Sapphire Night Eye ver2

by Risemonger

She is the shadow on the wall, but a beacon of hope. A mistress of the night and a hero of the day. Join Ty'ani as she is transformed from Riften's most feared thief to Skyrim's greatest hero. Khajiit protagonist. Rated M.

2. Before the Storm

4E 201
14th of Sun's Dusk

The weather in Skyrim was at it's harshest now that the last arrays of autumn began to give way to winter. Snow fell heavily, especially in the far north, and the winds chilled even the brawniest of men. Roaming the land was a number of creatures: wolves, bears, giants, sabre cats and trolls just to name a few, and all of them as dangerous as the freezing winds. While the cities that dotted the land were walled and safe, the plains were wild and untamed, but was still distinctively beautiful.

The majestic snow-capped mountain peaks look over the entirety of the land, visible even in the greatest of distances. The most noticeable was the Throat of the World, the tallest mountain in the province whose peak seemed to touch the very sky. However, the whole of Skyrim wasn't covered entirely with snow. Whiterun's rolling plains and rippling streams ran throughout the land, and the rocky cliffs and crevices of the Reach in Skyrim's west are also a sight to behold. Temperate forests lined Falkreath in Skyrim's southern border, where green pines grew tall with small specks of white frost occasionally hanging onto their branches. Deer frolic and graze the grass, while birds perch on the trees and chirp.

This was more evident in Skyrim's south-eastern corner, the Rift. Colour could be seen as far as the eye could see as the trees finished shedding their leaves in preparation for the wintry season, giving it a more delicate look which contrasted against the rest of Skyrim. The border was also rimmed with mountain peaks, seemingly separating it from the rest of the land.

In the far south-east, the Rift's main city, Riften, glowed under the soft golden light of the morning sun. Early risers walked the street- which was littered with coloured leaves- shopping around the marketplace or wondering aimlessly. Guards stood at their posts, eyes glaring around the area on the look out for trouble. Chanting could also be heard in the town's resident temple of Mara, the morning prayers to the Goddess of Love already under way.

All in all, Riften seemed peaceful on the surface. But like everything else, the beauty and peace hid the ugliness. The city did have a dark secret after all, down in the lower reaches of the under-city. The sewer system known as the Ratway, home of a tavern called the Ragged Flagon, and Riften's Thieves Guild.

Despite the tavern residing in the wetness of the Ratway, the Ragged Flagon was quite busy. Four merchants worked at their stalls on the outskirts, while patrons to the guild gathered in the tavern's break room. One such person being the Guild's gatherer of contacts, in the form of Delvin Mallory. The bold Breton thief sat at his usual table, garbed in his black leathers drinking a tankard of Black-Briar mead. He seemed to be lost in thought as he picked his way through numerous letters upon the table.

Ever since Mercer had betrayed them and the Guild flourished due to the combined efforts of all the members, it seemed now there was an endless stream of paperwork. Delvin wasn't complaining, but having to sift through all this was still quite a pain. He groaned as he straightened up, his back spiked out in protest of his actions as he had been sat still for so long.

Maybe he should get Vex to help him. No scratch that, Brynjolf might be a better idea, or Tonilia. The Imperial woman would be more inclined to gut him than help. He sighed then. Maybe he should start teaching some of the more uneducated members to read and sort their inventory when he has time, then others would be able to help him.

It was at that point that, in spite of the tavern sporting numerous new patrons, it was the movement in the corner of his eye that caught his attention. Turning to the disturbance, he barely had time to react before Dirge slapped his hand down on his shoulder. The muscled Nord bouncer garbed in leather made him splutter in surprise at that motion.

"Just thought t' let ya know, Delvin," the Nord rumbled in amusement at the Breton's bulging eyes, as he tried to shake off the friendly 'tap' he gave him. "You got a visitor." he jerked his thumb behind himself. Following where Dirge gestured to while rubbing his sore shoulder, Delvin immediately spotted the person in question, as a male Agonian helped himself to the vacated chair opposite him.

Delvin immediately recognised the smirking black and red scaled face before him. His mismatched eyes locked onto his, with three thick scars running through his left eye, giving it the milky white colour of blindness while the other was bright gold. He was the picture of intimidation due to both the wicked looking long swords at both hip, but also his black and red leather armour. The armour of the Dark Brotherhood. But, Delvin knew this man very well and wasn't at all intimidated by him in the slightest.

"Good to see you again Delvin." the Argonian said pleasantly in a deep baritone voice.

Smiling back, Delvin replied. "'ello again, Okan-Ru. What can ole Delvin do for you today?"

Leaning back in his chair, Okan-Ru folded his hands on his stomach and rested his right ankle on his left thigh in a nonchalant way. "Oh what? Can I not just visit old friends for a good chat?" he teased with clear mirth in his voice. The Breton merely laughed in reply. "In all seriousness though, as much as I wish it was a social call, I am here on business. Astrid is wanting to use your contacts to find potential recruits for us."

To say Delvin was less then surprised by this request was a huge understatement. "Ah, so you lot goin' down 'ill then?"

"You could say that." Okan-Ru replied, smoothing back blood red feathers atop is horned head before brandishing a hefty coin purse. "Here, consider this a bonus." he dropped the purse on the table. After a moment Delvin opened the purse, allowing the coins to spill out over the documents he was previously reading. Even though his eyes glinted with glee, he kept a professional personage about him as he turned his gaze back to the Argonian assassin.

"Right, I'm more then 'appy to 'elp you out, but well as you can see, we've only just managed to get back on our feet, so I won't make any promises that we can find you anything. But, you can tell your lovely mistress that we'll be sure to keep our ears to the ground for ya."

"That's more then I could ask for Delvin." Okan-Ru reassured before glancing around. "I must say, this place certainly has gotten more lively since last I was here. Had a complete turn in luck then?"

Delvin smiled at that. "Not only that, but it's actually all thanks to our most recent recruit. Didn't think much of 'er when she first turned up, but in only a few short months she's really turned a new leaf for us. Never seen a more skilful thief like 'er in my life."

Okan-Ru laughed again, as if he didn't believe him. "That right? In which case, I would certainly like to meet her if that's at all possible."

Delvin shook his head. "'Fraid not. She's out on a very important contract right now. If she's successful, then we'll 'ave netted Wind'elm in our grasp and we'll 'ave Skyrim fearing us like in the old days."

Okan-Ru looked downtrodden at that. "Ah, well that's good news then. Shame it is not the same for us. Still scrounging for contracts, recruits dropping like flies." his voice dropped a few octaves, annoyance evident in his tone. "Quite embarrassing really. Never would have allowed this to happen were I in charge."

Delvin hummed, nodding his head in sympathy. "Sorry to 'ear that. But don't worry, I'm sure things'll pick up again."

