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(suspenseful music plays) The Thieves Guild

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by Jake Kerr.

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Episode 49:

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A More Important Duty.

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Rafe gave up any pretense of assisting with guild
matters.

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As soon as he woke up in the morning until he
dragged his tired body to bed, he spent all his

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time in the library. Allard's complaints over his
dereliction of apprentice guild

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master duties became louder and louder.

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When Allard's frustration approached a breaking
point, Rafe would do the bare minimum of

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work. What Allard didn't understand was that Rafe
painstakingly went over

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every book, looking for the secrets that he knew
existed.

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There was a huge amount of information in the
library but unfortunately, most of it was

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of little interest to Rafe. He didn't want to know
how to forge iron or the

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proper weaving technique for a saddle pad.

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He wanted to know the secrets of the world he
lived in.

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In a dark corner, he discovered several large
books, and with the hope that they

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were full of illustrations and maps, Rafe started
to gently move them to

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the large reading table.

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As he set down the second book, Rafe heard
Allard's heavy footsteps

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approaching. Ignoring Allard, Rafe walked over to
grab another of the books.

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As he set the book on the table, Allard cleared
his throat.

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Rafe looked up, expecting to see anger on Allard's
face.

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To his shock, however, the deputy guild master
seemed serene.

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"You have ignored the stables."

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Rafe didn't bother looking up. He slid into a
chair and brushed some dust off the top of a book.

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"I have decided that...

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I do not have time for the stables."

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Allard didn't reply, but instead walked over,
pulled out a chair, and sat down

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opposite Rafe.

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"Tell me about these books."

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Looking up, Rafe pondered Allard's look.

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He seemed curious, but was it out of interest or
simply out of a desire to have better

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ammunition to dismiss Rafe's use of time?

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"You wouldn't understand," Rafe replied, returning
his attention to the book.

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He opened the cover, hoping to see a map or an
illustration of something

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extraordinary.

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The frontispiece said, "Guild Designs and
Iconography."

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An illustration of a single ring sat below the
title.

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Its stone was a deep red, and it appeared that the
illustrations in the

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book were all hand-painted. As much as it was most
likely

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beautiful, it wasn't what Rafe wanted. Sighing, he
closed the book.

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He wanted maps, he wanted secrets. Images of guild
jewelry were not

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what he had in mind. He looked up again at Allard,
who seemed intent on Rafe's studies.

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"Uh, this is not a good example," Rafe said
self-consciously.

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"I'm looking for maps and histories.

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Ness is more than just the current conflict
between Lassen and the other guilds."

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"How so?"

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Allard spread his hands on the table.

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"Did you know that Ness has a sister city across
the mountains and that the mountains are called
the

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Dragon's Teeth?"

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Allard frowned.

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"Rafe, I appreciate your interest in the wonderful
stories in these books, but

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fantastical stories are a waste of your time when
there is so much work to do."

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"These are not stories," Rafe exclaimed, kicking
the chair back as

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he scrambled over to grab the map he discovered.

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It was on a shelf of books that he considered
important.

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Walking back, he unfolded the map in front of
Allard. "See?

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That is Ness. And what does that say on the other
side of the mountain?"

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Allard was silent, and then replied...

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"I'm afraid I can't read."

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Rafe's jaw dropped. Everyone could read. How could
Allard not read?

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As if anticipating Rafe's shock, Allard added...

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"I've been a warrior all my life, Rafe. I was born
outside the wall, practically with a sword in my
hand.

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I did not have time to learn to read."

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Pointing to the word above Ness, Rafe said, "That
is how Ness is

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spelled."

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He then pointed to the other city. "The letters
are identical.

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It also says Ness."

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"This could be a work of imagination, Rafe,"

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Allard said, although he looked closely at the
map.

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Rafe ignored Allard's doubts. "This is a city
called Gautland.

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I assume it is how we came up with the name
Outlanders."

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Allard pushed back into his chair, and as Rafe
glanced at him, he saw the shock on Allard's

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face.

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"Very few in the city know that name, Rafe."

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Rafe shrugged. "There are other cities here on the
coast, and more over here through the forest.

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And look here."

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Rafe pointed to the road between the two cities
labeled Ness.

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"There appears to be a road that leads from our
city to the other Ness across the mountain.

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How could that be?"

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Glancing up at Allard, Rafe was wondering if
Allard could perhaps offer some insight

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from his years with Pietro, but Allard was staring
at the book of guild

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designs.

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"Let me see that book."

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Rafe slid the book toward Allard, wondering what
the warrior found interesting in a book of

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jewelry.

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(suspenseful music plays)