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Xan was born in the city of Berthos. His father and mother were but lowly commoners who lived just outside the city's walls. Xan's father, Garritude was an owner of a farm on his land, having 5-7 workers working the field. He to once was a worker, but later took upon a mysterious occupation while being a farmer became a front to hide what he really was doing. He paid his workers the best he can since he was in their position. The day Xan was born was the day of celebration. Garritude had given all the workers the day off and had them over for dinner. One of the local barons who had been bothering Garritude to sell his land to him. So the baron felt that today was the day that he should pay them a visit on such a joyious occasion.

Garritude, his wife and the other 7 workers had just sat down to dinner, when the baron burst through the front door, bring his pompous attitude with him.
"Well Garritude I see this place still looks like a dump as usual." The baron says looking around with a disgusted look on his face at all the filth in the sall room. Garritude avoids eye contact as he could feel his anger rising up in his body. "I heard you have a son now? Where is the handsome devil." The baron says looking around the room spoting the crib in the right corner of the room. The baron begins walking towards the crib, Garritude got to his feet quickly to intercept the baron but was to late. THe baron had made it to the crib and picked up little Xantheign. Garritude stopped in his track watching the baron with a worried expression on his face, the baron was making baby noises and faces at Xantheign who giggled in return. Garritude didn't want to pressure the baron in to taking some action while he was holding Xantheign. Garritude's wife Xaylia just watched in shock not sure what to make of the situation, while the other workers were just as shocked.

The baron takes his eyes off the baby and looks at Garritude. "So have you thought about my previous offer about buying your land?" The baron said in a soft tone cradling the baby. Garritude bit his lower lip unsure of how to answer not wanting the baron to resort to drastic measures. The baron tired of the silence speaks up again in a more threatening tone "You could buy another home with the money I would give you, and with whats left over to help support your new family. Cuase if you stay here on the farm, it could be dangerous for a child, accidents do happen" The baron said looking down at the baby.

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"Are you threatening my family?" Garritude growls clenching his teeth. The baron looked at him then the baby. He played with the baby a bit more before returning it to its crib. The baron walks to the door and turns before exiting. "Not threatening, making a statement. However you can move to a safer place my offer still stands." The barons says turning around and fading in to the darkness. Garritude slams his fist on the table making everyone else jump off their seat. He grabs his cloack hanging by the door and walks out in to the night. Xaylia got up to say something but before the words could escape her lips Garritude had dissapeared in to the darkness much like the baron before him.

Garritude walked along the dirt road through the village, it was pretty late tonight so no one was out at this time. Garritude adjusted his cloak and pulled the hood of his head. He headed for the gates that lead in to Berthos. Berthos close their gates at night but had a small metal gate off to the side for people to still get in, they just needed to pass an inspection by the guards stationed there. He knew some of the guards that would be working tonight so he wasn't that worried to come up with a story of why he needed entry in to the city. Garritude saw some drunks stumbling out of the Tavern ahead and instinctively his hand went for the daggers on his side, but they were not there. Garritude shakes his head with an amused smile on his lips "You don't need them tonight you old dog" he says smirkin. He passes the stumbling drunks not move his glacne from them until he was a safe distance away. It was always in his nature to be careful and never let his guard down, you let your guard down for a second, a second is all that it takes for the enemy to drive steel through your chest.