"I do hope your right." the Argonian replied. As he was about to continue, his sharp eyesight quickly spotted movement in the dark hall behind Delvin. Emerging from around the corner, the silhouette of a small figure emerged. It soon became clear that it was a girl and a Khajiit at that, due to the prominent ears and tail. As she stepped into the candlelight, Okan-Ru eyes widened.

The snow white and black patched fur, the long ebony hair tied back in a half ponytail and rounded face flared up a spark of recognition in the dark Argonian. What caught his attention most of all was her eyes. A pair of large sapphire blue orbs perfectly flanked her narrow nose, which was marred by three thin scars. For a moment he thought that she was someone he once knew, but quickly figured out that this girl wasn't who he first believed her to be. He mentally berated himself for that.

When the young white Khajiit padded further into the tavern, pooling a black fur-lined cloak over a stack of boxes on her way, Okan-Ru studied her more intently.

By Sithis, but she was small, standing at only four foot eight with a thin waistline. However, he quickly noticed that even through her Guild armour, she had a pair of deliciously wide hips, which made up for the lack of bosom that he was sure was just hidden a little too well under the thick leather.

Finally, he spied the weapons on her. A tall, beautiful black and silver bow was slung over her shoulder with a quiver only half full of mismatched arrows. She more then likely scrounged those up wherever she could. Strapped to her left thigh was an ebony dagger. That told him all he needed to know about her: that she relied more on attacking from range or the shadows. She could probably kill someone at close range with her dagger if she knows where the armour would be lightest, but he highly doubted that. From her look alone, she seemed far too innocent to have seen a battle head on.

How did a girl like this get mixed up with the Thieves Guild?

He was broken from his musings as the girl walked up to Delvin's side, a smile on her black lips. Delvin smiled back. "Ah, your back." he greeted. "Didn't think you be back so soon."

"So soon?" she echoed with an incredulous tone, her voice thick with an Elsweyrian accent but was incredibly soft, very unlike most female Khajiit. "Windhelm's three days away from here. There's bandits and feral animals on the road, I'm avoiding guards and platoons of soldiers, who by the way are killing each other in the dozens. I was gone for over a week!"

"And still everyone else had to deal wiv that and they still beat you back 'ere." he light-heartedly replied. "Come on Ty'ani, Niruin went all the way to Solitude and 'e was still faster then you!"

"They went weeks before..." she paused then, crossing her arms as a playful look filtered into her eyes. "All right, now your just trying to bait me, aren't you Delvin?"

The Breton laughed as she lightly slapped him upside the head. Okan-Ru could plainly see that despite the Guilds insistence that they were business partners only, this spectacle in front of him tells him that each member does really care more for each other then they first let on.

However, when her eyes darted to him, he saw her squirm uncomfortably. "Why are you staring at me like that?" she asked after a pause.

Okan-Ru blinked, refraining himself from continuing to stare. "Apologies." he answered simply, gaining back his composure.

Ty'ani only cocked a brow at him, more then likely thinking what a strange man he is. Either way, she shook her head before turning back to Delvin. "In any case, Torsten Cruel-Sea has agreed to assist us. Oh, and Niranye is fencing for us again."

"Yes, I 'eard." Delvin replied with a look of pride on his face. "Torsten was gratified the death of 'is daughter was avenged and the 'eirloom was returned. At this very moment, 'e's layin' the groundwork for the Guild to re-establish itself in Wind'elm."

"Well, let's hope the Summerset Shadows gets the message I left for them."

Delvin laughed. "Bein' a thief is like a second skin for you, ain't it? Never seen anything like it."

All at once, Okan-Ru understood. "Ah, so this is her then?" he once more looked her up and down, subtly cocking a brow that was laden with small horns. "Sorry to say, but I am not all that impressed."

Ty'ani frowned at that, her ears folding back in irritation. Okan-Ru also saw Delvin shake his head with a smile from the corner of his eye. "Oh? Is that so?" she asked in annoyance, placing a hand on her hip as she stepped slowly toward him. "Do you think, just because I don't look like much, I'm not capable of being a thief? That I'm too fragile?"

She walked round his back as she continued to talk. Okan-Ru wasn't at all intimidated. It was hard to be afraid of a person that was more than a head shorter than he is. However, he kept his guard up regardless. Personal experience taught him that even the weakest looking person can show a surprising amount of strength. Plus, seeing Delvin fighting to keep himself from laughing wasn't helping matters.

He watched her tail twitch out of his sight as she continued. "Or... is it because I'm a woman? Are you one of those men who prefer their women to be soft and pliant? Because let me tell you, mister: I am not one to take that sort of attitude lightly. I don't know you, you don't know me and you have no right to judge me in any way." she paced back round into his field of vision, pulling the empty chair beside him from the table before sitting in it with a smirk on her face. "Beside, I should be telling you that your Brotherhood should train their members better, if you're the best they have..."

Okan-Ru snapped his gaze to her, annoyance evident in his one working eye. However her smirk merely widened, crossing her legs nonchalantly and leaned back in her chair, lifting her right hand up at the same time. In her palm sat a hefty leather pouch which clinked distinctively as she handled it. "Since you have quite poor senses for an assassin." she finished.

Needless to say, the look of surprise on the Argonian's face caused both the Breton and Khajiit to start laughing. He groped at his belt, finding his personal coin purse was completely absent. Once he discovered this, he snapped his gaze back to the girl, clearly astonished. How in Oblivion did she manage to untie that from his belt without him noticing? It was at that point that he realized that he had truly underestimated her, mentally berating himself that judging people from one look never benefits anyone.

Therefore, he smiled at her. "Impressive." he praised as she handed the pouch back to him. "Most impressive. It is not often I am outwitted."

She laughed at that. "Indeed." she simply replied. Though a moment later, she sighed, slumping back in her chair. "Frankly, it's not often I purposely provoke an assassin. Should count myself lucky you didn't decide I was more trouble then I was worth."

Okan-Ru laughed back. "Yes, well I don't believe your colleagues would take too kindly to me pointing sharp objects anywhere near you, since you are their best after all."

Ty'ani fidgeted at that, quite clearly embarrassed with the compliment. "Oh no, I wouldn't say I'm the best."

"Oh there you go again, selling yourself too short." came a sudden voice that caught all their attention and caused Ty'ani to jump in fright. It was Brynjolf, easily recognisable due to his rough features and red hair. The Nord man smile in obvious amusement at Ty'ani's reaction, leaning on the back of her chair as he spoke to her again. "Didn't scare you, did I lass?"

Ty'ani whipped her head around to face him, her long hair flying from the sudden movement. "What? No, no of course not." she answered quickly. A bit too quickly as the three men watched her fumble with her words, mirth in their eyes. "Come on Bryn, you know I don't scare easy... I was just, erm... er, I was-"

"Surprised?" Okan-Ru offered.

