Four Daggers - Chapter 1

~Chapter 1~

  Case sat alone at his table, nursing the same mug of ale for the past hour.  He'd arrived with some dock workers, but if anyone had found his decision to sit alone odd, they kept it to themselves.  Likely no one had even noticed; Case had a quiet way about him and seemed to just blend into the background wherever he went.  Although he'd only just started working with them, no one could quite seem to remember when he first showed up; it seemed like he'd always been a part of the crews.  He was the sort who always reminded you of someone else you knew, but for the color of his hair or the shabbiness of his clothing.  Nondescript and familiar, he was just like any number of people in all the cities of the kingdom you saw all the time.

  But there was no one quite like Case.

  A bit on the tall side and well muscled, Case had indeed grew up working the docks.  It was hard work for low pay and long hours in the constant stench of sweat and fish and harbor trash.  As a young man, Case had realized two things - day in and day out, lifting cargo and herding livestock worth more than his life to the harbor master, such work would consume him and leave behind nothing but the stench of sweat and garbage in the worn out husk of a man.

  However, he also realized he was beneath their notice.  All of them - the harbor master, the merchants, the servants, the nobles, even the older workers - did not deign to notice him, so long as the work got done.  Or appeared to be getting done.  And so the young Case learned how to avoid notice, how to creep along quietly, learned the lay out of ships, where people like to hide their valuables, and where captains hid their more exotic cargo.  He learned the art of taking things without others noticing, of hiding things on his body or where they may be safely retrieved later.  He learned to be a shadow where none existed.

  Case was a masterful thief.  He'd long since left his dockside academy and had enough riches to live quite well.  But he never strayed far from the docks, wherever he went; it kept him humble and he was afraid of losing his touch.  Just another anonymous shadow in a bad part of town where things went missing and purse strings cut.

  He took a long, satisfying drink.  It wasn't like him to get lost in nostalgia.  But a job had come along, one that would make him as rich as a minor noble.  It was hard not to think of how far he'd come.  Then too, the client had asked for him by name, along with three others.

  Name recognition.  He wasn't sure he liked it.  It felt like a pair of eyes watching him, watching him closely, and following him about.  It was unsettling.  He paid his dues to the Guild, never stood out, never made big waves with his jobs, and never caused trouble.  Perhaps, he thought wryly, that is what makes a thief stand out.

  His eyes roamed about the tavern, casually taking in the evening crowd, yet searching, noting every detail he saw like a wolf resting in the shade of its den - not hunting, but ready to take down any prey it saw.  He'd heard of two of the others, after a fashion, and had arrived early in hopes of scouting out his "coworkers" before meeting with the client's representative.  He saw nothing.  Not surprising of course; in this line of work, those with names and reputations were skilled and careful, or they were dead.  Case finished his ale and headed towards the rooms; it was time to meet the client.

  As it happened, the cheap dockside tavern locals called "The One-Eyed Pelican" had connections to the local thieves guild.  Specifically, it served as a secret entrance, allowing clients (or their representatives) to meet with and hire talent, as well as allowing the less talented to escape when things went poorly.  At a certain door, Case turned the knob.

  Locked.

  He waited two counts, then began turning the knob in a peculiar combination of twists.  Finally, he pulled the lnob outward; with a click, the door opened of its own accord.  A single, disgruntled looking man sat by a lit fireplace, a bowl of stew on the table in front of him.  "Room's occupied, beat it," growled the occupant.

  "One room's the same as any other," replied Case calmly, closing the door behind him.

  The guild lookout snorted.  "True enough, you pass.  Usually don't get two comin' in t'gether, but the master sent word."  Case whirled, half dropping into a crouch; he hadn't seen anyone come in with him, hadn't seen anyone else in the hallway outside at all, but one of the tavern regulars was standing there behind him, grinning broadly.

  "Oh don't worry mate, just a little bit of magick is all," he said, winking at Case.  "Good on our friend there for seeing through it though!"

  "Cram it Reynold.  You can remember spells, then you can remember the combination and come in yourself next time.  And it's my job to see through your silly tricks."

  Looking past Reynold's maddening grin, Case was startled.  He had seen the man in the tavern earlier.  He was certain of it.  But Reynold was dressed in clean linens, wore a jeweled earring and a fashionable purple half cape over one shoulder.  He did not look at all like any of the tavern regulars, should not only have stood out clearly as an outsider, but also been robbed blind.  But Case knew beyond a doubt that he had seen the man and, whats more, paid him no mind as simply another tavern regular.

  And then suddenly a jet black blade appeared at Reynold's throat.  "And what of my silly tricks?"

  Startled, the lookout swore.  "Balls of the Blood God, Lina! If I could see through your tricks, I'd be making a fortune working for the mages!"

  Lina laughed sweetly.  "If you could see through my tricks, you'd be dead."  Despite the playful banter, Case could see that she had everyone on edge.  Reynold had turned pale and the grin Case would have sworn was a permanent fixture was nowhere to be seen.  The blade disappeared, sheathed as the unknown wielder stepped out of a shadow.

  A shadow which Case was certain had not hidden an assassin a moment ago.

  A shadow which was certainly too small to hide even a child, much less an adult.

  As the lookout quickly moved aside the bed to open the trapdoor, Case considered his fellow thieves.  He wasn't even sure if he'd seen Lina in the main room.  Missed them both.

  As if reading his mind, the lookout muttered to Case as they descended, "G'luck."

  You'll be needing it."