Garritude arrived at the small gate leading in to the city. The guard in charge standing behind the protective shelter of the metal bars told him to halt, both verbally and with hand gestures. The guard then turned to the knight working the lever that opens the gate and ordered him to open it. The guard watched Garritude closely as the metal gate clambered up revealing an open path for the two.
"What business brings you here Garritude?" The guard asked obviously knowing the man.
Garritude rubbed his chin with a sly grin. "Some work, some drinking, and some fun. You know how boring my small village gets at night, you even said so yourself Gerth." Garritude said in a playful tone.
Gerth chuckled. "Yea yea, so when are you going to have me over again? your wife Xaylia is one mean of a cook, prolly the best food I ate in the whole city of Berthos. I heard you also had a son, what did you name him?" Gerth asked.
"Well you can come over tommorrow night if it would please you, and we named him Xantheign" Garritude answered.
Gerth noded. "I would love to come over, its been awhile since we fought back to back in the Black Falls war, but things seem to be settling down now around here. Its almost like there wasn't a war at all." Gerth said rubbing his chin "But yes we need to catch up, anyways your free to go." Gerth said stepping aside letting Garritude pass.
"Yes it has been awhile.." Garritude said looking up towards the sky before walking down the smal archway opening in the wall, he turns to Gerth. "Yes catching up would be nice, I shall tell my wife to expect you for dinner tommorrow, lets say around dusk" Garritude said turning on his heel and walking in to a small street parallel to the wall, he could faintly hear Gerth yelling 'Alright' in the distance. The wind seemed to pick up at this moment whipping at his face and catching his hood that covered his head knocking it off. Garritude looked around before continuing his walk. The moonlight guiding his path on the streets as he walked as his watchful gaze turned to each new shadow that appeared on his path. He passed a few tall houses and buildings. He figured he was in the Rich part of the city. He kept walking until the big beautiful houses started to change in to small discheveled and broken homes. Some show signs of a poor repair job. He stopped in front of on of the cities many Brothel's. He opened the door and walked in. He got a few glance from some of the other patrons being swooned over by few of the many women who work here in scandalous clothing.
A tall woman with long blond beautiful hair, peircing green eyes and lucious red lips walked towards garritude. Her hips swayed back and forth and she walked. This woman seemed to be the embodiment of the perfect woman that all men build up in their heads. Her saton gown flowed behind her dragging on the floor, and her silk loose shirt seemed to be slipping off in places that it shouldn't. She stopped eyeing Garritude up and down placing one of her fingers under Garritude's chin lifting his gaze from her chest to her head.
"So honey. is it business or pleasure that brings you back here to me." She says with a playful smile, her voice is almost lyrical.
Garritude seemed to have gotten lost in her green eyes. He shook his head as if trying to break a spell. "Business." he manages to say a wry smile on his lips as he looks around at the other men with dropped jaws staring at the woman standing before him.
The woman frowns. "Your always here on business it seems." She said frowning.
"Yes I know Lillian." He says smirking. Lillian is by far the only girl in the brothel no man could get. Unlike how patrons get to choose their woman, she is one of the few woman that get to choose the man, and she is very expensive. Lillian turns around leaning back against Garritude placing her cheek against his neck. Garritude could feel her smooth milky white skin rubbing agains his tanned rough skin.
"You sure this isn't anything I can do to persuade you to choose pleasure before business this time?" She says seductively.
Garritude shook his head. "Not this time," He said feeling Lillian retreat a bit from him. Him and Lillian were a couple back before he meet Xaylia and married her, since then Lillian has been trying what she can to get him on a one on one 'meeting'. "Where's Laythe?" He asked her.
Still pouting Lillian answered "He's back down in the thieve's area."
"Alright" Garritude said kissing her forehead. "Maybe some other time." Lillian brightened up smiling, before kicking a drunk off her and going back to what she was doing before Garritude arrived. Garritude walked down the hallways passing some occupied rooms, with all sorts of noises coming from them. He opened the door at the end and shut it behind him. He went to the wall in front of him and pulled one of the loose boards and a secret door opened on the floor revealing a passage under the brothel. He climbed down the secret door closing behind him. The brothel was a front and another way for the Thieves Guild in berthos, the shimmering serpents, to get money and keep the citie's guards from finding their headquarters. Garritude grabbed one of the torches hanging from the wall and walked down the dark corridor. As he kept walking the corridor grew bigger opening up more revealing new ways to go, but Garritude stuck with heading straight. He has been here before so he knows his way around.

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He kept walking until he reached an open room with torches hanging of the walls on either side, a few benches scattered here and there and in front the floor level is raised on foot with a a beautifully craft chair sat on top, in the chair sat a portly man, pale skin, short disheveled brown hair. Hie greens eyes meet Garritude's blue eyes
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Laythe sat perched on his chair staring down at Garritude.
"What brings you here at this late of an hour?" Laythe said questionly raising one eyebrow to him.
Garritude looked solemn looking around the room before saying anything. "I have a problem with a certain Baron." He said ashamed.
Laythe looks at him shocked, his eyes almost bulging from their sockets before laughing heartily. "you have a problem?... Ha hahahahah" Layth breaks in to tears wiping each one away.
"Yes I do." Garritude retorted angrily not finding what he had said all the funny.
"I'm sorry its just that its surprising that you cam here and said that afterall... you are our best." Laythe apologized
"I know and thats why this is so hard and took me so long to do.." He said looking down at the floor ashamed of himself.
"So whats the problem?" Laythe asked wanting more details.
"The baron has been hounding me after my land. I am sure others know it as well, but well... He came today threatening my newborn's life. I don't want to be connected to this one nor do I want Xaylia to find out as well." He said admittedly to Laythe. Laythe looked idly at the ceiling rubbing his chin deep in thought thinking over what was said before almost jumping out of chair.
"Alright we will take care of it. Oh and by the way you have a personal order to fill.." Laythe says holding out a peice of parchment with a wax seal on it showing as proof that Laythe did not look in to the contents. Garritude took the peice of parchment and tucked it inside his cloak securely. "They have already paid, and you will get your cut when the job is done." Laythe clapped his hands as a poorly dressed servant boy clad in nothing but rags came running up and crouched low leaning his head towards Laythes whispers. Laythe dismisses the boy with a wave of his hand as the boy hurriedly rushes out of the room to fullfil the orders set upon him.
"Everything will be handled, go home and rest safe knowing we will take care of it." Laythe says smirking before adding. "We are a close knit group and one messes with one of our own goes unpunished I just wish you told me sooner." Laythes expression changed sympathetically before going about some other business. Garritude bowed and walked off. When he was out of the room and walking down the hallway he took out the sealed parchment and opened it. All the was on there was a name and a price. He shrugged tucking the peice of parchment away. He was used to these types of letters, this was how the guild worked. People would send letters with the name of the person that want gone and a price. So it was no surprise to him.

