Raven: Stumbling

The Story of Raven

The man that entered the inn was short; broad shouldered, and had brown, greasy hair. He looked around the room as if uncertain if he had come to the right place. He had fancy clothes, and an ugly hat of sorts. I had heard that it was popular among the nobles, the way he was dressed. But I wouldn't know. I never cared much about those things.

- Welcome, stranger, to The Golden Flea. Finest inn in town, I'd dare to say. The innkeeper Barek said, and cast a quick glance toward those that laughed at the word "finest".

- Barek! You know it's rude to lie! A man among the guests shouted.

I didn't recognize the shouting man, but I knew he was a person who fitted in the inn. "The Golden Flea" is the place that most thieves and burglars in the city spend their spare time on. It lay in close proximity to the eastern gate, in the "lesser" parts of the city, as the rich people in the city put it.

- I'm sorry; I guess I'm in the wrong place. Said the stranger, and looked around.

At these words, almost every thief in the room sharpened their ears, so they could hear him. Not every person in the room was a thief, but almost anyone in the room had some connection with the downside of the city.

- No problem, my friend. Maybe I'll be able to help you! Barek said, and moved closer to him.

- I'm... I'm in ... I'm looking for some sturdy workers.

I relaxed a bit. The answer was correct. Barek would now instruct the stranger to go to another house, and follow another procedure. Everything in the room went back to normal.

- What do you think that was about? Jacob asked, as he turned back towards me.

- The usual, as always. Are you going to toss the dice, or what?

Jacob tossed the dice, and, to his dismay, didn't win anything this time either.

- Ah, well. We see that you're enjoying yourselves. We shall not disturb thee. A voice said.

I lifted my eyes, aware of what I was about to see. I wasn't disappointed, Kulgaer stood at the table, with a mug of ale in his hand.

- Kulgaer! I thought you were dead! I said, and rose to my feet. I shook hands with him, and begged him sit down.

- Hah! You're forgetting thyne manners, as always, scoundrel. He said, and sat down.

Kulgaer had been one of my friends for a long time, and for as long as I had known him; he had always regarded himself as noble. Or even royal. It was all sort of a standing joke among the thieves and beggars in the city.

- I beg forgiveness, my lord. I didn't think...

- That's right! Not thinking! He said, as he gestured for me to sit down again.

- Do you know what that was all about? Said Jacob, asking about the stranger.

I gestured for the innkeeper to fill my cup of wine, and paid him as he did so. I leaned back in my chair, trying to listen to Kulgaer's answer.

- The usual, I'd expect. He said, and, with that, ended that discussion, before it had started.

The rest of the evening went without further ado.

Wakening with a headache that had its cause in the last night's drinking, I tried to sit up in the bed, but I failed, and fell back. The movement caused me more pain, and I groaned. I sent a prayer to the God, asking him to remove this pain, knowing that it wouldn't work. The God didn't exist. I tried, once again, to sit up in bed, and succeeded, if only barely. The door burst open, and, with a happy shout, Jacob entered the room.

- Ho, friend! Time to rise and shine! Today's the market; remember?

I groaned a little, and he shook his head. He went to the only chair in the room, and tossed my clothes away, so he could sit down.

- You know that drinking is one of the ways to punish oneself.

I fell back into the bed, knowing what would come. Jacob always insisted one should drink carefully. I didn't.

- Thou shall not drink!

I groaned a bit, as I remembered one of the hundred laws of God. But I didn't really care; God didn't exist.

- Hey, get up o' bed, you drunkard! It's time to go! He said, as he poured himself a cup of water from the bottle that stood on the table. I smiled a bit as he drank from the cup.

- What?

I rose to my feet as I began to clothe.

- For a start, I think that a cat, or rat, has relieved himself in that cup. I said, grinning wildly.

- No! He said, and dropped the cup out of surprise, and fright. Jacob had always been the one who preached about how one should bath every other day, and such. He was scared of dirt.

- And that water is over three weeks old. I said, flashing a smile towards him.

Jacob rose to his feet, desperate, and frightened.

- You're jokin', right?

- Why would I?

He started to shiver, and a disgusted look spread over his face. I pulled my tunic over my head as I said:

- ‘Course I'm jokin'! I'll bet the water is only two or three days old. And the cup has only stood in that place for about a week or so. And there are no rats in this place.

