Phew! What a chapter. I wrote this over the span of a week and finally finished it up over my lunch today. And now I'm forcing myself to take a break at work to post it. I had fun with this one…I really did. I don't know if my muse has returned to me, but let's face it. Something good is going on when I start getting all geographical. Yeah, the nerd inside really got out of me in this one.

Geographers FTW.

No? Just me? :p

Anyhow, I had a little help from a Khajiit expert to make sure I was on the straight and narrow where writing for the charming Kharjo was concerned. So thanks johmatmarkun. Sehr geschätzt.

Oh, and one last thing. If you've been enjoying Girl with the Voice, you might be interested in my new side project, aptly titled Girl with the Voice: In Her Own Words. It is intended as something to keep me writing, even if it's in little bits and pieces. They are responses to prompts from Marieka's perspective. So check it out if you haven't. Cuz I mean, if I don't toot my own horn, who's gonna do it for me, huh?

Hope you enjoy.

Kharjo

Ahkari's caravan rarely deviated from its path. Still, when the Khajiit's finds called for it, changes in schedule were made. When they had stopped in Riften, she came to acquire a large supply of both moon sugar and skooma. Kharjo did not question her – times were tough, and despite her vocal opposition to being dubbed a smuggler, he also knew she had a head for business. She'd not turn away the opportunity to make some coin by delivering a shipment to her contacts in Dawnstar. The recent business with the nightmares had ended, and there were more than a few miners and dockworkers who were once again interested in a more hallucinogenic lifestyle.

It was therefore not surprising that they had all found themselves returning directly to the northern settlement from Riften. It was never smart to travel needlessly with such goods in tow.

When they arrived at the outskirts of Dawnstar, Kharjo helped his mates in the caravan set up for the coming days. As he carried several crates of supplies back and forth between their cart and Ahkari's tent, he heard a familiar voice.

"Just the Khajiit I was looking for."

He spun around to see Marieka leaning lazily against the trunk of a dying tree.

"Ah, Marieka," he replied. "You've returned to Dawnstar so soon. We were not expecting to see your face again this quickly."

She stepped away from the tree and approached him.

"To tell the truth, I didn't think I would have run into you either," she admitted. "But the business at the College – and what followed – took much less time than I suspected it would. I thought I'd chance finding you again here."

"You…were looking for us?"

She shook her head. "No," she replied. "Just you."

She held out her hand and opened it up in front of him. As his eyes fell upon what she carried, he gasped.

"My…amulet," he exclaimed. "You found my Moon Amulet."

"That I did, Kharjo," she said, smiling. She quickly looked down and kicked at the dirt. "I also want to apologize for the way we parted. I…had no idea who you were when Brynjolf and I left Dawnstar last."

"Ah. I suspected as much," he said, chuckling. "Khajiit would have been shocked had you recovered so quickly from the skooma."

"Never again will I let anyone – Brynjolf included – talk me into partaking in such a thing," she said.

"Speaking of Brynjolf…he is not with you?"

She shook her head. "I could not bring him where I need to go. It is more danger than I could ask him to submit himself too."

"But then you should not go alone," he suggested.

"I do what I must, Kharjo," she replied. "And now that I have returned your amulet to you, I should be on my way."

He scratched at his chin for a moment. "Marieka, you should wait here for a moment. Khajiit must speak to Ahkari."

She shrugged as he approached her tent and entered slowly.

Ahkari was crouched over a chest, organizing some of her wares prior to the caravan's opening that day. She looked up at him when he entered.

"Ah, Kharjo," she said. "You have been a great help today, as you always are."

He nodded his appreciation for her words. "I have a wonder, Ahkari."

"Of course," she said. "Do tell."

"The Breton, Marieka, has returned to us. She retrieved my Moon Amulet," he said. "I feel I must…perhaps…offer her my help."

"You are still indebted to me, Khajiit," she reminded him.

"I understand," he said, ready to turn to leave.

"But," she continued, "that is not to say the girl does not require your assistance. Go. Help her where you can, and return to us when you have completed her task. Dro'marash will be enough to guard us while we travel. We shall not yet again have such cargo to transport for some time. But hurry back to us Kharjo."

