Bone Diggers - Chapter Five

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It had been days since Amilia joined Daniel's team, and it was soon decided that he'd take his new recruit out to see how she could help. Under a rustic sky, they ventured along recreated historic streets towards the start location.

"What sort of mission is it?" Amilia asked.

"We are protecting a witness."

"Oh." It sounded noble and hopefully trouble-free enough. "Is that something the thieves' guild does often?"

"The powers that be will really take almost any mission that follows their tenets," Daniel candidly answered.

Amilia remembered them discussing this at a café a couple nights before. "Do not raise a hand against another, for we take care of our own. Bring no harm to the innocent or poor."

Daniel hummed an agreement. "Both morally sound, and a good way to avoid making unseen enemies."

"That just leaves..."

Daniel looked over with a smile, wondering if she'd get the third one or if she needed a hint. They passed a few buildings before he offered the answer. "Take only what you need."

"That's a funny rule," Amilia mused. Daniel tilted his head. She shrugged. "For a bunch of thieves, that is."

"It might be if we weren't a guild. Greed leads to corruption, which leads to abuses in the ranks. I would rather be part of a morally gray group that hasn't forgotten about its pack than blindly following all the laws set without much say."

It hadn't been long, but Amilia was starting to feel an odd tenderness towards Daniel. She wanted to know what he specifically thought about the world. "I'm in."

Daniel pulled out a map of the city, spreading it wide so Amilia could look over his shoulder. His eyes traced the path they'd take. "The Knight we are escorting is wanted in court to testify soon. Whatever his story, it is imperative he gets to tell it in one piece," he explained as the corner of his mouth twitched up. "Most likely boring, but has the chance to be something dicey. Any worries to confess before we go?" he teased for the sheer fun of it as he folded up the map.

"I guess not," Amilia said, and looked down at her hands. She had no real weapons of her own, like the arsenal Daniel carried. "If things do get messy, what am I supposed to do?"

Daniel chewed on his lip as he looked Amilia over. What did he have that he could share? A dagger would only be good in short range combat, and the idea of someone being that close to her without the proper training made his stomach uneasy. "Do you know how to use a sword?"

"I know which side to hold."

Amilia's eyes grew wide as Daniel pulled out a sword and handed it over with an everyday casualness about it. "Th-thank you," she said. With wonder, she blinked at the rather beautiful rapier while Daniel pulled off the belt that had secured the sword to his waist.

The two headed towards the north side of town, to a cantina. "Amilia," Daniel said, and nodded towards tables across the street. "Do you see that man outside eating? Don't believe a word he says, nor fall prey to his charm."

Amilia looked over, expecting the serious words to match who she saw, while Daniel's expression was one of amusement. When she glanced again, she actually thought it looked like the man she saw with Daniel before.

He walked straight up to the man, not only stealing a seat next to him, but the remaining half of his sandwich. "We must protect that figure of yours, dear Tarlé."

"As always, Danny boy," Lance replied, making Daniel twitch at the name. Amilia followed behind, entertained by their exchange. It was a disregard of proper etiquette rarely seen in this age.

Lance wiped his hands against each other as he stood. "You've brought the beautiful woman from before," Lance said, offering his hand to take hers. "And I'm certain you are far more than that."

Lance gently planted a kiss on her hand so soft that his lips hardly touched her. At the last moment, Lance looked over to Daniel, who crossed his arms over his chest.

"Shall we?" Daniel's tone was shorter than before. He took a step to a nearby table with an older man picking at his food, too jittery to commit to the meal. The man, nearly twice Daniel's age, jumped as he neared, but settled back once recognizing who it was. Daniel must have said something encouraging because the man nodded, and looked back at his plate.

"Lance Tarlé," Lance said, introducing himself properly. "Excuse my friend's manners. Daniel isn't used to being set with the recruits, especially the cute ones. The man he is currently talking to is named Joseph, and our duty it's to protect him." He leaned against the table, glancing at them. "For today, at least."

Amilia peaked at the man sitting at the table.

"So, tell me," Lance said, pulling her attention back to him. "Are you here for business, or because you like my friend."

At the question, Amilia sunk down in a chair. Once the surprise washed over her, a small smile returned. He seemed like the playful sort, so she took a risk. "Well, he does have a nice behind," she whispered. There was something about the light, joking aura Lance gave off that made her relax. It was hard to feel like the terrified little child that she feared they'd see her as.

Lance smirked. "Vrai. But you've yet to see mine." He walked over to Daniel as if to give her the chance, even though, truth be told, he just wanted to get moving.

