A Deadly Job Offer

[murf2011]

Eltar climbed up to the second storey window and slipped it open a crack, enough to peer in. Torches were burning, casting shifting light on an empty bedchamber, most likely the Lord of the House's. It was lightly raining, casting a light mist on the city of Cairhien, and leaving Eltar's hair damp and his hands slippery on the intricate carvings of the windowsill. He hoisted himself up into the room, gasping as his hand slipped under him, threatening to send him back out the window. Eltar went into a crouch beside the bed, looking around for a nightstand where jewellery was likely to be placed. None was to be found, so he slipped the door open and rolled through it, coming up against a vase holding withering flowers. It was a short corridor, with only three doors and a stairwell at either end, but brightly lit. Must be the main rooms of the Lord, then, Eltar thought, as he crept along the wall toward the next door, which looked dark from under the door.

 

He opened it, and slipped inside, staying still for a moment to let his eyes adjust. There were shapes on the bed, presumably the Lord and Lady asleep. Definitely going to be some jewellery in here, Eltar thought, allowing himself a small grin. He saw the dark shapes of furniture, and felt his way along them, looking for the nightstand. He passed a table and two chairs and the wardrobe before reaching the stand, finding himself right next to the bed. Eltar held his breath as he lifted the dark shapes on the stand, going by the feel of the pieces, to find out whether it was jewellery or something else he was handling. He slipped the items into his pocket, and turned to move away, but a creak of the bed froze him. He turned his head to see one of the shapes moving, but it settled again without waking. Eltar let out the breath he had been holding, and made his way to the door, which he opened as little as possible before passing through and hurrying to the window he came in.

 

The wind was growing stronger, and the sky looked like it was going to turn into a storm before too long. The sill was wet from the steady rain now hitting it, giving him precarious handholds as he lowered his body outside of the window. Halfway to the ground, his hand slipped, so he pushed himself away from the building, landing on the street and going into a roll, spilling some jewellery out of his pockets. He scrambled to collect it all, not noticing the cloaked figure standing in the shadows under the eaves of a nearby building. Eltar hurried on his way to a brighter street, where he slowed his pace, and checked around for Guards. None were within sight, but that didn't mean they wouldn't be patrolling.

 

He followed the road until he reached an alley by a butcher's shop, which he turned down. It was a clean alley, with basement doors the main focus in the alley. Eltar approached the third away from the street, and tugged on the lock. It opened, having only been pushed to look locked, while it had been unlocked for the day. He opened up the door, and went into the basement, which he had rented out, to turn into a safe retreat from Guards. He emptied his pockets, examining some of the finer pieces he had collected, before dumping it all in a small bag and placing it under the pillow of his cot, which he then laid on, fully clothed, and drifted off to sleep.

 

Eltar Cordwyn ~ Thief

Edited February 27, 2011 by Arlow

[Kathleen]

Seheria had come to the city on a mission. She had heard that there was a number of robberies in this region lately. There was an increase in petty crime everywhere it seemed, but this is the place she had come to, this is where her mission lead, and with the increase in thefts and the world becoming what it was she was hoping to find what she was in search of here.

 

She had traveled lightly and kept her Great Serpent ring, as well as her face, hidden. Aes Sedai were not as unwelcome here as they were in other regions, but she was not here to stand out or be recognized. She had to stay as hidden as she could. Luckily it was raining out this night and so she didn't look too out of place walking the streets with the hood of her cloak up. Most people were off the streets, in their houses for the night or in a tavern out of the rain. She turned down a small side road that she thought was abandoned until she heard a faint scratching noise from above and looked up to see a man quietly scaling the wall. She smiled as she thought she may have found her mark. She wrapped her cloak closer around her and slunk back into the shadow created by the eave and watch the man climb into an open window of the house. She could see the light through the window bend and shift as someone walked around in the room casting shadows and blocking the light. No one would have left torches burning and gone out for the night, and it took quite an amount of skill and confidence to break into a place where people were.

 

Seheria watched the window he had entered from and made sure she had a clear view of the windows down that side road and the ones on the main road as well. She meant to watch this man and she needed to see him leave. She wasn't sure if he would sneak out on his own or if he would get caught and thrown out, but she watched as many exists as she could see and hoped that she wouldn't miss his exit. Sure enough after just a few minutes she saw the man begin to climb out the same window he had entered through. He had a full sack with him and when he lost his hold Seheria was impressed with the way he recovered. A lot of others would have hesitated, fumbled and fallen to the ground, but this one had enough sense to go with it and enough skill to know to roll out of it into an almost silent landing. She stayed still pressed up against the dark building as he gathered a few pieces that fell out of his sack and Seheria kept her distance as she followed the man from the scene.

