There and Back Again, an Assassin's Tale of Vengeance - Scene VI - Theft and Freedom

Wan felt his organs knot up inside him as he stared into the metal coffer.  Shaden had personally chosen Wan to collect and deliver the take until this assassin mess was over.  Wan had always worked hard and had always served Shaden well.  He had boldly collected the months money from all the rackets, and he'd refused to let them short him even so much as a few coppers. 1

When he'd visited the last of the slave rackets, the coffer had been almost overflowing with golden coins.  So he'd closed it, and locked both locks.  Then he double checked both the locks, and set a trap in place on both as well.  And just to make sure no one attempted to switch the coffer out for a duplicate, he scratched three lines into the bottom of it. 2

But when he had taken it to the abandoned tower that Syle Shaden had taken as his personal safe-haven and laid it open before the giant in charge himself, the gold was gone.  Instead, the coffer was filled with a fine grain desert sand, and on the top there was an ornate dagger and a carefully scribed note written on a piece of parchment paper.  The note read: 3

"Dear Shaden, 4

All your defences and all your power amounts to nothing now that I have returned to Rinmar.  You're welcome to end you're pathetic life before you further embarass yourself.  But either way, bend over now because I'm here to take over your buisness. 5

-Lady Lithis, Queen of Thieves" 6

Shaden read the note carefully before turning to Wan, who knew how bad this looked.  There were no excuses.  Everyone had seen him pick up the take.  He'd been seen carrying it alone and everyone knew - or at least thought - that no thief could get past Wan's watchful eyes.  There was only one conclusion that Shaden could possible make. 7

But Wan didn't wait for the accusation of betrayal.  He knew there would e no convincing Shaden of his innocence.  He also knew what Shaden did to traitors.  And he knew that if he ran there was still fifty-seven of Shaden's men to get through, and most of them would do as much if not worse if they caught him.  There only real hope left for him was a quick way out. 8

Before Shaden had a chance to respond, Wan grabbed the knife and slit his own wrist. 9

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The door to the tower commons burst open as Shaden raged into the room.  Everyone dropped what they were doing, and all eyes were upon him as he stomped about searching and shouting for Fia.  It slowly dawned on Shaden that all of his men were looking at him as though they did not dare speak. 11

He forced himself to stop for a moment and take a couple deep breaths.  "Would someone explain to me why everyone is afraid to tell me what the hell is going on?!"  He stared around, and still no one spoke.  He could only take so much. 12

He rushed Pallet, one of his younger smugglers.  He still hadnt hit his growth spurt, and was easily intimidated by the giant's superior size.  Shaden knew this and took full advantage of it, slamming Pallet into the wall and screaming, "You will tell me what is going on now!" 13

Pallet stared back at him, fear building in his eyes.  He froze up for a moment, too scared to talk.  Shaden shook him, slamming him against the wall again a bit harder - but as a clear warning - and no one in the room had to question if worse violence would follow. 14

He seemed to find his voice, and he quickly reported to Shaden, "The rumor on the streets is that they are all dead.  People saw two elfs take down Swinlo and Regoran like they were nothing, and the authorities found more bodies down the same alley that the two assassins were seen leaving."  Shaden looked pissed enough to rip the horns off a dragon with his bare hands.  "But none of it's confirmed yet," Pallet quickly added, his voice cracking with fear. 15

Shaden finally let go of him with a final shove, turning to slam his fist into the wall instead.  He paced angrily up and down the commons, as everyone still watched him silent, too afraid that speaking might turn his fury upon them. 16

But as he paced, he formed a plan.  It would mean calling in a few valulable favors - favors that did not come easily - but it was sure to work.  "Pallet.  I want you to go find the sheriff and remind him of the unfortunate accident that his late wife had suffered, and tell him that I have evidence that the recent string of murders has been the work of spies from the Holzdalt Empire."  He paused his pacing, stroking the three days of stubble that covered his chin.  Rinmar had long lived in threat of the Holzdalt Empire.  "Tell him I said they are probably seeking to take out key figures and to test Rinmar.  Give him some good descriptions of these assassins.  Oh, and tell him Lillian Lithis is leading them."  He smiled to himself as Pallet ran off to fulfill his orders, knowing that all he had to do now was wait it out. 17