The children sat on the benches high above the pit, idly watching two men beat each other bloody. Above them, the thatch roof leaked rainwater as the gray clouds opened on the city. Below them, past the rough pine planks that supported the balcony, a teeming crowd roared for violence. Lowland laborers wearing sabots stuffed with muddy wool swapped copper chits over bets, temporary fortunes made and lost over swinging fists. Brightly dressed mercenaries leaned on their pikes and drank, glaring at the cloaked highland clansmen, who clutched their longswords and did the same. 

Corinx, the oldest of the four, turned to them and asked, “When do you think Thom is going to get us?” He’d had looked like Wheel when they were younger, but now his arms and chin were sprouting hair and he had grown to a mans height, with no sign of stopping.  Millie, shaking her braided hair, replied, “I hope The Lions stabbed him.” Chased out of town after the last Duke sided with Thom, Millie had taken to bringing up the disgraced betyar’s whenever she was in a foul mood. At this, Ingrin struck Millie’s leg with her fist, “Don’t say that here.” The charley horse wasn’t bad, so Millie didn’t get upset. Ingrin was Thom’s favorite, so she kept them safe from him, even if it meant hurting them a little sometimes. They were alone, the shaded platform they sat on was reserved for important guests when they visited the fighting pits. Since the war had stalled out, nobody with enough money and an interest in watching men fight had visited the abandoned clay pits on the outskirts of the city Vyrm. So, the four of them sat there, waiting. The crowd went silent, and Wheel, the smallest, turned to look. The bearded fighter had slammed the side of his arm into his opponent’s throat. He was now on the ground, slowly writhing. The silence lasted while the bearded fighter spoke to a large man with a massive, banded belly and thick rings on his fingers. Thom. 

Thom walked to where the dying fighter lay. Despite the mud, he walked steadily, unwavering. His steps were marked with sprays of mud, and he left watery craters in his wake. Drawing a bone handled knife from his belt, he knelt. A silence spread over the pits, out of shame or respect or some combination of the two. The rain continued to fall, and the hissing water dissolved the silence, freeing clusters of gamblers to mutter, coins sullenly passing hands. The moment passed, the crowd woke up, louder than before, and Thom stood, looking directly at Wheel. His gaze rested heavily on Wheel, and he found it hard to breath. Thom smiled, and Wheel flinched. Looking away, he watched Millie while she rebraided Ingrin’s hair, the punishment already forgiven. Her blue eyes were like Wheel’s, and the washerwomen teased that they came from the same mountain village. In truth, Wheel had no idea where they were from, or who their parents were. They were Thom’s Children. 

The body had been dragged away, and the next fighters were making ready. The crowd had tasted death tonight, and fistfights would bore them. Thom was gone, the puddles he’d left behind growing bigger. The next act were the knives, long glinting things with sharp edges for slashing, where the blood and water would mix and stain the ground so even the drunks could follow the action. Corinx stood up, adjusting the twine belt that kept his tunic fastened around his waist.
 “Let’s get out of here,” He said, “We can eat and sleep in the church tonight.” 
Millie shook her head and said, “Somebody would drag us out before we could finish the prayers the priests make us say.” 
“I agree with Millie,” Ingrin added before Corinx could reply, “You know he’s going to be right sour tonight.” 
“All the more reason for us to go!” 

Wheel spoke up, raising his voice to say, “Thom’s almost here.” And like his words had summoned him, the ladder that went up to the platform began to shake as someone climbed up. 
Ingrin lifted the trapdoor, and Thom’s bodyguard, Gopnik, poked his head out. His shaggy brown hair covered his eyes, and he pushed it back before he said, “Alright you lot. Come on, we’re going to Gull’s tavern.”
And they went.