Aedenrel had, meanwhile, drifted into her own thoughts. She had pasted a frown on her face, and was biting her bottom lip, thinking about Aaron and all of the mistakes she'd made with him. He had no idea why she'd decided to "rescue" him, and he had no idea who had helped her find him. He had no idea that he was unknowingly dragged into a plot that was much, much bigger than he was. They were both involved with the Dark Brotherhood, to help with whatever little whim the Night Mother had. Somehow, Aedenrel had a feeling things were going to end badly. Especially because she had no idea what sort of mischief the Night Mother was up to.
Sighing, she took the map of Cyrodil from out of her pouch, and unrolled it. Shadowmere was smart enough to stay on the path while she plotted the best course of action. Anvil, normally, was a three to four day trip. But, if she drew her own path, and they crossed Lake Rumare with a Water-walking spell, they could easily cut a day and a half off. Then, they'd take the round-about way past Kvatch, and arrive in Anvil by Friday. Aedenrel always took the long way around Kvatch. She hated the small town, the memories they brought back, the fires and the smell of Daedra. Lost in thought, she snapped out of it as Aaron snatched the piece of paper from her hands, and she glanced over her shoulder at him.
"The hell, Aaron? Give me back the map. I need that!"
"Remember when we had to memorize the map of Cyrodil in the Second Level? I'm sure you know the way to Anvil." He teasingly held it out of her reach, and she hissed at him.
"Aaron, give that back now." She sounded threatening, she thought, and he grudgingly handed over the paper.
"Why do you need it anyway? You got the questions on that quiz all right. I know you haven't forgotten the cities, main roads, and landmarks. The quickest way to Anvil is following the Silver Road to Lake Rumare. Then, cross the Lake to cut off some time, and go in a straight line to Anvil. Of course, you could follow the roads if you want to, taking the Silver to the Red to the Gold Road. There are some nice taverns and Inns on the way, too, if you don't want to camp out in the wilderness and-"
"Will you shut up? I know how to get to Anvil. It's just that I've never had to go to there with an annoying passenger that does nothing but complain and offer useless information." She stuffed the map back into her waist-pouch, and made an exaggerated sigh. She was biting her lip again, and Aaron was silent. Apparently she'd hurt him.
"Yeah, well at least I have a sense of humor," he snapped at her. Now he was frowning too, and his arms were crossed. The hell with staying on the back of the horse. He had a mental-map of Cyrodil, and was tracing lines along it, trying to think of landmarks they might come across if they followed the roads. And which ones they'd see if they didn't follow the roads. He was snapped out of his thoughts as Aedenrel spoke again.
"Look, I'm not trying to be a jerk. I just happen to get this way when I'm annoyed, and I happen to be annoyed right now. I do have a sense of humor."
"Oh yeah," Aaron retorted, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Why did the mudcrab cross the road?"
"I dono," Aedenrel answered slowly, her eyebrows showing confusion. "Why?"
"To get to the other side!" Aaron chuckled to himself, as Aedenrel puzzled over it. She finally spoke, nearly a minute later, and it was only to comment.
"That was stupid. And didn't prove at all that you have a sense of humor. It did prove, however, that you're a moron."
"It takes one to know one," Aaron shot back, and frowned. "Let's hear you tell a joke."
"I don't have any," she managed, and swerved sharply. Aaron found himself clutching at her sides in a panicked confusion as she swerved again.
"Aede, what-?"
"Bandits-" she huffed, slapping the reigns and swerving once more. "Hang on, and stay here. I mean it!" She hopped down from Shadowmere, nearly dragging him with her unintentionally. He heard the sound of a sword being drawn out of a scabbard, and then the battle cry of a very angry bandit. Or two. It was hard for him to tell. Arrows, swords clashing, and other battle-sounds reached his ears. An arrow or two whizzed past his ears more than once.
"I've had enough of this fight," one of them shouted. He would have sworn the voice was that of a Khajiit. There were other voices, the noises of swords clashing and general confusion. Aaron couldn't tell who was winning, or how many Aedenrel was up against. If I could see... He found himself thinking it again, wishing with everything that he was that he could see again, if only for a little while. But, like all of the times before, nothing happened.
"WHY won't you die already?!" Aedenrel shouted, and slashed desperately at the Khajiit and its Redguard companion. "I've had enough of this fight," she finally decided, sheathing her sword and throwing her hands up before her. And from her palms shot a powerful lightning shock, one she'd learned a long time ago from an illegitimate Mage. Fingers Of The Mountain had taken her a long time to master and perfect, but now, she smiled as the two assailants fell. "Stupid bandits," she muttered without remorse. Still, she searched their pockets like any good adventurer or thief would, and cleared the bodies from the path. Then, dusting off her hands, she climbed back onto Shadowmere and began to hum.
"Uh..., that went well," Aaron commented, slightly confused as to what had happened. He'd tried to follow the fight, and thought he'd done a good job of it, until the point where he'd heard Aedenrel's sword go back into the sheath, and then the unmistakable crackle of lightning, and then the battle had ended.
"Well enough," Aedenrel replied, and he picked up the hint of sarcasm in her voice. Shadowmere started down the path again, breaking their silence with the soft clops of his hooves.
"Are you hurt?" Aaron suddenly asked, trying to think of anything more to ask, or to say.
"My ego, or physically?" Aedenrel finally answered, with a smile in her voice.
