Much happier with this one, especially the end.

Chapter 5: The First Meeting

"The accusations against you have been dropped. If you wish to return to Pelagiad, escort can be provided in two days time. Until then, a room has been rented in your name at the South Wall Cornerclub. You are hereby cleared of charges and dismissed."

"Two days!?" Saleg nearly screamed at the priest."You forcibly marched me out of Pelagiad, where a friend of mine was under arrest, and I have to wait two days to go back!?"

"Be glad we offered escort back at all. We could have let you walk."

"I can't wait two days! My friend is in trouble!"

"Then walk. It would save us the trouble."

"But…"

"Look," the priest said, disgusted. "Walk it or wait. I don't care which. But if you don't leave, I will have you kicked you out."

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That night, Saleg resigned himself to a quiet drink at the bar before going up to his room at the South Wall. It was a small cornerclub on the poor side of town. Like most poor town cornerclubs, it was packed with all sorts of degenerates. Whores, gamblers, addicts, drunkards, and thieves alike made up the crowd. Saleg wondered at just how cheap the Temple really was. And they were supposed to be so generous. At least he could afford alcohol. As usual when he had money in his pocket, one drink turned into several…And then several more. He woke up with a hangover, and considerably less in his pocket. Unfortunately, he learned this after he had eaten his breakfast.

"This doesn't cover the meal, Dunmer."

"It's all I got."

"That can't be true, cause now, you got a problem with me."

An old man who had passed out earlier that night woke up and muttered something unintelligible, before putting down the exact amount Saleg was short, pointed at him, and then stalked out. Saleg just stared at the doorway, then glanced back at the keep.

"You're lucky Old Caius bailed you out. Wouldn't depend on it happening again."

"That was Caius? Caius Cosades?"

"Yeah. Sugar toothed Cosades. Lives just up the hill and down the road. Doesn't know half of what goes on. Usually winds up making a fool of hisself. Careful going up there. He's not the friendly type."

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Saleg was back in his room, tossing that package around yet again. He had taken to like tossing it around. He had another day to waste before his escort would arrive again in Balmora and take him to Pelagiad. Might as well feed the curiosity.

He followed the directions given by the irate barman and walked up to the door. He knocked once and waited… And waited. He knocked again, louder this time.

The old man from the bar opened the door, shirtless and with his pants in tatters.

"Who're you?" the man slurred. He looked drunk, but with a more vacant look in his eyes than that of drunkenness. He suddenly got a bright look in his eye. "You here for a card game?" He asked, excitedly. "We play for fingers!"

"Caius Cosades? I was sent to deliver a package…" Saleg began.

"I know that!" the man suddenly exclaimed. "Come in. Cards."

Saleg began wondering whether the world had truly gone mad. Until he closed Caius's door. The stupor and swaying stopped suddenly, and the real Caius came forward. The transformation before Saleg's eyes was incredible. He wondered if he had really been seeing this pillar of strength stumble through the South Wall, or if he had truly been under the slavery of the skooma, which Caius seemed to so shamelessly decorate his home with and Saleg assumed was the cause of his vacant, drunken swaying. He had undergone an odd change of demeanor, and his only words to his new visitor…

"So. You said you had a package for me?"