I return to the prisoner's cell a few hours later, the Khajiit wrapped up in her blanket. The skooma bottle is empty, but her high has probably worn off by now. I have her dinner in my hand, all of the dishes from Elsweyr. Torturing is fun, but I need her to eventually relay information willingly. I would love it if she went back to Delphine as my spy, but she needs to willingly do what I say before than. She doesn't have to like me, but needs to follow my orders. Giving her food is a small thing, but eventually she'll associate me with something good. In this case, it's the bringing of food. When I open her cell she whimpers and pushes herself in a corner. Pathetic creature. I slowly walk over to her and place the plate at her side, then place a bottle of mead beside it. It's a small meal, but she'll enjoy it.
When she realizes it's food she quickly tears into it, her body exhausted after our torture session. While she's eating I slowly sit by her, close enough to reach out and touch her. She eyes me, but doesn't fight. When she's done I slowly reach out, rubbing her back. She tenses, but doesn't move. Probably remembering how I almost ripped off her small breast. As I rub I ask her, "You know why I had to punish you, right?". She looks like she wants to snarl, but she remembers our session and stays quiet. I comfortingly rub her back as I say, "You were bad, and needed to be reminded of your place. This is Skyrim, we believe in the eight. Talos was only a man, yet you said 'the nine'. And, you were wandering around the embassy when you shouldn't have. You could have gotten hurt.".
She looks upset, but I can see the slight hint of fear in her eyes. She's truly wondering if she did something wrong, if the torture was her fault. Now, all I need to do is drive it home. I keep rubbing and tell her, "I'm just trying to throw a party and do my job, but you crashed it and tried to ruin it. I only wanted to teach you a lesson, but you wouldn't tell me the truth. But that's behind us, the future is more important.". She looks more confused than ever. Perfect. I ask her, "Doesn't it feel good to know you're punished? Now, you're a better woman for it.". Then, her anger kicks in and she tells me, "This is insane! It's not my fault you tortured-". I cut her off by hugging her, trapping her in my embrace. I groan and say, "There you go again! I don't want to discipline you again, but I will if I have to!".
She instantly shuts up. It appears I need to show her I'm clearly in control here. I could force her to get naked and stay clothed myself, then she'll be extremely terrified and intimidated. But I want to save that for later. Instead, I start a small fire in the palm of my hand. The reaction is immediate. She breaks free and cowers in the farthest corner of the room, her eyes glued to the flame. She swallows and ask, "What are you doing?!". I chuckle and tell her, "I thought you might be cold.". She swallows again and squeaks, "I'm fine!". So the big bad kitty is afraid of magic. Good. I put out the flame and tell her, "I'll be back tomorrow morning with food and questions, be prepared.". I rise and leave her in her dark cell, the rats and spiders her only companions.
I'm eating dinner when Rulindil approaches me, a look of concern on his face. He clears his throat and asks, "Elenwen? Do you have a moment?". When I nod he sits beside me with a look of worrying concern still on his face. The interrogator quickly tells me, "I've noticed we've gotten a new prisoner, but my services haven't been required. When do you plan on beginning her interrogation?". I swallow a bite of bread and tell him, "I'm running her interrogation, and it started a few hours ago. Your services won't be required.". He looks startled and ask me, "Why? I mean no offense, but you've never taken any interest in the prisoner before, unless they were of high caliber. A filthy Khajiit that tried to crash your party doesn't seem that important.".
I consider keeping him in the dark, but I may eventually need his services. So, I quietly tell him, "This prisoner could lead us to Delphine, and if I'm lucky she can be used as a spy to relay her movements and plans. Your skills are a gift, but I need a different kind of torture to get her to spill. Brute force won't break her, but I'm getting an idea how to.". Rulindil looks shocked at what the prisoner can do, but nods and quickly leaves. I turn back to my food, but my mind wanders to the prisoner. Is there a faster way to break her? Should I earn her trust or keep breaking her? I suppose I can try both. So, before I go to bed I hand a guard a bottle of skooma and a apple pie. I quickly tell her, "Take this to the Khajiit prisoner.". She nods and quickly rushes away. As I climb into bed pride fills my heart, she'll be my spy before she knows it.
When I walk into the cell I don't have my trunk, but it's right outside. The chest of torture devices might put her on edge and ruin the small bond of trust I'v made with her. The food I'm bringing her is the finest we have, similar to what I myself ate for breakfast. I didn't chain her, but she's asleep in a corner. I slowly rub her back to wake her up, ignoring the filthy creature's pelt. When she's awake I put on a fake smile and tell her, "Good to see you awake. Here's your breakfast.". She looks extremely confused as I had her the plate. Good. I need to keep her off her game, and never allow her a sense of routine. As she eats I hum and slowly rub her leg, the Khajiit tense. Probably just preparing for some sort of betrayal. It'll come sooner than she thinks.
When she's done eating I put her plate to the side, then clear my throat. The prisoner instantly tenses and I can practically feel the fear radiating from her. She can tell interrogation time is coming, but she wants to ward it off as long as possible. I move my hand from her leg to her back, resume rubbing, and lie to her, "I don't want to hurt you, I really don't. Just tell me what I need to know, then I'll let you go.". I can see her shoulders shake in fear, but she doesn't retaliate. Good. She's learning from her mistakes. I keep talking, "I won't lie to you, Delphine is wanted by my organization. It saddens me to think of her running around free, but there's something else that saddens me even more.".
