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00:00:01
The Thieves Guild
00:00:04
by Jake Kerr
00:00:07
(dramatic music) . Episode 15:
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Anger in the Tower.
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Karch could not believe what he was hearing. "He escaped?
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It is a basement with one exit, and we had that blocked.
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How could he possibly have escaped?"
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The sergeant of the Merchant Tower guards cleared his throat.
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"It appears that he somehow discovered a room which had previously been used as a bathroom.
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He escaped into the sewers." "Did you follow him?" Karch knew the answer from the
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look on the sergeant's face. "No. Don't answer that. I don't want to know.
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It will only make me want to imprison more people.
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Even if you did, you clearly didn't find him." Karch stood up from his desk
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and started to pace. "We have guards at all the known sewer exits north of the fork."
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Karch stopped walking and turned around.
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"All of them?"
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The sergeant fidgeted in his chair, which he tried to turn to face Karch.
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"Well, no sir. There are hundreds of them, but the major public ones are under guard."
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Not believing what he was hearing, Karch shook his head.
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"Look, you fool. He is lost to us now. We need to assume that he is
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going to flee to safety, most likely into the Wretched Quarter, but we can't discount him trying to cross
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Trader's Bridge into the Upper Triangle.
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I'll have Saxe post knights at the Great Bridge and Trader's Bridge, but you need to have all your
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men searching the city. As long as the bridges are secure, he is trapped in the city."
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Karch strode over to the sergeant and leaned into his face.
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"I do not want him to escape."
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A dark cell.
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By the time they reached the Knight Tower, Rafe could at least get his arm above his head
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without wincing.
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All told, he felt in pretty good shape.
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Despite being knocked unconscious, kicked in the leg, and being dragged downstairs, he
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didn't have any cuts and nothing felt broken.
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The two knights didn't speak to Rafe again, which was fine by him.
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They answered questions with monosyllabic answers and told everyone who questioned them
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that it was Guildmaster Saxe's orders.
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No one objected after they said those words.
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Rafe had never been in the Knight Tower, and it was not what he expected.
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As the stronghold that guarded the massive front gates of the city and acted as the
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base of the wall that protected it, he had expected rough-hewn rock and
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solidly built stone, perhaps chipped from the glancing blows of swords and
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spears. But what he saw was not unlike a spare version of the
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Merchant Tower. The floor and walls were marble, and the tower itself
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was spacious. It wasn't nearly as tall as the Merchant Tower, but it was broader.
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As they led him down stairs that were similar to those in the Merchant Tower, Rafe found the
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lack of decoration disconcerting.
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There were no rugs or tapestries. It was cold, bare marble,
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and that was somehow worse than if it was rough stone with arrow slits and wooden doors
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with unknown dangers lurking behind them.
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The two stopped at an iron door with a large knight standing in front of it.
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"The guildmaster wants this one tucked away in the catacombs," Sam said, nodding
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his head toward Rafe. The tall knight nodded and replied, "First cell on the left."
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He then reached into his robe, pulled out a single key, turned, and
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unlocked the door.
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He pushed it open and then backed away.
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Jace and Sam led Rafe through the door.
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There was a short landing and then steps leading straight down ahead.
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This part of the tower was of rough-hewn stone and the lighting was dim.
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There were fewer torches spaced further apart.
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When they reached the bottom of the steps, Rafe faced a long hallway with a dirt
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floor and walls of stone that were placed for efficacy and not decoration.
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As far as he could see ahead, there were cells on each side.
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The first one on the left was open. Sam pushed him forward and Rafe
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stumbled in. The knight then shut the door and turned a key that
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must have been left in the lock.
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He tossed it in the air and then caught it. He smiled and waved.
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"Congratulations, brown-cloak, you no longer exist."
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Jace laughed, and the two turned and walked back up the steps, their shuffling
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footsteps the only sound Rafe could hear.
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Rafe was amazed at how loud even soft sounds were in the catacombs.