He nodded. "Of course. I shall return as soon as she no longer has need for my help." He nodded briefly at her and hurried back to where Marieka stood.

She looked at him expectantly when he returned.

"It is settled then."

She cocked her head to the side. "What is settled?"

"Khajiit will travel with you and aid you in your tasks."

"Wait," she said. "You? You will travel with me?"

He nodded.

"But…wait. Are you sure?" Her eyes were wide – so much so that it made him chuckle to himself.

"Of course," he replied. "You assisted me without question. It is only right that I return the favour."

She smiled widely at him. "I…thank you, Kharjo. Though, I wouldn't feel right accepting your help. It will be a very dangerous task. I…could not ask you to come along."

"And you did not ask. I am telling you that I will come along," he corrected. "Come. Let us be on our way before the winds change and the snows blow."

"Well…since you insist."

He quickly gathered his meager belongings and prepared himself for their journey. He bid his companions farewell and advised them he would return in time. They wished the pair well in the task that lie before them before they departed.

As they set off, Kharjo asked Marieka where they were to head. She explained that they were hunting for one of the legendary Elder Scrolls – a revelation that made his tail twitch. They would seek out the Dwemer ruins at Alftand which would allow her to find the even deeper ruins of Blackreach. Somewhere within those ruins, she would be able to make use of some very odd items – a strangely carved sphere of Dwemer origin and a cube she described as a 'lexicon', that she had obtained from a 'madman buried away in the glacial islands in the north'. Both items would assist her – one would open the way to Blackreach and the other would gain access to the Elder Scroll itself. She knew less than she wanted to about both of the pieces she carried; and even less about the ruins of Blackreach and Alftand that she was required to travel to. Yet it did not dissuade her from continuing on in her journey – something that allowed Kharjo to see her determination.

Their travels were filled with light conversation. Stories of Kharjo's past in Elsweyr; tales of Marieka's adventures in Skyrim, and some from back in High Rock. But as the weather turned harsh, their conversation stalled and they expended most of their energy on simply putting one foot in front of the other. When they were almost halfway between Dawnstar and Winterhold, they turned south. The ruins of Alftand were apparently easy to spot, yet Marieka was uncertain on account of the weather they found themselves in. The snows were relentless; the wind whipping up whirlwinds of flurries. The journey took twice as long as it should have, but they eventually arrived at the surface of the Dwemer remains.

The task of finding the entrance proved even more arduous than it was to travel to the site in the first place. They examined the towers that stuck out of the ice. They searched through the temporary structures that seemed to belong to a team that appeared to be trying to excavate the ruins. After much exploration, the pair finally stumbled upon an entrance to the ruins that seemed accessible.

"I'm exhausted, Kharjo," Marieka exclaimed. "Should we rest for some time before moving on?"

"Perhaps we shall have a look around here first. See if we are safe, no?"

She nodded in agreement and they investigated the area briefly before declaring it safe enough.

They settled on to the floor of the corridor they stood in, slightly in the shadow of a large column. She reached around in her pack and found some bread and cheese to share. Kharjo took the food graciously and they chewed in silence for a few moments, before Marieka broke it.

"How long have you worked with Ahkari?"

"For."

"Pardon?"

"I work for Ahkari."

She scrunched her face at his words. "Is there that much of a difference?"

"I owe a great debt to Ahkari," he explained.

A short time passed again in silence.

"I don't mean to pry, but my curiosity will get the better of me eventually," she said.

"It is fine," he replied. "Perhaps my story will help you in the future. You see, while I did live much of my life in Elsweyr, where the air is warm and the sands even warmer, these recent years have seen Khajiit travelling outside of my home. Eventually my paths led me to Cyrodiil, which is not such a terrible thing, but…"

As he trailed off, she looked over at him. "What happened in Cyrodiil?"

"Ah," he began, "the same fate that has befallen all who are careless in their travels. The lure of drink and coin is strong over some of us. And when they are intertwined, Khajiit falls on hard times. Harder than he should."

