"The Retching Netch."

The bulky looking guard folded his arms as best he could, considering his heavy bonemold armour. Although his face wasn't visible through his oddly shaped helmet, I could feel his suspicious stare slowly scanning my clothing and luggage; it seemed to pause on the sheathed sword resting on my hip. "It's the only place you'll be able to stay around here, outlander." His tone was anything but welcoming.

"Thankyou," I mumbled, keeping my head down and furtively slinking past him toward the door of the cornerclub. His glare followed me all the way to the wooden doors.

I don't know why I had kept my head lowered; despite the fact that my face was completely obscured by a black hood and mask, I did not care if I was drawing undue attention right now. I was exhausted, wracked with pain; My skin burned, and yet I was shivering uncontrollably. My only desire was to rest, alone, in a quiet room and obtain an alcoholic drink.
My limbs ached and groaned; the early stages of rockjoint were beginning to take hold, and I walked languidly, dragging my feet while being acutely aware of the rattling breaths I was drawing each time I inhaled. The numerous bruises and minor lacerations which covered my body stung and grated against the lining of my armour, exacerbated by the salty sweat clinging to my unwashed skin. As comfortable as this Nightingale armour was, there was no covering that could soothe the pain of my wounds at this moment.
I paused before pushing open the doors of the Retching Netch, catching my breath; my left hand instinctively went to nurse the pain in my ribs, the right one searching for the comfort of Dawnbreaker by my side before quickly squeezing my satchel to confirm that I did indeed still have the potions with me that I was relying upon to improve my miserable lot: A cure for disease, and a health potion. I momentarily marvelled at my stupidity for not having consumed them earlier as I pushed open the doors, the stark white of my fingers glaringly contrasting with everything else in my field of vision.

My ears were flooded with the gentle and pleasant noise of soft instrumental music as I walked inside; the heat of the place unpleasantly soaked into me as my eyes adjusted to the dim, orange light of a nearby fireplace. The air smelled of cooking and bore a faint odour of alcohol. Ambient chatter from numerous Dunmer patrons was a welcome sound; if they were busy talking among themselves, they were too busy to pay much attention to my sickly gait, blood-stained armour, and foreign-ness.
I quickly looked around me to try to discern where I needed to go to procure a room and drink as quickly as possible. Many dunmer in the place had their mouths and noses covered with cloth masks, a necessity, I assumed, given their home city was a vast blanket of ash, and that the very air they breathed was thick with airborne particles. Their red eyes seemed to glow in the light of the fireplace as they nursed mugs of drink, masks still on. Sometimes they would pull the mask down with two fingers, drink, and then carefully replace it before returning to their conversations. These glimpses of their elven, tired looking faces mas momentarily interesting to me. Wrinkles, grey skin, only occasional smiles; Hardened. Dark Elves.

