The Unlikely Spy

[Tallstaugh]

shink... tap

shink... tap

shink... tap

shink

Tallstaugh puts the whetstone back in his pouch and pulls a cloth of white linen out of his belt. He bunches the linen up in his right hand and places it on the end of his kopis. One of many standard issue weapons for men of the Hyrtha City Guard. Men or beasts. Tallstaugh has possessed this particular kopis his entire career as a guardsmen, a rare feat for a soldier. Accomplished only through extensive care and attention to detail, two of Tallstaugh's many strengths as a soldier. Caring for his kopis was part of his morning regimen along with shadow dueling and plyometrics. The regimen kept his mind and body sharp to deal with the issues the Captain of the Hyrtha City Guard had to deal with daily; both exciting and mundane.

Tallstaugh placed his kopis in its sheath and set it gently aside. He approached a freshly poured tub of hot water, dipped a rag in, and wrung it. He scrubbed the entirety of his black fur-lined body. The dawning sun shown through the window and cast a beam of light that shimmered off a badge in the corner of the room. A fist encapsulated by a beaming sun. Symbol of the Hyrtha City Guard, attached to green and gold robes which was the formal wear for the City Guard. Tallstaugh donned his formal attire and clasped his gold medallion that befitted his rank around his broad neck. It was specially made for him due to his size. Every captain before him was human. Tallstaugh acheived note by breaching established prejudices to become the first minotaur to achieve this rank in city history. He hated pomp and decoration, it served no function to him. After all he was a humble beast and had to play that card constantly to gain the respect of his human superiors. He grabbed his kopis, latched it to his belt and exited his chamber for The Royal Court. His presence was requested at a City Defense Council meeting of which he was forced to participate.

His hooves on the marble made his presence known to the court guard, who let him pass into the council chambers. He was the first member from the council present. Early to bed, early to rise, and always rested; a credo which kept his mind sharp. The remaining members of the council shuffled in over the course of the next hour. The last to enter was the king's right hand, Victor Frisch. Victor was a clever dark haired, blue eyed, bull of a man. He was still a head and a half shorter than Tallstaugh, who was a man of a bull. Victor's presence commanded respect, and he was an honorable man who cared little for pomp or politics. Something Tallstaugh and he shared. Victor hit the table with an jade and gold inlaid gavel to commence the council meeting. Several mundane issues were discussed dealing with internal affairs, taxes, troop payment, the King's birthday arrangements, and a recent appearance of a band of bards who show a fondness for stealing noblemen's daughters.

"It is then decided that for each bard convicted of abduction shall spend a year in a jail cell with a bruin. We'll see if those charismatic bastards can charm their way out of a cell with a neutered bear" Victor spat. The council laughed. "In the last matter of importance in today's meeting I would like to discuss the recent happenings of RhyDin"

"What's RhyDin have to do with this council?" a fat bald councilman proclaimed from his position far away from Victor.

"Voltan, this council is meant for the protection of Hyrtha, and if the rumors I'm hearing are true they may well bleed south to our great city." Victor coated those words with a hearty coating of acid to drive his point through Voltan's fat bald head. "I trust you keep your ears tuned to the sport-dueling of RhyDin. If you do, you are familiar with the name Rakeesh Sah Tarna, newly crowned Overlord. There's been tell that the liontaur is causing massive amounts of unrest within the city and scheming with darker forces. Each barony has gone renegade and seeks to overthrow the Overlord. This is of massive interest to us here in Hyrtha City. It is an opportunity for us to strengthen our relationship with RhyDin, secure several trade routes from the city, and thus greatly expand our economy. It is an opportunity for us to propel our great nation to a level never before achieved in the histories of Hyrtha. Also, it is the will of our King for us to make this happen. Now i do have information that Rakeesh is re-assembling his former sports team the Champions of Mythos to attempt to compete with current mainstay teams in the arena. Who better to gather vital information than a loyal team-member to the rabble-rouser himself? We need to plant someone on that team who we can trust, someone who is humble enough to have not earned a reputation outside these walls, someone who listens more than talks, and most importantly... someone who looks the part."

The council looks at Victor expectantly.

"Tallstaugh, you will be our plant." The council pours into conversation throwing words of disagreements, accordance, and prejudice towards Victor.

"We can't trust this task in the hands of a MINOTAUR!" Sweat shimmered off of Voltan's jowls.

An armored fist slams the table.

"CEASE THIS BICKERING!" Victor shouted "He's more than earned our trust with a lifetime of servitude. Put your prejudices aside, comrades. We all know he would serve this city well in this deed."

Tallstaugh looks at Victor.

"With all due respect sir, my strengths are not suited to this role, I'm a soldier not an assassin"

"I'm sending you to spy, not to kill, unless you specifically hear otherwise from me, understand? You'll be using plenty of your abilities as a soldier in the arena gaining report with Rakeesh. Your gift of strategy will serve you well in gathering vital information and avoiding unnecessary conflict, get close, report any suspicious findings to us, and most importantly keep your mouth shut. If you don't, you may likely find yourself dead. If you die you can't leave any signs of any connections to us whatsoever, understood?" Victor's imposing form gestured aggressively at Tallstaugh "...understood?"

Tallstaugh bowed his head "Yes sir"

Victor firmly thwaps the table with his jade and gold inlaid gavel.

"Next order of business is finding a new captain of The Hyrtha City Guard to fill in for Tallstaugh while he is away. any recommendations?..."

Tallstaugh tunes out the babble of the council and stares at the table alone with his thoughts. He spent his whole life in servitude to the protection of Hyrtha City. Now, in order to accomplish that he'll need to become someone else entirely and do the last thing he thought he'd ever have to do.

Act.