I can see the curiosity in her eyes, but before she can ask I quickly tell her, "The thought that my enemy used you as a pawn.". She stiffens and tells me, "I'm not a pawn.". I make a fake noise of sympathy and tell her, "My sweet, innocent child. Delphine is a master of words, she could give you a mug of piss and make you think it was ale. She lied to your face, but that's in the past! Tell me all she told you, and I'll forgive your crimes. Please, you're innocent of Delphine's crimes! Don't go down with her! Tell me!". She looks ready to cry as she whispers, "No.". I let out a fake cry of anguish and beg her, "Please! I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I need to! Please, don't make me! Tell me the sweet lies Delphine whispered in your ear, then I'll set you free!".
Tears stream down her face as she shakes her head, fear radiating off of her. I let out a fake sob and lie, "I'm so sorry, but I have to hurt you now. I have to teach you your place.". She closes her eyes and wails as I rise, then I leave to get my trunk. I return with the trunk, the Khajiit prisoner cowering in the corner. She can't see me so I let myself smile, the filthy beast finally seems to know where she belongs. At the feet of those better than her. After I'm done smiling I put on my sympathetic face and chain her, even lying and telling her I'm sorry. I activate my flame spell, but grab a blanket before I start. I slowly place my hand on her side, watching as her pelt slowly catches fire. She yowls in terror when she sees the flames licking her side, but the fire hasn't touched her skin yet.
When it touches her skin her screaming increases dramatically, and I set to work. I use the blanket to put out the flames, but they've damaged her skin. It's a second degree burn, and it'll hurt for a while. I fake another wail and tell her, "Just tell me where Delphine is! Please! I don't want to do this!". I actually want to, but I need information first. I repeat the process, each time allowing the flame to lick her skin longer. She finally breaks when I show no sign of stopping the flame, her skin beginning to crackle like a roasting pig. She wails and screams, "Markarth! She's in Markarth!". I quickly put out the flame, the smell of roast Khajiit filling the cell. I'm about to leave when I realize what I have to do. I would prefer to leave, but I need to regain the prisoner's trust. I sigh as I turn.
Dragonborn POV:
I touch my side, the skin cooked by the flames. My hand is gently pulled aside, Elenwen placing her own hand on the scorched flesh. I feel a healing spell flow into my body. A powerful one. I can't help moaning in relief as the pain leeches from me. After a while the Altmer removes her hand, and moves on to my other burns, only stopping when they're all healed. She slowly forces me the rise, pulling me into her arms and shushing me. I simple stay still as a statue as she asks me, "Wasn't that easy? One little word and it all stopped. I didn't want to hurt you, but you just made me so mad. If you'd just told me the truth in the first place, then none of that would have happened. But it doesn't matter, you told the truth in the end. And, you're still just now learning where your place is.".
I can't stop myself from asking, "Where's my place?". A small grin appears on Elenwen's face as she tells me, "At my feet.". Before I can answer the Altmer keeps speaking, "You've done well, and given me valuable information. I'll make sure you're rewarded, and my men will sweep Markarth. When I have Delphine your prize will eclipse the rewards I've given you thus far. Trust me. Now rest, I'll return later.". Elenwen gently places me back on the ground, then leaves. I whimper and crawl into a corner, as far away from the door as possible. As I fall asleep I feel the remaining hurt from my two sessions with Elenwen. And, something else occurs to me. I lied about where Delphine was. I suppose I should be terrified about what Elenwen will do when she finds out, but I'm too tired to care.
Elenwen POV:
On the way to my room I quickly find a guard and tell her, "Bring three bottles of skooma, a fine meal, and a whore to the Khajiit prisoner.". The woman nods and quickly rushes away. I continue to my room, a smile splitting my face. Delphine is within my grasp, the Khajiit is breaking, and Skyrim is still at war. As I climb into bed I congratulate myself on how quick the Khajiit is breaking. But then a thought comes to me. Why not keep the Khajiit?
Slavery is abolished in all provinces, but it still goes on. And, it's not unheard of for members of my organization to have beastfolk as slaves. It would take time to train her and I'd have to carefully hide her, but it could be worth it. But the real question isn't if I could keep her, it's if she's truly worthy of being my personal slave. She's not bad to look at and learns fast enough, I'm certain she could do any task I ask of her and more. I sigh as I close my eyes, I'll have to decide some other time.
Dragonborn POV:
I pant as the whore leaves, complaining about serving a 'cat'. It seems even Altmer prostitutes place themselves above everyone else. Oh well, I'm not the one spreading my legs for a living. I stretch and crawl over to where I placed my meal, two full skooma bottle beside the plate. I tossed the emptied bottle somewhere, but I can't find it. I quickly grab a bottle of skooma. I happily pour the liquid into the pipe, throw the bottle to the side, and inhale the narcotic drug. According to the guard Elenwen gave me the whore, drugs, and food. I'm not sure where Elenwen got this skooma, but it's not the watered down stuff that comes from Skyrim. As the drug takes effect I sigh in content and reach over to the plate, grabbing a rib bone that still has a decent amount of meat on it.
As I gnaw on the bone I consider why Elenwen is giving me all of this. Then, I remember I told her where Delphine was. With any luck when she comes up empty she'll just think Delphine escaped her. But I have a sinking feeling she'll know I lied and 'punish' me. My thoughts instantly turn to the tortures this woman has inflicted upon me. She claims it was my own fault, but is it true? A strange sense of shame fills my gut at the thought that I might be the problem. I crack the bone open for the marrow, now thinking of Delphine. Was she lying? I don't know. As I swallow the meat I think about what Elenwen has given me. Does she truly care? Maybe it is my fault. I sigh as I chew on the bone, tiredness overcoming me. I groan as I lie down to sleep, the skooma running through my veins.