"Yes." she answered, however her eyes widened when she realized that was even worse. "No! What? No, I don't get surprised either! I-I..." she stopped when the three began to laugh boisterously. She frowned, her ears and tail twitching erratically in embarrassment. "By the Gods, you three are doing this on purpose!"

Attempting to catch his breath, Brynjolf shook his head as he finally answered. "Oh, now would we really do that to you?"

Ty'ani crossed her arms, shooting Brynjolf a glare that said 'yes you really would'. At that, Ty'ani rose from her seat, brushing her long hair behind her shoulders and cleared her throat to regain her resolve. "Well, in any case boys, I need to speak with Vanryth. So if you'll excuse me." she remarked quickly and with a flick of her tail, Ty'ani departed the break room and dashed over to the blacksmith.

They watched her go for a short while, but before long the three men turned back to each other. Okan-Ru- with a smirk still on his face- spoke first. "Well, she is quite the catch."

"Aye, that she is." Brynjolf agreed. "Never would've thought that she would become our best member in a few short months when I first met her." The Argonian nodded in reply, settling back into his chair as Brynjolf took the one vacated by Ty'ani. Once he was situated, the Nord continued. "In fact, we've given her the offer of being our new Guild Master. Though she keeps refusing."

That caught Okan-Ru's attention. "New Guild Master?" he repeated, glancing between the two. "There something I should know about?"

Both thieves attitude immediately changed then, each frowning. "Yeah." Delvin began slowly. "Let's just say that it was Mercer who'd been stealin' from our vault. Woulda destroyed us completely 'ad it not been for Ty'ani."

"Aye, went under our noses to uncover the truth and showed it to us in the nick of time." Brynjolf continued. "I tell ya- that girl is the luckiest, brightest and bravest of us all."

"That right?" Okan-Ru said, his respect for the tiny girl beginning to increase by the second. "If that is the case, then why ever would she refuse the offer of becoming leader?"

"Who knows." Brynjolf replied truthfully with a shrug of his shoulders. "But either way, I'm making damn sure that she's recognised for her actions."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Meanwhile, in spite of the hard journey she'd recently had and the embarrassing conversation earlier, Ty'ani was in an incredibly good mood.

Once Vanryth brought her to his workshop, she was ecstatic to find that the commission she gave him was finally done. The Dunmer man stood in the doorway, beaming with pride as the young Khajiit appraised his work. She circled a mannequin that stood at exactly her height and was sporting a set of leather armour. Though it wasn't just any old set.

It had a thick black bodice with an off-white shirt underneath, black leather leggings and arm-warmers- though the left was shorter than the right- each ending in fingerless gloves. The boots and gauntlets were much thicker, the forearms covered with silvery metal and the boots sporting the same metal toe-caps. Finishing the piece was two leather belts, the thinnest staying the typical brown colour. Attached to the thick black belt was a large belt pouch baring the silver emblem of the Thieves Guild. Also it connected to a sheath for her dagger that would buckle around her thigh. Finally, fastened around the mannequin's shoulders was a black hooded cloak, lined with a thin layer of bear fur. It also had holes for her backpack and quiver, which would still allow her to cover herself if needed.

In short, this set was exactly what she had wanted and then some.

She paused in her step, turning her eyes to the blacksmith with her hands on her hips. "I... I just..." she started, utterly speechless. "It's... wow. That's all I can say. It's definitely surpassed my expectations."

Vanryth rose a hand up, his palm facing her as he shook his head. "Now Ty'ani, there's no need to be so formal with me, it was a pleasure doing this for you. After all, thanks to you my business is booming again."

"Regardless," the Khajiit said, approaching the Dunmer as she reached into one of the many belt pouches on her Guild armour. "You've done a brilliant job. So this is well deserved." she pulled out a heavy coin purse and dropped it into the mer's hand. Glancing once more at the armour, she inquired further. "What was it you said the bracers were made of?"

"Mithril." Vanryth swiftly replied. "Though nowadays it's more commonly known as Quicksliver. Finding the ore was the hardest part since its extremely rare, hence why I took as long as I did."

Ty'ani nodded at that, though she didn't entirely understand. It was widely known round the Guild that she was quite undereducated, though not many quite knew the full extent of her lack of knowledge. She doesn't tend to carelessly spread such information around when it wasn't needed. But either way, Vanryth took her silent answer in stride, beginning to exit the workshop.

"Anyway, enough yammering out of me. Go ahead and try it on for size." at that he left, closing the door behind him leaving Ty'ani all alone. The Khajiit wasted no time, quickly removing her Guild cuiruss, gloves and boots, replacing them with the new armour but leaving the cloak off for now.

Thankfully, the latches of her bodice and gauntlets were easy to figure out on her own, saving her from embarrassment- despite being alone in the cavernous room. It made her think back to the first time she received her Guild armour, it took her almost an hour to figure out all the fastenings and what goes where. In the end, Tonilia became so frustrated that she was taking so long that she just stormed in to assist her. Needless to say, Ty'ani wasn't on the Redguard woman's good side for the longest time after that.

Once everything was in place, she stretched out her limbs, trying to get a feel for the set. The leather creaked as she moved, not quite used to the level of movement Ty'ani was performing as it was stiff, but that was to be expected. Brand new leather needed to be broken in before that level of flexibility can be achieved. Aside from that, it was light and airy, fitting comfortably on her figure.

With a wide smile, the Khajiit girl grabbed hold of the discarded belt of her Guild armour, removing the belt pouches that she added to it. Taking off the thick leather belt round her hips, she threaded and buckled the pouches on. Replacing the strip of leather, she tied her coin purse noiselessly on her right hip as a finishing touch.

The lack of noise from the purse was a trick every thief knew. As they all made a living stealing from people, it was essential that they can accurately judge how much a single person has on them from the sound of their coin purses alone. However, as they weren't the only ones into the business of larceny, they have to go to lengths to ensure that they don't get pick-pocketed either. Therefore, every thief's purse is double packed to cushion the coins within so they make the minimum amount of noise. Ty'ani herself ties her purse to her front and traps the string under a belt pouch, making stealing from her a harder business.

Once she was finished, she placed her quiver and Nightingale bow back over her shoulders and rested one strap of her backpack over a shoulder. After slipping her dagger into its new sheath, she folded her old armour and new cloak over her arm, exiting the workshop. As she passed through the Ragged Flagon, she noticed that the only people there were Vekel, Dirge and Guild patrons. There was no thief in sight. Not even that assassin.

Confused, Ty'ani walked to the back room, slipping through the fake cupboard and to the entrance of the Cistern. Her ears twitched when the noise of the water falls assaulted them, but beyond that she heard nothing else. Not the twang of Niruin's bow or the thump of impacting arrows, not the sound of Vipir's vain attempts of wooing Sapphire, not even Thrynn and Cynric's banter during a friendly spar.

