The Thief's Guild
by Jake Kerr.
Episode 16:
Across the Flats.
Raylan lost track of the rainbow of colors of those that had helped him.
Yellow, green, blue, and even white-shirted guild members passed Maela and
Raylan from safe house to safe house.
With every step, Maela stayed so close that her shoulders would often brush against
him. He would glance at her every so often and watch how her eyes darted
around and her muscles tensed. She looked like an animal
constantly poised to strike.
Their first stop was a comfortable house in the lower triangle, where Raylan was given a
scented bath and a yellow tunic of a lower-rank craftsman.
As he looked in the mirror, even he had trouble identifying himself.
"The guild colors are so identified with each of us that changing them is such a shocking
change," Raylan thought. He walked out and Maela was wearing the same yellow.
She handed him a droopy hat. "Really?" Raylan said, looking
at the hat.
Maela ignored him and said-
"You look different enough that we should be somewhat safe.
I mean, how many merchant guardsmen and knights actually know what you look like?"
Raylan, whose history of mischief was long, did not reply.
"Plus, you actually smell nice. No one would recognize you like that."
Raylan turned away, hoping she took it as a sign of anger, but inside,
he was smiling.
After the past few days, her jibe was both amusing and accurate.
His appearance hidden, they made their way straight through the Flats.
Every few streets, they would make a hard right or a hard left.
Every few blocks, they would stop at a shop or a house where Raylan would be left alone,
and Maela would go to a different room and talk with people he couldn't see.
As they got closer to the wall, Raylan suddenly realized that they had an
escort, and that it had been changing as they continued their walk.
"Are they with us?" Raylan asked, pointing at a group of young men who were
laughing and casually walking ahead of them.
The group appeared as they turned down one street, replacing a similar group of young men
and women. Maela slapped his hand.
"Will you not point? And for the love of the gods, do you know how to keep your voice
down? It's like you want to get us captured."
She walked in front of Raylan and stopped, forcing him to stop as well.
She crowded into him and whispered-
"Do you see those brown cloaks over there?
Those are Knight Protectors scanning the people on the street. Do you see the tradesmen up ahead?
They are merchant guards and are looking for you."
Maela punctuated the you by poking Raylan in the chest with her finger.
"How do you know this?"
"Gods, do you know nothing? Use your eyes.
It's obvious."
Raylan looked at the people, but couldn't see anything suspicious about them, but he nodded,
pretending that he did. Maela added-
"This is the easy part, so at least don't screw this up.
Just shut up and go where I tell you to go."
"What's the hard part?"
"G, I don't know, maybe breaking into the Knight Tower, going down to the
catacombs and freeing Allard and your friend, while doing so without making the guild council
suspicious that you have organized help."
"Got it. No problem."
Maela squinted at Raylan. "You're either an idiot or incredibly brave.
Take a guess as to which I'm leaning toward."
And with that, she grabbed Raylan's arm, turned, and started again down
the street.
They reached the base of the wall and the edge of the Flats.
Between the north side of the Flats and the wall was a wide road that circled the
whole city. It had no official name, but was popularly known for
centuries as the Circle. Between the wall and the Circle was a wide swath of
grass that was popular for walks and picnics.
Couples often walked along the grass, stealing kisses under the shadow of the
old and mighty wall.
Raylan and Maela walked that same path, following the wall toward the Knight
Guild tower.
Every so often, Raylan would glance up, looking at the knights that manned its battlements.
The wall was not very high, three stories at most, but it was wide and solid,
more than enough to withstand an attack from the outlanders.
There were many more knights manning the wall this close to their guild than over near the
warehouse district, where Rafe had tossed the tomato that started this whole
mess.
Rafe. Raylan worried about his friend.
He wondered if he had been beaten severely and how he was holding up in the prison.
He hoped his friend wasn't regretting joining Raylan in his adventure as the
Guildmaster thief, an adventure that now seemed much bigger and far-reaching
than he had remotely considered. He already trusted and respected Allard,
but it would be valuable having a trusted friend with him.
Maela paused at the base of the wall, looking across the whole area.
She quickly took Raylan's hand in hers, weaving her fingers in his.
As if this wasn't shocking enough, Maela then leaned against Raylan and placed her
cheek against his shoulder. Raylan glanced down at her, stunned.
She looked up at him, smiled, and started to walk along the trail at the base of the wall,
holding his hand. "We are being followed, aren't we?" Raylan whispered.
"Yes. Keep your head down. We are heading to the Knight Guild kitchens.
Just act normal. Hopefully they'll just leave."
A moment later, Maela tugged on Raylan's hand, and as he turned, she
grabbed the front of his cloak, pulled him down and kissed him on the
lips.Before he could even think of what was happening, Maela put her arms
around him and kissed him long and passionately.
Raelan, who had kissed maybe four girls in his life,
didn't know what was happening, but the softness of Maela's lips and the
passion behind them made him suddenly think that there was something between the two of them.
As he put his arms around Maela and leaned forward, a hand tugged on his arm.
"That's enough, you two."
Maela pulled away and glanced at the knight protector standing next to them.
"The sun's not even down yet. You two need to learn to control yourselves."
The knight was frowning and waving a finger.
A second knight was behind him and looked like he could barely contain himself from
laughing.
"We were just heading to the tower kitchens and stopped to admire the wall,"
Maela replied, a mischievous smile on her face.
"Well, best to do your admiring in private," the second knight said.
The first knight looked around. "Have you two seen a young man?
He may have fled to the flats. We noticed you came from there and were wondering if you had seen him.
He's about your height, thin, brown hair.
We have reason to believe that he will be in soiled clothing or smell bad."
Raelan kept his face down, hoping the shade from his hat helped hide any defining features
of his face. "I'm afraid I've been distracted," Raelan replied,
looking down at Maela, who smiled at him.
"But if I see someone that fits that description, I'll find the nearest protector."
"Is he dangerous?" Maela interjected.
"Yes, he is. Very."
Maela wrapped her arms around Raelan's arm.
"We should hurry to the kitchens, love.
I don't want to be outside with a violent criminal on the loose."
"What is your business with the guild kitchens?" asked the second knight.
Maela was about to say something, but Raelan interrupted her.
"I'm a craftsman who specializes in ovens and other kitchen equipment.
I was requested for emergency repairs."
The knight stared at him for a moment, and then nodded.
"Our stomachs thank you, Craftsman." He smiled, but then peered at Maela.
"But you shouldn't let your distractions keep you from your work.
That's irresponsible." "I understand, Knight Protector.
I apologize."
The knight nodded, and then wandered off with his partner.
Maela and Raelan continued toward the knight tower.
After they put some distance between them and the knights, Raelan took some deep
breaths.
Maela let go of Raelan's hand, but not before squeezing it first.
"That was well done, Guildmaster."
"Thank you."
Raelan looked at Maela. "You saw them approaching us?"
"Yes. They were following us from the flats, and when we lost our escort, I
knew I had to distract them."
"So you kissed me."
"I know. The things I do for the guild.
Luckily, the trip through the sewers prepared me."
Raelan gritted his teeth.
Maela must have noticed that her comment hurt his feelings because she lightly punched him in the
arm.
"I'm kidding."
When Raelan didn't say anything, Maela stopped.
He took a few steps before noticing she wasn't there.
He turned and walked back.
"Look."
Maela held up a finger and Raelan stopped.
"It was nice, okay? You have soft lips, but don't think that I'm all in love
with you or anything. You're my guildmaster, and I'm your loyal guild member.
Got it?"
"Understood," Raelan replied.
She said it was nice.
Raelan suppressed a smile as the two of them approached the knight guild tower.
(instrumental music plays)