Chapter 18
It had been a mistake. She'd let her hate draw her into something her common sense should have told her to avoid, never mind her honour.
Aemere roamed the streets of Idstil with little attention to her path, simply wanting exercise. Or looking for a distraction. While certain what she needed to do, her previous mistake had her second-guessing herself.
Recognising the familiar tread as it fell into pace alongside her, she didn't turn to face him. 'How did you find me?'
'I'm good at finding people,' said Augni.
'In a city this size? One person walking at random?' She regarded him with a sceptical gaze.
'I'm from Idstil,' he said. 'Walking without purpose you join the flow of traffic. And you’re relatively conspicuous. A woman in armour is still out of place. Finding a couple of people who recognised your description, it was relatively easy to guess where you'd eventually pass.'
She shook her head. Partly at how easy he'd made it sound – she was sure it wasn't – and partly at herself for not realising she still wore the armour. She must have been distracted. She'd usually wear something less conspicuous on the streets. Armour shouldn't draw as much attention as it might outside of Tournament time, but being worn by a woman it was still noticed.
'You're thinking of leaving,' he said.
She said nothing, not sure what she could say.
'I understand,' he said. 'It wasn't a good experience, especially for your first time doing something like that.'
'It wasn't just what happened,' she said, a touch sharper than she'd intended. 'I should never have gone along. It was a wrong thing to do.'
'I understand that.'
'Do you?' She glared.
'It's not for everyone...'
'It shouldn't be for anyone. We were stealing.' She hurriedly glanced around. Nobody appeared to have overheard. She forced her voice lower, and dragged Augni into an alleyway to give them some privacy.
'We were taking from the Society,' said Augni, as though that excused everything.
'It's still theft.'
'Necessary, given they've usurped power,' his voice seemed to gain heat. Not aimed at her, despite her needling.
'I may not like what they've done to society, but I wouldn't go that far.'
'On the streets the change is obvious.'
She paused a moment. 'Are you saying I'm detached from real life?'
'No, that's not... I meant you're not from where...'
'It is, isn't it?' she asked, irritation slipping into anger. 'You think I've had some sort of privileged upbringing that means I don't know what the common people think, is that it?'
'That's not what I said,' said Augni.
'It's what you...' Aemere stopped as she realised she was gripping her sword. She didn't usually lose control as easily. She'd obviously been more on edge than she knew. A few deep breaths calmed her, and she started to remove her hand from the hilt when she realised they had company.
Four men stood in the entrance to the alley, their uniforms putting her on edge. Her first thought was that they'd been caught. But the Alliance uniforms meant they'd hardly concern themselves with attempting to steal something from the Society. Not that that meant there wouldn't be trouble, so she kept her hand close to her weapon.
'What's going on?' asked the leader. The crispness of uniform and voice said he took the role seriously.
'Nothing untoward,' said Augni.
'I'll be the judge of that.' He approached, eyeing them up warily, his men close behind.
'We were having a conversation,' said Aemere, ensuring her tone was calm and non-confrontational.
'It seemed loud for a conversation,' said the man. 'And your hand was close to your sword.'
'The loudness wasn't enough to class as disturbing the peace, and we're off the street and not causing a commotion,' said Augni.
'That's not for you to say,' said the man.
'Or you,' said Augni, steel in his voice if not his hand. 'If you’re concerned why don't you go and find some real guards and let them know what's going on.'
The Alliance man bristled, ready to draw his weapon. Regaining his composure, he spoke in a cold voice. 'This is an Alliance city, and we uphold the law.'
'You uphold the Alliance,' said Augni. 'We were doing nothing which could affect them.'
'We seem to disagree on a few points,' said the man. 'And I say you need to come with us to discuss them. Or will you resist?' He gripped his sword, his eyes showing nervous determination.
'Oh look, dress-up guards,' said a voice from the alley entrance.
The Alliance men glanced back to where a couple of the city's actual guards stood. The older leaned casually against the wall as he spoke. 'Oh, it's Isgadlod. Out making the streets safe for anyone who'll pay.'
'Don't you have some bribes to go chasing?' Isgadlod asked with a sneer.
'Not unless you're offerin',' the guard grinned.
'We're dealing with a couple of troublemakers,' said Isgadlod.
'You're harassing an off-duty guard,' said the newcomer. 'Do you really want to push it?'
Isgadlod turned to Augni, who met his gaze.
'Don't cause public disturbances this side of the river again,' said Isgadlod. He stalked out of the alley, pushing past the guards as he and his men disappeared.
The real guards waited until they'd gone before strolling forward. The lead one regarded Augni, his face blank.
'Good thing he didn't ask how off-duty, eh? You come back without even a by your leave. Start trouble with that scum and don't even invite us. The least you can do is buy drinks.' He broke into a wide smile, and took Augni in a rough embrace.
When they finally broke, Augni – slightly shaken – turned to her. 'Aemere, this is Ithjorg.'
'A pleasure to meet you,' said Ithjorg, sizing her up. A touch shorter than her, he was a good bit wider, and had a full head of greying red hair with some straggly bits around the chin.
'And you,' she said, meeting his gaze. Most of her attention remained on Augni. Had he really been a guard?
'Arrim,' Ithjorg said to his subordinate. 'Go finish the round. I'm off down the pub.'
And with that they were dragged to the eastern side of the city, to one of the dimmer establishments in which both Ithjorg and Augni were recognised.
