Ben was pacing up and down along the pier, scaring away sailors and merchants alike. He was furious. The damn cracked girl had betrayed him, and Mae was in trouble as a result. The worst part was, there was nothing he could do about it but wait and pray Cleo would show up. Waiting and worrying about Mae seemed to be the only things he did these times, it made him feel helpless. The Lady had avoided telling him where she currently lived, he had not paid much attention to it at the time. But now it made sense, she had planned to keep the scroll for herself. He doubted she'd come to the meet, but his only other option would be to wander the streets randomly. The thief perked up, seeing a familiar figure approaching. He clenched his fists.

"Cleo, ya got some nerve to show up." Ben stared at her angrily.

"We don't have time to deal with personal grudges.” She seemed desperate. “There is something I must tell you…"

The girl stopped short as if startled, and Ben saw the reason why: a hooded figure had tried to sneak up on her. Right, Brownie was here too, Ben had forgotten about him in his frenzy. The man had not wanted to send the thief alone this time, considering the previous disaster. The lass stepped back in fright.

"I believe you have something in your possession wich interests me." The man said, slowing his approach now that he had been discovered.

"Who is this person?" She demanded.

The Lady stepped back cautiously and shot Ben a glance. He glared at her, ignoring the question while long coat kept advancing. She moved back as he did, growing visibly scared.

"This lad here works for the Parkhat, his right-hand guy or some." He explained.

"I want you to reveal yourself!" She protested.

"Now give him the damn scroll, ya've been enough trouble as it is."

Ben growled, now drawing close threateningly as well, and Cleo grabbed the handle of her knife in fear. Brownie paused, arms stretched out in a show of peace, then he took off the cloth covering his head. Cleo’s eyes widened, before she began running away towards the pier's edge. Both men startled for a second, then rushed after her. The girl turned back suddenly as she pulled out a letter from her robe, and held it over the water in defiance. Both men stopped short, and Ben was terrified. The girl was holding Mae’s life in her hands, and she was apparently scared of brown coat. This made for a dangerous situation, he swallowed hard.

"Do not step any further, else I will throw this away!” She cried out, addressing the Parkhat’s man. She was staring right at him, so Ben used the opportunity to step closer while out of her sight. “Now you will explain me why..."

She was interrupted when the thief jumped on her, throwing the Lady to the ground. He battled against her for a few moments, trying to pull the letter off her hands. She scratched, bit, and screamed at him. But it all was useless for Ben was stronger. The lass was shouting and crying now, as stood back up and handed the scroll to brown coat.

“I lack the time to deal with this situation myself.” Brownie said as he took the parchment eagerly. “I want this woman brought to our place on the docks, she could prove herself valuable.” He ordered as he began reading. That wasn’t part of the deal, Ben frowned. He hesitated, as angry as he was with the girl, handing her over to cutthroats felt wrong.

“You sold me to him! You traitor!” Cleo screamed fiercely at him.

“I did what? Yer one to talk, who betrayed who?” He shot back, furious. How dared she? “Why did you do it?” He grabbed her robe and pulled her back to her feet, glaring at her threateningly.

“I… I could not bring myself to betray my brother…” The lady shrank back under his stare, scared.

“Damn yer brother! He doesn’t give a shit about ya! Why d’ya think ya spent four years in that church? If he wanted ya out, ya’d be free already. I got inside easy, and he has a goddamn army!” He yelled angrily at her, and she seemed mortified from his words.

“It… it’s complicated…” She said weakly after a while.

“Yer pretty stupid for a smart lass, how come ya didn’t figure it out already?” He scolded her, and the look she gave him stopped Ben from speaking any further. She seemed about to break down, tears were gathering at the corner of her eyes.

“I don’t have the time to partake in such a touching reunion.” Brownie interrupted them, putting the scroll away under his coat and seemingly satisfied. “Bring her to the hideout once you’re done here, I don’t need to tell you what will happen if you don’t.” He said before walking away, leaving the two alone on the pier. Ben wanted to punch the smug asshole, but that wouldn’t help his cause.

“Why did you have to give the letter to this man? Now everything is over…” The Lady was sobbing now.

“That was the deal. The guy has Mae, I told ya already.”

She stopped screaming, seeming to notice something behind them, and Ben followed her stare. A group of mean-looking thugs were coming down the docks in their direction, Ben cursed.

“Please do not hand me out to him, this man works for Chaffaud!” She yelled. “I saw him! I remembered my wedding, he was there! He was the Lord’s servant… Now nobody can stop all this…” Cleo was ranting frantically.

