Escape Plans
"I, um," I said, turning to continue down the hallway. "So, you're investigating a serial killer?"
"Yes," he said, his voice returned to normal as he followed behind me. "The victims are women, taken at night. The few guards in the city are apathetic, largely rejected from joining the Stormcloaks in any real capacity with the exception of the Guard Captain. But with the unrest in the city, he's been unable to do all investigations alone. His letter specifically requested your aid but as you were unavailable, I came in your stead."
"He had heard I was a Companion," I said. "We met at Helgen and he helped me escape when the dragon attacked."
"You were to be executed?" Vilkas asked.
"Yes," I said, still feeling residual anger over the matter.
"Seems there is incompetence on both ends of this war. It will be good to see it end," he said. "This matter, for example, was fairly easy to wrap up."
"So you've found out who the killer is?" I asked.
"No, but after speaking with Wuunferth, I know when he will strike next," Vilkas said. "I will wait for him in the town square tonight."
"And what...wait for him to murder another woman?" I asked.
"He will be wanting this," Vilkas said. As we exited into the Windhelm cold evening, he showed me an amulet. "It is for necromancy. Whatever his plans are, he will need this to carry them out."
"Wait," I said, trying to wrap my mind around what he was saying. "If he needs that to do – whatever – it is he wants to do, then how do you know he will be in the town square? What if he doesn't show up because he's missing that? And if he does show up, who is to say that he needs that to murder the next victim?"
He said calmly, "I do not know that he will show up tonight but this was evidence and he is surely aware that I am on to his trail now, I cannot simply return it to his lair, there is no guarantee he will return there. What do you propose I do?"
"Give the amulet to me," I said.
"What?"
"You said he was going after women and that he likely needs this amulet to carry out whatever ritual he has planned. If you give me that amulet there's no way he'd be able to pass up such a target and it's safer than hoping we can stop him before he attacks another innocent," I said.
"You're injured," he pointed out.
"For now. In an hour I'll get my medicine."
"That's not an instant cure."
"You said you were going to stop him, so I shouldn't have to worry about defending myself," I said. "And if I have to, then I'll have a better chance than most the civilians still left in this city."
"I cannot allow you to take such a risk."
"And how do you propose stopping me? Even without the amulet I can go to the square tonight."
"You will only serve as a distraction to me," Vilkas said, frustrated. "How am I supposed to focus on finding the killer when I have to worry about you doing something unreasonably dangerous? I cannot watch both of you."
"So give me the amulet, and you won't have to worry about looking for him," I said.
Vilkas scowled impressively, handing me the amulet. I went to put it on but he wrapped his hand over mine, lowering it.
"Not now. Wait until tonight, in the square. At least have that much sense," Vilkas said.
I nodded, tucking the amulet into my pocket. If the murders had been happening on a nightly basis, it meant that the killer could not be one of the three assassins that had just arrived in the city with me. If it were a member of the Dark Brotherhood, it was likely this member had not heard of my joining yet and thus would not recognize me or be able to expose me as one of them. Still, if these murders had occurred in relation to my new guild, I could start a war if I wasn't careful.
And what was more, once I was healed and the business here concluded, I would need to assassinate my next contract before heading to Riften. I highly doubted that Vilkas planned on allowing to take the rest of my journey alone which meant I would need to lose him, for which I was likely to need help.
"I need to visit a friend first while I'm here," I said.
"The boy Ralof? Is it wise to encourage his infatuation? He is quite young," Vilkas said.
"He's not that much younger than me!" I said, my face heating up. "And no. He isn't infatuated -"
"Even you cannot be so blind as to not see that he has a fascination with you," Vilkas said.
"Fine. Even so, he's just a friend. He saved my life more than once and I will not end my friendship with him because he has a crush on me that I don't return. If he wants to end our friendship, then fine, but I'm not," I said.
Vilkas eyed me steadily, his face impassive as he turned the words I'd said over in his mind. I thought of telling him that none of his concerns regarding the young Stormcloak mattered as that wasn't who I was going to visit, but I decided it was best to let him think it was him.
"Very well, I have some business to attend to. Meet me at the inn at six," Vilkas said.
I nodded to him but he'd already turned from me and begun to maneuver his way through the crowded city streets. I watched him for awhile before taking a route that led me toward the gate before branching off toward the docks.
