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The Thieves Guild

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by Jake Kerr.

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Episode 17:

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Maela's Plan.

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The Knight Guild tower was actually a huge
sprawling complex with

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barracks, stables, the prison, and administrative
buildings.

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While the guild's weapons were forged by the Craft
Guild and delivered via wagon, the

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armory included forges used for repairs and other
immediate needs.

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Like every guild tower in Ness, you were likely to
see a multitude of colors throughout

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as citizens pursued their guild jobs in support of
a fellow guild.

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Maela stopped as they reached the easternmost
building.

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The road curved away from the wall at this point
with the grass sward replaced by

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pasture and stables for the Knight Cavalry and the
Rangers Guild.

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Raylan watched as horses trotted across the field,
their whinnies echoing off

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the wall and answering the sound of clanging metal
in the distance.

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"The kitchens are near the center, right up
against the wall," Maela explained

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in a whisper. "They have numerous dining halls,
large and small, and the

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kitchen passages are designed to extend out to
them without interrupting foot traffic."

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Raylan was intrigued.

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The kitchen staff use secret passages?

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"More or less."

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Maela looked around, and apparently not seeing
anything, continued.

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"One of the passages opens to the stable where the
Herdsmen Guild members eat outside."

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Peering across the field, Raylan said...

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"So, we sneak along the kitchen passages to the
prison, and then we break out Allard

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and Rafe and escape the same way?"

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"No. We sneak in along the kitchen passages.

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We free the deputy guild master and your friend,
and then we fight our way to the bridge

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and escape to the old quarter."

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"We fight our way out and up riverfront to a
heavily defended bridge?"

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Raylan shook his head.

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"That doesn't sound like a very good plan."

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Maela looked up at him, frowning.

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"It was your bright idea, Guild Master.

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Would you prefer we use our spies within the
Knight Guild to usher them through the secret
passages built

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out from the sewer systems that only we know
about, taking them outside the wall, where we can
get them

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to the Thieves Tower safely?"

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Raylan didn't answer and could feel Maela's eyes
staring at him.

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The intensity of her gaze was almost painful.

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"Because we could do that.

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But if we do, it will be pretty obvious that there
is an actual Thieves Guild."

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Finally, Raylan replied...

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"How bad is it if the other guild members find out
that there is really a Thieves Guild?"

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"They'll send troops into the old quarter, killing
everyone and burning the homes of those that

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live there while they make their way to the tower,
which I am sure they will raze to the ground."

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"That's absurd. The Knight Protectors would never
do that to Ness' own citizens."

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In response, Maela stared at Raylan until he
turned his head away.

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"Sorry.

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There is just so much I don't know.

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Okay, we will break Allard and Rafe out, and Saxon
Larsen will believe it was me and a band of

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hooligans that did it."

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Maela nodded and turned to the road.

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"Let's go."

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"Wait, tell me more of the plan."

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Maela sighed.

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"Fine. There are three parts: approach,
distraction, and escape.

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Approach will be the easiest part. We can get
close to the catacombs via the kitchen halls.

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Even so, I've arranged some safeguards.

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Distraction will come from another part of the
tower, which will draw the guards from the
catacombs gate.

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Then I go down, free Rafe and Allard, and we
escape."

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"How do we escape?"

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"Out the front door," Maela said, grinning.

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She set off at a brisk pace and Raylan rushed to
catch up.

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Through the kitchen. Navigating the kitchens was
surprisingly easy.

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People were running around, focusing so much of
their attention on their own duties that they
didn't

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even think twice about Maela and Raylan walking
through.

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The guild in charge of cooking was under the
Harvest Guild, so green tunics and

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robes were everywhere, although there was the
occasional white of a knight.

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There were no Blue Merchants or others in the
yellow of the Craft Guild.

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They were only stopped once, and that was by a
Harvest Guild member.

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Raylan's explanation of broken equipment needing
fixed resulted in nothing more than a

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comment of, "Hurry up, dinner will be served
soon."

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They had turned down yet another hallway when
Raylan leaned over and whispered to Maela.

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"Those two with the carafes of wine have been
following us."

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"Very good, Guild Master. It only took you three
turns to notice that."

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"What should we do?"

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Before Maela could reply, a large man in the white
of the Knight Guild walked right toward Raylan and
Maela.

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You two, what are you doing here? We aren't
expecting any craftsmen.

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Raylan tensed and tried to come up with a story
for why they would be called to fix

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equipment without any kind of official
notification.

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Maela held out her hand, stopping Raylan.

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Before the knight was within arm's reach, the two
Harvest Guild members with the carafes

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of wine awkwardly moved around Raylan and Maela.

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One of them stumbled and ran into the other one,
their carafes flying forward,

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drenching the white robes of the knight with wine.

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The carafes shattered on the floor, covering it in
glass.

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"You idiots. You have ruined my dress whites."

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Enraged, the knight turned to the two Harvest
Guild members, who were

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issuing a stream of apologies.

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Maela tugged on Raylan's arm and they briskly
walked past the knight, who had

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completely forgotten about them.

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When they were well past the knight, Raylan
whispered...

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"Did you plan for them to escort us?"

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"People are clumsy," she replied, not even trying
to hide

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her smile.

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"The defenses here aren't very good," Raylan noted
as he and Maela

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looked through the door of the prison dining hall.

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... prisoners were actually fed in their cells, so
the hall itself was more of a

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room for the jailers and a large prep area for
taking food to the prisoners.

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Maela turned and glared at Raylan.

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Nothing is ever easy, don't forget that.