“Now, how…”

Ben turned back to face her, but instead of an explanation, he got a foot to his genitals. He fell to his knees from the pain while the lady began running away. It was useless, Ben thought as he scrambled after her, there was nothing but water where she was going. What the heck was happening? A concert of shouting behind him got his attention, the big bastards were in a hurry too. Cleo reached the end of the pier and hesitated, before jumping down. A loud splashing noise ensued, and Ben sped up. The lass was already paddling away desperately, he cursed and dived after her. He surfaced quickly and located her, she was struggling, her robe hindering her movements. The thief was a good swimmer thanks to a life around rivers and lakes, so he caught up swiftly.

“Get away from me…” She tried to protest but she was having trouble keeping her head above the surface, swallowing water with each breath. Ben grabbed her arm to bring the girl back and she resisted. “You work for Chaffaud, you liar…” He took hold of her under the armpit and began swimming back, dragging the woman along. “Please, do not bring me to them… Brother is coming…” She panicked, making the rescue difficult. As the pair was struggling, Ben wondered how to get her out of this mess. There was a ladder emerging from the waters and leading up to the pier, which was now swarming with henchmen. The girl was obviously neither wanting nor strong enough to go up there, he reflected. She was swallowing a lot of water resisting and shouting at him, he had to figure out something.

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****

“Maybe you knocked her a bit too hard. Friggin’ brute.” The whore scolded him. She was sitting on the bed next to Cleo, who has been lying there unconscious for hours.

“She’s breathin’, ain’t she?” He shrugged. It was more than the bitch deserved after betraying him and putting Mae in danger. Not to mention kicking him in the nut.

Ben was back at the criminal hideout on the docks, or maybe it was Chaffaud’s, he didn’t know anymore. It was well into the evening and the thief was pacing up and down the narrow cell, racking his brains.

“Damn she’s an ulgy sight. I know you told me about it, but seeing the girl in person is something else.” Mae sighed as she examined the lady.

“So, what do ya make of everythin’ I told ya?” He needed someone to make sense of things, for he sure couldn’t.

“The only thing I know for certain, is that brown coat has figured out her identity.” She pointed.

“Think what she said is true? Brownie workin’ fer the other asshole?”

“It explains how easily he got you inside the church but… I don’t know, lad. It would mean Chaffaud controls everything.” She didn’t seem to like the prospect.

“What is he so afraid of then, if he controls everything?”

“He’s scared of being exposed. If folks learn that he works for the Empire…” She made an ominous gesture with her hand.

“Who cares about who own the city anyway? The Parkhat, lords, or the Empire…” He shrugged, he had to get Mae out of this mess, rich folks could fight for who sat on thrones as they always did.

“And would you care for an entire army showing up at the gates?” Cleo’s voice startled them as she woke up. “I believe my brother is going to invade Gravelroy on his way back from the crusades.” They both looked at the girl wide-eyed.

“Damn, I ain’t letting those friggin’ holy bastards settle down here!” Mae said, her face twisted in anger.

“I thought no kingdom could take the place, else it makes a big ruckus or somethin’.” Ben pointed.

“I think the Holy Empire doesn’t care, they are already at war with half the continent, a few more countries won’t stop them.” Mae spoke.

“But what’s so important about this city?” He frowned, surprised Gravelroy’s stench could attract more than flies.

“Many things. The weapon trade for one, Gravelroy’s smiths are renowned all across the world, their crafts sell a high price everywhere. The Emperor could obtain a monopoly on them.” Cleo explained. “The harbor would also give them another access to the Wilds. Between the Kenmard front in the north, the western mountains, and the free city at the south, the Union’s forces would find themselves trapped. Ultimately, they would control the center of the continent.”

“The port allows the holy bastards to launch crusades further east.” Mae added. “And money, there’s always money.”

“They also could use the port to invade Bomlardy by the sea. Finally, the church want to get rid of a place where other religions thrive.”

Ben tried to wrap his mind around all the political and military implications, it made his head spin.

“It all sounds important, but what can we…” He scratched his hair.

“And you know what happens to a city after a battle, lad.” The whore interrupted him.

Her words gave Ben pause, as much as he didn’t like the place, he sure didn’t want to see it plundered. The thief had seen it happen to villages and it had been ugly enough, but a whole city? He shuddered picturing it.

“Aye, I wouldn’t like it. But what do ya want to do against a whole damn army?” He frowned.

“There must be a way we can warn the population about the impending doom.” Cleo proposed.

“Ya don’t want to do that. It would cause a panic. I’ve seen it in small towns and it ain’t pretty, I tell ya. But in a city this big?” Ben felt sick at the thought. “If the army shows up when folks are running around like headless chickens…” He cringed.

“So we need to know when it is scheduled to happen before making a decision.” The Lady nodded grimly.

