Chapter 7: Pelagiad

Zayden could only lay stiff as a board and groan in pain as the healer went about her work. She hovered her glowing hands in small, slow circles above his collar bone, pouring her magicka into the bone fracture and binding them back together. Every several seconds of this brought with it a dull pain that caused Zayden to groan yet again.

Sugar-Lips sat cross-legged nearby on the floor and watched the procedure take place. This occured in Zayden's quarters. Zayden turned to her and, through another dull pain, stated the obvious. "Zeela lied to me."

"Indeed," Sugar-Lips replied. "She thought a clean break would be best. Less time to grow attached."

"Then she could have- Ouch- been honest about it and not drugged me to sleep! Now she's gone, with no way of talking to her, saying 'Goodbye,' or anything!"

"Perhaps Zayden thinks he is being treated unfairly? And what would Zayden expect of Zeela to do otherwise, Khajiit wonders…"

"Well… Probably not much different, I admit."

"Zayden should be thankful. Zayden is now free to do as he wishes while bringing honor to Thieves Guild. There is always work to be done in Balmora. Thieves Guild makes due collections every week. Split city into five sections, take one section each week. When Zayden feels ready there is always position open for racketeer. Give Imperial plenty of time before 'marriage.'" Zayden jerked his gaze toward Sugar-Lips. "Yes, Khajiit made aware. Khajiit hate to lose two thieves but for Zeela to go into hiding is necessary. If Zayden wish to 'create new foundation,' Khajiit suggests getting to work as soon as possible."

"I am not sure- no offence- how much debt collecting can prepare me for creating a domestic life. Apart from that, Zeela wants me in her absence to learn how to kill. How can I do that during such jobs?"

"One cannot. Khajiit suggests searching the streets of Balmora for that answer. Khajiit knows Zayden is good man, he will discover a solution. That is all Khajiit will say on matter."

"I appreciate it-Aah!" The healer had finished the collar bone and hand begun work on the worst injury Zayden had; his snapped forearm. "It may be a few days, though, before I resume any work, even if what occurred was a freak happening. I wouldn't feel quite comfortable going back to racketeering just yet..."

"Khajiit understands," said Sugar-Lips with a nod.

"What ended up happening with that woman that went berserk? It seemed like things went south in an instant."

"Khajiit does not know what happened to woman. Company left too soon after Zayden getting attacked to find out. Aengoth said he would send news if any came." Sugar-Lips stood herself up and made for the door. "Khajiit will leave healer to her work," she said, addressing the mage. "Khajiit will have payment ready when you leave."

"Thank you," said the healer back. "These breaks make take another hour, but all together the rest will only be another forty minutes more, at the latest." Sugar-Lips nodded and left the room leaving the healer to finish her work in complete silence, save for Zayden's continuing grunting.

Having one's bones mended and put back together by healing magic, while a quick process, is not without its pain. And even the best healers recommend, if possible, to allow broken bones to heal naturally to ensure complete and full recovery. It is very rare, though not unheard of, for magically healed bones to become naturally weaker even when "fully healed." Multiple heals to the same bone, similarly, are not recommended. A bone can be force-healed so many times before it becomes brittle and, after one too many injuries, becomes unmendable.

As these were Zayden's first breaks, this fear did not apply. Much to Zayden's surprise, when the healing session was declared complete by the healer, he could stand back up and move his left arm and hand with perfect ease. He made sure to personally give some gold of his own to the healer before getting dressed and returning to the cantina. Sugar-Lips was sitting at the bar and and Phane working behind it. They both greeted the Imperial when he arrived.

"Feeling better?" Phane asked, sliding an ale across the bar to him.

"Well enough," Zayden answered. He gulped down half of the mug in one go before noticing Sugar-Lips had a drink in front of her already. This meant she wasn't available for speaking. He chose instead to speak his intentions aloud to the both of them. "I think I'll take a long walk through the city today. My arms and legs need some blood pumped into them."

"Try not to get lost," was Phane's only chuckled retort.

Zayden finished his beer and set off out of the South Wall. The healer had come around noontime making his departure from the club somewhere late in the afternoon. Zayden did just as he said he would; he walked and wandered the streets and alleyways of Balmora without direction or purpose. He kept himself at a slow pace for fear of overexerting his freshly healed bones.

He thought back to what Sugar-Lips had said, that the city would have the answers he sought. But where? And how? And to the question of needing to learn how to kill… The implications worried Zayden. Did Sugar-Lips imply murder would be necessary?

No. "Zayden is good man." That was what she had said. And thieves are not killers. Sugar-Lips must have had something else in mind. Figuring this riddle out, though, pulled Zayden through a few long hours of walking. Before he became fully aware of it the sun had fallen behind the hills to the west and the night's chill set in along with a bout of hunger.

Zayden set off in the direction of the market and he sought out a familiar food vendor. It was the same man Zayden ate from on his first day in Balmora, the one that served mudcrab bowls and cheap beer. The proprietor even hinted that Zayden looked familiar as he took his order. As Zayden waited and drank from his first beer he asked the man if there was any work available in the city.

