Shadow of a Doubt

There was a moment as Cordelia held Sothal within her hands that he looked like he would be lost. She had come to, awake and conscious of the present while he vacantly stared. The lids of his eyes fluttered, and then in an instant there seemed to be a clarity in his mind that manifested the realization with a glint in his eye.

It felt like he was falling out of the Darkness once his memory faded away so suddenly. Sothal fell from his crouched position onto the dirt floor, eyes wide with disbelief as he looked to Cordelia. It felt so real. It felt like he was there; like he was a child once again. He hadn't a thought to this life and his present, and it was so vivid he could swear the scent of must upon the tapestries still lingered on his senses. This was no mere gift the girl possessed, and it felt far darker than any Shadow spell he had witnessed yet.

Her hands felt strange upon his cheeks, her voice so sweet and soothing to calm his racing heart. He shook his head ever so slightly as he became a believer in Cordelia and what she could do. It was just as Jensen suspected. It was better than he had imagine. Sothal did not feel frightened of the girl before her, for his awe outweighed such feelings. In awe and humbled. She was a girl with all the power and none of the corrupted heart.

"Is it always like that?" he asked. "Do you... Do you like what you can do?"
 
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There was no protocol, no real sense of knowing what to do. It was a matter of waiting, and while it was only a few seconds, it was easily some of the most frightening few seconds of her young life. She wasn't a violent person, not by any right, and while she couldn't entirely be considered a saint, she tried her best to live respectfully enough - at least for a thief - but even if this hadn't been the case, she bore Sothal no ill will and if she were somehow responsible for trapping him in that terrible memory...

When he finally came out of the trance like state, Cordelia expelled a breath of relief, and sinking back against the wall, she raked her fingers through her hair, not all that surprised to find her hands had begun to shake, "It... it's not. It hasn't been, not for a long time. Really, I'm not sure it's ever been quite like that."

Leaning forward again, she reached out and brushed his cheek with her thumb, this time with a little less urgency, "Barely got you out of there. I... I'm sorry. It was just so strong, and..." Frowning softly, she let her hand fall back to her side, "I didn't mean to take you back to something like that."

Shifting, drawing her knees to her chest, she hugged them, resting her chin against them, "I... I don't know. No one's ever asked me that, honestly. I never thought about it. It wasn't a choice, so I just sort of did it... I'm not really sure how I feel about it. It scares me, sometimes. It... it terrifies me. But it has it's benefits."
 
Relaxing where he sat, Sothal settled back into the present as reality felt clearer. He watched Cordelia, considering her every syllable with care as he mulled over the plans set for her by the Cult of Thieves. She had the gift they suspected, and to that she would be of an incredible value. Sothal could guarantee her a home and a life away from her father, but only at the expense of her servitude. She would have to use her magic in order to be of use now. He considered telling them of her skills in thievery. His ring was plucked effortlessly from his own finger without him noticing.

But she would have to endure another three years at most in the lifestyle she held. A simple pick pocket would not garner expedition into the secretive organization. She would still have to be willing to do what her father forced her to do every day, just in a different fashion. And Sothal wasn't the one eligible to present her with this proposition until he provided the Cult of Thieves with his findings.

"Would you be willing to use your magic for a better purpose?" he asked. He didn't much care that she had sent him back to a disturbing memory or that he had to relive it at all. "On your own terms. I would see to your compensation and new housing. But you would have to use your magic. Is that an option you would like to pursue?"
 
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"A better purpose?" Sitting up, a brow lifted, Cordelia frowned in thought. It wasn't the offer she had anticipated... She hadn't really anticipated an offer at all. A small part of her, the part of her that was, frankly, unaccustomed to people letting her down, had half expected him to kill her anyway. She had, after all, stolen from him, and not just a ring. There was a reason he kept who he was a secret, and if he feared there was any chance she might expose him...

But as he had once before, he surprised her, and for a moment, she wasn't entirely sure what to say, "Sorry...It's just not exactly how I pictured my day going..." Smiling delicately, she shrugged, "You get used to it... living the way I have. Stop expecting the handsome prince to show up and save you."

