“I guess…”
“And if you needed any further demonstration that he can do things you cannot, well, why don’t I instruct him to wallop the shit out of you one more time?”
Locke attempted to spontaneously shrink down inside his tunic and vanish into thin air; failing, he hung his head.
“I’m sorry,” said Jean. “I hope I didn’t hurt you badly.”
“You don’t need to be sorry,” Locke mumbled. “I suppose I really did deserve it.”
“The threat of an empty stomach soon rekindles wisdom.” Chains smirked. “Hardships are arbitrary, Locke. You never know which particular quality in yourself or a fellow is going to get you past them. For example, raise your hands if your surname happens to be Sanza.”
Calo and Galdo did so, a bit hesitantly.
“Anyone with the surname Sanza,” said Chains, “may join our new brother Jean Tannen in dining this evening.”
“I love being used as an example!” said Galdo.
“Anyone with the surname Lamora,” said Chains, “may eat, but first he will serve forth all the courses, and attend on Jean Tannen.”
So Locke scuttled about, embarrassment and relief mingled on his face. The meal was roasted capon stuffed with garlic and onions, with grapes and figs scalded in a hot wine sauce on the side. Father Chains poured all of his usual prayer toasts, dedicating the last to “Jean Tannen, who lost one family but came to another soon enough.”
At that Jean’s eyes watered, and the boy lost whatever good cheer the food had brought to him. Noticing this, Calo and Galdo took action to salvage his mood.
“That was really good, what you did with the box,” said Calo.
“None of us can work it that fast,” said Galdo.
“And we’re good with sums!”
“Or at least,” said Galdo, “we thought we were, until we met you.”
“It was nothing,” said Jean. “I can be even faster. I am…I meant to say…”
He looked nervously at Father Chains before continuing.
“I need optics. Reading optics, for things up close. I can’t see right without them. I, um, I could work a box even faster if I had them. But…I lost mine. One of the boys in Shades’ Hill…”
“You shall have new ones,” said Chains. “Tomorrow or the next day. Don’t wear them in public; it might contravene our air of poverty. But you can certainly wear them in here.”
“You couldn’t even see straight,” asked Locke, “when you beat me?”
“I could see a little bit,” said Jean. “It’s all sort of blurry. That’s why I was leaning back so far.”
“A mathematical terror,” mused Father Chains, “and a capable little brawler. What an interesting combination the Benefactor has given the Gentlemen Bastards in young Master Tannen. And he is a Gentleman Bastard, isn’t he, Locke?”
“Yes,” said Locke. “I suppose he is.”
4
THE NEXT night was clear and dry; all the moons were up, shining like sovereigns in the blackness with the stars for their court. Jean Tannen sat beneath one parapet wall on the temple roof, a book held out before him at arm’s length. Two oil lamps in glass boxes sat beside him, outlining him in warm yellow light.
“I don’t mean to bother you,” said Locke, and Jean looked up, startled.
“Gods! You’re quiet.”
“Not all the time.” Locke stepped to within a few feet of the larger boy.
“I can be very loud, when I’m being stupid.”
“I…um…”
“Can I sit?”
Jean nodded, and Locke plopped down beside him. He folded his legs and wrapped his arms around his knees.
“I am sorry,” said Locke. “I guess I really can be a shit sometimes.”
“I’m sorry, too. I didn’t mean…When I hit you, it just…I’m not myself. When I’m angry.”
“You did right. I didn’t know, about your mother and your father. I’m sorry. I should…I shouldn’t have presumed. I’ve had a long time…to get used to it, you know.”
The two boys said nothing for a few moments after that; Jean closed his book and stared up at the sky.
“You know, I might not even be one after all,” Locke said. “A real orphan, I mean.”
“How so?”
“Well, my…my mother’s dead. I saw that. I know that. But my father…he, um. He went away when I was very little. I don’t remember him; never knew him.”
“I’m sorry,” said Jean.
“We’re both sorry a lot, aren’t we? I think he might have been a sailor or something. Maybe a mercenary, you know? Mother never wanted to talk about him. I don’t know. I could be wrong.”
“My father was a good man,” said Jean. “He was…They both had a shop in North Corner. They shipped leathers and silks and some gems. All over the Iron Sea, some trips inland. I helped them. Not shipping, of course, but record-keeping. Counting. And I took care of the cats. We had nine. Mama used to say…she used to say that I was her only child who didn’t go about…on all fours.”
He sniffled a bit and wiped his eyes. “I seem to have used up all my tears,” he said. “I don’t know what to feel about all this anymore. My parents taught me to be honest, that the laws and the gods abhor thieving. But now I find out thieving has its very own god. And I can either starve on the street or be comfortable here.”
“It’s not so bad,” said Locke. “I’ve never done anything else, as long as I can remember. Thieving is an honest trade, when you look at it like we do. We can work really hard at it, sometimes.” Locke reached inside his tunic and brought out a soft cloth bag. “Here,” he said, handing it over to Jean.
“What…what’s this?”
“You said you needed optics.” Locke smiled. “There’s a lens-grinder over in the Videnza who’s older than the gods. He doesn’t watch his shop window like he ought to. I lifted some pairs for you.”
Jean shook the bag open and found himself looking down at three pairs of optics; there were two circular sets of lenses in gilt wire frames, and a square set with silver rims.
“I…thank you, Locke!” He held each pair up to his eyes and squinted through them in turn, frowning slightly. “I don’t…quite know…um, I’m not ungrateful, not at all, but none of these will work.” He pointed at his eyes and smiled sheepishly. “Lenses need to be made for the wearer’s problem. There’s some for people who can’t see long ways, and I think that’s what these pairs are for. But I’m what they call close-blind, not far-blind.”
“Oh. Damn.” Locke scratched the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly. “I don’t wear them; I didn’t know. I really am an idiot.”
“Not at all. I can keep the rims and do something with them, maybe. Rims break. I can just set proper lenses in them. They’ll be spares. Thank you again.”
The boys sat in silence for a short while after that, but this time it was a companionable silence. Jean leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. Locke stared up at the moons, straining to see the little blue and green specks Chains had once told him were the forests of the gods. Eventually, Jean cleared his throat.
“So you’re really good at…stealing things?”
“I have to be good at something. It’s not fighting and it’s not mathematics, I guess.”
“You, um…Father Chains told me about this thing you can do, if you pray to the Benefactor. He called it a death-offering. Do you know about that?”
“Oh,” said Locke, “I know all about it, truth of all thirteen gods, cross my heart and pray to die.”
“I’d like to do that. For my mother and my father. But I…I’ve never stolen anything. Can you maybe help me?”
“Teach you how to steal so you can do a proper offering?”
“Yes.” Jean sighed. “I guess if this is where the gods have put me I should bend to local custom.”