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Chapter 16 - Kiraya and Kharjo

Kiraya was disappointed to find that Ahkari's caravan was no longer in Helgen, perhaps no longer in Skyhold. Her inquiries told her they were planning to go to Falkreath, investigating whether trading opportunities would improve under the new Jarl Nenya, though it was said Falkreath had little except lumber to trade in the first place.

Well. She was on a mission, so she headed out the west gate. She was pleasantly surprised to find the caravan parked less than halfway to Falkreath, near the Bandit Den Inn, which had begun its existence as Pinewatch.

Kharjo was on watch, and approached her. "I am pleased to see you, Kiraya. May I ask what your business here is?"

"Kiraya wishes to travel with Kharjo, and would like to offer him the means to repay his debt to Ahkari so he will be free to do so."

"What?" Kharjo was disbelieving. Are you serious?"

"Quite serious," Kiraya said. "Our first expedition would be to retrieve Kharjo's Moon Amulet, if he agrees."

"That is enough to tempt me," Kharjo admitted. "Very well, I accept. But I will repay you."

Kiraya nodded. "That should not take long - a couple of bandit dens or bounty hunts. We are agreed, then?"

"Yes." Kharjo smiled. "I think this partnership may be both enjoyable and profitable."

Kiraya handed him the coin. "This one thinks Kharjo may also enjoy paying Ahkari himself?"

He nodded, acceping the coin purse. "I will be right back."

Kiraya smiled to herself as she waited. She wasn't sure why she had fallen for Kharjo, but she had, almost on first scent - and first sight had been most pleasant as well. Since he seemed to return her feelings, she wasn't going to question the gods, either!

But when he rejoined her, she realized she had to tell him something. "Ah, we may not always be able to go our own way. This one is employed by the Dragonborn, and though she has seen no action on her employer's behalf since the assault on Alinor, she must respond if called."

"Understood. I would serve her happily myself. Is it true that she is with kit?"

"She has not said, but she smells so, yes." Kiraya smiled. "And she is seeing the priestess of Kynareth in Whiterun on a weekly basis."

Kharjo grinned. "That sounds conclusive. So, where next?"

"Mmm." Kiraya was thoughtful. "Have you any idea where the thieves who robbed you are based?"

"Halted Stream Camp," Kharjo replied. "The Dragonborn cleared it out once, but it seems another band of bandits and poachers has moved in. A smaller band, hopefully."

Kiraya chuckle-purred. "This one agrees, especially since the Dragonborn works with three others, usually all mages as well as weapons-users. We are only two, and the only magic this one has is minor healing of herself."

"Which is more than I have. I need to stock up on healing potions, and none of my equipment is enchanted. Unlike yours, I notice."

"Yes." Kiraya smiled. "The Dragonborn was kind enough to add dragon scales to my leather armor, then enchant it and my bow. She called it 'enlightened self-interest,' and explained that the better Kiraya was equipped, the better job she could do as a team member."

Kharjo's whiskers twitched in mild amusement. "She has a good point, and I've heard that she sees to it that her followers, beginning with Marcurio even before they were married, have the best equipment she can manage. Whether or not it aids her, it certainly aids her followers - I could wish I had had the opportunity to serve her!"

"She is ... awesome," Kiraya said softly. "Not just for the gifts she gives her followers, but for herself. Believe it or not, she is very quiet and retiring, unless she must be otherwise - and then she is most imposing. This one finds it no wonder that the dovah name her their thur and jud, or that the Odmer worship her."

"Ah ... overlord and queen, if I have that right. But why both titles?"

Kiraya shrugged. "This one is not sure. She believes 'thur' involves some sort of essential link, and 'jud' is more ceremonial ... but do not take that as absolute truth."

"I won't, then," Kharjo said. "So - let's find some healing potions, and maybe a pair of horses. We could walk, of course, and hope our targets have horses we could take from the camp. Your opinion?"

"This one believes it would be better to walk. Until we know how many we face, stealth is our best option. If we take horses with us, we would have to leave them far enough from the camp that they would be in danger from wild animals."

"A good point," Kharjo agreed. "Let's take a look at some plans I found of it. I have been wanting to retrieve my amulet ever since it was stolen, and making what preparations I could."

They found a flat rock nearby, and spread out the plans. Kiraya thought briefly, then pointed to the northern section. "It looks to this one like our best approach would be here, above the mine entrance. We should be able to sneak up there in the dark, then wait until it's light enough for me to aim accurately, and take out any outside sentries."

Kharjo nodded. "That seems reasonable. Even if they have a Khajiit or two on night watch, they'll be half-nightblind from the torches humans and mer need."

They were in position half an hour before dawn, and not long afterward, the bandit sentries changed. The lighting was far from ideal, but it was bright enough for Kiraya to aim accurately, and any she could kill outside was one they wouldn't have to fight inside. She was behind a rock outcropping, so she could shoot, then duck back, and she ought to be able to get several arrows off before they could pinpoint her location.