As she stepped further into the cavern however, it quickly became evident why it was so quiet. The room was full of every member of the Guild, but each one of them was respectfully silent and looking to her. Having that many eyes on her- even if they are people she trusts- was unnerving to the Khajiit girl. She scanned the room out of habit, taking note of every face she saw. Brynjolf, Vex, Delvin and a woman clad in Nightingale armour stood on the centre platform. Her eyes widened when she realised that it was Karliah. Her sharp eyes also picked out other familiar faces among the crowd of thieves. One was Maven Black-Briar, which was surprising enough, but the one that astonished her most of all was the presence of the assassin.

She would have missed him had she not been intensely looking, as his black form blended seamlessly with the dark background. It was almost like his very being drank the darkness. She only spotted him leaning casually against the wall because of his one glowing gold eye, even then it was hard to make him out completely.

Well and truly perturbed, Ty'ani left her bundle of armour and backpack on her bed before approaching the four in the centre. She glanced at each person with unmasked bewilderment but before she could speak, Brynjolf beat her to it.

"Look, I've never been good at these things, so I'm just going to keep it short." Now silenced, Ty'ani closed her mouth and nodded, allowing him to continue. "You've done more for the survival of this Guild in only a few months than most of us could achieve in a year. Because of that, you deserve the title of Guild Master. But, as you've made it clear that it's not what you want, we've instead come up with a compromise." the red head Nord reached into his belt-pouch, pulling out a small black box. Stepping forward, Brynjolf handed the object to her as he continued. "That there is a symbol; one that will tell every thief of the deeds you have done for this Guild. Wear it proudly."

Completely baffled and speechless, Ty'ani darted her eyes to the box in her hand. It was simple in its design, the lid sporting no lock or complicated mechanism, just a normal hinged lid. Lightly gripping the lid, she opened it tentatively.

Inside, sitting on a velvet cushion, was an amulet. It was connected with thick twine melded together with metal clasps. The amulet itself was circular in shape with three points, which had blue gems in the centre of each and was swirling with some sort of enchantment. After closer inspection however, Ty'ani figured out that the points were actually smaller versions of the Guild's symbol. Eyes wide, she glanced back up at Brynjolf, her chest tight with pride and embarrassment. The Nord smiled at the look on her face. "Now lass, you shall be known as the Guild's honorary Master Thief." he glanced to his right, looking to the male Breton. "Delvin?"

"Agreed." he replied without hesitation.

Brynjolf then turned to the Imperial woman at his left. "Vex?"

"Sure, why not." she dismissed, but Ty'ani clearly saw the pride in her expression. That made her feel warm inside. Finally, Brynjolf turned to their fellow Nightingale.

"Karliah?"

"Absolutely." the Dunmer immediately agreed, her lilac eyes glinting under her hood.

Brynjolf nodded. "Everyone's in agreement, so all I can do now is name you honorary Master Thief and wish you fortune and long life." he then became serious, placing his fists on his hips as he eyed the thieves on the outskirts. "Now everyone get back to work." on his word, everyone was set into motion, returning to their daily activities. Ty'ani, in a bid of befuddlement, stayed rooted to the spot as Vex, Delvin and Karliah brushed past her, the open box still held in her palm.

Due to her state, she almost missed Brynjolf stepping to her side, though her attention was well and truly caught when he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You doing all right there lass?"

The Khajiit blinked, her mind racing as she fought for what to say. "I..." was all she got out at first, but quickly gained her composure, attempting to make it look as though none of this affected her. "So that's it? There's nothing else to it?"

Brynjolf let out a short laugh at that. "Well, that's it. Sorry if it isn't the ceremony you were hoping for, but we're not exactly known for throwing our coin around. Oh, one more thing. That amulet isn't something that's been given to just anyone. It's been in the Guild since before the Oblivion Crisis, only ever given to the most prestigious members. It called the Amulet of Articulation. Whenever you wear it, you may find that most people will be more pliant to your will- a useful tool for one of our profession. If you want to keep doing jobs, just speak to Vex or Delvin as usual, they'll set you up."

He patted her one last time on the shoulder, leaving her side to return to work himself. "Oh, by the way." he called back, drawing her attention again. "Liking your armour, suits you." with that, he walked away.

After standing there dumbly for a few seconds more, Ty'ani escaped to the outskirts, sitting gracelessly on her bed. She got her wish; she isn't the Guild Master, though she's still the most recognised person in the Guild. She was honoured that everyone thought so much of her, but all she really wanted was to blend in again.

Glancing back at the amulet, she sighed. Well, there is one thing this entire experience has taught her: if she doesn't want to stand out of the crowd, than don't be the hero. Then again, if she didn't do anything then Mercer would have got away, taking the Skeleton Key with him and leaving them with eternal bad luck with the doorway to Nocturnal's plain permanently open.

She pursed her lips as she slipped the amulet out of its container, holding it up to the light to inspect it further. Before she could completely appraise it however, a sudden voice caused her to jolt in surprise. "A rare thing that is. Beautifully crafted. You would definitely be complete with that round your neck." turning to the source, the form of the assassin filled her vision, leaning against her bedside table casually as though he owned the place. Ty'ani wasn't sure if she liked the company of this Argonian, or his uncaring attitude.

Clearing her throat as she lowered the jewellery, Ty'ani carefully inquired. "I'm sorry?"

"Your armour suits you," he elaborated. "But your collar is regretfully bare. Wearing that amulet will complete you."

The Khajiit couldn't help but frown at that. Who did this man think he was, coming here appraising her; as if she was a piece of jewellery? "And what gives you the right to tell me what I can and cannot wear?"

The Argonian only smiled with a cocked brow. "I said nothing of the sort." he corrected, resting a hand on the pommel of one of his long swords. "Merely making an observation. Is that so wrong?"

Ty'ani didn't reply, her look alone told him all he needed to know. She glanced down at the amulet sitting in her palm, setting aside its box. Sighing, she unclasped the chain, sliding it round her neck. Once fastened in place, Ty'ani placed a finger on the jewel and glanced at it. She must admit, it does look good on her and she does feel complete. Maybe being recognised won't be so bad after all.

She smiled. "Well, I suppose your right." she told him as she peered up at him, gazing into both his eyes, to which he chuckled.

"Of course I am. It is my job to observe people after all."

Ty'ani couldn't help but shiver at that, glancing back down at the amulet resting above her refined bosom. After a moment though, she spoke to him again. "Oh, you never did..." she began, but stopped short when she saw he was no longer there. Blinking, she finished slowly. "Tell me, your... name." she scanned the Cistern in search of him, but he was nowhere in sight. He couldn't have just vanished into thin air, could he?

