Lydia watched the Redguard woman walk around the Mare surprisingly carefree.
She served the drinks, she smiled at the patrons and she chatted with the innkeeper.
But after such a long time observing her, Lydia had noticed it. The subtle darting of her eyes towards the tavern door, the moments of respite in her work when her brows creased in worry and her fingers played with her apron nervously.
What has that woman done?
What could possibly make someone hire a gang of vicious bandits to hurt her?
The guards dealt with bandits on a regular basis. Just how bad could this particular group be?
But… then again… Bishop and Aeyrin dealt with bandits regularly too and those that he talked about still made him so certain that no one would be a match for them. He sounded like he knew what he was talking about. He… he even sounded scared. Lydia didn't think that she would see such fear in the eyes of the man who had just recently stormed into the house with a corpse in his arms.
He seemed so… callous that night. She thought that he was only concerned about Aeyrin finding out what a horrible thing he did.
But now…
She played the events of that night in her head over and over. She tried to suppress those thoughts before, she tried to forget that any of that had ever happened, but after their talk last night… something spurred her on to think back on that fateful night.
She now recalled the panic in his eyes. She recalled the tone of his voice when he told her that he needed her help, when he told her that he needed to protect Aeyrin.
After last night… everything that he said should have put her into panic. Everything he told her should have made her go tell someone – the guards, the Jarl or at least Aeyrin.
But for some reason, she couldn't help but feel… sincerity in what he had said. Sincerity and regret.
Maybe it was just wishful thinking on her part. She wanted to believe that the girl he had murdered was a vicious bandit, possibly a killer herself. She wanted to believe that he was doing everything to protect the woman that he claimed to love. She wanted to believe that she didn't give her aid to a vicious murderer.
There was still doubt there… somewhere in the back of her mind.
But there was simply not enough of it anymore.
And now there was only one thing she could think to do to help put all these doubts and trepidations to rest. Only one thing to ease her conscience after that horrid night.
She needed to see it for herself.
She needed to see if what he had said was true.
She needed to talk to that woman.
"Anything else, dear?" the Redguard startled her from her pondering. She gave her the usual friendly smile that she reserved for her patrons, but her brows were creased while she studied Lydia.
Was she being too obvious? Was she staring at her too much?
Not that it mattered. She needed to talk to her in any case.
"I… I'd like a room, please…" Lydia stammered slightly, but she nodded resolutely after a bit.
"'A room'? You? Don't you live with the Dragonborn?" the barmaid frowned at her. Her eyes were definitely exuding a measure of suspicion. She was on edge, it was obvious. And Lydia had been staring at her very unsubtly, without a doubt.
She's never been good at being inconspicuous.
"Yes… well… I'm simply… giving her and her companion some… privacy," Lydia cringed. It was an easy enough excuse to come up with, but she was certain that she wasn't very convincing. Now the server definitely wouldn't go somewhere alone with her.
The barmaid scowled at that fiercely. Lydia may not have been that convincing with her tone, but wasn't the excuse at least a little believable? She didn't expect a reaction that negative.
"Follow me," the barmaid nodded resolutely and she started walking towards the rooms.
What?
Did she believe Lydia after all? Has she completely misread that woman?
Lydia rose to her feet promptly and she followed the Redguard on uncertain feet. This rattled her. She would have much preferred a straightforward battle. She was not cut out for all this secrecy and intrigue.
They reached one of the single rooms on the second floor of the inn and the woman ushered her inside. Lydia looked around the room, but she was uncertain why she had even done that. It was just automatic. And it probably did help her keep up this charade.
"Alright. Who sent you?" the angry voice behind Lydia startled her and she turned to the barmaid briskly. The Redguard was brandishing a dagger at her with a menacing scowl.
Lydia's eyes went wide at her. She wasn't sure how to react. How did anyone react to a situation like this?
"W-what do you mean?" she stammered nervously. Even though she knew that she should probably abandon this ruse by now, she couldn't help herself.
"What do I mean?! First, that guy, her 'companion', gives me all this vague warning shit that someone's looking for me, and now you, who lives in the same damn house, are here, just a day after he appears back in the city. And you're staring at me for like an hour and then you request a 'room' to get me alone! Did I miss anything?!"