The first thing she did was identify the two archers and one Breton who might be a mage. Those three got her first arrows, and she picked off two of the other three as they ran for the mine.

"Five down," Kharjo said, as they began descending. "That was some excellent shooting!"

Kiraya purred at the compliment. "Thank you. Such times are when one is glad she puts in a lot of practice time, despite it being boring."

"If you want to retrieve your arrows - "Kharjo started to say.

"After we are done inside," Kiraya interrupted. "We should not give them any more time to prepare than we absolutely must." She kept her bow out, with an arrow nocked, but also took a moment to make sure her dagger and sword were loose in their sheaths.

Kharjo had his shield on his arm, his mace in his hand, as they passed through the stockade, noting things to pick up on the way out. Knowing they were going after bandits, who would undoubtedly have more than they could carry, they'd made arrangements with Belethor to have one of the Marcurio's Porter Service retrieval teams standing by, so they'd retrieve even the light items on the way out, rather than carrying them through the mine.

They were planning on stealth for as long as possible, so Kharjo took time to oil the hinges before he opened the mine entrance. The entry tunnel was wide and well lit, so they had no trouble avoiding a pressure plate before passing a cart with mammoth tusks and a snout. They'd seen three more tusks outside, so Kiraya grinned at her companion, and spoke very softly. "That is almost a thousand gold in tusks alone, so far!"

"Yes, very nice." Kharjo smiled, then gestured with his mace toward the sound of a pickaxe being used. "I thought there were six outside, but it seems they have not been alerted."

"Or are setting us up for an ambush further in," Kiraya said, moving ahead of him. Yes, a single bandit in what looked like iron armor, mining an ore vein. Her Daedric arrows would make it through iron, but it might not be a fast kill, so she waited until the bandit straightened to stretch, exposing his throat. Smoothly, she drew her bow, sighted, and released.

Blood spurted, and the bandit collapsed with a muffled gurgle. She searched the body, finding a key that proved to open a barred door to the right. That opened onto a much narrower tunnel, still heading downward. She did take a couple of healing potions from a table beside the door, and another from a table just inside - she'd learned early on never to leave healing potions for later retrieval!

Still moving as silently as possible, they made their way down to a wooden platform overlooking a forge setup, with a mammoth being butchered on the floor, and what appeared to be a sleeping area on another platform on the far side.

The butchers were talking. "Gotta have a sharp axe to cut through all that fat," the first one said, sounding grumpy.

"Hurry up with it," the other said impatiently. "We've got a merchant in the pit to take care of after we carve this thing up."

Somebody Kiraya hadn't seen glanced up then, and raised the alarm. She tried to shoot one of the butchers, but he moved in a way she hadn't anticipated, and she missed completely. Hastily, she put her bow on her back and drew her sword, but Kharjo had gotten in front of her, demonstrating that a Khajiit's speed and agility weren't necessarily as hampered by heavy armor as most thought.

The first bandit attacked with a diagonal slash, but completely missed as Kharjo side-stepped right and counter attacked with a powerful blow to the stomach with his mace, the impact making the bandit double over and cry in agony as the impact also shatered his lower ribs. Taking a small step back, the khajiit brought his mace around in a short arc and brought it down on the bandit's head, killing him instantly.

The second bandit went in with a horizontal slash to the head, but Kharjo was faster and blocked it with his shield at the same time he hit the bandit straight in the face with his mace. Kharjo grinned as the second bandit stumbled back in front of his last opponent, giving him the perfect opportunity to run into them shield first against the nearby wall. Taking a step back from the stunned bandits, he went with a quick horizontal blow to each bandit, sending them to join the others in whatever realm they were destined for.

Kiraya grinned to herself - perhaps it was just that few appreciated his unusual strength as she did. He didn't give her much chance to use her sword; he'd taken all three out by the time she got to the cavern's floor. She gave his nose a quick lick, then asked, "Were you hurt?"

"Not enough to need healing," he replied, returning the lick. "Let's check for what we can carry easily."

"Yes, like your Moon Amulet!" Kiraya gestured up at the sleeping area. "This one would guess up there somewhere - it looks like that platform was used for storage, as well as sleeping."

"Yes, it does - and there's a chest up there by the bed. Let's check it out."

Kiraya followed him up, hoping his amulet would be there. He fumbled with the chest for a moment, then opened it and began rooting through the contents. After a minute or so, he held up what looked like an ordinary silver amulet. "Here it is! was given to me by my mother when I was just a cub. It is my only memory of home in this cold land."

"Yes, you told this one." She smiled. "Once we have sold what we have found here, perhaps we could take a trip to Elsweyr. This one would not mind a visit to the orphanage in Orcrest where she grew up, or some friends in Dune."

"It would be a long trip, the entire length of Cyrodiil ... but I cannot say I would dislike it. To feel the warm sands under my feet again ... yes, most tempting. Let us see if this find will pay for such a trip, then we may decide."