Sorry for the delay of this chapter but between doing drawings in my sketchbook and xbox - I hadn't put forth the time to finish this chapter until now. And, once again I had the same problem that with everything I wanted to include in this chapter, I couldn't put everything because it would have been to long. But, now I can say confidently that the next chapter will have what I have been meaning to write two chapters ago.
Once upon a dreary time that Annie could only remember hazily as if she were looking through a thick and misty fog; she had at one time somehow found herself treading through the northern mountains of Skyrim. She couldn't recall any rhyme or reason for what she was doing or where she was going. She didn't have a plan or destination. All she knew was she was just there. Walking, breathing, and existing - as she made her way through the snow covered rocks of the mountain that were most unforgiving as her hands grew cold and numb from the gushing winds that pierced through her snow covered cloths and chilled her body. Her face stung, her eyes were watering and her body felt stiff, but she kept going until she came across a great chasm in the rocks.
She remembered stopping just for a moment to gaze up at the ominous structure passed the wind and snow that darkened it to a silhouette. The jagged rocks that protruded up and inwards on both sides looked to her like the mouth of some great beast constructed by one of the Daedric lords or a carnivorous plant waiting to snap shut violently on any who were foolish enough to set a foot inside of its monstrous maw. To Annie – she found this thought rather comforting and it was there where she decided she would stay until the morning sun she remembered thinking.
Slowly she approached the chasm and slowly she saw the yellow glare from the base of a lantern streaming out from the distance and throwing a shifting radiance across the howling, snow-filled, winds. Annie hadn't an idea of who it was ahead of her or what they would do when they reached her. She had no energy to quickly find a place to hide and nor did she have the energy to care. She decided she would succumb to whatever fate awaited her.
What first appeared as disembodied shadows manifested into Imperial soldiers walking alongside of Stormcloaks in chains. There was something eerie and ghostlike in the procession of faces which shuffled passed as they struggled to walk through the snow – sad, defeated, stubborn and haggard were the faces of the Stormcloaks whose lips were cracked, eyes baggy and hair caked with snow.
Annie remembered one of the Imperials grabbing her arms - startling her slightly – and then shouting something. She couldn't remember what he said – now days, she remembered it sounding like a howling pig. All she remembered clearly was lines of yellow teeth and a stubble freckled chin over a fuzzy background of cold wind and white snow. She must have understood, because she remembered saying something back and the Imperial soldier gestured to one of the others where he handed him a cloak and a loaf of bread. He had shoved the items in her arms and went about his way leaving Annie standing in a stupor with a thick fur cloak and a single loaf of bread in her arms.
Shaking her head, Annie waved a hand through her hair and scratched the back of her head to rid the memory from her thoughts and pushed it back where it belonged.
Silently she cursed herself for her withdrawals always brought with them a black mood and black memories. Luckily, her mood will soon be fixed. The Kahjiit Caravan's had made their stop outside of the city walls and Annie had intended to capitalize on the moment. She and Ri'saad have had a long and lasting understanding of one another and Ri'saad was always happy to do business with her.
Currently she and Ri'saad were sitting in his lavishly decorated tent where therein was a considerable collection of valuable curiosities and the carpet on which they sat was so soft and so thick that when she first sat down her butt sank pleasantly into it, as into a bed of moss. It was quiet save for the small sounds of clanking glass as Ri'saad fumbled through a medium sized leather bag and silently mumbled to himself. Annie's head pounded like a drum and she felt a growing impatience but she guarded herself for the Khajiit sitting in front of her has always shown her kindness.
He was generally kind to most he met. His story was long and complicated which his graying hair demonstrated. No one would guess as such. He was a wealthy cat with masterful skill and experience in his trade; but to any who knew him they knew otherwise. He was an outcast even to his own people and when Annie Learned of this she felt for the first time a kindred spirit within another.
"How's business, Ri'saad?" Annie asked so she could distract herself from her aching head.
His ears twitched. He looked up at her, tucked his dreads behind one of his ears while grazing for an answer before peering back down and saying, "Business has been steady." His voice was low and deep much like most male khajiit. It was almost sobering.