 

He was on the look out the whole way back to the basement apartment but Seheria was able to stay unseen as she followed him there. She was trying to stay hidden, but she would have dealt with him right then and there had he noticed her, but she waited to see where he was staying. When he went into the room she left and went to a local tavern where she ordered a drink and sat in the back writing a quick letter to the man.

 

Sir,

 

I watched you work at that manor in the night and I was quite impressed with the skill level you showed getting in and out. I was impressed with the amount you managed to get away with in such short time, and how you managed to get out without being noticed by those within. If you are interested, I would like to hire you for similar job. If you do well in it I may even have a second job should you choose to take my coin. Both jobs will pay handsomely, but both could be more difficult and more dangerous than you are used to. If you are up for the challenge I will be waiting for you tomorrow night in the tavern at the end of this road. I will be there at sun down. Find a seat and I will come to you.

 

She left the note unsigned and when she finished writing she folded it up, pulled her cloak's hood up over her head and made her way back out into the rainy night. She made certain there was no one watching her as she slipped down to the basement apartment and slid her note under the door. She hoped the man was still in there, and she hoped more so that he would meet her at the time and place she had outlined in her letter. She knew there was chance that he would see the note as a trap, but she hoped that he would realize she could have easily lead the Guards to his hideout that night and chose not to. Hopefully it would be enough to draw him out.

[murf2011]

Eltar woke to find rays of sunlight outlining the basement door. He raked a hand through his hair, before tying it back with a black band. He got up and walked to the pitcher in the corner, poured water into a bowl, splashed water on his face, before drinking the rest. Drying his face on his sleeve, Eltar grabbed his bag of goodies before heading up the stairs. A small white slip of parchment sat half tucked under the door. He grabbed it and stuffed it in his pocket, and continued up into the alley, closing the door behind him and setting the lock.

 

At sunset, Eltar walked back to the basement, quite happily carrying a heavier bag full of gold and silver from his sales. He placed the bag under the bed, and sat down, reaching into his pocket as he remembered the note. Eltar skimmed it, and one part caught his eye:

If you are interested, I would like to hire you for similar job. If you do well in it I may even have a second job should you choose to take my coin. Both jobs will pay handsomely, but both could be more difficult and more dangerous than you are used to.

 

He grinned and put the note back in his pocket. Nothing better than a challenge that pays, he thought as he walked back onto the street and to the tavern. Only five people were inside, three gambling at a corner table, laughing much too loudly when someone lost spectacularly, indicating that they were free with their money. The other two sat on the other side of the room, conversing quietly with heads together. Eltar sat down at a table barely illuminated, and untied his headband, letting his black hair fall to cover his eyes. A serving girl came over, and he ordered a mug of ale, and pinched her on the bottom as she walked off. She gave him a wink over her shoulder and disappeared into the kitchen. He chuckled and waited for his mug of ale to arrive.

 

Eltar Cordwyn ~ Thief

[Kathleen]

Seheria woke later into the morning than she usually did. She was used to being in the White Tower, and while she didn't get up before the sun like some Aes Sedai, she did make a point to be up not too long after that point. Setting a good example to Novices and Accepted, and making her alert presence in the day to day workings of the Tower known to the other Sisters was something she made herself do even when she wanted to lay in bed. But here there were no Novices or Accepted to influence and no other Sisters to impress or try to out shine. She did have a few things to do but they could all wait for a few more hours as she got to fully enjoy sprawling out on her bed.

 

When she did get out of bed she quickly dressed in a simple blue dress and set her hair in to a loose bun then went out on the town to what information she could gather. It wasn't her purpose for coming out this way, but it couldn't hurt to have what information she could get and it could only serve as a good cover story should she be asked what she was doing on this outing. She didn't end up getting much information, bits and pieces on more hard times and whispers of local's suspicions, but there was nothing concrete and nothing that made her think to run off and solve the problem. As the light of the day began to fade Seherai made her way through the streets of the city to the tavern she had her last meeting of the day at. She had stopped back in at her room in the inn and changed into a different dress, a deep green, lower cut dress, and she let her long dirty blonde hair down. She wore the simple cloak she had warn the day before. It was nicer day today, but the evening would still get cool enough to warrant wearing such a cloak, and he needed something to help keep her covered. She didn't know many people in the city but she didn't want knowledge of this particular meeting to get spread around.

 

She hadn't judged the time as accurately as she would have liked but she made it to the location and slipped into the dimly lit building. She had removed her ring and covered her face enough that she wouldn't be easily seen. She waited at the bar for the serving girl to come over and after a quick chat she was invited into the kitchens. When she came back out to the main room she noticed the man she had come to see was already arrived and she slipped into the seat across from him, keeping her face hidden.

