A thief's legacy

Chapter 11

Cos helped the young one getting down safely. The rage of the Guards had calmed down somewhat and they seem to regroup. But the people of the city were still panicking and chaos was in the entire city.

They made good use of that and acted like a pair of drunken men caught up in the public's panic. He saw someone hurrying past them with an open bottle in his hand. Cos let one hand hang next to him and slipped the bottle from the man's grasp as he looked around with wild eyes.

Cos took a quick swig and 'accidently' sloshed some over Radian. Oh well, Ion had barfed on it once as well. It could take a bit of way too dry wine. Together the stumbled through the crowd and the Guards didn't even look at them. Cos looked from his eye corner as the Commander, Menton, gave orders to his Guards. Where was the General? Should he not be out here too? Shouting orders and being a slave driver.

When they reached the lower part of Lostan Cos could see that doors and windows were broken. His heart sped up at the thought of Pi being home alone. He hoped that Kappa had taken her in during this or that their home was left alone. He hoped for the last one, while Kappa was good with Pi sometimes the man didn't have the patience to deal with her for a longer time. Evlyn might have, but she was always busy doing household work.

They couldn't run. Radian was almost out of it and it would cause suspicion around the Guards still in lower town. Radian leaned heavily on his side and his feet lost solid ground more than at first it seemed. Fear and pain slowing his youthful body.

"Just a bit longer,"Cos whispered in Radians ear.

The boy just grunted in response, while Cos dragged his right arm over his own shoulder to support him. Another group of Guards passed them, they were walking on a high tempo. But having taken a look at them they were deemed unworthy of their time as Cos began to say and sing some loud obnoxious songs.

"Gnawing bones,

Sticks and stones,

Hollow bones,

This is the goblin song.

Crushing stones,

Broken bones

Crunch 'em, grind 'em,

Don't leave any of 'em whole!

For this is the gobbling song.

Gnash yer teeth,

Grate their bones with stones.

This is the goblin song."

The song was a old nursery rhyme, used to scare children so they would listen to their parents. He had never sung it to the little one, but it was the first thing that came to mind.

And as expected the Guards past them by with snickers, snorts, some whistles and cheers.

Cos steered them to his home. His door was broken down just as the others and he hurried inside, forgetting the stumbling Radian. As he came in their main room, the place they slept, he saw Evlyn holding Pi, who was wailing and sobbing.

Cos opened his mouth but closed it. He kneeled next to the child and hesitatingly put his hand on her head to pet her hair.

She tried to hold in her sobs but almost choked on it as she lunged into his arms.

"Where were you?" Evlyn snarled at him.

Cos didn't answer but shushed his daughter. When would people stop snooping in his life?

"The Guards broke down the door, as you see. She was screaming and crying when we found her." Evlyn stood and straightened her dress.

Cos pulled Pi away from him to look at her face that she had hidden away, there was some light swelling on the left side and as he looked at her arm he saw a hand print blooming on her skin.

He gritted his teeth at the look of blood pooling underneath her skin. It was a child for heaven's sake, would they not even stop for that? One of their own? Hate grew in his heart as he thought about the times he had believed they would have limits. But it seemed they had none.

"Who is this? One of your drinking friends?" She stepped towards Radian.

He stood in the house but close to the door, well opening in the wall more like it. She cringed at the smell of alcohol on him and looked disapprovingly towards Cos who was busy ignoring her and calming Pi.

Radian stepped back and winched as the wall pressed against the welts on his back, hidden by the coat. She frowned at this. And repeated her question.

"Radian, Ma'am." He answered her looking at his bare feet.

She studied his face and her eyes widened as she realised who stood before her.

"You are the escaped prisoner." She whispered.

She turned towards Cos who looked at her keeping Pi close to his chest.

"You got out the prisoner, it is you they are looking for." She hit his arm. "Are you out of your mind, Cos! You have a child to look after."

"Pi, I have Pi to look after and now Radian too."Cos sighed and looked at Pi's dark curls as he stroked them.

"Look at the kid, Evlyn. You think he would be the thief they are really after? They just wanted a scapegoat to buy them more time."

"How would you know that."

Cos didn't dare to speak or look at her face.

"Oh Gods, it is you, isn't it."

She had her hands in her hair and her knuckles were almost white.

"How? How could you do this to both your daughter and Pi?"

"Don't ever think I did not my best to give them everything I could. Damn it Evlyn, the only way I was going to be able to provide for both of them, and now just the little one, was through this."

"Oh, what an honourable job!" she threw at him.

"What, like being a Guard? Destroying people's houses for fun?" he spat, waving at his broken door.

Radian felt the tension growing in the small house and he tried to make himself as small as possible.

Evlyns jaw was set as she stared at Cos. By the Gods how could she have ended up with someone as Kappa? She was way too fierce to be put down by a man like that.

"You won't have to worry about it anymore," Cos sighed, "We are going somewhere else."

"Where? Let Pi stay here, she can't live on the run."

Cos stepped backward and clamped Pi to his chest as Evlyn reached towards her.

"No, she needs..."Cos stopped. He just didn't want to let her go. And certainly not to Kappa's spouse.

"You don't know what she needs, she needs a steady home where she can grow up into a decent lady."

Cos stared her down.

"No, she has been fine so far. We were fine so far." He turned around and took Radian by the arm.

"We are going, give my kind regards to your husband."