"There was no sense in trying to argue with her, one she made up her mind there was no going back. It was a great flaw of hers, but it did push me to do some incredible things..."
A Flower in Dragonfire
-Anonymous
Kesh-Ra sputtered the sewer water from his face and mouth.
"That is the last time I ever do something like that!" He slipped, falling on the ground just beneath their exit.
Niamh came out behind him, her eyes watering upon seeing the, now dry, green countryside in front of them. Her bare feet touched the soft ground and an overwhelming emotion fell over her.
"And you!" Kesh-Ra pointed from the ground, "Pushing me into the nasty disgusting water in there! The rats were nearly upon me!" He scrambled to his feet, "Never again!"
Niamh ignored him, walking out to the nearby docks along the river. The wind whipped through her grimy hair. Niamh set down her bow and arrows.
"What are you-" Kesh-Ra seemed annoyed she wasn't concerned about his traumatic experiences. He covered his eyes when he saw she was taking her filth ridden clothing off.
When he heard a splash he scrambled to the docks, peering over the edge.
"Niamh?"
There was a loud exhale of breath, Kesh-Ra looked out onto the rocks and saw Niamh lying on them. He averted his eyes from her nakedness.
He gathered up her things and went over to her, avoiding looking where he shouldn't.
"Ahem." He shook the items in his hands.
Niamh sighed, "Don't you want to taste the feeling of freedom?" She asked him, looking up at the purple sky.
"I rather like it from my safe place on the beach." Kesh-Ra grumbled.
"At least wash off the dirt." Niamh suggested, "You'll feel better.
Kesh-Ra went on his knees, splashing water onto his green and grey scales.
"Happy?" He asked her.
"Yes."
"Now put your clothes on."
"I'll find new ones."
Kesh-Ra was shell-shocked, "What?"
"There's a camp just across. I'll nick some clothing and be on my way." Niamh said to him.
"That's stealing."
"Kesh-Ra, I don't care."
"Forgive me for not wanting to end up back in jail!"
Niamh ignored him, jumping back into the water. Kesh-Ra reluctantly sat on the rocks, finally seeing her surface on the other side of the river. He frowned as she crawled up the grass to the ruins. His heart sank when she stood up, beckoning him over. Kesh-Ra shook his head. But Niamh stomped her foot.
Kesh-Ra grumbled, holding their things tightly as he crossed the river. Once he made it to the beach, Niamh shouted.
"It's empty!"
"Fantastic."
"They left their stuff."
"Hist, guide me." Kesh-Ra sighed.
Niamh went into the small camp, taking up whatever leftover fur armor she could find. Kesh-Ra was relieved to see she was finally clothed. He jumped when he heard her trying to start a fire.
"We're supposed to be leaving."
"Not in this weather." Niamh told him, her fire growing rapidly.
"It's clear out." Kesh-Ra pointed to the sky.
Niamh sighed, "It's going to rain again soon, I'd rather cook something up and get a good night's rest. No use traveling in the rain this late."
Kesh-Ra was about to disagree, but remembered Niamh had done all the fighting between the two.
"Fine." He relented, "I'll go look for more wood then."
"Thank you."
By the time Kesh-Ra had finished it had already begun to rain. Niamh kept the fire going long enough to cook her freshly caught rabbit. Kesh-Ra didn't realize how hungry he was until he smelled the fresh herbs she used on the hearty meal.
Niamh made sure to use whatever she could find to make a shelter from the rain, and they ate in silence, watching the rain sizzle in the fire. Niamh's ears twitched at the scraping sounds Kesh-Ra began to make. She looked over and saw he was grinding herbs in a mortar.
"So you're an Alchemist?" She asked, settling into her bedroll.
Kesh-Ra nodded, "I apprenticed under one of the finest in Black Marsh. I patented one of my own poultices once. Got rid of adolescent marsh boils. He was very proud of me for that."
"Who was he?"
Kesh-Ra paused, "He was Elaandai-Ra...my father. That was his cabin I was in."
Niamh felt an overwhelming guilt, "I'm sorry."