 

"Good evening. I wasn't sure you would even notice the message I left you, let alone if you would trust it enough to come tonight or not. I am most pleased that you did come." Seherai's drink arrived at the table and she took a quick sip then flashed some coin that would more than cover the drink and sent the serving girl away. She hoped that seeing how loose she appeared the money the man would be drawn more to taking her offer. "Before we talk business, perhaps you should tell me a little bit more about you. What can you do? You showed skilled last night, but I need to know if what I saw was the extent of your talents." She sat back and listened to the man explain his abilities and when she was satisfied that he would be capable for the job she explained just exactly what the first job she was hiring him was for. It wasn't the job she ultimately wanted him for, it was more of a test, but she didn't tell him that. If he failed she would find someone else for the job she really needed done, and if he succeeded she would find a use for what she had asked him to retrieve in this test job.

 

"When you have finished with this task, and I have what I need from it, I will you give you the amount we agreed on. If it is not a success," she shrugged, "I'll be sorry I wasted your time." Seheria rose from the table and left the bar. Hopefully when she saw the man again he would have passed this test, and been up for more.

[murf2011]

Eltar's gaze was drawn to the hooded woman emerging from the kitchens. It was odd to see someone inside with a cloak on and hood up, especially with the temperature of the room. She sat down across from Eltar, A feminine voice came from the figure, but stopped when the serving girl brought a drink over for the stranger. "Before we talk business, perhaps you should tell me a little bit more about you. What can you do? You showed skilled last night, but I need to know if what I saw was the extent of your talents," the woman said, and Arlow eyed her, with little success, before answering.

 

" I am loathe to tell of more than my skills, Lady, but those I will talk about easily. I have had winters to work on my talents, and so far, have not been caught, although it has been tough. I have stolen from most merchant houses and a few of the nobles, but never the Palace. I will take a challenge to further sharpen my skills, and am willing to injure a person if needed to escape notice. I do not shy away from tougher jobs, but ask a higher price. Give me a job description, and I will give you a price." Eltar finished, and drank deeply from his mug, noticing a weird taste, but shoving it away in the back of his mind.

 

"A raid was conducted on a home a few days ago. The Guards seized everything, including a silver bracelet, a ring of stars in between the rings. I want you to recover that from the Guard outpost near the Palace. I will give you four days," she said, and Eltar was silent for a moment. "I want thirty gold crowns, and payment for a Reader if needed," Eltar said, unsure of how she would take this price.

 

The hood shifted, responding to a movement of the head inside, and Eltar took another swig of his ale, feeling slightly queasy. Bloody ale, not coming here again, he thought, but kept his face expressionless. "It is agreed then," the woman announced. "When you have finished with this task, and I have what I need from it, I will you give you the amount we agreed on. If it is not a success, I'll be sorry I wasted your time." The woman got up and left, but not before allowing Eltar to catch a glimpse of her dark green dress below the hem of the cloak. Why is it you want to keep hidden? Eltar thought, and got up, leaving a coin on the table.

 

Eltar Cordwyn

Edited March 11, 2011 by Arlow

[murf2011]

Eltar walked along the street with his hands behind his back, glancing into the store-fronts as he passed by. He wasn't interested in any of what was being sold in those shops, but a way to look like just another shopping citizen, not a thief out on a scouting mission. As he approached the barracks, Eltar slowed down, and stared intently at the table in front of the blacksmith's forge. Axes and swords were the main theme on the table, with hammers and thin metal rods lying next to them, which Eltar had no idea what they were for. He glanced up toward the barracks for the City Guards, and saw that the doors were wide open, with men sitting inside a small room around tables. There were a handful of men wandering in and out of the barracks, presumably off-duty Guards. Eltar moved on from the blacksmith to a bootmaker's store. He walked inside and nodded to the bootmaker before turning around and looking out the window, where he got a good view up the side of the barracks. There were latched windows running up the side of the barracks, and another door. I need to see the inside, he thought. He left the shop and wandered up the street, past the barracks, to an abandoned alley.

 

Eltar came sprinting out of the alley, shouting to clear the way. "Guards! Guards! Help!," he yelled, and stopped at the open door, grabbing the frame and bending over, pretending to gasp for breath. "What is it?" One of the Guards asked, leaping to his feet. "The Guards... Down at, the docks... A riot... Told me to fetch...more Guardsmen..." Eltar grinned as they rushed to the rooms and grabbed weapons and uniforms, pulling jackets on as they ran out the door, pushing Eltar aside. He waited for the last of them to run out, and slipped inside. He walked quickly across the the hallway, and entered the first room. It was a shared room, with two beds, so Eltar backed out and tried the next few. It was the fifth room that Eltar stopped in, spotting shelves lining the walls. He hurried over to them and shifted through the various items, looking for the bracelet. "Oi! What do you think you're doing in here?!," a man yelled, and Eltar turned to face a Guardsman who was running late, or had just arrived and found the barracks empty. "I was looking, for, a Guardsman, but the building is empty," Eltar replied, his eyes darting about the room, finally landing on a table near the door, with the bracelet sitting in the center of empty mugs and coppers. "I think it's off to the cells, with you," the Guard said, moving into the room.