I looked around, and added:

- At least, I don't think there are any rats.

- You're finished? Said Jacob, grinning wildly, as unsure if I still were joking.

- Sure, let's get going.

The summer heat welcomed me, as I stepped out of the house in which I rented a room. Everywhere was people, smiling, talking, and pondering if to buy something or not. I loved the days when there was a market somewhere in town. The city came alive at those times. I started walking towards the corner of the candle makers' street and the smiths' street. I knew that old Nylia, a woman who sold the most delicious bread and pies in the city, would be there. She always was. And maybe she had some information for me too. Jacob followed my lead.

- Hey, where we going? I thought we would visit the market? He said, as he walked by my side.

- We are, but I have to get myself a breakfast first.

- And how are you going to pay for that? You don't have any money, remember?

- I have! They're just a bit... tied up, for the moment. I'll get myself some money on the way, somehow.

I wound my way past a man who looked like some sort of merchant. On my way past him, I snatched his purse, and made a sign towards Toad, whom I had spotted a minute or so ago. At the sign, he started screaming that someone had stabbed him in the back, and then he started playing a small jest with the people in the street. He made his way to the merchant, and drew his attention away from me. That was the usual way we used to make things. I would split the money with Toad later this day, as always.

- See? I knew I'd stumble upon some money. I said to Jacob, as he sighed.

- How do you do that? I never succeeds with that sort o' stuff.

- It's called expertise, if you know what that word means. Now, let's see what we have in this purse.

I opened the purse, and saw a few silver coins, and, to my great delight, an emerald. That one would bring in quite a few coins. And at the bottom at the purse, there were something else. I grabbed it, and saw that it was a small key, it was very small, and made of some sort of metal. It had some strange runes on it, but I couldn't read them.

- Hey, look over there! Jacob said, dragging my attention from the key towards where he pointed.

I sighed, as I saw that it was only some sort of brawl. Then I noticed that it was a contest. I knew what would come.

- I'm going to enter. Jacob said.

- All right. I'll just get myself some food, and I'll be back, is that okay? I said, knowing that it would.

- Sure. He said, as he walked towards the place where one would enter the contest.

I made my way to Nylia, and the crowd wasn't so thick with people here, to my relief. Nylia hummed on some song, as she sat in the corner. I walked towards her.

- Ho, Nylia. I want some of your lovely apple pie! And some bread too.

- ‘Tis a good thing to see you, young lad. I have some important news for you. She said, as she gave me an apple pie.

I paid her with a silver coin, and gestured for her to continue.

- There seems to be a rich merchant in this town. He has a ... thing. It belongs to someone else, and that someone is paying for getting it back. I thought you wanted to know.

- Mmm. Delicious, as always. But what would the payment be?

- Oh, I'll bet it's a good one, otherwise, he wouldn't turn to the guild master, would he now?

The man surely wanted the thing back, because if someone went to the master, he had to be able to pay for his demands.

- Really? So it's a thing that the entire guild will hear about then? I said, as I swallowed the last piece of pie.

- I'd wager not. I was one of the few that were allowed to hear it. And I was instructed to "pass the word" to those that were found worthy of knowing it. She said, and flashed a toothless smile towards me.

Nylia was one of the persons that sat in the inner circle of the guild.

- And I was deemed worthy? I thank thee, oh gracious one.

- Well, you know that you'll need a helping hand, don't you?

- ‘Course I do. I'll take Jacob, as always. I said, smiling.

- Good. You two fit each other; you're a good team, so to say. Now, the merchants name would be Thomil, and I guess you know where he lives.

- It's the white house, with pillars of marble, right?

- It sure is. But be aware, he has hired some new guards. They seem to be a tough lot.

- All right. I'll come to you with the thing, then?

- No, take it to the guildhall. Talk to Desdemona, she'll know what to do.

I flipped a coin towards her.

- Thanks for the information. Do you know if there'll be any others trying to get this "thing" tonight?

- No, it won't be. The inner circle'll send one team only. You'd better succeed.

- Of course I will, I always do, remember?

She only grinned at me, as I started to walk back to the contest place.