Meeting his gaze, she shrugged, "Like I said... I'm not stupid, and I think I'd have to be to say no to an offer like that. But my dad... he..." A small sigh escaped, "He won't let me go. Not easily, anyway. Especially not now that he's determined to be rid of half his crew. With what I can do, he doesn't need them... and he won't be glad to see me leave. I... I'll need your help."
 
And now he crossed over the threshold. Sothal created hope within the girl; a hope that could damage her if dashed. He rose to a stand and dusted off the dirt from his weathered garments, as if such endeavors could make him appear more presentable, and held out his hand to help Cordelia to her feet. Whether she realized it or not, in a way she was only just signing over her life to another line of work. He justified it in his mind by convincing himself she would be better off, for as much as he wondered if he shouldn't, her value was far greater than his conscience.

"I have an idea of my own," he said thoughtfully, "but I would like to hear your plan if you have any. We're a sort of people that like to work together rather than dictate."

Sothal halted his words before he could ramble on further. There was no guarantee yet that Cordelia would be voted into the Cult of Thieves. Promising her even by context she would be working with new people was dangerous ground.

"I have a feeling, however," he continued, "that your father would be more inclined if it were a decree he could not refute."
 
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She knew the risks... and she had weighed them, albeit a bit quicker than might have been wise. The simple fact was, either way, she was serving someone, but at least he had made an attempt to sweeten the bargain a bit. A place to lay her head, and actual compensation was nothing to turn her nose up to, even if it meant she was just putting down roots with another master.

Who, was the question, indeed, however. He hadn't revealed as much, and she had a feeling judging from the way he spoke about them, that she wouldn't know until it was a certain thing. Maybe it was for the best... even if it did put her on edge a bit. He had to protect himself and the people he worked with, and she had to do the same for herself.

"If I can get close to him, I could pull the memories... It's not surefire, though. There's no real way to destroy them, and if anything were to trigger it..." A small sigh escaped, "Why? What were you thinking? I should probably note that my father doesn't exactly have the strongest sense of respect for authority. In that I mean he's got basically none...And he hates the king as much as anyone from Windfeld is ought to."
 
Sothal shrugged his shoulders somewhat. "We need to play our cards well," he answered. "But even if I were to play that card, he'd give me grounds to kill him anyway. Treason is treason. Any self-serving individual would back off when their life is on the line. It's just our nature."

That option was sounding better by the minute. The more he talked through the possibilities, the more he saw how it would result in the ultimate conundrum for a man such as her father. "I'll meet you at your home," he continued. "We'll figure something out. If push comes to shove, I'll shove a little harder."

He was confident in what he could do, but he needed to confer with his comrades within the Cult. It was uncertain as to whether or not they would be welcome to meddling in her affairs that could cause a stir. Her new living would be entirely up to him, and Sothal knew it. The Cult of Thieves was not an organization responsible for the work and pay of its members, but rather a merge of like-minded individuals volunteering their skills for a greater good.

Grabbing hold of her once again I a swift movement, he Shadow Jumped them out of the cellar and into the alley between just outside. Sothal said nothing, parting ways with a simple nod before merging back into the sunny streets of Windfeld. He was being too risky with his jumping, but the success in his risks were thrilling and only created an addiction to the suspense. He was sure to use his magic subtly to keep anyone off his trail as he made his way to the Underbelly.

The Labyrinth was an easy puzzle to solve once one had done it a few times. Sothal lazily made his way into the Underbelly and stepped up the stairs to a fashioned hut used as an office space. Jensen sat with Kaleb and Eswyat in lively conversation when he entered, and they did not care to stop or even show interest into what Sothal had been up to that afternoon.

"I swear to you," Jensen said with barely a glance in Sothal's direction, "his nose was practically his entire face."

"That's disgusting," Kaleb stated.

"She has Shadow Magic," Sothal cut in as he sat down in an empty chair. It was only then they looked over at him as they waited for the continuation. "She took me back. I relived a point in my past and everything."

"She's just like Mal, then," Jensen said thoughtfully.

"Just like her mother," Eswyat observed.

