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[Rigger]

15th of Winter 512

Stepping into the early morning light, Rigger looks up and down the balcony of his parents apartment building (realising that until this morning, it was his apartment building too). There is little happening, so he turns back to the door and accepts the keys from Rogger, his father, kisses his mother on the cheek and turns, heading out, towards his new apartment.

Walking down East Street with an unusually light mood, he weaves his way through the usual mixture of sailors, whores, traders, thieves and who knows what else. He knows from experience that he's not likely to be bothered. His nondescript clothing is usually enough. When that doesn't work, its often enough to show make his physique, tall and muscular, more clear by throwing back his cloak. Today, if that's not enough, the long sword his father has given him, hung in its scabbard from the specially designed belt that was also a gift from Rogger, makes his feel extra secure. It does not occur to Rigger that he's not particularly skilled with the sword.

As it happens he's not bothered by anyone and a few whores traders, thieves and friends he knows call out greetings. He even accepts a gift of a slightly aged red apple from a trader he helped a few months ago. Eventually reaching his new building, Rigger makes a slow circuit of the block, getting to know the setting that will now be his home, at least for the time being. Satisfied that while this place is not new or even pretty, it is clean and tidy, he checks the apartment number and makes his way through the apartment building to the third floor and his front door. Taking a moment to marvel at the fact that this front door is, in some form, his, Rigger opens the door and enters.

His first impression is of a small, simply furnished apartment that has not been lived in for some time. This might be how his parents were able to afford the deposit. He crossing to the windows and pulls back the heavy curtains, letting in the light. He turns and surveys the room again, in this brighter light, with a smile.

He puts his backpack and his equipment on the floor near the window and starts to clean up, using the broom to sweep and wipe away the few cobwebs. Changing to a dry cloth and finally a wet cloth, he makes the rooms neat, tidy and clean.

Looking out the window again, Rigger notices that it is near noon. He moves to the window, leans on the frame and looks out, observing the other apartments, roofs, walls, streets, paths, including paths that traverse the roofs. He sees a young woman tidying an apartment across the way. From what he can see she's beautiful and he keeps watching with a small grin.

Rigger's reverie is broken by a knock at the door. Its the trader's boy, delivering a basket of food "From your Mum." Rigger nods and takes the basket from the boy, puts it on the table and shows the boy out.

Rigger packs the food away then makes himself some lunch before he heads out again.

The afternoon crowd on East Street is, as usual, more than the morning. It will be difficult to move without bumping into people by late evening. Wondering where he might find someone who can use his skills, he pauses in a doorway and watches the crowd pass. The whores are less desperate than those of the early morning and getting more business. As he watches he sees a group of well dressed young men walking up the street. Everyone watches them. The whores call out their services and one of the young men blushes as his companions rib him good naturedly. Rigger continues to watch as sees that the blushing lad has his coin purse where it can be easily seen. Glancing about the crowd, Rigger can seen that several thieves have noticed.

Rigger moves to the next alley off the street and continues to watch. The thieves set themselves up for a series of pass offs that is likely to end at this alley (although it might not). As he, and many others on the street, watch, a beautiful young whore, easily the most beautiful on the street, walks up to the blushing lad. She steps in front of him and kisses him boldly on the mouth and puts his hand on her breast. He tries to remove it. She holds it there. When he keeps it there she rubs his crotch with one hand while cutting the cords holding his money pouch with the small blade held between the fingers of her other hand.

She passes the pouch to one of the thieves and whispers something in the young man's ear. He says something back. She steps back, slaps his face and yells "How dare you? What do you think I am? Some poxed gutter whore? I'm a good girl I am, and I' ain't doing that with you or your friends!" With a huff and a flounce she walks away from them, grinning once the lads cannot see her face, to the hoots and cat calls of the watching crowd.

The thieves quickly and stealthily pass the pouch from person to person, not hiding it if you know what to look for, until the last in the chain of pass offs heads into the alley. This thief is a skinny thin boy with black teeth and sores on his face.

