VIII

Arken and Merrenda walked hand-in-hand along the outer walkway of the Vivec Temple District. The sky was clear that night and the stars shone brightly in the heavens. Over a year of seeing one another had caused Arken and Merrenda to grow very fond of each other. Tonight would see that change in a great and grand way.

Merrenda looked up at the night sky and sighed, "Aren't the stars beautiful, Arken?"

Arken looked up to the sky, and then at her, "You know what I'm going to say."

She rolled her eyes, "I know. Not as beautiful as me. You say that every time."

"And I mean it every time, Merrenda." She shook her head and they let the silence hang in the air for several minutes as they walked.

Arken finally broke the quiet, "Merrenda, I've told you some of my stories, right? Times when I've escaped death with barely my skin."

She nodded, "You've told me and I've seen you. You're either the bravest or the stupidest man I know. I haven't decided which yet."

Arken snickered and returned her nod, "I've seen some creepy stuff. Kagouti packs, wild guar, flocks of cliff racers. Fighting bandits, marauders, even daedra sometimes." He paused for a moment as they stopped walking, "But it took me a long time to work up the courage for tonight."

Merrenda looked at him quizzically, "What do you mean?"

"I mean this." Arken knelt to one knee and held her hand in his, "Merrenda…will you marry me?"

Merrenda gasped as her eyes widened and she raised her free hand to cover her open mouth. She choked on her own voice for several moments, too shocked to speak.

She stammered over her words when she found her voice again, "Oh, Arken, you know I would…but…" She withdrew her hand and turned away from Arken with her arms crossed and her head down.

Arken stood up, confused by her response, "What is it? What's wrong?" He walked up close behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.

Merrenda turned her head to look away from him, intentionally avoiding his gaze, "Arken, you know that I love you, it's just that…it's my father."

"What about him?"

Merrenda took a deep breath to steady her nerves, "My father is firmly set in the ancient traditions. He refuses to let me marry outside of my position."

Arken shrugged, "Can't you talk to him?"

She nodded, "I have, many times, but every time it ends in our agreeing to disagree. He's a stubborn man, Arken. I come by it honestly."

Arken leaned his head over her shoulder to try to look at her, "I'll talk to him. Maybe there's something I can do, some position I can be promoted to that will make him change his mind."

Merrenda shook her head, "You would have to be a kinsman noble. In other words, you'd have to have been born into House Redoran, Arken."

Arken shook his head, refusing to accept defeat, "There has to be some way."

Merrenda's head came up slowly as she thought of something, "There is a way. You could never meet my father's criteria to allow me to marry you," She turned to face him, "which is why I will step down from my position in the House."

Arken saw the determination in her eyes and shook his head, "No. I won't let you. There has to be another way."

"There is no other way, Arken. I was born into a world of wealth and comfort, but all of that is empty if I can't enjoy it with the man I love. This is my choice. I love you, Arken Dralkes, and I would rather have you than all the wealth of Morrowind."

The scarce tear graced Arken's eye as he looked into Merrenda's eyes, "You would do that for me?"

Merrenda smiled beautifully, "Without a second thought."

The two closed the gap between them and kissed one another for the first time, wrapping their arms around each other and holding tight. After a long moment, they came apart and Merrenda rested her head on Arken's chest.

Arken ran his fingers through her long black hair and looked down at her, "I promise I'll be the best husband to you anyone's ever seen. I swear on my parent's graves, I'll take care of you, and I won't let anything harm you."

Merrenda looked up at him, "You don't need to make that promise. I know you, and I know you'll do your best."

Arken closed his eyes as he held the woman he loved. Not only did she love him, but she was willing to put forth a tremendous sacrifice for him. Merrenda thought he was worth stepping down from her position in House Redoran. It was a sacrifice Arken could never repay, except by being the best husband he possibly could for her.

Arken's eyes snapped open and he tensed when he heard a blade drawing from a sheath. Both he and Merrenda looked up and around to find that they'd been surrounded while they weren't paying attention. About a dozen bandits and thugs had formed a circle around them with weapons drawn. Without hesitating, Arken drew his sword and pulled Merrenda around behind him to shield her.

The bandit ringleader, a Dunmer with long red hair tied up in a high ponytail, stepped forward, "How touching, but I'm getting rather nauseous. Break them up."

