Chronicles of the Black Swords Ch. 02

Chronicles of the Black Swords

'The Love of the Shadows, the Life of a Thief"

"This tale is taken from the well known play of the same title. I first saw it many a long years before the King set me to the task of putting the history of the Hellblades down before they are lost to time. I saw the play again just days ago and remembered the story of the thief and the Hellsword that he carried. I dug my way into city records and found that there was more than a small grain of truth to the old story. Then I came across a few pages of crumbly parchment. They were, I truly believe, penned by the hand of the thief himself in the days following the destruction of the Maskrin knights. An order known for their brutality to those around them who didn't live up to their code."

Chronicler Albreth Ravenclaw

I'm sitting in a small room above a noisy tavern, in a town whose name I have forgotten. My hands shake with age and my eyes strain to see the words I pen here. My life, as it has long been, is now nearing it end and I wanted this down for all who dare follow in my path to see...

Pardon me, my eyes and thoughts wandered for a second. Drifted to the black sword that hangs in it worn gray scabbard from a peg on the wall.

Andric Vang.

It grows to be the only thing I can see clearly. A pommel shaped like three skulls above a blade of the blackest ebony...

"Oh how I curse that stinking sword!"

But I wander again. Please forgive my ramblings, my mind is not what it once was and it has been on other things of late. Teresa is coming soon. I must finish this.

Allow me to introduce myself.

I am Bandara. Von Jeric Bandara.

"I was a thief."

**** **** **** **** **** **** ****

When Von looked out from the shadows he was hard pressed to stay silent. The urge to laugh was so very strong. The 'pigeons', as the younger thieves had taken to calling the rich people in town, were out in force. He starred out from the darkness with a strong contempt of ...pigeons. The rich. They wander the streets in their frilly clothes with the powdered wigs and perfumed silk cloths press to their noses. The snobbish airs of grandeur burned at him. He had been to the bigger cites, he had seen the real thing. True kings and queens

These...pigeons... were a sickness. A sickness without a cure.

"They don't break a sweat in their lives except in their mistresses bed." Von says softly to himself. He has of late taken to talking to himself. It's a habit he's trying to break but it seems to be growing. "And this is what calls me a thief? What do I take from them? Bits of rock, shiny pieces of metal? They have their lives! That's more than most of them deserve given their actions."

The alley smells of piss and other less pleasant things. Still it's a familiar smell to the young thief. He grew up living off these streets. A vulture in the shadows, a common rat in the eyes of the guards. To some little more than a maggot in the heart of their city.

To Von? This is home.

His dark eyes sparkle when he sees a fat merchant on the street. The large man looks to be in a great hurry. Von can't help himself, he has to grin. The only time a man that fat would be moving that quickly would be when he had a goodly amount on him. Von almost laughs out loud when he sees the man looking around him suspiciously.

"Why doesn't he just where a sign?" The young thief's voice is low but it could have been heard. He shakes his head at the noise. "I have got to stop doing that."
Von then realizes he just said that out loud as well. Angry now at himself he follows the man with his eyes for a few seconds more, then with a grim chuckle, fades back into the shadows.

Running a parallel course to the merchant, he weaves his way through the rats and filth that has come to choke this part of the city. He leapes over drunks and trash on silent feet. Without a pause Von reaches to his side and pulls back a bolt on the side of the scabbard. The lock thrown the ebony blade all but leaps into his hand. Two foot of black steel that seems to swallow the light. An evil hiss fills the corners of Von's mind. Then a soft and wicked chuckle echoes through him.

Andric Vang is not a pleasant blade to wield but it does add a certain zest to life.

Sliding into the side of a building the shadows swallow Von. His eyes alone shine out into the night giving little warning to the merchant. Using a small steel mirror, from a pocket sewn into the back of his gloves, Von looks around the corner. With a tight-lipped grin the young thief see the man turn into one of the side streets.

"Taking sweets from children would be harder." Von says to himself as he moves back to the other end of this alley to wait. When he see the merchant pass he eases the dark blade around, turning it till it's held blade down. The three skulls that make up the pommel have been used more than a few times as a bludgeon. A quick look shows the street empty.

