Title: Blackmail
Author: dragonheartslayer2004
Rating: Teen I suppose for the slight violence and death that's mentioned.
Warnings: Mature Themes, Adult Situations
Summary: The damn slimy lizard had a way with words… Please read and review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Morrowind or any of its characters. It all belongs to its original creators. All I own is the plot, story, and any original characters that I insert into the story on a whim. Slinks-In-Shadows belongs to me however.
Authoress' Note: Felt like making a wild and out of the blue story. Please enjoy! Read and review please!
Red eyes met gold reptilian ones as Orvas Dren sneered, his lip curving into a thin line upon seeing that damn lizard walk up the steps and stand in front of him. "What in the Realms of Oblivion do you want, lizard?" Orvas said as he shot another venomous glare in the Argonian's direction. "Whatever it is you want, then no. You won't have it." It irked him that the lump of scales had decided to visit him now, of all times. "Can't you see I'm busy?" Slinks-In-Shadows said nothing as he shifted his weight to his other foot and his netch leather armor squelched in protest.
"You don't look very busy, Dren," the creature answered with a rough hiss as his tail swished back and forth. "And I don't even get a proper hello then?" Dren once again sneered in the Argonian's direction and said nothing as the lizard apparently made himself at home, his red scaled form gliding effortlessly through the room like a shadow and then unceremoniously plopping himself down on the nearest chair. Dren had to keep himself from scowling in the creature's direction as his red colored eyes narrowed in distaste and hate.
"And you still haven't answered my question," the Dark Elf man said as he sat back in his own seat at his desk, his armor creaking a bit as he fought for control on whether or not he should strangle the lizard to death or bash his skull in with his very fists.
His dark eye followed every movement of the creature's lashing tail as the Argonian grinned in his direction, revealing long sharp-tipped fangs in the process. "Don't smile at me," Orvas snapped hotly and could only glare as the grin on the lizard's face grew even wider at the command. "I said don't smile at me, damn you!" Dren could feel his muscles tensing. He wished that this outlander and this Argonian nonetheless, would leave him be and stop prying in his business every five seconds. "No," the creature said as he once more shifted in his seat a bit, causing the leather he was sheathed in to let out a few pops and clinks.
"I think I'll keep doing it…just to amuse you, Dren." Slinks-In-Shadows then began to look at the assortment of things in Dren's room, finding that the plantation owner's bed was neatly tucked in a corner on the left side of the staircase behind a carefully built wall, which was built just like the rest of the plantation's more massive structures, all Hlaalu in make. His golden colored eyes then snaked over to where Orvas was sitting and he could see a desk, which was also carefully placed, being near the window to which the Argonian assumed was so that the plantation lord could look out upon his so-called kingdom.
The papers on the desk however, were scattered in multiple directions across its brown surface. Some of the documents were nearly hanging off the edge and judging by the man's atrocious hairstyle and puffy eyes, Slinks could only assume that he had been in for a rough night. Probably filled with the smuggling of illegal products and heavy paper work he mused as he leaned forward a bit and let the tip of his tail touch the floor, allowing it to trace lazy circles back and forth. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Slinks blinked his golden-red eyes and then turned back towards Dren, his posture now a bit straightened.
"I have something that I need to speak to you about, Orvas," he said in his deep and hissing accent. Dren felt his anger boil even further.
He wondered that if he got angry enough, perhaps he could burn the Argonian himself with his very eyes. "Then be out with it and leave me!" he snapped, his lips curving into a snarl which only caused the lizard's smile to broaden. "I figured you would say that," Slinks said as he then reached into a pouch that was neatly placed on his belt and procured a folded piece of paper, slightly browned, indicating that it had been written some time ago. Dren followed each movement like a predatory cat, not wanting to put his faith in some damned lizard that was, in his mind, made for being used and meant to be put to work in the fields.