I thought I could see a bar down a wide flight of stairs that began not far from the door I had entered, and led to a second, lower level where other dunmer were drinking more vigorously, and the conversation was a little louder. I shouldered my satchel and slowly walked down the stairs, eyes focused on the bar and a wooden chair positioned in front of it. A barman with an elven ponytail positioned high on his head, and a slightly squinted pair of blood-red eyes was leaning on the bartop, speaking to a slightly drunken dunmer about something I didn't care about. I headed straight for him, albeit slowly.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed a strange figure sitting in a chair by a small wooden table, shadowed by a pillar. His arms were folded, and his bizarre chitin helmet, which matched his armour, had two round and reflective eyepieces which caught some light as his head turned to watch me pass. He looked to me in his armour like an insect or some sort of crustacean.
I ignored him and sat heavily down on the bar stool, immediately dropping my bag next to me with a thud and slumping, elbows on the bar. Although my face was obscured, I raised it toward the barman, getting his attention.
He stopped his conversation with the drunken man and turned his head toward me. I saw a brief furrow in his brow as his eyes quickly looked me up and down, taking my measure. His gaze rested on my exposed fingers, which I promptly curled up and put into the crooks of my elbows, shivering. My jaw clenched as a strong ache rippled through my body. A wide and very fake smile split the barman's face and he brightly looked at me in what he assumed was where my eyes were. "welcome to the Retching Netch corner club, Milady! Home to the finest sujamma to ever grace your lips." He began wiping the bar top with a cloth as he spoke. Can I interest you, stranger?"
"Yes," I croaked, my own voice sounding weird and pathetic to me before I tried to clear my throat as quietly as I could, loudly growling into the palm of my hand before speaking again. "But first I want to rent a room." I bent sideways at the waist and reached into my satchel, fumbling blindly for my coin purse before finding it and grasping a large handful of septims.
I ungracefully put it on the bar in front of me, not knowing how much was there, but knowing it would be enough to secure my stay in a place of this calibre. I slumped on the bar again and coughed.
The man looked at the coin and raised his already high elven eyebrows. "Certainly. For how long, sera?"
"Just tonight for now."
He nodded slightly and smiled, scooping the coin from the bar top and putting it away somewhere under the bar and out of sight. "Your room is just down there," he pointed down a short hallway. "On the left." I nodded weakly.
"Now," he said, Proudly presenting an earthenware jar and confidently placing it on the bar in front of me, "Let this soothe those aching bones and troubled soul." He grinned widely. "Finest in all Morrowind."
I grasped the neck of the jar and unstopped the cork. My hand trembled as I raised it up and pulled down the mask from my face, just to expose my mouth. I turned my face from him to obscure his view, as I let the drink wash over my cracked lips and gingerly began to gulp down the room temperature liquid. It was sweet, and strong. Very strong.
The barman continued absently wiping the bar as he continued to talk, despite the fact that I was clearly not invested in the conversation. "I've been working on that recipe for years. I'd say I've got it just about perfect, don't you think?'
I didn't answer. He may have been well intentioned, but his conversation was only an irritation to me.
"So, what brings you to Solstheim?" he asked.
"Business," I said flatly. A silence passed between us. I could feel the crustacean man in the corner watching us. I focused on mustering my strength to walk myself to my room.
"Ah. I don't hear that one too often. Not much going on around here in terms of business lately.' His voice lost a little enthusiasm.
I stood up and reached down for my bag, and grabbed the bottle of sujamma by its neck. I raised it slightly to him.
"I'll take some for the room." Dawnbreaker, my favoured sword, bumped against the chair in its scabbard, loosening it a little so that a bright glow could be seen beneath the black cape that was attached to my armour. I didn't care.
"Right away." He stopped wiping and reached under the bar to grab two more jugs. "My name is Geldis Sadri, Sera. If you need anything else, you can find me right here." He put the jugs on the bar. "Is there anything else?'
I was tired; sick. I wavered on my feet. Some of it was the illness, some of it was the heat; some of it was the sujamma. I paused for a moment and thought.
"Hired help," I blurted out as I stood there, aching and swaying slightly. Geldis squinted at me slightly. "What kind, milady?"
"Don't call me that." I was not trying to be rude, but I had no energy for enduring such a stupid term of address. "A hired sword. Mercenary."
Geldis frowned slightly at my curt manner, then returned to his usual polite smile. "I can certainly point you in the right direction," he said cheerfully.
'Good,' I said, cutting him off and turning to walk toward my room. I saw him shut his open mouth as he decided to stop talking. "I'll discuss the details with you tomorrow. In... In the morning." A rush of ache, hunger and mild nausea swept through me as I gave him a dismissive wave and began slowly walking toward my room, dragging my feet. I brushed past the armoured crab man as I did so, and he turned his head to watch me pass. He remained silent as I staggered by.