"Both...?" Aaron decided, and raised an eyebrow at her. Something inside him was ticking, he was trying to piece together things he'd never thought of before. For some reason, it had never occurred to him that Aedenrel might be a fighter; that she could hold her own in a fight. He'd always pictured her as a damsel-in-distress. As a girl who would need rescuing. As a girl who would sit around and wait for him to make a move. But suddenly he found out he was wrong. Aaron suddenly wondered if his time to tell her...that...had come and gone. Perhaps she'd already found someone else, and didn't want him to know. Perhaps she'd felt the same way, and waited years and years for him to say something. Perhaps he hadn't said anything, and she'd decided it was time to leave and find someone who really cared about her.
"Aaron. Aaron, are you in there?" Aedenrel was waving a hand in his face, he could feel the breeze it created, and he slapped it away hastily.
"I'm fine, I just got a little lost in thought."
"Unfamiliar territory, huh?" She smiled at him, as if she'd finally proved she could make a joke. He just sighed, and wondered if he ought to tell her everything right then and there. Then, he wondered if he even had the courage to. Obviously he didn't, because he said nothing. He sat in silence, wondering his own thoughts and cursing himself silently. He'd had the opportunity, more than once, to ask her what he wanted. He'd even gotten her a ring once, before...
Before she left you, for another man.
You don't really know that, he scolded himself. I don't know that it was for another man.
"Why did you leave, Aedenrel? When we were younger, why did you go?" He spoke it hardly above a whisper, but he knew she heard it. Did he imagine the noise she made when she ground her teeth together? He could picture her clenching her jaw and locking her teeth together, trying to hold her silence. Was she angry at him, for bringing it up in the first place?
"My father got reassigned." She offered, and then she said no more. At least she was staying in character, he thought bitterly.
"You know," he suddenly said, breaking the silence between them, "I don't think you've ever mentioned him before. What was he like? What did he do? What was his name?"
"Lex," she finally said, spitting the name like it was something sour and distasteful. Aaron was silent again, and he wondered if she was going to say anything more. Five minutes passed, and she said nothing. Like she was waiting for him to ask something else. Did he want to ask it? Did he dare to?
"Hieronymus Lex... The crazy guard captain we used to make fun of...?" Aaron waited again, wondering if their relationship would always be like this, him asking questions, waiting for an answer, and then waiting to think of another question. Then again, he found himself thinking, it had always been that way. Except with a lot less silences and a lot more giggling.
"Yes, that's the one. The crazy guard captain who was after the Grey Fox. My father wasn't exactly a good man, but he wasn't corrupt or evil, either. Someone got him reassigned to Anvil, and I had to go with him." The silence between them was pregnant now, heavy with thoughts and feelings that Aednerel didn't want to feel, and Aaron was confused by them. Aedenrel had left with her father, but she didn't care for him? Why then, hadn't she stayed in the Imperial City? Surely his family would have taken her in.
"Look, I don't want to talk about it," Aedenrel said, and let out a loud exaggerated sigh. "It's in the past."
"Sure doesn't sound like it," Aaron murmured, and she shook her head at him in frustration. He couldn't see it, obviously, but it made her feel better. Maybe he didn't understand, but she found herself wishing that he did. Wishing that he would say, "It's okay, because we're together now. You're still my best friend, Aede."
Two days later, Aedenrel was in a much better mood. Traveling with a conscious Aaron had definitely helped her improve her dreary demeanor, and she felt their friendship growing stronger, like it used to be. Still, there were things that neither of them brought up; how Aaron had ended up blind, and why Aedenrel had left with the father she obviously disliked. The two of them had shared conversations and laughs, and she felt... less lonely. For so long, she had felt like it was her against the world. She just hoped that Aaron would be there with her, so she would have someone to lean on when she needed it. And, she reasoned to herself, it wasn't like she needed it all that often.
Aaron, meanwhile, was having the time of his life. He had found his way back into Aedenrel's good graces, and they were enjoying good conversation. There had been a few fights between them, but it was nothing that silence couldn't overcome. Mostly, conflicts between them were solved when one of them started laughing at how stupid the argument had been. Aedenrel had chosen to take the "scenic" route, and they had gone through trees, over hills, and through ruins he couldn't see. He had started feeling more than a tiny bit useless, as every time there was a fight, Aedenrel had dashed in, telling him to "stay there." Still, he found himself wishing more and more he could see again.
The two of them were sitting around a campfire, in a small clearing on the top of the trees. He sat cross-legged across from her, generally in a good mood. "Breakfast," Aedenrel handed him a sandwich, and a cup full of cold spring water. She smelled good this morning, he found, like crushed lavender and redwort flowers. He could tell her, he reasoned, without her thinking he was weird. It would be a compliment from a friend.
A friend with a childhood crush I've never gotten over...
"You smell nice today," Aaron commented dully, and found himself completely at a loss as to what he would do when she replied. Would she blush, or just playfully slap at him?
Aedenrel studied Aaron closely, carefully thinking what she was going to say before she said it. Aedenrel tried to fit her memory of him over-top of the youth who sat before her. She could see differences and similarities, a broken nose, blind eyes that were the same emerald color. His skin, which usually had a bronze tone, was slightly pale, as if he'd been sick for a long time. He still had strong cheek bones, though, and ears that were just a little too large for him. "As opposed to what? Do I normally stink?" She took a long sip of her water, studying him carefully. There was definitely something different about him... Something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Something about him that had changed the past few days...
Could be that you just noticed that's he's grown into quite a good-looking young man...
