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(suspenseful music plays) The Thieves Guild

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by Jake Kerr.

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Episode 48:

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Escape.

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Two weeks after bathing in front of Darla, Maela
and the guard were sitting

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cross-legged in front of each other, discussing a
future that seemed impossible for

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either of them.

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They were roughly the same age, were both in
male-dominated guild roles, and

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had no one else to talk to. Camaraderie came
easily.

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"The thing is, even if I am promoted, I'll never
be transferred outside the

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mines.

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The captain is a good man, but he sees transfers
to the city as a betrayal.

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We are all part of an important regiment in his
eyes, but what is there to defend?

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There is only one way into the mines."

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The frustration dripped from every one of Darla's
words.

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Maela truly felt sympathetic. She couldn't even
comprehend living underground

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for the rest of her life.

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To make matters worse for Darla, Maela's
perception of Darla was correct.

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The young guard preferred women and would never
find a partner as long as she was a guild guard.

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Maela knew the feeling well enough. She was so
focused on her duties to the guild

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that she had ignored and suppressed any romantic
feelings, but when they

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broke through her carefully crafted emotional
defenses, it was always the tilt of a

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barmaid's chin or the curves of the women swimming
at the river that did it.

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The boys and men never registered as more than
what they were.

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While Maela felt sad for Darla, her primary goal
was to escape, and

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she had already settled on a plan. Darla flirted
with Maela in a way that

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was clearly meant to be subtle, but was far from
it.

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Maela had planned on returning her affection to
get close enough to knock Darla unconscious,

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lock her in the prison, and then escape.

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It didn't take long, and she was close enough to
do that.

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The only trouble was that Darla was clearly a
skilled guard.

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Maela would need to do more than just jump on her
and hope to strangle her or

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knock her down. She needed to find some way to
either have Darla lead her out of the

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cell or to knock her unconscious.

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"Perhaps there is danger from underground," Maela
replied.

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She didn't exactly know what kind of danger that
could be, but it was the

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only thing that made sense. Darla was right.

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Why have a full complement of guild guards spread
through the mines when the entrance

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was a single tunnel that could be well defended
with a squad?

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Darla took her helmet off and placed it beside
her.

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"There are rumors of ghosts from beyond the south
tunnel, but that tunnel is blocked

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by massive boulders after a cave-in centuries ago.

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The only passage is a side tunnel that can only
fit a single person at a time.

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Besides, it's so treacherous that it isn't even
guarded."

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Seeing her opening, Maela reached forward and
touched Darla's knee.

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"Can I try on your helmet? It's been so long, and
you will be able to see what you're like as a

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guard."

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Maela smiled as she rubbed Darla's knee. Darla
gave Maela a suspicious look.

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"You miss wearing a helmet? That is an odd thing
to say."

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"That's easy for you to say.

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You're not the one locked up in a prison."

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Maela lowered her head. "I used to wear a helmet.

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It's part of my past life, a life that is now dead
to me.

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Can you not see how I would find that comforting?"

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Maela hoped that Darla believed her.

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She looked up, and Darla had tears in her eyes.
"I'm so sorry.

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This must be horrible. I know you do not deserve
to be here."

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She handed Maela her helmet.

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"Thank you,"

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Maela said as she took the helmet and put it on.

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"How do I look?"

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"Like a beautiful warrior,"

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Darla replied, but as soon as she said the words,
she lowered her head and blushed.

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Maela removed the helmet and looked at it.

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As she spoke, she clutched the edge in her right
hand and tensed her legs.

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"I am sure I don't look nearly as beautiful in it
as you do."

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Darla kept glancing at Maela.

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"The only thing is that it covers your lips."

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Maela leaned forward, leading with her mouth.
Darla's eyes went wide.

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Her hands fell to her side, and she stared at
Maela, looking part thrilled and part

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terrified.

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Darla closed her eyes as Maela's lips approached
hers.

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At that moment, Maela brought the helmet around
and slammed it against the side of Darla's

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head. She went sprawling to Maela's left.

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Maela scrambled to her knees and crawled over, the
helmet raised for another blow.

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Darla didn't move as a small trickle of blood
dripped down her left cheek.

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"I'm so sorry,"

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Maela whispered as she reached into the pouch that
contained the key to the cell.

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Key in hand, she stood up and grabbed Darla's
sword.

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She had exited the cell and went to lock it to
make sure Darla couldn't follow her when a

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weak voice broke the silence. "Please, take me
with you."

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Maela paused, torn with indecision.

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Darla's voice was so sad, so weak, and so full of
pain.

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"I can't," Maela whispered. There was a rustling,
and Darla struggled to a

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sitting position, holding her head. "I can help
you. We will escape together.

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Please, I will do anything."

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Maela knew that Darla was being sincere, but that
sincerity also

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scared her. Darla was enamored with her.

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How would she react when they escaped and Maela
told her to go off on her own?

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To make matters worse, Maela had to admit that she
found Darla attractive in ways that

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would make it difficult to part the longer they
were together.

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But ultimately, she had a job to do. Maela had
dealt with the anger of spurned

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suitors enough from the boys in the flats. She
knew how it could go.

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As Maela turned to leave, Darla stumbled forward.

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"They will leave me in this cell to rot for
allowing you to escape."

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That didn't make Maela pause, but the next comment
did.

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"I deserve it for foolishly trusting you."

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Maela unlocked the cell, put her arm around Darla,
and supported her as they

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slowly made their way down the stone tunnel.

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(suspenseful music)