He immediately recognized it. It was the letter he had sent to the Ienith brothers a few months ago, who had recently set up a small room in the lower basement of his villa. The very letter that contained instructions on how to dispose of his brother, Duke Vedam Dren, if it proved to be necessary to Orvas and his plans. "You slithering bastard!" Orvas cried, his voice sounding like a mixture between a snarl and a roar as he launched himself forward, noticing that the other started to unfold the letter almost reverently in his scaled hands, the sly smile never leaving his face. "I'll kill you!"
His threat soon died as he felt his nose smash into something rather hard, sending blood and spittle flying in different directions as he gasped, stars entering his vision. It took him a moment to realize that the Argonian had smashed his own hard forehead into his face and Dren nearly staggered back as he felt the cartilage and bone that made up his nose snap like a twig, making him release another grunt of slight pain and irritation.
"You damned lizard!" he said through a few harsh breaths, his husky voice seeming to fill the room with his malice.
He sat back in the chair he had been occupying beforehand, and reached up towards his nose, blinking a few times to get his vision back to normal. By Azura! His head was literally spinning. He had not anticipated that the Argonian would have lashed out in anyway, though when he truly thought about it, the lizard hadn't. It was he, Orvas Dren, who lashed out in the first place and paid the price for it with a broken nose and a swollen ego. He could only sit there and vainly reach up towards his nose. He flinched a few times as his fingers brushed against the broken cartilage and bone, causing him to hiss in pain as his red eyes found Slinks-In-Shadow's smiling face staring back, blood speckled across his bony and scaled forehead.
"What is it you want?" Dren asked in all seriousness as he then readjusted his nose, cracking it back into place as he let out a grunt. He would be sure to see a healer later to assess how much damage the lizard had caused but at this time he could care less. He just wanted the Argonian out of his home…or preferably out of his life. "Just say it so I can get you out of here and out of my presence." He then watched as the lizard's grin stretched even further, revealing gleaming fangs which almost sent shivers down his spine. Almost. Slinks then straightened, his body no longer slouching like a resting cat across the chair and shoved his hand in the fold of his cloak, apparently fishing something out.
Dren watched in question as a few more seconds passed before the Argonian pulled out a small piece of paper that had looked as if it had seen better days and began to unfold it. And he still wore that damned conniving smile, Dren thought to himself, as he watched the other hold it out for him to see. What he saw startled him. "You slimy bastard," he hissed as he felt his anger once more well up within him. "You wouldn't dare!" Slinks merely chuckled, which to Dren sounded like a rattle as he pulled back the paper a bit. "I would," he said as a scaly brow rose. Dren felt like growling as his face twisted into something akin to pure rage.
"If my brother…" Slinks interrupted. "If he what, Dren? What would he do? You very own brother, Vedam? I personally wonder if he would have you exiled for it." Orvas went silent. Inwardly he began to ponder what his brother would do if he managed to get a hold of that note. He doubted that Vedam would kill him. His brother was far too kind and noble for that, but he did not doubt that he would exile him for it. Most likely his older and more prestigious brother would have him shipped off to the mainland and Dren was not about to let all of his hard work go to waste. Plus, his family had lived on Vvardenfell for generations.
This was his home, just as much as it was Vedam's…or this damned lizard's. Dren grinded his teeth together as he mulled over it, his fuse having been lit and allowed to simmer as the lizard sat back in the chair across from him and shoved the paper back into the confines of his armor. He would have to choose his next choice of words carefully, but Dren was known for not always being the most meticulous of people. "What in the Sixteen Realms of Oblivion do you want then!" he asked gruffly as sat back and grossed his arms in agitation.
Slinks-In-Shadows flashed another toothy grin, oddly enough reminding Dren of a wildcat, as he flicked an imaginary speck of dust from his shoulder before turning his golden colored gaze back to him in feigned interest. "Simple," he said as his face suddenly turned from playful to serious. "I want control of the Tong, Dren. That is all I ask and if I get my wish, then I will allow your plans to go unhindered from this day forward, and you need not worry about this…" As he said this, he pulled forth the note from his armor where he had hidden it only moments before to emphasize his point in the matter and Dren literally boiled.