"I could use a dishwasher," he laughed. "I suppose you mean mercenary work, though. You look the sort, if you don't mind me saying. I'd ask the Fighters Guild for that, friend." The Fighters would be a place to fight and kill, Zayden agreed to himself, but it would most likely be against men. Zayden was not ready to do such a thing again and so soon.

Zayden felt a brush against his boot as he continued to ponder his options. He looked down and was greeted with the sight of a fat, brown rat sniffing at the legs of his stool. Before he could react a mangy cat came bounding in from the right and pounced on top of the rat, clamping its teeth into the back of its neck. The creature wriggled in a fruitless attempt to break free as the cat went bounding off claiming its prize.

"See something?" asked the cart owner, handing Zayden his food.

"I just witnessed a cat snatch a rat up with it it's teeth right at my feet," Zayden replied.

"Nice rhyme," he joked. "Yes, they've been a big pain around here, haven't they?"

"Have they?" Zayden asked.

"Where have you been these last few months!? Yeah, the rats have been breeding a lot more recently. I've been good at keeping them out of my own food storage but others in the market haven't been so lucky. And with the rats come stray cats, which come with their own problems. Hey, maybe that can be your job around here: local exterminator!"

The two laughed off the joke initially, but as Zayden began to eat his mind eventually drifted back to that very prospect. Zayden needed to learn how to kill and Balmora has a rat infestation… How hard could it be, to kill a few rats? Zayden, of course, didn't expect to rid the entire city of the beasts. One would have an easier go ridding Vvardenfell of all the cliff racers!

These new possibilities carried Zayden through his meal and his return journey back to South Wall. He met Sugar-Lips behind the club smoking a fat, stubby cigarette. Zayden joined her with a cigar of his own for a few minutes before telling her about what he did today. He first, though, ask if she knew anything about throwing weapons. Sugar-Lips seemed almost insulted at the question, quickly declaring herself the best thrower in the Balmora bureau.

Zayden grinned, he half expecting Sugar-Lips to answer as she did. "I learned today that the market has a problem with rats," he told her. "The thought of learning knife throwing had come long before now. I could be both honing a new skill and helping the community out at the same time."

"Khajiit agrees," said Sugar-Lips. "Khajiit will take you to smith tomorrow and help select throwing knives. We will practice on tree here, behind South Wall." She gestured to the tree several years away. The memory of Zeela inducing Zayden to vomit upon joining the guild welled back up. "That is, if Imperial is healed enough."

"I spent the entire day walking and had no complications. I don't throw with my left arm so I think I will be okay."

The cat and the Imperial did just as she said the next afternoon, the two going to a smith in the market. There in the shop, in a wall of small shelves, was organized a small variety of different throwing weapons to choose from: throwing daggers, knives, darts, and stars, mostly made from iron. It took Zayden several minutes of handling and inspection for him to finally settle upon a set of ten matching knives, each measuring nine inches in length, with a five inch double-edged blade and a heavy handle end. The set fit well in loops in the leather strap across Zayden's chest.

Zayden paid for his weapons and, just as Sugar-Lips was about to turn and make back toward the door, Zayden asked the smith if he was taking up commissions. This surprised Sugar-Lips and she asked what Zayden had in mind. He unsheathed his dagger and presented it to the smith. It was the very same dagger that killed the boy. Zayden asked if another could be made; a dagger with a crossguard but the blade replaced with a slightly longer, heavy metal bar with a rounded tip and no edges at all. The smith agreed and said it could easily be completed by tomorrow evening.

Sugar-Lips expressed her appreciation of Zayden's new weapon choices as they left to return to the South Wall. "A blunted weapon, to prevent killing. Does this mean Zayden will replace dagger already owned?"

"No," he replied. "It will merely be another to carry. I will endeavor to rely on it as a first line of offence in the future, when possible. I still want to keep the edged dagger, for if things ever go south again, Gods forbid."

The Imperial and the Khajiit shared a quick lunch before proceeding to the back of the club. Sugar-Lips by then had retrieved her personal bandolier of throwing weapons, she preferring knives as well. For this and the next two days, twice a day, and for two hours at a time, she give Zayden an introduction to throwing weapons and knife throwing. She personally had gotten proficent at a sideways throwing technique that launched knives forward and with no spin. She as well could unsheathe from her chest bandolier and throw in one quick fluid motion with surprising accuracy.

They practiced only for accuracy and distance for those three days, throwing from varying distances. Lessons in quickness would come once Zayden could reliably hit a chest sized target from any distance within thirty feet. This threshold of course never came in their three days of training but Zayden nonetheless became decent enough in the art.

On the fourth day Zayden set forth back into the streets of Balmora, first returning to the smith to retrieve his long overdue commission. He, after getting told out for collecting late, was pleased with what had been created. The design was deceptively simple and brilliant, indistinguishable at a glance from a regular dagger. He moved his bladed dagger to the left of his hip, next to his sword, and put his new weapon on his right.

