Post by Theoren Roullier on May 13, 2005 14:38:05 GMT -5
(Please sync this up with "A Somber Return". Thanks)
“Four tens, pay up.” The guard said to his partner as he slapped his hand down on the table. The second guard grumbled. “You’re cleaning house tonight, John.” John grinned and collected the silver pieces that his buddy laid down for him. Picking up the cards second he began to shuffle. “Call your game Charlie.” Charlie shook his head. “No way, if I go in again my kids won’t eat tonight. You can pay for my beer tonight too, since you’re the one with all the money.” John laughed and scratched the back of his head. “Come on Charlie, you gotta have something left. That ring you got on looks like it’s worth a bit.” Charlie looked down at his wedding ring and gave John the finger. “Just order me up the usual.”<br>
John pishawed a few times and then reluctantly got up from his seat at the table outside the heavy oaken door leading into the vault rooms. Usually the loser of the game was sent for beer and food from the tavern just inside the castle wall, but Johnny had really cleaned his partner out tonight, so he didn’t mind being the one to have to walk all the way out of the underground tunnels up to the castle courtyard and over to the tavern for dinner. Guys on the night shift took care of each other.
It wasn’t a very good job, but it paid more than enough for a bachelor living by himself in the capital of Ulster. Charlie got a little bit more on account of the family and his seniority, but John didn’t mind the disparity in pay or age. It was a solid job with good people in the service of the Queen, and that was enough for a man his age. Besides, he sometimes got a chance to fraternize with the handmaidens and councilwomen and that was always a perk. Sometimes, though, the job ate at him and he got restless with the boredom that came with being a vault guard. It was an important enough job, he supposed, making sure the Queen’s money was under close eye. Still, he didn’t think there was anyone fool enough to even try to get past the defenses they had in place, and if they were, it would be a certain failure.
Or so one might think.
The man in the cloak was sitting just outside the gates. He looked utterly non descript in every possible way, wrapped in a ragged and dirty linen cloak. He looked like one of Emain Macha’s many homeless, and so unassuming that John didn’t even blink at him. That was his first mistake. As John sauntered by the man raised his head, checking over the guard’s stature and clothing, his gate, the placement of his keys. A small smile passed over his lips as the guard made his way towards the busy tavern.
About twenty minutes later John was walking back towards the gate to the tunnel with two mugs of beer and a leather sack of food. The tavern owners never really let people take food back to their homes, but for the guards, since they knew them, were loaned glasses and satchels for the night. Whistling some old Ulsterian song the guard got to the gate and stopped. Frowning he realized he couldn’t unlock the gate and carry the food. Putting on the ground would be unsanitary, and he was about to become frustrated until he spotted the homeless man sitting with his back to the wall. Perfect! He thought, as he called out, “Hey pal, wanna make a buck?”<br>
Moments later a medium sized man put a guard’s cap on his head, making sure to tuck all his fire colored hair inside first before picking up a mug of beer. Taking it all down in a matter of seconds, he tossed the glass into the bushes where a pair of feet stuck out but were only really noticeable if one was looking for something. Picking up the food and second mug of beer the man slid his keys into the gate and walked in, leaving it open.
“Hey John, it’s about time you got back here with that food! I’m starving.” Charlie said, rubbing his stomach as his partner approached. “Hey… Johnny, where’s your beer? Don’t even try to tell me you didn’t have enough for it.” The man said nothing and set the food on the table, then walked around behind Charlie as if to inspect the torch. “Hey…” Charlie said, looking confused as he turned around in his chair. From the profile of the man’s face in the torch light Charlie could tell right away he had been tricked. “You’re not John…” The man just smiled. “You’re right. I’m not.”<br>
As footsteps approached from the tunnels just beyond them the three guards looked up from their game of cards to see the lone man in their uniform come up the throughway. “What in the blazes is this?” The oldest of the bunch asked as he chewed on a lump of tobacco. “Unannounced inspection. Open the door.” Snapped the younger looking man in the uniform as he drew himself up to attention. “Unannounced inspection? Come on now mate, you’ll have to do better than that.”
The red haired man frowned. “Maybe you don’t understand proper Ulsterian Common, but I believe I just ordered you to open the door.” The guards look stunned. “And by what authority do you have to order us?” The younger man tapped his left should to the sewn insignia there. “By order of the Queen, you best let me in. We wouldn’t have to have these unannounced inspections if she thought you lollygaggers were actually doing your jobs instead of drinking and playing cards all night.” He said, narrowing his eyes and peaking in a stunningly proper Ulsterian royal accent. Glancing to one another and now obviously put in a bad position the elder guard made a poor and snap decision. “Alright, you have five minutes and you put down in your report that we were more than reasonable with you.” The inspector snorted. “You cretins wouldn’t know if a criminal came in right under your noses. You’ll do anything to save your hide when the reports come around.” Rolling his eyes he proceeded through the doors, which clanked shut and locked behind him.
