Completed Not Fast Enough

[Cor Alspach]

10th of Winter, 515

The boy felt bad for closing his apartment door with a slam. Not because the door was closed right in front of his grandmother’s concerned face. No, he’d happily do that again not to hear her constant gibberish. He felt bad because he was sure he heard Pan let out a bark as he walked away. The dog had been particularly tired after the morning’s sit at the gates. He didn’t want to disturb him but he did. Next time he would just have to close the door quieter. Poor pup.

The boy blended with the crowd magnificently. He didn’t have his pack on today, had to stay small. His head was angled to the floor and his face wore a bored expression on it as he made his way through the Bittern district. His lips moved as he walked. There were words but no sounds came out as the boy went over his plan for the day. “Winthrop, catch something, then Tooth ‘n Claw, Tooth ‘n Claw,” his lips mouthed over and over. It became somewhat of a chant with his right hand tapping on his leg to keep the time of it. Nobody paid attention to a child muttering to himself, there were other things far more important.

Cor hesitated for the briefest of seconds as he crossed the line into Winthrop Alley. It was hardly noticeable even to himself. Just the slight pause of a gear shifting in his head. Time to get to work. His eyes snapped into focus as he pulled his cap down lower over his face and shifted against a building. Long before he expected to, he spotted his mark.

The man looked lost. His head was up, squinting at signs and generally being pushed about by the sweeping crowd. Aside from looking lost, he also had on him a large pack that was crashing into people as he turned. He was a merchant of some sort, the boy guessed as he slipped back into the swell. The pack had pockets. Pockets were good for holding things.

The boy’s muttering had stopped. He knew his plan now. Before long he would be petting the animals in the Tooth’. Perhaps he could steal enough to buy Pan a nice treat for the trouble he caused him earlier. The man reeled again and stumbled through the crowd as someone pushed by him. He didn’t notice a quick hand in and out of a pocket of the pack. Cor’s face grew into a deeper frown as he shoved his hand and prize into his own coat pocket. Then it grew into a scowl as his eyes caught a glimpse of metal. Not good. He had been too hasty. Hadn’t even checked. “Ridiculous,” he muttered. The first rule was to look for the guard.

Before Cor even had a chance to see if the feet belonged to a proper guard he was off toward the docks. They probably didn’t even see. He was too fast. Hopefully he could just make it to the Tooth’ then he could bide his time and take a different route home. Yes, that was it. Nothing had happened wrong. He was still safe. Still in charge.

Everything was under control.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

A Cold and brisk wind rolled through the city streets that morning. Alex shivered a little with the sheer abruptness of it. A simple thought rolled down his mind. What in the heck am I going to do today? It was one of his rare and often unused times still he decided instead to simply head about the town. The cool air was something that he’d felt akin to over the years. His marches through the street were surprisingly soft as he followed through with his steps. The armour he worse barely rattled now, he was used to the weight for stealthy purposes. Or at least as close as he was likely to get. Twisting his body a little the plates clinked together and out of the corner of his eye he spotted someone. A boy. Given how Alex knew how to use his stealthy natures he could see that the kid was up to no-good. Following the twist of his head. It extended to a rather large merchant looking like a lost sheep in a field of wolves. This wasn’t going to end well for any party involved.

Still Alex watched as the boy lifted the purse of coins from the merchant and then fled. Trying his best to keep low and slow. Alex followed behind him his armour a dead give-away but he’d learnt enough to keep quiet or so he’d thought. The boys head twisted and Alex shifted around a corner to keep out of sight. Damn had the boy caught a glimpse of his armour? If so then it might be spoilt. Alex then the boy began to book it towards the docks. Alex followed behind at a slow and steady pace trying to not look too glaringly out of place which given the prevalence of the knights within the city was substantially easier than he’d first assumed.

Trailing the boy was getting him no-where so instead having a defined knowledge of the lay out of the city took an educated guess at where he was headed. Cutting him off at the pass as it were. He darted between several buildings and then caught sight of the boy coming around the corner before stepping out and with arms folded stood directly in his path. “Howdy.” A look of assurance crossed his face, He had the boy and there was no-where he could go. If he took off running the knights would know he was in trouble. But not from Alex. Rather that the kid was the trouble. “Boy, you’ve two options come with me or the knights find out what I know. And trust me, both of us don’t want that.” The softness of his voice combined with the tone was more of a want to help the boy out of a bad situation, rather than one of an accusatory knight.

[Cor Alspach]

[OOC Just read that the Tooth ‘N Claw was destroyed in Spring 512? If that’s the case just replace its name with any other store name for the first post ]

There was a slight skip in Cor’s step. How great was he, to be able to evade the guard like that? Pretty great, that was for sure. It had been so easy. Quick, smooth, he felt like he was getting better for sure. Before long he would have enough money to make himself King of the castle like he heard of in the ancient stories. All he’d have to do is steal the money from everyone else, get better and better at it. Sure, it might be hard to hide such an enterprise from Grandmother so he’d probably have to kick her out of the house...or get his own apartment with just him and Pan. Yeah, that would probably be easier. He was set for life!