Thus began what would be the oddest months of work for Zayden he had ever had. After making his presence and intentions known to the captain of the Balmora guard, Zayden began his quest to exterminate the pests and rats of the city. The first nine days were a miserable affair. He, without a shred of knowledge on how to hunt, made a joke of himself as he retread the walkways of Balmora in search of pest, only to miss every throw he made at them. It didn't take long for a new moniker, "Ratman," to become affixed to him among the districts.

On the tenth day Zayden took a break from his charade of a hunt, finally choosing to take part in another racketeering job. This one was conducted in the upper class residential district west of the Odai. The wealthy, Zayden would quickly realize, held both some of the most cowardly and headstrong society had to offer. The day, however, ended with all debts paid up and not a single incident of violence.

During that day Zayden told Sugar-Lips about his failure of the last nine days. She seemed amused at the tale and, when asked for advice, seemed to take personal delight in telling Zayden to "Use your head."

"Think of what Zeela said of heist," she continued. "Ten years spent planning. Zayden must learn to use eyes and observe, to remain still and think before acting. Stalking down every pest in city in mad hunt will get Zayden nowhere." Zayden took this new advice to heart and, upon returning to rat hunting the next day spent the next three days merely observing the creatures. He studied and took notes where they were most often seen and where, when spotted, they ran off to. This eventually led Zayden to discovering some of their dens in the river sewers.

It took another few days to get his first ranged kill of a rat. He had spotted it atop a bread crate in an alley behind a tavern. He observed the beast as it sniffed and poked its head around for a few long minutes before he slowly began to reach for one of his knives. Then, when it had its back turned completely, Zayden made a swift throw and struck the rat in its very center, pinning it to the crate. It squeaked and squirmed for a few moments before finally slowing down and dying.

After that first kill the next would come more and more often. The second kill came just after a few more days, the third coming the next day after. It would be only another two weeks before Zayden had practiced and honed his skills enough to be able to, upon immediately spotting a rat, unsheath a throwing knife and make, if not a kill, strike within a foot of the creature. With such precision hitting a man-sized target, on command, would prove easy. A new name of "Rat Slayer" soon followed.

It was around this time Zayden began adopting a regular position as racketeer in Balmora, going out with a company of thieves every week to collect dues. With each job that passed without violence his confidence grew in his work. He began to believe the words of his fellow thieves, the ones Zeela had previously dismissed; what had happened to Zayden on his first true assignment was a massive fluke. The only other time in the next five months of collecting dues he ever had to lay a finger on his weapons against man or mer was by show of threat, one that never escalated.

As Zayden worked his skills became ever more honed, her personal coffers slowly but steadily grew, and in secret to everyone else, he studied and planned a scheme of his own...

-o0o-

Zayden waited for a particular type of evening to unveil his intentions. It would be an evening after a day of collecting dues on Labor Street, the main road that cut through the residential/working class district east of the Odai. Such dues were often the more time consuming to collect, the more impoverished understandably more unwilling to part with their coin. This made the day's collecting more tiring than others and Zayden observed Sugar-Lips always spent a few hours at the cantina bar on those evenings.

Joining Sugar-Lips for an evening drink was a common enough occurrence. There was, of course, little in the way of idle talk between them, the Khajiit treating her drinking as the ritual she did. This meant he had to wait patiently for the magic moment between when she finished a drink and started another. When that time came he lept into action, producing a leather roll of papers and placing it on the bar in front of her.

"What is this?" Sugar-Lips asked.

"I have a proposition for the guild, Mastermind." Zayden never called Sugar-Lips "Mastermind" unless the business was official and he was about to ask something of her. Sugar-Lips knew this and now gave Zaydem her full attention. "It benefits the Thieves Guild and myself personally. You remember the promise I made to Zeela for her return?"

"Khajiit remembers."

"I have planned over the last few months an effort to expand the guild's influence." Zayden undid the tie on the roll and spread flat across the bar. Inside was a messy pile of handwritten notes detailing the plan. "Currently we operate in four major cities officially: Balmora, Ald'Ruhn, Vivec, and Sadrith Mora. Between here and Vivec is Pelagiad, the Imperial Legion 'retirement village.' Remember I had traveled there two weeks ago for 'vacation.'"

"Khajiit remembers, also. What is Zayden's point?"

"The inn there, the Halfway Tavern, is owned by a woman named Drelasa Ramothran. She's friendly to the Thieves Guild but of course not a member herself. At least she had been friendly to us in the past."

"What has changed?" Sugar-Lips asked.

"I'm not entirely sure yet. While there I made friends with a Khajiit woman. Ahnassi. She's a rogue thief but she aspires to join the guild someday. She *ahem* also became quite smitten by me as well." Sugar-Lips chuckled and grinned. "Ahnassi is a regular at the tavern and was able to give me some info on what was going on.

Apparently, within a little under two weeks before my arrival in Pelagiad, a stranger to the town arrived and began renting the inn's most expensive room. The patron, a Nord woman, is held up in the room at nearly all hours of the day. She refuses to speak to anyone and gets verbally hostile toward anyone who tries to talk to her. She hasn't assaulted anyone yet and she pays her rent on time so Drelasa can not legally remove her from the inn.

