An Unlikely Hero
It was raining in Riften. Raining and cold. Sil'lice wouldn't normally have minded the cold and rain IF she had a real home. But she was stuck in this damnable weather waiting for her client to contact her. That damn dumner had told her he'd meet her in the center of the city. It had nearly been an hour. Sil'lice was cold, wet, and pissed. Sil'lice was a Khajiit of 19 years old. Her fur was dark with black stripes. Muscular build with piercing gold eyes and she had a scar below her right eye and 3 small ones on her nose from a fight in the past. Growling she huddled under one of the empty vendor stalls waiting for her contact. That damned dumner was supposed to pay her for a job she did for him.
Riften. A horrid place. She remembered moving to this hell hole when she was a kitten along with her parents. Riften was not the best place to raise a family but with limited income it was the best they could afford. They moved to the bottom section of the houses which the poorer residents lived. Her parents did the best they could with what they had and she missed them terribly. One day they had gone out to sell some stolen goods and she never saw them again. She was 16 at the time and no one would tell her what had happened. She suspected Maven Blackbriar but then dismissed it because she knew that the stuck up woman wouldn't waste her time harassing a lowly khajiit family. The dunmer finally arrived just as Sil'lice was about to leave. "Wait…I have your money. Here." He said nervously as the Khajiit growled. "You made me wait. Elf. NOT the wisest thing to do." Sil'lice growled her eyes narrowing. The elf nervously handed her pay and left before the Khajiit could do something that would send the dunmer into retirement. Sil'lice counted her coin and found it was a few septim short. This was NOT happening.
She silently trailed the elf to his abode. Fully intending to take the rest of the coin owned and beat the dunmer into submission. She lost her resolve when she found that the elf had a family. She sighed sadly and walked away. That was why he didn't pay in full. He had to support his family. Growling to herself she pulled the coin from her purse knocked on the door and left the coin on the doorstep. She was gone by the time the elf answered the door. Sil'lice was not the friendliest one around but she wasn't heartless.
She went to return to her shabby home when something caught her eye. It was 4-5 elves. But these ones were different. They weren't bosomer and they weren't dunmer. Her ears flattened against her skull when she realized what they were. Altmer. High elves that thought they were above every race that wasn't their own. She leaned against the Bee and Bard Tavern wall looking at them with a smirk. 'I wonder why they are in Riften?' she thought to herself. Then the whole group came up to her. This was going to be fun. Not making any move to show them they were of "great importance" one of the Altmer; a female approached first.
"You there. Cat. What do you think you are doing?" she asked with a sneer. Sil'lice grinned. "First my name is not 'cat'. I am not a 'cat'. my name is Sil'lice and I am a Khajiit." she said proudly. The female altmer seemed shocked that one would speak to her in this tone. "Watch your tone Khajiit. Do you know who I am?" The Khajiit grinned. "Nope. Can't say I really give a damn either." Now the elf was irritated. "I am Elenwyn of the Aldmeri Dominion cat. And it would be in your best interest to mind your tone when you speak to your superiors." with that the elf turned and went into the tavern.
"You should mine who you speak to cat when you speak to your superiors."Sil'lice imitated the altmer's voice as best she could. The other altmer hid a grin as they followed their leader into the tavern. 'Why is she going into the tavern…maybe to bother someone else. But lets go see.' she thought as she entered the tavern. As it turned out Elenwyn was seated with her group and Maven Blackbriar. Elenwyn was having a drink and seemed to detest its taste. Maven was being a kiss ass not wanting to cause problems with the high elf. Sil'lice turned to order a drink when Elenwyn turned to see Sil'lice downing a drink. The khajiit had her back to her so she didn't see the altmer approach her from behind. The high elf placed a hand on Sil'lice's shoulder and said "You are not welcome here cat. Get out." Sil'lice whirled around "You have 5 seconds to take your damned hand off my shoulder elf." Elenwyn was shocked. The whole tavern seemed to stop what they were doing. Even Maven seemed stunned. 'That Khajiit has got a death wish. She's brave but stupid.' Maven thought.
Elenwyn swung her fist around catching Sil'lice on the chin. In retaliation the khajiit snarled and swung back her fist smashing Elenwyn on the nose. Blood sprayed out and Elenwyn clutched her broken nose. The khajiit then grabbed the altmer by the head and brought her knee to meet Elenwyn's face doing even more damage. By now the whole Tavern was in an uproar cheering for Sil'lice and Elenwyn alike. When the guards came in to break up the fight they saw an altmer female on the ground yelling about a broken nose and a khajiit on her feet.
