CHAPTER 9: The boy who cried wolf
"Sometimes what you are looking for comes when you are not looking" – unknown author
The imperial woman was menacing, but that was exactly what Sophie needed right now.
"So, you want to go to Chorrol, hm. What is the catch?"
"Catch?"
"Yeah, are you running away from something? Am I to expect the guards? Assassins? The dark brotherhood?"
Sophie had to think for a minute before answering.
"I do not believe we will meet anything but bandits and wild animals. That is all I can tell you."
The warrior chuckled.
"This is going to cost you extra. I would say… 500 septims, paid in advance."
"What?!" the redhead said outraged, "you could buy a whole battalion with that!"
"No, this is the price of "no questions asked". You are free to try your luck if you prefer."
Sophie thought about the small pouch in her backpack. She barely made it to Weye on her own.
"600! But I will pay you after."
"No can do sweety."
Sophie grunted in frustration. She closed her eyes, trying to find a solution. A change in her demeanor marked the moment an idea came. It hurt deep inside, but she could not think of another way. She opened the backpack and retrieved the silver object.
"Will this serve as payment?"
"Wow," the older woman took the flower brooch whistling, "more than enough. Where did you steal this from?"
"Why does everyone keep assuming I am a thief?"
"You know something, I do not care. When do we leave?"
"As soon as possible."
"All right, off we go, then."
It was an extremely busy morning in the White-Gold Tower. Servants could be seen going up and down carrying mops, dusters, and bed linings. Hundreds of rooms had to be prepared for visiting nobles and leaders of all provinces. Newly arrivals were conducted to a large dining area on the 15th floor for brunch.
The room had a large terrace with a view of the Imperial City. It was occupied with dark wood square tables and benches with velvet coverings. Vases with exotic plants served as decoration as well as the big fountain in the middle. A group of court bards played sweet melodies while maids and manservants were walking around serving the occupants.
Sitting by the tables were cyrodiilan nobility, High-Rock orc chiefs, Skyrim's yarls, Morrowind house leaders, and more. At a more peripheral area, a group of nobles was sitting with melancholic expressions on their young faces.
"Cuff, cuff."
"Here, Michel, have some tea," said the lady while offering a cup to the little boy who held a stuffed mountain lion.
"Thank you," he said accepting the tea.
The table fell back into silence; no one had the heart to initiate conversation. Their tense but peaceful meal was interrupted by the arrival of an overdressed and utterly annoying trio of ladies.
"Well, well. What do we have here? Standards for entrance to the Tower have really been thrown out the window."
"Lady Catherine," Lady Sarah clenched her fists under the table, "this is a sad day for all of us. Please, let us be!"
"A sad day indeed!" Lady Catherine continued, "especially for you, I imagine! I would be devasted too if my best friend turned out to be a cold-blood murderer."
"That is enough!" Lady Anna raised from her seat, "you know she is innocent! Stop spreading your lies!"
"I would be careful if I were you," answered Lady Catherine with poison in her voice, "that kind of attitude is what got her in trouble in the first place. Besides, if I were in charge, I would want to investigate everyone she associated with."
Lady Catherine turned her back to the table and left with Lady Giavinia in tow. Lady Violene, however, stayed behind with her head down.
"You know," she whispered, "my sister and I… We also do not think she is guilty."
"Thank you," answered Lady Sarah after a while to which Lady Violene nodded and left.
Not far from there, the Caros were discussing the latest news with Countess Umbranox from Anvil and Count Terentious from Bravil.
"Is it not absurd that we are not allowed to see the empress? Tradition dictates we give her our condolences!"
"Empress Caula just lost her entire family, Countess Alessia. Your majesty is probably grieving too much to receive visitors," spoke Countess Umbranox.
"She better overcomes her grief soon, though," said Count Terentious, "we have to decide who is taking the throne after her death."
"That would naturally be Lady Adrana," affirmed Countess Umbranox, "it is her rightful claim as Prince Geldall's widow."
"Countess Millona, your ladyship cannot be serious. Look around you," Count Caro discretely pointed to the many tables with orcs, elves, and nords, "does your ladyship truly believe that Lady Adrana could handle dealing with so many races and cultures. It would be chaos!"
"I know she is not leadership material, but even so…"
"No one respected her as Prince Geldall's wife; a crown will not change that," said Count Terentious.
"And there would also be the matter of HER succession," said Countess Umbranox beginning to agree with the others, "she is over fifty and does not have any heir…"
"If I could decide for the entire Elder Council," began Countess Alessia again, "I would nominate one of the great houses of Cyrodiil for the throne."
The rest of the morning went by uneventfully. Leaders from all Tamriel discussing the future of their provinces and the empire.
The road to Chorrol was well-maintained and easy to walk through. The midday sun, however, was hot and punishing. Sophie felt the sweat in her brow while gulping water from her flask.
"How far did you say that inn was?" she asked the warrior.
"About half a mile. We can stop if you need to catch your breath."
"No, I am fine," she replied, "I prefer to rest there."
They kept going until they arrived at an abandoned Fort that cut the road. The structure was old but sturdy. Sophie noticed quite a few loose bricks falling from the walls.
"We have to pass through; going around will take too much time. You can go first; I will guard our backs."
Sophie nodded and went through the stone arch. It was hard walking through the overgrown grass inside. Two steps inside, a sudden and acute pain came to the back of her head and everything went black.
Sir Tallin was walking back to his house in the Elven Gardens District for lunch. He was about to open his door when an agornian woman appeared before him out of nowhere.
"A message for you, Sir Tallin," she offered the knight a small piece of parchment.