The bandits started to advance on them. Arken stepped forward, swinging his blade and being blocked hard by a bandit wielding a heavy battle axe. Arken cranked the weapons around to disarm his opponent when he was struck in the lower back from behind. He winced as he dropped his sword and fell to one knee, a searing pain shooting up his spine. He tried to stand again when he was struck a second time in the same place. A single nerve punch in the back was bad enough, but a second in the same spot was unbearable. Arken fell to his knees as a bandit came up behind him, grabbing his arms and holding him spread in a submission hold.

"Arken!" Merrenda tried to come to his aid before a pair of bandits grabbed her and started dragging her away. She struggled and cried out, but there was nothing to be done. Arken watched them take her away, his eyes filling with a seething fury.

The ringleader watched them drag Merrenda off before returning his attention to Arken, "Don't worry about her, my friend. We'll take good care of her. Lord Redoran will pay more for her if she's undamaged." He looked at the bandit holding Arken and made a "kill" motion across his neck, "Remember to dump the body." He turned to follow the rest of his men and Merrenda.

The bandit drew a dagger from a sleeve sheath, but Arken wasn't about to lay down and die. He wrenched his arm free to elbow the bandit in the hip, buckling his leg. He followed it up with sweeping his foot out behind him in a low roundhouse that brought the thug to the ground. Arken finished the bandit off by wrapping his arms around his head and twisting hard, rewarded with a loud crack. The bandit fell limp on the stone walkway, his head turned nearly completely backward.

The ringleader turned around at hearing the scuffle behind him and shuffled back several steps when he saw how Arken had killed one of his men so quickly. He drew the sword at his side and steeled himself as Arken snatched his own sword up while charging the leader full force. Arken connected the blades hard and cranked them aside as he stepped forward and punched the leader in the jaw. He staggered back, holding his face, as Arken pressed the attack. He dropped down and swept a low roundhouse through the leader's legs, knocking his boots together and toppling him to the ground. Arken kicked the leader's sword away as he raised his own weapon and staked it straight down into his chest. He cranked the cold steel to the right once to ensure its lethality before pulling the blade out. These thugs had counted on Arken becoming broken down and losing his will to fight at seeing Merrenda being dragged off. What they hadn't counted on was one very important fact about Arken Dralkes: Arken never gets broken down; he gets riled up. Now, Arken had a good head full of steam, and the skills and resolve to use it to get Merrenda back.

Arken took off running at full sprint in the direction the bandits went. In Vivec, the only way to leave the city quickly and quietly would have been by boat, meaning the bandits were probably heading for the closest gondola dock. Arken took the shortest route he knew to get there, counting on Merrenda giving the thugs a fight every step of the way. Even when he did find them, Arken knew it was going to be ten-to-one odds, but he didn't care. He wasn't going to stand by idly and let a bunch of thugs take Merrenda away like this.

Arken came within sight of the bandits as they were arriving at the dock. He gripped his sword tighter as he sped up to attack. When they saw him, the bandits all looked and broke into a cacophony of confused chatter.

"Hey! It's the bodyguard again."

"How'd he take down the boss?"

"I'm not waiting around to find out."

Three of the bandits immediately turned and ran, not wanting a taste of Arken's blade skill for themselves. The rest released Merrenda as they all stood their ground and drew weapons. One was even fool enough to charge. He didn't last long. When he closed the distance, Arken parried the thug's mace aside before coming back with a tip-slash to his neck, spinning the bandit around and landing him face down on the stonework with blood pooling from his severed throat. Seeing that one fall so quickly caused another bandit to drop his weapon and turn to join the other three who'd already fled.

The rest all attacked together. Another bandit fell quickly when Arken ducked under his swing and came up with a slash across his chest, killing him instantly. He parried two strikes from another bandit before dodging aside of the third, causing that thug to accidentally impale another bandit who attacked from behind. While the two thugs were tied up, Arken turned and brought his sword down hard, severing the first bandit's hand at the wrist. He screamed as he fell to his knees and grabbed the bleeding stump before passing out shortly after.

