Chapter 7:

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Make it stop," Mandila grumbled into her pillow. Her face was firmly planted in the soft ball of fabric beneath her, and even the feather that was poking her in the cheek couldn't make her stir. Her head was killing her, and whoever was knocking at her door had better stop before she gave them a violent response. "I am trying to sleep!" she testily burst when the noise wouldn't cease, and then Mandila heard the soft clicking of someone tinkering with the lock. The nerve of some people!

"Mandila, come on!" she heard Methredhel complain. "It's already almost ten in the morning." With a groan, Mandila sat up just as her front door swung open. Of course the lock was no match for her friend, but still, was that necessary? She sighed and watched the other thief grin and flounce into the room, clearly eager for an update.

"You look terrible," she joked.

"Yeah, well, I drank a little too much last night," Mandila tartly replied. She grabbed a brush from her bedside and began the process of untangling her hair as Methredhel made herself at home.

"You got dressed up for the evening," the thief noted, and Mandila looked down to see that she had slept in her skirt, blouse, and sash, all of which were now wrinkled. At least she hadn't thrown up on them. In fact, she was quite proud of herself on that account. "So how did it go?"

"Good right up until the last drink that I forced down," Mandila managed to smile. "I like Tamika's, but I shouldn't have had a full glass after the ale."

"Tamika's?" Methredhel questioned. "You usually don't spend so much on drinking."

"I didn't," Mandila said with a teasing grin.

"Oh, you had a man last night then."

"Lex bought me some." The sudden lapse of silence that followed Mandila's statement could only be attributed to shock, for there sat Methredhel, eyes as large as saucers, and mouth nearly falling to the floor. The expression was as priceless as Mandila had hoped, and so she decided to bask in the glory of her comment's shock value while waiting for the older thief to recompose herself.

"You drank with Lex?" Methredhel gasped. "And he treated you to a drink? How did that happen?" Mandila crossed her arms over her chest and gave an absolutely devious smile.

"When my company didn't arrive, I joined him, and we had a nice little time sitting by our lonesome selves. I think that we both had a good time." There was no need to bring up her slip about the Grey Fox, for some things were going to remain private for her own wellbeing.

"Ooooh," Methredhel said, eyes eager for juicy tidbits. "I don't suppose that you got the kiss that I proposed, did you?" She meant it as a joke, for she really didn't believe that Mandila had shared an evening with the captain, but when Mandila only smirked, the truth became clear. "You did! You actually got Lex to pucker up?"

"Well, he didn't kiss back," Mandila complained. "But he didn't stop me right away either. How's that for getting the captain to loosen up?"

"I can't believe this," Methredhel marveled, rubbing her temples. "I need some proof before I believe this. No lockpicks until you have proof."

"Under one condition," Mandila added. "Armand hears nothing about this, okay? He's already unhappy with me talking to Lex. If he finds out that I kissed him, he won't understand that it was just a joke between the two of us."

"And it was just a joke, right?" Methredhel challenged. Mandila frowned and stood up much faster than she should have, for the sudden movement made her reach for the bed post to steady herself.

"Of course it was only a joke." Sort of. Not really. Gods, I'd love to kiss him again. "Come on," she continued. "I'll get you your proof." She led the way to the harbor with Methredhel at her side, both looking for Captain Lex. He was as easy to find as ever, and as Mandila approached him, Methredhel lagged behind, curious to see what would happen. For his part, Lex was eyeing Mandila like he wanted to speak with her but was not particularly pleased about it. He might have decided to walk directly by the elf if Mandila hadn't so clearly stepped in his path to prevent him ignoring her.

"Good morning," she told him, determined to not let him act as if last night had never happened. And he did seem rather intent on that as he turned his carefully arranged face on her. Then again, perhaps it wasn't acting. Perhaps it had meant nothing to him. "I had a good time last night," Mandila smiled.