Rigger steps into the alley behind the boy and grabs his arm. Whirling the boy and pushing him against the wall of the alley, Rigger takes the pouch off the boy, grabs the boys hand and holds it open while he tips in half the contents of the pouch "That'll do you and your lads, and leaves some for me." Rigger steps back and pulls back his cloak to reveal his sword, growling "Now shove off! You never saw me!"

The boys grins at him, knowing he's lucky to get half the loot rather than none, and runs away. Rigger walks back to the street and sees that the young men have moved a little further up the street. Rigger follows them, catching up when they stop to look at a traders stall.

Rigger taps the shoulder of the young man what was blushing. When the young man turns Rigger says "You lost something" and holds up the pouch. The young man feels for his pouch and looks horrified that it is not there.

When the young man reaches for the pouch Rigger pulls it back "Its not all there. They will have taken some each." He hands the pouch to the man and takes a step back.

The man opens the pouch and looks through it. His friends are looking at Rigger suspiciously. "He's right."

One of his friends grabs the front of Riggers cloak and says quietly and intensely "You took the extra!"

"Why would I give you half when I could have kept it all." He looks at the group "You really are fools for coming to East Street dressed like that with no protection. If you're still here by dark, you'll be lucky to leave at all, let along alive."

The man holding his cloak grunts and lets go.

The blushing man says "I believe I owe you some thanks." He looks Rigger in the face "Pull back your hood sir, so that I might see you better." Rigger reaches up and pulls back his hood. "The face of my saviour. I suppose you might be able to protect us?"

Rigger shrugs "I might, but there are others better at that than me. I can help you find the people you need. I can help with all sorts of things." He holds out his hand.

The blushing man shakes it "I'm Jordis. We're new students at the University. Perhaps we might need some help, at least for a while." He turns to his friends and that whisper among themselves while Rigger watches the crowd watching them. His observation is enough for them to stay away, for now.

Jordis turns back "If you can get us protection until dusk, we have some other tasks for you."

"I can do that. You'll need 10 silver Mizas. As for the rest, lets start small and see how we go." Jordis hands over the money "Wait here" says Rigger as he surveys the crowd. He sees a couple of well muscled sailors he knows from when he was running errands from the Fish Market and points to them with his chin.

They meet on the street near Jordis and his friends, "Jock, Jim, how's 2 silver Mizas each to watch these idiots until the get back to the University?"

Jock looks at Jim, then at Rigger "4."

Rigger winces "3?"

"1 now, 2 at the University."

Jim grimaces and Jock says "2 now, 1 later."

Rigger spits in his palm and holds it out. Jock and Jim spit in theirs and they shake hands with Rigger. He pays them 2 of the silver Mizas each. "Come on then."

Rigger walks to Jordis and his group "Where to?"

The rest of the day passes quietly with Jock leading Rigger, Jordis and the group, followed by Jim.

When they reach the University, and Jordis and his friends are heading inside, Rigger pays Jock and Jim and trot off. Rigger knows they're headed for The Kelp Bar. Jordis, who has been watching the transaction, says "You made a tidy profit today. Well done. Come back tomorrow morning if you want to make some more. I need a few things."

Jordis watches Rigger carefully until Riggers nods "See you in the morning then. Wait at that bench." pointing to bench to one side. Rigger nods and Jordis pats him on the shoulder and heads into the University.

Rigger ponders his day as he wanders back to East Street and his apartment. There might be something in the service industry. More profit if he learns to use his sword.

He's still pondering the implications of this when he reaches his apartment. He enters, cooks up a meal and settles in to catch some sleep before the early start.

[Rigger]

16th of Winter, 512

Waking up with new aches and pains from the different bed, Rigger again admires the view from his windows. The young woman who was tidying across the way is also up and about, getting ready for her day. Remembering with twitch that he has an appointment at the University, Rigger hurriedly breaks his fast and leaves.