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Without a plan, you would have been captured in
the flats, on the circle, and in the hallway back
there.

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Maela took a breath, and then softened her voice.

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But you are correct about the defenses. But what
is there to defend?

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The prisons are well-guarded, and who would attack
the Knight Tower?

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They continued on. The other side of the prison
dining hall opened up to a

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hallway off of the main atrium of the prison part
of the tower.

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Unlike the small, cramped kitchen halls, the halls
of the tower proper were wide and

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imposing.

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Knights walked through them at regular intervals.

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Also unlike the kitchen halls, there weren't any
other guild members in the tower

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halls. Everyone wore white.

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So, the prisons are well-guarded. I'm not sure the
two of us could actually

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fight our way in and then out.

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The prisons are well-guarded, but the catacombs
are not.

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The catacombs?

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Yes, that's where prisoners are sent to die.

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They're locked up and forgotten about. The torture
room is down there as well.

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There is only one way in.

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Maela pointed to the right.

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That iron door and the stairway behind it.

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In front of the door stood two knights.

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They stood at attention, but seemed bored.

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What's behind the door?

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Well, there's a long stairway down, and then there
is a hall hewn from the rock that has

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cells on each side. It hasn't been used in a long
time.

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Most dangerous offenders are executed beyond the
wall rather than locked up these days.

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My gods, I didn't know that.

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Few people do. It's done out in the plains at a
spot called Executioner's

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Hollow.

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Maela lowered her head.

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Quite a few of my friends have traveled there.

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Raylan knew what she meant and squeezed her arm.

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I'm sorry.

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She looked at him and gave a slight smile.

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We will make things better.

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Yes, Guildmaster.

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Maela turned back to the guards in front of the
iron door.

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Yes, we will.

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Back to the catacombs, is that where Rafe and
Allard are?

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Yes, but I don't know what kind of guard is set up
downstairs. Our knowledge ends at that door.

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Maela looked up and down the hall.

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What now?

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Now we wait for our distraction.

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As they were in the kitchen area, and not far from
the ovens, none of the

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knights paid any attention to them as they entered
and left the hall.

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Raylan was getting nervous as the number of
knights increased.

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Their ability to get to the guards of the
catacombs seemed impossible, let alone getting

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past those guards.

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A boom could be heard in the distance, followed by
shouts.

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A cry of "riot" echoed down the hall. Raylan
looked at Maela,

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who looked amused. The knights in the dining hall
and the hallway all ran down the

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hall, away from the catacombs.

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"The prison," Raylan whispered.

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Maela nodded.

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Unfortunately, the two knights guarding the door
to the catacombs didn't move.

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Maela cursed.

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Why aren't they leaving?

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She looked up and down the hall again.

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I could kill them pretty easily, but this is wide
open and their

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bodies would be noticed. By the time it took us to
head down and free Allard, we would be

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overwhelmed.

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Raylan mirrored Maela's action and looked up and
down the hall.

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He had already formulated a plan. The main
entrance to the tower was not far

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away, and the hallway was wide. It was spartan,
but it had plenty of room to

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maneuver.

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You don't have to kill the guards. I'll take care
of them.

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Maela looked up, giving Raylan an "are you crazy?"
look.

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This I have to hear.

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I'll run out, let them know who I am, and then
they'll chase me.

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As they run from their post, you quickly go down
and free Rafe and Allard.

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I cannot let you do that. It's too dangerous.

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You are here just to be glimpsed so that you are
blamed.

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You aren't to do anything that would put you at
risk beyond this already stupid risk of having you
here.

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Raylan opened his mouth to speak, but Maela spoke
first, holding up her finger.

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A dead Guildmaster thief is worse than them
knowing of the existence of thieves.

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There is real power in the position, it is not
ceremonial.

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The strength of the position matters to the
thieves and everyone in the old quarter.

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Raylan didn't say anything, and Maela added, a
hint of frustration in her

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voice...

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We need you, Raylan.

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Nodding, Raylan replied.

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"Okay. Assuming we somehow get past those two
knights and free Allard and Rafe, what

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next?"

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Maela breathed out, and Raylan realized that she
was actually worried over him getting

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caught.

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There is a wagon on the circle with a broken
wheel. There are four horses pulling it.

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They aren't really tied up, but are ready for us
to leap on them and race for the great bridge.

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Sounds only slightly less dangerous than the
fight-our-way-out plan.

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Well, there are other pieces to the escape, but
the important part is to get on the

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horses and get them galloping.

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Okay, I trust you.

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Maela looked up at him as Raylan continued, his
voice full of confidence.

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"Did you know that for my entire life I've taken
part in mischief and caused all kinds of trouble
for

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just about every guild?"

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No, but it doesn't surprise me.

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"I've suffered a lot of beatings and other
punishments, but those were relatively rare.

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Do you know why?"

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Maela looked impatient.

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No. Why?

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"Because my one greatest talent is one that very
few people appreciate: not

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getting caught."

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Maela's eyes went wide as Raylan added...

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"Get Rafe and Allard to safety."

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And with a leap, Raylan entered the hallway,
running toward the knights guarding the catacombs.

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"I am Raylan Miller, and you are imprisoning my
friend."

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The guards unsheathed their swords, but looked
hesitant as Raylan approached.

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Raylan stopped and patted his waist.

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"Oops, it appears I forgot my weapon.

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Still, you will not get me."

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Raylan waited a moment, and then the two guards
rushed him.

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Turning, Raylan sprinted back up the hall.

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As he passed the door to the kitchens, he winked
at Maela.

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(dramatic music)