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The drip of water, the rub of his boot against the dirt as he adjusted his position,
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the sputter of torches, each sound became louder and louder as each
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minute passed. What he didn't hear was breathing, voices, or even the
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rustle of clothing. A guard came down to change the torches, and his quiet
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shuffling sounded almost painfully loud.
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Eventually, Rafe fell asleep on the stone floor, his hand acting as his
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pillow.
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A sharp clang woke him up.
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There was the sound of voices in the distance, and then a large group of knights
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walked past his cell, dragging a tall man in chain mail.
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It was hard to get a good look in the dim light, but he appeared to be one of their own.
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After the silence, the harsh noise made Rafe cover his ears.
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A voice echoed down the hall. "No, not that one.
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The hall." There were some murmurs followed by a door opening
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(door opening) , a thud, and the door closing (door closing) .
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The knights strode past his cell without looking at him.
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Rafe wasn't sure how long he had slept, but he assumed he had rested for
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hours.While awake, he spent the time examining his cell, which was
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littered with rat droppings, rotting straw, and bones of small
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animals.
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It wasn't long before he heard the click of a key and the clang and screech of the door opening.
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The footsteps of what sounded like an army descended the stairs, but it was only
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Guildmaster Sax and his deputy, John.
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They stopped outside his cell and looked at him.
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Rafe sat on the floor not moving. Sax walked up to the cell and banged on the
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iron bars with his gloved fist. (banging) "Come
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here."
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Rafe remembered the threats made by Sam and stood up and walked over to face
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Sax. He stood tall and stared into his eyes.
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Expecting a beating, Rafe decided to play his only card.
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You have no authority over me. I'm a member of the Thieves Guild and demand transfer to them.
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My guildmaster will assign my punishment.
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Sax's face froze in what appeared to be shock.
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He then shook his head and smiled.
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My, my, my, a prisoner that provides me with answers before I even ask a question.
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What a pleasant surprise.
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His smile disappeared.
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But before you provide me with more answers, let me squash this silly hope of yours.
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He waved his hand toward the long hallway.
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My knights arrest thieves.
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I punish thieves.
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He leaned forward, the sour smell of wine accompanying his words.
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I
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execute thieves.
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Rafe held his ground and said nothing. The guildmaster knight continued.
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You will now tell me of Raylan's plans.
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Last night was not an accident.
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He crossed his arms and stared at him.
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Rafe had no idea what Sax was talking about, but he had no plans on
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replying even if he did.
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Don't be foolish. I know you're a friend of Raylan's.
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You know his plans, and I want to hear them.
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Is he just following orders from Allard?
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Do they plan to bring chaos to the city?
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He waved a fist.
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Speak.
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The gauntleted fist reminded Rafe of Raylan's head hitting the table as he took
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the punishment for Rafe's crime. He thought of them playing sticks and
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rocks in the harvest fields when they were children.
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So much had changed, but Raylan was still, first and foremost, his friend.
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He held his tongue. With a frown, Sax moved aside and waved his deputy forward.
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Unlock the cell.
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Rafe had expected the comment, and it filled him with dread.
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The beating was about to commence.
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After unlocking the door, the deputy stepped aside, and Sax wrenched the door
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open.
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He strode forward and leaned down, his face inches from Rafe's.
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Not quite so impudent now, are you?
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His breath made Rafe's eyes burn. Without warning, he grabbed
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Rafe's arms in his hands and yelled in his face.
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What are Raylan's plans? Is this Allard's doing?
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He shook Rafe, but Rafe remained silent.
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Tell me.
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He shoved Rafe, who flew backward, falling to the ground.
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As Rafe regained his balance and looked up, the deputy was locking the door.
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Sax was behind him outside the cell. He turned to face Rafe, his face
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red but calm.
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I have other problems to deal with right now, but I will return.
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Until then, the rats will perhaps loosen your tongue,
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and if not, well, there are other ways to teach obedience.
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He turned, his robe flowing out behind him, and walked up the
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steps.
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The last thing Rafe heard was the scraping of the key in the iron door at the top of the stairs,
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and then there was nothing but silence.
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(dramatic music)