[ WP ] Under the guise of a common beggar , a king seeks a worthy heir to the throne among his people .

`` Alms?'' 
 
 His ears pricked up to the words. A new beggar on the street, eh? Good luck to him. This part of town was called the Coindrop for a reason, and if he had near as sharp a wit as Snatch did, he'd pick some easy pockets. 
 
 `` Alms?'' 
 
 Snatch heard a `` Fuck off,'' followed by a burst of ugly laughter. New guy already had mud thrown at him. He was dead meat. Snatch snuck a glance here and there at him: Your standard beggar, clothes ragged, beard scruffy. The newbie wiped off his face and looked as if he might cry. 
 
 Snatch slid a little closer, carelessly bumping into a passerby and jacking his purse along the way. Whatever the newbie had collected, it would be gone in a few minutes. Snatch would make sure of it. 
 
 `` Alms for the weary?'' 
 
 A citizen grunted and begrudgingly dropped a copper into the newbie's hand. He studied it for a moment, checking its validity, then nodded and gave the generous a quick thank-you. Something looked off about him, Snatch noted. 
 
 `` Alms?'' 
 
 This time, when he was completely and utterly ignored, the newbie glanced behind him for just a second. Weird. There was nothing but bushes behind him. 
 
 Snatch slowed his advance to an indiscernible creep, moving forward only every few minutes, picking a pocket every time. A good haul today; people's purses were overflowing. Snatch felt the weight of each bag and coin as he took them, judging their value by their weight, never daring to look down. That was what got you caught. 
 
 As he approached the beggar, he grew more and more curious. Besides the rags and the beard, the man seemed hardly a beggar. His build was more muscular than any man's could be from standing and sitting in the streets day by day. His hair, though frizzled and badly cut, gleamed with healthy oils. 
 
 `` Alms for the weak?'' 
 
 This time, the newbie took a longer look behind him, and Snatch saw the bushes rustle. Did he have a posse waiting behind him, ready to pounce on any richie that passed by? 
 
 Or... 
 
 The king had been denying the city his presence for the past few days. He was a good king, and Snatch despised that; however, all the good will in the world could never cure his infertility. Rumours flowed'round the streets of his wives and concubines, how they all took his seed, how nothing ever grew. Would it be so far-fetched if he were to pick a lowly commoner...? 
 
 Another rustle from the bushes. Snatch caught a glimpse of steel. That was all the assurance he needed. 
 
 `` Alms?'' The beggar called as Snatch waltzed confidently past him. Snatch stopped, pretending to think to himself for a moment. Then, he turned to the newbie. 
 
 `` Th' street's rough, eh,'' Snatch spoke, and the newblood nodded, `` Why, I ai n't gone and collected more'n two goldpiece in m'life. Been here for years an' years.'' 
 
 The beggar looked at him with sorrowful eyes. `` Is that so?'' 
 
 `` Yeh.'' Snatch paused for a moment, then lowered his head. He drew closer to the beggar and muttered just loud enough for him to hear. `` You don' deserve this life. None of us do. Least I c'n do is help a brother. Here.'' 
 
 He dug a single gold coin from his pocket, taking care to let none of the rest jingle. He slipped it to the beggar. The newbie took it gratefully, and when Snatch looked back up, he met the beggar's stare with false tears in his eyes. 
 
 `` None of us do,'' Snatch choked out. 
 
 The beggar stared at him in awe. After a moment, he regained his composure, then fixed Snatch with a look much too regal, much too authoritative for a lowly dirt-scraper. 
 
 `` Could you come with me? I've got to show you something,'' the beggar urged. 
 
 Snatch nodded. In his head, fanfare played endlessly, a bellowing of trumpets to welcome him to his new royal place. He imagined the endless delicacies and beauties only those held in royal esteem could experience. 
 
 Snatch kept his grin hidden as he followed the king. His guard was loud and cumbersome in the bush nearby, but he pretended not to notice. 
 
 Royalty was soft, and *so* easy to fool.