The two remaining bandits tried to pincer Arken between them. Seeing through the tactic, Arken ducked under one bandit's hammer as he swung. He stood and punched the thug in the stomach on the way up, doubling him over enough for Arken to roll over his back and get out of the pincer. Arken hit his feet and kept an arm around the thug's neck as he turned to fend off two strikes from the second thug. Arken then used his human shield as a support to hike up one foot on the other bandit's shoulder, then swung his other leg over to scissor-kick the bandit hard across the side of the head. The bandit staggered back and tripped over the stone railing to fall to the water below. Arken set his feet on the ground and finished the show by grabbing his human shield's chin and yanking hard, breaking his neck. He tore a sleeve off of a bandit's shirt to wipe the blood from his blade.

Without skipping a beat, Arken looked over toward the gondola dock to find Merrenda on her knees and sobbing into her hands. He ran over to her and set his sword down as he knelt down and gathered her up in his arms. She grabbed him fiercely and continued to cry all the harder.

Arken softly stroked her hair and spoke in a calming tone, "It's okay, Merrenda. They're gone now. It's all right." He consoled her as she sobbed into his shoulder. She began to calm down after a moment and pulled away from Arken to wipe her eyes.

Merrenda wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at Arken, "I'm sorry, it's just that I was so scared."

Arken shook his head, "It's all right. There's nothing to be afraid of now. I'm here, and I took care of them."

Merrenda sniffled lightly as she looked out at the carnage her fiancé had wrought, "You killed them all?" She looked at him again, "By yourself?"

Arken nodded somberly, "If they thought I was just going sit there and do nothing while they tried to kidnap you, then they had it coming."

Merrenda looked down at Arken's sword on the walkway, "You have got to teach me how to use sword like that."

Arken put his hand on Merrenda's cheek, "I will. It'd be a good idea that you know how to defend yourself." He hugged Merrenda closer, "Right now, I'm just glad you're alright." Arken looked over his shoulder to the sound of armored footsteps running up the walkway. About half a dozen Ordinators were coming to investigate the disturbance with shields ready and swords drawn.

The lead Ordinator, the only one not wearing a helmet, looked around at the mess of bodies before looking at Arken, "What happened here?"

"These thugs tried to kidnap Lady Redoran." Arken pointed to the bandit with a missing hand and motioned down the canton walkway, "Stumpy there is still alive and several others ran that way."

The lead Ordinator looked around at his men, pointing at the unconscious bandit, "You two, get him to the Temple. The rest of you, follow me." Two Ordinators picked up the bandit and started carrying him to the Temple while the rest took off after the ones who fled. That left Arken and Merrenda alone on the stone walk. They just sat there, holding each other for a long time before they finally made their way to the Redoran Canton to go their separate ways for the night. Arken went to bed that night the happiest Dunmer in Morrowind. Finally, for a hopeless little orphan thief, his future looked brighter than ever.

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Arken made his way down the main road of Sadrith Mora until he came to Fynix's mushroom house. He walked up to the door and rapped on it good and hard to make sure Fynix would hear.

His response came muffled through the door, "Come in. The door's open."

Arken pushed the door open and stepped through, "Just out of curiosity, Nix, do you ever actually greet a guest at the door, or do you always just yell through it?"

Fynix turned around from his desk and smiled, "Just for you, Arken." He held up his hand and little motes of purple light spiraled up from his wrist to his fingertips, "Life sensing spell. I recognized your aura." He used a telekinesis spell to drag another chair over so Arken could sit, "So what brings you around here today? Certainly, you're not just here to berate my hospitality." He closed the book he was reading as Arken sat down, "By the by, how are things going with you and Merrenda?"

"Actually, that's why I'm here, Fynix." Arken sat back and stretched his legs out, "I think the words 'best man' will sum it all up enough."

Fynix's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, "You're kidding! You actually proposed to her?"

Arken nodded, "And she said 'yes'."

"Arken, that's wonderful! Congratulations. You must be thrilled."

Arken shrugged, "Thrilled, nervous, jittery, scared out of my mind, or all of the above. Take your pick."

The smile of Fynix's face faded with his next question, "Does she know?"

Arken nodded confidently, "I told her a couple of weeks ago. She seemed to take it well enough."

"What about your connections with the Morag Tong?"

Arken shook his head, "That's all they're going to be from now on: connections. I'm going to stop taking marks as soon as we're married."