"Oh?"
"Yes. The Thieves Guild has been growing as of late and they pay good money for us to transport their wares; just as long as we ensure to pay them their cut of the money which Ri'saad believes is more than fair."
"That surprises me, Ri'saad. With the war and the weather, I would have imagined quite the opposite." Annie started to rub her hands together hard and tightly.
"Aloriander; This One thought you had a little more confidence in us than that. The war is irrelevant to us. We care not for either side and we take care to avoid them – especially the Thalmor. Ri'saad is relieved to see that they still do not march in these parts of Skyrim." There was a great irony in Ri'saad's discontent with the Almeri Dominion. His and Annie's people once fought side by side with one another many centuries ago alongside the Bosmer. But, times were different now. People were more polarized and the Aldmeri Dominion was no longer what it once was.
"Here we go." Ri'saad said as he pulled out three bottles of dark purple liquid from the bag along with one bigger bottle with a liquid of lighter colour inside. "Three bottles of Skooma and a bottle of Sleeping Tree Sap." He sat the bottles close to her and she handed him a small bag of what remained of her money. It wasn't a lot but it was enough to pay for her items.
Ri'saad opened the bag and inspected the contents therein and said, "You know, for an alchemist this one is surprised that you do not make Skooma yourself. It may help your personal economy."
"Try to make Skooma without the proper tools and materials. Let me know how much you make in the end."
Ri'saad chuckled under his breath. "More of your Altmer sarcasm? Or is it the withdrawals talking? I see it is stronger in you than before."
"Doesn't matter."
Sleeping Tree Sap was her poison of choice when she wasn't in a working fit. It helped to lift the weight of her thoughts which in turn made her feel much lighter. She popped the cork to the jar and tipped it over under her finger tip. She placed her finger in her mouth and scrubbed it hard against her gums. She repeated this ritual over and over until she began to feel that which she sought; weightlessness and euphoria. She sat still, leaning back against her hands with her head lifted back and her eyes closed. A smile forced itself upon her for she could not contain it. It just floated into existence. She was well aware that these concoction's influence was physically a bad one but she found it so transcendently stimulating and clarifying for her mind that she cared not for the consequences it could bear on her health.
Ri'saad sat cross legged with an arm over his lap and his hand placed on his knee as he watched this process as he had done times before. He usually never cared for what people chose to do with his Skooma but even he did not use it in the degree that Annie did.
"How are things, Annie?" He asked.
Annie slowly opened her eyes at the question. "Bearable. The Companions have accepted me and I have no intentions of leaving at the present time."
"The Companions have accepted you?" Ri,saad asked and tilted his head to the side. He thought for a moment and shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps this is a blessing for you. Who knows, perhaps you may also find yourself a lover among them." Annie laughed. "Is something funny?"
"Honestly Ri'saad! Me – a lover? Please."
"Yes! You walk your life all alone. It is a life that I myself know well, and one I do not enjoy. I do not see how you do not seek the comforts of another's affections."
"Let me tell you something, my friend." Annie leaned forward and pointed at him. "Love is an infectious thing. I see it as little more than the byproduct of the Black Condition. It has no place in this world. Love – from all that I have observed - can lead people to madness and sorrow. I have seen it happen. I have tested it."
"Are you referring to your incident at the College?"
For a moment Annie was silent. "Annie please, make it stop! I can't tell what is and what isn't anymore!"
"Hardly." Annie said with a bit of embitterment. "To help you further understand." Annie cleared her throat. "My older sister fell victim to this infection called love. She met someone, the courted for a time and they married for the love they claim to have. People cheered and applauded them, but they failed to see what will happen because they are so narrow sighted. Would you like to know what they didn't see?" Ri'saad swiped his hand prompting her to continue. "They failed to see consequences of their love. The things that they would never be able to do. The things that may become of them if some tragedy were to strike. If my sister, my brother-in-law, or their contemptuous son were to suddenly die. The others could go mad with grief. Lose themselves in their misery. All because they decided to fall in love."