"You remember everything?" Lex asked, and she nodded. "Then let's get several things straight." He stepped dangerously close, but Mandila did not budge at his unexpectedly harsh tone. "We have a conversation to finish, and if you do not visit my office, I will find a convenient time to visit you at home." Mandila was fixated by the possibility of him visiting her at home, but she quickly scolded herself, thinking of Armand next door. Why did these ridiculous thoughts need to plague her anyway? If she was honest with herself, she understood very well that she was falling for this man, but she didn't want to, because he would never fall back, even if they could bend the rules of their existence.

"I wouldn't mind discussing it over another drink," Mandila offered. "I won't drink too much this time. I usually stop at two glasses, you know. Last night, I was not thinking so straight." You seem to have that effect on me. She remembered the kiss and fought the blush that she felt rising in her cheeks. She wondered what Lex thought of her bold actions.

"I was not in uniform last night," he told her, face blank. He was watching how her eyes kept drifting to his lips, and how her wide, innocent stare crept upward to his. "But I am on duty now, and I can arrest you for making unwanted advances. You will not make a public display." Unwanted. The word slapped Mandila across the face, and her expression fell. She didn't want it to, for she didn't want this man to know the extent of the hold that he had over her, but she couldn't help it. The gleam vanished from her eyes, and the noticeable retraction of her spirit was not lost on the captain.

"I won't bother you with displays again then, sir," she apologized, sure that he had access to more beautiful and wealthy women if he so desired. She was just a poor, possible-thief anyways, so she couldn't expect more.

"Citizen," Lex said, softer than his previously harsh tone. "I have work to do, but if you ever need assistance, you know where to find me. Do you know where my office is?"

"Yes."

"I'll expect you within the next several days then." He walked off, and Methredhel bounced over to give her sister a hug and concede that she had won the bet. Twenty lockpicks landed in her hand, and Mandila accepted them with a giggle, but all she could think about was that she was just a bit of mud on the captain's boots. That's how he had just treated her, and after she'd thought that maybe their friendly streak had meant...it meant nothing. She could keep teasing him, but that's all it would ever be: two people who baited each other for the challenge of it. She selected a lockpick and moved toward the city, for she had a job that night, and she wanted to scope out the neighborhood. She would reaffirm her loyalty to the guild tonight, before Armand had another chance to question it.

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

He was following her. She could tell by the way that his back always seemed turned toward her—how he always seemed to be going in the opposite direction but was there every time she scanned her surroundings. Mandila frowned and carefully stood by a cart in the market district, examining a stand of apples, but from the corner of her eye, she was spying. The guard several houses down was talking to someone, but she knew that he was after, and she also knew that Lex had probably set him on her.

What had suddenly made Lex suspicious enough to have her followed? Last night's slip about the Grey Fox might have done it, but then again, by now he'd know about the massive theft that had occurred last night while he was with her. Of course that would make her look bad, but she had played her part well, and he'd even smiled at her. Gods, she wanted to see him smile again, and at her, no one else. She shook her head and pocketed an apple when no one was looking. Not only was she forced to admit that she liked Lex, but that she would feel jealous if she saw him with another woman. She had no idea when her fascination had gone this far, but she blamed it on him for starting to talk back to her, and for playing that trick on her after the swimming incident. If he had just ignored her attentions like he always had, everything would be fine now.

It was early afternoon now, and Lex would soon arrive for lunch. She didn't want to see him, but she couldn't bring herself to move fast enough to avoid him. She did not leave until she saw him marching down the street in her direction, and she did not miss the quick nod that passed between him and the guard that was following her. Well, if Lex wanted to give her a hard time, she'd show him how difficult it was to catch a thief of her caliber.

"Oh the games we play," she softly smiled to herself as she gave him one last glance. She couldn't be angry with him for speaking with or challenging her. No, that would be unfair, and she wouldn't want to lose what little she had shared with him. Did she sound like a bleeding heart? She hoped not, but she couldn't help but feel that her life would be a little more boring without him—like the obstacles that he presented added to her routine and had even become incorporated into it. He was part of what made her look forward to the day, but she'd rather dunk her head in sewer water than say such a sappy comment aloud.

