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00:00:01
The Thieves Guild
00:00:04
by Jake Kerr.
00:00:09
Episode 36:
00:00:15
Teal's Message.
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Things went perfectly, and after an hour, Maylor found herself guarding
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the entrance to Harvest House.
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The moment the other guard passed around the corner and out of sight as he headed for the rear
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of the building, Maylor walked up to the entrance and entered the courtyard.
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There was a single guard in the courtyard, and Maylor noticed several guards on
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the wall. They were obviously familiar with Teal, however, and they didn't give Maylor
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a second glance as she walked up to the main doors.
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She had a moment of panic, thinking that they may have been locked, but they weren't, and
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Maylor entered without issue.
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As soon as she entered, Maylor quickly scanned the entryway.
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There were two guards at the base of the staircase and two more standing guard over
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the entrance, one of whom was marching toward her. "What are you doing?
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Why aren't you at your post?" The guard was in full armor and Maylor couldn't see his
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face.
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I have an important message for the guild master.
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Tim sent me."
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The guard didn't have his hand on the pommel of his sword, which was a good sign, but his
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stance was confrontational as he looked Maylor up and down.
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"Why isn't he delivering the message himself?"
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"I don't know. Why don't you ask him?
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He seemed to be in a bad mood, mentioning something about Deputy Esma being off in the outer fields while Tim
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had to run around chasing enemies."
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Maylor figured the details would lend credence to her story, but they were
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a risk. She wasn't sure that Esma was actually at the outer fields, and she
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wasn't sure that Tim had as much power as she had assessed.
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To her relief, the guard nodded. "What is the message?"
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"He said I was to repeat it to no one but the guild master."
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Maylor lowered her voice and glanced over at the guards near the steps.
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"The word spy was used."
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The guard stared at Maylor for an uncomfortably long time, but then yelled out to the
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guards at the steps. "Let her through.
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She has a message for the guild master." Maylor bowed her head to the guard, turned, and
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walked briskly up the steps to the second floor.
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She had passed the first two obstacles: getting into Harvest House at night, and getting
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past the first-floor guards.
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There were another four guards on the landing of the second floor.
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Despite the chaotic nature of the Harvest Guild guards' living arrangements,
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Maylor had to admit that the guild defenses were rather strong and the guards
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disciplined.
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Of course, it helped that Harvest House appeared to have only a single point of entry,
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making limited defenses all that was required.
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As on the first floor, a single guard approached.
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Maylor was tempted to repeat her story and just walk right up the stairs to Polo's quarters,
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but she knew that while it may have worked on the first-floor guards, it wouldn't work with the
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guards on the third floor. They were Polo's personal attachment and were too savvy to allow a low-level
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guard to just walk in to see the guild master while he was under threat of assassination.
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So, she spun a new story. "What's your business here, Teal?" "Damn, he
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knows Teal," Maylor thought. Lowering her voice to a whisper, which Maylor
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hoped would both disguise her voice and lend it more gravitas, she
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replied, "I'm here to provide a message to one of the guards in the guild hall and to replace him on
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duty." Maylor lowered her head. The guard stepped forward.
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Why? What is going on? Is it Richard?
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"Yes, it is Richard.
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There has been a tragedy with his family.
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I am to deliver the message and take his place."
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By the gods, it isn't his daughter, is it? She's the sweetest thing.
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I saw her a fortnight ago, playing in the fields.
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The guard was visibly distressed and had completely given up any
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thought of questioning Maylor's motives.
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"I fear it is. She is deathly ill. There is talk she won't make it through the
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night."
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The news clearly stunned the guard.
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Gods, no. That is such horrible news.
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The guard stood up straight.
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Such a message should be delivered by a friend.
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I will deliver the news," the guard said emphatically, turning to the door to the hall.
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"As you wish, but I am to take his place guarding the hall."
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Of course. Follow me."
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The guard started walking to the door, but then stopped and turned to face Maylor.
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"Thank you, Teal.
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I know you and Richard have had...
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difficulties."
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Nodding her head, Maylor followed the guard into the hall.
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She watched at a distance as the guard went up to Richard and quietly spoke to
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him.
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Richard's whole body appeared to just slump as his guard friend put his hand on
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Richard's shoulder. Richard nodded as the guard said something, and the two of them
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hurried down the aisle and out of the hall.
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They didn't look twice at Maylor as they passed.
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Thankfully, there was only one other guard in the room.
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He was guarding the dais to the left of the throne.
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Maylor walked over to him. As she got close, he said. "Is that you, Teal?
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What was that all about?" In her right hand, Maylor twisted a seal, and the poison flowed
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into a sharp needle that was hidden in her palm. She had a simple plan.
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She was going to pretend to trip, and as the other guard reached out to help her, she would
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stab the needle into the unprotected palm of his hand.
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The trouble was that as she tripped, the guard didn't move to help.
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Maylor was so surprised that she almost stabbed herself as she stumbled to the floor at the
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feet of the guard. "Oof,"
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she let out as she landed on her knees.
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"Honestly, Teal, I don't know how you continue to be a guard.
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You are slow and clumsy."The guard's voice was full of disdain.
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"You can only lead Tim on for so long. Eventually, you're going to
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have to get together with him or he'll kick you out of the guards for being incompetent."
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Maela thought back to the long march that Teel made every day to fulfill
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her dream of being a guard.
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Maela was certain the dedication, the fortitude and the honor in Teel's
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small frame was greater than anything this guard could dream of achieving.
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Reaching up, Maela grabbed the guard's leg, sliding the needle through the soft leather
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behind his knee and into his skin. "Ow,"
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the guard replied as Maela used his leg to help her get her balance and stand.
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"Sorry." Maela held up her armored hand.
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"Must be a sharp metal edge on these gauntlets." "I swear I will personally have
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Tim remove you from duty, Teel,"
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the guard growled as he rubbed his leg.
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The poison took as much as two minutes to work, so she turned and walked over to the other side of the
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dais to Guard. "Hey, I asked what happened with Richard."
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Maela didn't reply. The guard marched over, anger evident in every one
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of his pounding footsteps. "Answer me." Whispering again, Maela
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replied. "It is none of your business." "None of my business?" The
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guard held up his gauntleted hand as if to strike Maela and added, "How about I make it my
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business?"
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As Maela considered how best to reply, the guard stumbled and then
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fell in a heap, the clang of his armor absorbed by the lush vegetation all
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around.
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Undisturbed in the guild hall, Maela couldn't quite believe it.
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All she had to do was find the secret passage to the Guildmaster's quarters and
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her mission would be complete.
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But could she find the passage in time?
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(Dramatic music)