Chameleon 25 Percent of Everything Chapter 2
My Cheydinhal recommendation didn't take very long, but it was somewhat of a heart stopper. Falcar asked me to recover a ring for him that fell in the well at the back of the guild. To sum it all up, the crazy psycho tried to kill me. It was a ring of burden; the ring I got from Alewin (water breathing ring) really saved my life. Poor Vidkun.
Falcar was gone before I got back, his room was searched, black soul gems were found and my recommendation was sent in.
I was currently at the Weye inn near the IC, I was really too tired from my prolonged visit to Cheydinhal to go any further so I figured that I would spend the night here.
I was almost done with the loaf of bread and cheese I ordered when a strange man walked in I could tell by his skin tone that he was a high elf. He spoke to the barmaid and handed her 12 bottles of wine; which she paid him for. And then as soon as he was here he was gone.
Now a days the Imperial city has many strange people coming and going. There was an evil feeling surrounding the air and for some reason; something just felt wrong.
The door to the inn suddenly slammed open; and the barmaid quickly pulled out her ax.
It was a courtier.
"The Emperor has been murdered!"
And the evil feeling now revealed its self sending violent chills down my spine, the emperor was dead? Murdered? How? Why? All of these questions were flouting in my head.
The sick part about it was; they may never be answered.
"Talos save us." The barmaid cried.
The rest of the guest at the inn were quiet or in shock some left; now worried for their family and made their way to the city despite their fatigue.
I had to go home too I wouldn't get any sleep anyways, the news kept me wide awake.
I was finally at the water front, Lex and the other guards were ordering the citizens to their house.
"Jade, you're finally back; the emperor's been mur-."
"I know Adanrel, I heard the news."
"Please citizens make your way to your homes; it's for your own safety!" Lex yelled in a frantic voice; his hair had fallen out of it usual tie and framed his face curling up with sweat. His sword was out and at the ready for any lurking dangers.
"Right away Captain!" Adanrel replied hurrying off to her house.
"Everything is going to be okay Lex you'll see."
His frown turned into a confused look; his eyes were peering into my own as if her were searching for something.
"How can you be so sure? Our Emperor and his sons are dead." Lex for once in all of the time I've seen him looked defeated.
"I'm sure because there are other dedicated men and women like you; who are going to do their best at protecting the city. Evil can concur many battle fields, but good have won the most wars, because they have something or someone they want to protect."
Lex's shoulders squared up a bit; and he smiled a bit.
"Reading too many books in Cheydinhal I see, please Jade go to your house and lock the doors."
"Stay safe." I said before heading to my house.
I couldn't really believe I just had a full conversation with Lex maybe disasters really do bring people together. Or maybe he was just being nice.
I have spent about 4 hours confined to my shack. I couldn't sleep and it was now early morning; the Water Front was unusually silent.
I had spent most of the night staring at my locked front door, worrying my head off and munching on apples to keep myself occupied.
I also kept relaying my plans in my head over and over again, even with the whole empire in danger life had to go on and I couldn't dwell on things that I couldn't change.
I decide to spend the rest of my time practicing the 4 most important spells that I would ever use for enchanting in my life. Fortify Strength, Chameleon, Open, and Detect Life.
Another two hours passed buy before the guards announced that we could leave our homes.
"Oh Jade! I just can't believe this is happening; what's going to happen to us!" Adanrel cried.
"Things will turn out all right; you'll see." I said trying to comfort her; Adanrel was the type of person to fall into a quick depression. She could come up with 100 ways to die and dying in a peaceful sleep wasn't one of them.
"I heard that the guards are bringing Geldell, Enman, and Ebel home today, everyone's going to the Temple to pay their respects. No one knows where there keeping the Emperor for now." Adanrel continued talking, and I continued to search for Lex. My eyes searched the whole water front, but no Lex.
The service for the three princes was a sad sight. Flowers were surrounding the coffins and the princes looked as though they were just sleeping. I finally spotted Lex he was standing near the Temple door along with Itius they were regulating the doors and keeping things under order along with other guards.
The nobles were the first out of the citizens to pay their respects, and then it would be middle class, and after that the temple doors would close for the night to prepare the bodies for burial.
