Fate's Games
(A/N: Fourth and last up today; one of my favorites to write as I was trying a new style. This comes from a conversation had with Ysolda about the Khajiit.)
This One Will Come Back
Khajiit are not welcome in Skyrim, and that is proven beyond doubt when one day, as he sits alone outside of Whiterun while his Caravan is off doing gods know what, men come out of the city and approach him. He thinks they are there to purchase goods. He is sorely, sorely wrong.
She walks out of Whiterun. She sees a group of young men around her own age surrounding a Khajiit. It frightens her. When a group of Nords surround what they dub a 'lesser race' it rarely ends well. This day is no exception. The group seize the young Khajiit man and begin to beat him and taunt him and spit at him and hiss. They threaten to skin him and they even draw knives!
He is crying out in pain, meowing and hissing and scratching. He holds his own, but he has no weapon. The Nords are drawing theirs. They pin him to the ground and he is terrified. He has no protector, no guard racing to help him. He struggles against the grips of the men and cries out in pain as one digs the tip of a knife into his skin. He fears that perhaps they are not joking when they say they will skin him alive. Oh gods have mercy, send him a savior. He pleads, but gods have rarely heard his cries before.
She watches them in horror. She realizes with a chill that they actually do have every intention of killing, or nearly killing, the young merchant. She doesn't know why. She knows Khajiit have a bad reputation, but just because some are bad doesn't mean they all are. She is willing to give the benefit of the doubt to the young merchant. She doesn't plan on standing by. She races towards the men, knowing it could be a very bad idea. She won't watch them murder the Khajiit, though. "Let him go!" she furiously yells, eyes flashing as she races towards the bullies and their victim. "Let him go or so help me I'll call out the city guard!" she adds, sliding to a stop. She can't go closer. She has a knife but she's not very good at fighting. There are many of them.
ES
They look over and he sees his opportunity. Drawing his claws he meows savagely and begins slashing the men to pieces, ripping into their flesh, his ears pressed back. He bites and claws and kicks until his attackers, bleeding severely, are forced to limp away from him in horror and terror. He leaps to his feet like an acrobat, teeth bared, tail swishing, ears flat against his head as he crouches, ready to pounce. He is humanoid, basically, but that doesn't prevent his instincts from coming to the surface without a second thought. After all, he is a beast race, as much feline as he is human.
The men flee and he is facing her. She doesn't know what to say or do. Her mouth feels dry, but she doesn't know why. He is relaxing his fighting muscles, appearing normal again. She decides that now is as good a time as any to speak, so she asks, "Are you alright?"
He looks up at her and sums her up. She is very pretty, he decides, and very young. She tried to save him, he acknowledges. No one has ever tried to do any such thing for him before. He admits that he is touched. "This one is as well as can be expected," he replies.
"I'm sorry… for the way you've been treated. It's unfair, it's cruel. They had no right to treat you like common trash," she says to him, and she stops because she realizes if she goes on she might start up a rant. "Anyway, if you think you need medical attention, I might be able to convince the guards to let you into the city. Oh, my name is Ysolda, by the way."
"I am Ma'dran," he answers. He decides he approves of Ysolda. "This one is truly grateful for your services, Ysolda. Khajiit owes you much. He has decided he will have your back if ever the time to repay you arrives."
"Oh it's…" she begins. She pauses. Wait, the Khajiit are the greatest merchants on all of Nirn. She's always wanted to be a trader. Maybe… "Actually, there is something. I… I've wanted all my life to be a merchant, a trader, to run my own shop and everything. I guess… I guess if you could give me some tips some time…"
He smiles at her. Yes, he likes Ysolda very much. "I would be happy to," he agrees.
ES
He waits at his caravan for her to come. It has been weeks since last he saw her. He hopes she has not forgotten him. Part of him dreads she has. Why should she remember, after all? That thought makes his stomach feel ill. He doesn't believe he likes that feeling. It is different than sickness yet very much the same. He is not sure what it is.
She runs out of city gates excitedly. It's been weeks since she last saw him. She doesn't like it when his caravan leaves. It's only happened once since their meeting, but she doesn't like it. Skyrim is so dangerous for the Khajiit traders. She's heard so many stories, since his group left, of Khajiit being slaughtered on the roads by bandits or animals or creatures. She's dreaded since the day he left that he wouldn't come back. She sees his Caravan. He is standing, looking out over the fields near Whiterun. He is lost in thought, she realizes. She feels relieved. "Ma'dran!" she calls excitedly.