'Time to go..' Sil'lice thought to herself as she ran away from the guards which resulted in a higher bounty that she already had. As the Tavern calmed down Elenwyn staggered to her feet. "I want that khajiit's head!" she snarled still holding her bloody nose. The other 2 altmer took off in search of the khajiit while 2 stayed behind to help Elenwyn and stop the bleeding. In truth the two altmer that had left were a bit happy that someone had finally stood against Elenwyn. But the high elf's word was law and they had to get this khajiit and bring her back or preferably her head.
Sil'lice traveled further away from the only home she ever knew. Good riddance. Maybe she would go to Whiterun. Even though the guards didn't trust Khajiit they weren't out and out hateful. She was traveling along a path when she heared a deafning roar. She looked up and her eyes widened in terror. A dragon. Something that should have been extinct. And the dragon saw her. It landed heavily near her and took a deep breath. "Shit!" Sil'lice snarled as she barely dodged the firey breath of the dragon.
The dragon bellowed in rage and lumbered forward. Sil'lice grabbed her sword and rammed it into the dragon's eye causing it to thrash around. She took this opportunity to slice and back away repeatidly. It took a while but the dragon lay dead at her feet. Then it seemingly dissolved and its essence entered the khajiit's body. Sil'lice was stunned. She was broken out of it when some Whiterun guards came at her. "I don't believe…" one started to say as he looked at the dragon skeleton and the wounded khajiit. Instantly Sil'lice dropped her weapon and raised her arms in defeat. She was in no condition to fight of guards. Her breath came in rapidly and her side hurt like hell. A few broken ribs she realized. When the damned thing grabbed her and tossed her about.
The guards escorted the khajiit to a healer in Whiterun and then she was instructed to speak to the Jarl. A muscular handsome man named Barrgulf. Sil'lice sighed and went to the Jarl's palace where she was greeted by the guards. She took all this in stride. At least they weren't trying to kill her for frame her for a crime she didn't commit. On her way to speak to the Jarl she saw a female dunmer who glared at her suspiciously. Sil'lice glared right back. She passed a nord woman who looked at her with mild interest before returning to her drink. This was Lydia.
She approached the Jarl respectfully. No need in causing an uproar. "I hear you defeated a dragon. Quite unusual for a Khajiit." The jarl stated. Sil'lice had to agree. By all rights she should have been digesting in the beast's gullet or in pieces. She shrugged. "Being as you have defeated this beast I hearby grant you the title of Thane in Whiterun. I also give you Lydia, your own housecarl." Sil'lice stared shocked. She basically was given a high ranking title and her own personal bodyguard. She nodded in thanks and turned to leave. Lydia followed behind her. "I know you from somewhere." Lydia said wonderingly. Sil'lice cringed. "Uhh…" she stated. "Yeah. You were the one that stole that horse. Or your father was. Where are your parents anyway I always saw you with them." Lydia asked not angry. "They-they are gone." Sil'lice replied quietly. Lydia put a hand gently on her thane's shoulder. "Im sorry." she replied.
It took all of Sil'lice's willpower not to embrace the woman. "Im not positive but I think the altmer did it. I broke one of their noses so I am kind of on their shit list." Sil'lice grinned. Lydia chucked. "Who did you hit?" she asked. Sil'lice smiled. She liked this Lydia. "Someone named Elenwyn." Lydia's eyes widened and she began to laugh. As the two left Whiterun for a much needed break they were approached by 6 altmer. Elenwyn was among them. Lydia raised her weapon as did her thane.
"Calm yourself cat and human. This one time I am not hear to settle a score as much as it need be done. I am hear to request your help. A large black dragon is attacking solitude. And my headquarters are stationed there. Help me and I will lift your bounty in Riften. Refuse and you shall die because Whiterun is next on this dragon's list." Elenwyn stated.
In truth she wanted to kill the khajiit for the episode in Riften. But after hearing how the khajiit had slain the dragon she decided she would request the help. After Sil'lice had killed the dragon she would deal with the khajiit and the woman foolish enough to become her friend.
"Feel like going after another dragon my thane?" Lydia asked. "Not really. But the only reason ill help is because of the innocent people. Not to help this…thing in front of us." she replied gesturing towards Elenwyn in disgust. The altmer snarled and walked away to restrain herself from killing the khajiit.