Tricks without the clown, Sirvius's way of seasoning

[Jain Zar]

The young guys pushed the smaller boy in the corner. “Now now… why did ya run from us? We only wanted a little chat witcha'!”

The boy stiffened a moment, letting the three believe they had overwhelmed him and then suddenly pushed his knee in the biggest guy’s family jewels, ducked lightning fast, slipped between another’s legs and ran as fast as his short legs would carry him out of the alley.

Behind him he overheard the guy who had dropped to his knees, ranting and raging, but Sirvius didn’t turn his head to look as he knew the two others were right on his tail. He circled the great fountain and picked an alley, seemingly randomly. But nothing he ever had done in his life was random, not even during an escape like this. That others seem to think so, he didn’t mind at all. On the contrary.
And right now, Sirvius knew exactly where he was heading with the two chasing him.

“Get his pretty butt!!” One of the others shouted behind him.

Sirvius ignored any onlookers and jumped over a small wall and into one of the filtiest alleys Gulashir counted. It was more like a long, narrow windowless passage that was filled with trash, barrels filled with dirty rain water, cloth lines with laundry overhead, -and- the biggest population of homeless people in Gulashir.

“Five coins for catching that boy!!” One of the guys shouted behind him.

And suddenly there was that sudden jerk at his ankle which caused him to trip and Sirvius sprawled in the dirt. Dripping brown sludge covered his face as he looked up over his shoulder and watched the two guys laughing as they closed in on him. Sirvius’s look however was frightening keen and calculating for a boy his age and the grin left his pursuers’s faces when Sirvius shouted loud and clear while holding up little bag in his hand.

“Five if you let me go, ten more later if you give those bullies a black eye!”

[Jain Zar]

Sirvius didn’t pause to watch how the two guys got beaten up by the beggars. He wasn’t cruel and he was only an eight year old boy. But as he turned away from the scene there was one beggar sitting against the wall and peering from under his dirty hood at him, loosely clutching the staff that was his only possession in his hand. The first time they ever met, Sirvius hadn’t paid much attention to this man, but when Sirvius wanted to pass him, the beggar had addressed the boy in a way he would never forget.

Sirvius made his way over to the figure covered in old dirty rags. That first meeting took place about two years ago and ever since that day the beggar had been around. The old man glanced over at the scene and back at the boy. The boy perceived a pair of tears that trickled down that old face, losing themselves in that deep white beard.

“Father… what is the matter?” The boy asked as he placed his hand on the man’s shoulder.

Those blue eyes, so bright and lively in a face so weathered, shone in the bright daylight as he looked up at the boy. There was showing dirt in every single wrinkle of that old, papery skin when he spoke.

“If you know your adversaries, you are smart but you think you never need to fear. Only the wise win before the fight even begins.” He gazed over at the two bigger boys running away, escaping from the beggars. “This way it will never be... complete... Sirvius.”

The boy frowned, looking from the man to the two guys who ran as if they were made to run head over heels.

He gazed back at the beggar and had the feeling he had… failed.

[Jain Zar]

Hours later Sirvius wandered through the maze of streets and alleys, and only when he stopped in a street full with mansions featuring tower-like roofs, their facades shaded by gracious oak trees, he realized how far he was from his favourable ‘biotope’. These were actually private streets designed and reserved by some of Gulashir’s richest citizens. Merchants trading in luxury goods like pleasure slaves, jewelry and aristocratic fashion lived here mostly, but Sirvius also knew there were a few inhabitants with a much more sinister background among them.

He probably could even turn them in if he were to go to the city guard and show them a few ‘places’ that would uncover those people’s involvement in dubious activities. Abuses of all sorts, financial irregularities that ranged from tax dodging to overseas operations that manipulated the local economy in their best interest, the sponsoring of criminal activities that included the illegal trading of drugs, arms and stolen artifacts, and… assassinations.

He was a young boy who already had witnessed a lot in his short life on the streets. But he never did go the guard. Why would he? First of all, who would believe the beggar boy? They’d probably toss him in the gaol for defamation or something. And as soon as some corrupt guard sent word, Sirvius would be dead before he’d know it. Secondly, knowledge was knowledge and always could come in handy. Knowledge was power, but it was also a dangerous thing. Sirvius was aware of that. Still...

Knowledge and how to deal with it was something he was learning fast enough though, and thus he had started looking for it, on purpose. Which… kinda explained why he sometimes did things himself that weren’t always kosher. Like right now…
Since he was here anyways, Sirvius decided to pay one of these houses a little visit. Just letting someone know ‘he’ was still around.

The boy grinned to himself as he closed the backdoor with a quiet click behind him. That man’s eyes would go very very wide if he’d ever find out his extortioner was a boy who still had to turn eight...