On the other side of the city in one of the lord's former manners a black hawk tapestry was being placed on a wall. Reclining in a large throne like chair, overseeing the tapestry's placement, sat Demetri. "A little to the left, that's it. No higher you idiot. Now its lopsided." "My lord.." A messenger interrupted Demtri who was about to eat a gold fish shaped cracker from the small bowl on a podium next to his chair.
"Do you have news?," replied Demetri. "Yes my lord, we have found a buyer for the.." A shot of fast moving energy much like lightning hit the messenger causing the messenger to convulse. "I told you not to speak of my families affairs in front of others." Still feeling the convulsions the messenger now on the floor was plagued by the occasional twitch keeping him from speaking.
Demtri turned his attention back to the workman. "The tapestry can wait, for now you can leave. I expect this to be done to my satisfaction in time for tomorrow's dinner party."
The worker left hurriedly. Once out of the room the needle like energy keeping the messenger from speaking stopped assaulting his nerve endings. Recovering slowly the messager stood. WHO demanded Demitri. Stammering in part due to the shock and partially out of fear the messenger sputtered. Seb Seba Sebastian.
Speaking as if to himself Demitri muttered, "That old man wants the spoils after all. Even though he refused the job. Hah! He's going to have to pay double for troubling me.
Sir, he already offered double our asking price when I said that probably would not be necessary he said that you would ask for double.
Demetri shot the messenger once more with lightning like energy and watched the messenger writhe in pain.
Damn that man Sebastian. Always so smug.
"When you pull yourself together, take it to him." Demitri then stood and stormed out of the chamber.
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Cem stared blankly at Sebas. "Polished?!"
Like some sort of rock? He was the city lord's son not some rock an urchin would play with. Only his father was... he did not want to believe dead.. missing perhaps. I have nothing else left to me thought Cem. If I don't start here, there is very little I can accomplish on my own. A part of him still grated at being someone else errand boy. After a brief pause Cem shook himself and said "Fine, I will be your stupid rock. Teach me, so I can return the favor to those who did this to my family."
How fitting, "Cem the stupid rock," reflected Cem.
Sebastian laughed in a knowing chuckle at the poor wordplay. I will teach you everything you need to know little rock. All in good time.
Alright! Sebas clapped his hands together as if signifying the matter being settled. First thing first, you wont be going by your usual name and your hair must be darkened to hide your identity. We cannot reveal that you are still alive to anyone. Fist a new name.. hmm.. Sebas placed his fist to his lips in contemplation. After a brief moment he let his hand fall. "As you have just said you will be my stupid rock and so shall you be called Rock. Be warned as you are not well fitted to such a bold name and the rest of my crew has a habit of roughing the new guys. Don't be surprised when they call you pebble for a time, but I have faith you will grow into a boulder with my help.
Second, your hair is bright red, a very distinguishing characteristic. For now we will use a dye to hide that. In the future I will teach you to channel the natural spiritual energy in your body to change your physical appearance as the situation may require.
Finally we shall start your lessons. Up until now you have learned from the finest tutors the Prime family could afford. I am sure the materials were insightful with emphasis on city planning science, writing, arithmetic, eithics and politics. I ask you not forget those lessons but to put them aside aside for now.
Lesson one:
Ethics are for the privileged few who do not starve.
Politics and Ethics are tools for those who hold power. In the world you are about to enter only strength can protect you, only cruel cunning can keep you ahead of the hangman's block.
That is why your first task is to find a means to pay back all of the food you ate this morning.
Cem now was visibly stunned. Pay for a meal? He had never paid for one in his life and had not expected to be forced to pay for this one. Also, he had no idea the value of the simple meal he had eaten.
"Don't worry," said Sebastian. This time the price is low. Just bring me one of the apples from the carts in the market. There is a particular vendor who carrys a uniquely pink apple from a distant land. The vendors name is Vlad and has a reputation for taking a cudgel to the heads of urchins who try to steal from him.
Cem shivered. That sounded a lot like the tough at the cart that killed the small urchin he had seen yesterday.
Do your best you have until nightfall to return or I will assume you have died. Good luck said Sebastian as he headed out of the room room, kettle floating behind him.
Pausing at the doorway Sebastian turned. "Oh and Little Rock if you succeed I have somthing you might be interested in. I will be acquiring a particular artifact from the former Prime's estate and I could not imagine a better person to receive it should you return intact.
Good luck!
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City Lord's Mannor:
My lord.." A messenger interrupted Demitri who was about to enjoy a seasonal vintage from a chrome chalice. "What is it now," said Demitri.
The same servant peaked carefully into the room fearing the earlier electric shock felt all over his still aching body. "A letter from the emperor my lord. He intends to host a funerary procession honoring the former prime and deceased family.
He wants all the lords to be in attendance and has asked that we accommodate all parties in the newly acquired estates. A notable curiosity is that Sebastian was also invited my lord.
With each word Demitri's expression darkened and his face took on a purple hue as much as in trepidation as in anger. The emperor clearly was showing far to much interest in the death of the prime and his family. Many thoughts ran through Demetri's mind. The most prevalent of which keep repeating. What the hell was that decrepit old man Sebastian up to? First, Sebastion had bought the orb from the former prime estates without explaining what it is or why he wanted it. An orb that was supposed to be the spoils of the job he had turned down. His reason for turning it down was as he said it was an act of suicide to take on such a job and that even if he succeeded it would be far to messy. Now he was attending a funeral that he should not have any reason to attend. Yet he was. How did the emperor even think of inviting him? Demetri did not like that he did not know the how or why. He did know one thing for certain, he needed to talk with that old man. Only then could he settle the affairs of the recently dsceased with a restful mind.
Send an invitation to Sebastian, shouted the suddenly animated Demitri. We are having him over for drinks tonight.