Justin didn’t make a good drunk, but that never kept him from having too much ale anyway. Ava readjusted her grip and rolled her eyes.
“Honestly, Justin. What would Mother say if she saw you like this?” Mother was the pet name for the clan’s matriarchal leader, a woman who had kept rogues in the Wayward District together and whose wrath was feared by all. She had very strict beliefs about the protocol, and would not appreciate the abuse of ale. He seemed to ponder the question a long time, though it was probably the alcohol inhibiting his brain from functioning.
“She’d say…” he leered in at her, a sloppy grin on his face. “She’d tell me to have another drink. And a bar maid…”
“No, she’d smack you upside the head,” Ava smacked away one of his wandering hands. “like I’m about to do, and she’d send you off to bed.”
“One kiss, my sweetness, and I promise…I promise I’ll never do it again…” Justin made an attempt at a puppy-face, but couldn’t hold it for long.
“You said that last time, why should I believe you now?”
“But…I promise! One kiss, and never again! You have my honest, no my honor…my word of honor!” his pitch took on a distinct whine.
“One more word out of you honorable or not, and I will knock you out and carry you the rest of the way home.”
“But--”
“Uh!” Ava raised a warning eyebrow. The darkness of the night cast frightening shadows on her already chiseled face, but Justin took no notice.
“Just one!” he protested, but didn’t have time to finish his reasoning before he slumped forward into her arms, unconscious.
“I warned you.” though she chastised, warmth remained in her voice. “Now, let’s get you home in one piece.”
With some effort she managed to get him up to the rooftops, where movement was easier to conceal from city guards, and any ill-wishing rogues would have difficulty tracking her. She started back to her home, wary of any movements that might indicate she was being followed. Her clan could no afford to find another sanctuary, and the city in the underground caverns was quickly filling up. When she exposed the conspiring ex-princess’s plot to destroy much of the foundation Orland had built since his takeover, Ava had immediately raised the level of danger she and those associated with her would be in. It was worth it, but when she returned to Sanctuary, she would have to inform Mother about the need to increase security in the stronghold. The war was too evenly matched, and she had dealt a mighty blow to the opposition. Every victory and defeat counted, every death mattered.
She was surprised the amount of tension that flowed out of her joints and muscles when they reaching home without incident. Sanctuary consisted of a corner section of the old military gates that surrounded the city of Southport. The city had long ago grown beyond the old walls, and the corner watchtower her clan occupied was ancient and crumbing, forgotten by the populous as anything more than a historical artifact of days gone by. She picked her way across crumbling stones and fallen timber, careful not to let Justin’s sagging head hit anything. Pushing aside a moth-eaten blanket that served as a door, she went into the watchtower.
“Ava, glad to see you came back alive.” Mother looked up from where she was playing dice with some of the younger clan members. “Or should we be calling you Princess now?”
“No Mother, I couldn’t bear it if our family called me anything but Ava.”
“Good. I wouldn’t have done it anyway.” She gave a curt nod to Justin’s figure draped over Ava’s shoulders, a sight that drew snickers from the other dice-players. Mother eyed him critically and folded her arms. “Couldn’t hold his ale again I see. Give him here.” She stood up and made to help the unconscious drunk. She was a short woman of heavy build, her strength apparent in her firm chin and stocky arms. Her chestnut hair hung in its usual matted bun at the nape of her neck. With a sigh of relief, Ava obligingly handed over her burden to the older woman, then attended to massaging sore muscles.
“He held it better than usual, I had to knock him out to get him to shut up.”
“Yes, well you do that anyway regardless of whether he’s drunk or not.” Mother replied in kind, laying Justin down on a dirty blanket that served as a cot. “Did Orland say what would happen next?”
“There will be an investigation.” Ava sat down on a stone and pried off her worn boots.
“Glad to hear it. That man will do great things for our people, if we win.” she gave Ava an appraising look. “You look exhausted dear. Go to bed, I’ll take care of setting up watch.”
With a grateful nod, Ava sunk down onto her own dirty cot, a cloud of dust swirling sluggishly up from the bedroll as she settled in and pulled a hole-filled blanket around her shoulders. The stones and dirt were cool and comforting in the humid night, and she quickly drifted into slumber amid the soft murmurs of her mates.
Without the comfort of dreams, Ava found herself relieved to be awoken by someone shaking my shoulders a little while later. She shook off the last remnants of sleep and rubbed the crust from her eyes as her stiff body groaned into a sitting position.
“Wake up Princess. You’re needed.”
“Ava…” She corrected sleepily, hands groping for her clothes.
“Well, Lady Rogue, there is someone here specifically to see you. I believe you may have a job.” Ava was immediately awake. She struggled into her clothing as she hurried out to the gathering room. It wasn’t much of a room, more like a courtyard where a room used to be. The fallen ceiling stones served as seating and when the weather was nice, as it often was, the Wayward rogues would use it as a meal room. She pushed aside the curtain that led into the courtyard and was immediately met by the cool gaze of a fine lady seated on one of the fallen stones.
“For a princess, you certainly don’t look the part.” The lady drawled, smoothing her silken skirt and turning a silver ring on her finger. Ava subconsciously pulled her tangled blonde hair from her face. The lady was breathtaking, with pearls in her hair and fine garments on her shapely body. She looked at the rogue in disdain, but Ava swore not to let herself be intimidated by her smug attitude and let her sharp chin stick out further than usual.
“It is a title fitting my skills, milady, not my appearance. Looks have little to do with it.” The lady raised a thin eyebrow delicately.
“Indeed.” She held out her dainty hand to Ava. “I am the Lady Trannyth.”