"Did you lose everything, Kharjo?" He couldn't help but notice the concern on her face was genuine.

"Worse than that, perhaps," he replied. "I was thrown into prison by the guards. Spent days…no…weeks in a cell. They barely brought food and water to sustain me. After all, I was just a drunken thief who lost all his coin in a misplaced bet, no?" He looked away from her, humiliated over his story.

She shook her head. "Kharjo, do not feel ashamed. We all have weak moments. We have times where we just…don't make the right choices. Or the right decisions. I have plenty of them myself. It's what we choose to do with the experience that makes us better or worse. But, you did say that you owed Ahkari a debt. What did you mean?"

"Ahkari freed me from the prison," he explained. "She took me on to guard her in her travels. And her travels took us from the tolerable climate of Cyrodiil to the insufferable land of Skyrim."

"I can certainly agree with that, my friend," she said with a smile. "The weather here is…less than desirable."

He smiled weakly back at her. "And now I am indebted to you as well, Marieka."

She shook her head. "Not at all Kharjo. Had I known that you felt that way, I'd not have allowed you to come."

"Nonsense," he replied quickly. "You have been nothing but kind to me. To the caravan. I could not allow you to make this journey on your own."

"And for that, I am truly grateful," she said, squeezing his hand.

He yawned as he looked over at her. "Perhaps we should rest while we can."

She nodded. And before he realized it had happened, his eyes closed and he fell into slumber.

Kharjo heard Marieka gasp as the doors from the mechanized lift opened.

The two had traversed through the seemingly never-ending corridors and caverns the made up Alftand's upper levels. The Dwemer ruin hid many dangers – skooma-addicted Khajiit gone insane, the now-hideous monstrosities known as the Falmer, and the leaders of the team set to excavate the ruins, driven mad with greed; their bodies lying dead in the cathedral above.

But for all the chaos the upper levels wrought, it could not have prepared him for the sight in front of him. As he stepped out towards the darkness, his eyes quickly adjusted to the low light. A more magnificent vision he'd never thought to behold.

"Do my eyes deceive me?" she whispered beside him.

He could not respond – merely shook his head.

In the darkness…in the beyond, was Blackreach. The ancient cavern that stretched as far as the eye could see, and continued ever further. An otherworldly glow encompassed the entirety of the landscape, unmistakably emanating from the large – no…colossal – glowing mushrooms that gave the impression that they floated in mid-air. Strands of vines dangled from the mushrooms, swaying gracefully under the influence of the unfamiliar air currents that travelled throughout the massive expanse.

Marieka began to walk towards a short wall that bordered the level upon which they stood; her mouth was agape and her mind was not on her surroundings. Kharjo immediately reached out and placed a hand upon her shoulder, halting her progress.

"Perhaps you should not be so obvious with your movements," he advised, motioning to figures on the levels below.

She looked towards the lower ground and nodded. "Forgive me, Kharjo. My mind is not at its best right now." Her eyes narrowed as she continued to look at the figures wandering. "More Falmer. They won't see us, but if we're not quiet as we continue forward, they'll become a great concern to our progress."

"Allow me," he said, pulling the bow from his back. With arrow in hand, he knelt down behind the stone wall and eyed three Falmer targets below. They were far enough from the others that a quick shot on each wouldn't attract the others' attention. He breathed deeply as he settled into a full draw. As he stabilized himself, preparing to loose the arrow, he observed the Falmer's pattern; several steps, a pause…several steps, a pause… When he felt confident in his target's break in movement, he loosened the grip of his fingertips into a dead release and the arrow sailed through the air. Several seconds passed before the two witnessed the results of his efforts – the arrow struck the creature in the centre of its head, sending him faltering to the ground in a heap.

He repeated the technique on the other two Falmer, having some trouble with the third. His arrow struck its shoulder, spinning the creature around but barely phasing it. The blind elf began a half crawling stumble towards the steps that led to Kharjo's position. However, its progress was stunted as the Khajiit barely caught the shadow of Marieka as she hopped over the barrier and scrambled down the embankment to stab the Falmer in its neck with her blade. It dropped in front of her and she turned to face him, signaling that he should join her. He smiled to himself, pleased that she had the capacity to watch his back, just as he would do for her.

