Chapter 3:

Ah, another beautiful day on the waterfront. Mandila stood atop the lighthouse, watching a ship approach the docks with large, white sails, and she happily struck up a soft tune. Her voice wasn't exactly melodic, so she only sang in solitude, but she liked to sing despite what others might think. Here in the lighthouse, she was safe from scornful critics, and she definitely had her share. Methredhel was one, the sister thief having once told Mandila that there were mudcrabs with better voices.

"As if she can sing," Mandila smiled to herself. She was suppose to be clearing her head by coming up here, but she found that the exact opposite was happening, for her favorite captain wouldn't leave her head. She could see him from here, marching toward one of the Legion offices, and she smiled as she thought about what she could do to engage him today. Then again, her thoughts weren't all fun and games. She kept returning to the question of kissing, and she found herself more attracted to the idea than she wanted to admit. It was unbecoming of her to like the man, even if she admired him.

Admired? Where did that come from? She frowned and reprimanded herself for dwelling on Lex for an extended period of time. Her other fascinations had lasted about an average of a month, but this...she counted and wanted to slap herself in the forehead. Four months—four whole months, and now she was talking about admiring him. Well, there was something to be admired about his ironclad figure. He knew what he wanted, pursued it no matter what anyone else thought, and he was smart. He knew that the Thieves' Guild existed when most people couldn't see it, and so there he was: talented and determined, and pulling it off so well. There was something to be admired in that, especially when Mandila considered that she had no idea where her life was heading.

Sure, Mandila was a thief, and she stole for the guild; that was her calling. She had friends to look out for her, and a small hut by Armand's, but beyond that, she confessed that she didn't know what she wanted. She didn't even know if she should want something more, because hoping for more than the little that she had seemed pointless. It wasn't that she was a pessimist, for she was quite optimistic, but she wasn't delusional either, and she knew that her life would forever be on this waterfront or a similar location. Too poor to travel, too disinterested to hold a regular job, and too curious to settle for a normal life, she had embraced her relaxed but active existence. She couldn't imagine being a dock worker and performing the same task day after day, for the monotony would surely kill her, but stealing was never boring. The price was that there was no long-term security.

What would she do when she got too old to do the exciting jobs? Would the guild even allow her to be an active member? She didn't want to be a beggar, and she prided herself on supporting her own meager life, but theft would not always be easy. One day her bones might ache or her knees not bend so well, and then she might not welcome the challenge of running from guards. Prison—was that where her life would end? She watched Lex working, and for a moment she looked on him with the absolute speculation of what it was like to be him. He never had to hide, and he never had to worry about where he'd be fifteen years from now, because captains tended to retire well, and he could do his job well into old age.

But I'm freer than him, Mandila reminded herself. Being Lex was undesirable, even if it worked for him. No, that life wouldn't work for her, and she supposed that there were worse things than being a thief with an unknown future. She probably wouldn't make it to old age anyway, and considering what awaited her if she did, she didn't mind one bit if she landed in an early grave. She'd rather have fun now, pay later, and never wonder if she let her life drift by unused. With those surprisingly chipper thoughts, she hopped down the steps of the lighthouse and out the door, pausing when she noticed two guards standing outside. They were looking at one of Lex's Grey Fox posters. From what Mandila understood, the captain was solely responsible for the wanted ads, for his superiors didn't approve of his fixation.

"He's been putting more of these up," one of the guards commented, and his companion snorted.

"He's wasting his time. Look at him. He walks around like he's on a mission from the emperor," and he shook his helmeted head. "Can you believe it? You'd think that he'd lay off the work a little instead of chasing shadows."

"Don't count on it," the other stated. "I've invited him to drink with us several times, and he's always too busy. I don't think he knows the meaning of the word 'fun'. And have you ever seen him with a woman?" They laughed, and Mandila found herself frowning. She wondered if all the guards talked about their superior this way. It'd be like her badmouthing Armand or the Grey Fox, which she never did. Okay, maybe she made a few stabs at Armand's penchant for taking speaking in public so seriously, but he was her friend, and so she was never malicious. Perhaps Lex didn't have that—friends among his comrades, and that seemed an awfully lonely way to live. She'd never thought about whether or not he was lonely before, only how magnificent he looked, and how easy he was to irritate.

"Between you and me," one guard was saying. "The man would run out on the most beautiful woman in the world if someone told him that the Grey Fox had been spotted, even if she was naked in his bed."

"Damn straight," the other agreed. "Hey, we should get back to patrol."

"Yeah, but what about this poster? It's an eyesore."