The poor citizens like me and the rest of the water front could only watch from a distance. We had no gifts to offer the princes; nothing expensive anyways. The line to the throne was dead wiped out in a day.
More death was sure to come.
I caught Itius's eyes and gave a brief nod; the ceremony would only last for two more hours it was time to set my plan in action. The Arcane University would be close to empty. The best time to enchant my ring without anyone around to question me.
It wasn't like I was doing anything illegal but, with the type of spells I was combining on my ring, they would think that I was a thief in the making and I didn't want to be blamed in place of the thieves' guild, which was still consider a myth to everyone except the members and Lex. Hell even I still think the Grey Fox is a myth.
I finally decided to move out of the crowd and head for the door, this was my only chance and there was no point in hanging around here when I wouldn't even be able to pay my respects to the deiced princes.
As I predicted the university was a ghost town and only a few people remained to keep an eye on things.
I received my key to the university grounds and headed for the enchanting room; I was relieved to see it was empty. Not wanting to waste time I quickly got to work and pulled out the filled grand soul gems that I had save when the tax collector come to remove expensive items from my parents home.
An hour later the ring was fully enchanted I could now walk freely in the day light and blend in with my surroundings 100%. Carry objects that outweighed me by 200 pounds, see in the dark with nights eye, and detect life 100 feet away. All of the enchantments were a constant effect.
My whole body was buzzing and tingly, I had tried on the ring for a second and instantly felt as though I could fly from happiness.
I took the ring off and clutched it in my hand ever so tightly, that my nails left impressions on the palm of my hand.
It took all of my might to not skip out of the enchantment room; didn't want to let on what I had just accomplished. I knew in my heart that I wasn't a true scholar; hell I wasn't even I true adventurer.
I finally lessened my grip on the ring once I made it to the waterfront and looked at it.
I smiled to myself, but I'm a survivor….
"You're in a good mood today." Armand said walking up next to me. I smiled at him.
"Yes I am it's a beautiful day!" I shouted throwing my arms out and spinning around.
"Okay Elf-guard lay off the skooma." Armand said, with a smile.
"Can I tell you something?"
"What is it?" Armand said sensing the topic changed to a more serious matter.
"I'm going on another exploration in a few days; I'm hitting an ayleid ruin." I said smiling staring at it from a distance.
Armand followed my eyes and a shocked look appeared on his face.
"Jade." He said getting serious "you do know that there are bandits in there too and not just the undead! Right?" I turned around to face him and patted his shoulder lightly. I also caught gimps of Lex talking to one of the guard on shift with him.
I focused on Armand again, "Don't worry Vilverin isn't that dangerous and I found a secret way to get in and out undetected. Bandits are so dumb Armand! They don't even know what kind of treasures that ruin holds; secret passage ways the undead guarding ancient treasures and secrets!" I said getting excited.
"Hey Jade you know that Diamond you won't sell me." I nodded my head; I kept it because it was pretty. Stupid but what can I say… girls will be girls.
"I'll trade some information with you to take that pretty little thing off your hands."
"Ha let's hear it nothing you say will make me give it up-"it's about Lex." Armand said cutting me off.
"What about Lex?" I said looking over at him walking pass the pirate ship near the docks.
"While you were away on your trip last week, he asked Adanrel about you."
My face grew hot and I almost fainted when Lex's eyes finally met mine from across waterfront shacks. I gave him a soft smile that turned into a smirk.
"Armand I'll give it to you later!" I said running up to Lex.
Lex seemed a little uncomfortable; probably from Armand's glaring.
"Hi Lex." I said smiling like crazy.
"Hello…" he said replied sounding unsure.
"I just heard the most interesting thing from Armand-"You really shouldn't hang out with him…he's bad news." Lex said cutting me off.
I rolled my eyes, "Armand wouldn't hurt a fly."
"Anyways like I was saying, there was a little rumor going around saying that you were asking about me two weeks ago when I went to Cheydinhal."
"I…I… was just making sure you were okay Itius was looking for you." Lex said trying to cover up the situation with a lie.
"Liar." I said calling him out on it. "Itius was the one who gave me directions to Cheydinhal."