"Uh, no, it's just that-" Aaron fumbled around for the right words, and finally gave up sighing. "Forget it. I just meant..."
"Hey, no problem. But now I think I should talk to you about something." A long, dramatic pause ensued, and he found himself thinking the same thought over and over again.
Don't ask how it happened, Aede. Please, don't ask how it happened.
"Go on, then," he finally said, and he found he really was dreading whatever she was about to ask or say. He tried to calm himself with a few positive thoughts, but they helped nothing. Deep breaths. Take deep breaths. Don't panic.
"It's about your fighting. I mean, your lack-of fighting. As you've probably noticed, when a fight comes up, I tell you to stay where you are, and do all the fighting. Now, I'm not saying that I can't handle everything we've come up against," Concieted much, Aaron thought, "but if I were to get injured or something, there's no one else to protect you. D'you see where I'm going with this?"
"No, not really," he said blankly. For emphasis, he raised one eyebrow and put on a perplexed expression. "What are you getting at?" Usually, and in their childhood it had, that look would give her the giggles. But now, she didn't giggle at all. Had he even heard her laugh in the days that they'd been reunited?
"You need to learn how to fight." She finished bluntly, then studied his face for some sort of expression change, something that told her that he had comprehended what she had just said. Nothing in his face gave it away. Did he not understand?
"I already know how to fight," he replied an instant later, and he wished he could see her expression. Next would come the questions, and he might have to side-step some of them to avoid telling her everything.
"Where- when did you learn to fight?" Was all that she asked. He said nothing at first, biting his lip and holding his tongue. Maybe if he said nothing at all, she wouldn't question him further. Then again, he knew her better than that.
"After you left, in the Arena." He said nothing more, he hoped he didn't need to say anything else. But he heard her stand up, and he sighed loudly and in an irritated fashion. Is this the part where she's going to yell at me for risking my life in a foolish pursuit for gold?
"Show me." She demanded, throwing her sword onto the ground and withdrawing a wooden sword from the pack attatched to Shadowmere. "Come on and show me you can fight, Aaron. What's your weapon? Sword? Axe? Let's do this. Show me you can fight, blind boy." She was taunting him, and from the look on his face and his reaction, she knew it had worked. She hadn't, however, noticed the underlying meaning in her words. Aaron had read them loud and clear.
Show me you can fight for me. Show me that you can protect me.
He stood up, and held out his left hand, palm up. "I prefer a sword, though I used to be a pretty fair shot with a bow. Before..." Aedenrel didn't press further. She handed him the other wooden sword, and planted her feet firmly. He couldn't see her, but he could imagine how she looked. And that was all that mattered. "Ready?" He found himself asking before he'd even realized he'd thought it.
"Yes. Let's do this." Aaron positioned himself in a guard stance, and waited. There was no way in hell he was going to attack her. She would have to make the first move. And then he heard her move, lunging forward at him. He blocked just in time, and was taken off guard as she swung at him again. She moved a lot faster than he thought she would. Again and again he found himself blocking her attacks. Sometimes he was successful and sometimes he wasn't. Nearly an hour later, they stopped, and Aedenrel handed him the other half of a sandwich she was eating.
His arms were sore, and he was tired. It had been a long time, far too long, since he'd practiced fighting. He hadn't lost any technique, or skill, but his speed was gone, and so were his reflexes. Aedenrel hadn't taken it easy on him, either. She'd come at him like some kind of rabid bandit on crack. "I really just need some water," he said quietly, and she handed him a canteen. Tipping the entire thing upside down, he slurped the contents greedily. Then, he wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. "Look, I know I didn't ask you to take it easy on me or anything, but... that was pretty tough. Where did you learn to fight?"
You're pretty good with a sword Aedenrel. Even better than I am. A smile spread across her face, and he couldn't see it, but he heard it in her voice as she replied, "After I left, in Anvil." Aedenrel snatched the empty canteen from his hands, and stood up, stretching. "I'll go refill these. Then we need to get a move on. We're going by Kvatch later today."
"Oh, Kvatch." Aaron had a hint of promise in his voice that Aedenrel didn't like. "I've heard of it, but never quite seen it. Well, I can't now, but..." There was a smile on his lips, and she knew what he was thinking. She'd been thinking it a lot lately, too.
Someday, I will. Someday I'll see again.
Aedenrel "trained" with Aaron again that night, and in the morning the two of them had reached Anvil. Aedenrel was feeling slightly apprehensive, though. Aaron had probably seen right through her lies by now. Really, she had no reason to go to Anvil. She had been angry with him that morning and had wanted to get away. She'd said the first thing that came to mind, and that happened to be "I have to go to Anvil." Now that they were here, at the gates of the city she'd spent a good deal of her adolescent life in, she was at a loss. What could she say to him? How could she make an excuse. "Business," she remembered she'd told him at the beginning of the trip. She didn't have any business in Anvil. Would he call her bluff?
"Well, here we are," there was a false happiness in her voice, and she hoped he wouldn't pick up on it. "Anvil. The city wall is made of stones, all held together with mortar. It's separated into two basic parts, but it has three different gates; the one that goes into the city, and one on each side of the city leading out to the harbor. The harbor and the city are the two main parts." She held the gate open for him, and smiled as she took in the familiar sights and sounds. And suddenly she had a plan. She could visit the pirates in the cove, pick up her earnings and... Where to leave Aaron? Carahil. She would definitely be willing to... babysit for Aedenrel.
