"Stop! You've violated the law!"

Raido did not need to raise his head from the piece of wood he was busy whittling to know that the two guards trampling past him were chasing his friend and neighbor, Jair, who ran from the guards with a simple silver ring clutched in his fingers.

"Raido!"

Jair hissed the Imperial's name under his breath, tossing the ring into Raido's lap as he ran past. The guards did not notice this transaction, and continued to chase Jair past the tree under which Raido sat, finally tackling him at the shore of Lake Rumare, where it met with the sands of the Waterfront District of the Imperial City. As they raised Jair to his knees, hog-tying his wrists together with some rope, Raido shoved the ring into the pocket of his canvas breeches.

"I can't believe the idiot actually stole it," another voice announced.

Raido sheltered his eyes from the glare of the afternoon sun and looked up to see a body standing over him. Kastav Kvinchal was a twelve-year-old Imperial with fair brown hair that he wore pulled back in a low ponytail, and he was one of Raido's dearest friends in the entire Imperial City. For Raido, there was no world past its stone walls and the waters of Lake Rumare.

"It's your damned older brother's fault," Raido told him, setting aside his dagger and the half-finished horse he was whittling. "If he hadn't challenged Jair…you know how he has the Redguard pride running through his blood."

"It's Jair's fault, too," Kastav retorted, sliding down along the tree's bark to sit. "If he wasn't stupid enough to announce to the entire Waterfront that he was in love with my sister, Vlanarus wouldn't get so protective. Gods, I can't see what he sees in Bronsila anyway."

"Not that it matters." Raido sighed, standing. He pocketed the wood and sheathed his dagger, then followed the guards at a distance as they began to drag Jair up the small hill towards the docks. The docks were relatively empty; the morning ships had all left port and the Trade Company's employees were most likely taking a break to scarf down a chunk of bread and a bottle of beer. It was not difficult to follow the guards through the empty docks, across the stone bridge, up the sloping hill to the Temple District, through the Temple District, down a few walkways near the Palace, and to the Market District. It was as the guards shoved Jair past the First Edition bookstore and towards the bridge to the Prison that Raido heard a passerby hiss,

"Vile Waterfront scum. Hope he rots."

Raido scowled, half tempted to shove himself forcefully into the man and treat himself to a few of the septims the offender no doubt had jingling in his pocket. He did not, opting instead to hang a sharp right and disappear into the shadows as he watched the Guards heave open the heavy reinforced doors that led outside the walls of the Imperial City and across a bridge to the Imperial City Prison. As the gates began to swing shut, Raido jumped forward, barely making it through before they shut themselves with a foreboding clanking sound. Immediately, he dove to the left and hid in the blind spot near the edge of the bridge, in case the guards heard him. Jair, however, distracted them with his protests, and they did not hear Raido.

The Imperial adolescent hung around near the edge for a good twenty minutes, giving the guards ample time to cross the bridge and begin processing Jair. Raido crossed the bridge, making sure to crouch low and keep to the side where a miniature wall had been built to prevent anyone from toppling over. In less than a minute he was on the other side of the bridge, hopping over the ledge and onto the hillside. The prison was built on this hill, and some of the cell windows peeked out at ground level. Raido could only hope that Jair would be placed in one of the ground-level cells.

Another ten minutes later, Raido heard the distinct owl call that he knew came from his best friend, and followed it to a window that was luckily placed at the level of the highest blades of grass. Raido crouched in the grass and peered through between the bars, managing to make out Jair's awkward and gangly form in the darkness of the cell.

"Hail, Raido," Jair said, mocking the tone of the Imperial guards.

"Hello, Jair," he replied, settling himself down amongst the greenery. "How long are you in for?"

The young Redguard shrugged his skinny shoulders, and from beneath his scraggly jerkin Raido could see his ribs protruding.

"Five days, prob'ly. The usual, yeah? But they migh' lemme off early if I give 'em an accomplice's name. I'll jus' say Vlanarus. Half his fault I'm in the sit'uation, migh' 's well pay for it."

"That's unfair," Raido pointed out. He dug in the pocket of his breeches, and produced the silver ring. "It was your choice to chase this damn thing, and no one else's. Here," he tossed the ring at Jair, and it landed on the floor of the cell. "I can't keep holding on to it. They might see it and I'll get blamed."

Jair scrambled after the ring, cornering it against the distressed mattress in the cell. He threw the ring back at Raido, and it bounced in the grass.

"No, please. Take it t' Bronsila and tell 'er 'bout my arrest." His dark eyes sparkled feverishly. "She'll think it damn romantic."

Raido scowled at Jair, but knew that he could not refuse his best friend such a wish. He grabbed the ring and pushed it back into his pocket, then heaved himself up to his feet, turning to walk away, Jair's voice calling after him,

"Oh, and don't forget to tell my mother where I am!"