《Just A Simple Heist》


 Prologue: Distant Memories

    At first, there is fire. Nothing but fire. Blistering, ravenous, it devours everything it touches.


    Then comes the smell. It washes over me in a wave. Putrid and thick, the combination of still-burning wood and charred flesh fills the air. It overwhelms my senses as I struggle to move forward. I stumble. Looking down, I see the culprit ¨C a burnt timber that must have come from the supports holding up the roof of one of the nearby buildings.


    Struggling back to my feet, I¡¯m overwhelmed by the sounds around me. The crackling of the fire, the screams, and the wailing coming from my neighbors. If I hadn¡¯t just come back from the comparatively peaceful academy grounds after another grueling day of class, I would¡¯ve thought that the world was ending.


    As I push my way past those fleeing the fire, I notice something calling out to me at the peripheral of my hearing. But something else has grabbed the whole of my senses and refuses to let go. As I look forward, I see my home, only hours before a place of comfort and respite, reduced to a blackened husk, smoldering as the buildings beside it continue to go up in flames.


    A person shakes my shoulder. I look over and see one of my neighbors, Ryan. An older man, Ryan had become something of a father-figure to me after my real father¡¯s passing when I was younger.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Ren. Ren! Things here are still dangerous. We need to leave so the fires can begin to be contained.¡±


    Ryan says, breaking me out of my shocked state. As I regained some of my lost awareness, my thoughts immediately return to that burnt-out shell that had previously been my home and the other person that should have been there waiting for me had this fire never occurred.


    ¡°Ryan, where¡¯s my mother? Have you seen her in the crowd? Do you know if she got out of our house?¡± As the panic in my voice reaches a crescendo, I turn to Ryan with what must appear to be hints of madness in my eyes. The look I receive in return speaks volumes, with the mixture of sadness and pity in Ryan¡¯s eyes conveying everything that words could say and more.


    Because of this, I attempt to rush through the smoke to search through the rubble of my home. Ryan, however, wraps his arms around my chest and pulls me back. Me, the burgeoning scholar, have no hope of escaping the vice-like grip of a lifelong blacksmith.


    Ryan restrains me like this for what feels like an eternity. As I continue to struggle, my efforts slowly start to dwindle. Eventually, the night grows dim as the fires around me burn or are put out. My neighbors return in a trickle. Whether they come to look for loved ones or check the extent of the damage to a business or house, they are accompanied by the dark aura that associates with those who have lost something irreplaceable this night. And, as I finally collapse due to exhaustion and shock, all fades to black¡­


    And then, I awaken.

 Chapter 1: A Wonderful Morning

    The bright morning sun greeted me as I tore away from my grisly, nightly companion. I took a moment to observe my surroundings as I attempt to calm my racing heart. Surprisingly, or not so surprisingly given my recent tendencies, it appeared that I wasn¡¯t alone in my room. Rather, I had picked up a much more pleasant companion to accompany my nightmares.


    Looking at how the light caught on her long blond hair, her pale skin, and her ¡­ other¡­ generous features, as well as her current generally disheveled state, I could only assume that last night had been a rather significant success. However, probably as a result of the raucous celebration part of said success, I was struggling to recall who my companion was or, more importantly, who I currently was to her.


    Getting up slowly in order to avoid disturbing the rest of my lovely new associate, I started to gather my various things that had been strewn across the room over the course of the previous evening. While I had apparently had the foresight to store my newfound valuables, a rather significant quantity of gold and jewelry casually lifted from the manor of a local merchant, safely in the pack that contained the most important tools of my trade, my clothes were not quite so lucky.


    After spending several minutes to cover myself at least somewhat decently, I staggered out of the room and down the stairs to the inn¡¯s common room. Last night must have been very successful for me to still be feeling it so heavily. Probably due to the early hour, the only occupant currently around was the innkeeper, a rather heavyset man that seemed shaped to broach no trouble within his establishment. Moving as carefully as I could in a post-inebriated state to not appear to cause any trouble this early in the morning, I inquired about the bathing arrangements.


    Having purchased and retrieved a bucket of cold water, totaling of pittance at only several copper coins, I proceeded back to my room to wash and prepare for the day. Looking at myself in the reflection of the water, I was rather pleased with what I saw. A sharp, square jaw, pitch black hair, dark brown eyes, and a well-proportioned nose stared back at me. Out of sight was a body that, while not comparative to a fighter, was firm and well-defined. The only things that could be considered a blemish were the various scars left by early mistakes in my thieving career, but I preferred to view those as adding some mystique and character to my many personas. Stolen story; please report.


    The cold water had a somewhat restorative effect, and I began to remember exactly on what and with whom I had spent time last night. Most importantly, I remember that my bedfellow just so happened to be the daughter of the merchant whom I had robbed blind the night before. And, this completely-related-to-the-heist meeting between myself and said daughter was a very happy bonu¡­ err, completely necessary completion of my work. Unfortunately, said bedfellow just so happened to wake up before I could completely plan on how to deal with how to handle a morning after between the daughter of someone who had been robbed and the person who robbed her father.


    ¡°¡­ Tav?¡± she mumbled, groggily rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she awoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, dear.¡± I replied, having yet to remember her name. However, her greeting did help me recall who I was to her. Tavlon, one of the many names I¡¯ve gone by in the six years since I left Leyden. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Outside of my head feeling as if it¡¯d been kicked by a horse, you mean?¡± Her reply made me think that she might not be a morning person, though that could also be attributed to the hangover.


    Laughing in response, I said, ¡°I completely understand. I have some business I must attend to with a few merchants in town this morning. Take as long as you need to get ready, as the cost of the room is already paid for the rest of the week, and I can call on you at your house later today if you would like.¡±


    Getting out a brief, ¡°That would be wonderful¡­¡± before she promptly fell back to sleep, I went back to finishing my preparations for the day.


    I had presented myself to her and her father as a buyer of curious trinkets, a cover that I had used many times before and one that worked almost absurdly well with merchants in the outlying towns ¨C who knew that a handsome man seemingly willing to throw money out for pretty baubles would be so popular with such a crowd? So, this simple statement that went along with such a background was enough to meet the expectations of the very hung over, very content girl. And, as I was already planning to leave for greener pastures, in this case new hunting grounds, today, letting her believe I would call on her later worked quite well for me. And hopefully, defer any suspicions about me until I was well away from here.