Well… apparently she hasn't been even a little subtle…
Alright, time to come clean. Hopefully the barmaid wouldn't try to stab her out of sheer suspicion.
"N-no… you… you didn't miss anything. He… mentioned that there were people looking for you. And I… I wanted to know if he was telling the truth," Lydia sighed while the barmaid slipped into the room and closed the door behind her. She still held the dagger in a tight grip and she continued pointing it at Lydia steadily.
"Why?! What do you care?!" the Redguard snapped at her.
"Because… because I need to know if I can trust what he says. And because… if everything he'd told me was true… you are in… grave danger," Lydia tried to give her a look as sympathetic as she could muster to garner her trust. For what it was worth, she did believe Bishop. But if she didn't make sure, she'd never be able to move on with her life.
"So what?! You here to rescue me?!" the server scoffed mockingly as she gave her a fierce scowl.
"Do you need rescuing?" Lydia didn't let up. She was speaking gently and, hopefully, comfortingly to the woman.
Finally the Redguard's angry expression faltered and there was a hint of desperation on her face. "I… I don't even get how… how does he know all this?! How can I know they didn't hire him?! Or you for that matter!"
'Hire'? She must have been talking about the people who hired the bandits. Did she even know who was actively looking for her now?
"I… think that he had some trouble of his own with the people… hunting you. Listen, just tell me what happened. If I was hired by… them I'd probably know already anyway, right?" Lydia sat at the chair in the room calmly, to assure the woman that she wouldn't attack. She really hoped that the barmaid would finally relax.
The Redguard only scoffed again with an incredulous shake of her head.
"My name is Lydia. As you already know, I'm lady Aeyrin's housecarl," she smiled at her kindly. She was running out of ideas on how to reassure her though.
The Redguard let out a sigh. Her hand was still clutching the dagger desperately, but she lowered her head in defeat at last. "My… my name is Saadia, if you don't already know. Have you… have you ever heard of the Alik'r Coterie?" she gave her a searching glance, as if to find any hint of recognition. Any clue to who actually sent her.
Lydia shook her head at her. She heard the name 'Alik'r' but she assumed that it was only referring to the desert in Hammerfell.
"They're… warriors from Hammerfell. Enforcers of certain… political groups. I've heard them being called mere mercenaries but… some believe that they only work for those whose political interests they want to protect. I have… spoken against one of these groups. Publically. And after two assassination attempts in Hammerfell, I escaped the province. I thought that I was safe here. I thought that no one knew where I went. But then… your… friend talked to me."
"I don't believe that he knows anything about the Alik'r. If they are an extension of Hammerfell leadership… couldn't they just… ask the guards about you?" Lydia frowned ponderingly. Bishop had mentioned that anyone whom the bandits were looking for wasn't exactly being searched for 'legally'.
"Pfft… they could try. But the political situation in Hammerfell is hardly clear-cut. And Skyrim is no better in that regard. I doubt that any guard would even acknowledge their supposed 'claim', regardless of Whiterun's current alliances. Besides, they have no evidence! If the Dominion had anything on me, they would hardly have to resort to assassins!" Saadia scoffed derisively, shaking her head.
"'The Dominion'?!" Lydia's eyes went wide. When Saadia mentioned 'political groups', she hardly imagined her talking about one this… powerful.
Saadia was stopped cold. She clearly did not originally intend to divulge this little detail. She gave Lydia an uncertain look and she began clutching the dagger even more desperately.
Dammit. Lydia almost had her trust. Now she needed to calm her down again.
"Listen… I don't… I'm not exactly comfortable with the Dominion's goals. No one in Skyrim is and no one is ashamed to admit it. The war makes us stupidly bold, I suppose. Besides, if they actually had anything substantial on you, they'd hardly need the Alik'r to do this, right?"
Saadia nodded slowly and she furrowed her brows in suspicion again. "You said that the man knew nothing of the Alik'r. How did he know I was being hunted then?"
"He told me that there is this… group of bandits. A very powerful and vicious one. He's had some problems with them in the past… well… it doesn't matter. All that he knew was that sometimes, people hire them to… capture or kill someone for them. It… sounds like the Alik'r hired these bandits to find you and bring you to them. Or to get rid of you outright. If anyone hires bandits to do this kind of thing, they clearly have no other options," Lydia explained.
