Chameleon 25 Percent of Everything Chapter 5

"I wouldn't ever steal from you Jade." He said. I looked down ashamed, he was right I was being way too paranoid. I placed the ring back on the table and took a seat.

"Ha ha! Karistan said scooping up the ring and slipping it over his pinky finger before I could even bat an eye he was gone.

I tried to play it cool, "Give it back Karistan! I mean it!"

"Humm I never figured you for the detect life kind of girl. Smart choice… do I detect a strength spell?

"The design of the ring was pretty nic-…

My heart stopped when he didn't finish his sentence…he knew.

Karistan finally came into view when he slipped off the ring. He held it up… "Where did you get this Jade?"

I stood up from the bed and reached out for the ring. Karistan seemed hesitant to hand it back to me, but when he finally did I let out a deep breath that I didn't know I had been holding.

"Jade! You could be killed for something like that! Why would you use that soul? Where did you get that soul?" Karistan asked the questions with rapid fire the confusion and fear practically flowed out from his brown lips.

"My Aunt she gave the Soul gem to my mother, when she came to visit from Morrowind she had said to my mother that she wanted nothing to do with the gem and that the soul didn't deserve to be used to create a great enchantment…so she knew my mother wouldn't use it because of the fear of getting caught with it, but when my mother died, I hid it from the tax collectors and saved it till now."

Karistan finally sat down at the table and rubbed his face, "Why did you use it Jade?"

"I grew desperate. I can't stay here forever Karistan."

"Why didn't you contact your aunt? You could have lived with her..oh."

"Yeah, oh…she went missing after travelling to Akavir."

"Karistan I know this is hard to believe, but I'm not planning to do anything bad! I just wanted to use it to survive going into more dangerous ruins! I-"

"Okay JADE! I get it, but Almalexia's Soul! By the Gods…"

"Please don't tell anyone…" I whispered to him.

"Who would I tell, they would think me crazy. Jade if you were to get caught with this ring…"

"I know the risks! Karistan. I'm willing to take them."

Karistan's eyes softened as our eyes finally connected for the first time throughout the whole conversation.

"Okay Jade, I promise to never say a word about this, and should you ever run into trouble with the ring, lie about how you came across it. And never leave it in plane site again!"

"I won't. Thank you." I whispered as Karistan left. I got up and locked the door soon after. My whole body shook with fear after being caught so quickly.

I went to sleep with the ring on that night completely unsure of what tomorrow would bring.

I woke up the next morning to a loud knock on the door. Startled I jumped up from my bed and ran to my backpack throwing it on.

My heart was thumping inside my chest as the guards continued to pound on my door.

After the knocks grew silent I inched closer to the door slowly, unit the door clicked and the lock turned open I stood off to the side as soon as the door opened I fled to Armand's house. I opened his door while slipping the ring off and into my pocket.

"Jade! What are you doing here?" Armand said throwing his shirt over his and fixing it into place. I told Armand what had happened a few moments ago.

Armand had a sour look on his face.

"Jade I'm guessing Lex didn't tell you his little plan for the water font… the guards are collecting taxes, why would they want to arrest you anyways?"

"N..no reason, I just panicked that's all." I felt my shoulders drop after hearing the news… I was upset that Lex didn't tell me but more upset because of the fright I was given this morning.

"I'm going to do talk to Lex! Thanks for filling me in Armand." I let making my way to the Bloated Float.

I got to the ship before Lex so I decided to wait outside for him instead, when I finally saw him making his way towards the water front, my stomach turned and finally the butterflies came…he was wearing the shirt I made for him.

"Jade, you're up early."

"You could have just told me, you know." I took Lex's hand and placed 5 gold coins into his hands.

"What is this for?" Lex asked.

"The Waterfront taxes."

"Take it back Jade, I already took care of your bill."

I stared at Lex shocked, he paid for my bill? My stomach started to turn again, but in a bad way.

"I don't need your pity! I can pay it off myself! Why don't you worry about the other waterfront residents who actually can't pay the taxes!" Lex's face was shocked beyond belief.

"I thought you would be happy-"

"Happy? Happy for what Lex! That out of everyone on the waterfront you decide to single me out? Why because we're friends?"

"Well yes."

"Well friends don't keep secrets like these." I started walking away when I felt someone grab my arm.

*****Lex's P.O.V*****

I reached out for Jades arm to stop her from leaving when a figure cut me off and reached out for her instead, it was the redguard from yesterday.

"Karistan? What are you doing here?"

"I went to see Armand this morning and he told me what happened! I didn't think to tell you about the taxes, with everything that happened yesterday. Are you okay?" he asked her.

Jade nodded and finally pulled her arm softly out of his reach.

"Yeah I'm fine, I'm just really tired, I'm going back home."

"Great, I have a favor to ask you… I need to borrow the 'thing' you showed me last night."

Jades upper body went stiff and I watched as her eyes went wide with fear, when her eyes finally locked onto mine I raised my eye brows in question.

"Let talk about this on the way to my house, I'm too fatigued to keep standing." I finally really looked at Jade and saw that her whole appearance really did look tired; her normally bouncy attitude was gone…

I watched as Karistan walked her to her home and close the door behind them.

"She didn't even say goodbye to me…" I whispered earning strange looks from my guardsmen. I brushed them off half of them already though I was insane.

The day passed by like normal…here and there citizens would come up to me claiming they saw they grey fox in their homes and apparently he stole a sock from them… it seems like I'll be an ongoing joke to them. I walked by the Maria Elena and caught a glimpse of Jade and that male Red Guard talking in front of her house again. I watched as Jade clutched something to her chest as the red guard try and pry her hands from their place. I was about to intervene when Jade grabbed onto his hands, pushing the object into his, she held onto his hands and seemed to be begging his to take care of it. The redgurd male nodded his head and soon left, leaving Jade with an anxious look on her face.

Something was really wrong, and it had nothing to do with the taxes. It was that Male Red Guard…Karistan.

Okay so I took forever to get this out and yeah it's really short… I'm sorry! I was kinda struggling with this chapter too. I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to read this… attempt at an Oblivion fanfiction. And an extra thanxs to those of you who reviewed and left me your kind words! And giving me ideas (you know who you are)! Lol so yeah I know this chapter is a bit farfetched in a way and a lot of things still don't make too much sense, but I will bring everything together.

Sadly I probably won't be able to write for a while… or post. I'm almost done with school and I'm sadly behind on my requirements.. and need to focus on that or I will be in big-sh*t with my parents.. so until nest time love you guys sorry again for the short weird confusing chapter… it will get better when I can focus more.