He looks back, curious. His eyes widen and he turns around excitedly. It is her! She hasn't forgotten! She is running to him. He's not sure what to make of it, but he finds himself walking towards her as well. She throws her arms around him and he hugs her tightly back. It is strange, he supposes. They are basically strangers, after all. It feels nice, though. "Ysolda, this one is glad to see you again," he says to her.
She pulls back, grinning. "You promised you'd teach me some tools of your trade. I've been practicing lots. I've held down the shops of other merchants when they're away, I've read books, I've gotten tips. I'm improving day by day," she tells him.
"This one will tell you some secrets, but first of all I want you to do something for me," he answers.
"Of course," she replies. She's very curious. What could he possibly want her to do?
"Part of trading is obtaining the goods you will sell. Khajiit are running short of some wares we need," he says.
"What do you need?" she asks.
"If you can bring Khajiit a mammoth tusk, I will teach you some of our ways," he answers. He can't get away right now or he would do it himself. Surely, though, there are mammoth tusks in Whiterun that can be found or purchased. "Here is money to buy it."
She stays silent, confused. He wants her to buy a tusk off of a mammoth? That isn't even possible. Oh wait, he must think that Whiterun sells mammoth tusks. She furrows her brow worriedly. Whiterun is short on mammoth tusks, though. She would actually have to go out and kill one. She isn't good at fighting, though. She wouldn't stand a chance. She thinks that she should tell him this, but she doesn't want him to think she's weak or a coward. She can find another way to obtain the tusks. She grins at him and nods. She'll bring back his money with the tusk when she gets it.
ES
She finds her saving grace in the Dragonborn who is visiting. He is more than willing to bring her the mammoth tusk. He's quite handsome, she acknowledges. Maybe he would be a good marriage prospect one day. She frowns to herself. Most of the women in Skyrim would like to be with the Dragonborn. She'd have thought she would too. He was a good man and a good match. She can't think on it now, though. Her thoughts are occupied with Ma'dran and his promise to her. Soon she could go back to him and learn! She owed so much to him for even taking the time to consider. The Dragonborn returns with the mammoth tusk. She grins winningly at him and trots happily off with her treasure. She'll tell Ma'dran how she secured it. Maybe he'll be impressed. The idea of giving him the impression she is weak is out of her mind, now. Khajiit preferred those who were shrewd to those who were brutish, she knew. Khajiit were very wile.
He waits eagerly for her to come back. Soon enough he sees her proudly trotting down the trail toting her treasure. He grins. It has taken her longer than he expected, but maybe the shops had been busy. He lets it go. "Here you are, Ma'dran," she says.
He takes the tusk and says, "Ah, this one is very pleased. You were efficient in obtaining it, Ysolda."
"I got the Dragonborn to do it for me. I couldn't take on a mammoth by myself, Whiterun doesn't sell tusks often anymore you see, but the Dragonborn was able to kill a mammoth and bring it to me," she answers proudly.
His smile falls for a moment as he realizes in fear what she might have done had she not found another way. The girl, he knows, wouldn't stand a chance against a mammoth. If he had known one would actually have to hunt a mammoth to obtain the tusk, he would have done it himself! He doesn't like the idea that he almost put her in danger. It makes him feel bad. "Hmm, this one is impressed at your shrewdness yet also upset. I did not know a life would be put at risk. If I had, I would have gone myself," he says. Her face falls to a look of uncertainty. She is upset; she thinks he is angry at her. He doesn't like seeing her upset. He smiles again, saying, "Ah it does not matter. Khajiit have their tusk and this one has a promise to keep." She smiles once more, relieved and glad he isn't angry. He likes it when she smiles. It isn't the same when she doesn't. Her face lights up the suns and the moons.
ES
Some time has passed. She has drawn close to him. So very close. She believes she might have deeper feelings for him than even she knows. He hardly spends a moment without her anymore, he realizes. He has kept track. Before her he was very much a loner, simply going about his business. With her, now he feels complete. He takes her under his wing and teaches her many things. He knows she is sad that Khajiit who deal in illegal wares have given a bad reputation to others. He admits to her that he has dabbled in illegal dealings in the past but then explains that it is very hard to break free of a stereotype like that. After all, if one tells a person that they are supposed to be a certain way enough times, that person will start believing it. He has stopped selling illegally, though. He knows she doesn't like it. Not because it is wrong, though that is a factor, but because of the light it puts on his people, on the Khajiit.
