Tickletober Day 5: One Finger
Samir takes exception when the captain of the guard disparages Thatch's pointed ears.
~ 2.4k words under the cut 🗡️💕
From Sam's prompt list- @softcloudystars 🌟 💜
see tags for any tw's; chapter directory here
[minors dni]
Samir's heavy hand settles on the small of my back as we approach the looming silhouette of the abandoned watchtower. The air is thick with the scent of damp stone and distant rain. His fingers press firmly against my warm cloak—a possessive habit he’s picked up since we’ve become partners.
"So," he rumbles, his voice a low vibration against my ear as he leans in. "A personal summons from the Crown." His thumb strokes a slow, deliberate circle against my spine. "Care to explain how a half-elf from the Lowest Ward ends up on a first-name basis with royalty?" His tone is deceptively casual.
The wind picks up, whistling through the crumbling stone arches of the tower ahead. I can smell the metallic hint of coming rain in the air. His question makes me bristle even though I expected it, "No… not really."
"That's not how this works, little thief." His breath ghosts over my ear, warm and teasing. "You don't get to keep secrets from me. Not when they involve royal messengers coming to my hideout."
I sigh, realizing he won't let up until I explain the situation. "Fine. The prince and I… we were rather friendly with each other a few years back. Before I started making a name for myself in the Low Ward."
Samir's smirk sharpens into something more intrigued as the rain slicks his dark hair against his forehead, “Friendly? You and the prince?”
I fold my arms defensively, sensing where this is going. “Yes… friendly! Is that so hard to believe?”
"Friendly," he muses again, voice dripping with amusement. "A half-elf thief and a prince. That's a story I'd pay to hear."
“Yeah…? How much you got on you?” I duck under the awning of an old building as the sky opens up, pelting the city with cold rain.
Samir follows me, his broad frame crowding me underneath the small canopy. Droplets roll down the sharp angles of his face as he leans in, “Heh– I can definitely make it worth your while.”
I snicker at him. He’s such a big flirt sometimes. “Okay, fine… I got myself into some trouble outside the city and decided the safest place to hide was the Uppest Ward. Turns out, the palace was too tempting a target for me to resist. I ended up getting caught boosting some fancy jewelry from the prince’s bedchamber… and we just sort of hit it off!”
The rain drums harder against the awning above, the sound nearly drowning out his low chuckle. "Of course you did," he murmurs. "Little thief gets caught red-handed, and instead of tossing you in the dungeons, the prince decides you're friends."
“I can be very charming when I need to be,” I shrug dismissively. “And he was very nice… and the food at the palace was to die for! It wasn’t so bad until it became dreadfully boring.”
"Charming," he echoes, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Is that what you call it when you flutter those pretty gray eyes and giggle like a nervous schoolboy?"
I level my gaze at his rude comment, “See…? This is why I don’t tell you anything! You just act like a jerk…!”
Samir barks out a loud laugh, “Hah! Guess I’m not as well-mannered as your darling prince.”
“Whatever.” I turn my back to him, wishing the rain would let up so I could get some space between us. “At least I have discerning tastes. You stick your tongue into anything that’s breathing…!”
“Careful,” Samir's fingers dig into my hips suddenly, spinning me back around to face him beneath the cramped awning. “Keep running that clever mouth and I’ll remind you how much you love it when I’m a jerk.”
The rain finally lets up enough so I can huff and stomp away from him without getting soaked. As we near the old watchtower, I recognize a sturdy looking human dressed exactly as one would if they didn’t want to be recognized. I lower my voice as I slink into the shadows of a nearby alley, “That’s him… the captain of the royal guard!”
Samir's grip tightens on my hip as we crouch in the shadowed alley. His fingers press into the softness of my waist as he studies the disguised captain with suspicion. "Captain of the royal guard, hm?" His voice is a low rumble, laced with skepticism. "That’s who your prince sends to meet with a pair of wanted criminals? This could be a trap."
“I don’t think so….” I study the man as he paces in an agitated fashion outside the watchtower. “I know him. He’s Captain Callahan and he’s terribly loyal to the prince. I don’t see why he’d bother with us if Edrick didn’t personally request my help.”