He exited back through the secret entrance under the brothel and walked out the front door. He walked back on to the street and pulled his hood over his head and headed towards the gate. His friend standing guard let him out promptly. Garritude walked home relieved with the fact he wont have to worry about the baron anymore. He was never really worried that much but the fact that his family was in jeapordy bothered him. For he could easily dispatch of the baron himself it was his family he though of first. He shrugged holding out his hand in the rain thinking maybe he was getting soft in this line of work. He shook the notion from his head and kept walking to the front door of his house. His wife was asleep on the table and had just awoken from her light sleep as he entered. She wiped her eyes desperately trying to force herself awake watching Garritude hang up his drenched cloak.
"I am glad your back." She said smiling stiffling a yawn with her hand. "Xan is in bed sleeping and everybody left shortly after you did so where were you off to?" She asked
Garritude bit his lip, he didn't want to lie to his wife he never kept a secret from her after they were married. "Had some bussiness with the guild to attend." He said not lying but also not telling the whole truth.
"Oh," Xaylia said lowering her head. "Shall we go off to bed then?" She said filling the silent room.
"Yes that would be nice" Garritude replied with a yawn and walked in to their bedroom followed closely behind by Xaylia. She wrapped her arms around his neck from behind and kissed him on the neck. They both got in to bed and fell asleep shortly after hitting their heads on the pillow.

The next day Garritude was awoken but some hard pounding at his door. It seemed the person knocking was intent on seeing someone on the household whether or not he was going to have to break the door down. Garritude yawned throwing on some pants and walked sleepily towards the door and opened revealing a knight of Berthos clad in his armor waiting impatiently.
"May I help you sir?" Garritude said shaking the sleep from him.
"I don't suppose you know anything that happened last night do you?" The knight asked glancing at Garritude curiously.
"Last night? did something happen?" Garritude asked in a yawn. He didn't look nor sound to surprised becuase he was still partly asleep and his brain has quite turned on as fast as he had woken up.
"Yes, actually something did. The late baron Hacird was killed in his home last night and several eye witnesses recount him having visited you last night. Not to mention people say that he has been threatening you quite persistantly for your land. I am sure your aware of some truth in this statement no?" The knight asked informing Garritude of the situation. Garritude was fully awake and alert now and it seemed to show which sent the knights brow to jut up quizzically wondering why the change in posture and state of mind all of a sudden.
"Yes he has been after my plot of land for some years. and Yes he did pay a visit last night, but I would not resort to murder over such silly disputes." Garritude lied playing the death off cooly as if he did not know a thing about it. "Not to mention I am sure such a wealthy baron as himself as many guards and high security staff at his disposal and to think that a lowly farmer such as myself was able to get past his guards undetected and manage to snuff him off is poposterous no?" Garritude shot back. The knight was taken back by this statement. Apparently this did not dawn upon him for the knight looked a bit embarassed for being told off by Garritude.
"Well I suppose your right, in any case we were sent here to investigate anyways so no harm done we just needed some things clear in questioning everybody that had come in contact recently to the late baron." The knight apologized before continuing. "If you hear anything or find out something be sure to let us know." With that the knight turned on his heal and started walking to the next house on his list of people to question. Garritude shut the door and turned to spot Xaylia standing there.
"What was that all about?" She asked
"It appears the Baron has been murdered.
"And you would know nothing about this?" Xaylia said with a slight grin. She couldnt help it but she felt better as well as Garritude now that the baron was gone despite the fact she never approved of murder. She just pretended that her husband was a farmer instead of one of the city's finest assassin by night. She wrapped her arms around Garritude lovingly and kissed his neck, resting her head on his chest. The baby in the other room began to cry as it to awoke from its sleep. Xaylia sighed happily as she went to go fetch their darling son.
"Oh and we will have a visitor tonight." Garritude raised his voice after her.
"Oh who?" Xaylia asked returning from the room with a content baby in her arms.
"Gerth" Garritude replied walking to his room getting fully dressed.
"Oh I havn't seen him in ages it seems, thats nice that you invited him over" She said excitedly rocking the baby back and forth in her arms making funny faces at the baby as it giggled happily.
"Yea, ran in to him last night he was on duty. Well I go better help in the fields" He says kissing Xaylia on lips and then giving their baby a kiss on their forehead.


Fives years passed since. The guild had framed some poor sap who was working as a guard for the baron for his murder. Garritude's family barely changed but he stayed more at home each day helping to raise their son not wanting to miss a moment of the young boy's life. He still did jobs for the guild but only ones that were strictly requested of him to do, and not done cheap either.