Wherein a Street Urchin Returns
Foursday, Third Hand of Fireseek, EE237
Tándir of Great Harbor
Folkestone's Landing, Wirost
"Ah! Tándir of Great Harbor!"
Bastion Bodiou and I had a working partnership; he was the front man, the contact for potential clients, working out of his modest apothecary shop only a few streets down from my apartment in the heart of the Soul Market. It provided a layer of protection for me from clients, victims and the Wirostian courts, and it only cost me thirty percent, a reasonable expense given the value I placed upon my own life. I was not overly fond of his connection with the Folkestone's Landing thieves' guild, but a better fixer there was not. He had always dealt more than fairly with me. It had been three days since my return to Folkestone's Landing and it was time to collect my payment.
Today Bastion looked uncharacteristically upset.
I waited until he dispatched his young errand boy on a seemingly important delivery of incense. "What gives, Bastion?" I asked as soon as the youth had exited the shop. "We've been paid, haven't we?"
"Oh yes, of course! Don't worry, I have always given you your due, haven't I?" As he spoke his hands worked under the counter, accessing the hidden compartment I knew to be there in which he stored the funds that had nothing whatsoever to do with his legitimate business front.
"You look upset, Bastion."
His hands returned to the countertop, sweeping out to the sides and leaving in their wake seven platinum Dwarves. He smiled briefly, nodding towards the gleaming coins to confirm that they were my payment.
"There's been some rumbling out of Southport," Bastion spoke as I collected the seven coins. "It seems that our client was a bit less truthful about your last target than we thought."
"What are you talking about?" I asked as I deposited the coins into my newly strung coin purse. It was Bastion's job to get the details of my contracts right.
"If I'm hearing correctly, the disagreement between the client and Tadeu Cavalcanti had nothing to do with money, but something about the client's niece being defiled. She was apparently quite friendly with the late Tadeu, if you get my meaning."
"By Aulla! You're supposed to get these things right!" I had strict rules, very strict rules. I only accepted work that were themselves evil, rotten, dirty. And one of the rules was to never get in the middle of family disagreements; they were no-win situations.
"Yes, my sincere apologies, Tandir," Bastion replied. I believed the man. In the ten years I had worked with him since arriving in Folkestone's Landing he had never once given me cause to doubt his honesty in our dealings. "These things, as unfortunate as it may be, do happen sometimes. But there is more, my friend. There are rumours circulating in Southport that Tadeu's people are actively trying to discover the identity of his killer, so keep your head down. They can't possibly know that it was you, but, just to be safe please be extra cautious."
I took a deep breath. Bastion was the only one who knew of my line of work. "Okay. Send a runner if there are any developments," I ordered.
"Yes, my friend, I shall do that. Don't worry."
I turned and left, seven platinum Dwarves richer. And despite Bastion's assurances I found myself worrying.
The girl cut my purse halfway between Bastion's shop and my apartment. She was very subtle. In fact, if it wasn't for a slight brush as she tried to slip away I might have missed it entirely, my attention distracted by the scent of delicious spicy chicken. She was very, very good, and I had come close to losing the seven Dwarves I had deposited into the purse only a few minutes earlier. Nevertheless, she was still dangling from my hand again, smiling at me, her eyes twinkling as she handed me a handful of coins without my even asking.
"Sorry?" she offered with a smile and a shrug that suggested she haboured no regrets at the theft.
I said nothing; just stared.
She sighed and reached into her back pocket, pulling out a handful of silver Stags, gold Dragons and a single platinum Dwarf. Her eyes became large as saucers as she spotted the gleaming platinum coin, something she had likely never laid her eyes upon. I noticed she'd cleaned herself a bit with the few coins I'd given her yesterday. Her face was quite pretty for a child, but she still stunk of the streets.
Giving her a Stag and a few Crowns, I told her to feed herself, suggested a bath, released her and left, continuing on my way.
I was deeply impressed on her third try a week later. I'd seen her this time and not being an idiot I watched her surreptitiously as she made her approach. This time I felt nothing, absolutely nothing. Yet, she was once again dangling from my hand, staring at me with those eyes, smiling.
"Sorry?" she offered, her hand holding my purse out to me.
This was becoming tiresome. I appreciated her skill, but couldn't she pick some other sap? "Go find some other mark," I told her after she'd returned my money. She took the proffered coins, stuffed them into a rear pocket of her grimy loose fitting breeches and proceeded to follow me into my apartment building.
"What do you do?" she asked, running to keep up with me.
"Go away, child."
"Have you lived here long? You're not from here are you? What's your name?"
"Go. Shoo."
She didn't, following me up the wooden stairs to the third floor, our steps echoing in the hall. Fumbling at the door, I managed to unlock it and enter, kicking it closed behind me. Damn she was a pest; talented, but a pest regardless.
"Nice apartment."
I almost jumped out of my skin. She was wandering through the living room staring at the furniture. By Kirana, how did she get in? I hadn't heard her enter even though she had been right behind me. Never mind. "Get out," I ordered, opening the door, pointing and frowning.
"Well wishes." She smiled as she left.
Pausing, the door partially closed, I realized I recognized that enigmatic smile. By Kirana, again! She'd disappeared by the time I ran down the stairs. Back in my apartment I identified the missing ebony wood statuette, an intricately carved and painted likeness of Axsyn, the God of Life and Death. It was a possession that I was very fond of, even if I myself did not pay homage to Axsyn. It was also worth a tidy sum of Dragons to the right buyer.
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