A/N: Sorry about the lame title, I just wanted to get the story out quick. I'll change it later.

Note that Ven isn't the only one with a secret. Personally, I think its rather obvious, but since I wrote the story, I can't really say.

Please, please review. Its really helpful, and those of you who have written a story and gotten a good review, you know how it feels not to get one.

Enjoy!

"Get in there." The guard roughly threw me into the prison cell. I hit the ground and immediately rolled to my feet and ran back to the door. The guard slammed the door and hurriedly locked it as I crashed into it.

"Let me out!" I yelled. "I didn't do nothing, I swear. Let me out! I'm innocent!" I rattled the bars angrily.

"Yeah, right!" The guard sneered. "So you have an identical twin who broke into the Fighting Chance and stole an enchanted dagger, then somehow, without ever leaving my arms, managed to switch with you and hand off the dagger to you at the same time? I don't think so!" He walked off and snorted. "Rot in this rat hole for all I care, you beggar scum."

I shook the bars angrily and yelled to the guard, "You'll regret this! I swear you will!"

A cold laugh was the response.

I turned to look at my cell. That's when I noticed I had a cellmate.

Huddled in the corner was a girl, roughly my age. She was unlike any other race I'd seen. Her skin was slightly darker than the run-of-the-mill Imperial, and her eyes looked squinty, though they actually weren't. Overall, her face was delicate and pretty. Her hair was raven black and long, though how long, I couldn't tell. She was also smaller, from what I could see. She wore the same kind of rags I wore. Scratchy sack cloth crudely fashioned into a shirt and pants. Apparently, shoes and underwear weren't required in prison.

A mocking voice floated from the opposite cell. "Ooh, look, a poor beggar, thrown into jail for stealing. Yes, lots of people like you come down here."

I whirled to see a Dark Elf pressed up against the bars of his cell.

"Oh, look, you're a Breton. Can't use any of your parlor tricks to get out of here. That's right. Parlor tricks, that's all you can do. You'll rot away, your magicka doing nothing in here. That's right. You're going to die down here. Die, die, DIE!" He cackled madly and retreated back to his cell.

I seethed and was about to start shouting curses back at him when a trembling voice behind me said, "D-don't bother. You'll be able to get back at him soon. But for now, let it go."

I turned to see the girl sitting up against the wall. Her eyes were more alert, but her face was paler than it was before. The girl began to stand, but cried out and slumped again. Now I noticed a small dark splotch on her thigh.

I started walking towards her when she flinched and backed into the corner she was in.

"Relax," I said. "I just want to see that wound you've got there."

She relaxed a little and allowed me to come closer. I crouched next to her and said, "Can you turn a little? I need to see the wound more clearly."

She obeyed, and I grasped the waist of her pants. She flinched once again, and I set a hand reassuringly on her shoulder. "Calm down, I won't peek. I just need to see the wound."

She relaxed again, and I slowly pulled down her pants, careful not to expose anything. The girl gasped and moaned in pain.

I soon revealed an oozing slash wound, not too deep, but looked as if it caused a lot of pain.

"Why didn't you bandage this?" I asked.

"I don't know how," she whispered, and looked away. I sighed, and began taking off my shirt.

"What are you doing?" the girl asked. I gave her a look.

"I need something to stop the bleeding with." I said. A mischievous grin crept over my face. "Do you want me to use your shirt instead?"

A blush crept onto her face and she shook her head. I finished pulling the shirt over my head and pulled it apart until it was a reasonable strip. Then I handed it to her.

This time, the girl understood my reasoning and looked to me for assistance. I began explaining the process, and soon, the girl's leg was wrapped and bound.

"Stay still for a bit," I said, "you don't want the bleeding to restart." She nodded and slumped against the wall, breathing a bit less heavily than before.

I scooted over so I wasn't so close to the girl. I sighed and was about to close my eyes when she said, "Claire."

I swiveled my head to look at her. "Hmmm?"

The girl said shyly, "That's my name. Claire Nakahira."

I raised an eyebrow. "That's an odd name. I've never heard of it."

Claire deflated a little. "I guess you haven't." She then perked up a little. "So, the Dunmer said you're a Breton."

I raised the other eyebrow. "You can't tell just by looking at me?"

"No, not really. Say, um, what's your name?" Claire asked, looking down.

I sighed. "Traven."

Claire looked up, surprise written across her face. "Like the Archmage?"

I groaned and rubbed the back of my neck. "Yes, like the Archmage!" I snapped. Claire recoiled, then stammered out, "I-I-I'm sorry!"

I let out another sigh. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. It's just that everyone compares me to the Archmage once they hear my name. That's why I usually go by Ven. I'm not too sure why I gave you my real name instead of Ven."

Suddenly the door to the prison area squealed open, and voices could be heard.

"Baurus, close that door behind you. Your majesty, we have to get you to safety."

"My sons are dead, aren't they."

"No, sire, the messengers merely said they were attacked."

"No, they are dead. I can feel it."

"Captain Renault, are you sure the escape route is this way?"

"Yes, Glenroy, now hurry up and get your ass moving."

Four figures came into view. Three of them wore heavy suits of armor that clanked with each step. The fourth was considerably older than the rest, was clad in exquisite robes, and had a large amulet with a red jewel set into the middle of it. Oh, and he was the Emperor.

I stared at the Emperor, wondering why he was here in the rank Imperial prisons. I shot a look over at Claire, but she had a faint smile on her face.

The woman stepped up to our cell and paused, seeing us. "What's this? This cell is supposed to be off limits. And there's not one, but two prisoners." I recognized her voice as Captain Renault's.