"Callahan," he repeats, his dark eyes flickering between me and the captain, assessing. "And you trust him?"
“No, he hates me… never liked me hanging about the palace.” I shift slightly under Samir's scrutiny, the damp fabric of my tunic sticking uncomfortably to my skin. "But I trust the prince."
"Of course you do," his breath is hot against my ear. "Trusting the pretty prince who lets you steal from him. Real smart.”
I shove him hard enough to make him take a step back, “Quit acting like such an ass…! This isn’t some elaborate trap to catch me… the prince needs my help!”
"You’re the one who said the captain hates you." His dark eyes narrow as he studies Callahan's pacing form, the captain's disguised cloak fluttering in the damp breeze. “We should wait and see if anyone else arrives.”
“Gods, you’re such a worrier…!” The only thing worse than dealing with Samir’s insults is when he makes me wait around. “It isn’t an ambush… and I’ll prove it!”
“Thatch–!!” Samir’s arm snaps out to grab me but it’s too late. I’m light enough on my feet to dodge his grip and start shimmying up a gutter still slick with rainwater.
“Quit fussing at me… I’ll be back in a jiffy!” My hands fumble slightly on the slick metal as I hoist myself higher up the building, finding a convenient yet rather slim ledge. It lips around the corner and provides an excellent vantage point to observe Callahan.
“You reckless little idiot!!
Samir's growl echoes through the alley as I scramble higher, my boots slipping on the wet stone. The ledge is narrow, barely wide enough for my toes, but it gives me a perfect view of the captain below. The burly guard keeps glancing at the sky, muttering under his breath as he shifts his weight impatiently.
From this angle, I can see the faint glint of a royal insignia pinned discreetly beneath his cloak—Edrick's personal sigil. That settles it!
I start to head back, excited to share my findings with Samir (and rub his face in it) when suddenly my foot slips! “SHIT–!!”
Samir's dark eyes widen as my boot skids off the slick ledge, sending me tumbling backward. His reflexes are lightning-fast—muscled arms shoot out to catch me, but the momentum sends us crashing into a stack of rain-soaked crates. Wood splinters beneath me. Samir lets out a pained grunt as my elbow jabs into his ribs.
His grip tightens around me like iron as he growls angrily, "You insufferable little—"
“What in the seven hells is going on?!!” Callahan marches over to us, his face a mask of professional outrage. His eyes scan over Samir and land first on my pointed ears and finally on my flushed face. “You! The prince’s former pest! Of course you would be the one to instantly blow my cover!”
Before I know it, I’m getting roughly hauled inside the old watchtower as the two gruff men berate me.
“You haven’t changed a bit, have you??! Sneaking around and completely disregarding the rules!!”
“You stupid little menace!! Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?!!”
“I should have known better than to let the prince trust a half-breed!”
“You’re lucky we’re not back at my hideout or I’d— WAIT!” Samir stops snarling at me and ominously turns to Callahan. His voice becomes gravel as soon as the slur is uttered, “What did you just call him?!”
The captain sniffs haughtily as he draws himself up to his full height. He’s nearly as big as Samir and just as formidable. “I told Prince Edrick that knife-ears can’t be trusted! Especially this one. He was always skulking about the palace, stealing all manner of things!”
I raise an accusing finger, ready to defend myself when Samir pulls me against him in an almost defensive gesture. His voice is dangerously calm. “Disparage his race one more time, Captain… and my dagger will find a new home in your ribs.”
Callahan seems poised to draw his own blade for but a moment before he reconsiders. Not even a highly trained captain of the guard stands a chance against Samir the Shadow, especially without back up. Besides, there are more pressing matters. “Very well. I’m not here to bring him in. The prince has personally requested the half-elf’s assistance.”
Samir's arm tightens around my waist. His dark eyes never leave Captain Callahan's face, his entire body coiled like a spring. "His majesty wants his help? After that insult? The prince should have sent someone with better manners."
Callahan's jaw tightens, his hand twitching near the hilt of his sword before he forces it to relax. “The prince is being framed for the murder of his father.”
“The king??” My jaw drops in surprise. “Edrick would never have done such a thing!”
