Chapter one – Skingrad
Pressed tightly to Dibbens' chest was a lightly woven bag; clinking with twenty ten ounce bottles of Skooma his head raised like a meerkat scanning the horizon. The gold road run from Skingrad to Anvil was always the least pleasant. These runs became harder as the seasons progressed. Dibbens stubby right hand reached into his wiry black hair and ran through it nervously; his mouth worked chewing on nothing. But he held his stance in the midnight air with ease of experience. He wore two sets of clothes at all times, one set of plain clothes to cover his rather dapper business attire underneath. Dibbens stretched out his now free right arm and placed it at his side, resting it on the hilt of a small enchanted blade. His protection: his only true friend. Dibbens slowly slid past Salmo's bakery, pressing tightly into the brickwork directly next to her door as the light of a guards torch shined through the darkness, less than three meters from him. Dibbens held his breath as the crumple of the guards boots slowly moved into the street. He was not facing Dibbens, in fact he had his back to him, and yet Dibbens' neck still crawled as the guard paused in the middle of the street to adjust himself, any fast movements on Dibbens part and the Skooma he carried would never make it to Anvil. Finally the guard sighed and yawned and, lazily walked around behind Undena Orethi's place. I hope he steps on her daffodils Dibbens thought to himself as he pressed on silently down the street I hate that bitch of a dark elf. Even though it was midnight Dibbens could see that the two sisters lodge was alive and boisterous, he could hear loud yells and smashes of ale bottles as he snuck past, thankfully there where no doors on his side of the street, just bland gray stone work. Dibbens turned suddenly startled as loud singing echoed along the street behind him, Dibbens quickly snuck away behind a small alley way created by Salmo's Bakery and the Two Sister Lodge. He crept a few meters along the alley way before stopping lowering into a crouch and waiting for the men to pass. The two stopped under a lamp directly in front of Dibbens' gaze, and one of them, the larger one, bid farewell to his companion who waved drunkenly and stumbled off into the night. The big burly man stood under the light swaying in a drunken manner, and then abruptly stopped and stood straight. His position seemed familiar to Dibbens who was watching eagerly from the shadows of the alleyway. The large man slowly grinned to himself and eagerly pulled his dirty overcoat off to reveal a simple woolen shirt with the Skingrad coat of arms emblazoned on the front and back. Clever bastard! The large man was, evidentially, an undercover guard, who was incognito to find out more about Skingrads darker sides. With his heart beating faster in his chest Dibbens' forehead began to sweat as the large man slowly walked for the shadows to the alleyway, taking a shortcut to the castle. Dibbens would have smacked his forehead if he could have for putting himself in such a stupid position. He did not want to cause a stir by killing a guard; unwanted attention was bad for business. But he could not think of anything else that he could possibly do. If he backed out the large guard would have the advantage over Dibbens because of his light frame, but if Dibbens struck now he would have the advantage of surprise. So with little more than a flash of steel Dibbens lunged with his blade forwards in his one free hand directly into the burly guards' throat. The blade sank diagonally through the mans beefy neck and out the other side, the blade erupting with enchanted flames as it did so, cauterizing the wound almost instantly. The Guard stood in shock at the mouth of the alleyway, a slight trickle of blood flowing up from his mouth, slowly but with firmness Dibbens yanked the blade free from the mans beefy neck and with one deft movement Dibbens wiped the blade clean and sheathed it. An all to worthy death Dibbens thought as he stealthily moved from the body and back out onto the street. Apart from the lamps mounted on light poles there was no other lights along the street so Dibbens moved with much more haste as he drew nearer to the western gates of Skingrad. Dibbens reached the large archway in the wall just past the Two Sisters Lodge, and looked at the bridge stretching out in front of him reaching to the other half of Skingrad. I hate the way this city is divided thought Dibbens tersely as he looked across the bridge from the right side of the archway. Dibbens moved slower now onto the start of the bridge looking down from its right side at the western gates. Dibbens looked to the familiar rock by the right side of the bridge, putting his hands behind him Dibbens jumped to it landing, without a tremor, on the left face of the large rock. Now slowly but surely Dibbens crept along this face of the rock until he reached the road underneath the bridge and began to walk along the left side of it. The western gates stood only thirty meters from him, and now for the easy part Dibbens thought sliding his blade out to his free hand and held it tightly in his fist preparing silently. Then, he slapped it on its face against a low lying rock next to his left foot. Exactly three counts later and the call was returned. At this Dibbens continued walking along the same path sheathing his dagger. He strode confidently to the large gates and grinned slightly as the old gatekeeper Earl stepped up to greet him. 'Evening Earl' Dibbens said in a relaxed tone watching Earl with a grin 'isn't it a bit late for a sprightly young Redguard such as yourself to be wondering' Earl said slowly as he forced a smaller door within the western gates themselves. 'I'm not as sprightly as I used to be Earl' Earl turned to Dibbens while he spoke, pausing and slowly assessing Dibbens whilst he thought of an answer 'no' he said slowly, hesitating 'your even more energetic than usual' Dibbens grinned amused, Earl continued to speak 'watch yourself on these roads Boy, I have seen many a good man go down who where far more sprightly than yourself!' Dibbens nodded once more to ear and walked slowly through the small door passing a bag to Earl with his free hand; Earl nodded and then shut the door behind him.