A Proper Young Thief: Chapter 12: The Well in the Slums

A Proper Young Thief

M.K.Barry

Chapter 12: The Well in the Slums

Lissa slowly led the mules towards the gates. There were two guards, both leaning against the wall. Talking to each other loudly about a woman that one of the guards seemed to have slept with. Lissa replayed her story in her head. She was bring goods to her uncle. Why was she so late? She had slept in, and had tried to get through the forest before dark. Once she had, she didn't want to sleep out in the open when the city seemed so close. That seemed good enough. Her name was Luc, and she was male, and bringing some cloth to her uncle.

That would do, wouldn't it?

As she approach the guards, and caught sight of their spears, leaning casually against the city walls, she a twinge or resentment towards Ella. At the moment, she would far prefer going through whatever they were going through to get into the city. However, it was too late to turn back. The Guards had already caught sight of her.

She took a deep breath, and walked towards them, trying not to feel like a criminal, trying not to feel like the Guards could, or should, catch her and throw her into a dungeon somewhere.

“Halt.” One the guards said lazily as Lissa approached. Lissa stopped the mules, and stood still, waiting for the guard to say something. The other guard stood up straight, but didn't move towards her and said nothing.

“Bit late for travelling.” The guard said.

“I- my uncle...”

“what?”

“I'm bring cloth to my uncle.”

The Guard nodded, and wandered towards the back to the wagon. He pulled the tarp up, peeked inside, then let the tarp drop.

“Why so late?”

Lissa quickly pull the excuse her had planned into her mouth, “I was travelling, and it started to get dark, and I wanted to get out of the forest before it got too late, and then I thought I could make it to the city, and I wouldn't have to worry about-”
“Ok, ok.” the Guard muttered, “You're name?”

“Luc?”

“And who are you going to see?”

“MY uncle.”

The guard sighed “Yes, I gathered, what's your uncle's name?”

Lissa's froze. Had Ella mentioned who the uncle was? “Mintas” she said.

“Mintas? As in Lord Mintas?”

“No. Mintas is my uncle's first name.”

“ The guard looked back at the other guard. “You know any other Mintas'” He asked. The other guard shrugged.

“He's a tailor.” Lissa said. “A new one.. he's not very good.”
“Clearly.” the Guard said, “At any rate unless you're on official business, I can't let you-”

“Oh shut it, Marc.” the other guard said. He turned around, and started to unlock the gate.

“But we're not supposed to let people in unless their on official-”
“Look, he's bring goods to a crafter in the city. What, you're going to let him hang around with us all night?”

The Guard muttered, and moved out of Lissa's way.

The Gate opened, and the other guard moved out of Lissa's way. “ Be quick, sir. There's thieves, even in the city.”

“Thank you.” Lissa said. She quickly led the mules, and the wagon into the gates. As the gates were closing, she heard on guard say to Marc, “Really, I know you're used to palace guard, but you've got to relax. There's lots of merchant deliveries that come through late at night.

The gates slammed shut behind her. The voices of the bickering guards grew silent, and Lissa was left alone. The cobblestone street was wide, though the run-down building that loomed up over her still managed to make the whole place feel cramped. Windows were boarded up, and no light flittered from them. Down one ally, Lissa could see a flickering, dull light coming from a window, covered partially by worn, moth-eaten curtains. Some rats were scurrying about near a pile of old, mouldy rags off a corner which led down another ally. Lanterns hung from tall polls, but most of them had already been stolen.

Lissa took a deep breath, and looked down the street. Her instructions were simple and clear. All she had to do was go straight down the road. Eventually, she would find a well. Ella and the others would meet up with her there.

Lissa tugged gently on the reigns, and the mules fell into step behind her as she led them down the street. The rats on the pile of rags scurried away into the darkness as she passed. She heard someone chattering off down an alley, but she didn't know if it was someone chattering to themselves, in the dark, narrow alley, or if it was someone talking inside, next to an open window. She shivered, pulled her cloak tightly around her, and walked quickly. The houses all looked the same for a while. The stench of rotting wood, and the smell that arises from close living hung heavy and wet in the air. A while passed, and another road, smaller than the one she was on, but clearly a road, and not a alley. From there, the houses seemed a little nicer. The wood was nicer, and the house windows were shuttered. The road expanded before her, showing a small square among the houses, with a round, stone well sticking up like a tree stump from the ground.

She let a small sigh of relief escape her from mouth, and slowed down a little. The well was within sight. Ella and the others would find her soon, and take the wagon, and Lissa could get her payment and find a place to stay.

She came close to the well, and stopped, let go of the reigns, and leaned against the wagon. The lanterns here lined the square, and none of them seemed to be missing, though one seemed to have gone out. A flickering orange light filled the square with a comforting light. She shut her eyes and tried to imagine it during the day, filled with busy people. She had thought, for some reason, that even at night there would be people running about in the city. She didn't expect it to be so empty, so quiet that she could hear the footfalls of one single person approaching her.

That's likely , she thought. She stretched against the wagon, and then walked around to greet her.

A guard, dressed in a light chain mail shirt was walking towards her. “You got any business here?” The Guard snapped.

“I.. No, I”

“Then get moving on.” he said, “can't have you cluttering up the place.”

Lissa moved away from the guard, back towards her wagon, and took the reins. “I.. I was just getting some water.” she said.

“Well, hurry it up.”

Lissa had no bucket. She went over to the well, and leaned forward, hoping that it was believable enough that she had just stopped for a drink for herself. She reached down, scooped up a handful of the icy water. Fat drops fell from her fingers and hit the clear, black water. She took a sip, staring at her blurry reflection in the water. The water was at least good, and gave her a reason to procrastinate under the glare the guard. She reached down for another sip. That was when she realized that her reflection looked strangely contorted, even though the water. Though she saw a face, it didn't look at all like hers. Another face was breaking though her own reflection, coming closer towards her.

-M.K.Barry