Magester - Chapter 3 - Hot goods

Waking up cold was not a new experience for Leon. Waking cold and hungry? Also not a new experience. Still, he was actually comfortable. So that said things about today at least starting off well. He was in a bed, not like the bad days. Those days were rough. Those were the days you woke up sore and stiff. You hadn’t gone to sleep by any choice of your own, but been put to sleep. You woke up on the streets with blood on your clothes and nothing in your pockets.

You learnt things like which streets to avoid and when to cross to the other side. You learnt the signs for people looking to pick you off quick or one day, you didn’t wake up.

Leon opened his eyes and tried to push aside the hunger in his gut. He’d missed dinner last night for the chance to get out and avoid the roaming snatcher groups. He glanced down at his body. There was no blanket. He only had to turn his head slightly to spot the thief. 

Sally had apparently stolen it during the night. For a long moment, he considered stealing it back and laying back down. His eyes narrowed as he decided where to put his hands to grab ahold of the blanket. Too much pressure would just see the smaller girl hurled off the bed. That would be going too far.

He reached out, hands wrapping around the blanket.

Sally shifted, tightening her grip. Leon huffed out a breath. Even asleep, she somehow knew he was threatening her warmth. At least her instincts were good. Even if it meant he could never get his own blanket off her.

Leon stood, giving up on the theft. You had to know which marks were worth the effort, or were out of your reach. The fattest of rich men might make for the best payout if you got to rob them, but then you had to remember that they didn’t get fat by walking anywhere. They drove or got driven. They had security with their drivers, or workers protecting them.

Sally likewise had teeth if you tried too hard to steal the blankets back. Leon idly rubbed his arm from an old ache. There just happened to be a scar that might have matched a younger Sally’s mouth.

Leon grunted as his feet sadly got colder from touching the floor. The orphanage wasn’t a good building, but that made sense. Too many people might have wanted the place otherwise. A good thing didn’t last long once people got wind of it. Leon began sneaking to his cupboard. He was already up, he might as well try and be warm. His hunger would have to wait until the matron came to cook up some porridge.

You had to be born lucky in this city if you didn’t want to have to worry about being cold or hungry. Forget about being so lucky that you got both. That was too much for an orphan. Leon allowed himself a smile, at least it had been. With his latest score, he should be able to get some good food. Maybe even add to his stash for those rough days.

Or… he might even buy himself some warmer clothes. Used ones, of course, you got mugged if you had clothes that were too good in the south side. Rummaging through his trunk he found some cleaner clothes. In this case his other set. He sniffed at them carefully. The smell wasn’t coming from them. He checked the clothes he wore last night and grumbled at the small holes that were in them. He gave them a sniff only to grimace at the factory smell that was stuck to them. They were dirty, but that shouldn’t be causing the smell that was lingering in the room.

He ran the clothes over in his hands. They had some holes where holes didn’t belong. They also needed a wash. He’d either need to beg Sally to patch them up  or do it himself. He glanced at the still slumbering girl. Maybe he could guilt her into doing it after stealing his blanket for the second time this week?

He nodded, decision made. Sally would be patching his pants. 

Sally tightened her grip on the blanket and turned around in the bed. With her facing the other way, Leon now felt safe enough to check his stash. He slipped over the floor, making sure to evade the floorboards that creaked in the cold, to reach the floor panel that could be pulled up. It was not under his bed but actually in the corner where it was poorly lit and people were less likely to step on it. Or search. It had only taken a year of living in the orphanage to understand not to have a ‘typical’ spot for hiding your stash.

That wasn’t to say he didn’t have a few dollars stashed there as well. It paid to have some fake spots. You didn’t keep all of your score in one spot. That was high-risk idiocy, as the matron liked to call dumb acts at least. She liked to say as much to the older boys when they tried leaping from one of the roofs to another only to crash through a second-story window.

His corner stash was still good. Although he had left the stiff’s shoes out last night. That was probably why there was a smell in the room. That’s what he got for throwing them in the corner and not hanging them from the roof. But then again, the older boys did go up there every now and then… Less now since the jumping incident, but it was still a risk.

He checked the inside of the shoes only to shut his eyes. Idiot. Ten types of idiocy at least.

The metal of the gun glinted back at him. He’d left that exposed. That had been far too much risk. He must have been more tired and hungry from last night than he thought. He rubbed his stomach. That had been happening a lot lately.