    Grabbing my pack and leaving the inn behind me, I found the town of Revlon just starting to wake up and come to life. To this backdrop, I hummed in celebration of my newfound wealth as I headed towards to the local hub of thieves, scoundrels, and sin, the White Rose.

 Chapter 2: The White Rose

    Chapter 2: The White Rose


    Perhaps better known in Revlon as the premier establishment for nighttime company, the White Rose also served as the hub for my style of work, where I could find supplies to help with heists as well as, let¡¯s call them vendors, to take certain kinds of goods off of my hands in exchange for hard currency.


    While walking towards the White Rose, I took a look at the changes that had occurred in Revlon over the past several years. I had been here once before, roughly two years after my home in Leyden burned. It had been one of the first stops I had made as my own, new, man. Then, I was still attempting to solidify my new self, becoming accustomed to being a new person on what felt like a daily basis.


    Now, however, much had changed. Both for Revlon and myself. In regards to the former, the town had grown substantially. The old King Ostlyn, eponymously named for his capital and the one reigning at the time I still lived in Leyden, had died, leaving only a young son behind as heir. As such, the crown practically rested on the head of one former Duke Leyden, who was serving as regent for the young boy.


    In the years since his ascension, Duke Leyden had heavily pushed the expansion of well-built, well-traveled roads connecting inner cities such as Leyden and Ostlyn with a select number of outer towns, Revlon being one such. As a result, commerce between the areas had grown heavily. And with this came people.


    Compared to the Revlon of nearly six years ago, the Revlon of today was, on the whole, much filthier than it had once been. The increase in population had not been met with an increase in waste management, and this led to an almost permanent stench as well as a very real need to watch your step. Though, I wasn¡¯t one to complain. The increase in wealth in the outer towns had served me well. I had more targets to rob, after all. I could handle the filth in exchange.


    I had changed, also. Gone was the boy who grew nervous when he started a con on his own. Outside of my nightmares, I had put the worst of my past behind me. I had refined my burgeoning talent in acting into an art, one I used to great personal benefit. I supplemented that with the lessons I had learned before I left Leyden behind. How to pick locks and pockets, where to pawn off my illicit gains, who to pay off to ensure I avoided any issues. I was still Renwhen a quiet academic was needed. But I was also so much more. I was Tavlon, dashing and charmingif a bit loose with his money. I was Salic, gruff and cutthroat, built for survival in the seedier parts of any city. Frankly, I doubt I had been called Ren in several years.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Imagine my surprise, then, when the first person that approaches me at the White Rose calls me not by Tavlon, but my real name.


    As I look up, I take in the man approaching me. Blocky, unkempt, almost more bear than man.


    ¡°The name¡¯s Tavlon, not Ren.¡± I reply. ¡°You must be mistaken.¡± I instantly regretted not altering my appearance at least slightly for this persona, but I hadn¡¯t used the name or been to this town in years, so it shouldn¡¯t have been an issue.


    ¡°Pardon me, then. Let me buy you a drink later in apology.¡± The man replied as he sat down across from me.


    Under my breath, I whispered, ¡°What do you want, Eric? I haven¡¯t seen you in years. And it¡¯s Tavlon here.¡±


    Responding in kind, Eric said, ¡°I¡¯m here on orders from Phillip. He¡¯d heard that you were hanging around Revlon and told me to reach out to you.¡±


    ¡°Phillip? It¡¯s been six years! I thought we were done once I left Leyden.¡± I spat out.


    Eric nodded, ¡°You are, at least in terms of required ties. He has a job that fits your specialties quite well. Pays well, not too difficult. But it requires someone who can blend into a room like you do. So, he thought of you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± I ask in response. ¡°Phillip and I both benefited from our relationship, I know. His training helped me become what I am today. But that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯d call me back for something easy, not if there¡¯s nothing in it for him.¡±


    ¡°All I know is that the job¡¯s in Leyden, it involves some important people, and he wants you there,¡± Eric replied. ¡°Leyden has changed since you left. Duke Leyden being lifted to the regency has made a lot of important and wealthy people move in. It¡¯s ripe for the picking, and Phillip thinks you can help. You¡¯ll get more details if you go talk to the man himself. I¡¯d suggest you at least do that. You can make your decision after.¡±


    Sighing, I asked, ¡°When¡¯s he need me there by?¡±


    ¡°A weektops. But, if you¡¯re asking me,¡± Eric said, ¡°I¡¯d get there as soon as possible. Like I said, Leyden¡¯s changed. You¡¯d do well to familiarize yourself with the city again. Plus, some new entertainment has moved in.¡±


    Feeling like I might regret it later, I told him, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go talk to Phillip. I just finished a job up here anyway, so I need to get out of town. He still based in that old tavern?¡±


    After grunting in acknowledgment, Eric got up with a ¡°Sorry to bother you, friend,¡± and went on his way.


    Well, now to figure out how to get to Leyden.

 Chapter 3: A Fateful Meeting

    By the second of three days¡¯ travel to Leyden, my nightly dreams had changed. Gone was the same repeated scene of all I truly held dear burning to cinders. Instead, they flickered on to the time surrounding when I had met Phillip.


    The days after the fire, that night itself notwithstanding, were without a doubt the worst of my life. After all, how does a person quantify losing not only the last of his family but also any object that might tie you to them?


    For what good it did, most of the wealth that my father had generated, and my mother and I had lived on, was safely stored away in some bank in Leyden. As such, I was able to continue to finance the education my mother had pushed me towards. Another stroke of luck was that Ryan was willing and able to take me in. Compared to many of the others that lost something in the fire that night, I was much better off. Of course, none of that really mattered to me at that point. Only now, looking back, do I see the opportunities I was presented and threw away that would have allowed me to continue a normal life.


    I floated in some kind of ahaze for what felt like the longest time. I vaguely recall continuing to attend classes. Religion, economics, even my beloved acting. Everything seemed to lose its luster and blend together. My studies soon followed my home, collapsing into the ground.