I stumbled trough the door to the modest room and clumsily shut the door behind me, tossing the bag onto the rickety wooden bed as I did so. I at least had the presence of mind to carefully set down the sujamma before immediately collapsing onto the floor, tugging at my hood and mask to remove it.
I felt the air touch my skin as soon as the hood came off, and it was too hot. Long black hair messily cascaded down my back, shoulders and the front of my face, sticking to my sore, chapped lips and to the film of sweat and filth which covered every inch of me. I tried to spit it out as I gritted my teeth again, breathing heavily and just sitting there on the floor, simply wallowing in this god-awful sensation of overwhelming heat and pain. Oh, woe is me.
Time to take my medicine.
I crawled across the floor to the bed and climbed up on it, grabbing the bag and feverishly rummaging through it for the potions I needed. One by one, I uncorked them and poured them down my neck with an enthusiasm that was incompatible with my current state of lethargy. One, two, three, four concoctions; and then the large red bottle that I needed most.
I gasped with relief and sluggishly wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, quietly panting. A healing spell was needed. I quickly stripped off the rest of my armour and sat on the edge of the hard bed in my small undergarments.

Slowly, I felt the subtle, blissful rush of blood through my chest that heralded the healing of my body; I closed my eyes and sighed as it rippled through me, and I held my hands out still over my thighs, my palms slowly beginning to glow goldenly with the benevolent magic I knew so well. An artificial sense of harmony and peace temporarily flooded my senses as I felt my lacerations meld closed and my bruises subside from their swelling; The angry blue and purple lumps on my back, shoulders and legs melted away, leaving only the stark, smooth whiteness of my now healed flesh. The bliss slowly faded away and I collapsed backwards onto the bed, whole and satisfied. It was then that I noticed that there was a roaring fireplace in my room.
Atmospheric for others maybe, but for a poorly acclimatised snow elf, it was subtle torture.
I growled to myself and grabbed the sujamma. May as well bathe then; no sleep for me tonight.

