The State Visit

The Thieves Guild, written by Jake Kerr, Chapter twenty five, The State Visit. The Ledger was a monument to Larson's dumbfoundingly poisonous ego. Karch ran his finger down the column of numbers. Each won a nail in the coffin of the Merchant Guild. He had read it a dozen times, and each time the truth grew more absolute. The Merchant Guild owed everything to the Craft Guild. Karch had wondered how Larsen could afford the bribes he had delivered, the captains he had paid off, hell Sax's loyalties certainly had a steep price. And now the warehouses, the ships, the tower itself, every brick, every beam, every coin in the vault belonged to the Craft Guild, which meant it belonged to Vesper, and Vesper belonged to Kach. His incredibly far fetched plan to install Vesper as guild master craft had worked. A sharp knock interrupted his thoughts. Before he could answer, the door creaked open, and Hemley shuffled in, clutching a fresh stack of papers to his chest like a shield. The money counter looked even more pale than usual, which Kauch had not thought possible. Guild Master, you summoned me. I did. Karch pushed the ledger aside and gestured to the chair across from his desk. Sit. I have a task for you. Hemley sat, though he perched on the edge of the chair as if ready to flee at any moment. His eyes darted to the ledger, and Karch saw the fear in them. The man knew what was in those pages. He had been the one to show Karsh the truth of Larson's folly. I need you to draft a document. A document, sir, yes. Karsch pulled a blank sheet of parchment from his desk and slid it toward Hemley. A document that forgives all debts owed by the Merchant Guild to the craft Guild. Hemley stared at Karch, his mouth opened, closed, opened again. He looked like a fish that had been plucked from the water and tossed on to a hot stone. Guild Master, I, I don't understand. It's a document, you write it. What's to understand. Ah, it's not that, sir, it's how you expect them to just forgive the debts. They have a new guild master, you. Know, Carch sighed, Hemley was brilliant at numbers, but simple minded at practically everything else. It's simple. The craft Guild holds our debts. The new craft guild Master will sign a document releasing us from those debts. You will draft that document. But Hemley's voice cracked. But sir, the debt is it's everything, it's the entire guild. He won't just he can't just. Forgive ah Hemley, he's the guild master. He can forgive the debt. That's why you were writing that document. Emly's face went through a remarkable series of expressions, confusion, dawning, comprehension, horror, and finally a flicker of something that might have been hope. You mean Vesper. You expect Vesper to forgive the. Debt, Yes, Hemley, I do expect that. To Hemley's credit, he didn't just leave it there. But why would he do that. The craft Guild could own us, they could take everything. Carch smiled. It was not a pleasant smile. Just say that, Vesper. The man owes me enough that he'll sign whatever I put in front of him. Before Hemley could ask another question, Karch held up his hand. But let's not take anything for granted, shall. We Tapping the paper with a thin finger, Karch added. Draft the document. Fill a few pages with every legal term you know. Make it look like the most boring, routine piece of guild business ever put to parchment. Hemley nodded slowly. His hands were still shaking, but there was a new light in his eyes, the light of a man who had been given a lifeline. Yes, kild Master, I'll have it ready within the hour. The Craft Tower stood next to Founder's Park, like one of the buildings where park attendees could relieve themselves. It was larger than Harvest House, but had none of its mystical aura. It was a sad building for a sad guild. The guards at the door recognized Karch and stepped aside without comment. He climbed the stairs, the document tucked inside his coat like a viper waiting to strike. He had read it three times on the way over, making sure every clause, every subclause, every carefully buried provision was exactly as he needed it to be. Hemley had done well. The document was a masterpiece of bureaucratic obfuscation. On the surface, it appeared to be a simple adjustment to a payment schedule a minor note, but a complex one, encompassing shops and merchants and stock, the kind of thing a new guildmaster might sign without reading too closely. But buried in the middle of page three, in language so dense it would make a lawyer's eyes bleed was the key phrase Hereby releases and forever discharges all claims, debts and obligations. Karch reached Vesper's office and knocked enter. Vesper sat behind Orion's desk. No Vesper's desk now looking remarkably uncomfortable for a man who had just seen leased control of one of the most powerful guilds in ness. Papers were scattered across the surface, and the assassin turned guild master was frowning at them as if they had personally offended him. Carch. Vesper leaned back in his chair. He did not offer a seat. This is a surprise, a pleasant one, I hope. Karch produced the document from his coat and set it on the desk. I had hoped to have my first state visit be more full of pomp, but alas this is more a practical matter. Vesper peered at Carch, what is it? Karch took a seat. A routine matter, normally one that I would have a deputy or money counter handle. But as you're so new, I wanted to welcome you to the boring part of the job personally. Karch laughed, hoping that his casual demeanor and personable outreach would hide his true goal. He pushed the papers toward Vesper. It's an adjustment to the payments schedule between our guilds. It's necessary due. To thee Karch waved his hand out toward the city. Unfortunate recent events. I would say, read it and let me know what it says, but I'm sure it will make your eyes bleed out of boredom, as these things do mine. I'll review it. Vesper shoved the papers on top of the others. I could save you some time. Just sign them and I'll return with them, so you don't have to bother with keeping track of another document in a pile where you need to keep track of which needs to go to whom. Vesper picked up the document and looked it over and then, to Karch's immense relief, dropped it back on his desk without reading it. But he didn't reach for a quill or his guild seal. He just shoved the document back to the pile. I'll sign it as soon as I have a seal. Carch blinked a seal. Vesper gestured vaguely at his bare hands. I don't have it, or Ryan took it with him under the waves of the North Fork. The North Fork, of course, the one thing Kirch hadn't considered. The guild seal was at the bottom of the river, wrapped around a dead man's finger. That is unfortunate, Yes it is. Vesper's expression was unreadable. I'm having a new one made. It will take time. How much time? A few days, perhaps a week? Vesper waved his hand dismissively. Don't worry, Karch. I'll sign your document as soon as I have the means to do so. Leave it with me, Leave it with him. Leave the document that would save the Merchant Guild in the hands of a man who had every reason to read it carefully, to discover what Karsh was really doing, to use it as leverage. But Karch had no choice. Of course, Carch forced a smile. I understand you have much on your mind, guild mass. Vesper standing up, Cash turned to leave when Vesper finally presented some element of gratitude towards him. Thank you for my first state visit, guild Master, May it be the first of many. Karch walked back to Merchant Tower, his mind a battle between despair and confidence. A few days, perhaps a week, a week for Vesper to read the document closely, a week for him to discover the buried clause, a week for Karchie's careful plan to unravel completely, or a week to freedom and a new day. All he could do was wait. The podcast Alchemy production