Rubeas

Sometimes known as Stabby McStabbyface Stabber.

Quotes:

* "We're trying to save the world, but we don't want to be dicks about it."

My name was Harold. I was born in the Year of the Ram in the kingdom of Senia. My father served in the Senian Navy and went off to war before I was born. He never talks about his time in the service, but when he drinks he becomes morose and begins to prattle on about things that he's seen and done in the name of the Queen. My mother, a natural beauty, has a large scar on her stomach which she was always self-conscious about, especially in my presence.

While my parents never abused or mistreated me, I have always felt that they never truly loved me. My suspicions were further bolstered when mom gave birth to Travis. Travis was treated with kid gloves, a golden child if you will, loved and doted upon by both of my parents. When Travis was born, I was relegated to the status of a glorified farmhand. Oh, did I forget to mention I'm a bumpkin? Yup, Harold the country bumpkin. Oh how I hated that life...

I've always felt that I never truly belonged on that farm, that I was never really a part of that family. I've always dreamed of doing something more with my life. I've always wanted adventure, ever since I was a little child. No, not wanted, I craved adventure. And I got my first taste of adventure when I met Maya.

Maya was a city girl who was visiting family for the summer. She was a bit older than me, I was 15 that summer, she was 18. It was instant chemistry between us. I spent every free moment with Maya. She opened up to me, told me what big city life was all about. Enamored with her, and not wanting to end our little infatuation, I left the farm and headed to the city with Maya. I don't know if I broke family's heart, or even if they cared, though I got the feeling that seeing me go was a bit of a relief, at least with my parents. I think Travis began to resent me now that he had to do the bulk of the farm work. In any case, I couldn't wait to start our new adventure in the big city.

Upon arriving in the city, I learned that there was an ulterior motive to Maya's trip to the country. She needed to lay low. As it would turn out, Maya was a thief, and an exemplary thief at that. She had stolen some goods of great import from a duke and took the opportunity to head into the countryside to not only save her neck but to hide her ill-gotten goods. Oh how she continued to fascinate and thrill me. I knew that my life of adventure was beginning.

As it would happen, Maya was friends with some unsavory types. These "friends" taught me how to play "the game", and by "game" I mean making money the good, old-fashioned way: STEALING IT. I began to make a name for myself within the con racket. I would talk my way into the good graces of some well-meaning, awfully rich nobles, gain access to their home and their wealth, and then I'd leave Maya to do what she does best. As I perfected my scams, she taught me some of her trade. Before long she was assisting me directly in performing my routines, helping outfit me with the clothing and other accoutrements that would go a long way to sell the persona I was undertaking. I would in turn help her haul the valuables and make a clean getaway. We've had feelings for each other, and yes, we did fool around quite a bit, but it wasn't until we were working our cons that we fell in love. I think that is what helped us become as good as we were. Oh yes, we were good. Maybe too good.

As it were, we eventually made such a name for ourselves that the local constabulary were on a look out for us. It was coming to that time that we needed to leave the city and lay low for some time. But not before one last con. Maya was opposed to it. We had enough wealth to last us a year if not more. She implored me not to undertake this last job. I should've listened to her. I also shouldn't have convinced her that everything was going to go smoothly, as it always has. Luck my friends, luck had been on our side all this time. Now, well, no longer...

The con was on a duke, THE DUKE. Duke Bardoba. A member of the Senian Cabinet, Bardoba was the same duke Maya stole from when she had to flee to the countryside all those summers ago. Maya feared no one, except him. Bardoba was a particularly nasty, cunning man with a penchant for enjoying depravity. Those who sinned against the duke were usually punished in a very private manner by him.
I had spent weeks researching the duke; his household, retainers, everything you can possibly imagine learning about a person. I took great care in crafting a persona that was practically foolproof. I would be in the duke's inner circle soon enough and with that, we would have access to the motherload of all treasures, the City Vaults! However, the duke didn't earn his cunning reputation for nothing. He knew. HE KNEW!!! Even as I stood in the halls of the Cabinet, under the Bardoba banner, as a welcomed guest of his house, he knew I was nothing more than a charlatan. And he punished me for it. The duke's cruelty knows no bounds. On that fateful day, as I was awaiting word from Maya, one of the duke's messengers sent me a package. It was Maya's daggers, the ones she considered "lucky". That was when I realized to my horror that we have been had. This entire time, the duke had been playing us, all for his shot at revenge against Maya.

I ran. I ran as quickly as I could to our home, our hideout, our little thieves' den. I carried her daggers with me, tucked into the fashionable belt of my "foolproof" disguise. There she was. I will not describe to you the horror of what I saw. I will not give HIM the satisfaction. All I can say is that my love was gone. What was once Maya was completely destroyed. If this was the work of an assassin, then the duke made a deal with a devil of some sort. Distraught and now fearing for my own life, I took everything of ours that I could carry, including her daggers. I ran. I ran out of the city. I ran out to the country. I continued to run far beyond that. I left the kingdom of Senia behind. As we should have, as she had asked me to do months ago.

I left my old life behind, just as I had done before. I left the farm behind, I left the city behind, I left our old friends and acquaintances behind. I left everything that had been Harold behind...everything except Maya. Maya, and the duke! Harold had died. Rubeas was born. As Rubeas I have vowed to one day play the ultimate game against Bardoba and his entire house. The duke must die, oh yes, he must, but first his entire family must suffer, just as he had made me suffer. The duke will be played and the only winner to this game will be me!