This, Ahnassi believes, is causing Drelasa to become stressed and she has begun taking it out on all the other patrons. She has even begun to reject thief presence, seeing them as 'more unnecessary trouble.' If I can get the Nord to leave the tavern than the place can become Thieves Guild friendly once more. Then I can begin my plan of taking ownership of the tavern itself."

This made Sugar-Lips visibly scoff. "Zayden does not know how to run inn," she chided. "How does Zayden think he can do this?"

"I personally will not run the inn. Just take ownership. Ahnassi will run the place. She told me she has observed the trade long and well enough to practice it herself. She clearly loves the place and has mentioned she would love to own it. I believe she can be trusted. Of course, once Drelasa is removed, some of the remaining staff of the tavern might leave with her on principle…"

Zayden did not mean to say the last line aloud, it being a lingering doubt of his for the mission. Nevertheless it slipped and Sugar-Lips took note of it. The Khajiit sat motionless and said nothing. Her feline eyes looked back with increasing uneasiness as what was being proposed. Even now Zayden was beginning to sound unsure even to himself. He continued to outline his plan regardless.

"This might be of interest, also," he went on. "East of Pelagiad is Dren Plantation." The Khajiit's ears perked up. "It is owned by Orvas Dren, brother to the Duke of Ebonheart. I think we both know how he is related to the Thieves Guild…"

"Orvas is Kingpin of Camonna Tong," Sugar-Lips answered solemnly. "Also holds informal but strong influence in House Hlaalu. Plantation holds many slaves, both lizard and cat… Zayden intends to spy on Camonna Tong?"

"Camonna Tong are enemies to the Thieves Guild. And I thought you, a Khajiit, would approve of such a course of action."

"Khajiit does," she said back, "but Khajiit thinks Zayden is over his head with ambition. Zayden intends to replace ownership of tavern- which Zayden has yet to explain how- but has not planned for all possible outcomes! What if tavern work staff revolt? What if Camonna Tong get wise to Thieves Guild expansion? This plot has not been thought through and goes beyond purview of guild!"

"If this plan works the Thieves Guild will have stronger influence in the Ascadian Isles. We will be on the doorstep of the Camonna Tong and keep better eye on their leader. This also-" Zayden paused. "This will also let me fulfil my promise to Zeela, when she returns. She will have a wealthy, comfortable life to return to."

"IF Zeela returns!" Sugar-Lips shot back, hissing again. "So that is what drove you to concoct maddening scheme? Your promise to her? So much can go wrong, Zayden. Great harm would come of guild if plot fails. Zayden's heart is in the right place but his head goes beyond his step!"

"I understand the risks involved," said Zayden. "Which is why I am willing to do as Zeela has and sever my official ties to the guild. If things fail there will be no connection back to South Wall."

"Zayden will do no such thing because Khajiit rejects plan!" Sugar-Lips shot up from her stool. "Khajiit respects enthusiasm. Khajiit hopes Zayden can provide for Zeela if she returns. But not by these means." Zayden attempted to strengthen his case but by then it was too late and Sugar-Lips had heard enough. She excused herself and retired to her quarters.

An uncomfortable air hung over the cantina. Zayden glanced to the other thieves for even a hint that any one of them sided with his idea. Most, to his dismay, kept their eyes away and to themselves. Phane, to his credit, attempted to soften Zayden's defeat with another ale but by then even Zayden refused to say any more. He rolled his papers and leather back up and retreated upstairs and into the Balmoran night.

Zayden was not heard from by the next morning and, when still there had been no sight of him by the evening, Sugar-Lips organized and led a search for him. The trail was hot and it did not take long at all to find out where he had gone. A guard readily divulged that he saw Zayden board a late silt strider, one inbound for Vivec. A route that would take him close to Pelagiad.

-o0o-

Zayden handed an extra sum of gold to stop the strider an hour outside of Pelagiad. The beastmaster agreed and made an unscheduled stop along the road, letting the Imperial off. The strider picked back up and continued along the road leaving Zayden to cut across the wild northeast until he reached the town sometime before dawn. The tavern at this hour would naturally be open but Zayden chose to make another visit before heading there.

A few blocks from the tavern was a small, unassuming house clustered among many other residents. He knocked on the door and was met by a sleepy but friendly face a few moments later. "Imperial!" Ahnassi greeted, quickly beginning to purr loudly. "Ahnassi is happy to see my friend return. Please, enter!"

Ahnassi quickly rubbed and groomed the orange fur around her face and her black tipped ears to neaten her appearance as Zayden entered her home. She then went bounding toward the pantry and quickly served up some dried nix-hound meat and mazte. She gave Zayden no choice but to sit shoulder to shoulder on a cushioned chaise to eat. But there was no opportunity to eat or drink because Ahnassi also wasted no time in rest her head on his shoulder and sliding in closer.

Zayden feared she would be like this when he returned. She had made it painfully obvious to Zayden, upon first laying eyes on him, she viewed him romantically. Zayden in turned liked her and found her company comforting but resisted breaking her heart too soon. Her skill and effort in the days to come would be vital to his plans and losing her friendship would be disastrous. Plus, in an odd way, he found the cat cute in a way he had never seen in any other Khajiit.

