A World Among Thieves: Fragmented Pieces

Chapter 2

It had been a few hours.

I had managed to hover a few extra yards, before crashing to the ground, and crawled the rest of the way to the gates outside of the grounds.  My father looked down from his window, in disgust or in shock I couldn't tell from the distance.  I had cried my eyes out, and was still sobbing when I reached the gates.  I couldn't have crawled away, and my wheelchair had been smashed in the fall.  I struggled with the gate, expecting it to be locked, but it just creaked open.  Ajax stood with his hands on the lock, and a wheelchair beside him.  He had pulled me up by the arms and put me into the chair.  "Your time has come," he had said, "you must leave, I can keep your father for a short time, go."  Then he was gone.

I had wheeled my way through the woods surrounding my house, careful not to tip the chair over on a loose stone.  I had some time to think, not knowing what Ajax meant, or even if anyone would miss me.  The dirt road was bumpy, but manageable, and before nightfall I saw Harvestlaw, the town my father ruled over.  I wheeled through the gates, I had only been in town a few times in my life, my father not wanting to show off his cripple son, I had stayed inside most of my life.  Night was falling, I had no money, and I needed a place to sleep.  

"'scuse me?" I heard a voice.

I wheeled around cautiously, not in the mood for people asking for directions or beggars, but he wasn't a beggar.  Well, he wasn't asking for money anyway, he was dressed in ragged clothes that probably used to be a dark color, but sun bleach had made it tan, was covered in dirt, and just wore foot wraps.  His hair was a sandy color, and went down to the nape of his neck.  He had a small sword tied to his waist, the only thing kept clean on his person.  His build was wiry and slim, like he spent a lot of time exercising but not much eating.   He had a handsome enough face, if only it wasn't covered in days old stubble and dirt, but there were smile lines all over his face, despite him looking maybe twenty.  He was giving a lopsided grin, revealing a missing tooth.  I backed up on instinct, being told to avoid his kind for most of my life.  That made his smile even bigger.

"Hey there, you were just looking a bit lost, and seeing as you're in that chair and all, I was wondering if maybe you'd like to come with me for the night." he said, the smile wrinkles around his eyes deepening.

"Uh, n-no." I stuttered.

He didn't seem to hear, "I'm Talib, I stay in the guard barracks." 

That seemed dubious, and I gave him a funny look, he clearly caught on.  "Honorary member," he said quickly. "I am still perfectly within my right to give a bed to any sad sacks that I meet at the dead of night."

This was going far too quickly, and I didn't love the description 'sad sack', but it was true I needed a place to stay the night.  I still didn't trust this random stranger at all.  "Uh, can you prove it?" I asked.

"Prove what?"

"That you're a member of the guard."

There was a pause, and his smile melted, he tilted his sword to show the town crest engraved onto the blade, a scarecrow on a golden field.  "Would this suffice?" he asked.  I didn't think it did at all, but it was getting darker and I didn't care to be alone at night.

"Fine, lead the way." I muttered.

His lopsided grin returned, "Wonderful my good sir, right this way." he preformed an over dramatic bow, and twirled his hand a bit, even adding his attempt at a posh accent.

He was energetic enough that I laughed a little, despite the terrible day I had been having.  That was all he needed, led the way, walking close enough to be able to speak with me.