"Must be the usual mix-up from the watch," one of the armored men said. Glenroy.

"You there, prisoner," Captain Renault barked, "stand back, and we will not hurt you."

I spread my arms and said, "This is as far back as we can go."

The woman snorted and unlocked the cell door. "Stay where you are," she warned, "and we will not hurt you."

I looked over at Claire again, this time, a look of faint awe was on her face. Must be because of the Emperor, I reasoned.

As the group of people walked past, the Emperor looked over us. He froze as his gaze landed on Claire. "You... I've seen you." He moved closer to Claire and bent over a little to get a closer look at her face.

"Yes," he muttered, "You are the one from my dreams." He let out a long sigh. "Then the stars were right, and this...is the day."

I interjected, "Uh, your dreams? That's kind of creepy."

The Emperor totally ignored me and continued, "Gods give me strength." He straightened and let out another sigh.

"What's going on?" Claire said hesitantly. She was wringing her hands nervously.

"Assassins attacked my sons, and I'm next." He paused to take a breath, then continued, "My Blades are leading me out of the city along a secret escape route. Coincidentally, this escape route leads through your cell."

Claire shook a little, then managed to say, "Why am I in jail?"

I gave her a look, but before I could speak, the Emperor said, "Perhaps the Gods placed you here so that we may meet. As for what you have done...It does not matter. That is not what you will be remembered for."

Claire then mumbled, "What should I do?"

The Emperor said, "You will find your own path. Take care... there will be blood and death before the end."

He turned as Captain Renault said, "Please, sire, we must keep moving." She pressed a stone in the wall to our right. After a few seconds of rumbling, the wall swung open like a door, revealing a dark passage.

"Better not close this one, there's no way to open it from the other side." Everyone filed through single file. The last one to enter, Baurus, I presumed, said, "This is your lucky day, prisoners. Stay out of our way." He then turned and followed the Emperor into the tunnel.

I stood and offered Claire my hand. "Do you think you can stand?"

Claire grasped my hand and stood up on her good leg. She gingerly stepped on her bad leg, but it instantly crumpled and she fell with a gasp. I barely managed to catch her.

"Better do it this way," I said, and picked her up bridal style.

"Wha...," Claire said in surprise. I started off into the secret passage. I was about to keep going when Claire tapped my shoulder.

I stopped. "Yes?" I asked.

Claire smiled for the first time. "Don't you want to get back at the elf?"

A grin crept onto my face. I leaned out of the secret passage, with Claire still in my arms, and yelled, "Hey, Dunmer!"

The Dunmer moved up to his cell door. "What?" he asked snidely. Then he saw me leaning out of the secret passage.

As he gaped, I laughed and yelled, "Karma's a whore, ain't she!" I flipped him off and ran into the passage, laughing my ass off. Even Claire giggled.

Soon, we caught up to the Emperor and his group of Blades. Suddenly, figures in red cloaks jumped from the shadows, each wearing armor and carrying daggers or maces.

"Assassins!" Baurus roared and ran to attack them.

Glenroy and Renault ran in, yelling, "For the Emperor!"

Each took on one assassin. But the fourth one darted past Renault and dashed towards the Emperor.

"Damn you!" Renault yelled as she turned to run after the fourth assassin. The assassin she'd been fighting took the opportunity and stabbed his dagger into her back.

Renault gasped in surprise. She dropped to her knees, and her sword clattered to the floor. Her eyes found mine and she managed to gasp, "Protect the Emperor...please." Then she crumpled to the floor and lay still.

I ran up to the Emperor and handed Claire to him. He looked surprised for a moment, then nodded. I yanked his sword out of its sheath and ran at the fourth assassin.

Claire shouted, "Wait! Ven!" I ignored her and concentrated on the assassin.

As he ran towards me, I dropped and kicked his legs out from under him. He sprawled to the floor and I stabbed him, the Emperor's silver sword hitting the stone floor underneath him.

I yanked the sword out and ran towards the third assassin, who was about to backstab Glenroy. As he moved to strike, I kicked the back of his knees and decapitated him as he went to his knees. His dagger clattered to the floor and I scooped it up. I whirled and yelled, "Baurus, duck!"

He ducked and I whipped the dagger towards his opponent. It flew into his throat, where he started grabbing at it and choking. Baurus' sword soon finished him off.

I turned to Glenroy and set my arm outstretched on his shoulder. "Don't move," I told him and he stopped. I muttered the incantation for my Flare spell and it hit the assassin full on in the face. He screamed as his face burned, then was suddenly cut off by Glenroy's sword in his chest.

As my battle rush faded, I dropped to my knees, breathing heavily. Soon, I recovered enough to stand. I walked over to the Emperor and silently handed him his sword. He moved Claire into my arms and sheathed it silently.

Claire's mouth was agape, and she stared at all of the blood splashed around. Then she turned to look at me. "Ven, what was...,"

I pressed my finger to her lips and shook my head. I didn't want to talk about it.

But Claire pushed my hand away and demanded, "Ven, how did you do that?"

I shook my head again.

"Ven, tell me."

Claire was acting unusually. "You don't live on the streets without learning something," I said.

"Ven," she started.

I said in a cold, measured voice, "Claire. Drop it."

She looked shocked for a moment, then reverted back to her normal self. "Sorry Ven, I don't know what came over me."

I sighed. "Don't worry about it."

I turned towards the Blades to see them kneeling next to Captain Renault. Glenroy sighed and stood.

"She's dead," he pronounced.

The group proceeded to the next door. Baurus said, "Stay here. You cannot follow." To Glenroy, he said, "I'll take point."

They walked through the door, and it clicked behind them.

Leaving Claire and I alone.