He shrugged before creeping to the other corner. There he shimmied up the wall and pushed on the roof. A panel popped open and he reached up to hide the gun among a few other things he didn’t want other people to have access to. Like the knife and few random bullets, he’d found in wandering the street. Maybe some of those bullets might even fit the gun… He’d have to find a time everyone else was out.

Maybe this weekend when they were at church. He’d need to dodge the matron for the night before a well though. Somehow that woman always knew he was planning to skip going. Apparently, older women had the ability to sense future guilt. He still had to find out the specifics, but he’d asked some older men and they’d all agreed with the idea, so he must have been onto something.

Checking the other shoe revealed the stiff’s wallet. He pulled two notes. His heart saw the fifties. Wonderful fives followed by zeroes that promised so much with their elusiveness for a young boy.

His eyes only saw fives.

He blinked, opening the wallet wider to tip it up. Some lint fell out. Leon shook it harder. Where in the Nightrealm did that stiff get his cheapness!?

Leon turned back to the shows. Those were clearly worth fifty. Rich people that wore shoes like that should have had at least twice that in cash in their wallet surely? He plaintively shook the wallet again before huffing and tossing it under the bed. The cheap dead guy! Probably got beaten up cause he was cheap.

Leon hefted the shoes, alright it wasn’t the end of the world he still could sell the shoes and come out way ahead. His stomach chose that moment to growl painfully making him decide to pack the shoes away for now. Instead, he slunk down the halls towards the bathroom that the other fifty kids in this orphanage would crowd into in the next hour before heading down for breakfast.

Leon paused near the stairs, sniffing carefully and feeling for any rising warm slop-like smells. With no smell or heat, it seemed the cook hadn’t started for the day. Leon ran through the meal roster. Today was supposed to be Henry’s turn but he always beat Nicky into doing it. Nicky was always happy to get more of a chance at the food resulting in him being the fattest of their orphanage by far, with having two chances a week to skimp everyone else's meals.

It amazed Leon that Henry hadn’t worked out that he got less when Nicky was on duty. For that matter, Leon rushed through his morning scrub. Then he slipped down the stairs, through the hall in front of the Matron’s bedroom and into the dining room. The door to the kitchen was now open and Leon could hear someone moving about within.

Leon crept next to the door. From this side, he could watch Nicky bumble around collecting oats and other bits and pieces to throw into the pot for the morning cook-up. Next to the big pot, a much smaller pot featured which Nicky paid more attention to. Leon waited until Nicky had his head in the oven, stuffing wood in as deep as he could. Leon walked up and tapped Nicky on the back.

Nicky jumped. Bang! Went the oven as Nicky’s head slammed into it followed by curses. Leon leaned away and checked that the Matron wasn’t now storming towards them with soap and bucket in hand. Hmmm, it seemed she didn’t have that good a sense of guilt if she couldn’t sense ‘dirty words’ so close to her.

“Buggering shit!” Nicky said as he emerged, rubbing at the bump on the back of his head. “Leon what the feck do you think you’re doing sneaking up on me like that?”

Leon grinned at Nicky. “Nicky! I’m just checking up on you.” Then he looked up and made a show of looking at the two pots. “You cooking two meals today? Wow, you’re really dedicated! I’ll be sure to tell the matron you’re going above and beyond like the good book says we should!”

Nicky held up a hand. “Hey! Hey! Hey, Leon. No need for that. Pride is a sin yeah?”

“Huh yeah it sure is isn’t it?” Leon made a show of looking at the two pots before leaning over the larger boy. “Ain’t greed a sin as well?”

Nicky glowered at Leon. “Alright ya smart shite, what you want?”

Leon shrugged. “Got enough in that pot for two more?” He had to make sure Sally got some. That would guarantee she’d feel more inclined to patch up his clothes. That, and she was a mite small. She needed more food just like he did. Leon heard Nicky growling weakly. He knew the other boy would do as he asked.

As the men, he followed around sometimes liked to say though. You showed em the stick, and then… “I also picked up something last night in me wanderings. Be interested in tossing the fat in the big pot with us havin the rest?” He produced a small packet he’d been able to filch from someone emerging from a butcher. You never stole from the actual butcher. He’d taken one look at the knives the man wielded to realise that was a bad idea.

“What is this horsemeat?” Nicky said, snatching up the package only to gasp. “Is this real pig bacon?” Nicky licked his lips. “Yeah, I think we got enough in the pot for two more with this.”

Leon rolled his eyes. He’d count himself lucky if he got half a rasher. The rest of the orphanage might even see some fat if Nicky was feeling generous. Still, that wasn’t his problem. He’d done his good deed for the day.