The strike hits before the man even knows that Von is there. As he crumples Von catches the man under the arms and drags the heavy weight back into the shadows.

Seeing as well as in daylight Von uses his left-hand to do a quick search of the man. The pouch on his side gains him a sizable amount of coins that ring like silver.

It is.

A grin slowly comes to split his face when he finds what it was that had been making the man hurry. Around his flabby neck he had hung a leather pouch. A small bag filed with ten rubies each the size of the first knuckle on Von's little finger. The thief has to let out a soft chuckle as he pours them back into their bag. He stuffs it into a pocket made into the inside of his belt.

"You are a fool indeed." He says to the man in a whisper. His lips near the unconscious man's ear. "You shouldn't have been carrying these without ten guards around you. Well to each their own foolishness. It just makes my job easier."

Von Jeric was just about to move out when he hears the heavy booted feet not far behind him. Moving without though Von's hand drops to the hilt of Andric Vang. Dark power flows from the sword up his arm like a river of shadow. With a leap none could copy Von goes straight up. His fingers lock onto the edge of the roof tile a good twenty feet above the cobblestones! He pulls himself up onto the tiles as silent as a mouse.

The young thief watches the two city guards walk up the alley and find the merchant. He smiles when he sees them looking around for him. They never look up. Of course not the roofs are far to high to reach here.

The feeling of eyes on them must be making the guards nervous though. They don't wait for the fat merchant to wake they simply drag him out behind them. Von stays where he is till they are gone from sight.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they don't steal the man's boots then blame it on Me. " he says to himself as he rises to his feet.

Looking around for a second, then deciding that where he is will do just as well, he takes off across the rooftops. The night was still young but what he has in his belt more than fills his required tribute. All but sprinting across rain slick tiles he is soon within sight of the old manor house that serves as the towns thieves guild.

Once a grand structure the city grew up around it, then abandoned it to the Sons of the Shadows. This whole part of the city has been falling to neglect for the last dozen years.

Now it belongs to the poor, the sick, the wicked!

The thieves!

Von is about two houses away when he is brought up short by a knife against his throat.

"Va Shada?" a voice behind him asks in thief chant. The knife's edge presses harder into the skin.

Bandara moves his hands out from his sides slowly to show that they are empty. His left arm, held just a little straighter than the other, tenses for a half second required to loosen the leather thong. His hidden dagger slips from down his sleeve and into his palm. The smoke blackened blade giving no hint to its presence.

"Beth van Shada Va till." He tells the man as he holds himself limber waiting for the feel of the knife cutting his throat. He holds the strike that will carry his killer with him ready.

The knife slowly moves away.

"Vo gastra C'on isha Von Jeric." The man says in a whisper. "You should have been more observant Von." The guilds guard tells him as he puts his knife away. "If I been one of..."

The older thief falls silent when Von's dagger appears just behind his left ear.

"If you had been one of ...who?" Asks the young thief. He flashes a quick grin then drops the dagger back up his sleeve. The guild guard gives him a tired smile to show that he had underestimated him.

Von asks the question he already has a good idea of the answer to.

"Is the Guild Master in."

The guard nods silently.

Von Jeric jingles the bag of his newly acquired pouch of silver. The guard grins.

"A good haul aye?" he ask not expecting an answer. "Master Terrell will be please with you. Go ahead." He turns and walks back to his post.

Walking to the edge of the roof Von drops down to the ground below, landing silently. Moving as quietly as a shadow he makes his way to the sewer opening that is his assigned exit and entrance for this week. Water trickles around his boots as he drops into the darkness. His nose wrinkles at the smell.

"The Shit Feet." He says to himself, then silently cusses himself for speaking. Let alone saying that. The city guard's name for the thieves.

Making no further noise he makes his way to where the entrance to the guild is hidden. The wood panel looks and feels like the stone. The lack of light is no hindrance to him finding the opening. His sensitive fingers can tell the difference.

Plus with his hand on Andric Vang it might as well be full daylight.

His knuckles rap twice before the guard inside gives the call sign.

"Va Shada va Tool?"

