(dramatic music plays) The Thieves Guild,
by Jake Care.
Episode 121:
Courage Rewarded.
Such was Esmer's power and respect that not a single guard challenged
him as he escorted Rogers to the second floor of Harvest House.
There had been rumors that Esmer was to be the guild master when the previous guild master
died, but Esmer preferred his friend Polo to lead the guild and
quietly placed him in the position.
Or such were the rumors.
Esmer was quiet as they marched in and up the staircase of the house.
He nodded to salutes and smiled at greetings, but for the entire short walk,
he simply led Rogers forward. When they reached the second floor, Esmer
paused, turning to Rogers. "You have not been in Harvest House before?"
Only outside, sir.
Esmer nodded. "Few are allowed on the second floor.
Even fewer are allowed in the guild master's quarters. That's where I will be taking you.
You are aware of the danger to Guild Master Polo?"
Yes, sir. He is in danger of assassination.
"Indeed, I trust Velo and I honor your courage in defending your guild mates, but the danger to our
guild master is great. For that reason, you will enter that room." Esmer
pointed to a tree that was also a door to the left.
The whole house was indeed a living thing.
The floor was soft grass, and tree limbs and flowers were everywhere.
"You will be searched. It will not be pleasant, but it is necessary." Esmer raised a
hand and nearly instantly a guard was next to him.
"You should consider it an honor.
Search this young guild member for weapons." The guard nodded his head and walked toward the
tree door. Rogers followed. "Be respectful."
The search was uncomfortable, but not abusive.
As Rogers pulled his shirt over his head, he could understand how Polo had avoided
assassination. He had seen alcove after alcove on the second and first
floors that all had guards, and no one would possibly be able to
sneak a weapon into a meeting with the guild master, assuming you could even
procure a meeting. The guard returned him to Esmer, who stood still with his
hands clasped behind his back.
The guard shook his head. "Very good.
I had no concern, but one can't be careless or too trusting.
Follow me, Guild mate Rogers." Esmer started toward the staircase to the third floor,
which was guarded by no less than eight heavily-armed guards, all of whom kept their
hands at the ready. They ignored Esmer, but stared intensely at Rogers as
he took every step. Rogers wondered if he would be stabbed if he stumbled on the
staircase.
The staircase curved and ended at a landing with a wall made of tree bark.
"Could that be a single massive tree?" Rogers thought.
It seemed impossible. A heavily-armored guard stood in front of the wall,
motionless. "Wait here." Esmer walked to the door and ran his
hand over the bark. Was it attuned to him?
Was he pressing hidden buttons? Was it a code?
Rogers had no idea, but the wood seemed to swirl, as if a knot in the
wood was unwinding. An opening appeared and Esmer passed through it,
and it immediately closed in a reverse swirl, ending back into
bark.
Rogers didn't have long to wait. The opening appeared and Esmer
walked out. "Follow me." Rogers followed.
The entryway was full of colorful flowers in full bloom and lush, green
plants that filled every corner. The walls were bark and the
floor was soft, green grass. It was much smaller than Rogers
expected, with a large bed at the far side of the room, and across from it, a
large circular stairway leading up to presumably another floor.
There was a massive window that looked out upon the great wall.
Standing in front of the bed with his arms behind his back was Polo.
He wore a flowing, green robe. Rogers was close enough that he could see the
lines on Polo's face. Polo had always been a beloved guild master,
considered naive and harmless by many.
Oddly, at that moment, Rogers was struck by a single thought: Why
had Velo let this meeting happen? He knew that Polo was in danger of
assassination. He knew that Rogers was a thief, and he knew that Cinto
would find out.
For some reason that Rogers couldn't fathom, it seemed in hindsight like
having Rogers meet Polo was his intent from the start.
Polo moved his hands out in a gesture of welcome, and Rogers could see his and
Velo's letter in his right hand. The hero of the flats.
Welcome, my loyal guild member.
Polo gestured to his left. "Let us sit and talk." Looking
over to where Polo gestured, Rogers watched in amazement as three chairs
and a table grew out of the floor. Flowers and plants retreated backward,
making more room. Rogers was stunned, and would have probably rudely just
stared if Esmer hadn't patted him on the back and given him a gentle push.
Polo sat first, and before Rogers sat down, he bowed.
"It is an honor, my guild master."
"The honor is mine, young man. Your courage was inspiring.
It is a story that will spread far and wide." Polo leaned forward.
"You are dusty and tired."
"I'm sorry for my appearance, guild master."
"It is not that. Our guild toils in the dust.
It is who we are. I'm simply concerned for your weariness."He looked at
Esmer. "Could you retrieve us a pitcher and some glasses, my friend?"
He called Esmer his friend. PoLo's connection to Esmer reminded
Rogers of how the remarkable young Raylan acted with Allard.