Now it was time to lose her friend back there.

Mandila took a sharp turn around the row of houses leading toward the Arena. Once out of sight, she sprinted and rounded the next corner, jogging toward Green Emperor and disappearing into another part of the city. She knew that he would be close behind by now, and so she located a large tombstone and crouched behind it, waiting for him to pass her. It did not take long for him to show, panting from running in armor on such a warm afternoon, and she bit back a chuckle as he started to curse. With a little precaution, she would give him the slip for the rest of the day, and that's exactly what she did.

The day disappeared, and night was well underway as Mandila perched on a stonewall not far from her destination. The poor guard had given up after several fruitless hours of searching for her, and she loved how she'd only ever been a matter of feet from him. It gave her great satisfaction to know that he was no match for her, but she supposed that sneaking around in armor was difficult. Now she was posed to strike, for in a few minutes more, the owner of a nearby house would leave for her evening stroll. That left Mandila about an hour window to plunder, and plunder she would, but there was only one object that she was interested in: a dagger.

According to rumor, it would look ordinary enough, but it was enchanted to kill with a single stroke. Now that would be worth money, and Mandila needed the gold to buy herself a new mattress and some clothing. Her current shoes were cracking, and besides one or two decent outfits, she was beginning to look as poor as she felt, and she didn't want to look like a beggar. That was the last thing that she wanted to be, for the homeless were treated with disdain for the most part, and to feel like a beggar meant degradation, which Mandila would never allow herself to wallow in. Even a lowly thief had her pride, and after she'd been abandoned by her mother as a child, she never wanted to return to that lifestyle. She had finally found a way to support herself in the Thieves' Guild, and for that, she would be forever grateful.

Here we go. The lady, who was a Dunmer, had just locked the door behind her and was walking toward the gardens. Now it was time to act.

Mandila checked her surroundings and saw that, as expected, no guards were afoot. They'd be changing the watch right now, and most patrols had been stopped for the night. With a smile, she crept toward her target and began fiddling with the lock. It took a few moments, for it was a complicated one, but the click of success had never been sweeter to her ears. She could hear the guards coming as the last pin was pushed into place, but by the time they were within eyesight, she was safely inside the house, door shut behind her.

The house was pitch black, and Mandila had to pause and give her eyes time to adjust. Slowly the room began to take shape, and objects obtained dim outlines, making it clear enough where things were located, and Mandila imagined that the knife was upstairs, in the lady's room. Quietly, she tiptoed up the stairs, a second lock was picked, and she entered the master bedroom. Like downstairs, the place seemed abandoned, but she paused and took her time anyway. For a second, she could have sworn that she felt a cool rush of wind across her neck, but her mind was probably playing tricks on her. Sometimes she got a bit jittery during high-profile thefts.

The chest, she decided, sneaking up to a large, wooden trunk and testing the lock. To her disappointment, it only held clothing, as did the closet, and the box beside the bed was filled with jewelry. Getting annoyed, and running out of time, Mandila was about to settle for taking a few necklaces when a glint of purple from a nearby shelf caught her eye. She wanted to hit herself for having not looked in such an obvious place before, for there lay the dagger, slender and elegant in its Elven design, and its surface shimmering with magic. Any thief would have been elated but for a second fleeting, cold breath that descended down the neck of Mandila's shirt.

What in the world?

Mandila spun, the cold air leaving a trail of goosebumps down her back, but she was alone. The room probably had a draft somewhere, for nothing in this place moved except for her, meaning that her imagination was getting the best of her. She stayed alert as her hand reached for the dagger, aware that her senses were tripping with concern. Something didn't feel right, like she was being watched. It was the same sensation that she felt whenever a guard passed behind her back.