His spirits had dampened slightly when upon a quick stop and inspection of the purse he found a few measly coppers. Perhaps the man hadn’t been a merchant. The scowl grew on Cor’s face the longer he thought of it. He risked everything for a few coppers that couldn’t even buy Pan a treat. Still, he would wind deeper into the docks, maybe watch a ship or two come in and see if they need help unloading. That might earn him a silver or two.

Cor nearly tripped over his feet as a Knight stepped out in front of him. For one moment his eyes held the look of a startled deer but it wasn’t for long before it naturally shifted into a look of innocence. “Howdy.” The man said. He had his arms folded and was definitely speaking to him alone. Cor swallowed and bit back a comment on the man’s height. Cor simply gave a nod in response to the greeting. Had he really been followed after all? If so, why wasn’t the Knight arresting him on the spot?

“Boy, you’ve two options come with me or the knights find out what I know. And trust me, both of us don’t want that.”

Yup. The Knight had seen him alright.

A look of shock spread across Cor’s face so much so that it nearly looked like hurt. He made a mental note to turn that down next time it was needed. He’d obviously needed some more practice and would do so in the reflection of the water once he reached the docks. If he reached the docks.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, sir,” Cor said, raising his hands and feeling rather exposed with the weight in his pocket. Still, it was worth a shot. If the Knight was giving him a choice then he would choose to leave rather than walk into the jails by his own free will. The boy’s face drew back down with an expression of slight annoyance as he attempted to step past the Knight, hands still in the air.

If the Knight had really seen him then he’d have to try a little harder.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

The look of sudden shock across the boy’s face told him everything he needed to know. On top of the fact he’d stolen he’d need to get better at learning to hide his facial expressions too. Alex half-cocked a small as the boy said he wasn’t sure what he was talking about. He almost chuckled but instead he kept his rather serious tone to his voice. “Boy, I’m pretty sure that coin purse in your hands behind you says everything. And if you’re still not sure about what I mean I could always just call you what you are which is a thief.” His words finished cutting through the boy now. Even as the boy attempted to push past his side. Her simply brought an arm down and pressed it into the boy’s chest lightly attempting to stop him.

“Kid you might wanna stop I’m trying to help. All I have to do is raise my voice and the knights will be on you in a second and who’re they going to trust a member of their order or a kid with a sack of extra coin?” He hated pulling the knight card he’d rather do what he could under his own power. He was genuinely trying to help the kid. It wasn’t too long ago he’d been doing something similar although in a very different city. He wasn’t proud of the fact but it was something that he was trying to stop in this kid long before it got out of hand. “So as I said you’ve got two options come with me or I bring the knights over within a second. And speedy as you were trying to avoid me, it’s going to be a lot harder with a good portion of the city hunting you down. Knights don’t tolerate thieves, young or old and there’s a good chance you’re going to get tossed out of the city and not let back in.”

Still he turned now to stand alongside the kid. A sterner look in his eyes. “So what’s it going to be?”

[Cor Alspach]

“Boy, I’m pretty sure that coin purse in your hands behind you says everything. And if you’re still not sure about what I mean I could always just call you what you are which is a thief.”

He was a thief. If only the Knight knew. The boy nearly took the moment to gloat but checked himself in time. As proud as he might be that someone recognized his talents, it wasn’t exactly under the best circumstances. If it was possible for his face to grow a larger scowl, it did as the Knight’s arm blocked his path.

“Kid you might wanna stop I’m trying to help. All I have to do is raise my voice and the knights will be on you in a second and who’re they going to trust a member of their order or a kid with a sack of extra coin?” Well, he did have a point there. It was only a few coppers anyway. He could sneak that without Grandmother noticing if he really wanted them in his own stash. He listened to the rest of the Knight’s words with a growing heaviness weighing on him. He couldn’t get out of this one. It would be better to live to thieve another day. Plus, there was the chance of them throwing him outside the city and that would be unthinkable. He knew the city like the back of his hand. He was comfortable. King. Out there he wouldn’t know where to start. No, he hadn’t stepped foot outside the city gates his whole life and there was no way he’d get tossed out either.

“Fine,” he spat. He swung the purse at the Knight’s plated chest, ignoring the curious frowns of the passers-by who thought better than to get involved but would have a story to tell their families that day nonetheless. The purse met the metal with a dull clunk before falling toward the floor. [[OOC: Sorry if that’s power playing, figured they’re close enough that it would be hard for him to miss.]]