The pair continued to slink through the darkened expanse, slipping through the shadows to avoid the dangers of the place. Yet, for all the peril lurking at every turn, it was countered by unmentionable beauty. The architecture – so clearly Dwemer and magnificent to behold – stretched across the landscape. The expanse made it unlike any other cave system Kharjo had seen before – not as though he had made it a habit of exploring the underground cracks and crevices Skyrim offered. Despite the intervention of the Dwemer, who cleared vast areas of bedrock to construct the tremendous city, the landscape remained distinctively karst. Glowing geodes of incredible size stuck out from the ground or rested upon it, evidence of collapses from the cavern ceiling. Any stalagmites that might have existed at one time or another had been cleared to smooth out the rock floor. The rock cleared away had almost certainly been used to construct the monstrous buildings throughout for not a bit of it was left behind.

Occasionally they heard a strange song as they walked. It was familiar, but neither could place it. It began to drive the girl crazy, and she hurried up an embankment towards the sound. When she stood at the top, she spun back towards the Khajiit and signaled for him to approach. When he reached her, he saw the source of the noise – a nirnroot, yet glowing red rather than the typical blue glow of its surficial cousin. There was beauty in all these things they discovered in the underground and a strange sense of calm settled over him for a moment. At least it did until his eyes were drawn to the horizon.

In the distance, Kharjo's eyes were drawn to a glowing orb, suspended high above a landing amidst an area densely populated with buildings. Something about it felt off…wrong. He stared at it for a short time before bringing Marieka's attention to it.

"What do you suppose that it?" he asked as he pointed it out.

She squinted at it, unable to recognize anything further than a ball of light in the sky. "Not sure," she replied in a whisper. "But it's far too bright and I'd rather not have the attention drawn to us."

She was right of course. And he was thankful for her willingness to avoid it. Even in the darkness, they were attacked by Falmer with their razor-sharp senses and their pets, the chaurus. Both proved deadly when an opponent was caught off guard – they likely would have overwhelmed Marieka had she been on her own. Yet Kharjo's eyesight demonstrated its worth as he often saw their enemies before they discovered him. Even when he sensed them at the last possible moment, it still gave him an advantage over them, and he would immediately draw his sword, slicing and thrusting it at them until they lie dead at their feet.

Marieka refused to use her strength – her magic – while they crept throughout Blackreach. It would have drawn far too much attention to the pair, and Kharjo agreed. There were so many hidden threats; to blatantly shoot fire and ice and electrical current from one's own fingertips was to invite the threat to immediate confrontation. They'd have been surrounded in a heartbeat.

Yet the slow and steady pace with which they moved through the cavern was considerably effective. Before they'd even realized it, they were past the large glowing orb and could hear water rushing in the distance. They followed the sound, walking a great distance until they encountered a wide cliff that stretched far. She immediately rushed to the edge and looked over.

"Unbelievable," Marieka said, awestruck.

Kharjo refused to step close to the edge. She looked at him, curiosity upon her face.

"Kharjo, you simply must see this," she advised. "Come here."

He shook his head.

"Why not?"

"These heights make me nervous," he replied.

Her brow furrowed. "You're—?"

"Yes," he replied quickly. "I am aware that I am a Khajiit who is afraid of heights."

She stepped towards him and placed her hand on his arm. "Come," she said. "Take my hand. I refuse to let you leave this place without seeing this sight."

"Marieka, I'd rather not."

"You will not argue with me, Khajiit," she said, a hint of a smile upon her face.

He sighed, placing his hand into hers. He nervously stepped – one very deliberate footstep at a time – towards the edge of the cliff where she led him. He wanted badly to close his eyes, but feared taking a faulty step if he did. The closer they were to the perilous abyss, the tighter his grip became upon her. He saw her grimace, apologizing immediately for squeezing her hand in his too strongly – only to follow by repeating the action with the next step.

