Blindness

A collaborative effort by author's Deunan and Hawkings.

S'rah Calim.

~~~~*~~~~

Two months later...

"Thank you Domar, thank you Aquila." Xochi said leaving Nero's sister's and husband's home.
"See you tonight Xochi!" Aquila said back before Domar closed the door.

Xochi threw her bag around her shoulder and headed into the abandoned house which she once again headed upstairs and placed another new gem, polished and cut Xochi admired it's perfectness for a few moments before turning into her dresser which was dusted off, painted and now shines like new.

She pulled out a gown, a black with red wraps around it, which she instantly changed into.

The woman who watched her everyday she was in Cheydinhal averted her eyes to give privacy, and guessing when done she watched Xochi admire the long dress, although a little tighter then her regular wear Xochi didn't care and the cat woman on the stairs loved her in it, to her it fit Xochi like a glove.

Xochi put a few jeweleries on and then attempted to brush her hair into her normal formal style, but continued failing.

"Hee hee." The cat woman giggled on the stair case at every time Xochi failed to put her hair up, or when she did get it up it looked like a mess.

She watched closely until the door downstairs opened up and she immediately turned her attention to an armored man walking in.
"Oh shoot!" She couldn't walk upstairs or downstairs without being caught.
"Why didn't I ever pay attention to the mages?!" She tried to cast a chameleon spell when Nero caught sight of her.

"Hey! Stop there!" He pulled out his sword and ran to the stairs pointing his blade at her.

Xochi shot up and noticed the cat on the stairs.
"Nero!"
"I got her." Nero said slowly following the woman up the stairs when she backed up and fell into a barrel.

Nero only held his sword out while Xochi ran over to the woman.
"Who are you? Why are you here? Why were you spying on her!?" Nero practically roared at her.
"I am S'rah Calim! I... I come here a lot, one day I found things in the attic and then the next day I saw a woman placing things here... I didn't mean to pry! I'm sorry!" She held her hands up out of the barrel to hope Nero would calm down.

"Liar! You're one of them aren't you! Hunting Xochi relentlessly! You must be dealt with!" Xochi rushed up to Nero just as he lifted his blade and she held the hand that carried his sword.
"Nero! Calm yourself! How do you know what she speaks is a lie?" She asked.
"Because of how many people hunt you! What is the coincidence that this one woman is spying on you?"
Xochi made a 'you-really-can't-guess' face while gesturing to her appearance.
"Yeah... well, how do you know she's isn't lying?" He replied.
"Because there are no Khajiit's where I come from." She smirked.
Nero simply let out a hmpf.

He sheathed his sword and helped S'rah out.
"So, S'rah right? I'm Nero." S'rah smiled. "I know, I've seen you with Xochiquetzal before when she first showed you her hideout. Cool huh?" S'rah made a show off pose.
"Good to see you know us, fan much?" Nero grinned.
"This Hunter is so much! I love watching you and Xochi, it's one of the most fun things I can do... but Xochiquetzal doesn't come very often so I'm usually stuck doing quests for the-" S'rah covered her own mouth.
"For the?... Who?" Nero once more grabbed his sword handle.
"I can't tell you, sorry... It's not the guys Aidan was with though, I promise!" She tried to defend herself.
"How do you know about Aidan?" Xochi asked.
"Remember, I've been watching you for some time, I'm not def, I've tried to keep my own eyes out for suspicious characters too just for your sake, poor gal, you're a straight from heaven gal. You really are, just the nicest gal I've seen around and I'd like you to stay around too you know." She explained.
"Oh... you're almost the millionth person who's said that, I can't assume their all lying too so... Glad to meet you Miss or Mrs. Calim." Xochi bowed.
"Just S'rah please, I'm certainly not as good of a person as you Xochiquetzal, no need for pleasantries to me for sure." S'rah giggled and rolled her eyes.
"I don't like to assume bad things about people unlike some people." Xochi pushed on Nero's arm.

"Alright S'rah, I don't trust you but you can hang around until I decide if I like you or not. Don't try anything, got it?" Nero growled.
"Got it, got it... Sorry to intrude on you like this, but I never get to do anything fun... Ever." S'rah sighed.
"It's okay! No damage done... Hey! We're going to dinner tonight with Nero's sister and her husband, want to come with us? Nero's wife and son will be there, then you can meet us all!" Xochi lit up.
"Chanda and Luka? Almost too hard to resist, but I must. I have a job to do tonight, I don't have the time tonight, maybe some other time?" S'rah smiled.
