Disclaimer: I don't own the Elder Scrolls
Outside Markarth, Raven the Khajiit was fighting against a small sect of stormcloaks who were trying to take the city. He stood back to back with Lydia, his good friend and housecarl. A sword glanced off Ravens dragon priest mask, the smell of decay that had once permeated it long since blotted out by the smell of sweat and blood. Raven slashed the soldier with the Dawnbreaker, while his other hand sent a bolt of lightning into an unfortunate soldier. Overhead, Odahviing roared, sending a wave of fire over a clump of soldiers. Raven felt Lydia stumble into him and a soldier's warhammer plowed into her shield. As the soldiers dwindled, an order to retreat sounded, sending the stormcloaks running into the forest. Raven sent one last bolt after them, then sat down heavily, his fur damp with sweat. The ground shook as Odahviing landed near-by.
"Was that the last of them?" Raven asked
"Yeah, for now at least." said Lydia, sheathing her sword.
"Finally," Raven said, lying back, "thank you for the help Odahviing, we probably would be dead without you."
"I doubt that, you are a true dovah" Odahviing said shuffling so that the ground got into a more comfortable shape
"True, it also helps that if i die, Alea would track down my soul and kill me again." Raven said, the silly grin on his face hidden by his mask.
Lydia let out a small groan as she rolled her shoulders, which were sore after the long fight and weren't helped by the heavy armor she was wearing, " Do you mind if we take a rest at your house here?" she asked, " If we get attacked by the Thalmor right now, we would be dead before you could shout."
" Debatable on that last bit, but I see your point" Raven said standing up. He turned to Odahviing, " Thanks again old friend, first chance I prepare few deer just for you"
"I'll hold you to that," said Odahviing. He stood, then launched into the air and was soon a red speck winging towards the Throat of the World. After a few more seconds of watching the dragon fly away, the duo began the walk to Markarth.
"When we've recovered, we should scout around, see if we can find their base and reason with them." Raven said as they approached Markarths gates. A cheer went up from the guard assembled there as they saw the dragonborn return victorious. At the front of it was Raven Markarth housecarl Argis.
"Greetings my thane," he said, clapping Raven on the shoulder, " we must drink to your victory once we get you back to Vlindrel hall."
" If I didn't know better, I would think you are looking for an excuse to drink" Raven said, a broad grin on his now visible face, his mask now hanging on his belt.
Argis pretended to look offended, " Perish the thought." He said, visiblely fighting a smile.
With a mighty shove, the guards opened the gate to admit the trio. Just inside the city, the market was in force, with multiple vendors calling their wares to passing citizens. The noise dropped for a moment as Raven stepped through the gates, them came back. As Raven made his way through the throng, his sensitive ears picked up some not so friendly chatter.
"Damn cat, walking around like he owns the place" someone muttered.
" Beasts like that ought to be put down" said another.
" He's a werewolf!"
" He worships the Daedric Princes, look at that sword"
" He murdered the caretaker of an orphanage in cold blood"
" I bet he set up all those attacks just to boost his popularity"
By now, Lydia and Argis had picked up on the hostility and were looking around for the sources, angry looks on their faces, hands resting on their respective swords. All around us, the angry murmurs spread, more and more faces turned towards Raven expressions ranging from fury, to disgust, to confusion.
"Get out of here you damn cat!" bellowed an angry voice.
With a hiss of metal on metal, Raven's housecarls drew their swords and and stood on either side of him, brandishing their ebony blades at the crowd.
"What do you think you're doing, he just stopped a small army of stormcloaks from sacking this city, why do you attack him?" Lydia yelled. She was about one more rock away from strapping on a shield and attacking the whole crowd by herself if necessary. Argis was feeling the same. To the two of them, Raven was more than just their thane, he was their friend. The two of them had stood by raven in fierce fights against the Thalmor and his other enemies, and he had saved their lives just as many times as they had saved his.
