Karch

1
00:00:01,620 --> 00:00:02,900
The Thieves Guild
2
00:00:04,380 --> 00:00:05,759
by Jake Kerr.
3
00:00:08,079 --> 00:00:09,239
Chapter Two,
4
00:00:10,619 --> 00:00:11,279
Karch.
5
00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:29,479
Karch squeezed the robe in his fist until his
knuckles turned as white as the material.
6
00:00:30,039 --> 00:00:34,879
He didn't enjoy being the second-most important
person in one of several powerful guilds
7
00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:39,639
in Ness. He wanted to be the second-most powerful
person in the most
8
00:00:39,719 --> 00:00:40,759
powerful guild.
9
00:00:41,439 --> 00:00:44,559
And someday, the most powerful man, period.
10
00:00:45,259 --> 00:00:49,639
It was a timeline and plan he had helped nurture
for years, and yet now
11
00:00:49,719 --> 00:00:54,440
Lassen's irresponsible and maddening little
brother was about to ruin everything.
12
00:00:55,079 --> 00:00:55,599
Raylan.
13
00:00:56,319 --> 00:01:01,079
If it had been up to Karch, the disrespectful
whelp would have been banished years
14
00:01:01,119 --> 00:01:06,059
earlier. He flaunted his lack of gild as if it was
due to his rebelliousness
15
00:01:06,059 --> 00:01:10,839
and not his ineptitude. He insulted Karch
regularly, knowing that his
16
00:01:10,839 --> 00:01:12,119
brother would protect him.
17
00:01:12,779 --> 00:01:17,739
And perhaps worse than anything, he was constantly
causing problems, for he and Lassen's
18
00:01:17,779 --> 00:01:19,419
intricately laid plans.
19
00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:22,679
This was just one more example of that.
20
00:01:23,599 --> 00:01:27,039
Karch scowled. This mischief would be the last.
21
00:01:27,479 --> 00:01:30,279
He knocked on the polished wooden door with his
free hand.
22
00:01:30,799 --> 00:01:35,539
He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the brass
plate that said "Lassen
23
00:01:35,619 --> 00:01:38,339
Miller, Guildmaster Merchant."
24
00:01:38,979 --> 00:01:43,699
Karch softened his features. When it came to
Lassen's brother, he had to take
25
00:01:43,699 --> 00:01:46,179
care not to be too aggressive or insulting.
26
00:01:46,179 --> 00:01:47,439
"Come in,"
27
00:01:48,179 --> 00:01:50,399
came the tired voice of his guildmaster.
28
00:01:51,619 --> 00:01:56,299
Karch turned the knob with his left hand while he
slid the stained robe in his right hand behind his
29
00:01:56,339 --> 00:01:56,719
back.
30
00:01:57,319 --> 00:02:01,639
He entered, closed the door, and approached, both
his hands behind him.
31
00:02:02,299 --> 00:02:07,199
He bowed his head. "Guildmaster. I'm afraid we
have a new problem with the Knight Guild." He
32
00:02:07,219 --> 00:02:12,019
looked up just as Lassen dropped his head against
his hand, rubbing his temples with his
33
00:02:12,079 --> 00:02:16,499
fingers. "Will this never end? What do they want
now? More money?
34
00:02:16,839 --> 00:02:19,039
Does Sachs want me to apprentice more of his
relatives?
35
00:02:19,519 --> 00:02:21,979
Do they want me to pay for the masons to build
their tower higher?"
36
00:02:22,659 --> 00:02:26,899
Lassen slammed his fist to the table. "I'm still
dealing with Pietro's death.
37
00:02:27,379 --> 00:02:31,859
I swear, Karch, this has to end. Doesn't Sachs
know we haven't yet eliminated the Harvest Guild?
38
00:02:32,279 --> 00:02:37,119
I'm just trying to avoid strikes or, gods forbid,
bloodshed." Karch did his best not to
39
00:02:37,139 --> 00:02:40,279
smile. He had arranged everything so perfectly.
40
00:02:40,599 --> 00:02:45,499
He paid the bribes, apprenticed the right
children, gave the right gifts, that he didn't
41
00:02:45,519 --> 00:02:50,159
have to worry about any other complications than
the one in his right hand, and that
42
00:02:50,179 --> 00:02:52,339
complication was about to be removed.