Aaron followed her into the gate, listening intently to the people around him. Aaron had visited only a few cities in his life, the Imperial City and Bruma. Others he'd gone to for information, but he hadn't stayed long enough to get a good look at everything in them. He heard guards on each side of the gate, muttering to themselves as he and Aedenrel passed them.
"Aedenrel has picked up another stray. Wonder what this ones' story is..."
"What's she doing with a guy like him anyways? She could do a lot better than that."
Aaron found himself scowling against his best efforts, trying to block the mutterings of the guards out as he listened to Aedenrel's running commentary. "On the left side of the street is a pond, and in the center of the pond is a large statue. It's a mermaid, but nobody really knows how it got there, or why it's a mermaid anyways. On the right-"
"AEDE!" It came from Aaron's left side, just a touch below his ear. "By Azura, by Azura, by Azura. What are you doing here?!" He heard Aedenrel fan-girl-squeal, and he knew the two of them had embraced. He suddenly found he was jealous and angry. Who the hell was this boy? What did he want with Aedenrel?
"Brayon!" Aedenrel squealed again. "This is Aaron. Aaron, this is Brayon. He's one of my... associates here." Aaron couldn't see it, but Aedenrel passed Brayon a look that clearly told him to play along. Brayon glanced at Aaron contemplatively, and made an indifferent facial expression.
At five feet, four inches, Brayon was a rather tall Bosmer. He was quite good looking, too, and he knew it. Now, she stood in front of Aedenrel and pretended that he and Aaron were going to be friends. Deep down inside, though, Brayon knew that he and Aaron were fighting for the same thing; Aedenrel's affection. There was a gleam in his sea-green eyes, and an unspoken promise in his heart. A long time ago, Brayon had promised himself he would have Aedenrel, one way or another. But in order to do so, he had to be in Aedenrel's good graces. He extended his hand politely, and shook hands with Aaron.
"Nice to meet you," he smiled, and even sounded convinced himself. Oh, Brayon was getting extremely skilled in lying to people face-to-face. "Tell me, Aedenrel, if you're busy, do you want me to give Aaron a tour? I'm sure I could do an acceptable job, and you could get around to your business matters." Come on, his eyes silently pleaded. Let me help you!
"Well," Aedenrel contemplated it for a moment, and finally gave in. "Yes, you may. I'll be back in a couple of hours. Take good care of him, 'kay Brayon?"
"Cross my heart and hope to die." He tossed a charming smile in her direction, and she nodded her head. Then, Brayon watched her walk down the street, and away from the two of them. "So, pretty-boy, what's your story?" Brayon asked, rounding on his new charge. He grabbed Aaron by the shirt-sleeve, and led him towards a bench. "Sit," he hissed, and shoved Aaron roughly down onto it. "Now, tell."
"I don't-" Aaron began, and winced as Brayon struck him sharply in the head. "What-" Why don't the guards intervene? Abuse, here, people! Hello?!
"I'm the one asking the questions here." Brayon was usually an easy-going and even-tempered guy, but when things came to Aedenrel, Brayon got serious and just plain mean. "Answer, and I might let you live."
"What would you tell Aedenrel if you let me die? The guards would see you, you know?"
"I have my means of making the guards look the other way if I want them to. Who knows, maybe you suffered some sort of tragic accident that I warned you against..." Oh, their conversation had hardly started, and already Aaron didn't like this boy.
"Always have to be a goddamned hero, huh? I'd call that a god-complex-"
"Listen, pretty-boy, I'm asking the questions here. So what's your story?" Brayon was growling now, and his tone was low and threatening. Aaron found himself angry at this, but he became more angry when he felt the cold steel of a dagger blade pressed against his neck. Apparently, this Bosmer idiot was going to interrogate him one way or the other. And because Aaron didn't particularly feel like getting killed that day, he decided to play along.
"First off, my name isn't pretty-boy. It's Aaron. Air-on. Can you say it?"
"Can you say slow, painful death, Aaron?" The Imperial male felt the dagger pressed deeper, and if the Bosmer wished, it would cut him. Probably not fatal, but painful.
"What do you want to know, specifically?" Play along, his instincts pleaded, play along, and don't get hurt!
"First off, why Aedenrel is escorting you through the wilderness while she travels around. How you two met. What your relationship is."
"You sure are nosy," Aaron commented, and took a deep breath. He hadn't forgotten that the blade was there, and he reminded himself to be careful as he shared his life story with the Bosmer. "We met a long time ago, when we were younger. In the Imperial City. She was my best friend. Her father got reassigned and she moved to Anvil, leaving me. I uh... went on with my life. And we met about a week ago, in Bravil. She decided I was in need of her... care. We don't really have a relationship." That was mostly the truth, he reasoned.
"Mmhmm." Brayon was silent for a few minutes, apparently digesting the information Aaron had provided, rethinking his strategy. Did Aedenrel really go for the injured puppy type? He frowned, a thin-lipped expression that marred his usually attractive features. "And have you always been blind?"
"No." Aaron took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Maybe it was just his imagination, but Brayon seemed like he was getting more and more worked up. Aaron had sensed at the moment they had met that Brayon was dangerous, and a force to be reckoned with. Now, his instincts were confirmed.
"Are you really blind, or is it just some clever ruse to make Aedenrel take care of you?" Aaron frowned in response, feeling the breeze created by Brayon's hand waving in his face.
