Chapter 13 - Trappings

Matthew sat on a bare patch of ground in the warehouse. He was glad to be back in the world he knew, back in what he understood. Part of him however, missed the banquet from the night before. There was a presence of the banquet that felt good to him, something that he did not feel now. He was not sure what it was exactly, but he missed it. It was something akin to the feeling he had just before snatching something from a cart. A feeling of anticipation almost.

He looked down at himself. He was no longer wearing the fine clothes that Miktan had bought him. Instead he wore the thin leather britches and the light gray, linen shirt he always wore. Something of him missed the clothes to. Something about having clothes that were meant for him felt right. He wore new shoes now. When Miktan had seen how poorly his previous pair had fit, he insisted that they get a new pair for Matthew. They were simple, not the quality of the boots he had worn the night before, but they were his, and they were new. He also now wore a vest, the leather thinner than his britches. The vest was to cover the leather harness he wore. More specifically it was to hide the daggers the harness held.

Matthew found his mind wandering throughout the events of the previous night. He could not help but imagining himself as some great noble. He imagined walking into the banquet, everyone watching him. Not Matthew, the young man that had been lost in the world of nobles. Instead, he was Lord Matthew. He laughed to himself as he dispelled the image of people bowing to him with looks of awe and admiration.

“What are you doing Matty-boy?” Vansen asked as he dropped to the floor beside Matthew. Tavira took the spot to his other side.

“Ah, not too much, just thinking about the past couple days,” Matthew replied, rubbing his eye.

“Is that so? Yeah, I suppose it’s bee a little strange hasn’t it?” Vansen looked across to Tavira with a sly grin and she covered her mouth as she giggled.

Matthew eyed the two of them, “What?”

“It’s nothing, just seeing you in those clothes,” Vansen barked a laugh.

Matthew sighed heavily, “It was Miktan’s idea, you know that the man has a way of getting you to do what he wants.”

Vansen and Tavira just laughed at him. After they settled, Vansen stood, “Would my lord like to accompany us in getting some lunch?” Vansen asked sarcastically, giving a mocking bow.

“Oh shut up Vansen,” Matthew said as he stood, giving the other a solid punch to his shoulder before heading to the door.

The two continued to laugh as they followed him. Their remarks continued as they travelled the streets. Eventually Matthew gave in and started making jokes, realizing that they were not going to stop any time soon.

It was just before midday, and Merchant’s Street was as busy as ever. On their way, they had spent a little time discussing what they would get for their lunch. Matthew had suggested grabbing a couple pastries from Old Man Hantan, but Vansen dismissed the idea. The man had a long memory, and would no doubt recognize Matthew if he approached the stall. Hantan had burned Vansen’s face into his memory, and Tavira was not feeling up to challenging the old man that day. So instead they decided on a few kabobs from one of the meat vendors.

Matthew grinned at the mention of kabobs, remembering the first time he had gotten one. It was a memorable day. He had been out of the orphanage for almost a month at the time. A few days before, a kind man had given him some rolls and a few coins, taking pity on the small boy that looked starved. He had made the rolls last as long as he could, but he was hungry. When they were gone, he went to buy some more food.

He had found the stand with kabobs and went to buy some. Not knowing the greed of the man, he pulled all the coins he had from his pocket. The man had tried to cheat him, but Vansen stopped him. It was the first time Matthew had seen Vansen since the older boy had been put out from the orphanage. That was the day Vansen recruited him. It was that day that Matthew truly started living again.
The three companions travelled down the street, looking for a stall or cart that was selling kabobs, though they had no intention of purchasing any. When they found one, Tavira approached, producing her very best, most innocent smile. That was the typical way they handled things when stealing in a group. One of them would distract the merchant while the other got what they were after.

Tavira was a good partner in such a plan. She knew how to hold the attention of the merchants. Often times she would walk away having been given something to eat. It was never anything very good, but it was something all the same, something that the person running the cart thought would do the poor, thin girl some good.

Matthew watched as Tavira stood at the cart, eyeing the produce set out with longing. He kept himself from laughing when the rotund man behind the cart saw her and immediately began to speak with her in a concerning voice. Matthew saw a grin on Vansen’s face too. The two watched carefully for their moment. Vansen was the first to go, walking beside the cart and with a deft movement of his hand, that if Matthew were not watching for, he would have seen, snatched a handful of kabobs.

Matthew had always been jealous of Vansen’s skill. The older man always seemed faster, more agile, than anyone else in the crew. Matthew took a few steps and froze. Stepping up to the cart was a man in an army uniform that Matthew recognized. It was one of the two men from the party the night before. Matthew searched his mind for the name of the officer that had joined them at their table.