Once inside he looked around. Beautiful. It was like a dragon’s horde with sacks of gold and jewels all of the way from floor to ceiling. He had been right, Kahlan was loaded. With a grin he stepped lightly onto the stone ledge that was actually a cut away for a drainage grate. This was perfect indeed. Hauling two moderately sized sacks of gold over to the ledge he took from his pocket what looked like a small fire cracker and stuck it on the hinge of the grate. Then taking up a scepter from the floor he placed it in the handle of the door between himself and the guards. Lighting the fire cracker he wedged into the corner behind a few sacks of money and plugged his ears.
The explosion was small but enough to blow the pinbarrels in the wrought iron of the sewer grate clean off. Outside, the guards looked at one another in alarm. Trying the door they found the handle jammed. The elder motioned for the other to keep trying and pulled the youngest with him to fetch John and Charlie. Much to his horror, outside the second door was Charlie by his lonesome lying unconscious on the stone. Looking back at the door he paled thinking of what the Queen would say to this goof-up. “Mates… I think we’ve been had…”
The man masquerading as an inspector knew he didn’t have much time. Leaping onto the ledge he took the two sacks of gold and fled down the drain. They had to have an airshaft in here someplace, which meant this had to lead someplace, even if out to sea. From what he could remember a few hundred years ago the tides had been higher, and what was now the smaller of the two hidden underground vaults had been a seaway to capture water at the high tide times, which meant this pipe would probably lead him to the harbor. God bless Venetian architecture was all he could think as he traversed the tunnels, slipping and sliding his way towards freedom.
Behind him he could hear the shouts of the guards. They were already hot on his tail, quicker than expected! Blast… he frowned and crawled up to an intersection. Now if he could just remember… left or right, left or right… He didn’t have time, they were already in the pipes, so without hesitation he threw the bags down the right side and sent himself hurtling down the left in a near vertical drop, praying he had chosen the right one.
The guards made it to the edge where the tunnels split with torches in hand and looked down them with dismay. “No idea, Sir. He’s probably gone now anyhow. If he went down that right side he surely broke his head, and the left side leads out to the harbor. If the fall didn’t get him, the water temperature will. “I don’t want maybes. Sweep the harbor. And someone is going to have to tell the Queen…” He looked back at he fellows in arms and sighed. He would have to tell the Queen.
(Continued)
“Four tens, pay up.” The guard said to his partner as he slapped his hand down on the table. The second guard grumbled. “You’re cleaning house tonight, John.” John grinned and collected the silver pieces that his buddy laid down for him. Picking up the cards second he began to shuffle. “Call your game Charlie.” Charlie shook his head. “No way, if I go in again my kids won’t eat tonight. You can pay for my beer tonight too, since you’re the one with all the money.” John laughed and scratched the back of his head. “Come on Charlie, you gotta have something left. That ring you got on looks like it’s worth a bit.” Charlie looked down at his wedding ring and gave John the finger. “Just order me up the usual.”<br>
John pishawed a few times and then reluctantly got up from his seat at the table outside the heavy oaken door leading into the vault rooms. Usually the loser of the game was sent for beer and food from the tavern just inside the castle wall, but Johnny had really cleaned his partner out tonight, so he didn’t mind being the one to have to walk all the way out of the underground tunnels up to the castle courtyard and over to the tavern for dinner. Guys on the night shift took care of each other.
It wasn’t a very good job, but it paid more than enough for a bachelor living by himself in the capital of Ulster. Charlie got a little bit more on account of the family and his seniority, but John didn’t mind the disparity in pay or age. It was a solid job with good people in the service of the Queen, and that was enough for a man his age. Besides, he sometimes got a chance to fraternize with the handmaidens and councilwomen and that was always a perk. Sometimes, though, the job ate at him and he got restless with the boredom that came with being a vault guard. It was an important enough job, he supposed, making sure the Queen’s money was under close eye. Still, he didn’t think there was anyone fool enough to even try to get past the defenses they had in place, and if they were, it would be a certain failure.
Or so one might think.
The man in the cloak was sitting just outside the gates. He looked utterly non descript in every possible way, wrapped in a ragged and dirty linen cloak. He looked like one of Emain Macha’s many homeless, and so unassuming that John didn’t even blink at him. That was his first mistake. As John sauntered by the man raised his head, checking over the guard’s stature and clothing, his gate, the placement of his keys. A small smile passed over his lips as the guard made his way towards the busy tavern.