Saadia's frown disappeared and it was promptly replaced by a look of despair and exasperation. "Bandits? That's what this has come to? Is that why he told me to stay in the city? To never show myself in front of patrons that I don't know?" she scoffed again, this time much more desperately than anything else.
"I… assume so. So you didn't know about the bandits? You don't know how many know of you, or… how to… end this?" Lydia pried further. The bandit clan must have been very large to garner such fear and caution from Bishop. Were all of them after this one poor woman? And just because she spoke her mind?
"I know of someone who might know. Apparently the Alik'r came to Whiterun looking for me, but they… went a little overboard with questioning the guards. One of them was arrested and he is still in the dungeons. But I don't know how this might…"
"I can help with that!" Lydia interrupted her eagerly. This was perfect! She could help! This woman had deserved none of this and the curiosity about Bishop's story and the attempt to ease her own conscience quickly turned to sympathy for her. She was so brave, speaking against the Dominion, even when she knew their power and their… vengefulness.
"W-what?!" Saadia's eyes went wide at her, suspicious. But there was a hopeful glint in them.
"I can get information out of him. I can find out what the bandits know and where the Alik'r are!" Lydia stood up from the chair abruptly with a determined look on her face.
"You would… why?!" Saadia looked so desperate. She wanted to trust Lydia, it was obvious, but she could hardly be blamed for her caution and suspicions.
"I… don't know, to be honest…" Lydia sighed. Why was she so eager to help her? Was this still about her conscience? Did she need to feel like she did a good deed after… after what she had helped Bishop do? It was the most likely explanation. All she knew was that when she looked at Saadia, it broke her heart a little to see her in such a situation. Anyone brave enough to face tyranny deserved her sympathy and her help.
And the way she confronted Lydia, knife in hand, turning the tables on her when she thought that Lydia was trying to lure her to the rooms to kill her. It appeared that the bravery never left her, even on the run. It was so admirable. Lydia wanted to be as courageous as her. She wanted to be that courageous for her.
All these people, Aeyrin, Bishop and Saadia, they risked so much for what they believed in, for what and who they cared for. She admired that. It was why she wanted to believe Bishop – she wanted to know that the person she helped, despite her better judgement, was doing it for the right cause. She wanted to know that there was some reason which would make his actions… right.
And she wanted to have something in her life to spur her to such actions too. Something to make her feel like she could take on the world for the right reason.
This… this felt right.
"I want to help you. I don't want to live with the knowledge that I could have helped and did nothing. And… you need my help. You… deserve my help," Lydia nodded determinedly at last. She gave Saadia a warm smile in assurance.
The Redguard's expression faltered. It looked, for a second, as if she would break down in relief, but she managed to keep her composure and the frown returned to her face in a moment.
"If… you want to help me, I certainly won't stop you. But I am not leaving this inn under any circumstances, even if you assure me a thousand times that you killed every single person that is after me, am I clear?!" Despite her words, Saadia hid the dagger at last in her knee-high boot.
Lydia couldn't help but smile at the gesture.
"Caution is always smart."
…
"Delmonley!"
The guard snapped to attention at the sight of Lydia and he gave her a wide grin in greeting.
"Well, well, if it isn't the housecarl for the almighty Dragonborn! How's life treatin' ya, Lydia?"
"Better than sleeping next to your snoring ass, Del," Lydia chuckled at him heartily. Delmonley has always been so friendly to her. She knew that he had the day shifts at the dungeons and she knew that he would help her out.
"Is it? I always figured the Dragonborn would Shout in her sleep or something," he laughed in turn with an amused wink.
"It would still be better than your snoring," she smirked with an amicably teasing tone in her voice.
"Ha ha… pfft. Anyway, what brings you my bleak little prison?" he rolled his eyes as he gestured towards the dismal cells behind the bars.
"I was actually wondering if I could ask you for a favor…" she gave him an uncertain expression.
"Well, that depends, dear Lydia. What's in it for me?" he smirked, raising his brows at her teasingly.
She expected this. She knew what he wanted from her.
Luckily, she came prepared.
She pulled out the small pot from her pack and offered it to Delmonley.