Alexander, Matthew thought, Lieutenant Alexander Varross. Matthew looked at the stall, Tavira still speaking with the fat man behind the cart. His eyes darted to Alexander, then to Vansen, and back to the cart. Vansen was staring at him, looking at him curiously.

Matthew decided that there was no way the man would recognize him without his fine clothes and his hair pulled back. He started to the stall. Alexander stood, waiting patiently, and scanned the crowd. His eyes passed over Matthew once, not giving him any attention. Matthew felt a bit of tension release from his shoulders. Alexander’s eyes passed over him again, and this time they stayed.

“Matthew?” The man said, loud enough for Matthew to hear it over the noise of the crowd.

Tavira jerked, quickly looking at the man beside her before looking back at the fat man. Her eyes darted to Matthew and he gave her a small shake of his head. She took the kabob the man was holding out for her graciously and moved to join Vansen who stood leaning against the wall of one of the stores on the street.

Matthew walked straight up to Alexander, “Lieutenant, I didn’t expect to see you out here.”

The red haired man looked Matthew up and down and raised an eyebrow, “And I didn’t expect to see you. You look, different,” he said, a tone of question in his voice.

“Yes, last night was not me, at least not the usual me. Miktan invited me, I’m not one that typically attends events such as the one last night,” Matthew said before finishing the thought to himself, at least not as an invited guest.

“I see, can I buy you some lunch?” The man asked, motioning to the cart.

Matthew put up a hand in protest, “I wouldn’t want to trouble you.”

“Nonsense, it would be my pleasure. Consider it repayment for your good company last night,” Alexander said before turning to the fat man, “we’ll take six of whatever you think is best.”

“Of course,” the man behind the stall said with an inclination of his head. He turned, grabbing two sheets of a thin, waxy paper and placed three kabobs on each sheet. He handed one of the sheets to Matthew and the other to Alexander.

The two turned away from that cart and Alexander immediately began to eat, “It has been far too long since I’ve been able to have a good kabob.”

“What’s that?” Matthew asked, not understanding.

Alexander looked at him, “I’m originally from Garlin, or from near here. I was raised on a farm just over a days travel from the city.”

“Really?” Matthew said, “I suppose I should have guessed by your appearance and speech. Maybe the uniform threw me off.”

“Matthew?” a voice said from in front of the two men. Matthew looked to see Vansen and Tavira standing there, each one eating one of their kabobs, “who your friend?”

Alexander eyed the two carefully. There had been a slight tone of distrust in Vansen’s voice when he had spoke. Matthew spoke to explain, “This is Alexander, I met him last night.”

“Oh,” Vansen said, relaxing, “It is good to meet you Alexander,” Vansen wiped some of the kabob juice from his hand on his pant leg and then offered it to Alexander, who shook it.

“That’s Vansen,” Matthew said, “and this is Tavira,” he motioned to the girl.

Alexander inclined his head, “A pleasure.”

Tavira just grinned at Alexander. Matthew raised an eyebrow at her and she sniffed before shooting him a look that usually meant he was in trouble. The group went to a nearby building, so as to be out of the way of the traffic on the street. They made casual conversation as they ate. Matthew was glad that Alexander did not seem to bother asking what it was the three did.

As they finished, Alexander spoke, “Matthew, do you think you could show me to Master Miktan’s place. I have some questions I meant to ask him last night, but he was rather busy with the band.”

“We can show you,” Tavira said, smiling at the man.

Matthew and Vansen both looked at her with eyebrows raised, “Yeah, we can show you,” Matthew said, finally looking back at Alexander.

“Thank you,” the officer said, motioning them to lead the way.

They started off. Tavira seemed to keep most of the conversation with the older man as they went, asking him about his home and his travels. Matthew was beginning to think that she was infatuated with the older man, though he couldn’t see why. Matthew guessed that Alexander had to be nearly twice Tavira’s age.

A man caught Matthew’s eye as they travelled. He was not sure why, but the man seemed familiar, as if Matthew had seen him earlier that day. He was a nondescript man, nothing really noticeable about him, but there was just something that felt off about the man. He wore a light green, linen shirt and leather britches. His thin, light brown hair was cut short. He did not seem poor or wealthy. Matthew could not figure out what it was, but something just seemed strange. Eventually the man disappeared around a corner and Matthew forgot about him.

The group of three thieves and a soldier turned onto a busy street. If it was clear, it would have taken them just a few minutes to reach the street that Miktan lived on, however, fighting through the crowd would slow them significantly.

A man bumped into Tavira as they went, rather violently and Matthew recognized the man. It was the man with the green shirt and the thin hair. It struck Matthew why he seemed so strange. Since leaving the warehouse, the man had cross their path nearly a dozen times.

“Some men,” Alexander said, looking after the man before he turned to Tavira, “Are you all right?”

