As I head down the stairs towards the door, I hear Sheogorath laugh, "If you let me, Ashlynn, I can help you."
"I can use all the help I can get," I say.
"Then stop!" Sheogorath voice echoes loudly in my head right before I grab the doorknob.
"What?!" I say in contempt.
"I have someone coming to fetch you," he tells me. "Just wait for him."
"Last year's soul you've claimed?" I ask.
"Yes, Ashlynn," he tells me. "And he is dying to meet you." I don't like the emphasis he put on the word "dying".
I hear voices from outside the door. A male with a wheezy voice and a constant cough and a female who sounds mildly annoyed. "Good afternoon, Erdi. How are you today?" "Oh, hello, Reynald. Actually just got over a mild sickness. Damned skeevers in the cellar again. You don't look too well yourself." "Don't worry about me, I'll be just fine by the end of the day." The door begins to open and a sickly looking man comes limping in.
"Sheogorath sent me for you," the man says in between wheezing coughs.
I turn up my nose at the sight of the guy. He's filthy; unkempt hair and his clothes are dingy and raggedy. Ugh! And he smells too! "What's wrong with you?" I ask him, trying to sound concerned for him.
After a few more loud and painful sounding coughs, Reynald answers, "Witbane. Word of advice, if you see an Ice Wraith, run!" Ice Wraith? What? He coughs a few more times and adds, "I'm here to escort you out of the palace and to Proudspire Manor." His coughing continues. "Sadly, you're on your own from there."
"So once I'm out of the building, I'm screwed." I complain, rolling my eyes.
Reynald coughs again. "No worries. I've left my home to you. I've already made all the arrangements with Falk two days ago. I expected you yesterday, but Sheogorath said you were being difficult."
"I wasn't being difficult!" I lash out. "I just wanted to go home after Calypso granted my wish!"
Reynald's eyes widened. "You won the competition?!" He wheezes in astonishment. "How?" He steps closer, "what was your strategy?" Reynald's sudden interest make me uneasy. Gods! Get this guy away from me!
Reynald suddenly straightens up, he's no longer coughing and wheezing, and his entire demeanor changes. "Oh, Ashlynn. Relax. Not everyone turns out like this guy. Consider yourself lucky to have an escort. He didn't have anyone when he arrived." It's Sheogorath speaking through him. Will he ever do this to me? He laughs, "not until your will is broken, and sadly it doesn't seem like that'll happen anytime soon. Now if you two will stop wasting time, I'd like to have Ashlynn outside by sunset. Oh, wait. That already happened! Hurry it up!" Reynald collapses to the floor in a heap.
Although he's filthy and down right disgusting, I help Reynald to his feet. Without mentioning what just happened, I simply prompt, "We should get moving. Show me this house you told me about."