 

Eltar shook his head and ran for the table, grabbing the bracelet, and turned to plow into the Guardsman. He didn't have much muscle on him, and went down quite easily. Eltar scrambled up and out of the room, into the hallway. A handful of Guards appeared at the open door leading to the street, so Eltar went for the alley door. It was unlocked, and he scrambled through it and up the alley, sprinting across the main road into yet another alley. This one split into numerous alleyways, so Eltar took the third from the right and dove behind the refuse, just before the Guards turned up. They searched the alley for the better part of an hour, one almost walking over Eltar, before giving up and heading back to the barracks. Eltar waited a short while just to make sure they were really gone before getting up and going back to his hide-out below the shop.

 

Eltar sat at the inn he had sat at two nights ago, when he met with the mysterious lady. He sat in the same place, with a mug in his hands, but with clean clothes on, waiting for this lady to show up. He pulled the bracelet out of his pocket and turned it in his hands, examining it. Nothing caught his attention however, so he scanned the room again, waiting.

 

Eltar Cordwyn ~ Thief

[Kathleen]

Seheria sat at the mirror in her room at the inn and let her hair fall out of the clip she had just finished putting in it. She wasn't one to fuss with her hair often, and she was only doing it now to keep from pacing. She didn't want to be sitting in the inn fixing her hair, she wanted to out by the guard's barracks where she could watch the man she had hired the night before do the job she was paying him to do. It was a test and she felt as though she should be there grading him, watching to see how well he did it. She wanted to be sure he didn't get someone else to do it and then claim the prize. She couldn't afford to make any mistakes in who she hired. She sighed as she picked up the brush and began to run it through her hair. She wished she were down there watching, but she knew that she couldn't be seen watching him or spending too much time with him. She had to be invisible and their interaction had to look nonexistent. She could not be tied to crimes, and she could not be tied to this man. She set the brush on the small table in front of her and began to cross her hair over itself, almost without thinking about the common motions of forming the braid.

 

When her hair was in place she studied her reflection, looking for anything out of place. If she was going to go to the trouble of putting her hair up, she was going to make sure it was done to perfection. She smiled as decided it was up to her standard and rose from her seat. She didn't want to pace, but she couldn't sit any longer. It would seem odd to have an Aes Sedai come to town and sit in the room in the inn all day. People would wonder why she came if she was only staying in the room and no one ever came there to see her. When they started wondering it wouldn't take long for them to start talking and when they started talking it wouldn't take long for rumors to spread. If she were out doing something people would notice, but it wouldn't seem as odd and while they may talk ask friends if they had noticed her the talk wouldn't grow as quickly or viciously as it would if she left more mystery for herself.

 

She spent most of the day walking through the town in and out of stores trying to look like she was doing something more than waiting for the sun to set. She did spend some time talking with the healers of the city, she always made a point to do that when she was in any town that had them, and if the town had none she would always do what she could to set some girls up and train them as well as she could before she left. They didn't have much news, more illness this year than last, but that wasn't uncommon to hear lately. They were dealing with it as well as they could. Seheria left them enough coin to buy more supplies of things they were low on, but they were holding up for supplies fairly well.

 

The day was finally ending and Seheria made her way back to the tavern where she had first met with the thief. Once again she arrived before the man and was taken back into the kitchens after a short wait at the bar. She nodded a warm greeting to her bartender friend as she was left alone with him in the out of the view of the patrons, and handed him a vile from her pouch. She asked him if he remembered the man she had sat with when she was last visiting and when he nodded she gave him the instructions to add the contents of the vile to the drink he ordered. The man knew better than to ask questions, he wouldn't have them answered if he did. He just tucked the vile into a pocket and said that he would do as he was told. Seheria thanked him and slipped him a coin, she knew he would have done it without the bribe, but this was just to be even more certain.

 

When she left the kitchens the man she was waiting for still hadn't arrived, but it wasn't long before he did. She waited as he ordered his drink and she watched from a seat close to the bar as her friend slipped the vile out and poured its contents into the mug of ale the thief had ordered. Seheria smiled and waited a few more minutes until the drink arrived at the table and her new aquaintance had a chance to have a few mouthfuls. He pulled out the bracelet Seheria had paid him to retrieve and the woman couldn't help but smile. He had completed the task and hadn't ended up locked away. His price was high, but he had passed the test. She made sure to hide her face as she made her way over to him, she knew it would look out of place but she would rather him be able to fully describe a stranger who stood out that he couldn't put a face to, than to be able to point out her face in a crowd or react to it should he see it again.