    Friends? Much the same. Though, I now question whether you could call the relationships I had maintained true friendships. At least, if the speed with which most so-called friends ceased to maintain even a fa?ade of support was any indication, they were not.


    Ryan, like the good man he was, did his best to support me both materially and mental. I, however, was in no mood to accept these well-intended actions. Staying in his home, so near to where mine once stood, served only to constantly drip salt into an open wound. I found myself more likely than not to spend the night out instead of returning to his house.


    Soon, I had come to relyon some of the oldest of human companions for sorrow; cards and drink and women. Things I had once avoided, but Leyden served its purpose in catering to a large population of young men and women studying far away from home. And it was here, as my studies and relationships collapsed around me, and as my funds steadily decreased as my reliance on vice increased, that I met Phillip.


    At this point, I was quite far into my downward spiral and was gambling in a not-quite-so rundown locale call the Crimson Barrel. While this would eventually come to take on a new meaning to me, to the average person it represented nothing more than a tongue in cheek reference to the red-painted barrels that were located throughout the place.


    Through trial and error, I had found that I was quite adept at competitive card games. I especially enjoyed and found success in a variant in which each player was dealt four cards and had to make the best hand out of two cards in hand and three out of five ¡°shared¡± cards. Perhaps it was a result of my acting training, but I found I was able to read the other players and prevent myself from being read in turn much better than the average player. As such, I used this to finance my other, cash-intensive habits.


    On this night, however, I had been doing much better than normal. If I had been slightly less inebriated, I might have been concerned. My fellow patrons were not the students that frequented the higher-class inns of Leyden, but a much rougher crowd who wouldn¡¯t hesitate to get their funds back through other means. As it so happened, having thoroughly exhausted my possible list of opponents for the night, I had decided to move onto another location and find some company for the night. Grabbing a final drink from the bar, I headed towards the exit while ignoring a call behind me. Reaching the door, I was stopped by a rough hand on my shoulder.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear, friend? The owner of this establishment wants to speak with you,¡± said a disturbingly large, disturbingly strong man.


    Against my better judgment, and I often question how things would have turned out had I simply drank less that evening, I snorted in response. This, as one who was not heavily intoxicated and depressed might guess, was not the proper response to give to a request from a man who looked the spitting image of an enforcer for a crime lord. I promptly received two rather strong punches to my gut and my face that left me sprawling on the ground and bleeding. As I faded out of awareness, I managed to hear a question directed from the barkeeper to the man standing over me.


    In response, the man said, ¡°Phillip seems to be interested and wanted to speak him. He didn¡¯t want to comply, so I¡¯m making sure he does.¡±


    And then all was black.


    Waking up some time later, I found myself face to face with something I was definitely not expecting. What appeared to be at first glance a completely normal man. His face lacked any noticeable features or scars. His brown hair and average height would place him as one of many in any crowd in Leyden.


    My impression, however, changed when he began to speak. ¡°Why hello there. As you may have worked out, I¡¯m the owner of this fine tavern, Phillip. As both my bartender and Eric here,¡± pointing to the bulky man that had knocked me out earlier in the night, ¡°so kindly attempted to tell you, I wanted to have a quick conversation with you.¡±


    The words themselves weren¡¯t too far outside the norm. However, the way he managed to casually talk to a bloodied and restrained person right in front of him as if it was the most normal thing in the world was slightly disturbing.


    ¡°As part of my work in Leyden, I run a variety of taverns, as well as a variety of other houses of ill-repute. Part of this is ensuring that the house never takes too much in losses from any single person.¡± After I gave him a questioning look, he continued. ¡°Your ability to win so consistently at cards, not only at the Crimson Barrel but also at various other gambling halls, has been detrimental to my profits. I am a man that does not take kindly to lost profits.¡± As he finished this statement, he pulled a dagger from what appeared to be nowhere.


    At this point, I was visibly trembling. The most dangerous situation I had ever been involved in as a student consisted of petty squabbles. I¡¯d never thrown or received more than a punch. To be restrained in a chair while being threatened with a dagger was a new level of danger for me.


    Either pretending to not noticeor simply not caring about my current state, the man name Phillip continued. ¡°Normally, I do not provide options for people that cause me problems. I simply deal with them. However, I¡¯m going to give you a chance to tell me just how you¡¯ve managed to win so much so often. If I like your answer, I may reconsider how tonight will end.¡±


    Gathering myself together, I began, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve been studying at one of the academies in town for the past several years. Specifically, I¡¯ve been focusing on drama. It helps me control my reactions and read other people. That¡¯s all I¡¯ve been doing, I swear.¡±


    Taking a look at me, he replied, ¡°Drama, hmm. Interesting. You can do that with just some acting training. Well, I have an offer for you then. I encourage you to listen.¡± As if to emphasize the point, the man called Eric shifts closer to me as is to make himself more intimidating than he already is.


    ¡°I want to see just what you can do with this acting of yours. In addition to my management of various businesses in Leyden, I arrange the¡­ liberation¡­ of various items of value from their unrightful owners. Some of these items would be much easier to acquire if I were able to get someone closer than a cloak in the night.¡± While he had been pacing as he spoke before, Phillip turned back to me as he went on. ¡°I¡¯ll have some of my employees teach you a variety of useful skills for this line of work. In return, you¡¯ll work for me until you pay back the money you caused me to lose, as well as the cost of training you. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll kill you. Agreed?¡±


    It was then that Eric chimed in, ¡°I know that we¡¯re off to a bad start. But if you do well, you¡¯ll find that working for us comes with a variety of wonderful benefits.¡±


    When framed as succinctly as this by two oh-so-persuasive gentlemen, how could I do anything but nod?


    And so, my time working for Phillip began.

 Chapter 4: Homecoming

    The three-day trip from Revlon to Leyden was mostly uneventful. Deciding to keep the identity of Tavlon for the duration of my travel, I had joined up with a caravan of merchants heading towards the academy city under the pretext of protection. However, ever since the improvements to the roads made under the regency of Duke Leyden, highwaymen had become incredibly rare. You¡¯d be more likely to be robbed in town than on the roads, as I was intimately familiar with. Frankly, it was just convenient for me. Not only would I likely be welcomed if I presented myself as someone with money to spend ¨C which I did have ¨C but I had also noticed that one of the merchants was carrying a variety of cosmetics.


