The Thieves Guild
by Jake Kerr
(dramatic music) . Episode 15:
Anger in the Tower.
Karch could not believe what he was hearing. "He escaped?
It is a basement with one exit, and we had that blocked.
How could he possibly have escaped?"
The sergeant of the Merchant Tower guards cleared his throat.
"It appears that he somehow discovered a room which had previously been used as a bathroom.
He escaped into the sewers." "Did you follow him?" Karch knew the answer from the
look on the sergeant's face. "No. Don't answer that. I don't want to know.
It will only make me want to imprison more people.
Even if you did, you clearly didn't find him." Karch stood up from his desk
and started to pace. "We have guards at all the known sewer exits north of the fork."
Karch stopped walking and turned around.
"All of them?"
The sergeant fidgeted in his chair, which he tried to turn to face Karch.
"Well, no sir. There are hundreds of them, but the major public ones are under guard."
Not believing what he was hearing, Karch shook his head.
"Look, you fool. He is lost to us now. We need to assume that he is
going to flee to safety, most likely into the Wretched Quarter, but we can't discount him trying to cross
Trader's Bridge into the Upper Triangle.
I'll have Saxe post knights at the Great Bridge and Trader's Bridge, but you need to have all your
men searching the city. As long as the bridges are secure, he is trapped in the city."
Karch strode over to the sergeant and leaned into his face.
"I do not want him to escape."
A dark cell.
By the time they reached the Knight Tower, Rafe could at least get his arm above his head
without wincing.
All told, he felt in pretty good shape.
Despite being knocked unconscious, kicked in the leg, and being dragged downstairs, he
didn't have any cuts and nothing felt broken.
The two knights didn't speak to Rafe again, which was fine by him.
They answered questions with monosyllabic answers and told everyone who questioned them
that it was Guildmaster Saxe's orders.
No one objected after they said those words.
Rafe had never been in the Knight Tower, and it was not what he expected.
As the stronghold that guarded the massive front gates of the city and acted as the
base of the wall that protected it, he had expected rough-hewn rock and
solidly built stone, perhaps chipped from the glancing blows of swords and
spears. But what he saw was not unlike a spare version of the
Merchant Tower. The floor and walls were marble, and the tower itself
was spacious. It wasn't nearly as tall as the Merchant Tower, but it was broader.
As they led him down stairs that were similar to those in the Merchant Tower, Rafe found the
lack of decoration disconcerting.
There were no rugs or tapestries. It was cold, bare marble,
and that was somehow worse than if it was rough stone with arrow slits and wooden doors
with unknown dangers lurking behind them.
The two stopped at an iron door with a large knight standing in front of it.
"The guildmaster wants this one tucked away in the catacombs," Sam said, nodding
his head toward Rafe. The tall knight nodded and replied, "First cell on the left."
He then reached into his robe, pulled out a single key, turned, and
unlocked the door.
He pushed it open and then backed away.
Jace and Sam led Rafe through the door.
There was a short landing and then steps leading straight down ahead.
This part of the tower was of rough-hewn stone and the lighting was dim.
There were fewer torches spaced further apart.
When they reached the bottom of the steps, Rafe faced a long hallway with a dirt
floor and walls of stone that were placed for efficacy and not decoration.
As far as he could see ahead, there were cells on each side.
The first one on the left was open. Sam pushed him forward and Rafe
stumbled in. The knight then shut the door and turned a key that
must have been left in the lock.
He tossed it in the air and then caught it. He smiled and waved.
"Congratulations, brown-cloak, you no longer exist."
Jace laughed, and the two turned and walked back up the steps, their shuffling
footsteps the only sound Rafe could hear.
Rafe was amazed at how loud even soft sounds were in the catacombs.
The drip of water, the rub of his boot against the dirt as he adjusted his position,
the sputter of torches, each sound became louder and louder as each
minute passed. What he didn't hear was breathing, voices, or even the
rustle of clothing. A guard came down to change the torches, and his quiet
shuffling sounded almost painfully loud.
Eventually, Rafe fell asleep on the stone floor, his hand acting as his
pillow.
A sharp clang woke him up.
There was the sound of voices in the distance, and then a large group of knights
walked past his cell, dragging a tall man in chain mail.
It was hard to get a good look in the dim light, but he appeared to be one of their own.
After the silence, the harsh noise made Rafe cover his ears.
A voice echoed down the hall. "No, not that one.
The hall." There were some murmurs followed by a door opening
(door opening) , a thud, and the door closing (door closing) .
The knights strode past his cell without looking at him.
Rafe wasn't sure how long he had slept, but he assumed he had rested for
hours.While awake, he spent the time examining his cell, which was
littered with rat droppings, rotting straw, and bones of small
animals.
It wasn't long before he heard the click of a key and the clang and screech of the door opening.
The footsteps of what sounded like an army descended the stairs, but it was only
Guildmaster Sax and his deputy, John.
They stopped outside his cell and looked at him.
Rafe sat on the floor not moving. Sax walked up to the cell and banged on the
iron bars with his gloved fist. (banging) "Come
here."
Rafe remembered the threats made by Sam and stood up and walked over to face
Sax. He stood tall and stared into his eyes.
Expecting a beating, Rafe decided to play his only card.
You have no authority over me. I'm a member of the Thieves Guild and demand transfer to them.
My guildmaster will assign my punishment.
Sax's face froze in what appeared to be shock.
He then shook his head and smiled.
My, my, my, a prisoner that provides me with answers before I even ask a question.
What a pleasant surprise.
His smile disappeared.
But before you provide me with more answers, let me squash this silly hope of yours.
He waved his hand toward the long hallway.
My knights arrest thieves.
I punish thieves.
He leaned forward, the sour smell of wine accompanying his words.
I
execute thieves.
Rafe held his ground and said nothing. The guildmaster knight continued.
You will now tell me of Raylan's plans.
Last night was not an accident.
He crossed his arms and stared at him.
Rafe had no idea what Sax was talking about, but he had no plans on
replying even if he did.
Don't be foolish. I know you're a friend of Raylan's.
You know his plans, and I want to hear them.
Is he just following orders from Allard?
Do they plan to bring chaos to the city?
He waved a fist.
Speak.
The gauntleted fist reminded Rafe of Raylan's head hitting the table as he took
the punishment for Rafe's crime. He thought of them playing sticks and
rocks in the harvest fields when they were children.
So much had changed, but Raylan was still, first and foremost, his friend.
He held his tongue. With a frown, Sax moved aside and waved his deputy forward.
Unlock the cell.
Rafe had expected the comment, and it filled him with dread.
The beating was about to commence.
After unlocking the door, the deputy stepped aside, and Sax wrenched the door
open.
He strode forward and leaned down, his face inches from Rafe's.
Not quite so impudent now, are you?
His breath made Rafe's eyes burn. Without warning, he grabbed
Rafe's arms in his hands and yelled in his face.
What are Raylan's plans? Is this Allard's doing?
He shook Rafe, but Rafe remained silent.
Tell me.
He shoved Rafe, who flew backward, falling to the ground.
As Rafe regained his balance and looked up, the deputy was locking the door.
Sax was behind him outside the cell. He turned to face Rafe, his face
red but calm.
I have other problems to deal with right now, but I will return.
Until then, the rats will perhaps loosen your tongue,
and if not, well, there are other ways to teach obedience.
He turned, his robe flowing out behind him, and walked up the
steps.
The last thing Rafe heard was the scraping of the key in the iron door at the top of the stairs,
and then there was nothing but silence.
(dramatic music)