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The Thieves Guild

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by Jake Kerr.

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Chapter Two,

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Karch.

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Karch squeezed the robe in his fist until his
knuckles turned as white as the material.

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He didn't enjoy being the second-most important
person in one of several powerful guilds

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in Ness. He wanted to be the second-most powerful
person in the most

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powerful guild.

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And someday, the most powerful man, period.

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It was a timeline and plan he had helped nurture
for years, and yet now

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Lassen's irresponsible and maddening little
brother was about to ruin everything.

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Raylan.

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If it had been up to Karch, the disrespectful
whelp would have been banished years

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earlier. He flaunted his lack of gild as if it was
due to his rebelliousness

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and not his ineptitude. He insulted Karch
regularly, knowing that his

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brother would protect him.

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And perhaps worse than anything, he was constantly
causing problems, for he and Lassen's

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intricately laid plans.

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This was just one more example of that.

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Karch scowled. This mischief would be the last.

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He knocked on the polished wooden door with his
free hand.

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He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the brass
plate that said "Lassen

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Miller, Guildmaster Merchant."

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Karch softened his features. When it came to
Lassen's brother, he had to take

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care not to be too aggressive or insulting.

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"Come in,"

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came the tired voice of his guildmaster.

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Karch turned the knob with his left hand while he
slid the stained robe in his right hand behind his

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back.

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He entered, closed the door, and approached, both
his hands behind him.

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He bowed his head. "Guildmaster. I'm afraid we
have a new problem with the Knight Guild." He

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looked up just as Lassen dropped his head against
his hand, rubbing his temples with his

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fingers. "Will this never end? What do they want
now? More money?

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Does Sachs want me to apprentice more of his
relatives?

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Do they want me to pay for the masons to build
their tower higher?"

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Lassen slammed his fist to the table. "I'm still
dealing with Pietro's death.

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I swear, Karch, this has to end. Doesn't Sachs
know we haven't yet eliminated the Harvest Guild?

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I'm just trying to avoid strikes or, gods forbid,
bloodshed." Karch did his best not to

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smile. He had arranged everything so perfectly.

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He paid the bribes, apprenticed the right
children, gave the right gifts, that he didn't

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have to worry about any other complications than
the one in his right hand, and that

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complication was about to be removed.

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"Sir, this is an entirely different kind of
problem." He brought his hand forward and laid the

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robe on Lassen's desk. A reddish-brown stain
marred the pure white of the

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rest of the robe. "Your brother insulted the
Knight Guild by tossing a

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tomato at a member of the White Guard while he was
on duty." Karch shook his head in an

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attempt to display a shocked sadness. Lassen
grabbed the robe and examined the stain.

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He looked up at Karch. "Are they positive it was
Raylan?" "Indeed, sir.

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The knight saw him clearly in the midst of a field
at the base of the north wall.

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He had presumably been practicing his throws for
the Founder's Day Parade."

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Karch shrugged. "I'm sure he meant no harm."

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Lassen's face turned red. His temper was famous
across the city, and

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Karch had said the perfect thing to set it off.
"'Meant no harm'?

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I've told him again and again that he had to stop
these insults to my position as guildmaster and to
the

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reputation of his own family."

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Lassen started to drum his hand on his desk as his
voice increased in volume.

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"I've had to protect Raylan from every guildmaster
in the city over his continued

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misbehavior, and this is how he thanks me, by
assaulting the guards who defend our

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walls."

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Karch leaned forward. "Not to mention,
Guildmaster, that he has offended the one guild
that could

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cause problems for your plan to merge the Merchant
and Harvest Guilds."

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Lassen's eyes opened a bit wider. "My patience is
at an end, Karch." He grabbed

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the robe and threw it at him. "Find my brother and
bring him here.

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My days of protecting him are over. We'll deliver
him to Sachs and let the knights take care of
him." The

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moment came for Karch to spring his trap.

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He would finally be able to rid himself of the
impertinent Raylan.

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Karch almost couldn't restrain his smile as he
considered Raylan living the rest of his

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life in degradation and isolation. And the beauty
was that it brought his

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entire plan together. Raylan would no longer be an
issue, and the last

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potential stumbling block to their plan to control
Ness would be removed.

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"Guildmaster."

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Karch began to fold the robe. "I'm afraid just
giving Raylan to the knights will only anger him.

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They won't hold him for very long for such a minor
offense, and when they let him go, he will be even
more

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uncontrollable."

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Karch looked at Lassen and was pleased to see him
listening intently, his hands spread on the

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table. "I have a plan that I think will solve two
of your problems at once." Lassen

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leaned back, his face emotionless. "I'm
listening."