He opened the lid with excitement and peered at the fresh little boiled cream treats with palpable hunger. There was saliva practically forming at his mouth already.
"For these, I'd slay a dragon for you. Although you probably have your own people for that now…" he snickered at her. "What do you need?"
…
"Who are you?! What do you want from me?!"
The Redguard thrashed wildly in his bindings, but he was fastened to the chair steadily.
Delmonley didn't really care what Lydia wanted from the prisoner, which made things much easier. And after hearing Saadia's story, she'd hardly feel sorry for this man's predicament. Besides, it was a common practice. Some people just needed some… persuading. There was no harm in it if she didn't go overboard.
"I have some questions. And for your sake, you better cooperate," Lydia clenched her fist in her large plate gauntlet. Just the sight of it made the man's eyes go wide. Perhaps even the threats would be enough.
"Y-you don't know who you're messing with! I have powerful friends!" he spat at her hatefully, but his eyes were still peering at the gauntlet with palpable fear.
"Do you? Powerful friends that leave you rotting in a prison? I talked to your jailor, you know? It only takes some fee to bail you out. Your powerful friends can't even be bothered to do that. I guess you're expendable…" she scoffed at him. Thank Shor for Delmonley. He has always entertained her with stories from prison and the interrogations. She knew all the good tactics.
"I-I'm telling you, if you mess with me, you're messing with the…"
"What? Dominion?" Lydia interrupted him with a derisive scoff.
This was kind of fun. He looked so scared. His eyes went wide instantly when she interrupted him. And this scum deserved no less for what he was doing to Saadia. If only, at least, they had the decency to come after her alone, to do their own dirty work, but hiring some lowlife bandits for them was… pathetic.
"You think that the mighty Dominion cares about its pawns? You are a tool to be used and discarded. There's really no need to stay loyal to any of your employers. I might even get you out of here, if you cooperate," she smirked. The man looked half-ready to concede already. For some reason, it made her strangely disappointed. Why did she want these Alik'r to pay for what they were doing so much? Was it really just about easing her own conscience?
He scoffed, but she was done with the threats anyway. It was time to get some answers.
"Let's start slow. Why are you in Whiterun?"
"To hunt dissident whores. Not like that's a fucking secret! But you… you obviously know my target. How else would you know about the Dominion? Here's your counteroffer, darling. Tell me her name and where she is and I'll answer your pointless questions," the man smirked at her.
He didn't know? He didn't know!
That was a good sign.
"You don't even know her name?!" she laughed at him mockingly.
"She's not fucking stupid! She changed her name, of course. But we know what she looks like and we will find her. Wherever the fuck she's hiding…"
Hmm… was he just pretending or did he really know as little as it seemed? How did they even end up in Whiterun?
"And then what?" she scoffed at him with derision.
"Then we take her back to Hammerfell, straight to the High Justiciar," he gave her a mean grin. Lydia didn't even want to imagine what someone called 'the High Justiciar' would be capable of doing to Saadia.
"Why are you looking for her in Whiterun?" she took a wild guess. If she changed her name, how did he even know to look here? Was it a coincidence?
His answer was only another menacing grin.
She was sort of hoping for that…
Her bare fist landed in his face with force, making him splatter blood as his eyes went wide in shock. Didn't he expect her to be able to do this? Well… he'd be sorry for underestimating her.
"Next time it will be the other hand, dog! Now answer!"
"Not a fucking chance!" he growled at her hatefully. His grin was completely gone, replaced by a vicious sneer.
Well… she did warn him.
The gauntlet slammed into his gut, making him scream out in pain. He was huffing and heaving deeply when it was over. "Crazy… whore! What the fuck… does it even matter?! We know that she's in Whiterun!" he spat at her.
They knew she was in Whiterun but no name and exact location? They must have not gotten any information on their initial visit, when he got arrested. Perhaps that was the reason why they hired the bandits… they couldn't get in the city on their own. His initial arrest must have put the guards on high alert regarding the Alik'r.
"HOW?!" she insisted. If they got her approximate location, who knew who else might get the same information? She clenched the armored fist at him and the man flinched.
