Truth and Lies

[00:00:00] The Thieves Guild by Jake Kerr, Episode 105, Truth and Lies.

[00:00:23] Their horses were very fast but Rogers was not a very good rider and thus he and Velo

[00:00:29] had to travel much slower than they otherwise would.

[00:00:33] In fact after Rogers had once again nearly fallen out of the saddle during a gallop,

[00:00:38] Velo muttered,

[00:00:40] You are hopeless, we will trot the rest of the way.

[00:00:43] Velo didn't seem to mind and it soon became clear why.

[00:00:48] They had worked their way east, the wall of Ness far in the distance.

[00:00:52] The planes were very flat and Rogers took advantage of the light pace to take in the lands he

[00:00:57] had never seen before.

[00:01:00] The mighty mountains dominated the horizon and stood tall and sheer as far as Rogers

[00:01:06] could see, curving around Ness and continuing to the north.

[00:01:11] Everything else was scrub and planes.

[00:01:15] As Rogers looked over his shoulder to strain his eyes to see if there was anything to

[00:01:20] the west, Velo spoke up.

[00:01:22] What do you see?

[00:01:24] Rogers turned to Velo and shrugged.

[00:01:27] Nothing much.

[00:01:28] Scrub brush, grass, flat land as far as I can see.

[00:01:33] Velo nodded.

[00:01:34] Indeed, now tell me what you don't see.

[00:01:38] The clip-clop of the hooves were all that could be heard as Rogers pondered the question.

[00:01:43] Finally he answered,

[00:01:45] People, crops, buildings, it appears a wasteland.

[00:01:51] Are you surprised?

[00:01:53] Without thinking Rogers nodded and that's when he realised why Velo was okay with

[00:01:59] them trotting along at a slow pace.

[00:02:01] He was going to pepper Rogers with questions, but to what end?

[00:02:07] I thought as much.

[00:02:09] Velo replied to Rogers nod.

[00:02:11] Very few in the city know what happens outside the walls.

[00:02:15] Velo pointed to the north.

[00:02:18] What is different about that than that?

[00:02:21] Velo then pointed toward their destination, the outer fields.

[00:02:26] Rogers spent a significant amount of time studying the terrain, but finally answered,

[00:02:32] I know not.

[00:02:33] With a nod, Velo replied,

[00:02:37] It is higher terrain.

[00:02:38] The mountains drop to a flat section of land across the North Fork.

[00:02:41] On this side the terrain slowly rises again.

[00:02:45] Ness is nestled in a valley and all the water from the mountains flow down through

[00:02:50] the city avoiding all of this.

[00:02:53] Velo waved his hand across all the land to the North and West.

[00:02:58] It is essentially a desert.

[00:03:01] Rogers nodded, finally getting it.

[00:03:03] Ness is in a fertile plain between three rivers and the mountains and everything else

[00:03:07] is starved for water and thus fertile land.

[00:03:10] Velo reached over and gave Rogers a hard pat on the shoulder.

[00:03:14] And now you will be able to pass much more easily as a harvest guild member.

[00:03:22] Thief.

[00:03:22] Rogers looked over at Velo, hiding his alarm, but Velo was smiling.

[00:03:27] Rogers probably should have denied being a thief, but he was too stunned by

[00:03:32] Velo's casual assertion.

[00:03:35] Finally, Rogers replied,

[00:03:37] If I'm a thief then why am I not dead?

[00:03:40] The main reason is because Quinto believed you.

[00:03:44] He knew immediately you weren't a harvest guild member.

[00:03:46] I had my doubts, but Quinto just knew.

[00:03:49] But he also believed that your information was accurate and I told him how you

[00:03:53] had helped a group of harvest guild members escape Sax's tyranny.

[00:03:58] We both believed that.

[00:04:01] I see.

[00:04:03] But the biggest reason is that everyone knows that no one has done more to help

[00:04:08] the Rangers than the Thieves Guild.

[00:04:11] Rogers nearly fell off his horse.

[00:04:13] He had no idea what Velo was talking about.

[00:04:16] The Thieves Guild helped the Rangers?

[00:04:19] How?

[00:04:20] He knew that Mio, the thief captain in charge of the planes outside the wall,

[00:04:25] had nothing but bad things to say about the Rangers.

[00:04:29] Of course, Rogers spent nearly all his time in the lower quarter,

[00:04:34] so there was no reason for him to know anything that happened outside the gates.

[00:04:39] Despite his racing thoughts, Rogers hid his ignorance well by quickly replying.

[00:04:45] Of course.

[00:04:46] Still, Velo continued frowning.

[00:04:50] While we are disgusted by executioners hollow, we are no fans of the Thieves.

[00:04:55] You man the wall and we honor you for that.

[00:04:58] You calm the Outlanders and we honor you for that.

[00:05:02] But you are still Thieves and take what isn't yours.

[00:05:05] Of course, Rogers thought.

[00:05:08] The southern part of the wall is guarded by the Thieves Guild.

[00:05:12] Of course, the Rangers would know that.

[00:05:15] As to the stealing, Rogers simply replied,

[00:05:19] We take so we can give.

[00:05:21] Velo didn't ask for clarification,

[00:05:24] but instead made a clucking noise increasing their pace.

[00:05:28] Before long they reached the North Fork,

[00:05:31] which was a much wider and violent river outside the city than it was inside.

[00:05:36] In fact, it was immediately clear to Rogers

[00:05:39] why the outer fields could be maintained without much concern for an attack.