"Take it down. No one's watching," and the guard ripped off the wanted poster, crumpled it into a ball, and tossed it onto the ground. Mandila moved by them and grabbed the paper, pretending not to have heard their conversation, and strolled down the stone bridge at the harbor's center. She didn't know why it had never occurred to her that Lex was a loner. She'd always pictured him hanging out in the guard tower, drinking with some other men, and talking about any progress he'd made that day. Apparently, she'd been wrong, but even she had to smile when she thought of him running out on a naked woman, because she could easily see that happening.

"The Grey Fox? Where?!"

Speak of a daedric prince, there he was, exiting the office with a rolled scroll in his hands. Part of Mandila warned that her fascination should not go beyond a superficial stage, and so she should not be thinking about his personal life. It was taboo to do so, for that was not how she had ever handled these situations. Still, it was interesting, and she found that she liked seeing Lex with multiple layers. Somehow it made him more tangible, like he was flesh and bone beneath that shining armor, and not just a symbol of his station. And she had better not tell Methredhel that, or the older thief would jump all over her, and rightly so. Mandila wondered if something was wrong with herself since she recognized danger and ran toward it anyway.

Lex caught sight of Mandila, and she could tell by the slight hitch in his sweeping gaze. He was walking away, and she smiled as she pursued him. After so many encounters, the man should know better than to try and avoid her. She did not give up easily.

"Captain?" she called. Now he couldn't ignore her without looking like a total jerk, and she forced herself to contain an outright, wicked smile as he stopped and turned to face her.

"Citizen," he acknowledged.

"I do have a name," Mandila asserted. "Not all of us like to be addressed by a title."

"And how would you prefer me to address you?" Lex asked. Mandila was slightly offended that he didn't remember her name. After all, she only talked to him every, single day.

"Mandila," she told him. "You can call me that, and stop this 'citizen' nonsense."

"Fine...Mandila," he said, and continued walking. She was being dismissed, but she didn't give up, and fell in step beside him. He glanced over at her with those baby blue eyes, and he seemed to be assessing his situation. "Can I do something for you, ma'am? I'm very busy at the moment."

"You're always busy," Mandila pointedly replied. "You're always on the waterfront, and always going to and fro, looking for something. People might even say that you're a bit obsessed." That made Lex stop and give her his full attention. "It's obvious to everyone here that you're hellbent on doing your mission, and not everyone sees it as a good thing." She handed him the crumpled poster, and his eyes narrowed. "It wasn't me, sir," she promised. "It was someone with a sword."

"The guards should spend less time gossiping, and more time working," came Lex's stiff reply. She'd obviously hit a nerve, and he brushed passed her, no longer interested in having anything to do with her. His anger made her lag behind a moment before she jogged back to his side, struggling to keep up with his longer strides.

"Cit—Mandila," he corrected himself, thinking that using her real name might placate and send her away. "Surely you have something else to do."

"I do," she told him, "But I want to speak with you." He cast her a doubtful expression, and she smiled with all the Bosmer charm that she could muster. "Is it so hard to believe that someone might wish to have a conversation with the infamous, Captain Lex?" He ran his eyes over her, again seemingly lost in thought, and now he was forced to stop walking, for they'd reached the edge of the harbor. He had thought that she'd give up before he ran out of street, but he supposed that he could dodge into an office if need be.

"Sir," she said, the smile slipping. "I wanted to thank you for yesterday. You helped Ancus when no one else would, and I know that it would have been easier to ignore him." She met Lex's eyes, and she had the strangest urge to touch his face. No, that couldn't be right, but it didn't seem like a terrible idea. She found herself wanting to see him smile or least go back to his normal, solemn expression, rather than display such an irritated face. It was her fault, because she'd brought up the issue of other guards' disrespect toward him, and he didn't deserve that. It might be fun to wind him up, but right now, she felt the need to let him know that someone took him seriously. She owed him thanks for what he'd done, and no one else was going to give it to him—not even other guards it seemed.

"I appreciate what you did," she said, realizing that her mouth was still moving, and wondering what nonsense she had spouted while she was lost in thought. Lex regarded her, and then tossed the destroyed poster onto the street. She was staring into his eyes with that searching expression again, as if nothing in the world was as important as him, and he wasn't entirely sure what to do about it. No one had ever looked at him with such positive intensity. And Mandila, she just wanted him to know that someone appreciated how different he was from other officials.

"I was only doing my duty," he told her, his face softening by a fraction. She again smiled, and coyly placed her hands behind her back and leaned forward.

"Maybe so, but are you the only guard that has that duty? You're not like the others."