    These cosmetics were something that was much easier to produce in the outlying towns due to access to things such as dye materials and the space for large production setups. Combine the ever-present desire of high society to improve appearance with the new access to major cities such as Leyden that were offered by the improved roads and you had a growing market for the products. And, for someone in my line of work, new creations that worked to temporarily change hair color and more common techniques to alter appearance were both extremely useful when assuming a new persona.


    As such, I immediately became fast friends with the caravan¡¯s cosmetic merchant. Pleading the need to please a sweetheart in Leyden, I re-stocked my supplies of dye and makeup in order to prepare for the coming job. I owed a lot in this area to Phillip¡¯s training. More specifically, the contacts in the various pleasure houses that had made due with far worse prototype cosmetics to help please their clients. Without their lessons, I would¡¯ve been lost as to how to properly utilize the newer, improved products effectively.


    Besides that, I didn¡¯t do much on my journey besidethink. My return to Leyden was something I hadn¡¯t really planned to do. By now, my time there held almost nothing besides pain. I had learned the things I needed to begin my new life, true, but both those lessons themselves and the events that prompted them were things I would rather never revisit. But here I was, returning to the place I had never wanted to come back to, to once again work for a man I had many more reasons to hate than love. Praying to whatever god might be out there, I hoped that this trip would be worth it.


    *******


    The Next Day


    As the caravan neared the gates of Leyden, I observed the city as best I could. It appeared that the pattern remained much the same, only moving outwards from where it once was. The wooden outskirts of the town, indicative of newer development, sat outside the walls of the city, rather than in. It was possible that the walls had also been made higher as well. From the one gate I could see, traffic in and out of the city had increased as well. It looked like the rumors I had heard about an increased importance since the old king¡¯s death had some merit to them.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Approaching the guards at the gate, I pulled out the identification papers I had for this identity. While I hadn¡¯t needed to use them in Revlon, I had papers for most of my major personas that would stand up to at least cursory examination. While I planned to go by Ren again once I re-entered the city ¨C after all, it was the name that had become synonymous with my work under Phillip ¨C there was no need to confuse this group of merchants before then.


    After quickly being waved through the gates, I attempted to orient myself in the new city. At first glance, Eric was right. Things had changed, and rather significantly. The sections of the city that were once wooden had been mostly replaced by stone buildings. Further, the refuse that plagued cities like Revlon was conspicuously absent from the streets here. I suppose political power did bring some benefit to the general area, after all.


    I approached a nearby vendor and, after buying a fresh hot cake off of her, I flashed her a smile and asked ¡°Would you be able to point me in the direction of the lower quarter? I¡¯ve been out of the city for a number of years and need to meet up with an old friend.¡±


    Giving me an almost offensively small amount of attention, she replied ¡°Head straight down this road to the academy district. There, you¡¯ll see the main road running south. Just walk down that and you¡¯ll arrive in the lower district.¡± Throwing me a sideways glare as if to question my actual motives for heading to the seedier area of town, she added ¡°And watch out for the carriages. They¡¯re much more likely to run you over without a thought than they were a few years ago. They have more ¡®important¡¯ business than making sure to not run over citizens. Nobles,¡± she ended with a snort.


    Thanking her for her help, I made my way towards the academies while contemplating her words. It spoke to the changes in Leyden in a way that wasn¡¯t easily observable. Carriage traffic was mostly associated with very wealthy merchants and the nobility. That, in combination with the fact that it sounded like there were enough people getting hit to be a noticeable issue, reinforced what Eric had said about the wealthy and powerful migrating here. I couldn¡¯t help but think this job may be more interesting than anything I¡¯d done in a while, if that was actually the case.


    Walking past the academy district, however, showed me that at least one thing hadn¡¯t changed about the city I had left behind. The constant scrambling of students to-and-fro the various academic buildings was reassuring, even if it did have anecho of a more peaceful time in my life. Shaking off the melancholy thoughts, I instead chose to focus on the rising anticipation I had surrounding this job. For all of the bad memories, there was something to be said for being in a city that felt so alive ¨C and full of potential wealth. Passing by my old haunt, I turned south in order to make my way towards the Crimson Barrel and my new job.

 Chapter 5: Back to Work

    While much of Leyden had changed in the years since I had left, the lower quarter of the city was an exception to this apparent rule. Whereas many buildings in other areas had been replaced with stone, wood still propagated throughout the area. Whereas the streets were clean near the academies, the lower quarter much more closely mirrored Revlon with its filth.


    The tell-tale signs of vice were still there, as well. From the more obvious ones ¨C girls on the corners in brawls spilling out of taverns ¨C to the less conspicuous but much more important features that denoted who controlled what in any given area. While Phillip was one of the most successful bosses in the city, even he couldn¡¯t completely stamp out competition. Most of my early days learning skills such as thieving were spent robbing competitors of their goods, now that I recall.


    Making my way to the Crimson Barrel mostly unmolested ¨C I did have to bop a few urchins on the head for trying to steal my coin purse ¨C I saw that the years had apparently been good to Phillip. While much of the Crimson Barrel remained the same, from the namesake barrels to the cards being played in its belly, the place itself had grown. It appeared to have consumed some of the nearby buildings and, as a result, drew even more patrons than I had ever seen in my two years spent there.


    Approaching the stairs that led to Phillip¡¯s personal working space, I noticed that he had increased the number of guards located throughout the building. Perhaps with the increased success came increased competition.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ren, Phillip called for me,¡± I said to the guard closest to the stairs.