Cor skipped back away from the Knight’s blocking arm and crossed his own in front of him. “So?” He glared up into the Knight’s face then spat on the ground before continuing. “Now what? I don’t have all day unlike you lazy lot.” With that he shot an extra glare at the armour before looking up again. He did have all day but it was good to always have an excuse. The one ready just at the tip of his tongue would be that he had to go help his poor old grandmother -- which was probably true, but there’d be no way he’d find himself doing it. This Knight seemed like one of those good sorts that believe themselves to be high and mighty. Surely he wouldn’t deny a poor little old lady of her assistant. First rule: always have an escape plan.

[[OOC if Alex starts walking away, feel free to assume Cor follows]]

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

Alex watched the words of his filter through the head of the boy before him. Attempting to register the situation and then grunted out an agreed with him. Tossing the bag of coins at his chest the dull metal clank of copper hitting steel through cloth echoed dully in his armour his hand sliding out to catch the bag. Mulling it over in his hands he then checked inside it. A couple of coppers nothing major. Chuckling he smirked at the boy. “You risked going to the tank for this?” He looked a little surprised. Tucking the bag into his palm. His own coin back and safely tucked away for the most part in his footlocker. A couple of gold on him hidden away in his chest plate. “You’ve got guts kid.” He smiled and led the kid away from the main street back down a small alleyway that not many people were likely to look down.

“Oh and am I intruding on your thievery?” He spoke on his usually soft tone now. “I’m not going to turn you in, I just caught what you did over there and it sparked up an idea.” He sat on a box now to lower himself to a similar eight to the kid where he could look him in the eye. “Thing is knights aren’t lazy, in fact were really busy.” He sighed leaning against the wall and offering another box for the kid to sit on opposite him. “Mind if I ask you name kid? Mostly as I’d like to talk to you like a person and not a child.” Allowing the kid the time to sit or not as he wanted Alex continued. “I have a proposition for you. You work for me and I turn a blind eye to what you do. Provided I don’t out right catch you again.” Alex smirked a little the kid probably thought he was corrupt and looking to make money off of him. This wasn’t the case. “Thing is no-one ever suspects a kid is listening in on things. I want you to tell me whatever you hear going on around the city, and providing I don’t outright catch you stealing off of people you can go about your business.”

A fair trade to Alex’s mind, he uses the kid and in turn he doesn’t turn the kid in. If the kid didn’t like it then Alex would simply take him over to the tank himself. “Sound like a fair trade to you? I’ll be using your help to keep the people of the city safe. Anything you learn you tell me.”

[Cor Alspach]

Cor gave a sniff as the Knight chuckled at him. “Thought it was more than coppers,” he muttered. Every catch was a risk. Yes, the Knights could throw him in the tank, throw him out of the City, but even they weren’t the same as the risk of possibly grabbing something from someone who wasn’t as careless as he thought. If someone was mad enough they could easily strike out. No one would miss him, but he’d miss himself. He had far too many things to do and dying wasn’t one of them. Still, it was a risk he took every time.

“You’ve got guts kid.” Cor raised his eyebrows slightly, basking in the compliment as he followed the Knight. It was still confusing as to why the Knight wouldn’t just scold him and be done with it. His curiosity dragged him forward, too fast for a few seconds before he forced his steps to slow down to a drag. He wasn’t interested. Not one bit. The scowl, frown, frustration, left his face and was replaced with a blase expression. This was just routine.

They dipped into a quiet and narrow side-street. The boy’s eyes immediately narrowed as the man sat and met them with his own. He ignored the part about the Knights being busy. No, wait to hear everything before letting out an argument. “The name’s Cor,” the boy replied. No, the Knight would not get his full name, last name, place of residence, anything. It was tempting to use a fake name but his name escaped out of habit. He hesitated before sitting on the edge of the box. Most of his weight was still on the his feet, ready to spring should the need arise. One finger tapped his thigh to an unheard beat. “What’s yer name?”

The finger stopped tapping for a moment as the proposition hit his ears. A little cough escaped his throat and he made to speak then paused again. His eyes swooped over the Knight. Would the man really turn him in? He sniffed. Yes. The Knight wanted to keep the city safe. The boy moved to ask another question then snapped his mouth shut once more as he answered it himself. He’d have to rat on his fellow law-breakers. No, that wouldn’t be a problem. As long as he was careful about it then it would just mean more pickings for him.

And if not protection, at least a blind eye from a Knight. There weren’t too many thieves who could boast that.

Cor’s attention snapped from his thoughts. He spat on his right hand then stuck it out as an offer to shake. “Deal.” He said. “Where can I generally find you and any information in particular you want to know?” It wouldn’t be hard to keep tabs on one of the high-n-mightys but at least if he had a starting point to check he might be able to deliver information a little quicker.

