We'll start with the usual here are the stats.
Myles Tortall, spare
Personality: 5/5/9/8/1
Aspiration: Knowledge
LTW: Max all skills
Maude Tortall, spare
Personality: 9/8/3/7/4
Aspiration: Family
LTW: Cult leader
Mithros Tortall, spare
Personality: 9/9/2/10/1
Aspiration: Popularity
LTW: Media Magnate
Mequen Tortall, spare
Personality: 5/8/4/5/4
Aspiration: Fortune
LTW: Mayor
Maura Tortall, spare
Personality: 10/2/3/10/10
Aspiration: Pleasure
LTW: Ecological guru
Marek Tortall, heir
Personality: 5/2/9/8/4
Aspiration: Romance
LTW: Visionary
Kelli, simself, spouse for generation M
Personality: 5/3/7/3/7
Aspiration: Knowledge
LTW: Education Minister
Hoshi Tortall was putting into place the last final pieces of a plan she had been working on for generations. Her niece, Irnai Tortall, had predicted trouble starting in this generation. And the rumors were beginning to come in about how someone wanted to take down the King of Thieves. Which was Hoshi's current position.
Hoshi had been looking for someone to appoint as her right hand man. Someone who could blend in. Her green skin and her best friend's vampire nature made those two too hard to hide in plain sight. She had been looking to appoint Marek Tortall, the generation M heir, as that person. He was reputable enough. And he had been making quiet inquiries ever since going off to college.
So she arranged a meeting. Get the higher ups aware of the rumors and ask Marek if he would be willing to help out. She asked if he could bring Maura along as well. She didn't want Marek coming alone.
The meeting was taking place at The Dancing Dove. It was a club that served as a front for the Thieves Guild.
It was a popular club for all. Even Maude showed up on her own free will, not aware that her younger siblings were going to be slipping in the back. The poker table was manned by Brooke Tortall, the wife of the former King of Thieves, Ercole Tortall. Brooke Tortall herself being a generation G spare.
The bar was staffed by Hoshi's husband Larsy, a Simself. He was in the law enforcement field. They let the Thieves Guild be as long as if they are caught by the police, they come quietly without causing a fuss. Before Hoshi had taken over, the thieves would resist and a number of officers were hurt or killed.
And Hoshi letting Larsy know when any thieves were planning anything beyond just theft, kept her lackeys from branching into drugs, kidnapping, and murder.
"This meeting is officially started," Hoshi said, "Our special guests if any of you are not aware of them are Marek and Maura Tortall. Marek is the generation M heir and Maura is a spare. I have asked both of them here to relay concerns I received from Irnai Tortall, generation I spare, regarding their generation. As well as to ask Marek a question."
"So why isn't Irnai here then?" Meghan asked.
"Your daughter asked to be left out of the meetings since she is not a member of the Thieves Guild. She relayed her vision to me as well as future visions she's had," Hoshi started, "I should say that some parts of the future are immutable it seems. Others change freely. We've seen some evidence that the path we're on will correct things, but we haven't gotten any definite answers. I don't want to create any self-fulfilling prophecies so I'm not going to relay the details of the prophecy. I will say that it does involve our guild fighting another gang."
"And the rumors of the Sim City Thieves Gang sending members here to scout us out is what's troubling you," Hakuin said.
"Right. Marek and Maura, we're just letting you guys know so that you guys can keep a better eye on your environment to avoid disaster. Marek, my specific question to you is, would you like to be my right hand man? The one who can blend into society, at least."
"Wouldn't that put me in greater danger of having Irnai's vision come true?" Marek said.
"No, oddly enough. We ran through enough forced visions on Irnai's end to know that if you aren't part of the Thieves Guild that worse things will happen. Or at least we're pretty sure it's because you've got the protection of thieves who aren't related to you."
The group talked for a few hours more. Marek agreed to do it on the condition that Maura be allowed to join the Thieves Guild as well. Marek argued that a female may be able to get more information than Marek would. That and his duties as heir are more important to him. Hoshi conceded to those facts and welcomed both Marek and Maura into the guild.
Back in the dorms, Marek was dealing with pesky rival university mascots who were trying to advance on his turf.
His turf being Kelli. He had started a romance with her at the beginning of the semester and it was still going strong. He wasn't about to let a cow mascot tempt Kelli.
Back in Coldcreek Mountain, the home town of the Tortalls, Kinki Tortall was well established as someone who just wants a good time. Doesn't mind going all the way without any strings attached.
She entertained a variety of different Sims from a variety of different backgrounds. Kinki didn't really care. Some were thieves and some were very well respected married politicians. Kinki kept her mouth shut.
Meanwhile, back at the college campus, it was a family get together.
Mithros proved to be quite the prankster. While his mother understood, his grandmother wans't too happy with the prank pulled on her.
Mithros discussed it with his Aunt Lalasa and she assured him that no lasting harm was done. Grandma Cece was a family Sim after all.
Marek continued on with his studies. But the bad feeling that had been creeping up on him wasn't getting any better. And Hoshi's warning had only made it worse.
It wasn't long after the family get together that Maura found a boyfriend in Jace Corsillo. The pair clicked instantly and were never apart for very long.