Matthew gasped as she pulled her hands away from her stomach. Her shirt was stained with blood. Tavira’s knees buckled and immediately Alexander caught her. Matthew scanned the crowd. He was a little taller than most that were there and soon spotted the balding man. He looked back and met Matthew’s eyes. Worry filled them.

“I see him!” Matthew cried.

Alexander was handing Tavira to Vansen carefully, “I’ll take her to Miktan’s,” Vansen said, but the thought barely reached Matthew.

There was a ring of steel as Alexander’s sword came from his hip and the crowd moved away from the four, “Lead the way,” the man said calmly.

Matthew started. The crowd parted for the soldier with a drawn sword following a young man.

Matthew’s face was pure determination. Anger filled him. The balding man turned down a street and Matthew was there. He quickly scanned the street and found him, darting after.

Alexander had identified the man now and was no longer following. The man’s strong legs easily kept pace with Matthew. The bald man turned and Alexander turned after him. Matthew did not.

Matthew knew the streets. He knew the layout. Everything was clear to him. He knew that the street the man had started down only went to one place. Matthew made a sharp right at the next intersection and nearly ran over an old man. He jerked himself to one side, barely losing any speed. People screamed as they saw him coming and moved out of his way.

He was not sure when it had happened, but he had pulled one of the daggers from the harness on his back. The blade, a hand and a half long, reflected the sun. That was what people were screaming about. A madman running through the streets with a knife and a look of murder on his face.

The bald man exploded from the intersection in front of Matthew, frantically searching. A shout came from behind the bald man and he looked back, panic on his face.

He doesn’t see me, Matthew thought, he doesn’t know where I am. Not yet. He veered to the right, towards a wagon parked against a building. He pushed himself to move faster, before the man could react. He leapt to the back of the wagon. Two strides and he leapt again, soaring above the heads of people that were rising to their feet after the bald man had tackled them. Matthew began to fall, right onto the balding man.

A woman screamed as time slowed. The bald man’s head turned to look up. His eyes widened as he saw Matthew falling towards him. In the back of his mind Matthew could hear Alexander shouting something, but he did not care what. This man had hurt one of his friends, maybe killed her. He would pay.

Matthew’s left hand made contact with the bald man’s throat. The other man began to fall. Matthew’s knees struck the man’s chest as they made their way to the ground. When they struck, Matthew could feel the bones in the man’s chest crack. Blood flew from his mouth as the air was pushed from his chest. Matthew stared into the man’s gray eyes. The eyes of the man that stabbed Tavira for no reason. There was nothing else but Matthew and the bald man.

Everything came rushing back at once; sounds, motion, everything. Matthew was suddenly aware of his shouts. He was shouting at the man, demanding that he tell him why he had stabbed Tavira. He was now aware of the arms trying to pull him off the man. He was aware of the jet black dagger blade that was now coated with dark, red blood. He was aware of the glazed look in the bald man’s eyes and the blood flowing from his side. He was aware of what Alexander had been shouting, “Stop, don't kill him!”

“What have I done?” Matthew said, the blade dropping from his hand as he gave into the hands that wrestled him to the ground.

“Easy with him!” Alexander’s voice ordered.

Matthew finally realized that the hands that pinned him belonged to men of the city guard. Another group of guards surrounded the scene, keeping people back.

“This is none of your business!” A guard shouted at Alexander, “We’ll handle this!”

“Really?” Alexander shouted back, voice full of indignation, “you know what happened? You saw everything?”

“And you do?” The guard said. Matthew could see the men glaring at one another. He could see both of their faces full of blood, full of anger.

Alexander breathed, calming himself, “I do. I will accompany the boy to the prison. I will explain what happened.”

The guard still stared at him, face tight and getting redder, “Fine!” he shouted, turning to his men, “grab that knife and let’s get this body off the street!” he ordered.

Men hurried, rolling the body up in some canvas. Three men hoisted it and started off. Two guards led Matthew, head hanging, after the corpse.

—————————-

Celes Debeart smiled, pleased with everything that had happened. It had gone even better than she had planned. She had expected that she would have to affect the mind of the young man more, but she had to merely amplify the rage that had sprung up in the man.

She had been impressed. Even in his almost blind rage he had been able to adapt and process what was going on. Celes supposed that part of his reaction was instinct from his time living on the street, but it was all impressive none the less.

She watched as the guards carried Matthew and the dead man off. The man had been easy to manipulate. Gold made the minds of greedy men easier to mold. The promise of a few gold coins for the life of one, unknown girl, was easy money, or so that man had thought. He had no idea that he would not survive the day. The first stage of her plan was done. Celes just hoped that her Uncle was keeping up to his end of the bargain with the good Captain.