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The Thieves Guild

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by Jake Kerr.

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Episode 9:

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More Mischief.

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Larsson surveyed the gathering of dozens of lesser
guild masters from his vantage

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point in front of the council table, which stood
on a dais overlooking his

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large banquet hall.

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The results of months of politicking and bribing
and blackmailing were

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arrayed in front of him. Clearly, two-thirds of
those in the hall were

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adorned in the green of the Harvest Guild, the
largest guild in Ness, and in mere

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moments, that guild would no longer exist.

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Wait, it would exist. Larsson corrected himself.
He must not gloat.

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But the guild would now be a sub-guild of his, its
existence merely ceremonial.

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The Merchant Guild would soon be the most
important and powerful guild in all of

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Ness. In fact, Larsson had no doubt that his power
would be absolute for all

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intents and purposes.

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He looked at Sax, the guild master knight.

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The arrogant fool took the money and agreed to
Larsson's plan, thinking that his

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soldiers guaranteed his power.

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But Larsson would now control the food supply and
the money.

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Sax noticed his attention and gave him a
conspiratorial grin.

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Larsson smiled back, and looked back out at the
green robes, soon to be replaced

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by royal blue.

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The banquet is prepared, sir.

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It was Karch, who had returned after checking the
kitchen.

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Very good, Karch.

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His deputy didn't smile, but remained at
attention.

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Larsson's mood was so light in the moment that he
decided to thank his deputy,

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something he never did, lest his ego get too big.

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He turned to his deputy and put his arm on his
shoulder.

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Karch.

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His face was impossible to read, but Larsson liked
to think he saw concern.

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He liked that.

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I wanted to thank you for the idea on handling my
brother.

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Larsson allowed himself a chuckle.

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Watching the garbage fall off him as he exited
that wagon was worth it enough, but knowing that

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his laziness and embarrassing behavior will now be
tarnished with a useless guild like the

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Thieves rather than my own

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has taken a huge weight off my shoulders.

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Karch bowed.

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I was merely taking advantage of Pietro's demise.

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It was as much luck as anything.

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Larsson appreciated Karch's humility, false as it
may have been.

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Nonsense, it was a masterstroke. My impertinent
brother can do whatever he likes, and the

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council will now have to deal with him.

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I don't care if they throw him in chains at this
point.

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My familial duty is over.

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It was at this point that an apple flew past
Larsson's ear

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and landed on the council table. There was a
commotion near the other end of the hall,

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and Larsson's eye caught someone in a brown cloak
running down the top of one of the

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long banquet tables. He was kicking over carafes
and bowls, and

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picking up food to throw, which he aimed toward
the council table.

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Larsson dodged a roll, and then shouted.

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Someone grab him.

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A number of the lesser guild masters were
attempting to do just that with little

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success.

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Sax, aren't your knights good for anything?

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That guildless bastard is destroying the banquet
hall.

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Sax and his deputy had already rushed toward the
man while his other

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knights left their posts at the exit to assist.

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As the miscreant got closer, Larsson noticed that
he was more of a young man

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or an older boy than an adult. In fact, he looked
familiar.

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As

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Sax approached with his sword unsheathed, the
older boy, yes, it was

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definitely a boy, dropped some food and held out
his hands.

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I surrender to the guild master knight.

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If my bit of Founder's Day fun has offended, I do
apologize.

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The moment the boy spoke, Larsson knew who it was,
his

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brother's friend, Rafe.

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Sax lifted his sword, and Larsson realized the
dolt intended to

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dispatch the boy right then and there.

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Sax, have you lost your mind?

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Larsson shouted.

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We have a banquet to attend to. Feel free to
bruise the boy as you deliver him to your guild
members,

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but don't spill his blood.

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Aye, Larsson.

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Sax sounded disappointed.

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We'll take care of him in the dungeons, far from
the light of day.

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He turned to Rafe.

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You hear that, boy? That bit of bread you dropped
may be the last food you'll ever touch.

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Sax approached the boy, who didn't say anything.

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Just as Sax was almost within arm's reach and the
other knights had relaxed, the boy

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ducked and leapt onto a different table, where he
proceeded to kick the place

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settings and carafes of wine. He was a third of
the way toward the

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entryway when one of the lesser guild masters
grabbed his leg,

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tripping him. Sax reached him before he could
fight off the arms holding him.

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Not bothering to ask him to come peacefully, Sax
grabbed him by his cloak and

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roughly pulled him down off the table.

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The boy stumbled to the ground, landing hard on
his hands and knees.

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Sax then kicked him in the head, and the boy fell
unconscious.

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You men, clean up this mess.

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Sax yelled to his knights, who grabbed Rafe and
dragged him away.

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Sax sheathed his sword and walked back to the
dais. He had a large smile on his face.

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Larsson looked out at the boy being dragged away
and the chaos he left behind.

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Why did he do such a stupid stunt? Was this
connected to his brother?

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Larsson couldn't see how. His brother didn't even
know of the banquet until after the

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parade.

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It didn't matter. It would take a while to clean
up the mess, but once it was done, things

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would continue as planned.

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Larsson smiled. It would take a lot more than a
delay to ruin this

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night.

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(dramatic music)