Sighing, Ty'ani shrugged it off; she has more important things to deal with after all.

After sorting her inventory and placing what she doesn't need in her chest, she returned to the tavern. Just because now she's an authority figure of sorts, it doesn't mean that she doesn't want to go on any more jobs. Maybe Vex could give her an interesting job.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

The world burned around her, as hot as the flames of Oblivion. The fire was everywhere, eating everything in its path, clogging the air with lung constricting black smog. It even seemed as though the sky itself was on fire. The cloying stench of smoke and burning flesh assaulted her nostrils with each gasping breath, even tasting it on her tongue and in her throat. There was no escaping it as she ran through the streets, her hands bound as she fought against retching up on the spot.

Ty'ani's heart thudded against her ribcage, like a deranged convict fighting against his prison, each desperate step she took increasing the muscle's pumping rate, making her feel like it was bound to explode. With every footfall, hot lead pumped through her veins as opposed to blood but she couldn't stop, she had to keep running. She couldn't let it get her like it had done with the rest of the town.

She bypassed the burning corpses that littered the floor, fearing that if she slowed for a single moment then she'll be dead.

It was then a devastating bellow shook the air like a thunder clap, nearly causing her to seize up in fright. The dark storm clouds overhead roiled like a maelstrom, belching forth a volley of flaming meteors. One of which impacted far too close for comfort, exploding upon a nearby house causing flames, rock and cinder-block to fly in all directions. It was by instinct and blind luck that she dodged the flaming craters. Everywhere she ran, she saw only death. Soldiers torn in half, buildings aflame and crumbling under their own weight with the occupants still inside and dead or dying people crushed by fallen debris.

Tears of fear falling as tiny rivers from her eyes, Ty'ani pushed herself further, the looming sanctuary of the keep ahead. A promise of freedom from this nightmare.

However, she had not got within ten feet of the courtyard before the ground disappeared from under her. The world spun as she was thrown asunder by a rogue meteor, sending her a few feet into the air as her fur and skin burned from the flame. She didn't even have time to scream before she landed back on earth, hard upon her shoulder. The concussion wave of the impact was enough to disorient her, now having no idea which way was up or down as she rolled for a distance before her head smashed against a rock.

Her vision blurred as she fought against unconsciousness. Sanguine blood flowed freely down her forehead, staining her snow white fur and gathering it and her hair into clumps. Ty'ani struggled to get her feet back under her again, but her concussion prevented her from steadying herself. She blinked several times to dissipate the darkness in the corners of her vision.

It was then that the ground shook, as a large mass thudded down not too far from her position. Ty'ani forced herself onto her back as the figure beyond the smokescreen lumbered closer, each impact sending tremors through the ground. Her entire person froze in terror as the horror finally broke past the wall of smoke, the only sounds in her ears were the pound of her own heartbeat and the bestial growl of the creature before her.

Tears continued to fall down her cheeks as she took in the sight of the legendary beast. The head was adorned with wicked horns, akin to a dark lord's crown. Razor sharp teeth were presented through an evil grin, an orange glow emanating from within it's jaw, which was more than large enough to swallow her whole with little effort. Blood red eyes burned into hers, hunger and malice evident in the glowing orbs, the scales as black as the darkest night; it was the vision of death itself.

The dragon arched it's head up, far higher over her then she could ever imagine, glaring down at her as if she was a tiny ant. Incredibly though, it didn't kill her like she expected. Instead, spoke to her.

"Hin sul los tokaan, Dovahkiin" it bellowed, the bass of it's voice rattling her very soul with each syllable that she did not understand. "Dii tokaan naram. Das kreinro kun fent kos vokun naal dii viing. Keizaal los dii, ahrk nid fent vuth zey," it leaned in closer, it's lips folding back to bare it's fangs more to the tiny girl."Ni orin hi."

Ty'ani screamed as it advanced. The last thing she saw before darkness overtook were parted jaws converging upon her.

Somehow, she still found the willpower to continue screaming in spite of her pending doom. With renewed strength, she fought against her constricting prison, not wanting it to end like this. But instead of the scalding heat of a dragon's belly, she instead felt the chill of wintry winds. Her breath fighting up and down her windpipe, she snapped her eyes open only to close them again as the naked rays of the sun assault them mercilessly. Gasping, she rose a hand up to shade her eyes and she blinked them open like a newborn kitten.

Sucking in a shuddering breath, she turned onto her side, shivering as the adrenaline coursed through her system, even as the outside chill wormed its way to her body. Glancing around, the bright forests of the Rift greeted her, finding that she was sitting under a natural overhang of rock that she had found the previous night. Looking round some more, she quickly noticed the now open flap of her tent, showing the temporary living space to the world. She moaned in pain as she rubbed the base of her tail, turning to find that she had rolled right into the rocks that made up part of the old fire pit she made the previous night. She stared into the smouldering remains, thanking the Gods it wasn't still lit.

The Khajiit let out a sigh of relief. "A nightmare. It was only a nightmare." she whispered to herself.

She rubbed her arms as the cold began to get to her, as all she wore was an oversized shirt she stole when she escaped from Helgen. Wanting to get warm, she made to crawl back into her tent for her cloak when her legs became tangled. She let out a shriek as she fell forward, barely able to throw her arms out in front of herself so she doesn't smack her face into the ground. Cursing in both the Khajiiti and the Common tongue, she struggled to get herself free of the restricting bedroll that had thoroughly wrapped itself around her like a cocoon.

Once free, she crawled into the tent, bringing the bedroll with her. She rubbed her arms again once within, moving to close the flaps for privacy. Not that there was anything to leer at her this deep in the forest apart from the wildlife, but one couldn't be too careful. This level of paranoia is what kept her alive while in Elsweyr, Cyrodiil and now Skyrim after all. Grabbing her water skin, she uncorked it and took a small mouthful, swilling it around her mouth to rid her taste-buds of stale spit.

Swallowing the water, she set the water skin down and removed her shirt before picking the pouch back up again. Pouring a small amount of water into her palm, she quickly washed herself to be rid of the sweat that had accumulated during the night. Drying herself with her shirt, she made a mental note to wash it before she put it on again as she pulled on her armour.

Once properly dressed, she once again picked up her water skin, bringing it up to her ear and gave it a quick shake. She could only hear a small amount of water splashing around in there. The Khajiit girl sighed. "I hope there's a river nearby." she muttered to herself.

As she began to pack up the camp, her thoughts drifted to her recent nightmare.

Her dreams had been haunted by that same terrifying experience at Helgen for almost every night. She had escaped with Ralof safe and sound more than a few months ago, but she still couldn't shake the images from her mind. Recently though, the night terrors were becoming worse. Before, her mind merely repeated the memory of what actually happened, but as of late her unconscious mind begun to cook up the worse possible scenario. She knew it was ridiculous to be frightened of something that never actually happened, but Ty'ani couldn't help but wonder.