The young thief gives the proper response and the door opens for him. As he steps into the room he keeps his hands clear of weapons. The crossbows are on him even if he can't see them. He slowly carefully rolls back his sleeve. A candle behind a large piece of blue glass is uncovered and a pale blue light floods the room. The normally invisible tattoo on his arms glows from his skin like it's backlit.

A heavy bolt is thrown and the door into the guild opens.

From beyond the opening comes the welcome feeling of home. A warm comforting blend of noises, voices and smells that come out to welcome and envelop him. He smiles as it wraps around him.

Safe at home.

Stepping into the receiving room, Von Jeric Bandara, begins to undo the various buckles of his weapon belt. He places his nights work into the white bowl on the table then, start to remove the various hidden weapons. Weapons and thieves tools they come from every part of his clothing to quickly cover the table in a growing pile. A servant with a basket enters. With him comes one of the guild lieutenants.

He points to the white bowl.

"Your haul Von?"

"No Bart, I put my lunch in there. You know just for a change of pace" the sarcasm drips from his words. Then a smile graces Von's lips. "The Master will like what I got tonight." The smile grows at the look of disbelief that appears on the guild lieutenant's face.

"Oh Really? Like I've never heard that before." Bart moves over to the bowl and picks up a bag. He shakes it warily, Von has been known to bring him live rats before. When it doesn't move he open the first bag and pours it into his hand. He let the coins drop out his hand and into the bowl. As he looks up at Von. "Silver?"

Von just shakes his head and nods towards the other bag.

Taking the second bag Bart just dumps it into the bowl on top of the silver. A gasp leaves him as the pile of blood red stones spills out.

Von grins at the mesmerized look on his face as he lifts on into the light.

"Very, very good Von." The stone sparkles as Bart turns it.

"Thank you. Now pay me." Von takes the towel handed to him by the servant. He watches the man leave with the basket of weapons to be sharpened and 'cleaned'. There are ways to trace things, if the right amount of money touches the right hands. Ways Von doesn't like to think about. Dark ways.

Again he feels the loss as Andric Vang leaves the room. That sense that a part of him has been taken. He wonders for a second if he should have warned the servant about the sword. Von doesn't have to worry about the smiths but a servant might be fool enough to try drawing the black sword. One of the smith's apprentices had unlatched the blade on a dare.

Von had never had to say a word about it to 'them' ever again.

Watching the lieutenant pick several of the stones out of the pile he drops them into one of the bags. He then adds about a third of the silver. Finally Von see him drop the gold half crown into the bag. A thief's wage per night. More than all the silver coins combined but a far less amount than even one of the stones. Wrapping up the top he tosses the bag to Von.

"Get some rest. The Lots have you up for the next two nights." Bart picks up the bowl and leaves. He smiles knowing the look that's on Vons face.

Cussing with disgust at how his luck is running with the lots Von stalks out the room and into the baths. The previous owner made the old manor's basement into a huge hot water bathhouse. It has large rooms surrounding it that once were for pleasures other than hot water. They now house wooden wardrobes for the younger thieves to store clothes in.

Von starts to undress already feeling the luxury that awaits him. He is just placing his dark soft leather pants into the cabinet when there is a whistle behind him.

Looking over his shoulder he grins to see Teresa La Blades leaning against the doorframe. She's grinning and eyeing his legs.

"Nice." She says softly then blows him a kiss. The dark silk robe, stolen by Von just for her, moves a bit showing him a lot of pale skin. "Very nice indeed."

Grinning Von gives her the best 'Bow to Royalty' he can, then a rakish look comes to his face.

"You don't look that bad from here either. You wear that so very much better than the previous owner."

"True, but then she was a whore." Teresa runs a hand across the short robe making the silk slide across the skin under it.

"Nobleman's mistress..." Von tries to correct.

"Highly paid whore."

With a sigh the young thief crosses the room to where she stands waiting for him. She slides into his arms with a sensual grace that the robes previous owner wishes she had.

Terrisa's lips are warm and soft, then fierce and demanding! Her long nimble fingers, deft enough to lift a purse full of bells without a sound, dig into the hard muscles of the young thief.

Von fills his hand with a silk covered breast and moves his fingers till her nipple, hard as a pebble under his touch, is found. He starts to rub the silk of the robe across it till she starts to moan.