Leon shuddered. He’d have to balance it out later.

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Leon exited the orphanage later with a feeling of his stomach almost stuffed full. He also hadn’t had to even bribe Sally into patching up his clothes. Not that he hadn’t still given her the food, he just hadn’t brought up the blanket thievery again. The girl really was too good for a place like this.

“Naffer,” Leon nodded at the local hobo that was warming his hands over a small metal bin with fire inside.

“Eh feck off lad, too early for storytime. Naffer’s gotta hobble around first.” Leon grunted at that before handing over a second, smaller packet. Naffer’s eyes locked onto it. “That meat?”

“Nah it’s payment in advance. Make sure you give me the news about what’s going down after—” “Leon! Are you sneaking out of class again?!” roared the Matron.

Leon spun about, making sure to doff his cap in a show of respect that the woman liked to see in her young charges. “Matron O’Mally! Perish the thought! You know I love hearing you read from the good book especially the pages about—” “the Nightrealm,” contributed Naffer. “—the Nightrealm!” Leon held in the urge to kick Naffer for his help.

Matron O’Mally loomed over Leon. Her gaze performed their own inquisition on Leon and found him currently not guilty pending revisit often. She sniffed. “I’m sure you were doing just that. With how you run about you’re likely to end up there!”

Matron O’Mally was a towering woman that didn’t have to even try to loom over fully grown men. Leon had seen her loom from her chair when men acted like children around her.

Her height made up for her lack of width. But then again, she saw eating as an excess, and therefore a sin. That she shared enough traits with the stick she had to use during her lessons, hadn’t escaped the older boys.

Leon had heard something else about the Matron and a her having a stick up her backs—The Matron’s gaze tightening back onto him stopped that thought right in its tracks. She continued to watch him before nodding her head back towards the building. “Get inside now, before the Sanctum’s bell tolls or you won’t feel like sitting.”

Leon darted away before she felt the urge to speed him along. Behind him, Naffer gave the Matron a cheerful good morning which received a more subdued reply.

Leon ducked into the room that served as the classroom for the younger children. He held in a curse when he saw that the only free spots were right in the front row. No one in their right mind wanted to sit there.

“Leon! Here!” Sally waved from next to one of the empty seats.

Leon sighed and trudged forward, accepting his fate to be under the watchful eyes of the Matron for the whole morning. The matron followed along just as the bell rang out over the city. When a small child skirted her dress they received a stern look before she gestured them into a seat next to Leon’s side. Then she dropped a book every line. With three whole books, the kids shared the ‘Good Book’ between them when it was their turn to read.

With Sally to his left, and a small brat on the right, Leon resolved himself to reading along to prompt them on what to say. If the small kids couldn’t read, it became the older kids' duty to help them as the Matron proclaimed.

From there the morning passed with Leon reading along as the Matron swapped between the kids. Sometimes she’d ask for someone to explain or say what they had thought about what had been just read allowed.

And like this, the Good Book was taught.

They learnt of the Holy Maiden who walked the land to meet with the Dark knight, who had committed a great many crimes, only to throw himself at the feet of the Holy woman to cry about what a bad man he’d been. Then everyone was forgiven and the Dark knight got to become the Grey knight and serve as the defender of the Holy woman. Then over years of effort and good deeds, he became the White knight who fought off dastardly thieves, wizards and witches and, in a truly memorable part of the book, a dragon.

“And what do you think on this Leon?”

“Sounds…” Leon mentally patted himself on the back for not cursing in front of the Matron, “Pretty amazing, he fought all those things and won yeah? So that’s gotta count for style!” This got a round of giggling from the younger kids while the older kids nodded or as one brave soul said.

“Feck yeah it does!” The Matron’s eyes narrowed on one of the kids, and Leon knew that everyone was shrinking away from the speaker without having to turn and look.

“See me after class Kinrose,” was all the Matron had to say before looking back to Leon. “And Yes I imagine it does sound rather… impressive. I’m sure I can see how that would be appealing to young, juvenile, minds. “ She gave a ghost of a smile at this before tapping the book in front of Leon. The Matron herself not having one, having somehow memorised the book enough to know each word so well she could recite it even when a child mangled reading it aloud.

“But, it is the less showy moments that we should pay attention to. The moments where the Knight, grey in valour and honour at the time, did small kindnesses. These small kindnesses lead to large kindnesses given enough time to occur. The opposite is also true as shown by the start of this particular section. Who am I talking about here?”