When the dragon showed up, it was the largest and most terrifying thing she had ever seen before. Her time in the Thieves Guild allowed her to travel all over the province and not once had she seen the thing again. This worried her. She knew what she saw was real, but no one had seen it again. She's even asked about it once, but people either thought she was insane or had heard only rumours.

Ty'ani bit her lip, beginning to worry it between her teeth. Whatever it was doing, hopefully she'll be able to stay as far from it as possible when it decides to show up again.

Rolling up her tent and bedroll, she tied them together before tying them onto her backpack. Putting on her weapons before looping the sack through her cloak and allowed it to rest over her quiver, she glanced down at the abandoned fireplace as she munched on a piece of salted mutton she took from her pack earlier. She shook her head, deciding to leave it there for anyone else to use if they find this place.

On that thought, she tracked her way back to the main road, continuing with her journey to Whiterun since she had a job to do there. Vex told her that Ri'saad, leader of the Khajiit caravan trade, wants her to retrieve a priceless broach that belongs to him. Apparently, when a city guardsmen decided he wanted to harass them he took some of their most expensive trade items, including his late wife's broach.

As Ty'ani is one of the few Khajiit lucky enough to be let into a small number of Skyrim's cities- and that she also has a soft spot for those poor traders- she agreed to take the job.

Unfortunately, Whiterun was still at least a six day journey from her current location and Vex told her that Ri'saad's caravan would already be on their way there from Markarth. If she had any hope of beating them there, she needs to move as quickly as possible and avoid all known bandit patrols and hideouts.

Making it back to the road, Ty'ani sighed as she finished the last of her mutton. This was going to be a long week.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

It was late morning when Ty'ani finally strode down the the road toward Whiterun's entrance. The last six days of travel was hard and exhausting, her determination being the only thing that kept her going. She had only minor setbacks on the journey in the forms of hunting predators and patrolling bandits. That aside, she arrived just in time, as she could just about make out Ri'saad's caravan by the outskirts of the city gates.

When she passed by the late Honningbrew Meadery- which was taken over by the Black-Briar's thanks to her- Ty'ani's ears twitched when she heard the sound of conflict. Eyes widening, she vaulted over the barrier flanking the road and sprinted to the ridge that lead to Pelagia Farm.

Crouching down onto one knee, making herself as small as possible, Ty'ani's eyes zeroed in on the obvious battle going on in the centre of the farm fields. She spied the farmers themselves running for shelter as three warriors- each clad in matching heavy armour and carrying either great swords or battle axes- fought against a giant.

Giants were a common sight all throughout Skyrim. At a standing height of eleven to twelve feet tall, their colossal height and strength are infamous and are formidable foes when provoked. Thankfully, they are docile unless they or their mammoths are attacked. Why this one was so far from the empty plains was unclear, but it wouldn't matter as any who wonder too close to farms meet their end by a warriors sword.

As Ty'ani watched, the giant swung it's arm in a downward arch, it's massive hand swatting aside a man with long shaggy black hair. Once connected, it smacked straight into the man's chest, effectively swiping him off his feet. She clearly saw that the man became winded as he flew through the air, landing heavily on his back with his great sword landing a few paces from him.

It became distracted with another of the warriors as she swung her battle axe at it's club hand. Letting out a thundering groan, the giant pivoted around, heedless of the blood flowing from it's hand, and slammed it's weapon down. Both she and her companion leapt out of the way of the heavy weapon, but the giant swung it's hand again, catching the woman off guard. She slammed heavily into the ground, her shout of pain heard clearly by Ty'ani.

Seeing that they needed help, Ty'ani grabbed her bow and an arrow. She loaded the arrow and let it loose in record time. It wasn't a perfect aim, but it still did it's job. Just as the giant was about to pummel the woman into the ground with it's club, her arrow embedded into the base of it's neck which made it cry out in surprise. It seized up as ice and lightning bolts spread from the wound, damaging it further thanks to her bows enchantment.

The Khajiit was about to load another arrow until the only standing warrior took advantage of the giant's state. His great sword found its mark on it's lower leg, cutting deep. From both the power of the attack and the intense pain, the giant fell to it's knees, blood pouring from it's wounds. The man ripped out his sword as the giant fell and before it could react, he thrust his weapon into it's chest just below the collar-bone. Even from this distance, Ty'ani saw the giant's eyes glaze over before slumping onto it's side.

As the man ripped his sword from the now dead giant, Ty'ani looped her bow back over her shoulder as she padded closer to see if the other two were alright. The standing male went to the other, so Ty'ani went to the woman whom was gingerly sitting up.

From Ty'ani's quick study, this woman was a typical Nord. Fair skin, blonde shoulder length hair with a single braid, misty blue eyes and strong features. She looked to be in her mid-thirties with very nasty scars running down her left cheek and one down her right eyebrow. Her armour was quite unique: it was a dark colour with silver Nordic designs etched onto it and a growling wolf depicted on the neckline and belt. Her belt also had thick fur hanging from it, probably wolf fur judging from the running theme. Her weapon was a double-edged battle axe with yet another growling wolf etched to the handle.

Ty'ani knelt down beside the woman. "Are you okay?" she asked.

The woman rubbed her chest, her breath beginning to steady. "Yes, just a little winded is all. Gods, that giant gave us quite the fight."

The Khajiit girl nodded, rising back to her feet as the Nord struggled to get to hers. Ty'ani helped where she could, but as she wasn't all that strong there wasn't much that she could do. Once the woman was back on her feet, Ty'ani was taken aback by how tall she really was. She easily towered over the Khajiit by a full two heads, making the girl feel even smaller. Nords tended to tower over most of the other races anyway, but Ty'ani was considered short even amongst her own kind, therefore she felt like a mouse in comparison to this behemoth of a woman.

The two men- whom Ty'ani noticed sported similar features but had different length of hair- with one supporting the other joined the two of them. The woman padded gingerly over to them, placing a hand on the long haired man's shoulder. He nodded and she patted him in reply. She spoke in low tones to the two of them and they nodded, beginning to walk away. The blonde woman turned back to her with a smile. "Thank you for the save by the way, I owe you." at that, she turned to join her comrades.

Ty'ani blinked. 'Quick and to the point, typical Nord. At least she was polite.' she thought to herself with a shake of her head. She watched the three of them make their way to the city entrance, but she wouldn't be following them. While she was allowed inside Whiterun, it didn't mean that the gate guards wouldn't have a verbal debate with her about it. Not in the mood for that, she instead turned the opposite direction, jogging to the city wall.

