Take A Thief

She stood rock still for him, and after a moment of awkwardness, he managed to clamber onto her bare back. Stepping out into the twilight at a brisk pace, she took him across the river on a little stone bridge, and they spent a candlemark or two exploring Companion's Field.

Finally the long day caught up with him, and Skif found himself yawning and nodding, catching himself before he actually dozed off and fell off Cymry's back. Cymry brought him right back to the place where they'd met, and from there, he stumbled up to his room.

Someone had come along and lit the lanterns set up along the walls, so at least he wasn't stumbling because he couldn't see. When he got to the door of his room, he discovered that someone had also slipped a card into a holder there that had his name on it.

A sound in the corridor made him turn; his eyes met the brilliant blue ones of an older boy — hair soaking wet and wrapped in a light sleeping robe, on his way out of the bathing room. The other boy smiled tentatively.

“Hullo!” he greeted Skif. “I'm Kris; you must be the new one, Skif. It's me and Jeri here over Midsummer.”

“Uh — hullo,” He eyed Kris carefully; definitely highborn, with that accent and those manners. But not one with his nose in the air. “Jeri a girl or a boy?”

“Girl. She'll be your year-mate; got Chosen six moons ago. Oh, I made sure I left enough hot water for a good bath.”

“Thanks.” That decided him. Maybe he'd already had one bath today, but he was still stiff and sore, and another wouldn't hurt.

Kris was still looking at him quizzically. “I hope you don't mind my asking — but how did you get that black eye? It's a glory! If you haven't seen it, it's gone all green and purple around the edges, and black as black at your nose.”

“Smacked it inta Cymry's neck,” Skif admitted ruefully. “Ain't never jumped on a horse afore.”

Kris winced in sympathy. “Ouch. Better go soak. Good night!”

“Night,” Skif replied, and got a robe of his own to take the boy's advice.

When he got back to his room and started putting his new belongings away to clear his bed so he could sleep, he found one last surprise.

On the desk were all of his things. Every possible object he owned except the most ragged of his clothing from both his room next to Jass', and the Priory. Including his purse, with every groat still in it.

Startled, he tried to think at his Companion. :Cymry!: he “called” her, hoping she'd answer.

:What do you need?: she asked sleepily, and he explained what he'd found.

:Who did that? And how come?: he finished. It worried him…

:Oh. That would be Alberich's doing, I expect,: she replied. :Usually they go send someone to tell families that the Chosen's arrived safely, and to get their belongings, if they didn't bring anything with them. Don't you want your things?:

Well, of course he wanted his things. :I just — :

The fact was, he worried. Who went there. What they'd said. And how they'd known where he came from…

:Kantor says it was all Alberich's doing, at least getting your things from your room.: Well, that was one worry off his mind. Alberich would have gone as the sell-sword, and intimidated his way in. Good enough. :He sent off the usual Guardsman to the Priory. They'll have told the Priory you were Chosen, and the Guardsman would have brought someone hired to take your place, so the Priory won't go shorthanded. Kan for says Alberich didn't tell your old landlord anything. Is that all right?:

Since it was exactly what he would have wanted had he been asked, he could only agree. :Aye. That's fine, I reckon.: In fact, he couldn't think of anything else he could possibly want.

:Get some sleep,: she told him. :It'll be a long day tomorrow.:

A longer one than today? With a sigh, he climbed into bed, feeling very strange to be in such a bed, and even stranger not hearing the usual noises of the city beyond his walls.