“The thief?” asked Sally.

“As well as the Wizard, the witch and even the Dragon. Each of them commits small cruelties before they are shown to be evil, that would see them in the Nightrealm.” Outside the bell from the Sanctum’s tower rang out twelve times.

The children all sat up straighter the Matron drew herself up before sighing. “Try to think on this children. Well done, you may go now and enjoy your play.”  Children raced out of the room seeking the outside world for play and chances that weren’t present in the room.

“Not you Kinrose! You’ve got a dirty mouth that needs cleaning! Thankfully I don’t have any soap, but I do have a dirty classroom!” Leon snickered as he escaped the room. Now he just had to find Naffer before ducking up to his room to sell the stiff’s shoes.

“Naffer! What’s the story on the streets?”

“Hmmmmm, lots of poems and songs mixing together today, but there’s a lot of flapping around the dead man they found in baker’s lane. Doughmen are denying any hit, but the constables are putting some pressure on them. Word is they’re bringing in the sniffers.”

Leon frowned. “Sniffers? What’s that about?”

Naffer peered through his scraggly beard at the small boy questioning him. “Sniffers boy.” Leon continued to look clueless. “Dogs! They're going to track the scents. They had the place blocked off all day to let the smells stay as fresh as possible.”

“Shouldn’t baker’s lane be too much for them?” Leon felt dread trickle down his spine.

“No new deliveries of flour today apparently, they ordered more than they needed with last Sunday’s for Sanctum’s sinner’s day. That’s what led to last night’s party. And then from there… well we’ve got a dead rich man on the streets in the Fels. Lots of people are very interested.”

“How good are these sniffers?” Leon asked, hating how forced he sound as he tried for casual.

Naffer stared at him. “When they get the dogs, and nothing stops them, they'll have the strongest scent tracked within an hour.” Naffer squinted. “You didn’t happen to see anything in your… wanderings did you lad?”

Like all well practised lies, the words worked through smoothed grooves and out of Leon’s mouth easier than water in clean pipes. “Me? Nah, wasn’t anywhere near Baker’s. Was over the other side.” He nodded at Naffer. “I’ll see if I can rustle something up for you tomorrow!”

“Like shoes?”

Leon frowned turning and making a confused look downwards. “What’s a bum like you want shoes for?”  Naffer stared at him before shrugging.

“Just saying man needs good shoes.” Naffer pointedly looked at the worn boy’s shoes. In some parts of the shoe dirty socks could be seen poking out. Heavily patched of course.  “Get yourself some good ones before winter rolls around. Feel cold just looking at you.”

Leon nodded and very pointedly did not sprint to his room. Instead, he walked off and made a show of watching others as he made his way to his destination. Running, especially in the orphanage would draw attention. Mostly from the Matron.

“Hey! Tike! You going in for lunch!?” A boy near Leon yelped and looked around to find three older boys approaching. When the two not engaged in shaking down the kid looked up. Leon looked back and thought about being the dog that would bite and scratch and fight beyond anything that was worth it.

They looked for easier targets.

Leon wouldn’t have time for lunch today. It sounded like he needed to get moving. He had some hot, and sadly very smelly shoes, to get rid of.

The trick was making sure the path that the dog’s would follow wouldn’t just lead them straight to his room. Thankfully he had spent a bit of time jumping and scrambling over the roofways. Before hopping in through the window that was broken.

That was the only reason he got an actual room for himself. Other kids tried to get out, either trading or bunking up with others. Leon’s room got too cold for everyone bar him. And Sally for some strange reason. Leon had heard the Matron even consider making it a cold room but the room also got unbearably hot during the days and summers.

That typically only served to have Leon out and about more often though.

Entering his room Leon found the shoes still in the dark corner where they were out of sight. He snatched them up before leaving out the window. If the dogs searched from the ‘freshest’ scent he’d need to lay a new one. Meaning he’d need to practically walk them past the crime scene before legging it.

Could he still sell them? He considered the problems. The pawnshop wouldn’t have any problem pointing the police his way. But would they be able to point at him? There were whole gangs of thieves and kids running around the Fels.

It was times like this that he cursed his blue eyes. No one had eyes like him. When people saw them, they were the first things they noted. And as far as he had worked out, they were his alone. A strange thing to curse, something he usually was so proud of.

Maybe he could get a patsy to sell the shoes for him… He threw that idea right out the window. Too risky to let people know he had that much. Then again they’d probably not sell the shoes for what they were worth… so maybe… Leon slid under a table that was set up for some of the laundry that one of the locals would work on, then he ducked through the sheets.  The shoes that he’d tied around his neck clacked on his chest before he leapt across another gap.