"Do you not love your sister?" Annie didn't answer and a frown showed itself on Ri'saad's face. "It is a shame you should think that way. Love can lead to many good roads. Certainly there's someone in the world that you love."
"Ri'saad!" Annie said with a patronizing laugh. "The most desirable man I've ever heard about was a sinister necromancer in the second era who wanted to over throw Molag Bal and remake the world in his image. And, the most winning woman in my mind slaughtered her own children by the commands of an entity most enigmatic."
Through hardened brows Ri'saad looked at her. From the day he first met Annie years ago he had always thought that she was a strange one, even for an Altmer, and this only strengthened his conviction. "On this – This One believes we will have to agree to disagree. Now then; will there be anything else?"
"No, that is all." Annie said as she grabbed her newly acquired goods and packed them in her satchel. "See you around, Ri'saad." She leaned forward and gave him a small kiss on the cheek.
"To you as well, old friend."
In juxtaposition to the last few weeks that day stood out. Blue skies greeted Annie as she stepped out from Ri'saad's tent and puffy clouds casted shadows across the land. The air was still yet still very chilly. Snow crunched beneath her boots with each step and she could see her breath with each exhalation. Sunlight reflected from the snow covered walls and buildings of the city and it was almost blinding. Her headache had subsided to a faint, dull throb and so the sunlight was tolerable.
She wasn't yet able to tolerate people as of yet and wanted to do nothing more than to lay in her bed and wait for noon. Kids ran to and from across the streets of Whiterun, playing their games and throwing snowballs whilst making sure not to hit any passersby who may be unfortunate enough to catch a feisty snowball to the face. The market place was not the busiest that Annie could expect of it, but the citizens of the city walked around dressed in their warm winter clothes crowding the city streets a bit more than she would have liked.
Her movements were slow yet controlled. In her euphoric bliss she found it easy to navigate through the crowds of people like a dancer in a stage play. She could still feel the trailing of eyes across her being as she walked. A High Elf in Whiterun was certainly a sight to behold to these Nords. None said anything to her, and Annie believed it was mostly out of fear. By now, the whole city knew of the Altmer mage that had gone into their city and Nords were very suspicious of magic. Annie (for the most part) was content with this.
She was at the front doors of Jorrvaskr and she pushed them open where therein she found them gathered around in the main hall. In the center of all the commotion there stood a man, dressed in the same kind of armor that Kodlak and Vilkas wore. Annie placed him in his late forties, for his hair was grayed and his hairline had greatly receded, yet he sported a small pony tail in the back. His face was strong and showed a modicum of youth left within the warrior. He took notice of Annie walking into Jorrvaskr and Annie then saw his left eye was but a milky white void where a scar crossed over his brow and down his cheek.
Standing next to the scarred warrior was a young, beautiful, red headed, Nord woman who looked no older or younger than Annie which to her placed this woman in her early thirties. Her armor was not meant for close range and allowed more freedom of movement. Tone and definition showed on the woman's arms and her legs which Annie felt alluring.
"Was the bear really that huge?"
"How did you kill it?"
"By the Gods, I wish I was there!"
The obtrusive assault of questions and comments did not deter the two. Instead they relished them for they smiled and answered with egocentric enthusiasm. What the others failed to see that was very obvious to Annie was the way these to fighters looked at one another. Quick as they were with mastered subtly; they were not enough to keep Annie from seeing that these two were indeed lovers. More victims of the Black Condition.
"Annie!" Ria shouted. She ran over to her, grabbed her hand and excitedly said, "You have to meet Skjor and Aela!" Ria dragged Annie to the rest of the group. Skjor and Aela scrutinized the elf as she sneered at Ria and straightened out her clothes, though Ria didn't notice.
"So," Aela started. "you're the new comer I've heard."
"That should be the conclusion. When you left all was the same; then you come back to see an unfamiliar face."
"Bold words. Just like Vilkas said!" Skjor laughed.
"Vilkas mentioned me, did he?"
"Certainly did." Aela replied. "The moment we stepped foot inside he told us a little of you. It's good to see your face healed up nicely. It's hardly noticeable."