“Who said we anyway? I don’t trust ya. And I hate to remind ya, but I don’t see the thugs outside letting ya out.” Ben objected.

“I agree with the bumpkin on this, you kept the information to yourself. And now you just decide to change your mind and betray your Empire?” Mae put both her hands on her hips, staring at the girl.

“I… I am not letting the church roam free. I just discovered they are the reason for my incarceration…” She blurted.

“What about your brother? Ya said it’s his army.” Ben asked, and she averted her eyes.

“We could tell the Parkhat’s men, the real ones I mean. Perhaps we can find him.” Cleo proposed.

“I asked to see the guy, the thugs outside think they work for him.” Ben rolled his eyes at Mae’s words, what was it with her and that damn invisible man? “Trouble is, brown coat is their only way to contact the underworld king. And little ghost here says he’s a traitor.”

The three of them stared at the floor for a while, considering the daunting situation.

“I believe the harbor will be the target of an attack, but we cannot search every one of Chaffaud’s ships. The Lord could take notice and react unpredictably. And as you said, we need to know when the attack will happen.” Cleo broke the silence. “Now, I have studied the Emperor’s message long enough to remember it. I should be able to decipher it, were I to get my hands on the right book from Chaffaud…”

“I could go to Gilbet’s house, the treacherous Lord is still living there…” Mae exclaimed.

“Or ya could stay in yer damn bed, and I’d go get the goddamn book.” Ben scolded her.

“I would have to be coming along. Identifying the right tome could prove difficult and as is my understanding, both of you cannot read.” Cleo proposed, ignoring the thief’s objection.

“What we need to do is gettin’ out of this place.” Ben interrupted. Damn women, going ahead with mad plots and ignoring the most pressing matters.

****

After an hour of mad scheming, Ben exited the chamber under the big jailer’s glare. He was glad Brownie had not given any orders concerning him he thought happily as the thug locked the door behind, before looking at the main hall. The stone walls and wooden floor were covered in dust and a long table stood at the center of the room, a dozen cutthroats sitting around it. They were gambling and drinking loudly, ignoring his presence. Ben sighed, he didn’t like the plan. But Mae had made up her mind, damn stubborn mule that she was. The thief only wished he would not always get the short end of the stick when choosing roles. Who was going to take care of the old woman if he died? He was supposed to create a mess big enough for the girls to escape, while the criminals ran after him. He had been forbidden to burn down the place though, he sighed, fire would make everything so much easier. He turned back to the guard, luckily it was the one Ben had knocked down with a door not long ago. It explained the angry stare and the swollen face.

“How’s the nose?” He gave a teasing smirk. That set the guy off in an instant, he growled threateningly and drew closer, his face inches away from Ben’s.

“Now listen, you little shit. I don’t care what the boss said…”

See, when they are angry, huge folks like to make you feel small. They enjoy making you cower in fear, by seeing up close how big they are. What big guys don’t like, is a knee to the groin. One they didn’t see coming because they were growling in your face. Ben didn’t give the thug time to recover afterward, the man was never going to leave him be anyway. He drew his knife and plunged the blade into the guy’s throat. His eyes bulged out in surprise, and blood gushed profusely from the wound. Ben swiped his victim’s keys and unlocked the door. The mountain of a man fell to the ground beside him, in a loud crashing noise. Ben turned back to the main room, where a dozen pair of angry eyes stared at the commotion. Well that was the point, but there was no need to wait for them, so Ben sprinted like hell towards the outside exit.

“Oy, bastard jus’ killed Fritz.”

“Come back here, you little cunt!”

More angry shouts came from behind Ben, followed by the sound of people scrambling off after him. He dashed forward and threw his shoulder at the door, revealing the docks and their busy evening crowd. The thief pretended to escape, then stopped right beside the entrance. He would love to be running madly on the streets or hiding somewhere already, but he was not supposed to lose his pursuers. That was not the plan, he had to keep them chasing him, making the bastards pissed should work. He waited for the sound of footsteps to grow louder, clutching his weapon. As soon as he saw a glimpse of movement, Ben slashed towards it. He didn’t spare a glance to his victim’s wounds, he instantly resumed his flight. More curses and shouts confirmed his success, but it didn’t feel like a victory. He had just made a dozen of the city’s most dangerous assholes right furious.

He shouldered his way through the crowd, glancing anxiously behind him. A good number cutthroats were following and pushing passersbys aside, their faces twisted in rage. If the sight was not enough, there was another worry on his mind: the girls. Ben couldn’t manage to get a head count of his pursuers, maybe some had stayed back there. Well, there was not much he could do about it but pray, he had enough trouble on his hands already. He cursed, and took a sharp turn into a side alley.