I was able to steal a few hours of sleep before the Khajiit knight roused me and pulled from her wagon. I don't appreciate being manhandled-especially with my shirt still ripped-but I don't say anything as I'm led around the wagon and forced up onto the driver's seat. The Khajiit's horses have their noses nearly touching the ground with thick, white foam covering their quivering flanks. I cringe in pity for them as their mistress cracks them both across their already wounded asses. Though, I don't dare speak out against her. Questioning her would only make her begin to question me. Besides, the horses are moving.
They're moving extremely slowly, but they're still moving. Torches tied to the horses' harnesses and to the side of the wagon give me a good enough idea of where we're located. The caravan has about another half of an hour before we reach where we'll need to turn off into the woods to find the mountain pass to Helgen, so I have some time to talk to the Khajiit and work my way deeper into her circle of trust.
"How did Nair react to you commanding everyone to continue?". I glance over and see her scowling face cast in deep shadows as an even deeper frown forms on her face. Her voice is rough, but quieter than I've ever heard it as she speaks.
"He was less than happy, but he knows his place. He won't question me again.". Her hands clench into fists as she speaks and, quickly, I glance down and steal a peek at him. The claws of her left hand are scarlet and I'm going to take a guess and assume she can't retract them anymore. I've never been around many Khajiit, but I recall how the innkeeper at The Bee and Barb once got her claws stuck in a customer who didn't want to pay. I also remember cackling as her husband had to fix it for her. I've been on a winning streak all night, so one more bet can't hurt.
"I can fix your claws if you'd like.". For about five minutes I just continue driving the horses without a response from the Khajiit. Then, her bloody hand appears in front of my face without warning. My hands jerk and the horses nearly stop. I snap their reins once to get them moving again before shoving the reins underneath my thighs to keep the pressure on them and encourage them to keep going.
The woman hisses as I do my best to mimic what I once saw the barkeeper do. I place my fingers underneath her palms and dig my thumbs into the middle of the back of her hand. My stomach heaves as I feel the bones in her hand. About halfway down the length of her hand is when the bones stop and I feel the bumps that must be the end of her claws. I hold my breath as I dig my thumbs into two of the bumps and do my best to pull them back down the length of her hand.
Sickeningly, I feel her bones beginning to move and her muscles parting. The tension throughout her muscles attests to what caused her hand to become stuck in its current position. The woman lets out a deep, low moan as I move her pointer and little finger back into their respective places. I nearly gag as I put her middle and ring finger back, but hold it in to keep up the illusion of truly wanting to help her. Finally, I bring my thumbs down to her wrist, go up a little, and fish around until I feel the bump where her thumb is. This bone's more stubborn and I hear a screech of bone scrapping against bone as I forcibly pull it back into place. All the while the Khajiit knight moans and hisses quietly under her breath.
Finally, her thumb pops back into place and her hand is soaked in blood, but back to normal. Instantly, she jerks her hand back and I try to take the reins without glaring at her. The woman's extremely self-centered, but a "thank you" every once in a while wouldn't kill her. Shockingly, the woman seems to be able to read my mind. Her voice is softer than ever and the wind nearly drowns in out, though that doesn't stop me from hearing it.
"Thank you.". I spare her a glance and see the woman flicking her wrist and rubbing her hand.
Poor sap. Probably didn't feel too good to have her claws stuck out like that. I know it took the barkeeper almost a month before she was using her hand again.
Thankfully, her wrists looks fine because she keeps playing with it. Briefly, my attention is forced to turn back to the road as we finally reach where we need to turn. The Khajiit hisses for some reason as I sharply turn us into a dirt path that almost nobody would be able to spot without knowing it was there. A tightness in my chest disappears as we leave the road where the guards travel and finally enter the woods where I'm less likely to be found. Then, my attention returns to the Khajiit as she digs around underneath her seat. Once again, the knight shows how arrogant and self-centered she is. A package of loose leaf tobacco along with some sort of leaf is in the woman's hands when she sits back up.
The Codes of the Nine-or I suppose Eight now-doesn't prohibit smoking directly, but almost every priest has taken certain scriptures and codes to apply to smoking indirectly. Yet the knight who's been entrusted with leading this mission is currently pouring some tobacco onto the leaf and rolling it as tightly as she can. I barely manage to look away in time as the woman casts a glance my way while putting up her supplies. A flick of her uninjured wrist is all it takes to summon a flame to her thumb.