Fingers wrapped around the dagger's handle, and she gently lifted it from its resting place. It was light in her hands, and cool to the touch, but she did not feel the familiar sense of triumph as she held it. The air seemed to thicken around her, and now she definitely knew that something wasn't right. Gods, but her skin was prickling in fright, for she knew that she wasn't alone anymore. Something was moving in the shadows, coming closer, its breath disturbing the otherwise total silence of the bedroom.

Mandila did what her instincts dictated, and that was throwing the dagger at whatever was coming for her. When it sailed through thin air to harmlessly hit the opposite wall, she really knew that she was in trouble. A spirit, she realized, horrified by the supernatural. Apparently the dagger had been placed under a protective enchantment, and as she saw a blue ball of light forming before her, her feet ran for the door. There was a crackling sound, and a bright flash that chased her out of the room and onto the landing outside. She nearly fell down the stairs in her hurry to avoid being fried with magic, but the ghost would not give up.

Damned dark elves and their ancestral spirits!

Mandila skidded toward the front door, no longer caring if a guard saw her exiting the premises. Some things were worse than trespassing fees, and she could think of a few as another beam of light flared into being. She knew that the ball of energy was coming at her back as her hand began pulling on the door, for its brightness cast her shadow against the wall with increasing sharpness, and heat began flowing over her.

Faster.

The door began swinging inward, but the thief wasn't fast enough. Searing pain fanned across her back, causing her to gasp as she stumbled outside. It was warm and burning, and she was sure that she was bleeding, even if her numbed mind didn't yet realize it. She slammed the door shut behind her and never looked back, running on pure adrenaline and nothing else, and even then, the pain begged her body to collapse. She was unaccustomed to heavy injuries, and as she ran, she realized that her head was growing lighter, scaring her with the possibility of bleeding, unconscious on the street. Sure, she'd been lucky that no one had seen her attempted theft, but dying in a gutter didn't seem much better.

Her vision began to blacken, and in a desperate attempt to remain upright, she reached out a hand for the stonewall beside her. Her feet buckled, and she slid to the ground, panting and coughing up blood as she tried to regain her bearings.

Footsteps.

Someone was coming, but not at a quick pace. Metal boots, she realized. A guard then. Damn.

Mandila slowly rose to her feet and continued walking, trying to only appear unwell as she fumbled her away along the wall, using it for support. She had to get back to the waterfront, and then Armand could patch her up. He would watch over her while she healed, and so she tried to move faster as torch light grew closer behind her. Where was she now? Oh, the Temple District.

"Citizen," someone hailed her, and she almost died from panic when she realized that it was Lex. Of all the people to find her, why did it have to be him? The torchlight was getting closer by the second, drawing even with her as she paused from exhaustion. "Drunk again?" the captain began to mock. "You're lucky that..." His words trailed off, and although Mandila did not look up, she assumed that he was examining her injured back. She hid behind her hair, the brown locks hanging about her pained face as she stood half-hunched, for she didn't want the captain to see the thin trickle of blood that was running down her chin and filling her mouth with copper.

"What happened?" Lex demanded. "These are serious wounds." His voice was stern, but no longer annoyed, and he was stepping closer.

"I had an accident," Mandila lied. "Got a little too close to a fire. You know me; I don't look before I leap, but I guess I should."

"Come with me," Lex said, tone dropping to a gentler degree. "I'll escort you to the temple." Where you'll ask a million questions about my accident, Mandila thought. And then my injury will be reported, and the lady might connect me to the theft.

"I'll be fine," Mandila said. "I just need to get home, and I'm sure that you have other things to do." A strong hand gripped her chin and turned her face upward so that Mandila found herself staring at the captain's face. Torchlight fell across her features, exposing the bloody trail of her injury, and she was surprised when Lex ran his thumb across the rivulet, cleaning it from her face. He looked as he always did, but there was a touch of concern there also.