"Fuck… fine! Whatever! We hired someone. They sent one of theirs to steal the census records from Talos Pass for the month when she escaped Hammerfell. Wasn't hard to pinpoint her in those…"
Hired someone? The bandits? Or was it someone else?
"Who did you hire?"
"Who the fuck would you hire if you wanted something stolen?!" he spat at her again. A small trickle of blood was dripping from the corner of his mouth.
The… Thieves Guild? How did they fit into all this? Then again… when she insinuated that Bishop was somehow connected to the Guild, he started to talk about the whole… 'same circles' thing. Were they somehow connected to the bandits?
She needed to know more.
"What happened then?" she clenched her fist at him preemptively before he managed to protest again. He was scared and he had no loyalty. It was obvious. Otherwise, he would have held out much longer. She doubted that the desert brought up warriors this frail.
"We… got an offer from the… fuck… from the Thieves Guild. They said that they knew people to find her for us, people to bring her to us… if… slightly worse for the wear. Not like we cared about that. But we didn't want to waste the fucking money on another hireling! So… we came here ourselves, asking questions…" he nodded his head towards his chained up body – that was the only movement his state allowed him.
"So… you ended up hiring these other people, I assume…" she scoffed at him before she gave him another mocking smirk.
"How the fuck should I know?! You think I get regular fucking updates here?!"
That… was probably true. She wasn't sure whether she could get anything more from him. Now she only needed to know one last thing.
"I need the location of the other Alik'r that know about her. All of them!"
Another derisive scoff escaped his lips.
Really? That was the line?!
"You listen to me. After I'm done here, the jailor will come and get a confession out of you. About the census theft, about hiring thieves and possibly bandits. And believe me, he will get the confession. After that is done, what do you think will happen? Either I have the location of your 'friends' and when you are released after… a long time, you can go on your merry way wherever you want. Or… you don't give me their location and the word gets out about your crimes… eventually reaching the Alik'r, who, by then, will all be implicated. They may even break you out of here with the help of their new connections. I wonder what they'll do to you then…"
Predictably enough, the Redguard paled considerably and he swallowed very audibly.
She only hoped that the other warriors would be just as… cooperative.
…
She headed towards Breezehome on steadfast feet.
The questioned warrior made it abundantly clear – she needed help. Her guard training would hardly be sufficient to overcome a dozen of seasoned mercenaries.
She thought about asking the both of them, but she still needed to question at least one of the Alik'r about the bandits and… well… she was not going to betray Bishop by letting Aeyrin in on all of this after everything that's happened.
And besides, Bishop was the one who dragged her into this… or more like shoved her in head-first. He owed her the help.
This time, she was ready. She was not going to stammer and be conspicuous. She had the perfect excuse worked out and she practiced it several times.
She entered the house, running over the exact words in her head, as she walked straight towards their bedroom.
Right. So… suspicions about Anoriath shortchanging me for months, suspicions about the rabbit meat… I need to learn how to hunt so that I don't have to buy from him anymore.
The key was in the details. She's read that somewhere one time.
"Gods!" Aeyrin's shocked yelp riled Lydia up from her revision. Huh… she didn't even register that she had opened the door.
Oh Shor!
Aeyrin was scrambling on the bed. Her face was bright red and she was frantically trying to cover her entire body with a fur blanket. Her breathing was heavy and labored. Bishop tried to grab the furs to do the same, but her scrambling tugged the blanket away from his reach. He gave up and he merely threw his hands up in exasperation before he looked at Lydia rather incredulously. He was in the same state of breathlessness as Aeyrin.
Lydia stood there like a deer mesmerized with a magelight spell.
Did she seriously do this again?! What was wrong with her?!
And why was that idiot not trying to cover himself up anymore?!
Don't look at him! Don't look at him! What would Aeyrin think?!
The awkwardness was starting to seep in uncomfortably, before a hardly subdued snort of amusement echoed through the room, breaking the crushing silence. Bishop burst out in a fit of almost hysterical laughter, making Aeyrin's lips quirk up involuntarily on her crimson face as she pursed them into a thin line to prevent herself from laughing too.
Well… that certainly eased the tension.
Lydia shook her head at herself as she felt her cheeks burn intensely. She snorted in amusement before she turned on her heel and closed the door to the bedroom promptly.