The way she spoke made Ava feel skittish, but with a practiced calm she grasped the woman’s hand.
“What service might I be to you, milady?”
“There is a scroll, being delivered from the north to Vicices. It is of great importance to me that it does not reach it’s destination. I have come to ask you to deliver the scroll to me. When I asked Orland, he directed me to this place to find you.”
Ava could hardly believe her ears. Was the woman serious? “Lady, that is a menial task you ask of me. Let me call in Karyn, she is young, restless and bored and would be more than happy to have an excuse to do some traveling.”
“No,” the sureness in Lady Trannyth’s voice stopped Ava in her tracks. “You will do this for me.”
“Begging your pardon?”
“You are too ready to pass up a job, I had not finished my offer.” Lady Trannyth began twisting at the ring on her finger again. “The scroll is safeguarded against potential thievery. I have sent many to return it to me, but none have returned. This is my final chance, and it is only someone of the highest quality that can retrieve it for me. Orland is too busy with his little war, but I trust his judgment in you. I will have no other.”
Ava did not like the condescending tone with which the lady spoke, but held a sharp reprimand in check. “Tell me what you know about it, and we’ll see.” she said instead, finding a comfortable position to lean against the wall.
“This is one of many scrolls written in the Beforetimes; it is filled with pieces of information long lost to us. I am something of a scholar, and would like to know what kind of information it carries.” Lady Trannyth was twisting her ring again, and Ava suspected it was a nervous habit of some sort. No doubt the woman was lying, or at least telling half-truths. It was understandable to mistrust thieves, so Ava did not press the matter and listened as the Lady continued. “Many of these scrolls have been lost to time, or misused by those who had them and consequently destroyed. Those to whom it is being delivered will not honor how valuable it is…I must have that scroll.”
“I’m not sure,” Ava made a point of studying her dirty fingernails. The desperate quality in Trannyth’s voice made her an easy target for the princess’s games, and no thief would take a job without getting the highest possible bid out of a client. “It sounds interesting and all, but you’ve not convinced me it’s worth my time. I believe I’ll pass.”
Orange flashed in the Lady’s cool grey eyes. Even her skirts rustled angrily as she stood and closed the distance between them. “I don’t think you will, Princess. If I must, I will resort to --”
“How much are you paying?” Ava cut in smoothly, satisfied.
“40 gold certans, and my help to keep Orland on the throne.” The smile that spread on Lady Trannyth’s face when she saw the shock in Ava’s eyes was disconcerting. “Do you accept?”
Ava gave herself a mental shake. 40 gold certans would mean three solid meals each day for her clan, and new clothes that wouldn’t let the cold in. It would buy real bedrolls instead of the makeshift ones they currently used. It would buy safety for her family from the clans that had no chosen sides in their war. It didn’t matter whether the lady’s second promise of help in the war was worth anything or not, the gold by itself was more than enough to sway Ava’s mind.
“Yes, I will take the job.”
“Good.” that same smile stayed on the Lady‘s lips. It made Ava profoundly uncomfortable. “Let me explain how this is to be done.”
“You do not tell a thief how to do his job.” Ava’s lip curled.
“On the contrary, Princess, you do when there is magic involved.” Ava pushed herself away from the wall with a start. “It is my understanding that your type does not normally involve themselves with magic, so my assistance will be vital.”
“You’re damn right we don’t involve ourselves, and with good reason!” As a whole, thieves tended to stay away from anything that went ‘boom’ spontaneously. It was one thing when a known trap was sprung, but magic never behaved the way it should. “Like hell I’m taking this job. Forget it Lady, find yourself some other sap.”
“After you just promised me your assistance?” Trannyth’s words were sweet, but her eyes completely feral. “I can’t believe a person of your stature would so readily fall back on their word. And here I was beginning to believe that you rogues had some sort of honor code, how wrong I must be.”
It took a lot of effort for Ava to keep herself from lunging at the noblewoman and strangling her. Instead she managed through gritted teeth, “What do I need to do?”
“Simply persuade the carrier to give you the scroll. The spell protecting it will only be activated by a forced stealing, if the bearer volunteers it then nothing will happen. Very simple.”
“If it’s so simple, why didn’t you do it yourself?”
Lady Trannyth waved an hand idly. “I am to well known within those circles, it would not have worked. It is only through a third party that I can get what I want. And only when you get it for me will you get your reward.”
“Fine.” Though thoroughly unhappy with the way things had turned out, Ava had little choice but to accept the matter and take the job. “I’ll leave tonight.”
“Very good. I will have some of my servants meet you soon to supply you with additional information.” she smiled prettily. “I’m very pleased you are so willing to help, Princess.”
With a sour smile, Ava left the woman in the makeshift courtyard and went to gather her belongings.
Mother watched, arms crossed, as Ava punched clothes and weapons into a travel sack. “For having a job, you don’t seem very pleased.”
“No, I’m not.” Ava snarled. “Foul upper-crust bitch practically tricked me into it.”
“I’m sorry.” Mother held out a small locket to her. “Here, take it for good luck. Relax a little, and embrace this chance to move outside of our little war for a while. We’ll be fine, you’ll be fine, and when you get back we’ll have a better life ahead of us.”
Moved by Mother’s soothing words, Ava couldn’t bring herself to say anything. She took the locket and clenched it tightly in her fist, savoring the bite of the metal into her skin as if it would somehow help imprint everything else about the moment into her being as well. With a quick bob of her head, she shouldered her pack and left. Once she had the final pieces of information she needed, she would be on her way to Vicices, and regardless of how fast or slow the job went she would not see her home for a long while.