"Message for me?" the knight asked while accepting the note, "is it from…"
He looked around, the argonian was gone. He opened the parchment.
"The Red Rose – Room 4 - 10 pm"
The breton nearly yelped when the parchment spontaneously caught fire, barely giving him time to read it. Afterward, he sighed while shaking his head and went inside.
Sophie felt dizzy when she awoke. Her arms felt stiff. The redhead tried moving them but could not. When the girl opened her eyes, she found herself sitting in a cell. Her hands were cuffed above her head. Beyond the rusty iron bars, she could see a room illuminated by a fireplace. It had a long table by which sat an orc, a redguard, and the imperial woman who was serving as her guide.
Panic stroke her as she looked around for her backpack. It was nowhere nearby. She probably made some noise because the three people at the table turned their attention to her.
"Seems like our little friend woke up."
The imperial raised from her seat and approached the cell.
"You fooled me," Sophie phrased the obvious.
"I knew you looked familiar," the imperial said while showing her a familiar poster.
"I was wrongly accused, I swear!"
"Good try, but my boys and I like the idea of early retirement."
"Can I change your mind?"
"Unless you can top a million septims, no. We are just finishing our lunch and then off to the Imperial City."
The powerful sound of thunder erupted interrupting the conversation. The whole building shuddered for a moment startling the occupants.
"I guess we will have to wait for the rain to pass."
The warrior returned to the table to finish her meal. Sophie tried to break free but the cuffs were too tight. She watched the mercenaries beyond the bars feeling tears in her eyes. A low-pitched whistle resonated in the room followed by a shriek. Soon after, the redguard torso fell on the table, an arrow transfixing his neck.
"Somebody is here!"
Imperial and orc immediately raised from their seats and grabbed their weapons. They took cover behind a pair of columns to their left and scanned the room with their eyes.
"Must be hiding in the elevated bridge!" said the woman.
A series of cracking sounds, like pots being broken, came from the other side of the room.
"There he is!" the orc shouted and bolted in that direction.
"No, you idiot!"
The orc had crossed half the way when he stumbled and fell to the ground. An arrow pierced deep within his chest had come from above.
"You are going to pay for that!" said the woman to the hidden archer.
She quickly left her coverage and slid under the table, barely missing an arrow. The imperial proceeded to get to the other side on her knees. She prepared to run for the stair but something sharp and strong pulled her leg back. Once she was out of cover, a series of three arrows pierced her torso, pinning her there. The warrior soon stopped moving.
Sophie watched the scene taking place dumbfounded. She felt her chin drop when a white wolf let go of the dead imperial to sit in front of her cell. Lullaby barked two times happily at her, wiggling her tail. A caped young man with a bow dropped from a wooden bridge above. He approached the cell and pulled back his hood revealing blond hair.
"Red?" he said incredulously, "how in Oblivion did you get here?"
"She was my escort," he laughed, "does it really matter?" she asked feeling humiliated.
"I guess not."
He pulled a lever by her cell and the bars opened. He approached and examined the cuffs.
"They are very rusty," he drew his sword, "hold on."
The boy hit the lock a few times and it broke releasing her hands.
"What are doing here anyway?" she said massaging her wrists.
"Me? I have been tailing them for weeks," he turned and pointed to the imperial on the ground, "that is Rovita Terone, one of the heads of skooma trafficking in the north. There are bounties for her in three holds in Skyrim. She ran to Cyrodiil to avoid arrest."
Sophie raised from the floor and looked at the big woman.
"How exactly are you going to take her body back to Skyrim to collect this bounty of yours?"
"I will not."
Sophie looked at him confused. He went in the direction of the imperial with Sophie and Lullaby in tow. Once by the body, he kneeled and took away a distinct golden ring with a ruby.
"According to the authorities, she has a custom-made ring she never parts with. That will be my proof," he said while turning around to meet her eyes.
He opened his backpack to put away his prize when something stirred behind him. The skooma trafficker was not quite dead yet and managed enough strength for one last blow against the blonde's unguarded back. It would be a deadly blow, had it not been for the wolf's fast reaction. Lullaby pushed him out of the way, taking the fall for him.
"No!"
Afterward, the imperial took a couple more labored breaths before life left her eyes. The boy was holding a whimpering Lullaby who was bleeding from her stomach. He tried to put pressure on the wound, but it was not helping. His hands were shaking. Sophie kneeled by them and positioned her hands over the dying wolf.
"Hold her," she warned, "Sana Luminare."
A white glow embraced the white wolf coming from the girl's hands. The wound began to close slowly. Sophie felt dizziness but fought through it. Lullaby calmed down, the pain subsiding. A few more seconds and there were only healthy skin and fur where a big slash was.
Lullaby got to her feet, barking happily. Sophie smiled for a moment before her muscles gave in. She would have hit the floor hard if the blond had not caught her in time. The redhead stayed in his arms breathless, fighting not to lose conscience. She chuckled lightly as Lullaby began licking her cheek.
After a while, Sophie felt strength return to her limbs and her heartbeat return to normal. The girl sat back when light-headedness passed.
"Thank you," he said while petting the wolf lovingly, "you have no idea how grateful I am."
"Do not mention it. You did save my skin twice, but… if you really want to repay me…"
"Chorrol, was it?" he said scratching his head, "I guess my bounty can wait. Let us hit the road, then."
"I need to find my backpack first. It should be here somewhere."
"They probably have a stash here."
"All right, let us look, then… I am sorry, I guess I did not ask your name."
"I am Martin," he answered with a smile.