Rage

[00:00:01] The Thieves Guild by Jake Kerr Episode 110 Rage

[00:00:23] As Vesper walked through the door, he purposefully stumbled, knocking into a chair.

[00:00:30] The noise caught everyone's attention, including Thomas, who was wiping the top of the bar with a towel.

[00:00:37] My gods, Vesper! What has happened to you?

[00:00:41] Vesper pulled himself up and looked around. The inn was about half full,

[00:00:46] and the entirety of the patrons were members of the Merchant Guild and the Harvest Guild.

[00:00:52] Good, Vesper thought. This is the audience I want.

[00:00:55] I have come from my family's home in the lower quarter.

[00:00:59] Vesper paused, pretending to gather his emotions.

[00:01:03] It has been burned to the ground by your guild.

[00:01:05] Vesper pointed at a Merchant Guild member, his face and voice full of bitterness and anger.

[00:01:13] Wait a moment. This was all Larson's doing. We...

[00:01:18] The Merchant Guild member Larson had pointed to replied,

[00:01:22] Our victims too. We don't even enter the lower quarter.

[00:01:28] The other Merchant Guild members nodded their heads. Another spoke up.

[00:01:34] Yes, that's right. Orion and his nephew will make things good.

[00:01:38] Vesper stood up straight and looked from Merchant Guild member to Merchant Guild member.

[00:01:44] So you are telling me that this is all Larson's fault? That the regular guild members didn't take part?

[00:01:49] There were nods, but no one replied. Everyone knew that the Merchant Guild members had moved the Harvest Guild members from the lower quarter,

[00:01:58] so there was at least some understanding of guilt from those present.

[00:02:03] A Harvest Guild member spoke up. He was dressed in fine clothes, and his face was familiar.

[00:02:10] Must be a captain or higher level guild member, Vesper thought.

[00:02:16] Hear, hear. I'm sorry for what you have gone through, guildmate, but things are returning to normal, and the good people are in charge now.

[00:02:27] He paused to nods from the entire room.

[00:02:30] It is important that we focus on the future, and healing these rifts that were created by Larson.

[00:02:39] All eyes returned to Vesper, who untucked his shirt and fumbled with his clothing as he spoke.

[00:02:46] So there is focus on healing, is there?

[00:02:49] Vesper finally grabbed the painting he had found in the burnt house and pulled it out.

[00:02:54] Let me tell you about healing. I marched across Traders Bridge, and the Merchant Guards accosted me.

[00:03:01] They did not want to let a Harvest Guild member cross the bridge. Do you want to know why?

[00:03:05] There were a few nods from around the room.

[00:03:09] Because they said Harvest Guild members were not to be trusted.

[00:03:12] As Vesper let his words sink in, he continued.

[00:03:16] I'm sure you're thinking that those were guards. They are supposed to question everyone.

[00:03:21] Well, for a guild claiming to welcome me and my guild members home, it sure doesn't sound very welcoming.

[00:03:27] Vesper paused to a completely silent room. All eyes on him.

[00:03:35] But that was not the worst part. No. Not even close.

[00:03:40] Vesper slapped his chest with the hand, not holding the rolled-up painting. Soot flew into the air.

[00:03:48] My family home was burnt to the ground. My entire family is missing. Or dead. But…

[00:03:55] Vesper held up his hands.

[00:03:57] Those may be sins of Larsen's, but tell me this.

[00:04:01] Vesper took the time to look at every Harvest Guild member in the room as he unrolled the charred painting.

[00:04:08] The remains of a family burnt beyond recognition.

[00:04:12] Why did the Merchant Guild members laugh at me when I walked in, risking my life among teetering stone and charred timber to retrieve this?

[00:04:20] Vesper held up the painting.

[00:04:22] They mocked my tears and told me to get a grip on my feelings. When I expressed my dismay, do you know what they did?

[00:04:31] Vesper looked around the room, utter silence before him.

