[MKGuild] "An Unlikely Story" Part 1

[a_lil_dudeinpr2 at hotmail.com]

I'm finally done with my third MK story, and it's also my first multiple pa=
rt story, three parts to be exact.  This one is unlikely to have any effect=
 on later events, so it's basically just a fun one.  Here's part 1.  Once m=
ore, being a rookie, I'd appreciate it if you will inform me of any technic=
al errors in this or any of the rest of my stories.

______________________________________________________________

An Unlikely Story
Part 1
By Lurking Wolf

March the 4th, in the year 695, Cristos Reckoning

    Vincent Lois was having an excellent time.  He smiled at everyone as he=
 walked down the road away from the establishment of a wealthy merchant.  H=
e had been in town only a few days, and his reputation had already earned h=
im employment.

    As it turns out, merchants could be quite greedy at times.  So greedy, =
in fact, that they were willing to pay quite a good sum to rid themselves o=
f competition.  He had just been offered a sum of fifteen garrets for dispa=
tching a merchant.  This sum included five garrets up front just as a sign =
of good faith.  Now Lois was off to see how much this other merchant valued=
 his life=85

    It took Lois very little time to find his way to the workplace of the m=
an in question.  He had gotten exact instructions on how to get to it with =
the greatest speed possible by his employer.

    Vincent entered discretely, looking curiously at some items of interest=
 that were displayed to catch people=92s attention.  Both of the merchants =
dealt in rare items, which was the reason for the hefty sum that Lois had b=
een offered to get rid of one of them.  The one believed that he would reap=
 great profits without his competitor to get in his way.  Lois wasn=92t qui=
te sure of the logic behind the man=92s reasoning, but his money was good, =
so he was willing to take a few risks.

    As a few customers slowly moved away, Lois moved forward, looking at th=
e merchant with a hint of a smile on his face.  He greeted to merchant with=
 all due respect.

    =93Good day to you, sir,=94 he began.  =93How has business been treatin=
g you?=94

    =93Well enough, I suppose,=94 the merchant said.  By the look of the st=
ore, Lois knew that he was just being noncommittal.  This man made plenty o=
f money, and Lois wondered if he couldn=92t get a little of it out of him.

    =93May I speak with the owner of the establishment?=94 Lois asked.  He =
was reasonably certain that he was already speaking to him, but to say this=
 was just a polite way to request a meeting.

    =93May I ask the reason you wish to see him and your name?=94 the man a=
sked.

    =93I wish to see him on private matters of business, and my name is Lou=
is Shade,=94 Lois said, easily passing off the alias as his real name.

    =93Please come with me,=94 the man said after a moment of consideration=
.  He led Lois to the back of the building.  On the way, the merchant motio=
ned for his assistant to manage to front.  =


    They reached the merchant=92s personal chamber in a few moments.  Here =
the affluence of this man was clear to see, as many rarities were visible o=
n the walls, and the desk that sat to one side of the room was obviously ex=
pensive, as were the chairs.  They were fashioned expertly out of a hardwoo=
d, which made them of even further value.  Intricate designs were sketched =
across the legs and up the backs, and the one on the merchant=92s side of t=
he desk was padded, which would have incurred an even higher price.

    The man sat down in the padded chair, leaning forward with his elbows o=
n the desk and his hands clasped in front of him.  He motioned Lois into th=
e other seat, which Lois took, sitting in it slightly slumped, so that he c=
ould see the shorter merchant eye to eye.

    =93You spoke of a matter of business,=94 the merchant said, smiling.  =
=93Please, do tell what you are selling.  I am always in the market for new=
 rarities to add to my stock.

    =93The business I have is not about anything I have to sell.  My busine=
ss is to inform you of an imminent threat to you.  I have just returned fro=
m the shop of your competitor on the other side of the city.  It seems that=
 he heard some rumor about my being an assassin, and he wished to hire me t=
o kill you.=94

    This blunt confession of evil intent shocked the merchant to no end.  H=
e stood, drawing a long, thin knife which he held at ready.  Lois remained =
seated, but drew out one of his own daggers, keeping it in a defensive posi=
tion in front of him.  Aside from this act, however, he was quite relaxed.

