is a man who whips five-year old kids to death because they can't do one hundred push ups we're talking about." He shook himself. This bastard had no idea how lucky he was that the real Hilarious wasn't involved. The real Crows would've wiped out the whole guild.
"Fine. Please make yourself at home in our living room," the man said curtly. He stood up and came around his desk, obviously ushering Mario out. "I will let you know as soon as the runner gets here." He opened the door and called to one of the older kids hanging out – a burglar, most likely. "Make our guest comfortable while he waits, and get him some refreshments, will you?"
The guildmaster called a few more kids into his office and shut the door briefly. When it opened again a few moments later, the kids took off as if demons were after them. Mario watched the door close again, his stomach turning into ice. Fuck! Had he failed after all?
AN: Thanks to our wonderful betas – Bloodsong13T and Suilven – who reviewed it quickly, even though we waited waayyy too long to get it to them. The lateness is entirely our fault. :-)