About twenty minutes later John was walking back towards the gate to the tunnel with two mugs of beer and a leather sack of food. The tavern owners never really let people take food back to their homes, but for the guards, since they knew them, were loaned glasses and satchels for the night. Whistling some old Ulsterian song the guard got to the gate and stopped. Frowning he realized he couldn’t unlock the gate and carry the food. Putting on the ground would be unsanitary, and he was about to become frustrated until he spotted the homeless man sitting with his back to the wall. Perfect! He thought, as he called out, “Hey pal, wanna make a buck?”<br>
Moments later a medium sized man put a guard’s cap on his head, making sure to tuck all his fire colored hair inside first before picking up a mug of beer. Taking it all down in a matter of seconds, he tossed the glass into the bushes where a pair of feet stuck out but were only really noticeable if one was looking for something. Picking up the food and second mug of beer the man slid his keys into the gate and walked in, leaving it open.
“Hey John, it’s about time you got back here with that food! I’m starving.” Charlie said, rubbing his stomach as his partner approached. “Hey… Johnny, where’s your beer? Don’t even try to tell me you didn’t have enough for it.” The man said nothing and set the food on the table, then walked around behind Charlie as if to inspect the torch. “Hey…” Charlie said, looking confused as he turned around in his chair. From the profile of the man’s face in the torch light Charlie could tell right away he had been tricked. “You’re not John…” The man just smiled. “You’re right. I’m not.”<br>
As footsteps approached from the tunnels just beyond them the three guards looked up from their game of cards to see the lone man in their uniform come up the throughway. “What in the blazes is this?” The oldest of the bunch asked as he chewed on a lump of tobacco. “Unannounced inspection. Open the door.” Snapped the younger looking man in the uniform as he drew himself up to attention. “Unannounced inspection? Come on now mate, you’ll have to do better than that.”
The red haired man frowned. “Maybe you don’t understand proper Ulsterian Common, but I believe I just ordered you to open the door.” The guards look stunned. “And by what authority do you have to order us?” The younger man tapped his left should to the sewn insignia there. “By order of the Queen, you best let me in. We wouldn’t have to have these unannounced inspections if she thought you lollygaggers were actually doing your jobs instead of drinking and playing cards all night.” He said, narrowing his eyes and peaking in a stunningly proper Ulsterian royal accent. Glancing to one another and now obviously put in a bad position the elder guard made a poor and snap decision. “Alright, you have five minutes and you put down in your report that we were more than reasonable with you.” The inspector snorted. “You cretins wouldn’t know if a criminal came in right under your noses. You’ll do anything to save your hide when the reports come around.” Rolling his eyes he proceeded through the doors, which clanked shut and locked behind him.
Once inside he looked around. Beautiful. It was like a dragon’s horde with sacks of gold and jewels all of the way from floor to ceiling. He had been right, Kahlan was loaded. With a grin he stepped lightly onto the stone ledge that was actually a cut away for a drainage grate. This was perfect indeed. Hauling two moderately sized sacks of gold over to the ledge he took from his pocket what looked like a small fire cracker and stuck it on the hinge of the grate. Then taking up a scepter from the floor he placed it in the handle of the door between himself and the guards. Lighting the fire cracker he wedged into the corner behind a few sacks of money and plugged his ears.
The explosion was small but enough to blow the pinbarrels in the wrought iron of the sewer grate clean off. Outside, the guards looked at one another in alarm. Trying the door they found the handle jammed. The elder motioned for the other to keep trying and pulled the youngest with him to fetch John and Charlie. Much to his horror, outside the second door was Charlie by his lonesome lying unconscious on the stone. Looking back at the door he paled thinking of what the Queen would say to this goof-up. “Mates… I think we’ve been had…”
The man masquerading as an inspector knew he didn’t have much time. Leaping onto the ledge he took the two sacks of gold and fled down the drain. They had to have an airshaft in here someplace, which meant this had to lead someplace, even if out to sea. From what he could remember a few hundred years ago the tides had been higher, and what was now the smaller of the two hidden underground vaults had been a seaway to capture water at the high tide times, which meant this pipe would probably lead him to the harbor. God bless Venetian architecture was all he could think as he traversed the tunnels, slipping and sliding his way towards freedom.
Behind him he could hear the shouts of the guards. They were already hot on his tail, quicker than expected! Blast… he frowned and crawled up to an intersection. Now if he could just remember… left or right, left or right… He didn’t have time, they were already in the pipes, so without hesitation he threw the bags down the right side and sent himself hurtling down the left in a near vertical drop, praying he had chosen the right one.
The guards made it to the edge where the tunnels split with torches in hand and looked down them with dismay. “No idea, Sir. He’s probably gone now anyhow. If he went down that right side he surely broke his head, and the left side leads out to the harbor. If the fall didn’t get him, the water temperature will. “I don’t want maybes. Sweep the harbor. And someone is going to have to tell the Queen…” He looked back at he fellows in arms and sighed. He would have to tell the Queen.
(Continued)