“You would make a poor slave, I’d wager. There’s always the chance you’d palm something I gave you to handle, and you clearly don’t have the kind of stamina for any hard labor. No, I’m sure I’ll think of something else.”
“When you say it like that, I worry.”
The vague evil look the man gave him only heightened the feeling.
“So,” Malik started, “You mentioned before you were not from that city. Do you travel much then?”
“Well, not really. I actually was living in another city before, but then…things happened and I had to leave.”
“Oh? What things?”
Naji’s expression became hesitant and he glanced away, tearing a piece from his loaf and nibbling on it.
“Ah. Something unlawful I presume? You may tell me. I will not care.”
He studied Malik a moment. “Well…you already know I’m…a thief, more or less. I usually just pickpocketed; guards, citizens, whatever I needed to get by. Sometimes,” he stressed it, giving the elder a pointed look, “Sometimes I would steal other things. Nice things. Items that would fetch a good price. Or that I liked.”
He paused for a moment, glancing at the floor. Malik nodded for him to continue.
“One day a convoy came into the city, escorted by…soldiers in unusual garbs. They were bringing in what looked like the spoils of a siege, all carrying chests and boxes of various sizes. I was curious, so I followed them. They went to the keep in the north of the city, where they were met by one of the officials. They opened the boxes and inside were a number of strange items, but one of them was…this curious looking golden ball. I remember thinking how it seemed to…draw attention to it. I thought it was interesting.”
Malik was suddenly listening raptly, leaning forward, his posture stiff and tense and his eyes narrowed.
“Once the inspection was over they brought everything inside and took it to a storage vault. The ball…I realized I wanted it. It didn’t look like much when I thought about it, but I thought it might still have some use, or at least fetch a good sum. And it didn’t really look like something they’d miss. I snuck into the keep later and stole it.”
“You stole it?” Malik suddenly barked, and Naji jumped, startled.
“Wh—what? Yes, I mean…why? Does it matter?”
Malik frowned, leaning back. “Finish your story,” he said after a moment.
Naji stared at him, confused, but continued, “Well, I’m not sure what it was, but apparently it was more important than I thought. I didn’t even make it out of the keep before they came after me, and caught me. They beat me and took it back, and then I was thrown in the dungeons, to be executed. I panicked and worked to find a way to escape. I found one and got out of there as soon as I could. The soldiers however found out I’d escaped and were searching the city for me. The only choice I had was to leave.”
Malik was radiating tension; silent, pensive. Naji watched him nervously, uncertain why his story seemed to have rattled the man.
A Long Time in Coming- Favorable Chance Encounters 15/?
“When you say it like that, I worry.”
The vague evil look the man gave him only heightened the feeling.
“So,” Malik started, “You mentioned before you were not from that city. Do you travel much then?”
“Well, not really. I actually was living in another city before, but then…things happened and I had to leave.”
“Oh? What things?”
Naji’s expression became hesitant and he glanced away, tearing a piece from his loaf and nibbling on it.
“Ah. Something unlawful I presume? You may tell me. I will not care.”
He studied Malik a moment. “Well…you already know I’m…a thief, more or less. I usually just pickpocketed; guards, citizens, whatever I needed to get by. Sometimes,” he stressed it, giving the elder a pointed look, “Sometimes I would steal other things. Nice things. Items that would fetch a good price. Or that I liked.”
He paused for a moment, glancing at the floor. Malik nodded for him to continue.
“One day a convoy came into the city, escorted by…soldiers in unusual garbs. They were bringing in what looked like the spoils of a siege, all carrying chests and boxes of various sizes. I was curious, so I followed them. They went to the keep in the north of the city, where they were met by one of the officials. They opened the boxes and inside were a number of strange items, but one of them was…this curious looking golden ball. I remember thinking how it seemed to…draw attention to it. I thought it was interesting.”
Malik was suddenly listening raptly, leaning forward, his posture stiff and tense and his eyes narrowed.
“Once the inspection was over they brought everything inside and took it to a storage vault. The ball…I realized I wanted it. It didn’t look like much when I thought about it, but I thought it might still have some use, or at least fetch a good sum. And it didn’t really look like something they’d miss. I snuck into the keep later and stole it.”
“You stole it?” Malik suddenly barked, and Naji jumped, startled.
“Wh—what? Yes, I mean…why? Does it matter?”
Malik frowned, leaning back. “Finish your story,” he said after a moment.
Naji stared at him, confused, but continued, “Well, I’m not sure what it was, but apparently it was more important than I thought. I didn’t even make it out of the keep before they came after me, and caught me. They beat me and took it back, and then I was thrown in the dungeons, to be executed. I panicked and worked to find a way to escape. I found one and got out of there as soon as I could. The soldiers however found out I’d escaped and were searching the city for me. The only choice I had was to leave.”
Malik was radiating tension; silent, pensive. Naji watched him nervously, uncertain why his story seemed to have rattled the man.