Character Conversations: Sutek and Steve

"So let me understand," Steve says from where he's sitting on the rooftop.  He pulls the cork out of a wine skin and offers it out to Sutek, who turns it down with a slight grimace.

Steve takes a long swig from it and sighs.  "You want me to take the little portrait Makaria made of one of the Talons that's always around Amatus?"

Sutek frowned at the mention of Amatus' name but nods.  "Yes, and make sure you get me the name of who commissioned it."

He looked over the city towards, where you and the Talons were, the sounds of the city quieter from the height.  .

He leaned forward, part of him wondering if he could spot you in the throngs of people.

Steve purses his lips before shuddering with relief. "That's nothing boss! I thought you invited me up here to push me off or something," he says with a laugh before taking another deep drink.

Sutek snaps his head away from the scenery to give Steve an bewildered look. 

"Why would I do that? Did you do something that would make me do that?"

Steve blinks a couple of times and looks off, as if trying to remember, before shaking his head.

"No, no, it's just, well you remember when Big Boss Idir brought us in and we watched him throw that guy off the roof?"

Sutek frowned.  Of course he did.  He had been barely in his eleventh year of living when Idir recruited him, but he would never forget the fear in the man's eyes as Idir told him the stand at the edge of the rooftop.

"Well," Steve continued, "Big Boss Idir did that to send a message to Amatus right? So I don't know, I thought maybe you wanted to send a message too, now that Idir has made you the Big Boss."

Sutek scoffs and roughly slaps Steve on the back.

"I would not kill you that way, and what message would your death send to the Talon's anyway?  They don't know you."

Steve gawked at him, looking highly offended.

"What do you mean they don't know me? Who in this city doesn't know and fear me?  They see me coming and cower!"

Sutek nods placatingly, allowing a small smile to tug at his lips.

"Of course, which is why I'm trusting you with an important task,"

Steve's ears perked up.

"Of course boss, just point and it'll be done!"

"After you take that portrait from Makaria, take a walk near the Silken Sands, and do it with your cowl on,"

Steve's smile dropped.

"So you are trying to get me killed," he said dejectedly.

Sutek sighed and looked back over the city, the sun starting to set.

"They won't kill you.  Not when they see that portrait.  Amatus will prevent that, and I'll let you know when to escape.  Can you do that for me?"

At this Steve grins and drinks the last of his wine.

"Won't be a problem boss."