As I left the main walkway the streets grew more narrow, rough and in need of repair. The homes were no longer solid bright stone buildings but made of wood, now old and threatening to collapse. There were less people about this part of town, though I saw some eyes stare at me from behind dirty windows. A few Dunmer beggars sat in the street, too far gone to even take notice of me and beg for coin.
I finally made my way to the gate to the docks and the sea air was refreshing. The houses here were similar to those in the Grey Quarter, though of a different architectural style. I looked about for the "Argonian Assemblage" but saw no signs on any building I passed for some time. Finally, as though scratched in by finger nails or claws, I came upon a building with a rusted sign that indicated I'd finally reached my destination.
The Assemblage consisted of one large room and a collection of small beds. There was a small living area pushed to one side where three suspicious sets of Argonian eyes fell on me as I walked through the door. I noticed one hand twitch downward, reaching for a blade.
Ignoring this, I walked up to the closest person, the a female Argonian, and tried my best to be polite as I asked after "Rasha."
"Rasha? What do you want with him?" the female asked.
"I'm a friend. He said to look for him here."
"Friend? You don't look like a friend."
I resisted asking what a friend ought to look like but said, "Is he here? Do you know when he will be in?"
"He's not here, supposed-friend. You can wait for him here or go," she said before turning her gaze from me and smoothing out the wood on the rugged top of the nearby table.
"Is he coming back soon?"
The female argonian's yellow eyes refused to meet mine and I glanced at the clock on the wall. I had roughly an hour before I had to meet with Vilkas at the inn. I turned from the counter to see the two males still staring at me, neither having moved during the exchange. Without looking at either of them, I took a seat along the wall by the door, crossing one leg over the other.
As my time was getting short, I saw the door open and Veezara dressed as a dock worker entered. His eyes fell on me and he nodded his head so that I would follow him outside. He led me along the docks, nodding to a few workers we passed, before we reached the end, well out of earshot of anyone.
"Sister, I did not think I would see you so soon," Veezara said.
"Have you heard of the murders in the city?" I asked.
"I have," he informed me. "Many look suspiciously to the Dunmer for these crimes though there is some distrust of Argonians as well. This is not unusual but it is particularly damning that all the victims have been of the human-like races."
"We aren't involved?" I asked.
Veezara tilted his head, in curiosity before saying. "While our presence need be known and feared, we typically allow this to be done through rumor and whispers. It is not our style to leave such an...obvious trail of bodies. For that matter, someone wants our contracts dead. Most of these victims do not appear to have obvious enemies or those with motive to want them dead. With that said, I assure you that the Brotherhood is no way involved in this crime."
The way he explained the crime, I got the impression that he believed I should have done more research before turning to him with the matter though he did not appear to judge me harshly for it.
"I had to be sure and quickly," I said. "It turns out I have a friend in the city guard captain who hired a Companion to help with the investigations."
Veezara smiled, "You walk a difficult path, sister. I assume this Companion wanted your help?"
"The opposite actually," I said. "But I had something else I had to see you for. I need to leave the city, tonight. I am sure my fellow Companion will not allow me to travel alone and I have a contract and other tasks I need to do, alone. Will you help me?"
The Argonian's eyes never left mine as he thought about his response. "I cannot personally help you, sister. I can give you this, however." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vile. "This is an invisibility potion, potent. It should last for three hours and should be enough to allow you to complete your contract and flee without being seen. There will be a carriage tonight, leaving at midnight and headed back toward Irvastead which you will need to catch to avoid leaving a trail. Is this Companion a Circle member?"
I nodded.
"Then losing him will be no easy matter, even if you are silent, skilled, and cautious. Not when he is already familiar with you. I will arrange a distraction an hour before midnight that should distract him for an hour," he said.
"Thank you," I said, earnestly.
The argonian smiled at me again, his eyes kinder than I would expect from an assassin trained from birth. "I am glad to assist you, sister. But let us hope your future contracts have less unforeseeable obstacles."
I laughed tiredly. "With my luck, that isn't likely."
AN: Thank you so much to all the wonderful reviewers as well as everyone who has been reading. Sorry this chapter is posted a little late (and is a short again sadly), but you are all catching up to that little lead I had due to National Novel Writing Month (little because I only made it halfway when mid-terms/finals became a concern that drew too much of my attention). But I assure you I have been working on it every week and plan on having no less than two-week updates from now on. I expect to post the next chapter Friday and then to make that the day I post from now on.