    =93Please listen to what I have to say,=94 Lois continued as if mention=
ing the day=92s weather.  =93I have no intention of carrying out my job her=
e, and, if the right cards are played, I may not find it necessary to carry=
 it out at all.  You have an interesting situation on your hands.  I am her=
e telling you about this man=92s intent, but my witness alone would hardly =
lead to a conviction of such an outstanding member of the community as he i=
s.  I could, for all anyone knows, just be looking for attention.  I do hav=
e some proof of his intent, however.=94  Here Lois drew out a bag of coin, =
which he laid on the table.  =93In this purse are five garrets, an advance =
of the amount I am owed should I complete the task.=94

    With the knife still drawn, the merchant picked up the bag, opening it =
and spilling the contents on the table.  As promised, five coins lay on the=
 table.

    =93How do I know you are telling the truth?  If you were truly hired to=
 kill me, why have you warned me?=94 the merchant asked, looking at Lois in=
quisitively.

    Lois picked up a small trinket from the table.  It was unmistakably the=
 figure of a person, but the artist had embraced impressionism to the point=
 that Lois found himself hard pressed to decided whether the figure was mal=
e or female.  Finishing his inspection, he answered the question.  =93Surel=
y a man like you can understand that I am solely in the profession for the =
profit.  For this reason, and because I have noticed you doing a brisk busi=
ness here, I wonder if I might not be able to secure payment from you to pe=
rform the job on him.=94

    =93I do not hire assassins, and you have yet to prove that you have act=
ually been hired as you claim=94 the merchant asserted.  =


    =93As for proving my claims, I must leave it to you to decide whether y=
ou=92ll trust me or no.  As for not hiring assassins, I understand complete=
ly.  I have little use for them myself, but think of it this way:  You coul=
d tell the lord of the city about it, and he would likely find it to be jus=
t an attempt to secure profit on your behalf.  In the end, all you accompli=
sh is giving him more reason to hate you, and thus more reason to hire some=
one to kill you.  Alternately, you could do nothing, trusting that I am a l=
iar, and running the risk that I or some other man of my peculiar talents c=
ould be hired to kill you.  You could also hire men to guard you, but I=92m=
 sure that the amount you would have to pay any sort of security would even=
tually far exceed anything that I would possibly ask of you to eliminate yo=
ur problem.=94

    =93Or you could be lying outright, and then I would have nothing to wor=
ry about,=94 the merchant countered.

    =93True, and I suppose you=92re going to let your life ride on this hop=
e?   I give you my word of honor that I am telling the truth, and I am trul=
y in line to secure a high price should I terminate you.=94  As he had been=
 talking, Lois had slowly played his fingers down the length of the dagger=
=92s blade, and now held it by the tip.  As he finished his monologue, the =
flicked the dagger back around into his hand, holding it up in a threatenin=
g gesture.

    =93You=92re trying to frighten me into believing you,=94 the merchant o=
bserved.

    =93Yes, but that=92s just me.  You have other reasons to believe me.  Y=
ou=92ve seen yourself how he envies you.  He will stop at nothing to become=
 the only seller of rare goods in this town.  I know it may sound somewhat =
unbelievable that one would kill for such a thing, but some are greedy enou=
gh to think of it.=94  Lois smiled at the merchant, encouraging him to form=
ulate his own opinion.

    =93It=92s true, he is quite envious of me.  He even sent a spy some tim=
e ago to try to find out the sources of some of my rarest and most popular =
goods.  I complained to the lord about it, but nothing was done.  Still, fr=
om spying to assassination is quite a jump.  On the other hand, the threat =
does seem to carry a bit of truth with it.=94  The merchant was staring off=
 into space thinking.  Lois knew that here would be the best time to make h=
is move, but his hope of a greater reward overruled his itch to complete hi=
s mission.

    =93I=92ll cut you a deal.  You give me fifteen garrets, and I=92ll end =
your trouble,=94 Lois suggested, gathering the coins from the desk back int=
o the bag.

    =93That is completely unreasonable!  It takes me months to come up with=
 that sort of money!=94 the merchant insisted.

