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The Thieves Guild

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by Jake Kerr.

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Episode 36:

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Teal's Message.

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Things went perfectly, and after an hour, Maylor
found herself guarding

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the entrance to Harvest House.

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The moment the other guard passed around the
corner and out of sight as he headed for the rear

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of the building, Maylor walked up to the entrance
and entered the courtyard.

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There was a single guard in the courtyard, and
Maylor noticed several guards on

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the wall. They were obviously familiar with Teal,
however, and they didn't give Maylor

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a second glance as she walked up to the main
doors.

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She had a moment of panic, thinking that they may
have been locked, but they weren't, and

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Maylor entered without issue.

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As soon as she entered, Maylor quickly scanned the
entryway.

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There were two guards at the base of the staircase
and two more standing guard over

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the entrance, one of whom was marching toward her.
"What are you doing?

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Why aren't you at your post?" The guard was in
full armor and Maylor couldn't see his

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face.

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I have an important message for the guild master.

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Tim sent me."

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The guard didn't have his hand on the pommel of
his sword, which was a good sign, but his

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stance was confrontational as he looked Maylor up
and down.

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"Why isn't he delivering the message himself?"

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"I don't know. Why don't you ask him?

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He seemed to be in a bad mood, mentioning
something about Deputy Esma being off in the outer
fields while Tim

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had to run around chasing enemies."

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Maylor figured the details would lend credence to
her story, but they were

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a risk. She wasn't sure that Esma was actually at
the outer fields, and she

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wasn't sure that Tim had as much power as she had
assessed.

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To her relief, the guard nodded. "What is the
message?"

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"He said I was to repeat it to no one but the
guild master."

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Maylor lowered her voice and glanced over at the
guards near the steps.

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"The word spy was used."

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The guard stared at Maylor for an uncomfortably
long time, but then yelled out to the

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guards at the steps. "Let her through.

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She has a message for the guild master." Maylor
bowed her head to the guard, turned, and

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walked briskly up the steps to the second floor.

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She had passed the first two obstacles: getting
into Harvest House at night, and getting

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past the first-floor guards.

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There were another four guards on the landing of
the second floor.

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Despite the chaotic nature of the Harvest Guild
guards' living arrangements,

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Maylor had to admit that the guild defenses were
rather strong and the guards

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disciplined.

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Of course, it helped that Harvest House appeared
to have only a single point of entry,

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making limited defenses all that was required.

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As on the first floor, a single guard approached.

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Maylor was tempted to repeat her story and just
walk right up the stairs to Polo's quarters,

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but she knew that while it may have worked on the
first-floor guards, it wouldn't work with the

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guards on the third floor. They were Polo's
personal attachment and were too savvy to allow a
low-level

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guard to just walk in to see the guild master
while he was under threat of assassination.

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So, she spun a new story. "What's your business
here, Teal?" "Damn, he

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knows Teal," Maylor thought. Lowering her voice to
a whisper, which Maylor

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hoped would both disguise her voice and lend it
more gravitas, she

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replied, "I'm here to provide a message to one of
the guards in the guild hall and to replace him on

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duty." Maylor lowered her head. The guard stepped
forward.

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Why? What is going on? Is it Richard?

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"Yes, it is Richard.

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There has been a tragedy with his family.

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I am to deliver the message and take his place."

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By the gods, it isn't his daughter, is it? She's
the sweetest thing.

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I saw her a fortnight ago, playing in the fields.

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The guard was visibly distressed and had
completely given up any

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thought of questioning Maylor's motives.

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"I fear it is. She is deathly ill. There is talk
she won't make it through the

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night."

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The news clearly stunned the guard.

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Gods, no. That is such horrible news.

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The guard stood up straight.

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Such a message should be delivered by a friend.

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I will deliver the news," the guard said
emphatically, turning to the door to the hall.

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"As you wish, but I am to take his place guarding
the hall."

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Of course. Follow me."

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The guard started walking to the door, but then
stopped and turned to face Maylor.

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"Thank you, Teal.

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I know you and Richard have had...

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difficulties."

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Nodding her head, Maylor followed the guard into
the hall.

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She watched at a distance as the guard went up to
Richard and quietly spoke to

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him.

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Richard's whole body appeared to just slump as his
guard friend put his hand on

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Richard's shoulder. Richard nodded as the guard
said something, and the two of them

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hurried down the aisle and out of the hall.

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They didn't look twice at Maylor as they passed.

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Thankfully, there was only one other guard in the
room.

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He was guarding the dais to the left of the
throne.

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Maylor walked over to him. As she got close, he
said. "Is that you, Teal?

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What was that all about?" In her right hand,
Maylor twisted a seal, and the poison flowed

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into a sharp needle that was hidden in her palm.
She had a simple plan.

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She was going to pretend to trip, and as the other
guard reached out to help her, she would

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stab the needle into the unprotected palm of his
hand.

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The trouble was that as she tripped, the guard
didn't move to help.

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Maylor was so surprised that she almost stabbed
herself as she stumbled to the floor at the

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feet of the guard. "Oof,"

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she let out as she landed on her knees.

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"Honestly, Teal, I don't know how you continue to
be a guard.

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You are slow and clumsy."The guard's voice was
full of disdain.

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"You can only lead Tim on for so long. Eventually,
you're going to

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have to get together with him or he'll kick you
out of the guards for being incompetent."

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Maela thought back to the long march that Teel
made every day to fulfill

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her dream of being a guard.

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Maela was certain the dedication, the fortitude
and the honor in Teel's

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small frame was greater than anything this guard
could dream of achieving.

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Reaching up, Maela grabbed the guard's leg,
sliding the needle through the soft leather

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behind his knee and into his skin. "Ow,"

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the guard replied as Maela used his leg to help
her get her balance and stand.

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"Sorry." Maela held up her armored hand.

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"Must be a sharp metal edge on these gauntlets."
"I swear I will personally have

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Tim remove you from duty, Teel,"

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the guard growled as he rubbed his leg.

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The poison took as much as two minutes to work, so
she turned and walked over to the other side of
the

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dais to Guard. "Hey, I asked what happened with
Richard."

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Maela didn't reply. The guard marched over, anger
evident in every one

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of his pounding footsteps. "Answer me." Whispering
again, Maela

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replied. "It is none of your business." "None of
my business?" The

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guard held up his gauntleted hand as if to strike
Maela and added, "How about I make it my

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business?"

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As Maela considered how best to reply, the guard
stumbled and then

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fell in a heap, the clang of his armor absorbed by
the lush vegetation all

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around.

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Undisturbed in the guild hall, Maela couldn't
quite believe it.

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All she had to do was find the secret passage to
the Guildmaster's quarters and

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her mission would be complete.

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But could she find the passage in time?

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(Dramatic music)