 

She slipped into the seat across from him and eyed the bracelet in his hand. "So, it seems you were successful." She said in as friendly a voice as she could muster. "Though I didn't think you would have any trouble with it. There wasn't any wall scaling or seeing in the dark to be done, and I knew you had no problem with walking, looking and lifting such a light piece." Her drink arrived at the table and she nodded to the serving girl as she took a sip.

[murf2011]

Eltar had only taken a few swallows of his ale before his employer showed up and sat down across from him. "So, it seems you were successful.Though I didn't think you would have any trouble with it. There wasn't any wall scaling or seeing in the dark to be done, and I knew you had no problem with walking, looking and lifting such a light piece," the stranger said, with a nod to the servinng girl as she brought over a drink. Eltar looked at the bracelet once more before sliding it across the rough tabletop. "I ran into minor difficulties, but nothing I couldn't handle. The job doesn't deserve such a high price. I will lower it to 20 gold crowns, and if you wish to rehire me, I will keep prices low," Eltar said, taking another swig of ale, which was more than half-empty now.

 

Didn't I say I wasn't going to drink this ale?, he thought, and the queasy feeling he got last time came back stronger, as well as an itch in his throat. He coughed, trying to get rid of it, but it didn't go away. He rubbed at his throat, but ceased when he realised he might look weak in the stranger's eyes. She slid across a fat purse to him after he had composed himself, and Eltar put it into his pocket without looking inside. The weight of it felt about right for 20 gold crowns, leaving Eltar to wonder if she somehow knew he was going to lower his price. He pushed the mug to the side, and leaned back, his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for her to speak.

[Kathleen]

The thief lowered the price for the bracelet job and Seheria wasn't one to argue when she was getting the better deal, so she slipped some coin out of the purse she had prepared earlier before she raised it into view and slid it across the table. Holding the bracelet in her hands she waved off a thought on what to do with the useless thing. She had never wanted the bracelet but she would get rid of it somewhere. She almost felt badly for the man, if he waited to hear the job and price that was in store for him he would probably rethink his decision to lower the price for his past work. Seheria smiled as the man coughed and began to fidget. The drink appeared to be doing its job. Hopefully it would be enough. Seheria set her drink down when the man sat back and crossed his arms, clearly waiting for the next job. He would soon wish he weren't so impatient.

 

"I'm glad to hear you are willing to take on another job, but like I said before, the jobs I have for you get much more difficult. I am sure you are capable, or I wouldn't have considered you for them. However, I name the price. I know it may sound harsh, but don't worry, it is a very high price I am willing to pay you and one that I think you will have no problem accepting." She paused to gauge the man's response, but he showed very little. She knew she had to be careful, but the advantage would be on her side. Where to start to have the most impact?

 

"That drink you have just finished, and the one you had the first night we met, they both tasted rather terribly didn't they?" Seheria waited for the man to nod, "Do not lay that on the choice of ale, rather what has been mixed with it. I am afraid you have been given quiet a large amount of poisoning. Before you set to panicking, I can help you." Seheria pulled a vial out of her pouch and set it on the table to show the man. "The contents of this vial will ease the poison's effects and will slow the damage to your body. With enough of this you can overcome the deadly effect of the poison that is in your system now, slowly killing you. I have only what is in this vial and sadly it is not enough to counteract the dose of poisoning you have ingested. However, when you complete the jobs I have set for you your payment will be a vial of this antidote. I can only get it in small doses, but I will see you supplied to full health if you complete the tasks I ask of you. If you do not succeed in these tasks, you will not receive your payment for them. If you do not wish to take my job offer, that is your choice, but keep in mind, if you do not take the job you do not get the payment." Seheria scooped the vial up off the table for effect and waited for the man reply.

[murf2011]

"I'm glad to hear you are willing to take on another job, but like I said before, the jobs I have for you get much more difficult. I am sure you are capable, or I wouldn't have considered you for them. However, I name the price. I know it may sound harsh, but don't worry, it is a very high price I am willing to pay you and one that I think you will have no problem accepting. That drink you have just finished, and the one you had the first night we met, they both tasted rather terribly didn't they?" Eltar nodded, uncertain as to how she could tell.