"All she did to me was take my money," Kaleb grumbled. "So, we gonna take it to a vote, then?"

"Let's send out the birds," Jensen said as he rose from his seat. Age was catching up to the man. He was looking closer and closer to Eswyat each day yet still nowhere as close to retirement. Sending out the birds was just his way of calling the other members of the Cult of Thieves to the Underbelly for a meeting. And so it would be that they would collectively decide Cordelia's future before Sothal was due at her residence.

As the bright sun set into a hot night, Windfeld would find itself dark and quiet with only the lighthouses further out to brighten the growing dark. There were still splashes of orange across the horizon as Sothal knocked on the door.
 
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"One damn copper piece..." He was quiet, and that was never a good sign. Generally, almost as a rule of thumb, Cordelia's father spoke with a loud, booming voice - authoritative, to a degree, but only in the sense of one trying too hard. But she had grown so accustomed to it that it had become something of a normal occurrence. Because of this, over time, she's come to recognize it was only when he wasn't screaming at someone that there was cause to worry.

After she had left Sothal, she had made her way home to find her father out, a note on his desk indicating he'd had business down at the docks. To some degree, it had been a relief, but only just so. He would be back, and when he returned she would have to stall until Sothal arrived... Her only real hope had been that business meant a payout. Her hope had been for naught. As he entered his office that evening, shortly before sundown, it was with an edge of tension, his shoulders tight, his jaw clenched. He gave Cordelia one quick glance before barking at her to put her haul for the day on the desk.

She'd put her hand into her pocket to give him the ring, but for some reason, she hesitated and what came out instead was the shiny copper piece that Sothal had given her to read him. She flicked it onto the desk and turned defiantly to see the look of outrage on her father's face. His voice had dropped then, to a dangerous hiss and Cordelia paled at the sound of it.

"...You've been out there... all day. And all you have to show for it... is one... damn... copper." Fingers balling into fists, he stepped forward and Cordelia back away from his desk, shaking her head.

"It was slow... It's hot as hell out there. No one wants to stand around and have their fortune read..."

"Are you... I swear, little girl... if you're trying to justify yourself..."

"I'm just saying..." The slap came hard and fast, a backhand across her cheek with enough force to send her to the floor. With a small cry, she caught herself and bright-eyed, stared up at her father, who only scowled his lips pursed tightly. The knock at the door made her jump, but Warren only turned with a frown and stalked towards it, throwing it open.

As she carefully pushed herself to her feet, tip of her tongue exploring the split in her lip, she caught sight of the dark figure in the doorway and sucked in a breath as her father addressed Sothal with a growl, "The hell do you want?"
 
He wasn't dressed as the prince, but Sothal was still well groomed and in the finest garments found in Windfeld. Four guards filed in as he motioned towards the door, pushing past the man forcibly as Sothal calmly entered behind. He had a cool air about him as he turned to look at the man, a gloved hand resting upon the pommel of a gem incrusted sword. He made another motion with his other hand, and the two guards reached out to grab Cordelia and hold her in place.

"Cordelia Briggs," Sothal began coolly as he turned to look at the girl. His demeaned was far colder than before, like he was a completely different person all together. "You are under arrest for treason as decreed by the Royal House of Faledrin. You will hereby be taken to the Island to await your hanging at dawn."

He turned to her father once again with a shift of his feet, brow lofting as he tilted his head ever so slightly. "And what, may I ask, is your relation to the girl?" he inquired.
 
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It wasn't what she'd expected, and truth be told with how little she knew of him, there was a moment... far longer than she was proud of, where Cordelia was genuinely terrified. For a charade, it was well played, and for a permanent image of the look of pure shock on her father's face, she would have given her weight in copper. But ultimately if he had wanted to arrest her, he could have done so at his convenience earlier... Still, it wasn't difficult to sell the act, given she was certain the pounding of her heart was nearly audible.

Wide eyed, she stared at her father, who at first could do little more than gape, open mouthed. When he finally did speak, his voice was higher pitched, a tone of false fealty, "This girl? She works for me. But if it's treason she's guilty of then good riddance."