Locating a lower section of the wall, Ty'ani took a few steps back in preparation. In the next second, she sprinted at the wall and kicked off it, vaulting herself up higher so she could reach the ledge. Her arms were harshly jarred as gravity took full effect, threatening to loosen her grip, but she forced herself to hold on. Planting her feet on the surface to assist in her ascent, she pushed off the wall and pulled herself up as she sucked in a breath. She exhaled as her knee found its way to the ledge, making it easier for her to get up.

Once on the wall, she stayed crouched down, using her tail to assist in balancing herself. From where she climbed, she found herself above the residential area of the Plains District. Even though it was a bright sunny day, not one person looked up to see the Khajiit crouched above them. Satisfied that she won't be seen, Ty'ani took off her bow, unbuckled her backpack and quiver and dropped them down carefully. Flattening one hand on the stone wall, she leant forward before letting herself fall off and into the city. When her feet connected to the ground, Ty'ani softened the fall by bending her knees and curling forward which turned to a forward roll, completely cushioning her drop.

Raising up onto her knees, she smiled before standing and turning to replace her gear. Once everything was in its proper place, Ty'ani flattened herself against a nearby house and peered round the corner. The marketplace lay beyond, completely bustling with activity, which would work to her advantage. Picking her moment, Ty'ani left her hiding place and integrated herself seamlessly into the throng of people.

She ascended the steps leading to the Wind District, deciding to get this job finished as soon as possible. She navigated through the thoroughfare where the recently restored Gildergreen was located. She's heard that the person who restored the tree to it's former glory went through great lengths to do so; apparently having to fight a Hagraven in the process. Ty'ani's run into Hagravens before, needless to say she never wants to again. Being a frightening combination of a woman and a bird, they are a terrible force to be reckoned with in both close and distant combat, fighting with claws and magic.

Shaking off those thoughts, she continued round the back of the Temple of Kynareth to the Hall of the Dead. It was here she paused for a moment. Vex told her that the guard who took Ri'saad's broach had put it there according to her sources, which meant Ty'ani had to go tomb robbing. That rubbed her the wrong way, but it was for a good friend and associate of their Guild and someone had to do it, may as well be her.

With that in mind, she walked inside.

The first thing that hit her as she entered was the faded smell of death. In this main chamber, the priest who ran this place thoughtfully attempts to expel the scent with incense. It may mask the scent for other species, but for Khajiit the smell was ever present. She wrinkled her nose as she glanced around.

The priest was nowhere in sight. That made things harder, as he could be inside the burial halls for all she knew. She'd prefer to know exactly where the priest was, but she didn't want to waste any time. This was her one chance as Ri'saad's group could leave at any time.

Keeping her steps light, she crept to the metal doors opposite the entrance, quickly slipping through them.

Ty'ani gagged, as the smell of death was more prominent through here. Steeling herself she floated throughout the hall, searching the tables, floors and even inside the coffins to her disgust, until she finally found what she was looking for on the lower floor. A round silver broach with a beautiful etching of the twin moons sat upon a coffin in an alcove, placed there with careful reverence. Ty'ani felt guilty for taking from the dead, but this piece of jewellery didn't belong here. Plucking it from its place, she tucked it carefully into her large belt pouch.

As she was about to leave however, a shimmer of pink in her peripheral vision caught her attention. Turning, Ty'ani let out a soft gasp at what she saw.

A diamond shaped gem sitting in a golden case beckoned her attention. Immediately she knew what it was, as she had five others of its kind in her backpack already. A Stone of Barenziah. A smile stretched across her black lips. Scanning the area once more to ensure she was alone, Ty'ani silently stepped toward the Stone.

She reached out to grab it but a mere millimetres away from taking it, a sharp voice cut through the silence and formed ice in her chest. "What do you think your doing!?"

Without looking to see who it no doubt was, Ty'ani instead struck out and snatched the Stone. In the same instance she released her tensed muscles, using the sudden surge of adrenaline to sprint away. She briefly heard the priest shout out and come running after her. She barged her way through the doors and back out into the cold air, running as fast as she could.

"THIEF! THIEF!" she heard the priest scream and she mentally cursed. Every guard within hearing range immediately reacted, beginning to pursue her.

She ran to the right, past the prestigious homes in the district and to the stairway that lead to the city entrance. She skidded to a halt when more guards rounded the corner, rushing up the stairs toward her. She groaned. 'This is not my day.' Making a snap decision, she sharply changed course, free-running up the city wall. Once on the top, she cried out in shock when an arrow whizzed past her head, forcing her head down. As more arrows were fired at her, she leapt off out of instinct. She twisted her body, righting herself for a light landing, rolling on the other side. She sighed when she heard the guards curse. She won't be safe for long, so she took the broach from her pouch and slipped the Stone in its place, sprinting for the Khajiit caravan.

The Khajiit manning the caravan stared at her in shock as she skidded to a stop before them. Ty'ani panted as Ri'saad walked up to her with his hands raised in an concerned manner. "By Baan Dar Ty'ani, what happened?" he questioned in their native tongue.

Greedily inhaling breath like it was her last, Ty'ani breathlessly replied. "No time to explain. Here." she handed him the broach hurriedly, her ears twitching as she detected the footsteps of the approaching guards. "Send the money to the Guild. Remember, you don't know who I am." at that, she sprinted off, gaining a fair distance from her pursuers. As the guards sprinted through the main gate, they immediately caught sight of her darting toward the farmland, continuing to fire arrows which mostly impacted into the ground. It seems like they're not shooting to kill, but to incapacitate her. Either way, she didn't want to be shot and avoided the projectiles whenever she could.

In her bid to get away however, she never noticed an additional guard sprinting directly at her from the side, that was until he pounced directly onto her. Startled, Ty'ani cried out as she lost her footing and they both crashed to the ground, the heavy man effectively pinning her. She immediately ceased her struggles. "All right, you caught me! I yield!" she yelled. Thankfully, the guard released her.

Though she was roughly turned onto her back, the guard pulling her up by her cloak, effortlessly getting her to her feet. In that same instant, the rest of the pursuing guards caught up, all swords drawn. One guard with an open-face helmet sneered at her. Her ears twitched, catching him muttering to himself. "Of course a bloody Khajiit. Typical." he obviously had no idea that she could hear the low tone he used. She decided not to call him out on it though, as she was in enough trouble as it was.

A different guard stood ahead of the rest, her features indistinguishable due to the closed helmet, pointing her sword at her. "You have committed crimes against Skyrim and her people. What say you in your defence?"

Of course Ty'ani had heard this speech multiple times before, though it was mostly pointed at other people since she almost never gets caught. Frankly, she's surprised that they don't get bored of this speech. Either way she stayed silent, knowing the evidence against her was quite compelling no matter what she said.