Well, that's useful.
It's always good to know that the woman I plan on robbing has at least some training in magic. Enough to cast a weak flame, at least. The woman presses the tobacco-filled leaf to her lips and presses the flame to the end. My personal space is invaded by smoke as she sucks in as deeply as possible before snorting the smoke out her nose like a dragon. The knight spreads her legs as far apart as possible and lounges back in her seat. One clawed hand invades my space as she stretches her arms out along the length of the bench we're sitting on.
Her tail thumps rhythmically against the seat as she holds her burning leaf between her lips and continues puffing away like a dragon. All I can do is curl my nose at the stench and focus on the slowly stumbling horses that're doing their best to drag us up the incline. I can't ignore the smoke forever, though. My throat is beginning to burn and the smell is working its way into my clothes. For a while, I was fine basking in the irony of her decision, but now I need to get her to take a breath of clean air instead of smoke. Doing that will be easiest if I get her to talking.
"We're almost to the pass.". She grunts and turns her head to the side of the wagon. Her words are muffled by the stick in her mouth.
"Figure that's why we're starting to go upwards.". Clearly, that's not going to cut it. It was just an introduction to get her to start talking about something she won't be able to resist.
"Are you certain Nair knew about this pass?". Someone else wouldn't dare to bring Nair up for fear of pushing the Khajiit to trust him again. I already know enough about her to know that she won't trust Nair with anything ever again. Sure enough, I'm right. The woman tosses her leaf away and leans forward until she's slouched with her elbows against her knees and her head dangling between them.
"Nair had to have. He's been trying to get me to fuck up since the second we left Kvatch.". She snorts and looks up to where her horses are barely chugging along. She pushes herself up and grabs her whip from beneath her seat. The woman begins beating her animals senseless without any real reason as she vents her rage. I bite my lip as she practically snarls her rage to me.
"But I won't let him. Not this time.". I feel an odd amount of joy fill my chest as I gather another piece of the puzzle that is this Khajiit woman. Her brother's either tried or succeeded in sabotaging her on a previous mission. Everything just keeps getting easier and easier. At least, they were until the woman finally stops beating her horses and looking at me.
"Sapphire?". For a moment I forget that I told her my name was Sapphire and don't respond. Thankfully, I remember quickly enough that it doesn't seem weird when I finally respond.
"Yes?". The woman's ears flatten and she begins eyeing me.
"Why are you here?".
Well, shit.
I knew she'd wise up sooner or later, but I'd been hoping for the later once I'd had the time to come up with a convincing lie. Sadly, the only thing I've got in my arsenal is to stick to my guns and hope a way out comes to me.
"I already told you that. I came to spend time around my hero and, now that I see you need my help, I plan on staying to help your mission go smoothly.". I'm not exactly sure if her mission is purely to travel from city to city to gain recruits. In fact, I actually doubt it's that. The Knights of the Eight usually disguise their true motives from the public. Still, saying I'll help her go from city to city will help the woman in some way, so that's all I'll need to say in order for her to believe I'm helping her. The knight seems to swallow my lie, but takes the conversation in a different direction.
"What do you plan on doing once our mission is over?". The "our" part is nice since it shows she's beginning to include me in her plans. However, I need to do my best to make her believe I intend on staying in order to gain even more of her trust. The more she trusts me the closer I can get to her. The closer I can get to her the shorter the length of my knife will need to be.
"I don't really know. I was a mercenary before I became a jester because of the pay, but I don't want to be either when this is done. Maybe I'll stick around and help you out.". A tremendously beneficial, if not equally dangerous, opportunity presents itself to me. The Khahiit keeps eyeing me as she asks me a question that could be her downfall.
"You know, I've had a few squires in my time. Sadly, all of them were either killed by their incompetence or my own sword. Almost everyone from every background has been in my service: I've taken on noble sons to bandits and everything in between; I've taken on Orcs and Khajiit and Nords and Altmer; and I've taken on dueling masters and boys who could barely lift an ax. A mercenary turned jester is new, but not the oddest thing I've trained. How'd you like to be taken under the wing of one of the best knights ever born?". I barely manage to keep from smiling as I answer. Instead, I focus on leading us up the trail as I seal the Khajiit's doom.
"I'd be honored.".