"The Imperial Legion holds high standards for all of its members," he stressed, understanding her implication, and slightly annoyed that a young, jobless girl would blatantly speak against the Legion's honor. Then again, she was partially right, and at least one person recognized how he strove to do his job better than the others. If only his superior would see his efforts in the same light as this Bosmer. Should he be flattered by her words? He might have been if he wasn't distracted by her random jump to another topic.

"So can I hold your sword?" Mandila asked, transfixed by the weapon at his waist. He inwardly sighed, but she, on the other hand, was elated at having had a real conversation with him.

"No," he shortly told her, and spun on his heel. He wasn't suppose to go back to the barracks yet, but he would if it afforded him some peace and quiet. He heard someone moving beside him, and puzzled over why this woman found him so interesting. Gods, she was still there. "Citizen," he stated, stopping and turning on her again. "You've expressed your thanks, so why must you continue to ask inane questions?" The Bosmer laughed, and it was a pleasant, soft sound that filled the area and drew attention to them, including Methredhel's.

"Captain Lex," she said. "I happen to like your company, but have it your way. You win. Good day." She grinned and sped by him, but not before giving his face another long look. He could not for the life of him understand what drew that carefree elf to him. My elf, he sarcastically corrected himself. From what he had seen of her so far, he gathered that she liked to play games, and he was sure that he made a tempting target for an energetic tree-hugger like her. Well, if she thought that he would lay down and accept such a well-meaning explanation as "I like your company", then she was wrong. Even if she wasn't with the Grey Fox, which he hadn't discounted, she was still trying to get to him.

And if she does just like your company? He couldn't bring himself to think so simply when he did nothing but brush her aside, but they had talked today. Perhaps it hadn't been as torturous as he anticipated, and then there was the fact that she had thanked him for his service, which had seemed sincere. He hated to admit it, but he had enjoyed the praise, and even the suggestion that he was better than the other guards. What he wanted to know was why she had suddenly felt the need to show appreciation rather than goading him like usual. It wasn't like her to be serious with him, and although he secretly liked what she had said, he couldn't help but wonder at her motivations.

************

"So he's making you laugh now, is he?" Methredhel asked. Mandila rolled her eyes as she and her friend moved toward the water's edge. They found a grassy patch for a quick lunch, and what little food they could afford was quickly spread between them.

"I laughed because I managed to irritate him," Mandila stated while taking a bite of apple.

"At the end," Methredhel corrected. "Come on, sister, don't try to lie to me. I was watching the entire thing. You were actually talking to him—not poking fun, but talking, as in conversation. And for a while, he looked rather interested in what you were saying." Mandila grinned and winked.

"I told you I'd get him to talk to me one day," she proudly proclaimed.

"Yes, but have you gotten a kiss yet?" Mandila tossed the apple core aside and flopped backward onto the grass. Methredhel was closely watching her reaction.

"I might be working on it," she teased, "But honestly, do you think that I'd destroy my reputation for him? I don't think that I'm the one who fell from a tree." But she was secretly thinking about Lex's soft lips, and she couldn't help but wonder what they felt like. Admitting her true interest to her friend would be suicide though, so she kept her inner musings to herself.

"Still in denial, I see," Methredhel commented. "Be careful that you don't get too close. If you start talking to him, you might start to want more than what's acceptable..."

"Please," Mandila snorted. "You said it yourself: my fascinations never last long...even if this ones been a while." She wondered if she'd get to converse with the captain again tomorrow. She hoped that he'd be up for it, but her thought was cut shot, for suddenly Methredhel was laughing. "What?" Mandila demanded.

"You have that dreamy look again," she said. "Thinking about him?" Mandila frowned, having been caught red-handed. "I thought so. Look, he's handsome, but you're taking this too far. If you kiss him to prove a point to me, it's fine, right? But if you kiss him because you want to, that's a huge problem. You should ask yourself which one it is."

"It won't get out of hand," Mandila said.

"It better not, or we'll have to hit you with rocks until you come to your senses." Mandila jokingly shoved Methredhel, who shoved back. Soon they were giggling and stumbling back to their houses, spotting Armand in the process. His darker skin glistened with sweat from a recent a run, and the two fellow thieves waved in greeting. He smiled and nodded back, but there was something different about him today. Mandila thought that his eyes might have rested on a her a moment longer, and she was brilliant at picking up subtle communication.

Armand was displeased.

"Does he know?" Mandila asked once the man was gone.

"He's heard things," Methredhel replied. "But he knows not to take it seriously. You know how he is—taking things with more weight than he should. He'll get over it." Mandila nodded and went into the city to scout for possible targets, even pickpocketing a merchant while she was there. Part of her wondered if Lex had been affected by her earlier words, because she wanted him to be, even if she shouldn't.