She is very curious about his home. He has told her many things of it. She says it sounds horrible and he just laughs. He tells her that that is because she lives in Skyrim. He finds it very beautiful, in his home province. He misses it very much. She believes she would like to see it one day. She thinks it is horrible, but he speaks so fondly of it that she knows she can at least give it a chance. He tells her that maybe one day he will bring her. She looks over at him, eyes playful and mischievous. She suddenly leans over and steals a kiss, startling him. She's wanted to do that for a long time. She's been curious. It feels strange, kissing fur, in a very pleasant way, though. She thinks it's cute, the way he looks so startled and his eyes become big and wide and innocent.
ES
They are leaving soon, he tells her. Her heart feels as if it is breaking. She doesn't want him to go and she says as much, and very firmly at that. He smiles. He is amused with her. He likes it when she becomes stubborn. It is childlike yet enticing. His smile falls. He does not want to leave either. It will be months that he is gone, this time. He dislikes the thought of being apart from her for so long. It hurts his heart deeply. "This one will miss you, Ysolda," he purrs to her, into her ear. He nuzzles her softly. She likes that. She likes his fur.
"You'll come back to me, right Ma'dran?" she asks, because nothing scares her more than the thought that he won't return. She cares so much for him. Her heart is sinking, shattering. What if he finds someone? What if he falls in love and forgets all about her? "You won't forget. You'll write or contact me or something if… if something changes… Like if you… if you find someone?" She says this last part as more of a question. She feels so insecure about his answer, afraid of what it will be.
He is surprised. He is touched. He feels his heart leaping. She is worried and she is jealous. He smiles, purring louder than ever. "There will be no one," he tells her. "This one can only hope and pray that the same will be for you."
She realizes happily that he is as insecure as her. She isn't the only one who feels this… whatever it is between them. She takes his hands and leans in close, pressing her forehead against his and nuzzling him. "There will be no one," she promises, because she knows now why she hasn't felt anything for the Dragonborn, despite the fact he has flirted once in a while. The only one in her heart is him, her Khajiit merchant, her mentor and teacher, her friend and possibly… possibly more.
"You know that Khajiit cannot promise he will return. The roads are dangerous," he states, and his tone is more serious than usual.
She suddenly kisses his lips. She can't hold back anymore. She wonders about them, dreams about them. They are velvety, they are soft. She likes kissing his lips more than kissing his fur, she determines. "I don't want you to die," she whispers softly, drawing away.
"Wait for me," he pleads. But he cannot keep her bound to him forever. What if something does happen? He wants her to be free, to be happy. "We should be back in three months' time. If… If it comes to the forth month and this one has not returned… know that this one is dead. Do not bind your soul to a dead man, if that is to be the case. You will be released from your promise to wait, if you choose to make that promise."
"I will wait," she answers, tears sparkling in her pretty eyes. "As for binding my soul to a dead man, that will be my choice to make," she adds, because she knows, she just knows, that she will never ever feel like this towards another man. "Be safe, my love." She bites her tongue because she can't believe she just said that out loud.
"What is this that you say?" he asks, obviously shocked.
She blushes deeply, but there's no going back. "I love you," she whispers gently. "My love, come back to me."
She waits to hear his rejection, but it doesn't come. He looks at her in awe, and his eyes are filled with such love, such adoration, that he almost believes all of Skyrim can feel it. All at once he pulls her close, kissing her tenderly, adoringly. He draws back after a long moment and replies, "This one loves you as well. Khajiit will do all in his power to return to my dear one alive and bearing gifts."
"Come back alive, that's all I need," she answers. They look towards the caravan. It is leaving.
He turns back to her and kisses her once more. "Farewell, Ysolda. I will return," he says. He pulls away from her. She holds his hand until she can't anymore, and he hurries off to join his fellows as the roar of a dragon sounds in the distance, towards the Western Watchtower. Tears burn in her eyes. Please, please, please, divines… let him come back. She watches until they are out of sight, then quickly she retreats into Whiterun.