[00:04:35] They took this painting of my family, which was all I had left.

[00:04:39] Vesper held the canvas up again.

[00:04:41] And they threw it in the flames of a still smouldering section of the house as they held me to watch it burn.

[00:04:47] Vesper's voice strained.

[00:04:50] This was all I had left of my family.

[00:04:52] And earlier today the Merchant Guild burned it into charcoal and dust.

[00:04:56] I pulled from their grip and retrieved this.

[00:04:59] Turning from one side of the room to the other,

[00:05:02] Vesper showed everyone the blackened faces of the painting one more time.

[00:05:07] Even today the Merchant Guild mocks us, my guildmates.

[00:05:10] A chorus of unacceptable, outrageous and other more profane phrases were shouted by the Harvest Guild members.

[00:05:20] One of the Harvest Guild members stood up and pointed at a Merchant Guild member.

[00:05:26] This will not stand.

[00:05:29] As chairs were pushed back and a fight appeared to form, Vesper shouted,

[00:05:34] Hold!

[00:05:35] Everyone looked at him.

[00:05:37] There is more.

[00:05:38] And it involves our colleagues of the Craft Guild.

[00:05:42] Curiosity replaced anger.

[00:05:44] And everyone sat down and stared once again at Vesper.

[00:05:47] I have discovered something that both terrifies me and amuses me.

[00:05:52] It was at that moment that Vesper realized that being a spy and assassin was not that much different than being a storyteller.

[00:06:01] Every face in the room was rapt at his words.

[00:06:05] I met a senior Craft Guild member as I made my way back up the throughway.

[00:06:10] He at first appeared sympathetic to my plight, and I was heartened when he said,

[00:06:15] Don't worry citizen.

[00:06:16] The Merchant Guild will be servants of the Craft Guild before too long.

[00:06:21] He laughed.

[00:06:22] And it was that laugh that gave me pause, for it was cold and heartless.

[00:06:27] I asked him what he meant and he replied, Look around you.

[00:06:31] Look at your own ruined clothes, the houses, the inns.

[00:06:35] Who do you think will be rebuilding all that?

[00:06:37] The Craft Guild, I answered.

[00:06:39] He nodded and added, And who do you think will pay for it?

[00:06:43] I had never considered the question, so I answered, The city.

[00:06:48] The Craft Guild member patted my shoulder and replied, No, my poor friend.

[00:06:52] It will be the Merchant Guild, and the only way they can afford it is to pledge allegiance to Orion.

[00:06:58] He looked at me.

[00:07:00] You know Orion?

[00:07:02] I nodded.

[00:07:03] And that's when he said, He is a good man, and will rule Ness with decency.

[00:07:09] The Merchant Guild will become irrelevant under his leadership.

[00:07:14] Vesper looked at the wealthy Merchant Guild clientele of the Golden Wand and smiled.

[00:07:21] So it amuses me that you will all soon be living in the flats or the wretched quarter, as Orion bleeds you dry rebuilding the lower quarter.

[00:07:30] This was met with curses and spontaneous conversations among the Merchant Guild members.

[00:07:37] Vesper turned to the Harvest Guild members.

[00:07:40] But this terrifies me as well, as the man who voted with Larson to eliminate our guild will be the one who controls all of our city.

[00:07:47] I fear what this means for our guild.

[00:07:50] The room exploded with conversation.

[00:07:54] As Vesper walked through, he suppressed a smile.

[00:07:58] He had done his job well.

[00:08:00] He approached Thomas.

[00:08:02] I fear I need rest, my friend.

[00:08:04] It has been a difficult day, and I foresee more difficulties ahead.

[00:08:09] As Thomas escorted Vesper to his room, Vesper was already plotting the stories he would tell at the Golden Apple.

[00:08:17] It wasn't the same as expertly slipping a knife through a ribcage or poisoning someone without detection.

[00:08:25] But in some odd way, it felt better.

[00:08:28] To be continued...

[00:08:28] ...