"No need. He's been gone for some time. But I loved him dearly." Kesh-Ra nodded again, "He is with the Hist now, and someday I will meet him again."
"It's good that you two were close." Niamh smiled.
"What about your family?" Kesh-Ra asked.
Niamh shrugged, "My father is chieftain of our clan. No doubt my sisters told him of my inevitable capture."
"Is that why you were running?" Kesh-Ra looked at her, "I don't mean to pry-"
"When the nobleman came to my father offering riches for our land, we all knew it was wrong. My father refused. So the noble came back with soldiers and fire. He took me and my three youngest sisters. Before he could climb on top of me I stuck my dagger in his throat. When the Captain told me I could offer myself in return for his silence, I punched him and killed his men...I made sure my sisters escaped. I ran the opposite direction." Niamh said, drawing in the dirt with her forefinger, "I couldn't let those soldiers get to them. That's why the Captain wanted me dead, and worse."
Kesh-Ra shook his head, "Despicable human beings…"
"If we hadn't gotten caught up in this I might have been halfway home by now." Niamh frowned, "I should have liked to be there for the harvest."
"I just can't wait to get back to my home. I had all my teas there." Kesh-Ra lamented.
Niamh raised her brow, then rolled over onto her side.
"Get some sleep, Kesh-Ra."
"Unlikely," Kesh-Ra looked out into the night, "We're by the river. And river's bring crabs and fish with fangs."
Niamh gave an unintelligible grumble followed by soft snoring. Kesh-Ra shook his head, wondering how she could fall asleep so quickly. Eventually he settled down, having put away his sparse alchemical mixtures.
Kesh-Ra settled down into his bedroll, listening to the sound of pouring rain as he drifted to sleep.
Niamh and Kesh-Ra set out just after sunrise. They had packed up whatever had remained of the abandoned camp and began their long journey through the pouring rain. Niamh had managed to pull a map from a dirtied pack, trying to get a sense of where they were heading.
Having to cross the rest of the length of the river took up a large amount of time, and it was nearly three hours into their journey before the Imperial City was out of sight. They came onto the Red Ring road, Niamh appreciated the quick accessibility to their destination but was loathe to be out in the open. However Kesh-Ra reminded her that straying too far would take up more time than they wanted to waste.
Their path took them through the Great Forest, and Niamh was delighted to see so much green growing around her. In the distance, the two could hear the low howling of a wolf pack. Kesh-Ra came closer to Niamh.
"You'll be fine, Kesh-Ra." Niamh told him.
"I don't exactly have a fondness for woodland creatures." Kesh-Ra jumped when he heard a twig snap.
Niamh rolled her eyes and continued on.
The next few hours were spent going through the forest. Every so often Kesh-Ra would stop to pick up a random herb and he would whisper it's properties while storing it in his pack.
When their path began to incline Kesh-Ra sat down in the wet grass.
"What's wrong?" Niamh asked.
"I can't do this." Kesh-Ra was breathless, "My body was made for water not mountains."
"We're almost there," Niamh pointed out, "Just a couple more hours and we'll be there."
Kesh-Ra shook his head, if it was sweat or rain beading down his scales Niamh couldn't tell.
"We've been walking nearly six hours." He whined.
"Kesh-Ra, we've stopped about ten times just for you. We need to keep going." Niamh urged him.
"I can't make it up that incline it will kill me." Kesh-Ra told her, "You can make it, you have those thick wood elf legs that can carry you. I'm just a wisp of an Argonian."
"Y'ffre, help me." Niamh shook her head, "I'm going with or without you." She started walking up the path.
Kesh-Ra crossed his arms, thinking he was determined to stay there. But at the sound of another pack of wolves he quickly scrambled to his feet and followed after Niamh.
True to Niamh's word they came to the Priory just before sundown. As they came upon the quiet monastery the rain began to subside. A bell rang as Niamh went to open the first door they came to.
Two brothers sat conversing at a table when Niamh and Kesh-Ra entered.
"Can I help you?" One of them asked.
"We're here to see Jauffre." Niamh told them.