The words surprised Cordelia and stung nearly as much as the backhand she had taken a few minutes earlier. She had hardly expected him to fight for her, or to defend her... but to outright disown her? To deny his relationship to her... In her decision to leave, she had never wanted him hurt, not if it could be avoided. To know then that she meant so little to him... Maybe a peaceful dissolution was too good for the man.

Tears stinging her eyes, Cordelia looked instead to Sothal, shaking her head, "You can't do it. You won't get away with it..."
 
The guards' grip on Cordelia's arms held steadfast as Sothal stood with his back now to her. He eyed her father over with the typical noble air about him; nose upturned and eyes cast down in an unspoken knowing of status. He played the part quite well down to the nuances, and it looked as though his prey would not question the scene in the slightest. He had the king to thank for that. The poor learned quickly not to question those in fancy robes.

"She works for you," Sothal repeated as he ignored Cordelia's threat in fashion. "Are you admitting to calluding with this criminal, then?"

He turned to look at Cordelia, his act never wavering even for a moment. "Is this man your boss?" he asked as he pointed over to her father. "No reason to hold your tongue, girl. You'll be dead in the morning anyway."
 
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"C...calluding? No?! Hell no... I'm legitimate! Whatever mess she's gotten herself into, it's on her. Bitch has always been trouble. I'll be glad to be rid of her. But I ain't involved in whatever this treason business is. I got papers and everything..." Eyes narrowing, Cordelia stared her father down, her eyes stinging with tears as she shook her head. It shouldn't have come as such a shock, yet there was no way she could have anticipated him denying her so vehemently.

Their relationship had always been strained, and it was true that she had never felt like much more than an employee to him anyhow, but to turn his back on her when it seemed her life was on the line... to ignore his claim to her, to fail to protect her... It was despicable. It was heartbreaking. He had never been kind to her, but he has also never been cruel. Yet he would let her hang, to safeguard himself... he would deny her, to save his reputation...

She had provided for him. Defended him... And he afforded her nothing in return.

"Coward. You disgust me..." She whispered, and while he avoided her gaze she was sure he had heard her, and that to some degree, those words had the impact she was hoping for. Blinking, clearing her vision, she turned her gaze to Sothal and she shook her head, "You heard the man... He's nothing to me. Absolutely nothing."
 
With another wave of his hand, Sothal gave another command. "Take her away, then," he said. The pair of guards holding her made for the door with Cordelia in tow as he walked over to the titled father. The man held no care for his own flesh and blood, and it was an unfortunate side effect of the state of the kingdom. Faledrin was a free-for-all. Survival of the fittest and every man for himself. And even though it was common place, he still did not care for those who cared so little of their own.

"Do you know who I am?" Sothal asked as he stood next to the poor excuse of a father. The other two guards filed out, closing the door to leave them to their business alone as they escorted Cordelia in a procession like a criminal. They did not speak to her or regard her as they marched in line with each other, grip held tight on her arms. The streets were growing quiet at this hour with only the night shift as audience as they headed down the docks. Most everyone would not dare look in their direction. The silhouette of the guards was all too familiar and foreboding.

And as they placed Cordelia into a small boat, Sothal appeared in an inky cloud of Shadow Magic. Slender hands calmly smoothed back his hair, and he sat across from Cordelia. "Well," he said, "that went well."
 
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As Cordelia was led to the door, she could hear her father behind her, answering Sothal's question with a gruff grunt of, "Don't much care... just take the girl and get out."

As the door closed behind her and she was led along the streets, she tried to keep the tears contained, taking in a deep breath... fortifying herself against the hurt. He wasn't a good man... She knew that well enough. She'd known that before Sothal had come along. He used her, the way that he had used her mother and he would drive her into the dirt with so little consideration that it was almost frightening. But it was also just the way things were in the city... and there was little to be done about it.

She wanted to say that it didn't matter. That she would get past it, and maybe she would, but the fact was, despite all she had said earlier in the cellar and despite knowing ultimately it was for the best, she was still human and still effected by the nature of her father's hardness. She was stronger than most gave her credit for but inside, she was still a young girl in a cold, cruel world... and now she was very much alone.

Or maybe not entirely alone...