Callahan's eyes narrow, his distaste for me barely concealed. "The prince believes you have particular skills that might uncover the truth. Something about your ability to….”
He trails off, gesturing vaguely at me with a gloved hand, clearly uncomfortable with whatever Edrick has revealed. "To charm your way into stealing anything."
“Charm?!” Samir lets out a sharp, incredulous laugh, the sound echoing in the damp, stone-walled room. His finger begins to trace slow, deliberate circles around my pointed ear, a gesture that feels both protective and proprietary. “Oh, he’s charming alright.”
I stiffen at the sensation and try to swat his hand away, “Ah! Stop that…! I am charming…!”
Samir's low chuckle vibrates through me as his single finger continues making lazy circles around the delicate shell of my ear. "Oh, I'm well aware," he murmurs. "You're charming enough to steal a king's ransom and still make the prince beg for your help. It's infuriating."
Captain Callahan clears his throat sharply, his impatience evident. "Enough. We have good reason to believe the chancellor is involved."
I struggle against Samir, who continues to keep me pinned against him. Giggles start to form in my chest as his single finger teases my poor ear. “Hahaha… yeah, enough!! He’s trying to tell us who we need to investigate…!”
Samir doesn't stop his tormenting touch, instead bringing his other hand up to trap my chin gently, forcing me to look at Callahan. "He can talk while I do this," he rumbles, his dark eyes glinting with mischief. "The captain doesn’t like your pointed ears? Maybe he’ll appreciate them more when he sees how pink they can turn."
Captain Callahan's expression tightens further, his gloved hand clenching at his side. "The chancellor has been seen meeting with known conspirators in the dead of night," he continues, his tone clipped and official, though his eyes flicker with unease every time Samir's fingers trace my ear. "He's also been moving large sums of gold—untraceable, unaccounted for."
“Hahahahaha…. Samir!!!” I twist my neck as his dips inside my ear, wiggling just enough that the actual sound of his scritching tickles me. My enchanting laughter starts to echo softly throughout the old watchtower.
Samir's smirk only widens as my melodic noises fill the damp, stone-walled chamber. His voice is a low, rumbling whisper against my ear. "There it is. That sound… the one that charms both princes and assassins alike."
Captain Callahan shifts uncomfortably, his polished armor creaking as he takes a deliberate step back. "Control your… companion," he says stiffly, his gaze averted from the intimate display.
Samir's fingers pause their teasing, but he doesn't release me. His dark gaze fixes on Callahan, a challenge simmering in his eyes. "The prince wants our help? Then ask. Properly. None of this veiled insult and stiff-lipped command. Ask him with respect."
Callahan looks as if he's bitten into something sour. The silence stretches, thick with tension, broken only by the distant patter of rain against the tower's narrow windows. Finally, he lets out a sharp, irritated breath.
"Fine." The word is forced. He meets my eyes with obvious reluctance. "The prince needs your help, thief. Can he count on you?"
Before I can answer, Samir’s finger starts playing with my ear again, this time wiggling against the sensitive point at the top. Bright laughter escapes my lips, “Hahahahahahahahaha….. SAMIR!!”
"Is that how you ask for help from the one person in this city who might actually save your prince?" Samir's low chuckle rumbles against my back, his finger never stilling their devilish wiggling at the tip of my ear. “My half-elf thief deserves both your respect and admiration. Pay him a compliment… or your prince can twist in the wind for all I care.”
Callahan's jaw tightens, his eyes flashing with irritation, but the weight of his duty wins out. He looks increasingly uncomfortable as my lilting giggles ring out, almost like he’s fighting back his own smile. "Very well. Your… elven features are… striking," he bites out the words. "A mark of your unique heritage."
"Better." Samir hums approvingly, the sound vibrating through me. He finally stops his infernal tickling and grabs my arm, dragging me towards the exit. “Tell your prince we’ll be in touch.”
“You maniac…!!” I sputter as Samir nudges me towards the warped door, “Honestly… tormenting me like that in front of the bloody captain!! Are you insane??!”
“And that was just one finger.” Samir chuckles as he smirks down at me with an infuriating amount of amusement. “Consider it a preview for what’ll happen tonight.”