A few months passed and Kinki discovered she was pregnant. While she wasn't exactly planning on kids now, it wasn't entirely unwelcome.
She did, however, do the math and contact the most likely candidate. "Hey, I'm just calling to let you know I'm pregnant. I'm extending an invitation to be in the child's life. I will not ask for any monetary support or anything like that. I just felt you should know that I'm pregnant with your child."
"I don't have time to be a father. I'm tasked with taking care of an heiress."
"Heir of what family?"
"Tortall family. They're really rich and they have tons of kids. They won't miss one heiress. Especially not when it's the youngest, they tend to get forgotten about. Gotta go, bye. Don't call again."
"Don't have to tell me twice to never call you again," Kinki said to no one. Then panic set in. She had to let the Tortall main house know. But Kinki had lost the number to the main house. She hadn't bothered keeping up with it. Kyprioth typically called her fairly regularly. But she didn't have time to wait for Kyprioth's regular call.
So Kinki called Jane.
Jane confided in her father who was helping out with her kids. She had had triplets and needed another set of hands.
Inkblot had heard from Iakoju that Tristan still lived with them and that Tristan had Lianne's number. So he called up the house and got Irnai. Irnai swore knowing more than she had let on to her siblings and said she would get the message to Tristan.
Irnai told Tristan and also made a call to Hoshi to let her know trouble was stirring.
Tristan then called Lianne.
Lianne wasted no time calling her kids home and said to bring any serious boyfriends and girlfriends home with them. Since the threat would put them at risk as well. But she wouldn't say what the risk was for over the phone.
"Hey, Mom." Maude said, "Did Mother say what this risk is?"
"No. It was Tristan so I assumed it was just going to be an hour long catch up call like the pair does, so I didn't stay in the room. But she immediately called you guys home and then told the rest of us."
"Jace and Kelli, I'm sorry we're meeting like this," Lianne started, "I got a call from Tristan Tortall earlier today. He said that Kinki Tortall, you're grandfather's half sister, has learned of a plot to take care of an heiress. And that they thought it was the youngest. That means they're after Maura."
"But Maura's not the heir," Myles said.
"Their intel is wrong," Jace said. He stepped forward and put his hands on Maura's shoulders, "It's a good sign really. It means they aren't as well connected as they think they are. Which gives us more leeway for keeping Maura safe."
Kyprioth put his hand on his own daughter's shoulder and said, "Jace is right. We don't need to go into super protective mode and let the thieves know we know their plan. But keep a watchful eye out for anything that looks out of place or unusual."
They talked for a while before breaking up into smaller groups to discuss more light-hearted topics. Marek wasn't having it though. He was worried about Maura and his ability as heir to keep the family safe.
"Gramps, how do I deal with this?"
"One day at a time. If you let the threat consume you, they've already won. You'll know what to do if the threat presents itself while you're around."
"Relax, Maura's safe here. The security here is phenomenal. Plus, they'd have to get through us to get to Maura."
"Thanks, sis."
"Anytime."
Jace also stuck by Maura. While they hadn't been dating long, Jace didn't leave Maura out of worry for his own safety. Not even after Maura told him she wouldn't blame him if he broke up with her.
Mithros soon found love in fellow college student Roxie Sharpe.
Marek eventually just decided to propose to Kelli. He took her on a date and proposed at the beginning of it.
Kelli agreed.
Mithros and Roxie enjoyed playing chess together. The pair used it as a stress relief. Mithros from the threat on his sister and Roxie from college classes. Mithros hadn't told Roxie of the threat yet. He didn't want to drive her away. He was going to soon, though. She deserves to know before she gets too attached.
But life went on at the dorm. Books had to be read and term papers completed.
"I'm going to the party, Jace. You can come with me or not," Maura said.
"And what if the people out to get you are there? The party is off campus and therefore less secure," Jace said.
"If I stop living my life, they've won as well!"
"That doesn't mean you shouldn't take any precautions!"
"I'll be careful! Myles will be there. He'll keep an eye out with me."
The couple didn't talk for a while. Maura was giving Jace the cold shoulder. Mithros felt for Jace, but Maura was not having it. She didn't want to be over protected. She also didn't want to live in fear.
Mithros worked on Maura for a while. She did eventually cave and start talking with Jace again. And once that started, things heated back up between the pair and the fight was quickly forgotten.
"Have you thought about where you and Maura will live once you two graduate?" Myles asked.
"No. I don't know where to go given the threat. Apartments are too lax in security. And I don't have the money to buy a house."
"I've got an idea. I've already floated it by my parents and grandparents. Why don't you two live at the legacy lot? There's plenty of space there."
"I'll talk it over with Maura. She doesn't like changing her life to fit the threat. So I don't know if she would agree to that and I don't want to force her to."
But there was one thing that Jace was more than willing to do. Ask Maura to marry him. Maura quickly agreed. She was glad that she was going to have someone to be with through this threat and not have to worry about the threat chasing away potential loved ones.
The pair then discussed where they wanted to live after they graduated. After long debate, the pair agreed to just live at the legacy lot. It would be a lot safer and it would be a cheap way to save up to buy a house of their own.
And soon the Tortalls and their loves graduated from college. The Tortalls with 4.0's.
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