    A large man, not as large as Eric, but then most weren¡¯t, he sent a second man up to confirm that I was needed before turning back to me. ¡°Ren, huh? So the prodigal son returns? From the rumors, I had heard you never wanted to come back here. Why do it, then?¡±


    Shooting the man a glare that I wouldn¡¯t have dared to send eight years ago, I replied ¡°Phillip¡¯s a bad man to piss off. I felt I owed him the courtesy of hearing what he has to say when he hasn¡¯t reached out to me in six years.¡± Cracking a smile as I continued, ¡°Besides, as I¡¯m sure you know, money talks. I at least want to hear about a chance to get paid, even if I don¡¯t take it.¡±


    Just as I finished speaking, the second man returned and said something to the guard I had just been talking with. With a quick nod, I was ushered up towards the second floor of the Crimson Barrel before ending up in front of Phillip¡¯s office.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    As I walked in, I couldn¡¯t help but recall the first time I had entered this office almost eight years ago. Compared to my first meeting with the man, which I later found out had occurred in a very discreetly located room that was often used for quite unpleasant conversations, my first trip to his office had been exceedingly courteous. I had been assigned some of my early training, focusing on the particulars of lock picking, but I, more importantly, had gotten some insight into what kind of man Phillip was. At the time, his office was almost Spartan. There was none of the expected gaudy style that should come from a wealthy crime boss. Rather, it had appeared to me that I had stepped into the office of some clerk back at the academy. As I would come to learn, however, this simplicity fit Phillip perfectly. He didn¡¯t view wealth as an end, but a means. Wealth, influence, control; all were tools to achieve power. Then, his office had reflected that mentality.


    Now, the place was much the same. Orderly, but almost barren of any comfort. The only change was the number of books. That is to say, he had at some point over the six years acquired and filled several bookshelves full of books. While I couldn¡¯t get a close look at them, it appeared many dealt with political records ¨C laws and the like ¨C as well as genealogies.


    As I walked in, Phillip looked up and said in his usual faux-cheerful voice, ¡°Ren! My boy! It¡¯s been far too long. How have you been?¡±


    ¡°The past few years have been kind. I¡¯ve had no short supply of gullible merchants to trick and I¡¯ve managed to find good company when I want.¡± Taking a more obvious look around the room, I added, ¡°You¡¯ve added a large number of books since the last time I was here, Phillip. What happened to the desolate office you used to keep?¡±


    Showing me a half smile, he responded ¡°Knowledge is power, my boy. With the influx of nobles over the past few years, I¡¯ve been familiarizing myself with the last few decades of politics that have migrated over from Ostlyn ever since the old king died.¡± He laughed. ¡°It makes it easier to plan jobs. You may need to do some reading on your own if you take this one. But please, sit.¡±


    That caught my attention. And confirmed my suspicion that his offer would have something to do with the nobles now living in Leyden. If that were the case, I would have to study up on connections between the nobles before pretending to be anyone. I¡¯d also be demanding more pay than I normally would.


    After taking a seat, Phillip continued, ¡°The job I have planned involves a few nobles as targets. Your part will be what you do best. You¡¯ll assume an identity and get as much access as possible. You won¡¯t actually be conducting the theft, however. You¡¯ll be enabling someone else to handle that part.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I¡­¡± I beganbefore Phillip cut me off.


    ¡°Hold your questions for a moment, I¡¯ll give you the full details after we bring your partner in.¡± After motioning for a guard at the door to go get who I assumed to be my partner, Phillip smiled at me and said, ¡°I think you¡¯ll like her.¡±

 Chapter 6: Partnership

    Cass¡¯s POV


    As I walked towards the held-open door, I could hear Phillip talking with another person. If growing up in the lower quarter had taught me nothing else, it was that the ability to read the people in a room would multiply your chances of not getting robbed, or worse. Working for Phillip for as long as I had only reinforced that impression.


    Entering just after, ¡°I think you¡¯ll like her,¡± left Phillip¡¯s mouth, I took a moment to look at his companion. Tall, dark black hair, a well-shaped face. I suppose many people might call him handsome. He looked rather scrawny to me, though, and he lacked the tense posture that one would associate with someone who lived in the lower quarter and had to deal with its dangers on a daily basis.


    ¡°Cassandra!¡± Phillip said. ¡°So kind of you to join us. This is the person you¡¯ll be working with on the upcoming job, Ren.¡± Oh, joy, I thought. I had never liked working with other people on jobs. More chance for one of them to fuck it up then to help me. The name Ren did ring a bell, though. ¡°I picked Ren up almost eight years ago after he caused some trouble for my business.¡± His companion snorted at that.


    ¡°On the upside,¡± Phillip continued, ¡°He had a wonderful acting ability when I picked him up. A few years of working under me refined that into a very fine con-artist with passable skills in sneaking and lock picking.¡±


    Ren chimed in at that point, saying ¡°I¡¯d like to think that my thieving skills are more than passable! Besides, you haven¡¯t seen me work in nearly six years! How would you know they haven¡¯t improved?¡±


    ¡°Because,¡± replied Phillip, ¡°you always relied on that silver tongue of yours to avoid situations where you¡¯d actually need to do anything more difficult than any decent thief in my organization could handle. I doubt you¡¯ve changed that much now that you¡¯re on your own.¡±


    Tuning out their conversation for the moment, I took my time trying to recall what exactly Ren had done for Phillip. If I was remembering correctly, I¡¯d heard stories about some of his jobs when I had first started working for Phillip. He¡¯d stolen some rare jewelry from the wife of one of the academy heads by sneaking into a ball, taking the wife and a maid to bed, and then sneaking out with the jewels early in the morning, if one were to believe the rumors. I hadn¡¯t believed the rumors then, and my first impression of him hadn¡¯t done anything to make me think otherwise.


    I noticed that they had stopped shooting jabs back and forth, so I took that moment to cut off their banter, asking, ¡°Why exactly am I here, Phillip? You know I work best alone.¡±


    ¡°Patience, Cassandra. Please, take a seat, and I¡¯ll explain what I have in mind to both of you.¡±


    Not one to refuse a ¡®request¡¯ from Phillip, I took a seat besideRen and waited.


    Ren¡¯s POV


    The entrance of my soon-to-be colleague brightened my mood somewhat. I had always hated long conversations with Phillip, and today was no different. I¡¯d put up a mask and banter with him like old friends, but that wasn¡¯t what I wanted to be doing. I¡¯d seen what this man could do, what he would order others to do, and I knew the way he was behaving now was just like what I used on my jobs ¨C a persona. Though, I¡¯d argue this one had less in common with the man¡¯s true nature than most of my personas had with mine.