"Do not lay that on the choice of ale, rather what has been mixed with it. I am afraid you have been given quiet a large amount of poisoning. Before you set to panicking, I can help you." Eltar felt confused, and wasn't sure to believe her or not, but he looked at the dregs in his mug, and could see drops of powder collected on the bottom. He kept a straight face, however. No need for this woman to know she had him on edge. Eltar decided to err on the side of caution, and when the lady was finished speaking, he said, " I will accept your offer, although I don't see why you would need to poison me to make sure I would accept your work." What kind of jobs could they be?, he wondered.

 

He desperately wanted another drink, but dared not order here, in case the woman wasn't satisfied. Eltar stood up and held out his hand, waiting for the woman to give him the vial, the other hand behind his back, under his coat, gripping a knife as a safeguard against it being a trap.

Edited April 4, 2011 by Arlow

[Kathleen]

"I will accept your offer, although I don't see why you would need to poison me to make sure I would accept your work." Seheria wanted to smile, this was going very well. She had been nervous that he would catch her in the lie. She still wasn't used to even being physically able lie, let alone doing it so convincingly, but the man had believed he was truly poisoned. This was not the time to congratulate herself, she was not done yet.

 

"You may not see the need now, but when you see the job description it will be clear. I think you have gone through enough today, and we stayed here far to long. In a few days you will find a note from me where you found the first one I sent. It will explain what your job is and how to go about receiving your payment." Seheria debated tossing him the rest of the coin she had come with, but he had turned it down so she decided against it. "This should keep you going long enough to receive the letter and do the job if you move swiftly. I told you this job would be a challenging one, and for your sake, I hope you are up to that challenge." She set the vial gently on the table, rose gracefully from the table and strode away into the night before the man had a chance to second guess the whole thing and before she had a chance to show her nerves.

 

~Seheria Mori

[murf2011]

Eltar released his grip on the knife and sat back down, slowly. As the woman walked away, he stared at the vial sitting on the table, slowly reaching for it. He grabbed it, and pulled the stopper on the end, and glanced at it once more before tipping it into his mouth. It had no taste, that he could tell, but the nausea in his stomach faded slightly. Eltar stood again, and walked out of the tavern, not looking back. He reached his little hideout, and locked the door behind him before collapsing on his pallet, not even bothering to remove his boots before going to sleep, his mind whirling.

 

He woke up the next morning with a dull headache and wrinkled clothes. Without changing, he opened the door, and stared at the white letter sitting on the step. Eltar grabbed it and shoved it into his coat pocket before leaving to seek out a Reader to see if she could do anything about his headache. Before he got to the end of the alley though, he stopped and pulled out the letter. He unfolded it and looked up to make sure no one was near him before reading. It said:

I trust you are feeling better after recieving the first dose of antidote. I am sorry that I did not have enough to cure you completely, but as promised, the details of your new job and how to get your payment are laid out below. In a few days you will recieve another letter. It will simply state the name of a person and two locations. The first location will be where you can find this person. Your job: dispose of them. I don't care how you do it, so long as you cannot be traced. The more quiet and unnoticable you make it the better. You must take something to prove that you did the job and go to the second location where you are to leave your proof. When I am satisified you completed the task you will be supplied with more of the antidote. I know this is a lot to take in, but you will not have much time. If you leave it too long between doses of the antidote the poision will over power you. Don't worry, you should be able to feel when you need it and if you do the jobs swiftly you will have your payment within a day of leaving your proof. There will be more of these letters coming in the same fashion. If you repeat this simple process each time you will have your full pay, and your full health.

Burn this letter as soon as you have read it, for your sake.

Eltar shook his head. She believes that I can kill someone? But I must, he thought sadly. Grimacing, he put the letter into his pocket again, planning to burn it later that day. He continued down the street to the Reader's house, which, incidentally, was only four buildings away from the tavern where he had been poisoned. He knocked, and the Reader, a short, graying woman, opened the door and escorted him in to the table, while she put tea on. "Now, what is your problem?" She asked while waiting for the water to boil. "Don't leave out any details, tell me what's happened, and be assured, I won't pry into your business," the Reader said, and Eltar let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. "I was told I had been poisoned, good mistress, and was wondering if you would have an antidote for me," Eltar replied, and the Reader got up and walked to his side.

 

"Open your mouth," she commanded, and prodded at his tongue and the inside of his cheek before examining her finger. She placed her hand on his forehead to take his temperature. " Have you experienced any reactions from it?," she asked, pouring the tea into two cups. I have felt nauseous for a while now, and had a sore throat since I swallowed the liquid, and I awoke this morning with a headache," he said, and she brought the two cups over to the table, sitting down after passing Eltar one of them. "It does indeed sound as if you have been poisoned, but without knowing what kind it is, I'm afraid I have no antidote for you. I'm sorry." Eltar didn't believe what she said, how could she not? She was a Reader, a herb-woman. It was expected of her to have cures! "Surely you must have something that can help me!," he exclaimed, standing up. But the Reader merely shook her head, and Eltar felt bad for raising his voice. "I thank you for your effort, kind mistress," Eltar said, and left the building, leaving the tea sitting there untouched. He wandered the streets until dark, not wanting to stay still, before going back to his basement hide-out and falling onto his pallet. This time though, he took his boots off.