"Will you stop that?! I'm really blind, okay?" He slapped the hand away irritably, and Brayon withdrew the dagger point. "Why do you care so much?" Aaron knew that he wasn't helping anyone by getting angry, especially when the one he was getting mouthy with was a Bosmer with both the ability and the connections to make sure that he didn't end up "found" for a long time.
"I guess you've shared enough of your life story to grant you a little bit of information. But," the Bosmer man paused, apparently for effect, and took a deep breath, "I want you to tell no one. I'll know if you do," he added. "Aedenrel is the only girl I've ever wanted. And I will have her. I'll leave it at that." Brayon sounded like he was going to say something more, but someone interrupted.
"Brayon," it was the voice of a female, possibly a Breton or High Elf, and it was just above his ears. Aaron found himself disappointed in the fact that it wasn't Aedenrel. Then, he mentally berated himself for thinking that he needed Aedenrel to come to his rescue. Sure, she had beaten him at sword-fighting, but he reasoned that if he needed to get away from these people, he could. "Long time no see. Who's your friend?" The girl wedged herself between Aaron and Brayon, and wrapped an arm protectively around Aaron's shoulders. He wanted to shake it away, but something about the girl made him think it was a bad idea.
"Aaron, one of Aedenrel's... friends." Brayon chose the words carefully, and found himself upset by the girls' very existence. "What do you want, Kym?" Brayon and Kym were old acquaintances, and he had loathed her since the moment they had set eyes upon each other. Maybe, he reasoned with himself, he didn't hate her as much as he hated the concept of what she was.
"I think I'll just borrow your friend for a while. You don't mind, do you?" Aaron imagined the girl was batting her eyelashes at the Bosmer, and her eyes would be full of... Whatever it was that always made males want to comply with female's wishes.
"He's not my friend..." Brayon knew he had little choice in the matter. Kym's motto was to do first, think about and deal with consequences later. "But sure, take him. I have other things to do anyways." Aaron felt a lump rise in his throat as Brayon stood up, and began to walk away. Trouble. He could smell it in the air, and knew that things had just gone from bad to worse.
"Come with me," the woman commanded, with an air of supremacy that couldn't be practiced or ignored. She stood up, and took his hand, to lead him somewhere. Probably to somewhere where she could kill him, and hide the body so no one would find him. Was he being paranoid? "I'm Kym Lista. It's nice to meet you, Aaron." Just how many friend-enemies did Aedenrel had, that he had to be on the lookout for?
Aedenrel had been both overjoyed and hesitant when Brayon offered to to take Aaron on a tour for her. Sure, she had things to do, but she liked to know where Aaron was at all times, what he was doing. She'd started to look upon him as less of a friend and companion and more of a dog. Except that instead of having fluffy ears, he had fluffy sandy-blonde hair that begged her to play with it, as it curled around his ears and rested softly on his shoulders. So far she had resisted, but found herself wondering how long she could hold out for.
She walked absentmindedly towards the docks, taking in the slightly clouded blue sky, and the white clouds that played in it, making shapes. As she swung the gate to the docks open, she gazed out over the sea, finding herself lost, like usual, in the vastness of it. She loved the blue-green water, and she loved to watch the way it flowed, endlessly moving and playing. Sometimes violently, sometimes harmlessly, waves always crashed against the docks, lending it a peaceful and quiet sound.
"Miss Aedenrel, it's nice to see you again!" A cheerful voice greeted her as she approached the waves, and she turned to look at the speaker. Aedenrel had quite a few contacts in each city, and sometimes it was hard to put a name with a face. This was someone she knew by sight, but couldn't think of the name.
"Oh, erm... hello!" She hoped she didn't appear to be too cheerful, as most people took that as a bad sign, and steered clear of her. She sometimes found herself playing the part of a cheerful bimbo, and other times, she was a sulky angst-ridden teenager. Today, she found it easy to be just plain cheerful. How long, an inner voice wondered, has it been since I've been this happy?
"I didn't think you were due in Anvil until..." the boy did a quick calculation, with the help of his fingers, and glanced back up at her, "well, precisely five days and twelve hours. So what are you doing here?" His grey eyes had a way of seeing right through lies, but Aedenrel knew better than to lie to him. And in that instant, she also remembered his name.
"Well, Veth, the rooster flies at midnight." She smiled, and he raised an eyebrow at her, confused.
"The...what?"
"Nevermind. I need a boat. Got a little one with rows I can take out?" She batted her cerulean eyes in his direction, and gave him her best look, one with wide eyes that were extremely persuasive. Trust me. It was a look she'd used many, many times on Aaron when they were younger, and it had often gotten the both of them into trouble. Of course, it wasn't like they'd ever ended up killed, she reasoned. And she didn't regret any one of their many adventures.
"Of course I do, Aede. Anything else you need?" She briefly wondered if he was implying something else, and then a slow smile crossed the young Nord's face. He was handsome, she thought, and quite funny. Maybe if he was a little older...
"Actually, there is. I want you to go to Carahil, in the Mages' Guild, and give her something from me." Aedenrel took out a piece of parchment and a quill, and hastily scrawled some words on it.
"Carahil,
A friend of mine and myself are staying in Anvil for a few days. Please leave a room open for me, and one for my associate. I also have another request. I hope you'll know what I mean when I say "the silver is worth more than gold." We ought to be there by sunset. I'm sure my friend will enjoy listening to your stories and accounts on Necromancy. He's terribly interested, and I hope it doesn't lead him down the wrong road.