"What brings Ahnassi's special friend here at such an early hour?" she asked Zayden, rubbing the side of her face into his neck and continuing to purr.

"An unfortunate turn of events," he replied. "I presented my plan to Habasi and she refused to endorse it. I left to fulfil it regardless and I now I fear I risk my place in the Thieves Guild as a result."

"How awful," Ahnassi exclaimed. "Ahnassi though it was a good plan!"

"As did I. I still intend to go forward with the plan, though… What has happened since I was last here?"

"Not much has changed. The Nord woman still refuses to leave and Drelasa is becoming ever more hostile. Patronage to the tavern is drying up and the Imperial guard is now threatening to close its doors if things don't change."

"Then we have even less time to act now…" Zayden took a swig of his drink and sighed.

"But Ahnassi has learned new things about Nord! Ahnassi is now positive she is secret worshiper of Mehrunes Dagon! We can use this against her to have the guard remove her."

"The guard is in the same position as Drelasa," Zayden reminder her. "Unless she hurts or attacks anyone and so long as she keeps paying her rent there is nothing anyone can do."

"But there is! Ahnassi knows where the key to her room is. Ahnassi can sneak in and take her money. When she can no longer pay Drelasa she will be removed! By the guard if necessary."

"It may be dangerous, trying to steal from her, if she indeed worships Mehrunes Dagon." Zayden cautioned. "Do you think you can do it?"

"Yes," Ahnassi replied with even more nustling and purrs. "Ahnassi is good thief. Ahnassi will do it for you, Zayden. Special friend."

It took much of Zayden's strength to simply fall prey to the Khajiit's blunt affections. He knew it would be so easy to do so and she would immediately submit to his advance. But he could never do such a thing and betray his promise to Zeela. He knew he had to say something to the girl.

"Ahnassi," Zayden groaned as he craned his head from the rubbing and prodes of her muzzle. "Why are you acting this way? You cling to me like a wet blanket."

"I cling because Ahnassi notices you like you noticed Ahnassi. You knew I was a thief when we first met and I noticed your smooth moves and the way you walk. Ahnassi liked what she saw," she giggled. Like a house cat on cat nip she persisted in rubbing her face against Zayden. She leaned in and whispered in Zayden's ear. "Ahnassi can not control herself around you. Ahnassi would love to take you to her bed and share her natural gift with you."

So very easy to fall…

"Gods bless you, Ahnassi," Zayden attempted to laugh off. "You will one day make a man very happy… But I must refuse you." The purring subsided slightly. "I have my heart set upon another. A Dunmer. Zeela. She is away taking part in a big heist in Vivec currently. When she returns she will need to go into hiding and I hope to provide her with enough wealth to live a comfortable domesticity."

"Which is why you want to own the Halfway Tavern," said Ahnassi. Zaden nodded. "So Zayden does not love Ahnassi, then?"

"I do love you," said Zayden, "but I can not share my life with you. And so I can not accept your 'natural gift,' as much as it pains me to do so."

Ahnassi giggled and pressed her muzzle back into Zayden's neck but at the same time shrunk in her embrace. "So you do feel the same way for Ahnassi? But your heart is for another…"

"I hope you can forgive me."

"Maybe Ahnassi can." She pressed herself against Zayden once more. "Drelasa usually mans tavern bar in evenings, when tenants pay rent. We have time until then and Ahnassi can tell we are both tired… If Ahnassi can not share her body, let Ahnassi share her bed downstairs. Keep Zayden warm." This option sounded no different to the other. But before he could refuse he felt Ahnassi's claws firmly clamp onto his arm. "Ahnassi will not take 'No' as an answer. Do this or Ahnassi does not help in the mission."

"This sounds like extortion," Zayden stated.

"All in day's for for Thieves Guild, yes? No more talk. We rest. Ahnassi promise to keep paws to herself."

-o0o-

Zayden awoke in Ahnassi's bed, late in the afternoon, to the touch of Khajiit fur pressed against his chest and legs. Somehow during his slumber Ahnassi slipped herself between his arms and cradled herself against him. Furthermore, she had also removed all her clothes. Zayden distinctly remembered the two had gone to sleep on very opposite sides of the bed and her with clothes on. So to awake so intertwined and in such a state only meant one thing.

Zayden leaned forward and whispered Ahnassi's name into her ear. She groaned softly and rolled over to face Zayden, still within the hold of his arms. "Pleasant dreams?" she whispered back with a grin.

"I thought you promised you would keep your hands to yourself."

"Ahnassi did," she giggled. "Ahnassi wriggled into your arms as you slept, like a snake. Clever, yes?"

Zayden for a moment contemplated what an appropriate response to this turn of events would be. Then he decided he didn't care.

Zayden reached toward Ahnassi's rear, firmly grasped her tail and violently jerked it upward. The Khajiit gave a piercing yelp, jumped almost to the ceiling, and fell off the bed, crashing onto the floor. She immediately shot back up and was met by Zayden's piercing enraged eyes.