CHAPTER 2

I sat in my chair with my arms folded as I chatted idly with Geldis. It was always quiet at the retching netch at this time in the morning; everybody was either sleeping off hangovers or had already set about their daily business elsewhere. The smell of smoke from the waning fire nearby filled the large room; the sounds of footsteps and sweeping echoed quietly throughout the place as the staff went about their tidying duties.
"Quite unusual," said Geldis, raising one eyebrow as he spoke. "In that state and wearing armour like that. And not dunmer, I'd bet. My guess is a fugitive."
"Possibly." I paused for a moment. "Although it's entirely normal for people to keep their faces covered around here." I smiled at him beneath my chitin helmet.
"True," he chirped, giving a slight nod. "Certainly preferable to ash lung." His smile broadened as he looked at me. "Or notoriety." I scoffed, arms still folded across my chest.
I had seen the woman in question stagger into the corner club late last night. Although she was entirely covered from head to toe in a form-fitting and admittedly impressive light armour set, it was clear from her shape that she was female; of average height and quite thin. her only exposure was her fingers, which were long, thin and stained with blood and dirt. Despite this I noticed that they were unusually pale; Although I had tried to determine her race based on their colour, I couldn't be certain.
I had watched her sit heavily down on the stool at the bar, cough, and produce a fair amount of coin for Geldis, croaking that she wanted a room. It was clear that she was in exceedingly poor physical condition. She was barely able to maintain her posture as she slumped on the bar, resting on her forearms. Her voice was quiet and smooth, although wracked with congestion.
Within a short time, she had picked up her baggage and shuffled off to her room, shivering and carrying a bottle of sujamma with her. She had briefly paused to turn and ask Geldis about procuring a hired sword, in a somewhat impolite manner. Before Geldis could introduce her to me, she had dismissed him with a languid wave of her hand and gone to her rented room, saying that she would speak with him about the details in the morning. Geldis had dutifully approached me shortly afterward to inform me of the potential patronage, although I was already aware. He was useful like that. He'd get his commission soon enough if things worked out.
"Anything for your appetite before I get busy?"
"Not right now." I'd eaten before I'd emerged from my room down the hall. Bites of bread and swigs of ale in between cleaning and polishing swords and armour was enough for me. I'd never become accustomed to sitting down and eating properly. Mercenary work rarely made allowances for such niceties, and the need for constant vigilance made it a nuisance.
Geldis nodded and stood up to return to the bar. He quickly turned his head as he heard a door open. He beamed an artificial smile.
"Good morning, sera! I trust you slept well?"
The bedraggled woman we had seen last night was striding silently toward the bar, still completely swathed in the intricate black armour. "Well enough, Geldis." I could hear a polite smile in her voice as it chimed through the air. She slid into the chair opposite my own across the small wooden table. A vague scent of fragranced oil and stale blood washed past me in her wake. She folded her white hands neatly on top of one another in her lap and pointed her obscured face in the direction of Geldis. I noticed a thin strip of dried blood underneath her otherwise clean nails; Her armour was still slightly stained with gore. Interesting.
The difference between this person and the one I had seen limping through the Retching Netch last night was vast. Whatever she had done to herself last night in her room had washed away any sign of illness or infirmity and apparently entirely restored her to a state of steadiness and health; quite curious. Possibly a magic user?
"Very good." More smiling from Geldis. I briefly wondered if his face ever ached from it all. "Can I get you anything for your hunger?'
"No, Thankyou," she said, face still pointed toward him. She had yet to acknowledge my presence in any way.
"I wanted to follow on from our brief discussion last night."
"Ah, yes. If you could call it that," Geldis said with a smirk. The woman remained silent. Geldis cleared his throat. "You were looking to hire a blade, sera?'
She rested a hand on the table next to me, relaxing a little. "Yes," she said smoothly. "For a possibly extended time period." Her fingers gently rapped on the wooden surface.
"Well," Geldis began, "there's someone here who can answer any questions you have." He nodded toward me.
The woman turned her head and stared directly at me, remaining silent. I smiled beneath my helmet and leaned back in my chair.
"Teldryn Sero, blade for hire." She cocked her head slightly as she observed me. "The best swordsman in all Morrowind is at your service... for the right price."
"That's quite a claim," she said, her voice lilting gently. Her fingers became still and rested on the table. "How familiar are you with..." she paused for a moment, as if she had forgotten where she was. "...Solstheim? The geography and settlements."
"Oh, very," I said nonchalantly. "I've called Solstheim my home for a number of years. I've been from one end to the other many times in various capacities." I Smiled, and I'm sure she could hear it in my voice. Guarded tours were easy money. She nodded very slightly.
"I'm looking to retain your kind of services for some time until my business is finished here," she explained. "It will not be easy work." I felt her stare penetrate me intently as she tried to gauge my response.
I Lifted my head and stared right back at her. "Mercenaries never undertake easy work," I stated flatly. "But I think you'll find that my experience in my field will certainly make your... business somewhat less difficult."
She leaned backward. "What is your price?," she asked quietly.
"Five hundred septims as an initial retainer." I paused. "Further payment can be discussed later as is necessary."
She nodded. "Consider yourself hired." She stood up and looked at me.
I slowly rose from my chair and straightened myself up. I was easily a good head and shoulders taller than her, and I looked down at her upturned mask as I spoke, towering over her. I extended my armoured hand slowly forward. "Very good,sera. I await your instruction. And my payment."
She stared at the hand, then back at my helmet. Her arms stayed at her sides.
'I'll meet you in my room in two hours. Make sure you've packed everything you need for a long trip." She bent to pick up the bag she had brought with her and walked over to the bar.
"Geldis, I'll need a couple more nights. I might not use them in the next few days," she said nonchalantly, "but I'll want that room when I return." She put a bag of coin onto the bar with a pleasant chink. "And I am expecting a courier to arrive here to deliver some things of mine within the next couple of hours; please put them in my room."