The Thieves Guild
by Jake Kerr.
Episode 36:
Teal's Message.
Things went perfectly, and after an hour, Maylor found herself guarding
the entrance to Harvest House.
The moment the other guard passed around the corner and out of sight as he headed for the rear
of the building, Maylor walked up to the entrance and entered the courtyard.
There was a single guard in the courtyard, and Maylor noticed several guards on
the wall. They were obviously familiar with Teal, however, and they didn't give Maylor
a second glance as she walked up to the main doors.
She had a moment of panic, thinking that they may have been locked, but they weren't, and
Maylor entered without issue.
As soon as she entered, Maylor quickly scanned the entryway.
There were two guards at the base of the staircase and two more standing guard over
the entrance, one of whom was marching toward her. "What are you doing?
Why aren't you at your post?" The guard was in full armor and Maylor couldn't see his
face.
I have an important message for the guild master.
Tim sent me."
The guard didn't have his hand on the pommel of his sword, which was a good sign, but his
stance was confrontational as he looked Maylor up and down.
"Why isn't he delivering the message himself?"
"I don't know. Why don't you ask him?
He seemed to be in a bad mood, mentioning something about Deputy Esma being off in the outer fields while Tim
had to run around chasing enemies."
Maylor figured the details would lend credence to her story, but they were
a risk. She wasn't sure that Esma was actually at the outer fields, and she
wasn't sure that Tim had as much power as she had assessed.
To her relief, the guard nodded. "What is the message?"
"He said I was to repeat it to no one but the guild master."
Maylor lowered her voice and glanced over at the guards near the steps.
"The word spy was used."
The guard stared at Maylor for an uncomfortably long time, but then yelled out to the
guards at the steps. "Let her through.
She has a message for the guild master." Maylor bowed her head to the guard, turned, and
walked briskly up the steps to the second floor.
She had passed the first two obstacles: getting into Harvest House at night, and getting
past the first-floor guards.
There were another four guards on the landing of the second floor.
Despite the chaotic nature of the Harvest Guild guards' living arrangements,
Maylor had to admit that the guild defenses were rather strong and the guards
disciplined.
Of course, it helped that Harvest House appeared to have only a single point of entry,
making limited defenses all that was required.
As on the first floor, a single guard approached.
Maylor was tempted to repeat her story and just walk right up the stairs to Polo's quarters,
but she knew that while it may have worked on the first-floor guards, it wouldn't work with the
guards on the third floor. They were Polo's personal attachment and were too savvy to allow a low-level
guard to just walk in to see the guild master while he was under threat of assassination.
So, she spun a new story. "What's your business here, Teal?" "Damn, he
knows Teal," Maylor thought. Lowering her voice to a whisper, which Maylor
hoped would both disguise her voice and lend it more gravitas, she
replied, "I'm here to provide a message to one of the guards in the guild hall and to replace him on
duty." Maylor lowered her head. The guard stepped forward.
Why? What is going on? Is it Richard?
"Yes, it is Richard.
There has been a tragedy with his family.
I am to deliver the message and take his place."
By the gods, it isn't his daughter, is it? She's the sweetest thing.
I saw her a fortnight ago, playing in the fields.
The guard was visibly distressed and had completely given up any
thought of questioning Maylor's motives.
"I fear it is. She is deathly ill. There is talk she won't make it through the
night."
The news clearly stunned the guard.
Gods, no. That is such horrible news.
The guard stood up straight.
Such a message should be delivered by a friend.
I will deliver the news," the guard said emphatically, turning to the door to the hall.
"As you wish, but I am to take his place guarding the hall."
Of course. Follow me."
The guard started walking to the door, but then stopped and turned to face Maylor.
"Thank you, Teal.
I know you and Richard have had...
difficulties."
Nodding her head, Maylor followed the guard into the hall.
She watched at a distance as the guard went up to Richard and quietly spoke to
him.
Richard's whole body appeared to just slump as his guard friend put his hand on
Richard's shoulder. Richard nodded as the guard said something, and the two of them
hurried down the aisle and out of the hall.
They didn't look twice at Maylor as they passed.
Thankfully, there was only one other guard in the room.
He was guarding the dais to the left of the throne.
Maylor walked over to him. As she got close, he said. "Is that you, Teal?
What was that all about?" In her right hand, Maylor twisted a seal, and the poison flowed
into a sharp needle that was hidden in her palm. She had a simple plan.
She was going to pretend to trip, and as the other guard reached out to help her, she would
stab the needle into the unprotected palm of his hand.
The trouble was that as she tripped, the guard didn't move to help.
Maylor was so surprised that she almost stabbed herself as she stumbled to the floor at the
feet of the guard. "Oof,"
she let out as she landed on her knees.
"Honestly, Teal, I don't know how you continue to be a guard.
You are slow and clumsy."The guard's voice was full of disdain.
"You can only lead Tim on for so long. Eventually, you're going to
have to get together with him or he'll kick you out of the guards for being incompetent."
Maela thought back to the long march that Teel made every day to fulfill
her dream of being a guard.
Maela was certain the dedication, the fortitude and the honor in Teel's
small frame was greater than anything this guard could dream of achieving.
Reaching up, Maela grabbed the guard's leg, sliding the needle through the soft leather
behind his knee and into his skin. "Ow,"
the guard replied as Maela used his leg to help her get her balance and stand.
"Sorry." Maela held up her armored hand.
"Must be a sharp metal edge on these gauntlets." "I swear I will personally have
Tim remove you from duty, Teel,"
the guard growled as he rubbed his leg.
The poison took as much as two minutes to work, so she turned and walked over to the other side of the
dais to Guard. "Hey, I asked what happened with Richard."
Maela didn't reply. The guard marched over, anger evident in every one
of his pounding footsteps. "Answer me." Whispering again, Maela
replied. "It is none of your business." "None of my business?" The
guard held up his gauntleted hand as if to strike Maela and added, "How about I make it my
business?"
As Maela considered how best to reply, the guard stumbled and then
fell in a heap, the clang of his armor absorbed by the lush vegetation all
around.
Undisturbed in the guild hall, Maela couldn't quite believe it.
All she had to do was find the secret passage to the Guildmaster's quarters and
her mission would be complete.
But could she find the passage in time?
(Dramatic music)