As Esmer stood and walked off, PoLo's features turned serious.
"Tell me everything."
Rogers wasn't sure if PoLo was testing him or not, but the truth was
easily told, so he told the story with very few gaps.
He mentioned names and extolled simple folk who made heroic stands that
ended with their life. At some point, Esmer had returned, but the
story was so engrossing for both teller and receiver, that neither noticed.
As he outlined the role the knights played, both Esmer and PoLo shook their
heads. PoLo looked visibly angry. "Everyone knows that
Sax is a drunken dolt. I was a fool, and did not appreciate
until the Founder's Day banquet that he would be so easily duped by
Larsen. I should have spent more time with him."
PoLo threw up his hands. "But it seems that may not have mattered.
He's not just a dolt, he's a traitor to Ness, who clearly had aspirations far
beyond what his simple mind was capable of." PoLo went silent, and
Rogers was unsure if he was expected to talk, but he was not foolish, and
knew that the wisest path was to simply wait for PoLo to invite him to
speak.
PoLo looked lost in thought until he suddenly reached out, took a glass that
was full of clear water, and took a long drink.
He put the drink down and cleared his throat.
"What do you know of the Thieves Guild?" Rogers' breath caught
and he tensed. There was only one reason that PoLo would ask Rogers
about the Thieves Guild, and that was him knowing Rogers was a thief.
Did Velo share that with Esmer when Rogers wasn't paying attention?
But PoLo hadn't hauled him off or had his guards kill him.
Something different was at play here.
Without any insight into how to handle the situation, Rogers decided to
continue to play his role.
"Thieves exist, of course, but they aren't part of a guild.
Guildmaster Pietro was just acting a part, and the new guildmaster is but a boy."
"That is what everyone thinks. What if I told you that they were a
real guild, and have established an entire city of their own across the Great
River?"
"That sounds impossible, sir. The Wretched Quarter is nothing but collapsed buildings and
broken streets. Everyone knows the Ash Fields can't grow food."
"That was my understanding as well, but one of my most respected guild
members made the journey from the Old Quarter to tell me the truth.
He knows the Lower Triangle well, as his family clears the streets.
He used to work in the outer fields.
His word is impeccable."
PoLo leaned forward. "And do you know what he told me?"
"No, sir."
"He described that the Thieves Guild claimed to help the poorest of the other
guilds, that the Thieves Guild is not really a guild, but a collection of
those from other guilds that have united together to survive.
Raylan spoke to him and let him travel to me to deliver this message.
He did not trust Raylan, but he felt it his duty to deliver the message."
PoLo peered at Rogers. "What do you think of that?"
Rogers paused to think of a response.
PoLo could be testing him, but the more PoLo talked, the less Rogers felt
that likely.
He decided to continue to play his part.
"I find it rather unbelievable, sir.
Why would members of the Harvest Guild require the assistance of outsiders?
Why would they live in the Wretched Quarter when they could simply live in the Flats?
It makes no sense to me."
"It is as we all thought.
But let me ask you this. If I were to climb those steps to the top of my tower
and look out toward the Lower Quarter and the Flats, and if I were there
and looking out toward the pit during your battle with the Merchant Guild guards, what would
I have seen?"
"It is too far, sir.
You would not have been able to see anything."
"Exactly."
PoLo pushed out his chair and rose. Rogers scrambled to do that same
thing, but Esmer put his hand on Rogers' arm and shook his head no.
Presumably this was a habit of PoLo's.
He started to pace, his arms behind his back.
"Civil war has come, Rogers. I know that you know the Rangers
have joined with us. Orion has proven to be a brilliant politician and not the
simpleminded man many have assumed.
He has fooled many others, but he has not fooled me.
We will take the Night's Watch, we will take the wall, and then we will imprison
or kill Sax, Orion and his nephew." He paused in
his pacing, and looked at Rogers. "When we have united Ness, we
will need to have someone to rally our lowliest guild members from the Thieves
Guild to our side. We cannot war with those that feel they are not heard.
We need to embrace them. I'm not sure how that will go, but I will need someone that
our guild members trust to be there to welcome them,
someone with courage and who has faced death on their behalf, someone
who can tell the thieves that they do not need to exist because there is no
need for them."
PoLo walked over and put his arm on Rogers' shoulder.
"That man is you, Rogers. I'm making you the captain of the Lower Quarter.
You will help those there as we wage war. You will protect them.
You will welcome back those in the Wretched Quarter, and you will lead the Harvest
Guild members in the Lower Quarter to a new day, a day without traitors like
Larsen or Orion, and a day without thieves."
PoLo squeezed Rogers' shoulder.
"It would be an honor, sir."
(instrumental music plays)