    Ever since I began to work for Phillip, however, I had learned how to truly appreciate beauty wherever it might be found, and Cassandra fit the bill quite well. Shorter than I was, maybe 5¡¯6¡±, she boasted shoulder-length red hair and piercing green eyes. A rare combination anywhere near Leyden, it¡¯s possible one of her parents could¡¯ve come from one of the countries near the northern border. I had heard red hair was more common there. Her movements were lithe, but they held a wariness that one would associate with someone that had spent too much time living in the lower quarter.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    If I had one complaint, it was that this analysis was limited solely to her face. Her clothing revealed little about her form. Dark leather, seemingly made more to provide protection from a stray dagger or assist with blending into a dark area than to make a fashion statement, suggested a concern with utility common to many that worked for Phillip. In fact, if not for her hair and eye color, she would blend in quite well with Phillip¡¯s other hired thieves, that is if they had any reason to come together in one place. I would have to wait for Phillip to explain why she was here, then.


    Phillip, as it happened, did not disappoint. After she had taken a seat, he began by saying, ¡°Cassandra has been working for me for a number of years. I suppose she began a little after you left the city, Ren.¡± Casting her a quick glance, he continued, ¡°Unlike you, she was born and raised in the lower quarter. Because of that, she learned from an early age how to avoid notice and take what she needed. Her work for me has only refined that talent. She¡¯s one of my best thieves.¡±


    Seeing that neither of us had anything to say, he went on, ¡°Now, as you may have noticed, the one point she lacks is people skills. She grew up rough, so it¡¯s only natural, but she¡¯s not the type of person I can hope to blend in at a party of nobles.¡±


    At that, I cut in by saying, ¡°So, that means this job does have something to do with the nobles that have moved in over the past few years?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Phillip replied. ¡°Have you had a chance to see the upper quarter since you¡¯ve returned?¡± Shaking my head in the negative, he continued, ¡°Then you haven¡¯t seen where the nobles are located now. Duke Leyden¡¯s residence was always there, but few people doubt that his ¡®temporary¡¯ ascension as regent will remain temporary. The old king had few friends after all. That¡¯s meant a growth in thenumber of nobles¡¯ villas, wealth, and security in the area.¡±


    Cassandra interrupted him then, saying ¡°If all you want is to rob a noble, I can just break in and take whatever you want. No need for help from a con-artist.¡±


    I could tell that this partnership was going to be difficult. But, before I could reply, Phillip responded and said, ¡°Normally, you would be right. The item I¡¯m interested in, however, is an artifact that the Lady Adyllan recently acquired. She¡¯s an avid collector of Cesian relics. Several buyers had put out word of their interest in the item, and I intend to provide it.¡±


    ¡°Cesian relics? I had heard that there were some excavations going on further south, past Revlon. Lady Adyllan was involved in those, then?¡± I asked Phillip.


    He responded, ¡°From what I have found, yes. Regardless, Lady Adyllan has always been known for her rather eccentric pursuits and her avid protection of the things she acquires. Compared to most nobles, she spends much more on paying for security on her estate. That is why I feel it is necessary to have Ren assist after gaining some amount of trust from the Lady.¡±


    ¡°How? If she is as paranoid as you say, I¡¯m not sure how I could easily gain any access or trust, unless you can fabricate a noble identity for me.¡± Looking at Phillip¡¯s smug smile, I could only stare as he replied.


    ¡°How very insightful, Ren. Indeed, you¡¯d need some concrete identity to gain any amount of access to noble functions, and I¡¯ve secured just that. In the time you¡¯ve been away, I¡¯ve started operating a few money lending services for those that have issues receiving credit through normal means.¡± Showing the glare in his eye I had come to associate with his true, sadistic, nature, he continued. ¡°One unfortunate fellow who has failed to pay me back in full happens to be a minor noble with some very ¡­ unsavory¡­ sexual practices. If these, as well as his current debt levels, were to become known, it would destroy his family¡¯s reputation and make it very likely for him to lose his titles to another family. As such, I will prevail on him to fabricate an identity for you as a distant cousin. He will ensure that this stands up to any cursory investigation, and I will forgive his debts to me.¡±


    Cassandra followed up this question by asking, ¡°Then where do I come in?¡±


    Phillip, in reply, said ¡°I believe that Ren¡¯s work will take several months to come to fruition. During that time Cassandra, you will, for the most part, continue with your normal work for me. Once he gains the trust of Lady Adyllan, he will assist you in infiltrating her estate and retrieving the artifact. However, I want the two of you to become more familiar with one another in the meantime as you¡¯ll be relying on each other once your work begins.¡± Looking at me, he added, ¡°I also suggest you prevail upon the information I have here and become familiar with the current trends and relationships between the noble families. Passing you off as a cousin from the countryside will only do so much to excuse any failings. Besides, I doubt you would have much success wooing any noble daughters if you appear a buffoon.¡±


    Not deigning to give that a response, I continued to stare back at Phillip until he continued. ¡°Ren, I will get you more information on your identity later in the week. For now, I¡¯ll leave you to alone to talk. May this be a long and productive partnership.¡±


    As he left the room, and awkward silence settled between myself and Cassandra. Seeking to break the mood, I flashed a smile and asked, ¡°So, can I call you Cass?¡±


    ¡°NO!¡±

 Map (As of Chapter 7)

    Good evening, everyone.


    So, first, you may have noticed a change in pace for uploading chapters. I began this story while on break from college, and I''m now back into classes.


    Because of that, my ability to sit down for large amounts of time and write has diminished. I''ve decided to take this opportunity to see how longer chapters fare, so the pace of release will be slower moving forward, but will be compensated somewhat by more content per chapter.


    On that note, you may have noticed that the chapter heading for this map references a currently non-existent chapter 7. Expect that within the next day or two. Frankly, working on that chapter partially pushed me to consider trying longer sections now, as I got about 1k words in and still had basically another chapter of exposition on my hands. I''d rather not put up just that, so longer chapters!The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Now moving on to the map itself. Made from my mediocre Microsoft Paint skills, it serves two purposes. First, I found myself referencing locations a lot in chapter 7, and it helped me to have a concrete, visual reference in order to make sure the things I was writing matched up with what I had going on in my head. Second, the fact that I needed to re-check things spatially while writing made me think that readers may be sharing the issue. So, as crappy as the rendition is, I hope it assists somewhat in visualizing the world Ren is playing in.

