Fate's Games
(A/N: Second up today. Dialogue isn't exact, it rarely is, but I tried.)
Followed
A contact, hah! A weasel was more like it; a snake. She followed him on, out of Solitude. Traitor, slime, contact, disposable. She'd told Brynjolf she would let him live. After dealing personally with him she wasn't so sure. The wile, sneaky, bas… Never mind. She followed him down the path towards the docks. He was unaware. "So, what do we have here? By your scent I'd say you were from the guild. But that can't be true, because I told Mercer I wouldn't deal with them anymore," he'd said to her with the voice that seemed to hiss or growl with every word. She still shivered at the way he'd said that phrase.
She followed him onto the docks. Was he so blind that he couldn't see her in broad daylight? She looked back on hearing a clatter, possibly a guard. Nothing. Whatever it was it was gone now. She turned her attentions back to her query and froze, startled. He'd vanished! She looked quickly around. Had he seen her? Had he caught on? Quickly she pulled into shadow. After a moment he emerged from the very building she was hiding next to. She held her breath. If he turned now she would be dead in the water. He didn't.
She followed him into the East Empire Company building. She followed him utilizing planks, ledges, boxes, paths, hiding places. He walked on confidently, blindly. She watched him from above and couldn't help but smirk. So unafraid, so calm… She very much liked that. He turned a corner, went into the water, and she followed silently. She watched in awe and disbelief as he opened up a secret door and entered. Quickly she followed him inside that secret cave. On entering she froze. He was nowhere to be seen, and this time she couldn't find or outwait him.
ES
He watched from the shadows, amused. She looked confused, lost, curious, guarded. He almost chuckled, but to chuckle would be to give away his position. She'd thought he hadn't noticed. He hadn't for a good long time either, until near the building he'd hidden in. He'd gotten a sense of someone's eyes on him. A human wouldn't have been able to look back, but he… He wasn't exactly human. His reptile eyes had caught a glimpse of a shadow, a figure, behind him. He'd hidden in the building. When no one had come by he'd exited, but he'd still seen her shortly after he entered the East Empire Company.
She'd followed him all this way, but now he was through playing around. She wouldn't pursue him any longer. He had been doing this a long time. He knew how to shake and outwit a pursuer. A reptilian hiss sounded in his throat and he turned, quickly diving into the water and swimming swiftly towards the meeting place. She would never make it past all the bandits in here. A pity. She was a pretty little thing. She'd almost persuaded him to give her what she wanted; almost.
ES
She cut through the bandits with no trouble. Finally she reached the end and peered around the corner. She saw him there, standing with a female bandit and speaking to her. After a moment he pulled away from the woman and stood to the side as the bandit continued to patrol. This was her chance. All at once she ran out of hiding and charged the bandit with swords drawn. The bandit spotted her and immediately began to attack. She marvelled at how calm he was, only watching them and staying out of the way. At least for now.
Golum-Ei watched in shock and horror as the two females battled, though outwardly he was a mask of calm. She'd found him! How? The bandit attacked her viciously, knocking her down. He lunged before he could think it through, not knowing what had driven him to do any such thing. He helped her down the bandit highwayman and soon there was only them… only them… and she had her weapon drawn.
He gasped, quickly tucking his own away and backing up. "E-easy now. Please, don't kill me. I'll tell you anything you want to know," he begged.
"Start talking," she growled.
"Tell Mercer I'm of more use to him alive," Golum-Ei begged.
"Mercer doesn't have to know," she replied.
"Thank you," he answered, a sense of relief washing over him. He wasn't in the clear yet though, he realized. She could still attack when he gave her what she wanted, but there was no more he could do to delay it.
ES
She listened to the contact's story carefully. If he was hiding anything, she would catch it. He finished his narrative and stood still, looking down with eyes closed. She almost laughed. He didn't believe she'd spare him. He was right. She approached with her sword. Suddenly, though, she stopped. Why did she stop? She didn't make a move, just looked at him.
He expected to die yet he was doing nothing, just standing and waiting. It was quite admirable, really, how he was so calm. Goodness knew the man was a coward, his bark worse than his bite by far, although with those teeth that analogy probably wasn't too appropriate. He thought he was bigger than everyone, better. It felt good to pull him down. To run him through would be a pleasure… So why couldn't she do it?
He looked up at her curiously, cautiously. "What are you waiting for?" he asked.
"Why won't you fight?" she replied.
"Will it do any good? You, my lady, are the Dragonborn of legend. I'm no fool. I know I stand no chance against you," he answered.
She was silent. To say he was 'no fool' was an understatement, she believed. He possessed a forked tongue, both figuratively and literally, that could talk him out of all sorts of messes he got into. "I wonder… Why can't I kill you?" she mused aloud. He started, blinking blankly. She put away her sword, promptly looted the chests around them without a word, then began to leave. Just before she did, though, she looked back. "You're not coming?" she asked.
"I think I'll stay here and let things cool off," he answered.
"And you'll be alright?" she asked.
He looked at her blankly then smirked in amusement. "My lady, I've dealt with worse," he answered.
"I have no doubts of that," she replied, starting off again.
"Farewell, Dragonborn. Our paths may cross again, one day," he remarked. She didn't know why she felt her heart skip a beat at those words.
She paused and looked back. After a moment she replied, "Yes, they will."