An uneventful journey to the University later, Rigger takes a seat on the bench as agree with Jordis and waits. While it is cold, the winter fogs, rains and storms that so often sweep in off the sea are no showing themselves so Rigger puts his head back, closes his eyes and lets the rays of the sun warm his face. Sitting quiet and still Rigger looks asleep and is listening to the sounds of the city around him.

Footsteps quietly crunching over the gravel of the path alert Rigger to the approach of someone, so he opens his eyes and looks around, deliberately not looking at the approaching individual straight away, instead looking around again. He notices that Jordis' friends are also here stopped some distance away, having all arrived by different routes. It seems Jordis does not trust him yet.

Looking now at the approaching Jordis, Rigger notices that Jordis is equally well dressed as yesterday but in different clothes. Obviously Jordis could afford to lose the money he paid Rigger yesterday. Rigger nods in greeting.

Jordies sits beside him "Good morning my friend. I hope this winter morning finds you well." Rigger grunts in reply. Jordis continues "As a student of the University I will need, from time to time, to obtain some unusual items. I propose that you will find them for me and I will pay you a fee. You will, from time to time, make arrangements for me when I need to travel to the, shall we say, less salubrious part of our fair city. As we get to know each other, you may have more to do." Rigger nods.

"How shall you be paid? Well I believe that a small retainer" Jordis hands Rigger 1 silver Miza "and a fee for each task might be appropriate. What say you?"

Rigger turns the coin over and over in his hand while he ponders Jordis' suggestion. The silence in the discussion hangs, like a storm cloud ready to burst. Jordis blurts "Well?"

Rigger smiles inwardly, letting nothing show on his face and says "Right now I find that acceptable. If it changes, we will discuss that at the time. How do you propose to contact me?"

Jordis, who was obviously not as well prepared as he thought, ponders this for a few moments "You will meet me here on the morning of every second day."

"I cannot do that. I have other things I need to do. How else?"

Jordis scratches his chin "I will have mark" he makes an X with his fingers "placed on the wall of that" he points to the first of the University buildings towards East Street "building and you will meet me here at this time, on the second morning."

Rigger looks at Jordis "What if I am not here then?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. I will not be happy."

Rigger shrugs "Got anything for me now?"

"As a matter of fact I do. Go to the General Store and buy me a vial of squid ink and 5 goose quills." Rigger holds out his hand. Jordis looks at it.

Rigger says "Well I'm not paying for it out of my money."

Jordis sighs and hands over 5 silver Mizas "Deliver them here at this time tomorrow morning", stands up and walk away. Looking around, Rigger notices that Jordis' friends are also leaving the various ways they came.

Rigger leans back, puts his head back, closes his eyes and ponders this new development while enjoy what little strength is in the winter sun on his face.

[Rigger]

A little while later Rigger sits his head and looks around at the flow of students and staff heading to the University. While they represent a wide cross section of society, covering most races and levels of opulence, there are few if any that look they'd be at home on East Street, except perhaps for a night of drunkenness and debauchery. With a grunt Rigger stands and heads for the General Store.

Taking a circuitous route, for no other reason than he has no reason to hurry, Rigger makes his way to the Docks. He's been here enough times to know his way around, not so many that he's well known. He's always been fascinated by the Docks with their ships coming and going, people from all over Mizahar and trade goods and food. There's always something happening, someone arriving, someone else leaving. Leaning against a warehouse wall, he watches the hustle and bustle. It's obvious that the stevedores know their business. They are efficient and well organised. After a few minutes he has discerned what must the patterns of movement, who gives way to who, walking onboard a ship via one plank and off via another.

He continues to watch as sees a thief pick the pocket of a well dressed new arrival. The luckless thief is spotted by a nearby sailor, seized, the booty returned to the new arrival and marched away towards the city. Rigger ponders this for a moment and makes his heads off for the General Store.