He landed and kept his legs pumping. There was a trick to running the rooftops that Leon had learnt, not through watching but instead through scraped knees and torn palms. For a kid, it was easily the fastest way across the Fels. The only way faster would be to filch a car.

That’d bring too much attention though. One day he’d do it. When he could get away with it.

By the time he reached Baker’s lane his lungs burnt and the sun had crept across the sky. Leon could see the police blocking a small passing crowd that dutifully walked back and forth to see if anything could be seen. From where he was standing Leon could see the stiff was no longer there. Instead, a white outline was in the place where the body had been.

Leon bent and heaved in air to his lungs, coughing when he inhaled the scent that lingered through the whole Fels. A smell that spoke of industry and hard work. So sweat, grease and smoke mixed together with spit and other smells that most tried to ignore. Until you tried to breathe deep that was, then it got up in your face like a pushy merchant.

Leon scaled a wall down to the street before pinching a small sack to cover the shoes. Then he began dragging it along at his side as if it was heavy. He approached the crowd, his head lifting as he tried to see if anything could inform him about the ‘sniffers’ being here. When he got close, a paddy wagon pulled up nearby only for the baying of hounds to make him freeze.

A constable swung from the car to wave his hands. “Back away! Back away! Need to get the dogs through to let them at the site before we give em the scent!”

Leon unfroze. Visions of the constable reaching through the crowd and snatching him up to throw him into the prisons evaporating as reality set in. He still had time. Sparse as it was.

He continued onwards, dragging the shoes along behind him over stones. He heard the dogs baying even as they were let out of the back of the wagon. Then he heard the crowd crowing and moving about. He got to the end of the street and turned right.

Now he needed to outrun a pack of dogs.

He instantly looked to the rooftops, only to remember that he needed them able to follow him. He didn’t want them going off on the wrong path and ending up at the orphanage, where he’d stashed the stiff’s gun. He felt like a right idiot now but then again the gun wouldn’t have left a stink like the shoes surely?

A car swerved around, as an old woman was working her way across the street, the driver practically leaning out of the car to toss his fist after the old woman. Leon felt inspiration strike.

When the next car swerved it slowed. “Watch yourself, you old biddy!” Called the delivery truck as the woman raised a hand with a single finger at the driver. Leon chortled, throwing himself on the back and waving at the old woman that had helped him. The old woman merely continued to gesture, apparently happy to include him in her vulgar gestures.

Leon relaxed only to grimace when the dogs bayed out loud and tore around the corner, noses set to the ground before running on a little ways.

Leon suddenly realised how right the older boys were when they mentioned running into dogs on heists. Most of them had bite marks from where the dogs had caught them. Thankfully the truck stayed well ahead by at least a block. Leon licked his lips feeling very nervous as he let the sack drag along the road. His plan seemed to be working. The truck left bakers lane and passed into the foundry before heading for the docks.

Leon jerked into the back of the truck when the driver chose to brake. For a long moment his head swam as he staggered off the back of the truck. The driver rounded the truck and cuffed him. “Get away from it ya little grot!” This only added to Leon’s dizzy state. He stumbled to the ground with a groan. “Get lost, I didn't hit you that hard!” “ the driver growled, checking the back door before trudging off with a shake of his fist at the downed boy.

Leon stumbled over to the docks. This day had not turned out like he had hoped. He shut his eyes and drew in a deep breath. Only to instantly regret it. The Fels smell snuck up his nostrils and he gagged as the smell now had fish added to the aroma.

The baying of hounds had him sigh before looking down at the sack.  Then he looked down at the murky water. Fifty whole dollars gone. He tossed the sack and watched it bob away. The baying continued, getting closer and closer.

Leon considered the dogs as they got closer. They were still a few blocks away.

What was the chance some of the shoes' smell would have gotten onto him?

He sighed and looked down at the water.

Maybe Sally wouldn’t mind cleaning his clothes tomorrow?

He jumped off the dock and into the murky water of the Fels river. Now he just had to swim to shore away from where the constables would be.

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A.N. I’ve been struggling to get something original put together but I got some time to myself and had this done up a while ago. I know it’s not as interesting as Hard enough or the other fanfics but it is mine so I want to slowly put together a world all of my own.

Leave a like or a comment please with your thoughts

Special thanks goes to Raikor for betaing this.