Fynix sat back in his seat and folded his hands, "So when's the wedding?"

"Three months from yesterday. As my best friend, I had hoped you'd consider being my best man."

Fynix nodded, "I would be honored and privileged to be your best man, Arken." He shook his head and smiled, "Look at you. You're positively beaming."

Arken shrugged and shook his head in return, "No, I'm just hiding the nerves really well." He leaned forward and took on a more serious tone, "Actually, I have you to thank for this whole thing coming together in the first place. Without your advice to pursue this relationship, I'd still be doomed to bachelorhood right now."

Fynix shook his head, "As I've said probably a million times since we've known each other, it's the least I can do for a friend."

Arken nodded and extended his hand, "Well, thanks for being a friend, Nix." Fynix shook it and Arken stood to leave, "Just so you know, I'm expecting you to dress in something nice for the wedding. Those mage robes are just way too Second Era for me."

Fynix rolled his eyes, "Oh, good golly. Will you just leave already?"

Arken smirked as he left Fynix's home and headed for Wolverine Hall. There were exactly one hundred and seventy three days until he was married, and he was going to be counting every one of them. In the interim, he was going to be busy. He had to make some changes to his home to accommodate the little woman as well as helping with the wedding preparations. Arken shook his head as he pushed open a door into Wolverine Hall. These were going to be the longest three months of his life.

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"…And thus, by the power vested in me by the powers of our great Tribunal, I now proclaim you to be husband and wife."

Arken and Merrenda kissed each other deeply as the priest finished his litergy. They came apart and turned toward the crowd as they lifted a roar of cheers and applause for the newly-wed Dunmer couple. Arken looked down at Merrenda, his new bride, taking in just how beautiful she looked in the white gown she was wearing. She looked up at him and smiled brightly, the white flowers in her hair accentuating her smile. The two kissed each other briefly again before starting down the aisle in the middle of the crowd of guests. Fynix nodded proudly to Arken as he walked by. He was dressed up in a very sharp-looking green brocade doublet with matching felt pants, an oddly stylish outfit for the normally very humble mage.

On Merrenda's side of the aisle, her parents were about to burst with pride for their daughter. Even Merrenda's mother, the enigmatic Lady Redoran, turned out for the wedding. Merrenda stopped to hug them both on the way by, and Lady Redoran broke down crying on her daughter's shoulder. Her little girl was all grown up and starting a life of her own. They were both understandably disappointed that she had stepped down from House Redoran and wasn't following the family traditions, but they were also both immensely proud of her for being willing to make big decisions on her own. All in all, it was a bittersweet moment for all three of them.

Later on in the afternoon, Arken and Merrenda stood in a corner of the reception hall as they received the wedding presents everyone had brought for them. Some gifts were simply large sums of money to help get them started, although if they saw the latest finance records from the Coalition, they would learn that money wasn't necessary. Some of the gifts were ornate decorations for the house, things that could become heirlooms for generations to come. The most interesting was the final wedding present. Arken and Merrenda thanked an Imperial couple for their gift and were surprised to see Ra'Jharra walking up from the last place in the line. He was dressed in a sharp looking suit of blue and green finery and carrying a long, cloth-wrapped object under his arm.

Ra'Jharra walked up to the newly-wed couple and bowed, "Master and Mistress Dralkes."

Arken smiled and shook his head as he patted the Khajiit on the shoulder, "I'm not going to give up telling you to stop calling me 'master', Ra'j."

Merrenda shook her head at Arken's comment, "Thank you for sharing this day with us, Ra'Jharra."

Ra'Jharra shook his head, "It isn't over until I have bestowed my own gifts to the newly-wed couple." He set the long object on the table and unwrapped it to present it to Arken, "This, my lord, is for you."

Arken's eyes widened and his jaw went slack when he saw what Ra'Jharra was giving him. It was a shining new longsword, jet black in appearance with gold lining from tip to pommel. He carefully took the sword and drew it from the scabbard. The beautiful weapon was the shape and design of your traditional silver longsword, but composed of midnight-black ebony. Gold filigree was laid throughout the handle, hilt, and guard, with a long streak of gold outlining the blood grove along the blade, and it shined with a mirror-polished sheen from top to bottom. Arken took several steps back from everyone and swung a few practices slashes through the air. The sword wasn't as heavy or awkward as so many ebony weapons were. In fact, the weight was balanced such that it would add extra momentum to the swing, helping make strikes more powerful. The scabbard was a black lacquered material with gold embellishments on the catch and tip.