"No!" Dren cried out, his red eyes flashing and his face turning a deep purple from anger as blood rushed to his face. "Absolutely not…I forbid having a damned lizard lead the Cammona Tong and an outlander, no less!"
He watched as the other shrugged off his comment as if it were rain water and if he had eyebrows, they would have furrowed. Dren could only sit there as the Argonian played with the note a bit in his scaly hands, his fingers and long claws moving across the paper with just enough force to make the noise of something sharp sliding across paper. "Well," Slinks said, his voice bordering on sympathetic and annoyed. "It seems I might have to resort to such drastic measures. I did not want to take this route but if you insist on being so belligerent then I will take my leave and be sure to give your brother, the Duke, my regards."
After saying this, Slinks-In-Shadows lifted himself from his seat and began to make his way towards the staircase when Dren called out, stopping him in his tracks. Dren would not let him go. He couldn't. He had worked too damned hard for this plantation and both the slave and sugar trade to let it all go to hell in a hand basket. "If I…" He bit back the sentence as soon as it came as he watched the Argonian turn and stare at him, his eyes unblinking, expectant. Dren felt bile begin to rise in his throat but he knew he would rather keep all that he had worked for rather than have it all to go waste by a fluke on his part. "If I," he said again as he opened his eyes and stared directly into those of Slinks. "If I give you control over the Tong…then will you drop this matter and pretend that it never happened?"
There. He had said it. As far as the Dark Elf was concerned, he had just sent his soul screaming into the very depths of Oblivion and it wrenched him nearly in two as the Argonian smiled, revealing those sharp teeth again as his hand clenched momentarily around the note while his other free hand was dangling loosely at his side, but close enough to the blade that Dren knew was concealed underneath his cloak and at his hip. Always so damned efficient, the Dunmer thought as he swallowed before waiting for the lizard to say something. Anything at all, as long as Dren had confirmation on the matter, then it would be all good and fine to him. After what seemed to Dren like an eternity, Slinks finally spoke, his gravely and deeply accented voice nearly touching Dren to his core.
"You're sure on this? I believe that I did not hear you clearly. Are you really giving up your precious Tong?"
Dren nodded, confirming to the lizard that he had one and he was galled at the fact that he had just made a bargain with that slimy little bastard. The lizard grinned and seemed satisfied as he then dropped the crumpled paper to the floor as if it had nothing to do with to do with the conversation. "Good. I am glad that you have come to a decision. House Hlaalu will be pleased at this outcome as am I." Dren felt the burn in his gut get worse as he heard Slinks say those words and he quickly retorted as a result. "You are to tell no one of this! Not even me! Never even dare to remind me of this moment," he hissed in a feral fashion as his eyes narrowed in the Slink's direction as his smile broadened.
"It never happened," he said with a deep hiss. With it all said and done, the Argonian turned on his heel and walked down the steps, leaving Dren alone and furious with himself. He couldn't believe that he had just done what he said he would do. He had given away the control of the Cammona Tong. To House Hlaalu, to an outlander nonetheless and it made him sick inside but he pushed the queasy feeling down as he looked out of his window, not seeing the Argonian anywhere and figured that he had taken a back way out of the manor. It was still day as far as he could see but it made little difference. This day was as dark as it would get for Dren. He was sure of that. Sighing, he rang a bell nearby for a servant to come. He would have to be sure to have the room downstairs cleaned of any blood and remove the bodies. He knew that they were both dead and he could imagine that underneath the Argonian's long cloak were bloodstains.
He didn't even bother to think of the matter any further as he turned and looked down at the parchment lying on the ground, his red eyes narrowing and burning with hate as he waited for the servant to come and receive instructions. He didn't want to admit it and he hated the fact as he turned from the paper lying on the floor to looking out through his window and seeing the vastness of his plantation stretch before him.
The damn slimy lizard had a way with words…