Sincerely, Magician Aedenrel Lex."
After she finished, she cast a quick spell over it, and a glimmer appeared at her fingertips. A was seal appeared on the letter, along with a mark that was distinctly her own. She handed it over to the boy, and then slipped a few hundred gold along with it. With a smile, she followed the adolescent Nord boy towards the row-boat, and ruffled his blonde hair affectionately. "Thanks for the help, Veth." She watched the boy go, and laughed to herself when he was finally out of hearing range. Aedenrel could tell the boy had a crush on her. It was as plain as day to her. But, she thought to herself irrationally, Aaron didn't. She frowned as she began to row, thinking as she did so. For some reason, she'd never seen Aaron blush or bat his eyes at her. The one person she'd had a crush on for most of her life didn't think of her that way. Aaron saw her as a friend, and only a friend. Aedenrel saw no way to change that.
She rowed the boat rhythmically, feeling the tug and release of the oars on the ocean as a sort of release for her own stress. When she found the rhythm, she found it impossible to think. And her subconscience took over her actions, leaving her mind blank. It was the peace and calm she'd been looking forward to. Reaching the door to the Pirates' Cove, however, brought her back into the thinking world.
"Bugger," she murmured to herself, and slipped a key expertly through the small slot on the door. She smiled when she swung it open, and dragged the rowboat inside with her, ignoring the water that pooled around her feet which was more than ankle-deep. Aedenrel tied to boat with nimble fingers, and made her way into the passage that led to the pirates hideout. A smile spread across her face as she swung the door open, and glanced around.
Aedenrel was a woman who had many interests and investments. This pirate cove happened to be one of them. A long time ago, she had heard a rumor about the cave, but had never been able to get into the inner sanctum, because the door had been locked. So she'd left it alone, but vowed to come back when she was a lockpicking expert, to explore the treasures she suspected it held. A long time had gone by, and when she'd finally opened the door, she found herself extremely disappointed. It was bare and empty, the only thing even worth mentioning had been the half-ship that was shattered in the center of the room.
Instinct and contacts had led her to a woman in Anvil, one whom Aedenrel had helped earlier in her travels and pursuits, a task that had almost gotten her killed by spectral beings while battering her way to the hull of the ship to retrieve a crystal ball. She had only to mention that she was looking to refurbish the cove, when the womans' eyes had lit up, as if she'd known exactly what Aedenrel was looking for.
"Yes, I've got some... clandestine goods. And I might be willing to part with them, for the right price." A twinkle, and a small stretch of the lips, and Aedenrel knew what the woman wanted; a hefty sum of gold.
"I want a crew, refurbishing, and some trainers. As quickly as possible." With a knowing smirk, Aedenrel passed the woman a small leather bag very pregnant with gold and a few jewels. "Thirty thousand gold. And I want my moneys' worth." With that, Aedenrel had left, and known that she would get what she paid for. If she didn't Aedenrel also had contacts who would see to it that the Captain got what she deserved.
Now, as she swung the door open, she found herself face-to-face with everything she'd ever worked for. Four pirates, three trainers, and a refurbished ship that served as her home-away-from-home. She smiled as she approached the ship, and greeted the first pirate she met eyes with, a Breton man without a shirt on. He slightly smelled, too, like smoked slaughterfish, and the salty sea. And sweat.
"Captain Aedenrel," the man greeted her. Aedenrel found she couldn't remember the mans' name, then realized that it didn't really matter anyways. "Nice to see you alive. Any orders, ma'am?"
"I'd like you to go out again," Aedenrel winked at him slyly, and she knew that he understood what she was hinting at. "This time, though, stay away for a while. It's fine with me if you're out more than your normal week. However," the Captain put a stony edge on her voice, "I don't want you getting caught again. Last time it cost me nearly this mission over again to bail you out." With that, she brushed past him, and into the ship, shutting the door behind her.
She sighed as she spotted a new sword on the dresser in her room. From the neon-gleam that came off of it, she could see it was enchanted. Picking it up, she felt the cold steels' magic, and the perfect balance of it. A smile again, as she sheathed her profits in her waist-pack. Then, she rummaged through the dresser, and picked through the clothes she found stored there. Aedenrel never stored any of her personal belongings in the cabin, because she didn't exactly trust the pirates who worked for her. Now, she shuffled through the clothes they had placed there, elegant shirts and gowns that obviously had previously belonged to those of a wealthy status. She packed them carefully away in her pack, and then made her way over to the bed. At the foot of her bed stood a chest, and she kicked it open, scooping the contents, uncounted, into her purse. On the desk sat a few books, which she skimmed though lightly before shoving them into her pack as well.
Then, she left, with a light heart, but a heavy pack. None of the pirates addressed her as she walked past them, but it didn't bother her. Her steady, march-like tread carried her back to the cove, and she shoved the boat into the water again, ignoring the sogginess of her shoes. Her spirits were lifted considerably as she pulled the row boat into the docks of Anvil, and she was greeted by the little Nord boy.
" 'Ello Aedenrel. I did what you asked, but let me tell you, you threw Carahil into a frenzy. She was muttering things under her breath and she almost blew up one of the apprentices that the Arcane University lent to them. But she did what you asked, all right. Did you handle the boat all right? No leaks or anything?"
"It was a fine trip, Veth. Thanks for letting me use your boat. Now, have you seen an Imperial man, blind as a bat, wandering around with Brayon?"
"No ma'am. But I'm sure I could find him."