Annie rolled her eyes. "Yes, well it comes as no surprise to me that he should bring me up. He appears to have a habit of doing that. But, alas there are no secrets that can hide that I will not find."
"Is that a fact?" Aela asked crossing her arms with a smirk.
"Indeed." Annie responded whilst giving Aela a sharp stare that made her feel uncomfortable. Aela felt exposed – open.
"Well I hope you can fight as well as you boast." Skjor injected. "I am interested to see just what you can do."
"Many things, but that is a whole other matter. Now, if you'll pardon me – I have an outing with Farkas here in a little bit and must change into something cleaner."
"Then please, do not let us keep you." Aela said politely.
Annie walked away towards the stairs and into the lower level. When she reached the room where she and the other 'whelps' slept she was pleased to see it was only her and locked the door behind her so she could not be interrupted.
She never bothered to find any storage space for any of her belongings and instead elected to live out of her satchel. She dropped it on her bed and rummaged through it until she found the outfit that she would be wearing for the occasion. It was much like the one she was already wearing but this one was made out of silk with a fantastic dark shade of purple. She also had a pair of dark leather boots to match it that were rolled up inside of her satchel. She did enjoy matching.
She set her outfit on her bed and began to undress. She started with her boots. She sat down, untied them and sat them next to her bed after she removed them. She rubbed both of her feet briefly before standing back up to remove her robes. When she was standing in only her smalls she opened her satchel up to place her old outfit inside of it but before she could she saw the Skooma and Sleeping Tree Sap inside.
Slowly she placed her cloths on the bed next to the ones she was going to change into and grabbed a vile of Skooma from her Satchel. She turned it over in her hand and stared at it in contemplation. In all of her years as a user and as an alchemist she had never done Sleeping Tree Sap and Skooma at the same time. Annie wondered at the prospects of such a mix and made a decision. She undid the cork and administered the drug in the exact same fashion as she did with the Sleeping Tree Sap then continued to change.
Farkas was in his room going through his wardrobe. Vilkas was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed in a gruff manner.
"Brother. You are not into her are you?" Vilkas asked.
"No." He answered while removing his armour. "We're friends." That did little to alleviate the worry in Vilkas's mind.
"Just be cautious." Farkas did not say anything as he continued changing. Vilkas stood up from the wall and paced back and forth. "I have a bad feeling about her brother. I feel like there is something very chaotic and dark within her."
"Don't worry. It's probably nothing."
A knock came from outside of Farkas's door. Farkas sniffed the air and told them to come in. Kodlak entered slowly and peaked through. He looked back and forth between Farkas and Vilkas before entering then closed the door. "Going out, Farkas?"
"Lunch with Annie."
"Good, good. Good to see someone's warming up to her." Kodlak finished with a smile. "Anyway, I came in here to tell you guys that we may have a job coming up soon." Vilkas perked up in anticipation but Kodlak raised his hand before he could say anything. "Hold on son. I still do not have all of the details I need and this seems to be a very sensitive matter. Politically speaking. And, I believe that we still have a member among us who still has yet to prove to us that she can stand by with us."
Vilkas slumped his shoulders in disappointment for he understood very well of the circumstances that pervaded them. "Don't worry, son." Kodlak slapped his hand on Vilkas's shoulder. "If we do take this job, I think you should go with Annie. You've been cooped up in here for weeks and I know your itching for work." Kodlak smirked then nodded.
"Thank you, Harbinger!" Vilkas said. Kodlak was on his way out of the room when Vilkas asked, "If I may, Kodlak? What makes this job so sensitive as you put it."
Kodlak stopped just by the door. He tried to think of an easy way to answer but none came to mind. "Well, the particulars of this job is that the antagonists are the Aldmeri Dominion."
I would like to comment that I think this sight needs a better system for messaging readers. I would have liked to keep those of you who like this story in the loop about its status when I am not writing but having to go through each individual person would be to tedious in my opinion.
Anyway. This is where I leave you for now and I will be back with chapter 5.