Joseph kept a watchful eye on Amilia. She hadn't noticed at first, but sometimes he'd just stare until one of the boys moved in a fashion that accidentally broke the line of sight. It was unnerving, and sent twitches through the whole group. His eyes drifted to her—or rather Daniel's—weapon. For support, her hand rested on the hilt.

The group traveled through the city in silence until Lance spoke. "I heard what you did the other night. I'll be sure not to leave my drink unattended around you."

Amilia opened her mouth to defend herself, but realized he was likely looking to amuse himself. "I had no idea that news had already made the rounds. Being a topic of discussion makes me feel notorious. I'm flattered that it was impressive enough to become a story."

"It wasn't that impressive," Daniel grumbled.

There was a limit how far Lance would go for a joke, and that line was drawn at making Daniel uncomfortable.

"Nous avons ennuis," Lance said with words unfamiliar to everyone except Daniel. He came to a perfect stop on the beaten path they had been traveling. There, in the shadows, he could see someone shifting their position. It was black on black, but he could just barely make out the shape. Daniel and Lance spread out, widening their group for a better defensive stance. They didn't make it much farther before more questionable men walked onto the street, no longer caring if they were hidden.

By Daniel's count there was now someone at each cross street, plus the original man that spotted them further back. Joseph started backpedaling, glanced over his shoulder, and looked for an escape. Lance caught the man by the tunic and tugged him back into the center of the group.

"I don't think he wants to stay with you," replied what the boys assumed to be a mercenary.

"People tend to run off once they see your face," Daniel taunted.

"It took all my willpower not to run away myself," Lance added.

The man smiled, but the hard-set look in his eyes showed he was not amused. "Hand him over, and we can go our own way."

Amilia unsheathed her sword, extending it in front of her just as Daniel and Lance had done. She heard someone clear their throat, like they were trying to cover a chuckle. Her eyes moved toward the sound. When her eyes locked on the man, she went pale. A fight broke out before any more words could be thrown about.

The thieves held them off with parries and evasive maneuvers, which caused the mercenaries to get tangled up in each other's movements. All Daniel had to do was wait for them to eagerly jump out of the formation that would have otherwise protected them. Lance had positioned himself in front of Joseph, but, during the fray, ended up back to back with Daniel, both itching to strike in opposite directions.

As Daniel looked around the battlefield, their foes had all fled. Amilia was standing guard over Joseph, who had crouched behind barrels, just barely visible from Daniel's angle. She seemed focused on where their enemies had retreated to.

"I know we are good at this, but I've never seen mercs run away before," Lance said, refusing to let his guard down just yet.

"Something isn't right here." Daniel nearly spun around as he assessed the pieces on the board. The ones weighing the heaviest on him were Amilia and Joseph. He had taken a stray punch, but the both of them looked otherwise fine.

"I think it's her," Lance said. He lifted his sword towards Amilia, but their distance made the gesture unthreatening.

The comment went ignored as Daniel walked over to Joseph, who was too scared to run away now.

"Do you want to chase them, or get him someplace safe?" The question was pointless to ask. The logical answer of completing the mission was clear.

"If you'd only use your head, instead of—"

"Enough," Daniel said, harshly enough that Joseph took a step away.

Lance glared Daniel's way for a second before tilting his wrist to lower the sword. Joseph was left feverishly confused if he should follow Lance or not as he continued on down the street. In the end, he cast his lot in with Lance.

"This was a bad idea," Amilia said. During the fight she had only grown paler to the point that it looked like her stomach might betray her. "I shouldn't have come."

Daniel's arms were loose at his sides, wavering for a second as if he might shrug off her comment too. In the end, his hands ended up on his hips. "Don't tell me that wild heart of yours ends at swordplay."

"It's not that." She flinched slightly. It must have been something other than the sight of blood since her eyes were unfocused on any spot in front of her. When she worked up the courage to look up she nervously chewed on her bottom lip. "Are you sure about this?"

"No." Amilia's quick frown was so exaggerated that it made Daniel smile. "I merely meant, the mission isn't a bust so we should finish it before it no longer matters either way." He held out a hand to help get her moving again.

Tentatively, she took it. The small bashfulness that found her added color to her face once again. Daniel allowed her to take the lead in catching up with the others, not wanting to lose any of his party.

"You have great trust in your friends," Joseph said, once they had caught up. "It's an admirable trait."

Owen could now see the marker that indicated the drop off point, a green floating diamond only he could see. "Trust has to begin somewhere." But that wasn't fully it. He simply wanted to believe in people.