> Thanks to everyone for your commentary on the last chapter, which did put
> my nervousness to rest (for now ).
See? Nothing to worry about.
> Vivienne slipped into the library, silently closing the door behind her.
> The philosophy classes had been reaching a fever pitch lately, especially
> with the upcoming tests. That meant that the library was generally crowded
> at all convenient times of the day. Vivienne had found a good solution,
> however; already accustomed to odd hours of the day, she simply decided
> that she'd go to the library and study early in the morning, when few of
> the squires were up.
Well, at least Viv didn't have to sit though economics classes. During my own economy lectures, I regularly wished I had been hit by a car on the way to class.
> Which is what made her situation so difficult. She was also one of the
> most talented people in the Grayclaws (even if she wasn't officially a
> Grayclaw). Often she'd pick locks other people couldn't, or filch things
> from experienced thieves' pockets so expertly that they swore up and down
> she'd never touched them. And she had an uncanny ability to remain unheard
> that most veteran rogues were hard pressed to duplicate. So it was not
> inaccurate to say that she had potential there, as well.
Yikes. Quite an inner conflict.
> "If anything, I think I'd be understating it," Vivi said.
> "Castellian, after all, seems to treat all kinds of rogues as
> soulsucking spawn of the Gray Waste."
> The knight chuckled. "True, but remember, Castellian's book is old.
> Very old, in fact, and it's placed on the syllabus nowadays mostly to spur
> discussion about how things have changed."
Hmmm, a 2E book, you mean? Or even a 1E?
> Vivi nodded again, and the knight continued. "And we all know that
> the Grayclaws certainly aren't bad at all when it comes to thieves'
> guilds. I'm sure any city in Amn, or Baldur's Gate or Westgate or Suzail
> or any other major city would love to have a thieves' guild like the
> Grayclaws, who generally leave the people alone and who try not to be a
> nuisance in daily life. And it's not as if they're particularly unjust,
> either. After all, I'd be the first to say that they do make sure some
> nobles get their due - like Lord Vaubon."
Sorta like Robin Hood, you mean? Stealing from the rich, but... not getting around to giving it to the poor yet?
> "Thank you. Thanks a lot. It...it does seem a lot clearer now."
> She sighed. "Although sometimes, I wish that Torm himself might come
> down from the Mount and let me know things are going well, just so I
> wouldn't have to suffer through so much anxiety."
> "My child," the knight said, raising his gauntlets so that
> Vivienne could see the words written all over them, the words 'loyalty'
> and 'duty' in thousands of languages, "what do you think I've just
> done?"
> Then he smiled, and vanished.
Heh, great stuff,
---Weyoun