 

 

Eltar Cordwyn ~ Thief

[murf2011]

A murmured voice outside awoke Eltar, and he jumped up from the pallet and ran across to the door. He swung it open and spotted a letter sitting just outside, with a hooded person fleeing into the morning mist. Grabbing the letter, Eltar swung the door shut and set off after the deliverer. But before too long, he had lost the person in the mist, and was starting to get cold feet. Surprised, he looked down, and grimaced when he saw that he had forgotten his boots, and had been running through Foregate in his stockings. Glad that it was still early, he hurried back to his hide-out, and settled onto the pallet and slit the letter open with one finger. It had three lines of words on it.

 

Reader Leain.

Small one storey house near The Badger's Den.

Stout iron-banded barrel behind The Badger's Den.

 

Eltar stared at the letter for a moment, trying not to think about what he was about to do. Then, he slipped his feet into the boots he had left behind on his earlier outing, and made his way out of his hide-out. He wandered the streets for a while, long enough for people to wake and begin going about their business, before finding the house. His mood sunk even further when he saw that this was the house that he had been to the day before, and he thought sadly of the kind old woman that had tried to help him. Eltar went back to The Badger's Den and circled around until he found the dank alley running behind the building. Sure enough, there sat the barrel, and when he lifted the lid, it barely made any noise at all. He entered the tavern via the kitchens, and sat in the corner with a mug of ale. It was the best he had ever tasted.

 

It was nightfall before Eltar moved from his table at the tavern, not looking forward to the task he had set for him this night by a mysterious woman. He exited the tavern and walked to the Reader's house, where there was still a candle burning in one of the windows. Eltar took a deep breath and drew his dagger, concealing it so the blade laid against his wrist lengthways. He stepped forward and knocked on the door with his free hand, and it was but a moment before the door opened to reveal the Reader. When she saw his face, hers lit up with a smile. "Ah, welcome back, young man. What ails you this evening?" she asked, ushering him into the kitchen again, where she sat him at the table. He placed his hands in his lap, trying to stop them from shaking. "I... I have to do something... But it's not something I want to do," Eltar said slowly, not looking up for fear of meeting her eyes. She reached across the table and lifted his chin, raising his eyes to meet hers. "Ah," Leain made a small noise as she saw something in his eyes.

 

"So it's my time, is it?" she asked him, and he nodded, trying to stop from trembling. "It was bound to come sooner or later. I have lived a full life, and do not regret it. I request one thing though," Leain told him, and the tone in her voice calmed him. "What is it that you wish?" Eltar said, wishing he didn't sound so pitiful. "That you remember me, no matter what." Eltar nodded. He could understand the need to be remembered. "I... I promise I will remember you," he told her, and raised his hands to show the dagger. "I'm glad you came this way, rather than slitting my throat in my sleep. I will face my death on my terms," Leain stood as she spoke, and walked around the table to grasp his hand, guiding it, and the dagger, towards her chest. "Don't hesitate. Please," Eltar felt her start to press the tip of the dagger against her chest, where her heart was. He felt a tear roll down his cheek as he pushed the dagger into the kind woman. " I'm sorry. I didn't want to do this," he said, and she smiled at him, as if she understood the situation. Then her eyes glazed over, and she began to slump to the floor. Eltar caught her, tears flowing freely now, and laid her on the ground, and crossed her hands upon her chest. He withdrew his blade, and wiped it shakily on a rag on the table, before cutting a lock of her hair, and hurrying from the house back to his basement. He sank to his pallet and cried as he had when he was but a child, and the only image that came to his mind was the woman's smile.

 

 

~Eltar Cordwyn Thief/Murderer

[murf2011]

Eltar wandered the streets of Cairhien aimlessly, not paying attention to where he was walking, brushing past guards without a second glance, causing them to look after him. He entered a dimly lit tavern without looking at the sign, and looked around. There were only a few people in there, with one game of dice in the back corner, and two merchants seated near the gamblers. Eltar took a seat at the table between the merchants and the gamblers, and ordered a mug of ale. As he waited for the serving girl to bring the drink, he drew circles on the table with his knife, peeling the wood slightly. Snatches of the gambler's conversation reached his ears, and Eltar stiffened as he heard the topic.