[00:05:44] They were protected by the river.

[00:05:46] We will cross north of here. It is not a short journey,

[00:05:50] but there is no other safe way across the river.

[00:05:55] Is it a bridge? Rogers asked.

[00:05:58] To which Velo replied with a hearty laugh

[00:06:00] and another slap on Rogers' shoulder.

[00:06:03] The path along the river was worn smooth

[00:06:07] and it was clear that many horses and people

[00:06:10] had rode up and down the river.

[00:06:13] Rogers assumed it was due to the Rangers guarding the river,

[00:06:17] but it struck Rogers that it very well may have been outlanders

[00:06:20] constantly looking for a way across.

[00:06:23] The river widened and Velo stopped.

[00:06:26] We are here.

[00:06:27] Rogers looked up and down the river and didn't see anything.

[00:06:31] No ferry, no bridge,

[00:06:34] not even a worn path leading up to a shallow part of the river.

[00:06:39] The only thing that Rogers noticed was that the river looked much calmer.

[00:06:44] Velo noticed Rogers' confusion and added,

[00:06:48] There is a drop to the bottom of the river here.

[00:06:50] It is very deep, but it also slows the river down.

[00:06:54] We believe there is some underground river

[00:06:56] that may lead to the outer fields that originates here.

[00:07:01] Velo waved toward the river.

[00:07:04] So it is calm.

[00:07:06] How do we cross?

[00:07:08] We swim.

[00:07:10] Velo smiled.

[00:07:12] Don't worry, the horses are good swimmers.

[00:07:15] Rogers tried to hide his fear.

[00:07:18] Unfortunately I can't swim.

[00:07:20] I expect it as much.

[00:07:23] Just hold onto your horse's saddle.

[00:07:24] He'll pull you across.

[00:07:27] Velo again slapped Rogers on the back before dismounting.

[00:07:31] Just don't let go.

[00:07:33] But how do they not sink?

[00:07:35] Rogers was trying to think of a way out of having to get into the water.

[00:07:39] Before Velo could answer, he looked north.

[00:07:43] Isn't there a bridge or shallow crossing?

[00:07:45] There are rumours of a wide and shallow crossing far to the east.

[00:07:51] Velo started to secure his stirrups to the saddle.

[00:07:54] How far east?

[00:07:56] On the other side of the mountain.

[00:07:58] Velo smirked and then added,

[00:08:01] And to answer your question, their lungs are large and allow them to float.

[00:08:05] Rogers was not quite terrified,

[00:08:07] but he fully expected that death was a possibility.

[00:08:11] Still he had a mission and he would fulfil it.

[00:08:15] Had he not faced death in the pit.

[00:08:18] The last thing Velo did, oddly made Rogers feel better.

[00:08:23] He secured the letter for Polo on the top of his horse's head.

[00:08:27] Rogers figured if Velo and Quinto trusted that the horse wouldn't ruin the letter,

[00:08:32] he could trust that the horse wouldn't ruin him.

[00:08:35] Go first and I'll keep an eye on you.

[00:08:38] Velo said.

[00:08:40] Rogers was grateful but also not sure what to do.

[00:08:44] Just hold onto the saddle.

[00:08:45] Velo added as if reading his mind.

[00:08:50] Rogers followed his horse into the water, which was bitterly cold.

[00:08:54] In fact, the cold of the water almost made him forget his fear.

[00:08:59] The horse clearly had made this journey before,

[00:09:02] for he strode forward until the water was too deep and then began to swim, pumping his legs.

[00:09:10] Rogers clung to the saddle and was surprised how calm it actually was.

[00:09:14] The calm water helped and the horse's pumping legs moved them across at a slow but steady pace.

[00:09:22] There were moments where the horse would struggle a bit to maintain its trajectory to the opposite shore,

[00:09:28] but it never made a violent twist or movement.

[00:09:31] By the time he could feel the muddy gravel of the opposite shore,

[00:09:36] Rogers felt confident he could make the journey again.

[00:09:39] The real issue was the cold.

[00:09:42] The water must have originated in the snow-capped mountains and as he walked up the shore,

[00:09:49] Rogers couldn't stop his teeth from chattering.

[00:09:52] Time for a fire.

[00:09:54] Velo said as he led his horse up to Rogers,

[00:09:58] he walked over to a pile of rubble and moved some rocks.

[00:10:01] Underneath were some dry wood and a flint.

[00:10:04] Before too long they had a fire going and their clothes were drying on rocks.

[00:10:10] The sun had recently set and the two of them sat in the flickering firelight.

[00:10:15] Velo held the dry letter for Polo between two fingers.

[00:10:20] He slapped it against his other palm again and again.

[00:10:23] Rogers wasn't sure if Velo was just nervous or thinking.

[00:10:29] Finally, Rogers spoke up.

[00:10:32] What do you think it says?

[00:10:34] I know what it says.

[00:10:37] Rogers wasn't sure if he had the right to ask, but he did anyway.

[00:10:41] What does it say?

[00:10:43] It says that the Rangers will be crossing the North Fork to join in an attack on the Night Watch.

[00:10:50] We will take the wall and then see how Sax reacts.

[00:10:54] I thought you said there was no easy way across the North Fork?

[00:10:58] I lied.

[00:10:58] Velo said, smiling and nodding across the river.

[00:11:03] Far across the plains were pinpoints of light, many, many pinpoints of light,

[00:11:09] as if from the fires of a gathering army.