Finally, they reached the cliff and he squeezed his eyes shut as they stood still. She looked up at him – even with his eyes closed, he knew she did. He felt her small hand upon his shoulder as she continued to hold his hand in her own. He opened one of his eyes minimally – saw the brilliant smile on her face urging him on – and opened the other eye. Another deep breath.

And another.

Pause.

One more.

And finally, he leaned forward slightly, peering over the edge. The sight he beheld was worth every cautious step…every held breath. A series of four waterfalls could be seen across the chasm from where they stood. The water…glowed. The teal of the water was made even more brilliant by the soft glow of the mushrooms that dangled overhead. The hydrological system underground was inspiring – the river leading to the waterfalls was shallow and wide; a weak current that picked up strength as it reached the crest. The water thundered over the cliff causing a strong mist to spray up from the cavern below where each cascade hit the pool with such force that a damp cloud formed and rose dramatically towards them. The water smelled fresh and as they stood there, it coated their skin with a thin layer of tiny droplets.

"What do you think, Kharjo?" she asked quietly. "Worth overcoming the fear?"

He nodded, but quickly stepped backwards as she reminded him of his nervousness.

"Congratulations for pushing it all aside," she said. "It takes a lot to overcome such things."

He was perceptive enough to recognize the tone in her voice as one of experience. It wasn't clear what fears she had overcome in her life, but they must have been worthwhile judging by the confidence she displayed now.

"Let us move on," he suggested – and they did.

The air of Skyrim felt wondrous as he inhaled.

The splendor of Blackreach was a feast for the eyes, yet the scent was relentlessly musty and damp. The smell of death lingered in the corners of the Dwemer city, and Kharjo was ultimately pleased to be rid of the cavernous expanse that drove one to develop claustrophobia.

Success had been realized on their quest. They reached the tower as they were required to do so, discovering the location of the oculory and entering its chamber. After much deliberation, Marieka played with the controls of the contraption, and the pair watched it spin and move and creak in its holdings. The lenses opened and closed at her command and eventually she sorted out its movements enough to find the sole purpose for their being there – the Elder Scroll. Kharjo heard her gasp as the device opened to reveal it and she hopped up from her position, rushing towards it. When she seized it in her hands, he saw her close her eyes and breathe a sigh of relief for its retrieval. She carefully placed it in her pack and they sought the exit to the confusing ruins once and for all.

And now, they were at the surface. The snows had subsided – for which Kharjo was thankful. Even if it were temporary, it made the descent from the ruins much more feasible. Soon enough, they were on the road back to Dawnstar.

As they continued ahead, he felt a twinge in his stomach at the thought of returning to the caravan. If he were honest with himself, he would know that he enjoyed the kinship of his fellow Khajiit. But there was something about being on the open road without the responsibility of guarding Ahkari and her wagons.

"Marieka," he began. "I've a question for you."

"Yes?"

"What would you say to Khajiit joining you for awhile in your journeys across this land?"

She halted her forward motion and turned to face him. "You wish to travel with me?" she asked incredulously. "On purpose?"

He smirked at her comment. "Yes. Though some might consider me crazy for it, that was quite an adventure. It is difficult to imagine going back to the caravan. To travel the same roads over and over again with only a bandit or three to worry about? Why, I would be crazier to want to live such a stagnant life."

"Kharjo," she replied, "nothing would make me happier to have you join me. Are you absolutely sure? We'll see dragons. I can guarantee you that much."

Dragons? He'd not considered that. Still, if she had survived this long while facing them down, surely he could benefit from such a travelling companion.

He nodded. "I am sure."

"Consider yourself aboard."

She linked her arm into his and they continued down the path. But rather than taking the road to Dawnstar, they headed south when the wall of mountains provided a valley.

The road she needed to travel would take them beyond High Hrothgar. Beyond the home of the Greybeards to the Throat of the World and the dragon who would counsel her of her fate. The Elder Scroll in her possession was the key.

And Kharjo decided that he would be the one to ensure she would be safe enough to use it.