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Immortal Stories
The Thief of Shagrim - Part 3
A Tale of the Darkstone - By Tarin
Part Three - In which Afeek considers a career in baking
Being a thief had its ups and its downs, much like any job. This was one of the down times.
"You want me to break into WHERE?" asked Afeek, for the fifth time. It was not that he was having a hard time hearing what the Sheikh said, he was just pretending he was.
"The Sultan's Palace," said Hekim. He was obviously becoming impatient; Afeek decided to change tactics.
"I can break in, but I would come out in pieces. The palace is probably the best guarded place in the entire continent!"
Hekim frowned. "I'm sure it will be no problem to you. I had heard you were good at what you did, although you WERE caught stealing my jewels, and your obvious reluctance is beginning to make me wonder. Perhaps a few tortures wouldn't go amiss after all…"
"Ah, that's ok," said Afeek offering a nervous smile. "I've just eaten."
"So what is your answer?" The Sheikh shuffled carefully forward. He wobbled on his pile of cushions for a few moments, then smiled with relief when they failed to topple. Afeek estimated he would last maybe half an hour longer.
"I'll do it," said Afeek. His head ached, and he was beginning to wonder if he had perhaps angered the Gods in some way. Then again, the Gods didn't need angering, it was said they had a warped sense of humour.
"Ah, now we're getting somewhere." Hekim took a long puff on his bubble pipe. He was clearly enjoying himself, much to the Katrin's annoyance. "Now, on to the object in question. It is nothing special, just a trifle I saw one day while visiting. It's called the Sceptre of the Golden Dawn, I doubt you have heard of it."
Afeek felt himself go dizzy and gulped for air. He managed to utter a garbled "Ugh," before his throat seized up completely.
"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that," said Hekim. He leant precariously forward, a highly amused smirk creasing his features. The tower of cushions wobbled like a plateful of jelly, and Afeek found himself praying to the Goddess of luck for them to fall.
"I can't steal that!" said Afeek eventually. "It would be easier to steal Seluctruh's coffin than the Sceptre of the Golden Dawn!"
"Huh!" Hekim settled back. "Then I guess I will get to see you disembowelled after all. I must say I'm going to enjoy it."
"Uh, I didn't say I wasn't going to do it," said Afeek quickly, visions of his intestines being slowly unwound from his midsection swimming through his mind. He was definitely getting a headache; the strange spinning spots in front of his eyes confirmed it.
He thought of the Sceptre, probably the most prized object in the whole of Shagrim. It was kept in a sealed case deep within the bowels of the Royal Palace and guarded night and day by the biggest, ugliest warriors the Sultan could dredge up. Afeek had bumped into one of them once, and the smell alone had almost been enough to render him unconscious. He dreaded to think what they could do with their swords.
"Ah, then you will do it?" Hekim was asking.
"I didn't say that either," said Afeek.
"Then what do you mean," asked the Sheikh. He rocked back again and Afeek detected a definite shifting among the lower cushions. His prediction still held good.
"I will do it," said the Katrin, finally coming to a decision. "But the money I owe you is not enough to cover such a big job. I want more."
"Very well, we can come to some arrangement. But I warn you, go too far, and having your spleen removed will be an easy torture in comparison."
Afeek wondered vaguely what being a baker would be like.
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