Severed Destinies Read Online Free Page B

headed for the nearest main street, where he peered out from the alley. When he was sure that no guards were nearby, Varayan sprinted across into an opposite alley. He travelled towards the nearest gate in the city wall and eventually found what he was looking for.
    Located just a stone's throw from the gate was the Watchman's Point tavern. Gentle laughter could be heard emanating from the establishment, which was a favoured place for people leaving the city the next morning to stay overnight.
    Varayan caught a movement from one of the upper windows and glanced up to see a woman closing the curtains. He wished that he could spend just one night in a comfortable tavern bed, with fresh sheets and large pillows. He had not slept in a decent bed for months now due to his nocturnal profession and found that, during the days in Ashgar, he slept whenever he could. However, he did not have a home in the city and slept wherever was available at the time. He had slept in stables, gardens, doorways and even once or twice in the churches. Apparently the local temple gladly let people rest in their chambers, but Varayan found that religious types were strange folk. Most talked of the gods and their teachings, but Varayan was sure that something sinister lay behind the false masks they wore each day.
    He found that his eyes lingered on the upstairs window of the tavern and thoughts of his life previous to Ashgar entered his mind. He was brought up in a poor section of Shulgard, with a loving mother and a sorry excuse for a father. When he was only ten, his mother fell ill with a fever and died suddenly, leaving Varayan in the hands of his father. After receiving a drunken beating one night at the age of twelve, Varayan walked out and made the streets his home. His father never bothered to find him and so he spent the next seven years amongst thieves, muggers, gamblers and even murderers. Varayan may have been a good thief and a terrible gambler, but he swore that he would never take a life. The knife was just for protection and he was thankful for it after the incident earlier that evening.
    Shaking the thoughts of these past activities from his head, Varayan looked over towards the gate and saw the four guards standing at their post. They were talking with each other, so the thief sped across the street and headed around the back of the Watchman's Point .
    "Now that's what I'm looking for." Varayan grinned when he saw the large carriage standing in the shadows of the tavern's rear courtyard. However, it would be full tomorrow morning with travellers. He noticed then that a smaller wagon stood behind the carriage, its contents hidden by the canvas cover draped over its frame. He inspected the cover and lifted one of the flaps up to peer inside. All that stood within were several barrels and three sacks, each of which was tied up with thin cord. There were no apparent markings to show the destination of these goods, but Varayan did not care where it was going, as long as it was away from Ashgar. The ironic thought that they were bound for Naskador made him chuckle quietly as he climbed aboard. Perhaps it may travel to Vylandor, where Varayan could sample the fine wares of the capital. Wherever his destination was, it was somewhere that he had never been before.
    Varayan lay down next to the barrels and an aroma drifted across from the three sacks. It seemed that they contained spices of some kind as the smell made his nose itch. He did not know what sort they were, but they were most likely to be used for food preparations.
    As his eyes closed and exhaustion caught up with him, the young thief realised that someone would check the wagon before departing. He would have to hide during that time. He decided that he would rest for a while before checking that the underside of the wagon had a suitable hiding place for him. Most had supports beneath where someone of Varayan's slim build could easily, but uncomfortably, wedge themselves in