"No, thank you. You've been extremely helpful as it is." She tossed the boy another handful of coins, and walked towards the gate that lead into the city.
"Bye, then. I'll see you next time!" The Nord boy waved her off energetically.
Aaron felt himself shoved into a house, and the door slammed roughly behind him. The woman who had led him here walked past him, apparently confident that Aaron wouldn't run away. Confident that he couldn't get away? He sighed, and a frown creased his face. Somehow, he'd gotten himself kidnapped more times in the last week than ever before in his life.
"Aaron, I'd like you to sit down, please." The woman thrust him towards a chair, and he wobbled, nearly falling over, before settling into it. She was rather bossy, he decided. He heard her place something down before him, and then she sat across from him, presumably at a table. "You and I are going to get acquainted. I'll ask a question, then you'll answer it. You may ask a question in return. Ready? What's your realationship to Aedenrel?"
"An old friend. What's your relationship to Aedenrel?"
"I happen to be her daughter."
...daughter?
PANIC.
ANGER.
He was FLOORED.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"I'm her daughter. Let's not get into it. Now, your question. How long have you known her?"
The questions went back and forth between them, for what Aaron assumed must have been nearly an hour. Then, she handed him something to drink, and he drank it, feeling warm and tingly as the alcohol went to his head. She was trying to loosen his tongue, he decided. To give her the opportunity to get the right answers.
"One last one, before we go our separate ways." Hopefully, thought Aaron, that doesn't end with my death.
"Go on then."
"Are you and Aedenrel... intimate?"
"I don't think that's any of your business," Aaron retorted. How DARE she ask something like that?!
"I think it is. Just answer the question, Aaron, and you can go. Yes, or no is what I want."
"...No." The woman made an indistinguishable noise, and Aaron stood up. "I'm going now." He tried to sound forceful, and strong, but he didn't think he was doing a very good job at it.
"I lied. I have one more question." The woman clacked her tongue at him, as if she had just come up with the question on the spot.
"Actually, it's my turn to ask one." Aaron protested, crossing his arms and generally looking defiant.
"Fine, but make it quick. I have an appointment to keep that I'm nearly late for." He imagined her tapping her foot, arms crossed, and looking irritable.
"What do you care if Aednrel and I have a relationship?" Oh, he hoped he'd touched a nerve, and that she was grinding her teeth. It served her right!
"I don't, particularly. I just want you to know that if you hurt her, in any way, you'll have to deal with me. My last question, Aaron is this; do you wish you were in a relationship with her? You don't have to answer me. I just want you to think it over. You may go."
Aaron got the feeling he had been dismissed, and he made his way blindly towards the door. He swung it open, and made his way into the street. Only to find himself knocking into someone.
"AARON! Where HAVE you been?! I found Brayon, but he said you'd wandered off just as he'd begun the tour! I can't believe you. I've been looking for you for nearly fifteen minutes!" She cuffed his ear in annoyance, but he didn't wince or show that it had hurt. He tried to keep a scowl off of his face.
"I'm...sorry." He found himself saying, and ignored the feeling he got from her. He could tell she was angry, but he was angry as well. Leave it to Brayon to leave the situation as his fault. "I didn't mean to upset you." That was the truth.
"Well I am upset with you, but I'm glad you're okay. DON'T do that to me again, though, or I'll kick your ass." And of course, Aedenrel didn't make idle threats.
"Yes ma'am." He answered with a grin. Then, she snatched his shirt sleeve and led him down the street before he had any more time to protest. "I'm hungry," he complained as he struggled to keep up with her long-legged and quick pace. The sound of her rummaging through a pack reached his ears, and then she pressed an apple in his palm.
"That's all I've got with me. Deal with it." Aedenrel explained, and abruptly yanked him right.
"Where are we going?" Aaron asked, through a mouthful of chewed apple.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," she snapped at him, and then her tone softened. "More business, I need a book that just got in. I ordered it on a special order, and I've waited a long time for it." That was the truth, Aedenrel assured herself. The note that the book had come in had arrived while Aaron was struggling in his dreams. She had ignored it, and practically forgotten about it until now. It was a good excuse to use, though, she assured herself.
"Okay," he went along with her as she steered him deftly and sharply through the streets. Then, she yanked him into a shop just as he finished eating his fruit. The doorbell jingled as they walked in, and the wooden door slammed behind them.
"Well 'lookie what the cat dragged in, Aedenrel Lex. I suppose you're here for your book?" The voice was from a large Orc man, Aaron assumed, and there was something about the mans' tone he didn't like.
"Yes, I am. I have the money for it here." Aede lifted a small leather bag from her waist-pack, and set it down on the counter. Aaron could tell from the sound that it made that there was a considerable sum of gold in it.
"Well I'm sorry to say that it's not here. But you and I have a score to settle, Miss Lex, and I intend to settle it now." The Orc grumbled at her, and Aaron had a very, very bad feeling that something was about to go down. Following his instincts, Aaron leaped in front of Aedenrel, blocking her body with his. He wasn't sure what made him do it, but only a mere moment later he heard the Orc jump over the counter that separated them, and a sword slashed at his arm. Aaron felt the blood start to seep, warm and stinging. Aaron wasn't wearing any armor, but neither was Aedenrel.
Then, as the Orc made another swing, Aaron felt and heard the crack of lightning across his ear, and he could smell the burning that the lightning had induced. So Aedenrel was as good a Mage as she was a fighter. He frowned as she spun him towards her, and then he felt the sting of a powerful Heal spell. Neither of them spoke for a moment. Aedenrel was the first to break the silence.
