Allright so this is going to be my new project and for those who are thinking what I know they are thinking. I know I don't have a great track record when it comes to completing stories as many of you know with honor of the guard and night fang: may your road lead you to warm sands. I think the problem I had with those stories was that they were to big with large, complicated plots and many themes and narratives and all that fun stuff. So I decided to step back and think about what a good tale is and...do I really need to do something on a large and epic scale?
My theory is that no. It doesn't have to be a great epic to be a good story. Sometimes, the simplest tales are the best. So then we come to this. This is going to be part of a series I call The elder scrolls tales and they are going to be short adventure stories starting with this one The elder scrolls tales: a blade's oath. I don't want to spoil to much for the reader but all I know is that I have this story plotted out from point A to point Z (for once) and hopefully it should be a fun ride for all the readers who love themselves some elder scrolls action and adventure.
Obligatory: I do not own elder scrolls or any of its facets
They have finally come for Bezanji, the feline thought to herself as she hurriedly scrambled about her small room, quickly throwing provisions and documents into a small satchel while her sensitive ears listened to the pounding on the front door below her. She nervously bit her bottom lip as she rapidly made her way to her desk, an inkwell and a quill sitting next to each other while a half finished letter sat neatly on the wooden surface illuminated only by the soft glow of a candle.
She grabbed the quill and quickly dipped it into the ink before hurriedly scrawling onto the letter
This one must hurry else she is caught... they pound on Bezanji's door and are intent on taking this one away because of what Khajiit has discovered...
The sound of splintering wood rang throughout the house as the front door was ripped from its hinges. Heavy footsteps of soldiers followed in its wake as they made their way through the house and up the stairs. Bezanji's eyes went wide in terror as she quickly got up and a grabbed the nearest chair she could find, lodging it under the door handle, hopefully giving her enough time to send the message and escape.
Bezanji quickly ran back to her desk and began rolling up the letter, her eyes quickly scanning around the room before they locked onto a small window, just big enough that she would be able to fit through with a bit of Khajiit finesse.
Rushing towards the window she pursed her lips, blowing air through them and letting out a long, high pitched whistle. There was a cry that answered as a flacon flew down and perched onto the window sill. It's curious gaze looked at Bezanji then to the door as a loud pounding sound was heard on the other side, the wooden frame of the door and chair creaking from the force.
Bezanji tore a piece of her tunic off and quickly used it to tie the letter to the leg of the falcon, her head turning every few seconds to the door as it was pushed and beaten harder and harder. "Take the note back to the imperial city Swift wings, make sure it gets into Florius's hands", Bezanji whispered before shooing the falcon off. The bird soared high into the sky and disappeared from view.
"Open up! You are under arrest!"
Bezanji hissed at the door, her ears splaying against her head and her eyes narrowing to slits as she turned back towards the window, her satchel slung over her shoulder. She nearly made her way out of the room through the window when her eye caught something she nearly forgot about on her desk.
On her desk sat a fairly large bottle of clear liquid. She remembered when she had first moved in to the house and her neighbor had brought it over as a house warming present. Moonsugar rum that he had distilled himself...it had tasted like the piss of a flame atronach after it had clawed your tongue to shreds...but hopefully it should just do the trick for what she needed it to do.
Bezanji grimaced as she grabbed the bottle and ripped the cork off, nearly gagging at the strong stench that wafted directly into her sensitive nose. Yeah, this will work fine.
The door pounded again, the hinges groaning as they began to pull away from the wall. She needed to act fast. Bezanji took the bottle of alcohol and began to dump the liquid all over the room, not sparing any corner till the entire bottle was emptied. She tossed the bottle aside, satisfied with her work before she ran back to her desk and grabbed the lit candle.
Just at that moment, the door burst open revealing a small host of the city guard, their eyes going wide at the strong stench of alcohol coming from the room...to the lit candle in Bezanji's hand. Panic overtook their faces as Bezanji smirked before throwing down the lit candle and diving for the window, as the room burst into flames.
Bezanji snickered to herself briefly when she heard the vulgar cursing coming from the room as she fell from the second story, the air rushing through her fur as the ground quickly rose up to meet her. Bezanji was always one to be quick on her feet though and as she nearly plummeted into the ground. She curled her body into a ball, reaching her arms out and using her momentum to harmlessly roll on the ground once she met it.