"I… I'll be back in an hour! Sorry… again!" she called out from behind the door, trying to make sure that she could still be heard over Bishop's incessant laugh.
…
"Why do you think he's shortchanging you?" Aeyrin asked her curiously before she bit into one of the leftover boiled cream treats that Lydia had made that day.
"His rabbits taste strange. So do the pheasants, for that matter. He's either selling something different and passing it as those, or the meat is not as fresh as he claims," Lydia shrugged noncommittally.
Bishop threw her a suspicious look. He wasn't buying her story at all. But that hardly mattered. The only one who needed to believe it was Aeyrin. Besides, keeping her in the dark was in his interest not in Lydia's. He wouldn't call her out on it.
"And I figured that Bishop owed me a hunting lesson after I gave him a cooking one," she smiled at him smugly, punctuating the right word to drive her point across somewhat subtly. He narrowed his eyes again, as if he was trying to discern her real intentions, but he still didn't say anything.
"Well… you can't argue with that," Aeyrin chuckled. "And I was gonna head to the blacksmith anyway to tend to my equipment."
"Fine, I don't care. Karnwyr could use the outlet anyway, now that it's not raining," Bishop shrugged, but his eyes were still on Lydia with a strange scrutiny in them.
It made her somewhat uncomfortable.
…
"Alright, spill it. What's this about?"
Bishop turned to Lydia the second that they were outside the city gates and out of the guards' earshot.
"Well… I really need a favor from you… or rather, Saadia does, I suppose," she tried to give him an innocent smile, but given the situation, it may have come out more disturbed than anything.
"'Saadia'?" he scowled at her. She wasn't sure if he didn't remember the name, or if he was just incredulous over where the conversation had gone.
"The barmaid… the Redguard."
Bishop's eyes went wide at her answer; the realization on his face was now all too palpable. "You… talked to her? Why the fuck would you get even more involved with this shit after what I've told you?!"
"I… I don't know. Because of what you told me! She was obviously in some deep shit! And nobody but you knew who was after her. She, at the very least, deserved to know what was going on." Seeing Bishop's outraged stare, Lydia quickly added in assurance: "I said nothing about the… runner. I just told her that a bandit group was hired to bring her in."
Bishop drew his hand over his face in exasperation, but he gave her an expectant look right after. He was likely waiting for anything that could cause more trouble for him or Aeyrin after Lydia's interference. Lucky for him, she was far more considerate about dragging other people into the problems she took up on herself… unlike him.
"I know who hired the bandits and I know where to find them. All I need from you is help with getting rid of them. But first, I need them to tell me how their deal with the bandits works and who else could be a danger to Saadia," she frowned fiercely. She didn't feel capable of assaulting a group that gave Bishop pause, but she would do whatever she possibly could to help Saadia.
Bishop studied her face for a while, before, surprisingly enough, a somewhat knowing smirk decorated his face.
He nodded at her curtly and he clasped her on the shoulder in the process. "Fine. You'll tell me the rest on the way. I'll have your back."
That was… not the reaction which she had expected.
It was likely only because he owed her for what she did for him.
…
All the warriors readied their weapons the minute that Lydia approached their camp near Whiterun.
She scanned them all briefly. Twelve. Good. They were all there.
One of the men approached her with a menacing glare and an oddly curved lithe sword in each of his hands, clasped in a tight grip.
"Who are you, woman? What do you want from us?" he snarled at her angrily.
Right. Stay calm. Say only what Bishop had told you to.
"I'm with Thorn. Here about your target."
Lying was so much easier when she had practiced the lines beforehand. And this intrigue was kind of starting to be a little… fun.
The man seemed to relax a little, but he was still giving her a fierce scowl. "We expected you a lot fucking sooner. Did you find the target?"
Ugh… she didn't want to say this part… but Bishop had insisted that it was the most likely assumption.
"Yeah. The boss has her for a little fun. But we need to discuss payment before we give her to you," she nodded resolutely, trying to hide her disgust as best as she could.
"What the fuck?! Payment?! We already discussed payment, bandit filth! You get payment after you deliver her! Alive!" the man fumed at her and his grip on his swords tightened again.
