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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ruined" data-source="post: 378430" data-attributes="member: 113">Silas - 5th of Corer,  yr. 144 AV“Silas, I will only say this once more. I forbid you to seek these men out!”Silas narrowed his eyes at his father as he paced around the study. Brigham Loralian was upset, just as he was. Yet his words, his decree, made Silas fume all the more.“You would have me sit here in tears, when I could be out finding the killers?”It had been two days since the watch had brought Illyana’s bloodstained body to the house. His sister, murdered in the streets of Aolvnir. She had a dalliance with a human by name of Frederico, something short-lived and passionate. She had kept it secret from her father, but had trusted Silas with the information. Apparently this Frederico had enemies of his own, and they had murdered the young couple as they walked through the streets at night.“Silas, I will see that Illyana is avenged. I can make this happen. but you are young –”“I am nearly fifty years old!” Silas shouted.“And still a youth in our family, or have you forgotten from whence you came?”  His father’s retort stung. Silas knew the underlying meaning. His father had always commented on the amount of time Silas spent with his human friends, instead of the other elves within Aolvnir. And now Illyana’s love for a man had caused her death. He watched as his father walked over and placed a hand upon his shoulder.“Please, Silas. I have lost one child dear to me. I do not wish to lose the other.”Silas gently moved from his father’s touch.“Father, you lost me years ago, not that you would notice.” No further words were spoken as Silas turned and walked from the room.* * *Silas did not spend that night searching for his sister’s murderers. Instead, he found himself rebelling against his father in a different way, associating with his friend Martin Shale. Martin had a terrible curiosity, and always seemed to find danger where it lurked in Aolvnir.Tonight was no exception: the pair were perched behind a rocky outcropping that led down to the lakeside, spying on a group of four men. They had been here for nearly an hour, and the men below now prepared to leave.“One of them should have the lens. If we can get it, I know someone who will pay a good sum of gold for it.” Martin leaned forward and squinted in the moonlight. His eyesight paled beside the elven eyes of Silas.“One of the thinner men is holding a long case,” Silas announced. “I don’t like this, Martin. I swear, one of the men is a guardsman, and I believe another wears the insignia of the Duke.” “Maybe, but this is a thousand gold crowns we’re talking about. One score, and we can live like kings!” Silas watched his friend for a moment without speaking. Martin had mentioned this job to him before, but he had ignored it. Smaller thefts were tolerable; filching a purse or roaming through someone’s house while they were away was actually exciting. But this was stealing from a city official, an act that could be trumped up to treason if the Dragoons caught them. Yet, his mind had changed tonight. The city watch had said they had no information regarding his sister’s murder, but he doubted if they had asked the right questions. Witnesses may give more information if coins crossed their palms, coins that this job could provide. It was a dirty business, but Silas felt obligated to pursue it. For Illyana, he kept telling himself. For Illyana.“One condition, Martin: Two-fifths go to me, two-fifths to you, and one-fifth goes to the Church of Hedrada.” “The church? Are you mad? You’re welcome to give them part of your share, but -”“One-fifth, Martin. Either that or I walk.”Martin seemed ready to argue the point, but a voice called out from below them. The guardsman had apparently heard voices and was calling for a lantern. Thinking quickly, Silas grabbed a flask and splashed himself with wine. Within moments, the glare from a hooded lantern shone on the pair.“Explain yourselves! What are you doing here?”   Silas began to speak in a slurred voice, but Martin quickly intervened with a story of them drinking by the lakeside. He was not as skilled a liar as Silas, but his story seemed convincing enough. The guard approached close enough to smell them, and then returned to his group with a look of disgust. Silas and Martin watched as the four continued up the path back to the city proper.“Fair enough,” Martin grumbled. “One-fifth to yer church.” * * * The pair watched from between two darkened houses as the guardsman walked from the thin man’s house. Two black cases stood on end on the stoop, as he fished through his pockets for a key.“We should do this quickly before he gets inside,” Silas said. Martin agreed and they formed a plan. Within seconds, Silas strolled up to the house, still smelling of cheap wine. The man had retrieved his key, and now the door to his house stood open. He turned and nearly jumped when he saw Silas walking up.“Excuse me, sir…” Silas continued the act, exaggerating his words.“Can I help you, sir?” the man asked. Silas got up close to him and mumbled an incomprehensible string of words.  “Pardon me? Wait, weren’t you back…?”The man’s words were interrupted as Martin bowled into the two of them and snatched the cases, running off into the night. The victimized man cursed and swore, calling out for the guard as he struggled to get to his feet. He looked at Silas and pointed a finger, then ran down the street calling for the guards. Silas considered looking through the man’s open house, but decided against it. He had already taken too many risks this night.Within an hour, Martin had brought the cases to a quiet flat where Silas stayed most nights. He had a room at his father’s considerable estate, but he chafed at the rules placed upon him there. This house was comforting to him. Examination of the cases had revealed one to have a long tube split in half, with a glass lens in each piece. It reminded Silas of a spyglass his father had mounted above the fireplace. The other case held an odd metal stand with three legs that presumably could attach to the tube. After a brief examination, Martin closed the cases and rose from the floor.“I’ll see if my contact can meet me tomorrow to look at the goods. Then I’ll find you.” “I think the lenses should stay with me. Not that I don’t trust you, Martin…”Martin grumbled.“I trust you too, but I’m loathe to leave the prize here.” “Take one of the lenses with you, I’ll keep the other,” Silas said. “We’ll meet tomorrow and handle the deal.” Martin thought for a moment, and then agreed, grabbing one of the tubes from the case and gently placing it in a sack.Silas lay on his bed, unable to sleep after Martin had left. How far would he go for his sister’s memory? How far?</blockquote>

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