"What kind of a job?" Nero asked just as soon as she finished.
"A private one, my... boss you see, he's a very quiet man who pays folk to do things, like clean out caves to get alchemy ingredients, that sorta stuff, not to say this Hunter hasn't seen battle before... I have seen things, trust me, but I am not one hunter who hunts this prey. So worry not." She bowed as she regained herself.

"Fine then, Xochi we need to get ready, Chanda and Luka will be waiting for us at Aquila's." Nero said and turned to Xochi who nodded and spun around.
"All that needs to be done is my hair... It's a mess." Xochi ran her fingers through her hair.

"I can fix that!" S'rah jumped and pulled Xochi over to the mirror and sat her down.

S'rah grabbed a brush, a comb, a perfume and a few hair pins and began brushing and carefully placing each strand of hair until finally it reached a court style appearance.
He hair was done in such a way so as to compliment the true length of her hair... which was abnormally long.

"Xochi, we're late as it is. Leave it be and we'll go." Nero insisted as Xochi added a jeweled head pin.

He gently, but still pulling, Xochi up and down the stairs. "We can't be late, Chanda will kill me if we're late." Nero brushed Xochi off as S'rah followed close behind.

"Thank you S'rah!" Xochi was thrilled.
"No problem, I've always wanted an excuse to dress up, but It's just not me, might as well help you though. Go now! Nero's impatient." S'rah patted her off out the door.

"Nice lady... Snarling friend though..." S'rah shrugged it off.

S'rah walked into the basement, the dark, damp, dusty basement would give anyone the chills, but she walked right on through, like nothing was wrong.

She came to a tunnel, dug out years ago and walked through it, she faced a large red door and opened it.
Inside was many people, a variety of races as well, S'rah passed them all by and headed into the farthest room where she came face to face with both her current contractor and their Listener.

"Honored Listener... What brings you here?" She slightly bowed her head.
"Nothing of importance Calim, simple business is all." The man, hood down now, offered S'rah a seat, which she accepted.

"I have another contract Calim, interested in it now?" Her contractor offered before sipping his drink which was unknown the contents of it but S'rah was to believe it's blood.
"I am, I even turned down a night out with a friend, so this better be worth it!" She laughed, in return so did her contractor.
"It is, I promise. It will, however, take all night." He gave her another chance to deny it.
"Sounds like you know something I don't Valtieri." She grinned.
"This is exactly your kind of thing Calim, a number of people are going to a house tonight in Skingrad, near your home I presume." He smirked.
"Don't go following me back home again Vincent, I'll start thinking you are out to me for more then a little curiosity you old vampire." She joked.
Valtieri simply shook his head a chuckled. "It's in the tenet's though, no killing other members."
"Don't lie to me Vincent, I know you don't have to kill a target in order to drink from them!" S'rah laughed harder.

"Ahem." The Listener sat in place, grinning at the friendly display of connection the two members have built in such a short period of time.
"Yes, well, you will go there and supposedly take part in searching for this chest of gold." Valtieri said.
"Chest of gold? Hell I want that..." S'rah fake pouted. "It doesn't exist." The Listener replied first. "I realize that honored Listener." S'rah rolled her eyes.
"However, you are really there to eliminate all of it's attender's." He explained. "As I figured so."
"It pays well, it pays more if you do it without being caught by the treasure seekers." He grinned.
"Ooo, challenging. I'll be back at midnight to collect my reward and my extra reward for doing it flawlessly." S'rah stood.

"See you tomorrow Valtieri. Good... month Listener?" S'rah laughed, knowing that Lucien just about never appears anymore.
"Goodnight." The Listener said and politely bowed his head. "See you tomorrow Calim!" Valtieri called as she headed through the halls.

S'rah hopped up the stairs and after gathering her equipment from her chest in the sleeping quarters she left wearing, instead of her shrouded armor, she wore a huntsman's outfit.

As she left the Sanctuary she took a deep breath of fresh air before her journey when she noticed Nero and S'rah through a window with other folk.
She smiled giggled as she watched the families laugh and joke.

"What is more wondrous then a family?" S'rah grinned sadly and walked on.

All the way she thought of Xochi and Nero, Chanda and Luka, their adventures may require the aid of a heroine? Maybe?
She was sure, that through everything they'd be fine, Nero's an Imperial Guard after all, he'll get the legion out here to save Xochi if he must.