"No smart comments, no attempts to annoy me," he mused. "You're not fine, and I have never let anyone die on my watch." Mandila weakly smiled, but the action was cut short by a grimace of pain. She nearly doubled over, and Lex caught her falling form, easily supporting her much lighter body, and she allowed him to. She leaned against his chest, feeling his hands against her as he righted her, and for a single moment she felt his forehead brush against hers. It was strange how such a detail stood out to her when she felt like crumbling to the pavement to never rise again.

"I'm not going to the temple," she reiterated. "But I could use some help getting home."

"Citizen, I'm honor bound to protect your well-being, and you are going to the Temple. Then we are going to file a report, because there is no way in Oblivion that these wounds were caused by a mere accident." He would naturally be stubborn, but Mandila really wasn't in the mood to argue with him right now. Perhaps...

"I have a healing potion at home," she lied. "I'd rather do that than the Temple." She wanted to stay leaning against Lex, but if she looked that weak, he'd never let her go directly home. He cares, she thought, the idea making her warm, even if he was only doing his job. She straightened with his hands still gripping her sides, and she wanted to think that perhaps there was more to this than just his job. Maybe he was fond of her, if nothing else.

"I'm ready to go," she said, and they started out, one of her hands gliding against the wall, and the other around Lex's broad shoulders. One of his arms was wrapped around her waist, and it felt so strange to have him so close that she didn't know what to say or do. For the most part, they walked in silence, and she was content to pretend that he was a kind man only doing his best to help her.

"Why am I always running into you, elf?" Lex finally commented, and Mandila started to laugh before she realized how much pain it put her in, for she was allowed to loosen her nerves now that she realized that she'd live.

"You're just lucky, I guess," she teased Lex. He 'humphed' and tightened his grip on her when he felt her slipping, causing her to sharply inhale in pain as his arm grazed her wound. "My apologies," he said.

"It's not your fault."

"So if I am to believe that this was an accident, how did it happen?" he pressed. "If it was someone else's negligence, I'll see that he or she is dealt with properly." He sounded so official that Mandila wanted to poke him in the side and tell him to stop being so stingy, but he was apparently still on duty, and she was too weak to bother. Even when off duty, he didn't seem that different, did he?

"This injury is was my own fault, captain," Mandila stated. "And let's leave it at that. I don't think that I can handle any questions right now. I just want to rest."

"I will not bother you until tomorrow then," Lex offered, and no doubt the thought that such a step was very sympathetic, but Mandila had other ideas.

"Sir, even if I was doing something wrong—which I'm not saying that I was—don't you think that I've learned my lesson?" Her head tilted sideways, and she found herself getting lost in his blue eyes. They were intense, as if he was trying to figure something out; solve a riddle, and she could only offer him the sincere longing for compassion that marked her face. She believed him capable of being gentle when no one else did, and the implicit trust that seemed to accompany her stare troubled Lex.

"I'll let it go this once," he decided. "Just don't forget your lesson, citizen."

"Mandila," she smiled. "Stop calling me 'citizen'."

"Very well. Here we are at your home, Mandila," and she thought that she detected a smile in his tone. He held onto her as she unlocked her door and pushed it open.

"Thank you," she said, moving to close the door, but it wouldn't shut the whole way. Lex's hand had shot out to keep it open, and his face was rock solid as he stared at her.

"Take the potion," he ordered.

"What? Are you going to stand there and make sure that I do?" Mandila asked at wit's end.

"Yes." He did care. She didn't know if she wanted to punch or hug him, so she settled for putting more pressure on the door.

"I would be crazy not to take the potion," she countered. "Now go away or I'll file a complaint against you for trespassing." Lex's eyebrows rose, and he leaned forward in an intimidating manner.

"You wouldn't dare," he breathed. "Now take that potion." He turned and left her to her own healing, apparently sure that she'd do as ordered, and Mandila quietly indulged in the idea of him having saved her. It was a comforting feeling, like his arm around her waist, helping her stand, and for the first time in her life, she was glad that he was so strict in doing his duty. No one had ever helped her like that before, and she'd never forget it.