 

"That Reader that was murdered, she was a spy apparently," one of the men said as he rolled the dice. Eltar didn't realise he had moved until he stood at the table, looking down at the three surprised men. " Who was she spying for?" he asked quietly. "I... I'm not sure... Maybe a sight of coin could jog my memory, milord," the man who had caught Eltar's ear grinned in anticipation. Eltar dug into his purse and pulled out a coin. Silver gleamed in the low light, and the men's eyes followed the coin as Eltar waved it. "Who?" was all he said. "I heard it was the Aes Sedai, milord," a second man piped up before the first could, and beamed when Eltar tossed him the coin. He walked out without waiting for the ale he ordered, and didn't see the fight erupt over the coin he had given the gambler. I killed an Aes Sedai spy, he thought, and groaned. Now that it was spreading through the taverns, he was sure that the sisters would soon descend upon Cairhien looking for the killer.

 

Eltar reached his basement room by midday, starting to feel faint hunger. He opened the door, and saw another letter sitting there on the first step into the basement. As the door swung closed, he grabbed the letter and descended, grabbing a chunk of bread as he sat, staring at the letter for a long time. He had dropped off the lock of hair he had cut from the Reader, and had gotten the antidote a few days after that. It had been more than a week since he had taken the antidote, and he was starting to feel sick the day that he had received the antidote. The antidote didn't seem to have worked though, and although he managed to ignore it, the sick feeling had slowly grown. Eltar slit open the letter with his knife and read the instructions, dropping the letter to the ground and leaving immediately, hoping to get another dose of the antidote sooner, before the sickness grew worse.

 

It was dusk by the time he had decided how to go about the task this time. He had spotted an attic window around the back, and hadn't seen anyone enter the house for the better part of the day that he had been watching the house. Hopefully, he would be able to complete his task before he was found out by Aes Sedai. Eltar waited until the pair of guards that were patrolling the area he was in passed, and slipped into the side alley, where he reached up to places that were missing bricks and began to climb. His foot slipped, and only the death grip he had on the gutter saved him from falling into the alley. The window was closed, and when Eltar pushed against it, it didn't move. He braced himself, and placed his foot against the window. It slid inward slowly, which was more than he expected, as he was pushing against the hinges. Indeed, they started pulling out of the wood, as it wasn't very well constructed. The gap between window and sill had widened enough for a knife to slip through and unlock it. He pulled the window open the proper way, and pulled himself through, leaving the window open for a quick exit. A small amount of light from the landing below lit the stairs up and a small portion of the attic, letting Eltar descend the stairs without worrying about breaking his neck on the stairs. A door closing made Eltar spin around, knife ready to throw, but it must have been someone entering rather than leaving the room. Eltar slowly returned to the attic, and left through the window, closing it fully.

 

Eltar had been sitting on the roof for close to three hours, watching as the glow died from each of the windows below him, until the house was dark. He had marked the room that had someone in it with a twig that had been sitting in the gutter, and decided it was time to move. As he climbed down, wind tugged at his clothing, trying to pull him away from the wall. He reached the window of the occupied room, and peered in. From the faint moonlight shining in, he could make out the bed, and the furniture surrounding it. It was a clear path from the window to the bed, and Eltar grinned as he looked down and saw a particularly large pile of rubbish below the window, piled from wall to wall of the alley. His knife slid under the window easily, lifting the latch on the inside. He used the knife to lever the window open, and slipped inside.

 

Taking a deep breath, he held it and moved to the bed, where there was a mound on the window side. He found dark brown hair on the pillow, and grimaced before covering the woman's mouth and stabbing her in the throat. There was a muffled cry that became a gurgle, and he grabbed the bracelet that was on the nightstand before looking at her. " I'm sorry," he whispered, and turned to walk back to the window. The door slammed open, and there stood a bear of a man. He looked at Eltar, then at the bed, and charged toward Eltar. Eltar's face registered shock, as he hadn't seen the man enter when he had been watching the building earlier, but didn't allow his surprise to slow his reactions. He turned and ran at the window, diving out of it, hoping the rubbish was stacked high enough to break his fall. It was, although he knew he was going to have bruises in the morning. The man had stuck his head out of the window, yelling for guards, and Eltar quickly got up and ran for the alley opposite the one he was in, across the main street.

 

Eltar had managed to avoid the guards by hiding in the piles of rubbish in the alleys as they searched around the house that the murder had taken place in. It was almost dawn before he reached the inn where he was to leave the evidence. He went to the barrel out the back and put the plain silver bracelet on it, and made his way back to the basement. He stopped ignoring the sickness, and felt that he needed the antidote before too long, otherwise he would be too sick to move from his bed. As he fell onto the pallet, his last thought was that if the Aes Sedai were involved, there was not much time before he was caught.

 

Eltar ~ Thief

 

(Continued on in Hunting the Hunter)

Edited July 31, 2011 by Arlow