A Proper Young Thief
M.K.Barry
Chapter 17: Better Than Nothing
The king sat in his chair, drinking wine by the fire. The whole day had been spent looking over revisions to rules, some of which were hundreds of years old, and so useless and outdated that they didn't mean anything anymore. However, they were still rules, and before he made a decision, the purpose and necessity of every rule needed to be discussed in depth, the possible implication of removing a law needed to be discussed.
They had spent the entire afternoon trying to decide if they needed to enforce a 300 year-old rule on citizens having red hair, which, after several hours on arguing the possible implications of removing the rule, he himself had to bring up the possible implications of enforcing it, and then had to bring up the possibility for others to use the rule.
IT had been a taxing day. And they had another three days ahead of them like that.
He filled his wine glass, and took a deep drink, then set the glass down on the table next to him with a clink.
“It's been a good few years now, I think I can hear you just fine, no matter how quiet you are.”
The Hunter stepped out from the edge of the fireplace.
“How strange, your hearing is improving with age.” he muttered. The king grinned and gave a smile.
“Maybe I just lied about that. Maybe every so often, I ask the empty room if you're there, just so you'll think I'm clever if you are.”
“Well, I'm make sure to deny your cleverness here there.”
The king took another glass from a small box under the table, set it down, and poured a small glass. “Have a drink. Tell me what you found out.”
The hunter stepped forward, took the glass, then moved to the wall just behind the king, and leaned back as he drank.
“Ella is back in town.”
“She is now.” he leaned back, “That means we're almost done?”
“I think so. She came in to town last night, with some kid with her. She brought him to a pub then went to her little hideaway.”
“You didn't go in after her?”
“I did. She got away in the end.”
“She must be good to get away from you.”
“She was... Lucky.”
The king nodded, and took another long drink of wine. “Life is half luck. Doesn't matter how good you are. If you're not lucky, you're screwed.” she set the glass down again, and stared at it. “OF course, if you have all the luck in the world, and you don't work, nothing happens.”
“I suppose.” The Hunter shrugged. “Regardless, she got away. But she can't leave Rawlins, she can't go outside, she can't buy bread now without me finding out about it. IT won't be long now.”
“And you think if you get here-”
“If I had gotten her in the first place, everyone who knew about the pendent would already be dead.”
“... Except for the girl.”
“She doesn't know what it is. She is not a danger, and for now, it's just as safe with her as it is here, because no one knows she has it.”
“Except for us.”
“Aye.”
The king sighed, and rubbed his fingers against his temple, “This would have all been easier if you had just killed the girl, and taken the thing back.”
“You gave me a choice. I choose this, didn't I?”
“You know, life would have been a lot simpler if you had just killed the girl, and taken the damned thing back. You'd probably be done by now.”
“Perhaps.”
“Speaking of the girl... why haven't you told me she's gone?”
“... Pardon?”
“I've had my people checking up on her from time to time.” He picked up the glass, and looked deeply into the wine. “She's dead.”
“...no.”
“She was accused of murder, and buried alive, just outside of town.” he looked at him. “You didn't know?”
“I... I knew she wasn't there.. but I didn't imagine-”
“And you didn't' tell me this? Don't you think it's more problematic for us if she's running about with that thing on her?”
“I was going to tell you-”
“Save your breath, Tiller. I know you wanted to protect her.” He leaned back, and smiled a bit. “A little sad though. You're just about done, and she's dead.”
Tiller said nothing for a long moment. HE quickly drank the rest of his wine, dropped the glass on the table, then went towards the door.
“For what it's worth... On a personal level, I”m sorry for your loss.”
“Screw you.”
The king chuckled. “I could have you killed for that.”
“What do I care now?”
“Your wife is still around somewhere.” he said. Tiller stopped, and for a long moment simply stood in the middle of the room. “I've arranged to have her found. She apparently left the village shortly after her daughter passed on. I'm waiting for information now. I had some men go out for the pendant. They'll give your daughter a proper burial after they're done.”
Tiller opened his mouth, as though he was about to say something, then stopped. And walked to the door. He was just about the leave when he stopped. “This means I don't have to hunt down-”
“You still do. “ The king said. “You still choose, and you've gone this far, you might as well. Besides, if you go back on your word now? I can make life very painful, very hard for you.”
“All this, over that stupid thing?”
“That stupid thing is dangerous.” The king said. “ The only reason humanity stopped fighting over it was because they thought it's lost.” he sighed. “You know.. maybe it's best that she died.”
“How could you-”
“There's only been a few people in recorded history who have actually worn that thing. It takes years for it's power to imbed itself in someone. Like vines on a stone wall. You don't neven notice them before they're all over the place, and making your wall weak. For all y ou know, she wasn't even your daughter anymore.”
“Then why didn't you go and take it from her?”
“Because I made a promise too, didn't I?” he whispered. “I Promised that if you did what I wanted you to, I wouldn't hurt your daughter. Of course, I had men checking up on her from time to time. Staying out of the way, making sure she wasn't snapping, or shapeshifting, or the gods know what else.”
“Shapeshifting?”
“Demons have many powers. I dont' know exactly what that one will do.” he shook his head. “If she di murder that boy, that could have been her succumbing to the power of that gem. It would only have been a matter of time then before she started to enjoy killing, before she needed to kill. Or maybe not. Who knows.”
“It's almost over.”
“Almost. We'll have the pendent back soon, everyone who knows about it will be dead, and you... well, I made a promise to you. You can go back to what remains of your life, I suppose.”
Tiller looked up at the carvings over the door. A series of vines with small berries were carved into the wood. “The remains.”
“It's better than death. Better than nothing.”
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