43
00:02:52,339 --> 00:02:57,299
"Sir, this is an entirely different kind of
problem." He brought his hand forward and laid the
44
00:02:57,299 --> 00:03:02,139
robe on Lassen's desk. A reddish-brown stain
marred the pure white of the
45
00:03:02,179 --> 00:03:06,659
rest of the robe. "Your brother insulted the
Knight Guild by tossing a
46
00:03:06,699 --> 00:03:11,559
tomato at a member of the White Guard while he was
on duty." Karch shook his head in an
47
00:03:11,599 --> 00:03:16,499
attempt to display a shocked sadness. Lassen
grabbed the robe and examined the stain.
48
00:03:16,819 --> 00:03:20,899
He looked up at Karch. "Are they positive it was
Raylan?" "Indeed, sir.
49
00:03:21,299 --> 00:03:24,679
The knight saw him clearly in the midst of a field
at the base of the north wall.
50
00:03:25,119 --> 00:03:28,679
He had presumably been practicing his throws for
the Founder's Day Parade."
51
00:03:29,659 --> 00:03:32,279
Karch shrugged. "I'm sure he meant no harm."
52
00:03:33,099 --> 00:03:37,779
Lassen's face turned red. His temper was famous
across the city, and
53
00:03:37,879 --> 00:03:42,099
Karch had said the perfect thing to set it off.
"'Meant no harm'?
54
00:03:42,539 --> 00:03:46,759
I've told him again and again that he had to stop
these insults to my position as guildmaster and to
the
55
00:03:46,799 --> 00:03:48,459
reputation of his own family."
56
00:03:49,159 --> 00:03:53,339
Lassen started to drum his hand on his desk as his
voice increased in volume.
57
00:03:53,339 --> 00:03:57,779
"I've had to protect Raylan from every guildmaster
in the city over his continued
58
00:03:57,799 --> 00:04:02,279
misbehavior, and this is how he thanks me, by
assaulting the guards who defend our
59
00:04:02,359 --> 00:04:03,059
walls."
60
00:04:03,819 --> 00:04:08,779
Karch leaned forward. "Not to mention,
Guildmaster, that he has offended the one guild
that could
61
00:04:08,799 --> 00:04:12,039
cause problems for your plan to merge the Merchant
and Harvest Guilds."
62
00:04:12,719 --> 00:04:17,659
Lassen's eyes opened a bit wider. "My patience is
at an end, Karch." He grabbed
63
00:04:17,679 --> 00:04:20,779
the robe and threw it at him. "Find my brother and
bring him here.
64
00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:26,099
My days of protecting him are over. We'll deliver
him to Sachs and let the knights take care of
him." The
65
00:04:26,119 --> 00:04:28,499
moment came for Karch to spring his trap.
66
00:04:28,899 --> 00:04:32,719
He would finally be able to rid himself of the
impertinent Raylan.
67
00:04:33,019 --> 00:04:37,899
Karch almost couldn't restrain his smile as he
considered Raylan living the rest of his
68
00:04:37,959 --> 00:04:42,679
life in degradation and isolation. And the beauty
was that it brought his
69
00:04:42,719 --> 00:04:47,159
entire plan together. Raylan would no longer be an
issue, and the last
70
00:04:47,219 --> 00:04:51,539
potential stumbling block to their plan to control
Ness would be removed.
71
00:04:51,539 --> 00:04:53,399
"Guildmaster."
72
00:04:54,059 --> 00:04:58,999
Karch began to fold the robe. "I'm afraid just
giving Raylan to the knights will only anger him.
73
00:04:59,419 --> 00:05:04,039
They won't hold him for very long for such a minor
offense, and when they let him go, he will be even
more
74
00:05:04,079 --> 00:05:04,979
uncontrollable."
75
00:05:05,939 --> 00:05:10,799
Karch looked at Lassen and was pleased to see him
listening intently, his hands spread on the
76
00:05:10,879 --> 00:05:15,599
table. "I have a plan that I think will solve two
of your problems at once." Lassen
77
00:05:15,639 --> 00:05:19,459
leaned back, his face emotionless. "I'm
listening."