"One never pulls a Khajiit's tail!" Ahnassi scolded. "It is like getting an arm cut off!" Zayden pretended he could no longer hear Ahnassi and began to get dressed. He made his way back to the pantry upstairs, leaving Ahnassi to clamor her clothes and gear (green and brown robe and knife belt) back on and catch up. When she finally did Zayden was ripping off bites of the nix-hound meat left out from last night. He casually tossed her a piece and poured the two of them water and more mazte, all without speaking a word to her or making any eye contact.

"Ok, ok, Ahnassi admits she made mistake! Zayden has a right to be angry. Punish Ahnassi if you must. Pull her tail again! A-A hundred times again! But please do not be mad at her. Please."

Zayden finally met Ahnassi's eyes and once more shot daggers at her. He wanted to explode and berate her, make her feel sorry for what she had done. And yes, perhaps even yank her tail a few more times if necessary. But in the moment their eyes met again something told him to stop. In her eyes, beneath the surface level fright and shame was something that rang as… innocence? An almost childlike naivete that, in a flash, made it impossible for Zayden to remain mad at her.

"... No," Zayden replied at length. "Something tells me you would actually enjoy me pulling your tail." For the moment the two were silent but soon they were both laughing to each other. Ahnassi reclaimed the space between she and Zayden and once nuzzled up against him.

"Ahnassi is sorry," she said. "She promises to be good girl and help Zayden on his mission today."

"I know you will. I know I can trust you…" Zayden looked to a nearby window. "Looks like it's still at least an hour until dusk begins. We have a bit more time to eat until we begin."

The two ate and drank together before making their final preparations. As they checked their equipment a fell thought came over Zayden. He remembered back to the things Sugar-Lips had said, how she kept insisting the possibility that Zeela might actually not return from her heist. If all things in his effort to take the Halfway Tavern and establish Thieves Guild presence in Pelagiad went according to plan, there would be no Zeela to share in it.

Zayden's eyes fell unconsciously back on Ahnassi just as she was adjusting the loops for her throwing darts. This Khajiit, in spite of the short time they had come to know each other, was only the second person ever to view Zayden with any hint of romance. And she did so so easily and completely. Zayden wondered, only for a brief moment, what life would be like with Ahnassi…

The two eventually got ready and left Ahnassi's home, making the brief walk north across Pelagiad to the tavern. It was just off the main boulevard that cut the city in two and led east toward the town's Imperial fort. They had timed their departure well and the sun was just beginning to set and turn the sky a familiar orange.

The tavern was just beginning to hit its evening rush as Zayden and Ahnassi entered. The bar stretched across the back wall and, as Ahnassi said, was being manned by Drelasa Ramothran. She was a middle-aged Dunmer with red hair and expensive shirt and skirt.

"Welcome back," she greeted Ahnassi. She automatically served her a mug of shein without having been asked. Up close Zayden could discern dark circles underneath her eyes, caused by stress or lack of sleep. "And greetings to you, Imperial. I remember you here talking with Ahnassi a few weeks ago. What are you drinking?"

"Mazte," he answered.

"This is Zayden," said Ahnassi. "He is special friend to Ahnassi. Zayden is fellow thief, blackcap in Thieves Guild." Zayden greeted himself to Drelasa but was already getting suspicious eyes from her.

"Ahnassi wanted me to come back," Zayden told Drelasa. "She said this place was rather welcome to the Thieves Guild."

"Yes, well, you will have to forgive me, Imperial," the Dunmer dismissed. "I haven't been in the hospitable mood as of late."

"So I've been told. Ahnassi has clued me in to what has been happening. To your Nord problem."

"Then you must know what hell I've been in then. The bitch keeps her payments and there is nothing I can do to kick her out!"

"I think we may be able to change that today." Zayden leaned in across the bar. "Give Ahnassi a key to her room. When she comes down this evening to pay her rent try to stall and keep her here as long as possible. Ahnassi will sneak upstairs and take her remaining money. Then come tomorrow when she can no longer pay you will finally have cause to remove her."

The Dunmer leaned back slightly and considered the proposition for only a brief moment. "Sounds as good a plan as any. Very well, Imperial. Just keep yourself and Ahnassi sober enough to do the job right. Pull this off and I'll let the both of you drink for free for… Well, a while, at least. In fact…" Drelasa quickly served each of the two another of their respective drinks. "These are on the house as well."

The two thieves thanked the Dunmer and slowly sipped from their vessels for another several silent minutes, passing time until the Nord emerged. Drelasa turned her attention to the other patrons of the inn, serving drinks and cleaning up behind the bar and tables. Those several minutes eventually turned to over an hour. When there was finally a decent lull in the evening rush Drelasa returned her attention to Zayden and Ahnassi.

"It's kind of funny, Imperial, seeing your face again," she said. "Yours has been one of the few new to Pelagiad for a while. Last stranger we had was some well-dressed, smooth talker looking for a woman he met in passing and had become instantly head-over-heels for. And wouldn't you know it, just this morning, we had another stranger. Came galloping in around opening hour. Seemed like he was in a rush but he came in, took a seat, and has barely moved from his spot all day."