"I'm happy that you cared to ask about me, just so you know I'm going out of town in two days, I should be back the same day though."
Lex seemed to be glad that I changed the topic and quickly took the chance to continue the somewhat new conversation.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
I made a jester for him to follow me. We passed Armand's and my shack and came close to the beach part of the water front. I pointed toward the ruin that was just across from the imperial prison.
Lex went on to tell me that it was dangerous and that I shouldn't go. Ever since the Emperors murder Lex and I have talked every day, we even had lunch together with Itius the other day. Though Lex seemed to only see me as a friend… I decided to take it slow and not presser him hoping the feelings would come on their own.
"Really Jade couldn't you just get a normal job in the city." Lex said.
"No one will hire me plus adventuring can lead to big cash fast and I have a lot of things that I want to accomplish."
"What things?"
"Well… like getting a better house for one thing." I said both Lex and I turned to look at my shack.
"There are no houses for sale in the city though."
I turned to Lex; "Don't you live in one of the guard watch towers? Itius does!" I said trying to cover up the fact that I knew where he lived. No one wants' to look like a stalker.
"Yes, but I was looking for a house for retirement at my age you never know when something unexpected might happen."
"You're only 29."
"30."
"Oh yeah, well that's still pretty young!"
Lex laughed a bit.
"How old are you?" Lex asked, I paused I didn't want to tell him. He would look at me like a child; a lot of women can look younger than they are. I finally realized that I was covered in dirt and my hands were no longer the hands of a noble girl, but the hand of a worker, rough, beat up and dry. I hid them behind my back.
Smiling at Lex I said, "You never ask a woman her age."
"You don't want to tell me. Well you can't be older than 20." Lex concluded.
And he was right.
"17 turning 18 soon!" I said in a rush hoping that my age would make him look at me like a child.
"You could always marry a noble instead of risking your life, before what happened didn't you have any suitors?"
"I can never go back to that; 3 years can really age you here on the water front. Plus all of my suitors turned in the other direction as soon as the tax collectors came knocking."
"In the Water Front you see things, hear things and can only make the best of what you've got. The beggars are so broken that actually working for their next meal is more embarrassing then begging for it. Everyone in the city thinks no one here will ever make it. I'm going to… and it all starts with that ruin."
I could tell Lex didn't really know what to say another one of our awkward moments. I knew I couldn't change Lex's point of view about the water front, the majority of us were thieves, beggars, and worked for lost change.
"Well I really must get back to work, Itius told me to invite you to the tavern to night; he'll be there around 10 I'll show up soon after that."
"Cool I'll save the table at 9:50 or so, see you later Lex."
"Bye." He replied walking away somewhat tense from our conversation.
I didn't blame Lex or any of the other nobles; I was once like them too. I knew better than anyone else on the water front; how different our worlds really were.
The Foaming Flask wasn't too crowded tonight and the inn keeper seemed to be a little tipsy; which meant good prices on the beer. I was grateful for that I didn't want to waste my money on drinks, though I hate to admit I loved the wine they sell here. My mother would bring me here for dinner once every two weeks; and she would let me drink a glass of wine each time.
I looked around the inn as saw familiar faces, of the teens I use to spend my day with before the murder of my mother.
They didn't even recognize me; probably thought I would be dead by now.
"Jade you made it! I see Lex told you." Itius said sitting down next to me while Amy a female guard took the seat across from him. I had been hoping to sit next to Lex.
"How's the leg Amy? Feeling better I hope."
"Ahhh as good a new the temple healers really know their stuff."
"How's about we start ordering ladies." Itius said, signaling the barmaid.
"But Lex-."
"Is walking through the door right now." Itius replied cutting me off seeming slightly annoyed.
"Captain Lex." Amy said in greeting moving over slightly so Lex could take a seat beside her.
"Amy, Jade, Itius." Lex said sitting down beside Amy, I envied her so much at this moment.
After giving our order to the barmaid we all settled down to talk. I was silent for most of the conversation. Amy was clearly flirting with Lex and I still couldn't tell if he noticed. And every time I opened my mouth to say something she would cut me off.