 Chapter 7: The Alley Incident

    Ren¡¯s POV


    The last few days had been, contrary to my initial expectations, rather comfortable. As strange as it was to me, settling back into the Crimson Barrel felt good, almost like returning home after years away. Of course, if your home happened to be a rough and tumble bar/gambling hall that attracted the worst the city of Leyden had to offer.


    I had taken up Phillip¡¯s suggestion and had begun to research the nobles that I would soon have to interact with in the coming months. First was the history of the family I would be posing a member as, the Searn family. With most of their land in the underdeveloped East, they had played at best a minor role in kingdom politics over the last several decades. That wasn¡¯t surprising in itself; without large amounts of wealth, resources, or a valuable position geographically, the family simply didn¡¯t have too much to offer other than the little weight their noble title offered.


    What the records didn¡¯t tell, and what I had only learned after several conversations with Phillip, were the circumstances that had effectively led them to become a front for a crime ring ¨C albeit a successful one ¨C from the lower quarters. Apparently, the elder Searn had been rather old when the migration of nobles from Ostlyn to Leyden began. The young scion of the family had quickly developed a severe gambling problem after arriving in Leyden. This also allowed him to explore some unconventional interests that he would otherwise have never found, a fact that Phillip had originally found interesting but rather trivial. This changed, however, when the elder Searn died and left his son, now riddled with gambling debt owed to establishments controlled by Phillip, in control. After introducing the now-family head to the situation he found himself in, Phillip leveraged the man into going along with this scheme.


    The other family I paid heavy attention to was the one that I would be infiltrating, the Adyllan family. Unlike the Searns, the Adyllan family had a fairly prestigious background. They hailed from the merchant city of Adyllan. Where the Serst river ran south from Ostlyn to the Interior Sea, the city of Adyllan sat on the delta formed by the intersection of the two. This provided both fertile land and a position poised to receive trade from within the kingdom as well as from other nations bordering the Interior Sea. The wealth that this position generated had allowed the family to wield a significant amount of influence in the past.


    Now, however, the family¡¯s energies were being transferred into objectively less fruitful pursuits at the behest of the current Lady Adyllan. Her recent acquisition of a Cesian relic was not a unique occurrence. From what Phillip had gathered, Lady Adyllan had held such an interest since her youth, furthered by the close distance between her family¡¯s holdings and several sites rumored to contain Cesian ruins. The latest relic was simply a prominent reminder that her efforts were generating results, if at the cost of lost political influence.


    Phillip unfortunately been unable to find much other information that would assist me in gaining the trust of her family. I would have to find direction in that regard on my own.


    After several days of research, I was hoping to familiarize myself with some of the changes that had occurred around the city in the six years I had been away. Phillip shared the sentiment that I needed to leave the confines of the Crimson Barrel, but had a different avenue in mind to channel such an excursion.


    Calling me into his office, I once again found myself confronted with Cassandra. Little had changed since I had first met her several days past, but she had added a black cloak to her normal wear as if to suggest that she would be working late tonight. Taking a seat in the chair beside her, Phillip began.


    ¡°Ren, I hope the past few days have been fruitful for you. Before you assume your new identity as a noble, however, I want you to become more familiar working as a pair with Cassandra. Recently, several merchants have been profiting heavily from cosmetic sales to nobles. These merchants are relatively new to the city, and have set up shop in the eastern district, quite close to the border of the lower district. One of the merchants will be hosting a gala tomorrow night. I want you to assist Cassandra in stealing some of his newfound wealth.¡±


    Looking to my left, I noticed that Cassandra¡¯s face had soured. It appeared that she wasn¡¯t very happy with this idea. To tell the truth, I wasn¡¯t either. I generally completed my work over the course of several days; getting into a position to facilitate a robbery wouldn¡¯t be easy in a single night.


    ¡°I have a layout of the man¡¯s house from the time of construction,¡± continued Phillip, ¡°I leave it to you two to work out exactly what you will do, but I want this done relatively quickly. I trust that two of my most talented employees, former or otherwise, can do such a thing.¡± The last line carried just a hint of a threat, as if to suggest that this partnership getting off to a rocky start would be heavily frowned upon.


    Just as I was getting ready to protest, Cassandra reacted faster. As unhappy about the arrangement as she seemed to appear, she simply nodded her assent to the job and left me no option but to do the same. Despite my misgivings about this, from the short time frame to having to incorporate a relative unknown into a plan, it appeared that my partnership with Cassandra was about to begin.


    Cassandra¡¯s POV


    After once again being reminded about the unfortunate changes occurring in my life over the past few days, I began to dread being called into Phillip¡¯s office. Gone were the simple days ¨C break into this house, follow this target, even the occasional request to remove a problem more permanently ¨C replaced by this infernal partnership with a lackadaisical playboy.


    After my first meeting with Phillip, I had talked to a few of my contacts around the city to find out more about the man I would soon be stuck with. It turned out that his history was rather bland. From some of my contacts inside the academy system, I found out that he was formerly a student there. By all accounts average except for his acting ability, he simply vanished from the rolls one day almost eight years ago. From the information I had heard about his work for Phillip, it must have been around this time that he fell in with the lower district crowd.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    However, from what I could find about his activities after leaving Leyden, he appeared to be more inclined to gallivant through the countryside than take on any actually challenging work. So, I simply couldn¡¯t expect much from the man, though I had never expected much from anyone in this line of work that hadn¡¯t grown up in the lower quarter. The harsh reality of survival pushed one to perfect whatever they could do, and I couldn¡¯t expect someone with his type of upbringing to understand or match that.


    I made myself clear on that point when planning out the work that Phillip wanted done tonight. After taking a look at the layout of the building we would be targeting, I simply stated that I would be slipping in through a window situated near the merchant¡¯s bedroom in early hours of the morning. If Ren could make that any easier, he was free to do so, but I fully expected to be able to do this on my own.