Zayden merely raised a curious eyebrow and she continued. "No lies, friend. He's done little but sit, watch everyone coming and going for hours now. And drink up all my Cyrodillic brandy! Only have a few bottles of it, and to be fair it doesn't move all that well, but he refuses to drink anything else. He's sitting alone near the opposite wall."

Zayden glanced to his left and caught a glimpse of the stranger in question. "That him?" he asked. "Seems to be fixated upon me personally."

"Maybe he finds you cute," Drelasa joked.

"Maybe I'll find out," said Zayden, suddenly getting up from his stool and walking over to the table where the stranger sat. Ahnassi attempted to tell Zayden not to cause any trouble but her words got caught in her throat. Zayden pulled up a chair and sat opposite the other and at first said nothing. He merely grinned back at the red-face man.

"What are you doing here, Tappius?" Zayden finally asked.

Tappius gave a coughing chuckle. His entire face and head was a healthy, drunken glowing red. One empty and one half drunk bottle of Cyrodillic brandy sat on the table next to his short stout glass. "Habasi sent me," he replied. "She wanted me to relay to you a message, but…" He paused to glance back at his bottles. "I'm a little too drunk to remember exactly what it was. But I do remember being told to check if you're alive and not causing the guild any dishonor. Basically, I'm hired on extended contract to follow you and keep you from mucking things up.

So? What should I report back to the cat?"

"It's been not even over a day," Zayden chided. "The first step in the scheme has yet to even occur." Zayden reiterated the plan to Tappius and received back a tepid response. Tappius was unconvinced what would occur after the Nord was removed.

"If your plan is to give Zeela a place to call home," Tappius expounded, "where exactly is that going to come from?"

"I thought, perhaps, that in Drelasa would give me and Zeela permanent lodging in one of the tavern rooms. At least until we can afford a house."

"What if she refuses?" Zayden could not speak an answer and cursed himself for his inability. "Your heart is in the right place, my friend, but you're a little over your head."

"That sounds familiar," Zayden groaned, snatching up the bottle of brandy and taking a swig. The liquid hit his pallet and made his groan a second time. Tappius gave a hearty laugh at the effort. So loud was the laugh that Zayden at first failed to hear descending footsteps from behind him.

"Barmaid!" a new voice sounded over the ambient chatter. "Got my rent for the day."

Zayden swiveled around on his stool and looked back to the bar. The Nord woman, Hrordis, had finally come down. She was taller and slightly more broad in the shoulders, as most Nord women are, had short cut red hair and was clad in a fine olive green robe. She could have been middle aged but her otherwise smooth face was creased in oddly deep age lines. It didn't help that she also wore a constant scowl.

The Nord slammed onto the surface of the bar her ten septum payment and was just about to head back upstairs when Drelasa stopped her. "Wait a moment," she said. "Could you hold here while I inspect these coins. It's nothing personal to you. I've been having problems with other tenants trying to pass up fake coins." The Nord protested for a moment, claiming she never paid in fake coins in the past, but ultimately stuck around and watched the Dunmer inspect each and every coin in a slow and unnecessarily methodical manner.

It was while this was going on that Ahnassi casually got up from her stool and made her way toward and up the stairs. The Nord huffed and groaned and paced back and forth as the inspection took its course. Long minutes passed and one by one the coins were deemed to be real. It came down to the second to last coin when the Khajiit finally came back down and sat back down at the bar, giving Drelasa a subtle wink.

Drelasa finished and declared the Nord's payment done. Hrordis gave one final, exacerbated yell before stomping back to her room. Zayden returned to the bar and asked Ahnassi how things went. She produced from inside one of her sleeves a small coin pouch. "Ahnassi was successful. Ahnassi is good thief, yes?"

Zayden smiled and gave the Khajiit a few good scratches behind her ear. "Very good," he said, then turning to Drelasa. "I would bring a few guards here by tomorrow evening, just to be secure, if she decides not to leave quietly," he advised her. She agreed and served he and Ahnassi another free round. Zayden and Ahnassi left the bar to join Tappius at his table and for another several minutes the trio basked in their victory. The sound of a crash from upstairs brought their mood to a collapsing halt.

Hrordis came storming back downstairs more enraged than previously. She yelled across the tavern in a voice so loud it rendered all others into silence. "No one is leaving this tavern!" She motioned a hand toward the front door and the door flashed with a faint purple glow of an alteration spell. "The door is now locked and triggered to kill anyone who tries to open it. Someone has stolen my money and no one leaves until I've found and killed them!"

For what felt like an eternity no one dared move or speak, the entire tavern brought to a standstill. This did nothing to quell the Nord's temper. When Drelasa behind the bar made an imperceptible shift in her stance it immediately caught Horodis's attention. "You had some part in this, don't you!?"

"I have no idea who stole your money," Drelasa replied. "We can call the guard here now and figure things out, but we can't help you so long as you have that door trapped! Release the spell and we can help you!"