She kept quiet, watching them and using the time to think. Occasionally she was dragged into the conversation, and admitted to competing in the Tournament, careful when discussing how she knew Augni. She let Ithjorg think she was Augni's girl. He didn't seem inclined to push for more, probably taking their argument which had started this as something to avoid.
Their group attracted more guards as the afternoon wore on, many stopping in during their duties. She noticed it was mainly the older ones who recognised Augni, so he'd probably been gone from the job for a while. She get no hint as to why, which aroused her curiosity.
The conversation lingered on good-natured reminiscing, occasionally turning dour as they discussed the Alliance's growing influence.
'They patrolling this side of the river yet?' asked Augni.
'Only if some glyphpunk gets too loud,' said Ithjorg, looking sour.
'Only a matter of time,' said another guard. Their names went by too quick for Aemere to keep up.
Ithjorg scowled at him. 'You won't see them bothering over here. Too much like actual work. Just as well. It's bad enough they’re patrollin' the other side. Think they're trying to get so only they're allowed to patrol over there.'
'Or trying to oversee us,' said the guard, earning him a deeper scowl.
'Won't have anyone left to oversee if they try,' Ithjorg said in a tone which brooked no argument. 'King’s already given the bastards near as much power to enforce the law as we've got.'
'How much influence have they gained?' asked Augni.
'Too much,' said Ithjorg. 'Rumours are they're even trying to relocate people they don't want cluttering up their side of the city, 'thou
gh they haven't done it yet. They have started throwing their weight around about what can be built on which side. Not the drinking establishments, obviously, or there'd be a revolt.'
The reminiscences lasted well into the evening, and it was getting dark by the time they got free of Ithjorg's insistence on one more drink. Neither had had as much as their host, but she still felt tired, and they walked at a sedate pace.
'Sorry about that,' said Augni. 'Ithjorg can get like that at times.'
'It's okay. It was probably just as well. Gave us time to calm down, rather than saying more things we didn't mean.'
'Yes. I never meant I thought you're stuck-up or anything...'
'It's okay,' said Aemere. 'We were both upset. And maybe I... No, we're still a little bit drunk...'
'Just a little.'
'...so let's not discuss any of that stuff. You’re from around here?'
'Yes. Grew up a few streets that way. One of the nicer parts of this side of town. Relatively speaking.'
'And Thjorn?' asked Aemere. 'Is he a native too?'
'Opinions vary.'
'Opinions?'
'There are a few stories about him. His mother might’ve been a glyphmason discredited by political rival. Or she might’ve been an apothecary and daughter of a notorious murderer. His father might have been a nobleman in hiding, or a shiftless dockhand. There’s even one story that says Thjorn was actually a glyph so complex that it came to life, but I’m fairly sure that at least that one he started himself. I wouldn’t be surprised if the others were his fabrications too.'
Aemere couldn’t help smiling. She couldn’t accuse Thjorn of being boring. There were many things she could accuse him of, but not that.
'So you joined the guards,' she said.
'It was a long time ago. It’s going on five years since I... stopped.' It sounded like a sore point, but her curiosity was buoyed by drink.
'What made you join up?'
He shrugged. 'No one thing. It was the way things were. The way I was. The place was worse than it is now. Not exactly lawless, but there wasn't much justice. Jobs had already started to dwindle because of the Alliance gradually gaining control. My options were dockhand, join one of the gangs, or join the guard.'
'You chose upholding the law.'
'I think it was justice more than law. It’s so long ago I'm not sure whether it was because of a desire for justice I joined, or whether joining gave me that focus.'
'And you ended up... doing what you do. How did that happen?'
'The Alliance have been here since they began, but it’s only in the last decades they started following the Society in taking serious political power. It’s been a gradual process, taking a bit at a time, but they just keep moving towards running the city, or at least the bits they’re interested in. They were already well entrenched. Questioning the wrong person was all it took.'
'So you switched sides?'
Discomfort showed on his face, and she chided herself for letting the conversation go back in that direction.
'I don't see it as switching sides,' he said. 'The guilds are the other side, the rest of us are on this side.'
'But Thjorn’s a thief, isn't he?'
'He's never been convicted of any serious crime. Not for lack of trying.'
'You?' she asked.
'Yes. I came closer to catching him than anyone before or since. For crimes he'd committed, leastways. The Alliance wanted him out of the way, so they tried a transparent attempt to frame him. I spoiled it, hence my sudden unemployment.'
'So he took you on out of gratitude?'
'Gratitude isn't really his thing,' said Augni. 'People act for their own reasons, which can happen to coincide with his plans. No, as I said, I came closer to catching him than anyone else, and Thjorn appreciates skill.'
'And why would you work with him?'
'His crimes have generally been against the guilds. They're creeping their way into power and I don't see anyone else doing much to stop them. I know a lot of what we do seems disjointed, to me as well, but I trust he has a plan. He always has a plan. The game is working out what the plan is.'
'You don't know what it is?'
'He's not big on sharing, but I trust him.'
They continued on in silence a while.
'I don't,' said Aemere. 'You, I trust, but trusting your trust...'
'I understand,' said Augni. 'And I know you won't be coming with us when we leave.'
'I have to focus on my goals. I have things I need to do, and can't afford anything which could distract me.'
'I understand.'
'But you're staying with him?'
Augni nodded. 'I share his goals. And I don't see a better way of achieving them. I'm sorry.'
She nodded, feeling clumsy in her armour. It was the right thing for both of them, and she needed to be completely focussed on the Tournament. Maybe she'd look for him after it was over.