The Miscreant

The Thieves Guild written by Ja Kerr, Season four, episode ten, The miscreate.

The trip across the river ended up being a lot cheaper than Rebecca had anticipated.

You there, we need a short trip across the river.

The man standing near the almost dramshackle boat looked appraisingly at Raylan, and then sneered when he looked at Rebecah.

Hi, Ruing in the golden triangle will get you a lot further than in the charred ruins of the flats.

He winked, even beyond his obnoxious commentary. Raylan didn't like the man. He had a sneering face with squinty eyes and greasy hair that looked more at home in a dark alley than on the banks of a river. He ignored the man's comment. One way just from here, Raylan pointed past the boats that filled the river to there. How much the man squinted at Rebecca.

Enough that no one has been willing to pay me, But you seem dressed in quite nice finery. It will be a thousand guilders. Raylan's jaw dropped. The price was enough to pay for a house in the flats. Certainly you jest, Certainly you need transportation for this lovely lass.

The man's annoying sneer reappeared. Rebecca walked forward, and as the man's eyebrows went up with sudden violence, she kicked the man in the groin with the full force of her body. As he cried out in pain and doubled over, she kicked him again, sending him flying back into the water. Negotiations over, she had already untethered the boat. As Raylan looked on mouth agape. She looked back, are you coming or not? Raylan rushed over and joined Rebecca as she

Are you going to help? Or do I need to do everything?

Neither of them were experienced on water, but they had awkwardly paddled far enough that the boat's owner couldn't reach them, instead hurling the most abusive and vile words their way.

He's almost a poet, isn't he, Raylan laughed? He certainly is creative.

The river's current dragged them downstream, but they made decent progress across, finally landing amusingly enough, near the Golden Triangle, the public park that sat at the juncture of the North Fork and the Great River. It was beautifully maintained and featured lush grass and flowers and trees that were a landmark for miles around. As Rebecca sat and emptied water from her boots, as Raylan did the same, he looked around, his eyes lighting on the huge tree near

Climbing that tree is against the law, and I used to climb it constantly and taunt the guards from the branches. Did they not just wait for you to come down?

I'm very patient, Raylan laughed. One time he had stayed in the tree through four guard shifts before the guards realized that they were abandoning more important duties.

My father, however, had a small branch from the tree.

Raylan let his voice trail off, and.

He beat you with it. He wasn't fond of violence, but he was fond of symbolism.

Rebecca laughed, I like your father.

Well, he put up with me, so I guess I owe him that Raylan.

Led them to the Golden Wand with no real plan other than to enter and figure things out. Rebecca didn't discuss their destination at all, instead commenting on the larger houses and even as states in the upper Triangle.

How does the populace put up with this?

Rebecca waved her arm encompassing a large estate. Raylan didn't have an answer for that.

You have been to Goutland have you seen anything like this?

I have only been to and from the Crown, but I don't remember seeing anything like this.

That's because it doesn't exist. The city struggles, so everyone is in it together. This up, Rebecca pointed at a different estate, is insulting.

Well, you will be happy to know that I have a reputation in the Upper Quarter of doing things like throwing difficult to reach second floor windows, leaving gates with vicious dogs behind them open, stealing things from one house and leaving them at another. You know, just normal kid stuff. I have a sense that you are not a normal child, Raylan. Perhaps not. I was well known by everyone for being a menace, my infamous guild master.

Raylan felt a surge of fondness for Rebecca at that moment. She liked that he was a mischievous youngster, and the way she said my guild master felt more meaningful than just a sign of respect.

Ah. Do you see that hedge? Yes, it is quite large. You can barely see the house behind it. It was placed there due to me. I used to play steeple chase with my friends, and I would leap over the previous hedge and into their yard constantly in.

My games, Raylan smiled.

My father chose violence for that as well. You were smiling at that. Some beatings and marks of pride. Regardless, my friends could never clear the hedge, so I used it constantly, even with a bruised behind. They finally spent a lot of money to have that installed. Well, that's one way to stop you. This is the second one. I burned the first one down. Rebecca laughed and laughed, Of course you did. The rest of their walk was about as pleasant a time as Raylan could remember in

Rebecca looked at Raylan a combination of delight and anticipation in her eyes.

This is a story I must hear.

Well, Raylan paused, suddenly wary of sharing the tale.

Go on, this will be the best of all the stories, I am sure.

Taking a deep breath, Raylan barreled forward.

Well, I was, shall I say, enamored with the barmaids, and to have them near me, I would constantly and purposefully drop my mugs to the floor where they would need to come over, bend over and clean the mess up.

You naughty boy, I just liked them, Indeed you did.

So. There was one who I had fallen in love with. Her name was Julia, and I believe she liked me. So I would not just spill some beer. I would pretty much make enough of a ruckus that she had to constantly be coming over to calm things down. Ah, so she was your golden wand babysitter.

Raylan shot Rebecca aglear.

So it was a game, or so I thought, because she never said anything, and she would always look at me as she came over, And of course I couldn't actually start a conversation other than apologizing for my clumsiness. But I thought my smile and intentions were clear enough.

Yes, Raylan, making a bar maid clean non stop during her shift is certainly sending a message.

I didn't know that anyway. I was eventually banned from the tavern when she was on duty. No surprise there. I'm surprised they didn't ban you entirely at that point. Well, my father intervened and promised I would not disrupt things further, and of course that didn't work.

Well.

I disguised myself and would go during her shift to just talk with her, but the first time I got there, she complained to the owner and he kicked me out. I was banned from that point forward. Oh that's not surprising, you, poor boy.

Rebecca patted Raylan gently on the.

Arm, pining for the girl you can never have about that, Wait, there's more. I am so thoroughly delighted, Raylan, I cannot express just how excited I am to hear the rest.

I met her after her shift one night. I asked her to go for a walk so I could explain myself. I'm sure that went well. It did, or at least I thought it did. It concluded with her saying she would talk to the owner. The thing is that she didn't tell me what she was going to say, so when I turned up the next day, he beat me badly and told me that me and my father were no longer welcome. I like this bar owner, you know,

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