Ra'Jharra stepped forward and motioned to parts of the sword as he spoke, "I had Thorck forge it for you for this very day. The blade is folded ebony; nearly indestructible and keeps a razor edge for a very long time. The tang almost fills the whole handle, making it a perfectly balanced weapon for a warrior of your skills, my master."

Arken shook his head in amazement, "Ra'j, it's beautiful." He slid it back into the scabbard, "It's so nice, I'm almost afraid to use it."

Ra'Jharra smiled and shook his head, "It won't bother me in the least if you bang it up a little. That just means you've been using it to protect yourself and your lovely new bride." He reached over to the cloth the sword was wrapped in and pulled out a small pouch, "And in speaking of the lovely lady, this is for you."

Ra'Jharra opened the pouch and presented Merrenda with a beautiful gold necklace. Merrenda gasped as she carefully accepted the jewel and looked it over. It held a gold amulet about the size of a coin, studded with little green gems around the edge encircling a larger green gem in the center. Small black pearls hung from every fifth link in the chain. All in all, it was a gorgeous, and probably horrendously expensive, piece of jewelry.

Merrenda stared at the gem wide-eyed, "This is beautiful, Ra'Jharra. Thank you so much."

Ra'Jharra nodded, "If it pleases you, my lord, I would be pleased to see how it looks on the lady." Merrenda took off her old necklace as Arken unclasped the amulet and fastened it on her neck. As soon as he fastened the catch, little sparkles of blue-white light spiraled up from her feet, swirling around her body, and vanished above her head.

Arken looked from Merrenda to Ra'Jharra, "What was that?"

Ra'Jharra just grinned, "The amulet is enchanted with several potent resistance and restoration spells. It cost me a small fortune just to get a soul gem powerful enough. It's my way of offering my own protection for the lovely lady."

Arken looked at the amulet hanging from Merrenda's neck again, "Who enchanted it?"

"A good friend of yours named Fynix Nylim. He was more than honored to enchant it for you."

Arken nodded, "I'll have to thank him for that later." He glanced at his new sword and looked at Ra'Jharra, "Thank you so much, Ra'j. These have been the best gifts by far."

Ra'Jharra shook his head, "These gifts are not as much in honor of your day today, my lord, but in honor of such a kind and generous master you have been to me for all these years."

Arken nodded again, "And I couldn't have asked for a more noble or loyal servant, Ra'Jharra. Which is why today I'm giving you a gift." He stepped forward and put his hands on Ra'Jharra's shoulders, "From this hour henceforth, I release you from your bound service to me." He stepped back and nudged the Khajiit's shoulder, "Live it up, Ra'j. You're a free cat now."

Ra'Jharra shook his head, "I was a free cat the day you rescued me all those years ago. I was simply repaying a debt."

"Well then, consider your debt repaid." Arken stepped back and put his arm around Merrenda, "And we wish you luck in your new life."

Ra'Jharra smiled as he bowed to them, "A long and prosperous life to you both, Arken. Farewell." Without another word, the Khajiit turned and headed for the crowd of guests in the rest of the assembly hall.

Arken watched Ra'Jharra walk away, "You know, I think that's the first time he's ever used my name."

Merrenda leaned on Arken and patted his chest, "As you said, he was loyal. A good servant would never use his lord's name."

"He was a lot more than a servant. Besides you and Fynix, he was the closest thing I had to a friend for a long time. But he's free now. His choices are his own and a new life awaits him." He looked down at Merrenda, "Just a like a new life awaits us."

Merrenda smiled as she laid her head on Arken's shoulder, "Yes, it does." This day was more than simply a wedding day. Like any wedding, it was the mark of a new chapter in the lives of two people. For one of those people in particular, Arken, it was the mark of a new change in his life. It was a change of rather than using his skills to further his own greed, they would be put to use defending the one he loved. A bright dawn lingered on the horizon, and it was a day that Arken was anticipating with great joy.