" Stand down, this brave khajiit has risked his life for all of yours, without his bravery, all of you would be piles of ash beneath the claws of dragons" Argis bellowed angrily at the crowd.
A some people in the crowd looked ashamed of their behavior while some still looked furiously at the khajiit, who still had yet to say a word.
Raven regarded the crowd and started to turn away when stone sailed through the air and struck Raven's brow. Raven put his hand to the place where it had hit and the ebony gauntlet came away with a smear of fresh blood.
With a wordless cry of fury, Lydia and Argis quickly located the man who had thrown the rock and started forward, intent on removing the man's head from his shoulders. Before they made it far, Raven caught them by their shoulders and pulled them back.
"Don't," Raven muttered, "it's not worth it."
He started walking away, leaving his housecarls little choice but to follow him.
"You think you're better than us cat?" called the man who had thrown the stone, shaking his fist at the khajiit retreating form, "you're nothing but a coward!"
His yell attracted the attention of the city guard, who set about breaking up the mob. Raven had to physically drag his friends back to Vlindrel Hall before they attacked the man and tore him to pieces either their bare hands.
In Vlindrel Hall, Lydia paced angrily around the table while Argis drank a mug of ale, a similar look fury on his face.
" Why did you stop us?" Lydia finally asked the khajiit, who was currently running a whetstone along the edge of the Dawnbreaker.
" It wouldn't have done any good" he said, not pausing as he carefully sharpened the blade.
" You risked your life to save their worthless lives, it would have taught them to fear and respect you" Argis said, pounding his fist on the table.
"I'm the dragonborn, multiple eyes are on me and my actions affect people throughout skyrim,"Raven said, " think about it, if I had attacked or allowed you to attack, it would have added fuel to the prejudice that khajiit are savage beasts, which would hurt the sales of the caravans who have worked so hard to beat that prejudice so they could make a living. And as archmage, if I had used magic to restrain or pacify them,it would have undone all the hard work I've done to rebuild the collages reputation. And also as the harbinger of the Companions, if I were to use violence, it would hurt the reputation of the Companions, and then Farkas and Vilkas would maul me."
"True, they wouldn't like that" the small smile melted off Lydia's face, " but their words, how are you not angry about them."
" I've heard far worse since I was a kit," Raven said, setting down his whetstone, " every time I entered a city as a kit, I would be tormented by people. Adults would call me a freak and the other children would pull my whiskers and tail. There will always be people who will hate me for just being born a Khajiit. I could save these people's firstborn child, and they would still jeer at me as I walk down the street. So i've learned to swallow my pride and walk through the jeers. I hold my head and my tail high and I surround myself with good people. You two, the mages at the college, the companions, and all my housecarls accept me as a khajiit and don't judge me for it, and that makes it easier to bear their insults."
Lydia looked at her thane with newfound respect. He had bore the weight of prejudice his whole life and managed to keep from lashing out at his aggressors for the good of all those around him.
" Forgive me my thane, I spoke without thinking" She said with a bow towards Raven.
" No need to apologize, you spoke your mind, something I appreciate." Raven said, a smile on his face.
"Real talk though," Said Argis, taking a swig from his tankard, " If he were to suffer an unfortunate accident while you were say, meeting with the jarl, would you be mad."
"Agris, Don't even think about it." Raven said sternly.
" All right, it was just a thought." He muttered, taking another drink. He was still planning to punch the man next time he saw him in the tavern, to matter what Raven said.
Raven stood and stretched with a yawn, " We should get some sleep Lydia, I want to head out early tomorrow."
" As you will my thane" she said, and the two went to sleep.
Thank you for reading what I hope will be the first, and not last, Skyrim fanfic featuring Raven the khajiit. I have a few crossovers in the works with either Soul Eater, One Piece, or Fairy Tail, so let me know what you want to see in the comments and also let me know what you thought about this story. See you next time!