They reached a boat docked near her father's office and as she sank down, Sothal popped up across from her. Looking up at him, she shook her head before her gaze shifted, moving to the orange ball of light drifting lower against the horizon, purples and dark blues cresting across the face of the sky, "I... I don't know what I was expecting. I thought he might fight... at least a little bit. He just... he didn't even try."
 
Two of the guards began rowing, and suddenly the serious air lifted. One of the guards began to chuckle as they drifted across the choppy waters. "Did you see his face?" he said.

"We were all there," the woman guard chimed in with an exasperated tone. Their banter continued while Sothal spoke to Cordelia.

"You'll never have to worry about him again," he said. "You've got a future to think about instead."

There was nothing more for him to say in the matter. Should she ever be curious as to the whereabouts of her father, he would reveal it, but otherwise it was unimportant. At least, it was to him. Even the impact of his lack of care towards his own daughter was of little concern. Cordelia was understandably shocked by even that. Who would ever think their own parent could do such a thing and be so disconnected? But he knew of the disconnect all to well himself, and to that he knew Cordelia could move on.

The boat carried them into a system of tunnels running under a part of the Windfeld outskirts where they docked in near darkness. There was only the flicker of a singular torch held by a cloaked figure. Sothal helped Cordelia out of the boat and towards the hooded man who towered over the small girl easily. He eyed her for a moment in silence with only the soft lapping of water against the stone or the flutter of flames to fill the void.

"Cordelia Briggs," the cloaked figure addressed, "tell me your thoughts of Windfeld and Faledrin."
 
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The future. It was a strange concept, for someone who never looked very far past the moment. She struggled, really, with the idea of it so much so that his statement, while on one hand comforting, was almost a new source of anxiety. What if it didn't work out? This job that he had in mind. What if he got sick of her and decided she was too much trouble? There were so many factors to consider, that by the time they were under away from the docks, she wasn't entirely sure if excitement outweighed nerves or the other way around.

She fell quiet during the trip, but for the sound of her heart pounding, which she wasn't entirely sure couldn't be heard from across the boat. Idly, she played with the small frayed edge of her lip, touched the tender stippling bruise across her cheek where he'd struck her. That, more than anything surprised Cordelia, but it was also the biggest indicator that she had made the right decision, regardless of whatever happened from here on out. True, she had pushed him by bringing so little to show for her day's work... but that he was willing, at all, to cross that line spoke volumes.

Blinking swiftly, Cordelia pulled her hand away from her face and stared instead out to the waters, dissolving into her thoughts. Eventually, they came to a series of tunnels that drew her focus back to the situation at hand, and when they docked she was feeling marginally less miserable, curiosity having overwhelmed the disappointment. Taking Sothal's hand, she stepped out, her gaze moving to the figure in the hood. A brow quirked as he spoke, and silently, she mulled over his question.

"It's a mess..." She finally said, with a small shrug, "We're too poor to function, yet those in the noble district live as if the city has wealth to burn. Changes need to be made, but they probably never will, because no one cares enough to try. Not the people who can do something about it, anyway. They're comfortable in their high towers, because it means they don't have to see us... People are literally dying in the streets, but help won't come and that makes people angry. Angry... but too scared or sick or tired to do anything about it. We're driven to stealing or worse, just to survive... Conditioned to crime. It's become necessary. They first make thieves of us, than punish us for it. It's hypocrisy in truest form... and it's wrong. So much about it is wrong. Sir."
 
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"Would you," the figure continued, "want to work against this oppressive segregation? Would you want to fight for the greater good of our people no matter the cost? There would be no glory or recognition. This is not about fame or fortune. This is about liberation. They made us Thieves, but more than just petty. They thought us weak but in our struggles we have grown stronger. We can mount an uprising of the poor to bring about equality. But we can only do so in the shadows."

They began to walk, and Sothal brought his hand gently to Cordelia's back to prompt her to follow after the hooded figure. Water echoed as it sloshed within the cylindrical confinements of the tunnels as their boots gently clapped against the wet stone. And the scene grew ever darker until all that could be seen was what the torchlight could reveal.