    And that¡¯s how I currently found myself walking on rooftops in the dimming light of the evening. While nominally paying attention to Ren as he walked in the streets below towards the target¡¯s house, I was diverting more attention to the shoddy craftsmanship of the roofs I was walking on. Designed with necessity rather than appearance or smoothness in mind, the roofs of the various buildings made for a treacherous surface to walk on. While I had spent years doing so, it was still necessary to ensure I didn¡¯t twist an ankle or slip down an unforeseen incline.


    Having just passed over a particularly tangled patchwork of tiling, I once again checked on Ren, only to see him being hustled into an alley by two rather large thugs. While I wouldn¡¯t have been personally against him being roughed up slightly, it wouldn¡¯t do well to give Phillip any reason to complain about one of his old favorites from being hurt. So, I changed directions in order to be positioned over the alley Ren had just been pulled in, ready to drop down and free him.


    Ren¡¯s POV


    Although I hadn¡¯t been back to the lower quarter in almost six years, some habits die exceptionally hard. For example, I wasn¡¯t silly enough to walk through the lower quarter in the outfit I would be wearing to the merchant¡¯s gala later tonight. I also noticed the tails I had picked up soon after leaving the Crimson Barrel. While Cassandra was supposed to be looking over me as I moved towards the merchant¡¯s house, her earlier behavior had suggested that she viewed me as a nuisance at best. While I was determined to show her otherwise, if only for my own pride, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she was taking her current duty laxly as a result of her opinion of me.


    It was little surprise, then, when two men built rather similarly to Eric approached and forced me into a discretely situated alleyway. The me of eight years ago, the one that had been man handled by Eric attempting to leave the Crimson Barrel, would have been trembling in fear at this situation. The time I had spent in the lower quarter working for Phillip, however, had taught me many things. Even if I hated the needless violence that the lower quarter bred, it had taught me how to deal with the basic tough that you saw in this area. While I wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with a large group, I was fairly confident in my ability to deal with two. After all, life on the road required me to deal with sticky situations from time to time, so my self-defense skills had not suffered over the last several years.


    The trick was to not play the game that the average tough expected you to play. Big, intimidating, most toughs expected a smaller person to be too terrified to do anything productive. So, as I was roughly shoved against a wall, and the tough on the right began, ¡°We¡¯ve seen you coming in and out of the Crimson Barrel a lot lately. You work for Phillip, yeah? We¡¯re gonna need you to send him a messa¡­¡± It was at that point that I quickly kneed him in the groin.


    Eliciting a rather loud string of cursing from the man, I used my now free right hand to quickly jab the tough on the left in the eyes. Using the time that bought me to pull the dagger I carried on my person, I slashed the back of the man on the left¡¯s knees. He quickly collapsed, grasping at his legs in pain. Turning briefly back to the man on the right only to see that he was still writhing on the ground, I bashed the man on the left over the head with the hilt of my dagger, knocking him out for the time being. At that point, I forced my voice to become deeper than normal and, doing my best to give myself a half-mad look, stared at red-soaked tip of my dagger.


    Looking back at the man on the right, I began, ¡°So, you said that you needed to send a message to Phillip, yes? You¡¯re not wearing any of the common symbols of the gangs in the lower quarter, so I¡¯m somewhat curious as to who you are.¡±


    Getting nothing but a ¡°Fuck you,¡± in response from the man, I knelt over him. ¡°Now, that¡¯s no way to talk to someone. Frankly, if you¡¯re not going to give me at least a modicum of respect, I guess we¡¯ll have to do this the hard way.¡±


    Steeling myself for what I was about to do, I plunged my dagger into a hand that had been creeping towards the man¡¯s belt. As the man writhed, I twisted the dagger and asked, ¡°Would you like to change your answer now, or should I move on to your other hand? Personally, life here will be rather difficult if you can¡¯t use either hand again.¡±


    Seeing the look on my face, the tough visibly paled. He stammered, ¡°Okay¡­ okay. I¡¯ll talk to you. Just not here. If word got out that I talked, I¡¯d end up much worse than this.¡±


    ¡°Good, that¡¯s a smart decision.¡± I replied as I withdrew my dagger from his hand. Taking a moment to orient myself, I looked up and said, ¡°Cassandra, you can come down now.¡±


    Cassandra¡¯s POV


    The situation in the alley had not played out how I thought it would, not at all. Originally, I had planned to let Ren simply get roughed up a bit before stepping in and stopping the two other men. However, once they had been secluded in the alley, he immediately and violently dealt with the situation in front of him.


    While his fighting ability ¨C albeit only against some low-level muscle ¨C was not what I expected from a man Phillip hailed as a consummate con-artist, what he did next was even more shocking. Appearing to pull a page directly out of Phillip¡¯s text book, he began torturing information out of the man that hadn¡¯t been knocked unconscious. His appearance while he was doing this, from his almost insane eyes to his taut body poster to his ice-cold voice, seemed to be coming from a man used to inflicting pain to get what he wanted. Not at all what I was expecting from a man who had spent the last six years robbing merchants of petty trinkets and baubles.


    So wrapped up was I in this contradiction, I visibly jumped when I heard Ren call my name from down in the alley. Whether he had simply guessed my presence or actually noticed me somehow, I quickly dropped down to assist him.


    Not sure whether to expect the laid back man I had met several days before or the dark figure that was not a minute ago torturing a man for information, I kept as much distance as possible while waiting for him to continue.


    After Ren asked, ¡°Cassandra, where¡¯s Phillip¡¯s nearest safe house? We need to drop these two off to get more information out of them, but we can¡¯t very well walk them all the way back to the Crimson Barrel like this.¡± I responded, ¡°There¡¯s an inn he owns a street or two back. We can move them through a few of the other back alleys to get them there.¡±


    Ren let out an exasperated sigh and added, ¡°I suppose that means our work tonight will have to be put off. Getting information out of these two is more important. After all, anyone targeting Phillip needs to be dealt with.¡± Looking down with disdain at the two men on the ground, he laughed and said, ¡°Besides, I¡¯m looking forward to what else I can get out of these two,¡± causing the man still conscious to grow even paler, if that was possible.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get going then.¡± Ren said, and walked off in the direction that I had pointed, pulling the man whose hand he had stabbed with him. So, I began to drag the other thug behind me and quickly followed after him.