Seems like the purse held more than a few coppers after all.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

Alex learnt the kids name, “Cor” a nickname probably but still it was something to call him other than “kid or boy”. The response came suddenly as Alex looked at the kid asking his name. He didn’t ask which name however. “Call me Virgil.” Alex spoke softly his tone one of reassurance, what the kid didn’t know was that was his middle name and would quite possibly keep him and this deal sequestered away from any…Interludes of a questionable nature. The kid was fidgety and edgy, ready to run at a moment’s notice Alex had managed to piece together that much from simply how the kid was acting. The long pause between eh kid acting and thinking out how to respond to the proposition told him that the kid was thinking it over, weighing up the pros and cons.

“Deal” The word echoed like a sound of a plan in action. He smirked watching the kid stick his hand out and offer it as part of the deal, Alex gripped it in his still mailed hand lightly. And then a curious thought came over him, where to say they should meet. It would have to be somewhere out in the open and not where one would question him talking to a kid. “Right Cor. If you ever need me to either ask for my help or to drop of information after all trust is a two way street. Find me at the rearing stallion. It’s not secluded but then again, what better place to have a chat with a “simple member of the city”?” Alex smirked Standing up. And nodding a little.

“Still though, I’m going to have to hand this bag of coins back to the man you lifted it from. Have to have some kind of grace to show I mean well and can do my job.” Alex had in one fell swoop managed to gain an informant about what went on in the city, garnered a potential ally in keeping the city “relatively” crime free in an even easier manner, and would build up an even more sterling reputation with the knights by “retrieving stolen goods.” A masterful execution…If only everything were so simple. “Oh and Cor, anyone asks, this meeting never happened. And if you get caught by someone other than me. There’s not much I can do for you.” A truthful and honest edge had been to his soft voice throughout the entire conversation.

Perhaps he could get the kid to stop thieving entirely and pick up an honest job later on. But for now, he’d do what he’d have to as Alex could use someone like that, and if the kid didn’t know he wasn’t a knight, all the better for him.

[Cor Alspach]

Virgil it was. Cor rolled the name around on his tongue, committing it and the man’s face to memory. He decided that he’d need to get a notebook next. His memory was good enough to surprise even himself sometimes but now it was needed for work. The boy gave the mailed hand a firm shake then withdrew his own quickly and bounced to his feet.

The boy nodded. “Rearing Stallion it is.” Always busy, the place would work well. Cor was slightly disappointed that he didn’t get a location of the Knight’s home as that could be much more valuable but it wasn’t anything that couldn’t be discovered later. He shrugged off the comment about giving the man back his coins. They weren’t important anymore. Virgil was holding all the cards at the moment, Cor would have to start thinking of a plan to balance out the trade a little better in his favour. Something told him that might be hard to do.

Then the Knight gave him an idea. “Oh and Cor, anyone asks, this meeting never happened. And if you get caught by someone other than me. There’s not much I can do for you.”

A slow grin spread across Cor’s face. “Of course,” he crooned. If he kept a running log of everything he told the Knight and it lined up with what the Knight acted on...then it would at least provide some weight to his words and even if it didn’t help him out of a sticky situation then it might drag Virgil off his high horse. Time would give him more information on the man. No one was perfect.

A tired looking man entered the street, slowing considerably as he took in the sight before him. Without missing a beat Cor gave Virgil a quick bow. When his head snapped up wore the look of pure sorrow. “Thank you for telling me about my father, good ser.” He sniffed for dramatic effect. “It is great to know that he served with such a fine comrade, right up to his death.” He wiped his eyes and then met those of the man walking down the street. The man gave him a weak smile to which Cor nodded a small thanks.

Confident the man was fooled, Cor gave Virgil one last sharp look then he was gone. Once on the busier street he slipped right into step with the crowd. There was a lot of thinking he had to do. A lot of readjusting. A lot of game playing. At this Cor gave a rare true smile that was ignored by the surge around him. He was good at games.

[Konrad Venger]

Nice job! Your work has pleased The Sloth! Alexander XP: Observation - 2 Persuasion - 2 Intimidation - 1 Intelligence - 2 Lore: A Gentle Warning instead of an Outright Thread Intimidation: Sometimes Inevitable Intelligence: Cultivating (Blackmailing) an Informant Don't Use Your Real Name Additional: +2 Shield Points for returning stolen goods Click Me! : Cor, same as before, lemme know when your Expenses are deducted and you'll get graded, too! Ah, VERY nice, Alex! Always nice to see someone pragmatic enough not to just give a lecture and a clip round the ear, but actually USE the criminal element. This was a great example of threats and persuasion blending together and using street logic to do it. Hope Cor comes back so you can exploit this further! Oh, and please make sure you go back and edit your post in the Request Thread to reflect the fact this one is now done and dusted. PM me with any questions and later 'tater!