Den of Thieves

Burt pulls the younger male back behind the horse to whisper between each other.

Attempting to find out about the trio Carr queries. “So, Toad is it? How long have you been thieving?”

Feeling his way along the narrow path Toad replies, “hah, ever since my brother had something I wanted.”

“Oh yeah?” Carr inquires. “How long have you been with the guild?”

Toad easily answers, “three months.”

“Only three eh?” Carr grins, “what about your pals?”

Stumbling over a section of roots Toad calls out, “watch out for the roots.” Speaking normally to Carr, “Burt says he’s been there two years. He’s in charge. Cal is my brother, we came together with a burglar, Uoto.”

“Uoto?” Carr thinks a second clearing the roots, “Uoto Gutoo? An old Goblin?”

“Yah.” Toad glances back, “did you know him?”

He does and not favorably, “years ago I met him.” Now curious to the burglar’s whereabouts, “how is he? Hanging around the guild I suppose.”

Toad replies without care, “he’s dead. He was chased down by King Darvel’s men. Barely escaped. Cal and me found him half alive in the woods. He said if we brought him to Marten’s Den, he’d pay us a thousand gold.”

Content to hear of the Goblin’s demise, Carr shakes a head at their foolish effort, “no gold eh?”

“None,” Toad goes on, “we did get him there, but since he had no money, they let him die. Marten was laughing at us for believing Uoto. But because we got him there, Marten offered to employ us. Burt was asking for his own crew. So, we all got put together to work the bridge and prove ourselves.”

Glimpsing Burt and young Cal involved in their own discussion Carr queries, “how have yous made out?”

Grumbling Toad speaks without thinking, “we haven’t gotten as many travelers as we thought there’d be. Burt hides it”

A willing talker Carr keeps at him, “usually if I meet siblings…”

“Siblings?” Toad asks wondering if it’s meant as a slight towards them.

“Brothers and sisters,” Carr continues, “if out traveling together, something has happened to their parents.”

Sighing Toad informs him. “When I was younger than Cal our village was attacked. Our Pa died in front of me. Ma snuck us out of there but she died days later. She had a bad belly wound.”

Carr feels for them but doesn’t show it, “so you’ve been looking out your brother ever since?”

“Somebody’s got too,” Toad chuckles lightly, “Ma said I had to because he’s the smart one.”

“I see,” Carr is noticing that Toad isn’t, “is Cal really smart?”

“Oh yah,” Toad speaks proudly, “he’s really smart. I don’t know how he figures things out.”

Carr quietly purposes, “old soul.”

“An old soul?” Toad ponders the idea arriving at their camp.

Entering a small clearing three horses are tied up on the other side.

Walking Ebony over to tie her up beside the other horses Carr asks Toad, “do you believe if you die that you can come back to live a new life?”

Cal and Burt hear the question and wait for a reply.

Searching for materials to start a fire Toad answers, “I’ve heard that. I don’t know if I believe it.”

“I do.” Carr explains his theory, “anyway, an old soul is one who’s lived many different lives. Each time the are reborn, they keep some of what they learned from their previous lives to use in the new life.”

Burt jests. “If that’s true, mine must go back to the dawn of time. And Toad must be on his first life.”

Scowling at Burt, Toad doesn’t like being teased, “shut the hell up Burt, you ain’t much smarter then me. And Cal’s much smarter then both of us.” Waving his fist at Burt, “and if you call me stupid one more time this week, I will dummy ya.”

“Ah,” Burt scoffs, “I’m just buggin ya.”

Observing the trio Carr inquires. “How long have you been working the bridge?”

They all utter at the same time, “nineteen days.”

“I see.” Carr figures the time together is getting to them, “are you on a rotation with another group?”

Burt’s surprised Carr knows that, “are you a member of a guild? Or have you worked for Marten?”

Toad rapidly strikes a piece of flint with a long knife over a ball of loose dried weeds.

Observing Toad at work Carr answers, “I’m not a member of any guild. I do know how they operate. But each Master is different.”

Seeing a more successful and independent thief really bugs Burt, “what do you know?”

It’s obvious Burt’s going to be a problem to Carr, “I know Marten sends groups to chosen areas to work for a period of time. I’m guessing yours is almost up. You’ll collect up your loot and take it back to the guild. When you get back, others will be sent back to continue working the area. In the case of towns and cities everybody gets to go sooner or later. Cause you have to have new faces trying the same old tricks.”

Once again Burt is baffled that Carr might actually know things.

Getting the ball of weeds smoldering Toad bends down blowing on it to get a flame.

Finding Carr fascinating Cal inquires, “if you travel alone you must be a decent fighter.” Pointing to Carr’s sword, “is that your favorite weapon?”

Shaking the sword handle Carr answers. “Yeah but fighting isn’t my first choice. But I’ve taken on skilled fighters and walked away. I’ve also fought three at once, successfully.”

“Yah, right,” Burt contends, “probably little kids.”

Going for a cruel laugh Carr suggests, “nah. Little kids? I could take on a dozen at once.”

Disapproving Cal queries, “you’ve killed little kids?”

Carr chuckles, “no guy, I haven’t.”