"Tell me, Miss Briggs," the figure continued. He glanced over to the girl as he addressed her. "Have you heard of the Cult of Thieves?"
 
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It wasn't entirely what she expected, though to be fair her expectations were so conflicted that anything might have surprised her. When Sothal had offered her work, she'd assumed, probably a little unjustly, that she might be given a maid's position or some work in a tavern... That it was a means simply to get her out from under her father's foot. But this was an opportunity that carried with it an almost surreal quality.

Smiling delicately, Cordelia followed after the hooded figure at Sothal's spurring, her own bare feet making barely a sound on the damp, cool stone as she fell into step behind her guide, "I can't say I have, no... but I'm beginning to like the sound of it."

It had begun to feel as though there was no one left in the world who cared about the plight of those in Windfeld. And maybe to a degree it was fair. When the leaders of their fine city couldn't bring themselves to help, it wasn't fair to expect anyone else to. But it seemed help was out there, just not in any way anticipated.

"It was a test, wasn't it..." Looking to Sothal, a brow quirked, that smile brightening a little, "That's why you were there, by the gates. But how did you...? No, nevermind. It doesn't matter. I'm in. Whatever I have to do, I want to help. I don't need glory or recognition... I'm just tired of watching the people in this city torn apart by indifference... Something needs to be done, and I want to be a part of that."
 
He could see Cordelia's intuition glisten in her blue eyes as Sothal met her gaze. He made no comment or expression to give away his thoughts. She had accepted an offer even before it was presented, though Jensen did not leave much in the way of the imagination. The girl was able to fit the pieces of the puzzle together with ease, which was, in its own way, a trait to be desired for anyone joining the illusive Cult of Thieves. Jensen seemed to be pleased as he turned his hooded head back over to look at Cordelia in the flickering torchlight.

"You're quite eager for a girl who has not been presented with anything," he said, and then guided them into a room where he tossed his torch into a pyre. A fire roared to life, illuminating the small, sparsely filled space where other figures stood still in their cloaks.

"She agreed before formal presentation," Jensen said to the others with a small huff of a laugh.

"She seems alright to me," one of the guards behind her said. The air, despite their looks, was casual. It was as though a group of friends had gathered in the dark for a chit chat.

"Yeah," added another guard, "she played right along with us earlier. You lot missed the father's reaction."

"Oh! What did he do?"

"Turned white as a ghostie," said the first guard. "And then claimed no relation to her."

There were a few celebratory reactions from the cloaked crowd accompanied by groans. The hooded figures began an exchange of currency at the news before Jensen quieted them down.

"Alright alright," he said, and then turned to Cordelia. "Swear right here and now. Swear that you will work with the Cult of Thieves as an equal. That you will use your abilities for the greater good to which we define as a collective. Swear your life to the betterment of Faledrin no matter the cost. Become Death and Retribution with us. As one."

"As one," the rest repeated.
 
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She had claimed earlier to Sothal that while she was hardly stupid, she couldn't exactly be considered smart, and while it might have been a bit of self deprecation for his benefit, there might very well have been truth to the statement, because she really hadn't considered the offer or what it might mean for her, before she accepted. Still, there was little regret. It was a good sight better than her current state of living, and the purpose didn't sound all too unappealing. A purpose in general, really, was something she almost desperately desired.

Stepping into the room, she looked around at the others, a small smile curling at the corner of her lips at the exchange. It still hurt, both the bruise and the idea of her father effectively disowning her to save his own skin, but she was positive it would be worth it in the end, if it meant getting away from him and a life derailed by ineffectiveness and indifference. This was a chance to be a part of something... the opportunity to stand for something, to stand up for something. And if nothing came from it, so be it... it was still better than where she had been headed...

The one formerly in the hood began to speak to her again and Cordelia met his gaze, the smile twitching away at his words. If she had doubted the seriousness of what she was getting into before, there was little doubt now. But what better life was there for a girl like her? Where would a better offer come from? Looking briefly to Sothal, for any indication of uncertainty, any warning that she was making a mistake. When she saw none, she turned back to the other man and nodded, slowly.

"I swear."
 
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