Good. Bishop had assured her that this was good. According to him, when Thorn would send another runner or find out about the one that had been killed, he would first investigate the Alik'r. They could have just killed the runner themselves and take the target without payment, in case the runner managed to lure Saadia out with her and capture her.
If the Alik'r camp was empty, they would be obvious suspects, leaving Saadia safe. She would presumably already be in Hammerfell, along with the Alik'r.
It was hardly foolproof. There were a lot of assumptions involved, but if they pulled this off and then told Saadia to steer clear of any newcomers to the tavern and to never leave its walls for a few more months, it would be somewhat safe to assume that she was free of everyone that was previously after her.
It sounded too good to be true, but it was the best plan that they could come up with.
Now was the time to squeeze as much out of the warriors as they could before the fight ensued.
"Yeah, but that was before one of our runners was found dead. You know… the one that was supposed to come back with your information," Lydia scowled at him in feigned suspicion.
"What? What the fuck does that have to do with our deal? It's your own damned fault if your men are incompetent. We made the deal with the guy your boss sent and we haven't seen any of you fucking lowlifes since, so don't drag us into your own shit!"
Good. Another good sign. No more runners investigating the Alik'r came.
"Higher risk, higher price. We need a… collateral. Deal with it," she scoffed at him.
"I think we'd rather deal with you, bandit scum!" he raised one of his swords to point it under her neck menacingly.
Well… the talking seemed to be over.
An arrow swished through the air instantly, piercing the man's head in a second and pinning his odd red head wrap to his scalp as he toppled to the ground limply.
Lydia brandished her axe while the men around started to charge her. A wolf's vicious bark echoed from behind the small rock formation near the camp as even more precisely aimed arrows flew through the air.
They were almost there, Saadia was almost safe.
All they needed to do was to get rid of these scums and to dispose of their camp and bodies.
It would be as if they were never there.
And for Thorn, it would mean that they have already left along with his 'target'.
…
Saadia's eyes instantly went to the tavern door when it opened. Her expression failed miserably to hide the panic after seeing Lydia there.
"Drink?" she approached her determinedly while she scanned her face for any clue to what may have transpired while she was gone.
"Actually, I'd like a room. They wanted… privacy… again," Lydia rolled her eyes pointedly. This was really kind of fun. She just needed to prepare beforehand so that she didn't stammer or get nervous about being too conspicuous.
Saadia headed towards the rooms wordlessly, leading her on somewhat unsteady feet.
Maybe she was just imagining it, but Lydia couldn't wait to give her the news. She couldn't wait to see the relief on her face.
Well… after the healthy measure of suspicion, of course.
They reached the same room as the last time and Saadia pulled out the dagger from her boot again instantly.
"Well? Got anything else to say?" she snapped at Lydia nervously, but her eyes were… hopeful.
"The Alik'r are dead. The bodies have been disposed of and the camp was destroyed. It will look like they left, at least the bandits will hopefully assume that. The last of them is being held in prison and I will be informed the minute that should change. You should still be cautious for at least a couple of months, in case the bandits still decide to search for you, just in case, but… I think that… you are safe."
Saadia stared at her incredulously. An internal battle was obviously being waged in her mind – her constant fear and paranoia were fighting her relief.
"I… I… why? Why would you do this?" she stammered in disbelief, staring at Lydia with her mouth ajar.
"Maybe… maybe because I realized how much awfulness and despair there is in the world. Maybe because I wanted someone to be freed from at least some if," Lydia sighed wistfully. Her 'adventures' with Bishop were certainly… sobering.
"What? Who does that?! People don't do that!" Saadia cried out desperately. She looked to be on the verge of tears. The stress and the uncertainly were obviously getting to her more and more.
"Some people do that. Some people risk much more to help others. Some people do much more to protect others. I… admire that. And I admire you. For speaking your mind, even when you knew what it would cost you. Perhaps… perhaps one day you'll be willing to tell me the whole story…"
Saadia couldn't hold out any longer as tears sprung into her eyes and her lips thinned into a straight line.
She stepped towards Lydia uncertainly and she laid the dagger on the table, plainly in sight and easy for either of them to grab it.
But neither of them did.
Saadia took Lydia's hands with trepidation, clasping them in hers tightly.
"Thank you," her voice was barely more than a whisper.
"I would… maybe I would like to tell you. One day."