"Want to go soak with me?" he asks kissing next to her neck.

She chuckles.

"More like would I like to come to the baths and ride your cock in the water? Is that what you really mean?" she asks her hand going down to wrap around him. "You want me to straddle you and let you stuff me full? You want to look at the envious faces of the others as I let you fuck me while they watch?"

Von gives a little groan as she pulls hard on him.

"Is it?" she asks with a second jerk.

"Yes?"

She licks the side of his neck.

"I thought so. If you want the others to watch so much why not do me here?" she glances to the long table. "That would work."

The idea of it flashes through his mind. What they would look like when the other thieves walk in. Her...face down he thinks, clawing at the wood as he has her from behind.

Von notices her moving as he has his little daydream. Her lips are kissing his neck her hand is stroking his cock. Her thighs have parted just a bit. Her other hand...?

Von's hand strikes downward and catches her wrist just before the hidden blade leaves a sash of the robe.

Turning her he slams her into the wooden wardrobe fighting for control of the little knife. Her legs leave the ground and scissors around his waist. Using her weight trying to take him down. He pushes her against the wardrobe to hold her up. Her fingers are still a vice around his cock.

Finally he pushes fingers into the tendons on her wrist hard enough to make her drop the knife.

She puts up a pout on her face and lets one leg drop.

"You're no fun at all."

Von chuckles and shakes his head.

"My idea of fun doesn't involve knives!"

Her hand leaves his cock and opens the door next to her. The three belts with their braces of throwing knives hang from the pegs next to Von's leathers. She looks him in the eye with a look that say "oh really?"

Von shrugs.

"Well at least not all the time." He says correcting himself.

She lifts an eyebrow and smiles.

His hands moving quickly Von grabs her before she can do whatever that smile heralded. He lets her free only to spin her around and lock one of her arms up behind her back. Then she's driven back into the wooden wardrobe hard enough to make her grunt.

She looks back over her shoulder and gives a little purr.

"You keep teasing I'm going to have to take you seriously."

Leaning into her Von runs his hand around to the front of the robe. The silk knot parts under his skilled fingers. As the robe opens his hand drifts down into the valley of her thighs.

The wiry black curls that have tickled his nose on many a night brush under his fingers as she wiggles her ass back against him.

He has just managed to place a finger on her clit when he see her hand going for the knives on belt hanging on the peg. He catches her hand before she can reach it and hold it hard to the wood.

"Do I have to use your belt to tie your hands?" he asks.

She lifts up and her ass bare and warm rubs across his cock.

"So many promises from you so little time. I have to go out tonight. If you don't stop teasing I'm going to leave."

Dropping her and Von grabs her hips and forces his cock between the cheeks of her ass. A slight stoop of his legs and her wet lips brush the head of him. A thrust hard enough to lift her feet from the floor makes her cry out then moan.

She wiggles her way down on to him fully.

"Um much better." She moans.

Leaning into her back Von kisses the side of her neck his mouth finding the soft skin just under her ear. His teeth nibble lightly. Then he mouths the lobe of her ear. He teases it with his teeth as well.

She lets out a sensuous moan.

"Oh...uum. I like that." She gives a thrust back into him. "Harder now I don't have a lot of time.'

"What's your rush?" Von asks pumping her harder.

"I'm a thief. I need to go steal things." She says her fingernails scratching the wooden door.

"You've stolen my heart does that count." Von asks her softly by her ear.

She purrs. Then chuckles.

"Only if I can put it into the tithe bowl."

Harder thrusts from him drive away speech from them both.

Hearing bare feet on stone Von glances over and see two of the younger lady thieves walk into the room. Their robes are not half as nice as Terrisa's. But then they don't have Von to steal for them.

Enjoying the look on their faces Von gives a grunt as he feels the tightening under his balls that heralds the start.

Driving into her till the last possible second listening to her moan, Von, pulls out and lets his cum splash across the cheeks of her ass and down onto her thighs. He smiles as she moans and pushes her bare ass back against his still hard cock. The wet plump flesh pushes him flat back against himself. His hand reaches around her and his fingers come to rest above hers. He pressing into the slight bulge above her lips knowing that gives her pleasure as she works herself to the last.