Now Burt wants to provoke the rogue, “yah well, I think you’re full of shit.”

Not caring what Burt thinks Carr shrugs, “believe what you wanna believe.”

With a flame going Toad places sticks and twigs on top, “why were Darvel’s men chasing you?”

Curious about that Burt gets snotty, “Yah why were you running from Darvel’s men? If you say, you’re such a skilled fighter.”

Carr grins thinking this is a great way into the den. Making them believe he’s just a fellow thief, “well you must know by now about the heist. I’m the one that broke into the public affairs building in Monsteil last month and ripped off King Darvel.”

They had heard of that caper Cal and Toad believe Carr, Burt doesn’t, “now I know your full of shit. Next your gonna tell us you stole everything including the vault doors and escaped all by yourself.”

“Believe it or not,” Carr shrugs, “I know I did. And no, I didn’t take everything. And there were no vaults.” He smiles widely knowing, “its kept in locked chests behind two walls of iron bars.”

“Yah, right,” getting agitated Burt questions him, “where’s the treasure then? Why would you need to hide out in a guild if you’re rich? How the hell does one little punk steal a whole King’s treasure?”

Toad and Cal look at Carr waiting to hear as the tiny fire slowly builds.

Carr toys with them, “Oh, so you have heard about the job.”

“Yah,” Burt insinuates, “everyone in the area, including you, no doubt.”

The light of the fire shows off Carr’s scale armor, “I only took what could fit in my backpack.” Taking it off to retrieve the fancy dagger, “Lord Piate, the King’s tax collector accused me of stealing the tax collection. Not the King’s treasure. And is keeping it for himself.” He shows them the dagger, “this I took straight from the Lord’s bed chambers while he slept.”

Toad wants to believe him and likes the dagger, “wow you stole that while he was sleeping?”

Admiring Carr’s armor Cal finds his story acceptable.

An untrusting soul and a liar himself Burt’s eyes roll, “please. So, where’s the treasure then?”

Thinking quickly Carr tells them, “I had to stash it.”

“Mm,hmm,” Burt mutters, “let me see the dagger.”

Messing with him Carr pulls the blade out of the sheath and holds it up, “see.”

Not amused Burt grumbles, “ha ha.”

Smiling, Carr hands him the dagger, “be careful it’s sharp. You might cut those delicate fingers.”

“Yah yeah,” Burt takes it for examination.

Still staring at Carr’s armor Cal inquires. “Is that real scale armor you’re wearing?”

Proudly Carr informs him. “Its real alright. Dragon scale, I had it made for me in Halford city. My old suit took way too much damage.”

More interested in the dagger Toad says to Burt, “let me see that.”

Burt tosses it at him, “Dragon scale, I doubt it. Looks like lizard scale.”

“Oh no,” Carr lets him know, “its Dragon alright cost me one thousand gold. It was even enchanted while being made, for extra protection.”

Cal comments, “I like the color of it.”

Toad picks up the tossed dagger, “a thousand gold?” He dreams of having that kind of coin on hand.

Realizing how close in size Carr is, Burt thinks about killing Carr and taking the gear, “looks like it’ll fit me just fine.”

Seeing a look in Burt’s eyes that causes concerns Carr suggests, “tomorrow yous should accompany me to the guild.”

Feeling as though Carr is telling him what to do Burt questions, “why should we accompany you? With the trouble you caused Marten he’s not going to want you there. He’ll punish us for letting you pass freely.”

Handing Carr the dagger back Toad recalls, “Marten was mad about it. He did say he hoped to meet the man responsible.”

“Shut up Toad.” Burt doesn’t like the thought of Carr gaining favoritism with Marten, “We still don’t know if he’s full of shit or not. He says he can take on three but ran from Darvel’s men.”

“I did say, I prefer not to fight,” Carr points out, “I’m sure you heard I am responsible for the deaths of many of his men. Right?”

Shaking his head in disbelief Burt remarks, “I don’t think you were even there.”

Toad has to know, “we heard ten men were killed. How many did you kill?”

Counting them on his fingers Carr answers, “ah, six.”

Still a lot to Cal, “you killed six men? All at once?”

Carr replies. “No, not all at once. Inside the building, two. Two in the mountains and two more in the Tau woodlands.”

Impressed Toad comments. “That’s more than you’ve killed Burt.”

Crossing his arms and glaring at Toad, Burt questions Carr, “what about the other four?”

“Huh?” Carr looks at Burt like he’s crazy, “I don’t know. My best guess is they were men that didn’t share the Lord’s plan of keeping the tax collection and blaming someone else for taking it.”

Rolling his eyes Burt mutters, “real convenient.”

“Convenient it wasn’t,” Carr stays cool enjoying agitating Burt.

Wanting to decide the truth for himself Cal has to ask, “tell us how you got in and out.”

Wanting to know about the dead men Toad adds, “and all the fights.”

Wanting to catch the rogue in lies Burt agrees, “yah tell us how one person can break in to a armed building and get out of a fortified city.”

Always willing to talk about adventures Carr starts from casing out the building. Never letting them know what he was really after, saying he did it just because no one had.