    =93Let me lay this out in simple terms for you.  I work for whoever has=
 the most money.  I have already been offered fifteen garrets to terminate =
you.  If you give me fifteen garrets, I will have twenty coins for my effor=
t, five from your friend, fifteen from you.  I will ask nothing more of you=
 than this, and I will end your problems as far as this man goes.=94

    =93Ten garrets,=94 the merchant countered.  Lois gave a small grin.  Th=
is was some progress, at any rate.

    =93You cut me to the quick,=94 Lois said, feigning injury.  =93My work =
goes to the highest bidder.  If you give me ten garrets, I will gain nothin=
g, and I might as well kill you for the same amount of money as it would gi=
ve me to put myself further at risk by switching targets, with you knowing =
that I had been involved in designs on your life, thus making another threa=
t to me.  Fifteen garrets on the spot.=94

    =93Twelve garrets will do you fine,=94 the merchant said, scowling at L=
ois.

    =93Please, if you want me to believe your life is worth my trouble to s=
ave, at least be willing to give me what your competitor has already offere=
d me,=94 Lois insisted.  =93I will take fifteen garrets, and I will be on m=
y merry way.=94

    =93Fifteen garrets, but only ten in advance,=94 the merchant insisted.

    =93It would be an unnecessary risk to return here to collect on this jo=
b, for the both of us.  For me, I might be seen and caught, for you, you mi=
ght be seen with me and connected to the job.  Fifteen garrets, and no one =
will ever know I was ever here.=94

    =93How do you propose to do that?  There are always customers in the fr=
ont, and now a shipment of merchandise is being loaded in the back.=94

    =93I have my ways.  No one will ever see me, and I will end all of your=
 problems with that man in one fell swoop.  Fifteen garrets, no more, no le=
ss.=94

    The merchant scowled, looking at Lois intently.  =93Very well.  My peac=
e of mind is worth fifteen garrets, but you must do the job tomorrow night.=
  Agreed?=94

    =93Quite agreed,=94 Lois said with a smile.  He stood, the dagger still=
 held in his right hand.  =


    =93Wait here,=94 the merchant said.

    =93No, I will not wait here.  I go where you go.  I=92ve seen it done m=
any times that you walk out fir a few moments and return with the authoriti=
es.  I go with you.=94

    =93Very well,=94 the merchant said.  He scowled even more.  =93First, p=
ut your dagger away.=94

    =93Done,=94 Lois said, restoring the dagger to its sheath.  He then fol=
lowed the merchant through another door.  They were now in a back storage a=
rea.  As soon as the merchant had convinced Lois that there were no other e=
ntrances or exits, the man told him to wait at the door.  Lois could see as=
 the man opened a concealed safe, counted the coins, and put them in a bag.=
  He returned quickly, handing Lois the bag of coin.

    =93By the way, how do you propose I explain the deficit of 15 garrets?=
=94 the merchant questioned.

    =93Quite easily, actually.  Surely you have something that expensive th=
at you sell here.  Say you spent it on one of your shipments,=94 Lois expla=
ined.

    =93Now, how do you propose to get out of here?=94

    Lois smiled and turned back into the office.  He went to the window and=
 looked out, making sure that no one was nearby.  =93This should do nicely,=
=94 he commented.  Opening the window, Lois stepped out and was off, leavin=
g the merchant to wonder if he should have trusted this man who called hims=
elf Shade.

    For Lois=92s part, he was quite pleased.  Usually a seller of rare good=
s like this man would have some sort of security to protect him.  Luckily, =
this man seemed more concerned with making a pile of coinage than with his =
own protection.  Also fortunate was the fact that he was still willing to s=
pare a good amount of money to make sure that he would be safe.  Lois could=
 have left town now, but he had a feeling that he would be followed if he d=
id, so he was content to prepare for the job that he would carry out the ne=
xt night.  Hopefully he would be able to navigate through the bodyguards.  =
The other merchant had definitely been more concerned with security than th=
e last one.  Lois idly wondered if he should have stayed with his original =
target, and left it as it was.  The sound of the bag of coins made him much=
 more sure of his decision.


_________________________________________________________________
Explore the seven wonders of the world
http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=3D7+wonders+world&mkt=3Den-US&form=3DQ=
BRE
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.integral.org/archives/mkguild/attachments/20080410/07a14c=
ce/attachment-0001.htm