The two monks looked at each other.
"He's just upstairs." The other said.
Kesh-Ra saw the roaring fire, urging Niamh to go on while he warmed himself. Niamh ascended the stairs, the water from her hair and clothes dripping in her wake. She rounded the corner, seeing an older monk sitting at a desk, his nose in a book.
"Excuse me," Niamh started, "Are you Brother Jauffre?"
The Breton monk looked up from his book, "Indeed I am. What is the meaning of this?" He asked.
"I am Niamh. I was sent by Baurus to come find you." Niamh explained.
"Baurus?" Jauffre seemed caught off guard, "Then you have information of the Emperor's murder?"
"Indeed I do," Niamh started, "I was there when he died-"
"You better start explaining yourself." Jauffre interrupted.
Niamh furrowed her brow, but held her tongue. Instead she regaled him of her time in the prison cell with Kesh-Ra and following the Blades until eventually the Emperor had been killed. From her pack she took out the Amulet of Kings, her eyes glowing as she passed on the bright red jewel to Jauffre. His eyes widened.
"This is indeed the Amulet of Kings." He marvelled, "As unlikely as your story seems I'm inclined to believe you." He sighed, "The fate of Uriel Septim was strange indeed. And he mentioned the Prince of Destruction, Mehrunes Dagon. One of the many demonic lords of Oblivion." He contemplated to himself before muttering.
"Close shut the Jaws of Oblivion...I admit it is perplexing. He must have perceived some threat from Oblivion. Though many say there is no passage between our worlds. It's protected by magical barriers." He sighed again, "But only the Emperors truly understand the meaning behind all those rituals that come with the coronation. The Amulet itself is a gift from the gods to Saint Alessia herself. The Amulet is a holy relic, and the Emperor uses it to light the Dragonfires in the Imperial City. Now…" He shook his head, "For the first time in centuries the Dragonfires will go dark."
Jauffre stood up, "It is possible the Dragonfires protected us from the realm of Oblivion. Or even greater threats than that."
Niamh could hardly swallow all of this information, reminding the monk as to why she was given the amulet.
"The Emperor wished that we find his remaining son." She said.
"Yes," Jauffre nodded, "I was one of the few who knew of his existence. You see many years ago I was Captain of the Emperor's bodyguards. One night he brought to me a sleeping baby boy, and he told me to ensure his safety. Hide him away. I was to deliver him somewhere out of the city. He did not say, but I knew it was his son. Time to time he would ask me about the child's progress. It seems now this illegitimate child is the heir to the throne."
Niamh shifted her stance, "Where is he?"
"Martin serves Akatosh in the city of Kvatch. It is only just south of here. You must find him at once. If the enemy has learned of him, and they are sure to by now, he is in grave danger." Then he added, "And please let me know if there's anything you need. My resources are limited here, but I will help in any way I can."
"Thank you, Brother Jauffre. I only ask for a few supplies for my friend and I to take on the road." Niamh told him.
Jauffre walked over to a chest on the side of the room.
"Take whatever you need from this, but then please go quickly." He insisted, "I fear for Martin's safety."
"I will do everything I can." Niamh assured him, taking a better bow and arrow for herself, and better fitting leathers for Kesh-Ra.
She descended the steps, finding Kesh-Ra lying by the fire. The two monks staring at him. Niamh came over and nudged him with her boot.
"We're leaving." She said.
"But I've only just gotten comfortable," Kesh-Ra frowned, "And we've been travelling all day."
"Rest can come later, my friend." Niamh pulled him up, then whispered, "We need to find Uriel's heir as soon as we can. He could be in grave danger."
"So are my poor feet." Kesh-Ra frowned. He took the leathers from Niamh and sighed, "Fine. But I'll complain the whole way."
"I'm fine with that." Niamh clapped his back.
Kesh-Ra changed out of his rags and slung a bag of supplies over his back. Niamh switched out her torn quiver for a lighter one that Jauffre gave her. Once they were set they exchanged thanks with Jauffre and the monks.
And without another word they opened the door and disappeared into the quiet night.