Regardless, the guard was not happy with her lack of speech. "Oh, silence? Right." she stepped up to her, sharply grabbing her shoulder and jerked her to her side. Ty'ani hissed in pain when she dug her fingers into her flesh.

It was then that another guard caught the attention of the one holding her. "Well, would you look at this Lydia," he began, gripping her large belt pouch and pulling it up slightly to bring attention to it. "A Thieves Guild symbol. Doesn't that explain so much."

Slightly worried, Ty'ani glanced at each of the guards. She let loose a nervous smile. "So, I'm guessing that you're not open to bribery, are you?"

"That we aren't." the first guard- Lydia- growled. "While under normal circumstances we wouldn't be able to touch you, you stole from the Hall of the Dead. Not even your Guild can save you from this one. The Jarl himself will decide your fate." At that, Lydia gripped her other shoulder and marched her back into the city. Another one ran ahead of them, no doubt gone to inform the Jarl about what had transpired.

Ty'ani sighed as she was forced through the streets. Curious eyes were upon her each step of the way, followed by the whispers of the townsfolk, but she kept her head up high. She may have been caught, but in no way was she going to look defeated. Her bid of defiance in the face of her doom, as it were.

They swiftly passed the Plains District into the Wind District before finally reaching the foot of the stairs that would lead them to the Cloud District, where Dragonsreach, the Jarl's palace, stood proudly. The guards led her up the stairs and through the towering doors, into the great hall.

The palace was just as enormous since the last time Ty'ani visited. At least this time, she entered through the front door. Last time, she had to sneak in through a window to complete an assignment given to her by the Thieves Guild. So now she could truly appreciate how large the place really was.

The palace had a high ceiling that stretched far over the balconies that framed the sides. Above the steps before her was a fireplace with two long dining tables- that housed generous amounts of food on their surfaces- on either side of it. Up another set of stairs was an ornate throne with a dragon skull hanging above it. It had been a matter of debate whether that skull was real or not, but there was no doubt in Ty'ani's mind after what she saw. The dining tables were occupied by family, friends and visitors to the Jarl while the area right before them was currently occupied by three people. One was an Imperial man wearing fine clothes, another a Dunmer woman in broiled leather armour, and the final one was the Jarl himself. Balgruuf the Greater.

All of their attention was firmly planted on her as she and her envoy reached the foot of the throne. They each had their attention firmly on the group. Her captors saluted to the Jarl, pressing their fists to their breast. "Hail Balgruuf, Jarl of Whiterun." Lydia greeted respectfully.

The Dunmer stepped forward, her fists pressed against her hips. "We have been informed of the situation." she began, her red eyes glaring at Ty'ani. "This is the thief?"

"Yes Housecarl." the guardswoman replied. "She was caught stealing in the Hall of the Dead. Unfortunately she is one of the Thieves Guild, therefore we believed the decision of her fate is best left to the Jarl."

"You thought wisely." Balgruuf began, his tone suggesting that he had no patience to deal with this as he tuned his glare to her. Ty'ani fought not to fidget under that gaze, ensuring that she kept eye contact with him. From personal experience, she'd found that Nords tend to respect someone more if they hold their gaze. "Tell me Khajiit; do these accusations hold truth?"

Ty'ani glanced between the faces before her, taking note of their scalding expressions. No matter what she answered with, she's in deep trouble none the less. Deciding not to make matters worse for herself, she opted for the truth. "Yes." she simply replied.

If the Jarl was surprised by her honest reply, he did well hiding it. He furrowed his brow, resting his elbow on the arm of his throne. "You are fully aware of what is done to thieves in my hold, are you not."

Ty'ani nodded. "Yes, I am."

"And yet, you still willingly admit to the truth?" he questioned. "I'm uncertain whether your entirely brave or incredibly dim-witted. Either way, I admire your courage." That confused the Khajiit. Here she was, tethering on the line of her fate, threatening to topple over, and the Jarl just comes out with a compliment which completely knocks her off balance. Having seen her expression change, the Jarl continued. "Do not mistake my intent. Know that I find your incarceration an unwelcome distraction, as we are currently on high alert, as you are no doubt aware?"

She immediately knew what he meant. "Yes, you're preparing for the dragon."

Silence is what greeted her for the longest time. She could see that each person before her- even the guards that flanked her- had no idea what to say or what to think of her answer. Finally though, Balgruuf found his voice again. "You believe that the rumours hold truth?"

Ty'ani almost sighed. "They are not rumours. I saw the beast with my own eyes, I was there when it destroyed Helgen."

This time, the Jarl did nothing to hide his surprise. He sat up higher as he contemplated her story. Finally, the Imperial beside the Jarl spoke up for the first time. "You were? Forgive our surprise, you must understand, we held no hope that there were any survivors of that day. If your story is true of course-"

"Of course it's true!" she interrupted, her patience beginning to wear thin. "I wouldn't lie about such a thing. The creature looked me straight in the eye as the Imperials was about to have my head chopped off."

Balgruuf rose a brow at that. "Hm, you are certainly... forthright about your criminal past. But it's none of my concern why the Imperials wanted to execute you. Especially now." The Khajiit couldn't help but nod in agreement. Truthfully, she didn't really want to think about Helgen any more, wanting to move the conversation along. Thankfully, after a lengthy pause as he pondered, the Jarl seemed to be in the same mindset as her. "Yes, what concerns me now is your fate. Far as I see, as of now you have two options."

Attention well and truly caught, Ty'ani listened eagerly. "You may either, serve your time in the Dragonsreach dungeon for your crime, or... you may perform a service for me. One that could be suitable for one of your talent."

Ty'ani didn't like how that sounded, especially since the man glanced at her weapons when he said that. Turning her gaze to the floor, she replied. "I'm guessing that this service could probably end in my death."

Leaning back against his throne, Balgruuf sighed. "I won't lie, it would more than likely be dangerous, but the decision of your own fate rest on your shoulders. What do you choose?"

The Khajiit's mind grappled with the decision. If she goes to jail, she'll remain safe and sound but utterly bored out of her mind. She never was one to stay put for long periods of time, after all. But if she takes the Jarl's offer, she'll most likely be faced with mortal danger.

She could clearly see the Jarl waiting patiently for her answer. She weighed her options carefully: go to jail and be bored, or do the Jarl's bidding and probably die but experience adventure and excitement. And if she succeeds, not only will she be pardoned, but there'll probably be a reward in it for her too. She smiled at that. Yes, being bored in jail will hold nothing to that potential.

Raising her head high, Ty'ani made the choice that sealed her fate. "What do you need me to do?"

Nodding, Balgruuf rose from the throne, motioning to the guards to release her. "Let us find Farengar, my court wizard." he responded, leading her to the side rooms. "He's been looking into a matter related to these dragons and... rumours of dragons."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

There we go, the first of many edits.