I wasn't sure why she was being like this now; granted that I didn't know her that well but the first time we met she seemed nice.
"Are you okay Jade?" Itius asked as I set down my how empty cup of wine. I looked down at it. Damn I already drank it all and dinner hasn't even started.
"I'm fine Itius I just didn't realize that I was so thirsty." It wasn't really lady like to drink so fast, but I was stressed and couldn't help it. Plus I wasn't much of a lady any more.
"Let me buy you another!" Itius got up before I could protest. He came back quickly with a whole bottle. He popped it open and filled my glass.
"Thank you, you didn't have though."
"Don't be shy drink up." I did and throughout dinner I could tell I was getting drunk my vision blurred from time to time and the room would sway. I barley ate my dinner and spent most of my time leaning on Itius to regain some balance in the world and to stop myself from swaying. Itius laid his arm on my shoulder and relaxed in his seat after finally finishing his meal. Amy was still talking Lex's ears off, but I couldn't find the strength to care right now. I just wanted to go home.
Lex's P.O.V
"So have you been to any Arena matches lately?" Amy asked me.
"No, the arena doesn't really hold any interest with me." I replied looking over at Jade who was now drunk and trying to stand up from her seat. Itius laid a supporting hand on her back and that made my blood boil; I could clearly see that Itius liked Jade in a more than a friend kind of way. He was constantly touching her throughout the night and letting her lean all over him; so he could softly stroke her hand and wrap an arm around her.
I was jealous and I didn't know why; I couldn't have liked her… she was too young closer to Itius's age of 25 I should be happy that Itius was showing an interest in her he would be able to take care of her like I could, and she wouldn't have to constantly put her life in danger.
Even though I tried to see reason in this; I couldn't help picturing the smile she would always flash my way when she caught sight of me. I knew that as selfish as it was I didn't want that smile to be directed at anyone, but me.
"Le'go Intii-oouse I'ma go 'in home noow." Jade slurred shrugging out of his grip.
I jumped up, "Here let me take you home Jade." I saw Itius open his mouth to protest, but stopped when Jade said okay. I grabbed her wrist and lead her out of the inn after saying good bye to Amy and Itius.
Throughout the walk home I had to stop Jade from falling on her face constantly and I just gave up and decided to give her a piggy back ride for the remainder of the walk.
When we reached the waterfront I decided to walk to her house via beach side to avoid anyone bumping into me which would potentially hurt Jade.
Jade was softly singing into my neck I couldn't really make out the words, but the tune was sad and slow.
Her arms wrapped tighter around my neck after I lifted her legs to rest more on my hips she was sliding down a bit.
"Lex."
"Hum."
"You have freckles on your neck."Jade said; I froze after she placed a kiss on the very spot she was talking about.
I turned my head over my shoulder to look at her.
She stared back; one of her pointed ear's rested slightly on my shoulder as she lifted her head to look directly at me.
I felt jades thighs squeeze around my hips before she lifted them to my stomach area leaning her body forward and placing a kiss on my lips before I could react.
Jade broke the kiss first and I never even registered until now that I had unconsciously closed my eyes until I opened them. Jade once again laid her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes I could tell she was falling asleep.
With my heart pounding rapidly in my chest, I continued walking towards her shack.
Fuck Itius, she's mine.
End Chapter 2
So that's chapter 2 I really hope you enjoyed reading it! I know the last part was a little odd for Lex's character, but I really like how it turned out! I'll be posting chapter 3 soon after if you read chapter 1 you'll know that I'm having issues with chapter 4... wish me luck with that! Anyways please review and let me know what you think! Again Thanxs for reading!
Lie down
Deep breaths
Count to ten
Nod your head
(sniff sniff)
I think something is burning,
Now you've ruined the whole thing
Muffle the smoke alarm
Whoever put on this music
Had better quick, sharp, remove it
Pour me another
Oh, don't wag your finger at me
It's that time of year,
Leave all our hopelessness's aside (if just for a little while)
Tears stop right here,
I know we've all had a bumpy ride (I'm secretly on your side)
Will ya get me outta here, Get me outta here, Get me outta here
Just for now
Just for now.
-Imogen Heap –Just for Now.