She quickly recovered and sprang up onto her feet, wasting no time as she fled from the now burning building.
Now came the hard part. Getting out of the city. Bezanji stuck to the shadows, not wanting to risk running through the streets and being caught in broad moonlight. Alleys were her safest bet and making good use of the many back ways through the city would hopefully be enough for her to escape the city undetected and quickly try to make her way back to Cyrodiil.
Bezanji would often have to duck down and wait as guards rushed past towards the site of the fire, intent on helping any caught in its flames and to help put it out. This was good, it was the distraction Bezanji needed...despite the recklessness of endangering her neighbors because of it. The Khajiit shook her head. There will be plenty of time to reflect on the logistics later, for now she needed to focus on escaping the city.
Bezanji was almost to freedom, her keen eyes recognizing each street as she grew nearer and nearer to the gate. Her eyes widened in horror though as she quickly scrambled behind a nearby barrel, avoiding being seen by the rather large group of guards currently guarding the gate, keen eyes scanning the area around them.
The Khajiit hissed in frustration, peeking her head from behind the barrel to assess her obstacle. There were about ten guards, all fully armed and completely blocking off the gate to the city. There was no way she could get past them without getting caught and being brought to...him. Bezanji shuddered at the thought, having heard the rumors of what he did with his prisoners, torturing information out them in the most horrific ways imaginable whether with tools or with magic.
A twang sounded through the air as Bezanji's ears instinctively perked up at the sound before an arrow ripped through her left ear and stuck into the barrel. Bezanji let out a loud cry of pain! The feeling was like fire as she quickly brought a hand and cupped her torn ear, blood quickly filling up her hand and gushing through the cracks between her fingers.
"There! Behind the barrel." Came a shout from the rooftop as an archer quickly nocked another arrow and took aim.
Bezanji quickly hopped up from behind the barrel, just as another arrow zipped through the air and stuck into the wood with a loud thud. Cursing to herself and blinking back hot tears, she ran from the now pursuing guards. She needed to think of something quick; it wouldn't be long before the fire was put out and a second alarm was sounded getting every single guard in the city to try and apprehend her.
She rounded a street corner and quickly ducked into a dark alley, taking a moment to catch her breath. She could fell the warm blood trailing down the side of her head before being absorbed into her clothes. She prayed that there was at least enough sand and enough wind on the streets to cover any blood trail she might have left.
Despite the situation, Bezanji had to chuckle to herself. This is all going to back for one hell of a story for her comrades back at cloud ruler temple...that is if she manages to escape. It was a scary thought for the Khajiit, the prospect that she might not be able to make it out of the city. The idea that she may be captured and tortured for the information she posses. The possibility that she will die. It was a sour thought to swallow for the young feline...but this is what she signed up for, what she was trained for, what she was prepared to give her life for. It was what she was prepared to do in order to fulfill her mission and her duty as a member of the blades, to give her life in order to ensure a better future for the empire and indeed, all of Tamriel.
The thought filled her with strength, strength enough for her to begin to plan her next move. Walking out the gates was out of the question, and there was no way she could go over the walls of the city. Perhaps there was one way that would work...
Bezanji knelt down and began to scan the ground around, her keen, feline sight trying to find what she prayed to Akatosh she would find. Her concentration was broken though when she heard a familiar voice approaching the entrance to the alley.
"I don't care if you have to tear down every stone in this city. I want her found and I want her brought to me immediatly. Are we understood Zan'Kir?"
Bezanji knew that voice all to well and the prospect of who that voice belonged to made her blood run cold and her fur stand up on end. She needed to get out of here right now. Bezanji redoubled her efforts, quickly scanning the ground, her heart racing faster and faster as he heard his voice grow closer and closer.
"come on, where is it?" She hissed to herself quietly, her eyes hurriedly scanning the area, her hands running across the stone and sand as got on her hands and knees to search all the while, the voice grew closer and closer till finally...
"Found you!"
Left you on a cliff hanger there lol. I know you are probably asking yourself many questions from reading this but don't worry, all will be explained in time. For now leave a review of what you thought of it and stay tuned in for the next chapter!
Till next time- Squirrel