The Thieves Guild
by Jake Kerr.
Episode 85:
The Apprentice.
Larson couldn't find the little wretch and was getting annoyed.
He had put up with more from Karris than he had ever handled before solely
in the interest of keeping Orion happy.
But now, with Orion about to be removed from the picture, his annoying
nephew could be dealt with.
Frustrated, he grabbed a guard by the arm.
"Where is Karris?" he asked brusquely.
The guard turned with a scowl, which instantly turned to fear as she saw
who it was.
"Guildmaster."
She bowed her head.
"He was disciplining the captain of the gate, sir."
"What? Why?" Larson knew the boy was flouting his
position as assistant guildmaster and ordering people around for no reason than the
joy and the power.
It made Larson sick.
"I know not, sir."
Shaking his head, Larson muttered, "Why would he distract the captain of the gate when
we are in a state of war? He is needed there."
Turning his attention to the guard, he snapped, "Bring him to my office now."
"Yes, sir."
It was a full hour later when Karris strode into Larson's office, an arrogant smile on
his face. Larson stared at some papers on his desk, and in his most
intimidating voice, and without looking up, said, "Sit down."
Karris sat down but didn't say anything.
After a delay that Larson felt was long enough to let Karris know that his time
belonged to Larson, the guildmaster looked up while pushing the paper
aside. "I'm going to give you an opportunity that you don't deserve," Larson
said, his voice emotionless.
"Yeah?
What's that?"
Karris was lounging in the chair, slouched to the side and looking at Larson with
his head tilted. He looked as if he was entertained and was simply waiting
to hear what kind of foolishness Larson was going to say next.
"Let me outline your accomplishments first," Larson said through clenched
teeth. His instincts were to just kill the boy, but he didn't want to do
anything until he confirmed Orion was dead.
Instead, he'd send Karris off on a mission where he would do no harm,
or just as likely,
die. "You have angered the guild guards with your disdain for the rules.
You have angered every one of my captains with your disregard for their authority.
You have the entire guild talking of your impertinence, and you have angered my deputy guildmaster with
your disrespect."
Karris shrugged.
"I'm the assistant guildmaster. They should respect me."
The boy's arrogance triggered Larson's temper.
"Listen, whelp, you are here for one reason and one reason alone: as a favor to your
uncle. You're a useless little piece of refuse whose luck is solely due to being shat out
close enough to the river so that it can pretend it's a ship as it floats along the
waves."
Karris clapped his hands slowly.
"That's an amusing image. Did you just come up with it now, or have you used it on
others?"
Larson took a deep breath. He realized that the boy's arrogance was so
absurd that he didn't realize who he was dealing with.
His options were to simply jail him or find a new way to
redirect his troublesome nature.
Still unsure of how the Orion scenario would play out, Larson
decided to go with the route that seemed the most likely to succeed.
"So you want to prove yourself? You feel like your authority rivals mine?"
Karris shrugged while not moving from his casual position on the chair.
"Fine.
I have been friends with your uncle for a long time.
Perhaps I owe him a chance for you to prove your abilities with real authority."
It was a lie, of course, but Karris straightened up in his chair, looking
curious.
"I'm not going to be captain of the money counters."
Larson stared at him. He didn't know which was worse, the boy's lack
of appreciation for the importance and difficulty of that job, or the boy's
telling Larson which job he would or would not take.
Shaking his head, Larson forced a smile.
"No, I am not going to name you captain of the money counters.
I have a much more important job for you, one related to the ongoing mission with your uncle."
Of course, Orion had recently outlined his concern over Larson's
strategy, but he doubted Karris was aware of that.
"Go on."
By the gods, Larson hated the boy's arrogance.
Taking another breath, he outlined his plan.
"As you are aware, your uncle and I are consolidating our power over Ness.
This involves us creating suffering among the Harvest Guild members, for which they will blame Polo.
They will then remove Polo, and our path to ruling Ness will be secure."
Karris nodded.
"This is my uncle's plan?"
"It is our plan. We will rule Ness together." Larson slapped
his hand on his desk impatiently. "But you know this.
You are here as a sign of our friendship."
His temper rising again, Larson spoke through clenched teeth.
"As I noted, you have abused the kindness I have shown Orion, but..."
Larson held up his hand. "I have a way that will allow you to not only contribute to your
uncle's plan, but to do so while earning the respect of the entire city."
Larson forced a smile. "You may even be called a hero."
"And what is this heroic job?" The tone of Karris' voice
was the last straw.
Larsen's anger had reached the point where he was eerily calm.
He moved with an exaggerated slowness as he spread his hands on his
desk. He stared at Kerres who smiled his arrogant smile as he returned
the stare. "It is simple. You will travel across Traders' Bridge to the inner fields.
You will examine the intentions of Polo's guards. Are they organizing?
Are they planning on attacking us over Traders' Bridge?
You will then return to me and let me know what you find."
Larsen leaned forward as if daring Kerres to turn down the mission.
"Simple."
"My family is well-known in the Upper Triangle.
It would be difficult for me to disguise myself."
"Who said anything about a disguise?"
"Have you lost your mind?"
Kerres stood up, and to Larsen's shock, he looked angry.
Pointing behind Larsen, Kerres continued. "Look out on the city.
Do you see the results of your idiotic plan?"
"What are you doing?" Larsen exclaimed as Kerres marched around
Larsen's desk. Grabbing his knife, Larsen watched as Kerres ignored him
and strode over to the large plate glass window behind Larsen's desk.
It overlooked the lower quarter.
"Fires, battles, refugees. Who in their right
mind thought this was a good plan?"
Larsen clenched the knife in his hand and stood up.
"Your uncle."
"My uncle?"
Kerres spun around and looked at Larsen.
"This is all you're doing, Larsen." Kerres shook his head.
"The inner fields? Have you lost your wits?
The moment I'm recognized, the Harvest Guild will hang me from a tree."
Larsen approached Kerres, not quite sure if he would stab him right there
or have the boy dispatched deep into the guild prison.
"Your cowardice does not become you," Larsen replied, walking up to
the window and looking out. "The guild members know why they're being driven off.
Their guild master betrayed them.
They have no issue with me."
Larsen was about to give his ultimatum: take the mission to the inner
fields or die in the dungeon. But before he could say anything, Kerres pushed
past Larsen and took a step toward the door.
He paused, however, and turned.
"I will not hang, guild master, and do you know why?"
Larsen sighed. The relentless arrogance and annoyance of Kerres had
sapped all his anger. Torture and death in the dungeon it would be.
"No, but I'm sure you were going to inform me."
"Because I will be guild master and fix your mistakes."
And with a suddenness and violence that Larsen could not have predicted, Kerres
took a step and planted a hard, high kick directly into the center of
Larsen's chest.
Larsen flew backward. As he spun his arms, Larsen slammed into the
window, which shattered behind him.
His momentum carried him through the window and then down a long fall that
ended on the smooth, hard cobblestones below.
(dramatic music)