"Aaron... Thank you. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't taken the brunt of that hit for me." She sounded sincere, and just as he was about to say that it was all right, that he would gladly put his own life on the line in exchange for hers, someone burst through the doors.
"Miss Lex! We heard the commotion from outside. Are you injured?" The voice was an Imperial man, and Aaron somehow knew it belonged to one of the guards. A guard who more than likely had a crush on Aedenrel, from the way he was talking. What was it with her, he wondered, that it was Aaron against the entire male population?!
"I'm fine, thanks. I don't know what got into him, though. I just came in to get my book, and he told me he didn't have it. Then he lunged... If Aaron hadn't stepped in front of me, I would have been injured." Aaron imagined her batting her eyelashes at them, and pursing her lips in an attractive but innocent way.
"Strange. He's been acting strange for weeks. We never thought he'd go so far as to attack anyone, though. You're sure you're not injured?" Aaron didn't like the tone, or the words. He found himself scowling.
"No, no we're fine." Aedenrel sounded a little shaken, though, and Aaron himself was getting tired. "I think I'm going to the Mages' Guild. I'll be there if you need anything more from us." With that, she steered Aaron out of the shop, and into the bright sunlight. Aedenrel was evidently lost in thought. She had, at first, been leery of dealing with the Orc that ran the bookshop in Anvil. He hadn't been there for long, and most of the other townsfolk avoided him like he had the Blight. She had trusted him, though, and ordered a great many books from him. Why, then, had he decided they had some sort of score to settle, and attacked her?
"Aedenrel, are you... you don't seem to be all here." Aaron spoke quietly to her, hoping that it would do some good. She didn't reply. The two of them entered another building Aaron was forced to assume was the Mages' Guild. He had a feeling they were going to be staying in Anvil until the guards came back to speak to them. He was right.
It was late, and Carahil had been talking about the evils of Necromancy and other things for nearly eight hours now. Out of politeness, Aaron hadn't said anything to her about it. But now, he was tired. Aedenrel had long before gone to bed, and he found himself drifting into a light sleep just listening to Carahil's drone. His eyes blinked open again, and he finally sighed.
"Excuse me, Miss Carahil? I don't mean to be rude, but I'm a bit tired..." The Altmer woman looked up at him, and then nodded in an embarrassed way. But she was looking at him sternly, if he could see it.
"I'm extremely sorry Aaron. I didn't mean to keep you up all night. But I think you've learned all you need to know about the evils of Necromancy! Let me show you to your room." Carahil stood, and led him up a flight of stairs, into an empty room. He snuggled into the sheets and quickly fell asleep.
Aedenrel was shaken awake in the morning, and she glared at the person who was doing the shaking. She made a growl at Aaron, and sat up angrily. "I'm UP, okay?! What's so urgent that you had to SHAKE me awake?"
"The Guards are downstairs. The one from yesterday and one other one. They want to talk to you. N. O. W."
"Fine, fine. Get out. I'll be downstairs in a few minutes." Aedenrel shooed him from the room, and stood up lazily. She hated being woken up, and moreso when she wanted to sleep in. She stumbled around her room and pulled on some clothes, but took no time to brush or style her hair, or do any sort of cleaning herself. She practically stomped down the stairs, and stared the guard in the eye, scowling. "What's so important that you need to speak to me N. O. W.?"
"The Orc that attacked you yesterday, the owner of the bookshop, has no immediate family. Now, we thought about donating his affects to the City, but we thought we would offer them to you, first. You can have the house too, if you want it. We already arranged it with the Countess."
"Erm... Thank you," Aedenrel sighed loudly, and shooed them away from her. Aaron was staring up at her from the table, with a smile plastered on his face.
"Neat. We got a new house." Aedenrel watched as he took a gigantic bite of apple, and proceeded to chew it loudly.
"No, we're not keeping it." She was very stony on that point, and Aaron was sure that she meant what she said. There was never any room for argument with her!
"You're really a big grump in the morning." Aaron commented, and made a face at her. Slightly cheered, Aedenrel decided the two of them would go through the things contained in the house. She already had plans for it. The Wood Elf was very well connected all throughout Cyrodil, and she could always call upon those contacts to help with what she needed. It was something she had always used to her advantage.
Hours later, Aedenrel and Aaron loaded Shadowmere with the things they were keeping, and also things they weren't keeping. Aaron had complained all day, that he was hungry, tired, bored, exhausted, and a myriad of other things. Aedenrel hadn't found it easy to ignore him. Now, as she secured the last back to Shadowmere, she rounded on him, as he started complaining again.
"WHY do we have to carry all of this STUPID stuff?!"
"BECAUSE I said so. We're taking it WITH us, so SHUT UP."
Aaron was silent for a moment, before a scowl crossed his brow. He had a feeling he wouldn't like the answer to the question he was about to ask.
"Why are we taking it with us? We're not going back to Frostspire Crag, are we?" His tone was bitter, and he made no attempt to hide the bitterness in it.
"No. We're going to the Imperial City." And her tone was nearly the same, a no-nonsense, I'm-not-dealing-with-your-childishness-today sort of tone.
"Business," Aedenrel and Aaron said together. He frowned, though, and had the feeling that their journey was just going to get more and more annoyingly complicated. But you'll get to spend lots of time with her, said the little nagging voice in his head.