"I'm no fool, elf! It happened when you were wasting time inspecting my money! You're a part of this and you're going to pay!" Hrordis stepped toward the bar but abruptly stopped when a loud *thunk* sounded to her right. She looked and saw a throwing dart, mere inches from where her head just was, imbedded in the nearby wall. She followed the flight path back to Ahnassi who was already clutching two more in her paw.

The Nord scowled and made another motion of her hand. The center of the room lit up in a flash of yellow sparks. When they faded a horrifying creature now occupied it. It was lithe and humanoid and naked, its skin covered in necrotic patches and missing chunks of flesh, exposing the bloody meat beneath. Cracked bones pierced and spiked the body in unnatural formation. Zayden would later learn such a creature to be a bonewalker.

The tavern partons yelped in fright and scattered, pressing themselves against the nearest walls. "A summoner?!" Tappius exclaimed. The undead had its lidless eyes locked onto he, Zayden and Ahnassi. With them distracted Hrordis returned her attention to Drelasa. She produced a knife from beneath her robe and approached her. What Hrordis didn't expect was a pair of patrons choosing that moment to tackle her and pin her to the wall. They attempted together to wrestle the knife from her.

The bonewalker began its attack and gave none of the three any time to unsheath their weapons. They dodged its first charge and the creature went crashing into the table. Ahnassi threw two more of her darts into the bonewalker's back but there were completely ineffective. Zayden was the first to unsheath his sword and he made a slash at its left arm. He struck halfway up the forearm and, to his surprise, easily severed it. This barely seemed to wound the undead and only succeeded to anger it.

Tappius thrust his sword into its stomach and got it stuck. The bonewalker responded by backhanding the Imperial with great strength and sending him stumbling back.

As this went on Hrordis had broken her pin and slashed at the two patrons's stomachs. They both went collapsing back clutching their wounds. She returned her attention to Drelasa and charged. The Dunmer made an attempt to use a nearly serving platter to shield herself from the knife. It was effortlessly knocked away and the blade plunged thrice into her chest.

Ahnassi shrieked as she saw Drelasa drop lifelessly to the floor. She broke off from the others and began throwing dart after dart at the Nord in a hissing frenzy. Half of all of them missed and what ones that did strike studded her left arm. It succeeded in crippling it, causing it to dangle just as lifelessly. When the darts ran out Ahnassi produced her own knife and taunted the woman to fight her herself.

The bonewalker turned its attack to Zayden and grabbed him by the shoulders. He pushed back at the creature began to snap its lipless, rotting mouth at the man's neck. Zayden managed to break free and took another swing at its other arm. Again the arm severed and a final strike was made to the crown of the head. It split in half like rotten fruit and a moment later the undead disappeared in another burst of magic sparks.

Ahnassi was now in a grapple with the Nord. She hissed and spat an endless series of curses in another language. It quickly became apparent that Hrordis outmatched Ahnassi in strength and would best her. Zayden readied a throwing knife and, after taking an agonizing full second to steady his aim, sent it forward. It struck deep in the side of the Nord's neck, piercing the windpipe. She made a futile gasp of air before she released her grip on Ahnassi and fell backwards to the floor.

The Khajiit immediately jumped on top of the Nord and began stabbing again and again into her chest. When the knife got stuck she began wildly clawing and ripping away at the flesh of her face, hissing and cursing the entire time, tears streaming down her face. It finally took Zayden yanking her back to end the assault.

When the sorcerer died the spell on the door broke with a subtle flash of purple light. A moment later the door burst open and guards poured in. One dead guard laid in a crumpled heap just outside. He had apparently attempted to open the door when the spell was still in effect.

A long, long night followed. Healers were brought in to treat the wounded and Imperial Legion soldiers question everyone in the tavern. It took until beyond daybreak for an accurate assessment of the events to take shape. In the end Drelasa's death was deemed murder and the actions of all others were deemed to be in self-defence or defence of others.

Ahnassi was nearly inconsolable for a long time, refusing to leave Drelasa's side. Zayden and Tappius remained close to the Khajiit, the former actively attempting to comfort her. He held her by the shoulders and gently stroked the back of her bloody paws. Tappius, meanwhile, seemed the least distraught by the whole experience. If anything he berated himself for not killing either the bonewalker or the Nord. He did give Zayden begrudging praise for doing so.

When finally the wounded and the dead were removed from the tavern a pair of people stayed and helped clean the place of blood. It took until early evening to bring the establishment's appearance back to normal. Funeral arrangements for Drelasa were made that very night and the main boulevard of Pelagiad filled with the town's residents in a celebration of her life. It became clear to Zayden just how valued and loved the woman was to this place.

A few days would then pass before any question of the fate of the Halfway Tavern took place. It took no help from Zayden for the townspeople to decide, nearly unanimously, to whom ownership should go. Ahnassi was transferred ownership of the tavern and after another few days it reopened to an amazing reception.

Zayden felt sick and horrible about what had happened. It was, after all, his plan that led to Drelasa's death. He had planned for transfer of the tavern's ownership to go peacefully, even if it took years to accomplish. But what was done is done and cannot be changed. The means were terrible but the task was accomplished. The tavern, through Ahnassi, was owned by him. Now he need only keep it standing for Zeela's return.

If she ever did...