Skyrim Audio-Adventure

by TheKaweahCat

In the woods near Helgen, an unsuspecting and unremarkable hunter is thrust into a life of harrowing adventure. These are the transcripts of my audio fanfiction youtube series of the same name.

9. Chapter 9

Skyrim Audio-Adventure

Chapter 9

"From Iron to Gold"

"Is he dead?"

"I don't know. That's a lot of blood, why don't you ask him."

"Hey Dirt-dog, are you dead?"

"What are we going to do if he is? Should we tell the guards?"

"I guess... or we could bury him, might be good for the crops."

The hunter didn't recognize the voices, he didn't recognize direction or the notion of time either. He recognized pain but pain was boring, pain was constant. What was ailing him the most was this light floating sensation in his head, he felt at once that he was about to come unstuck from the world and that he was unbearably heavy. Something was wrong, something was loose.

"We can't do that, it's disrespectful. Plus this might be someone important." said the higher of the two voices.

"Important, really Hardy look at him. Does he look important to you?" asked the lower.

"I don't know he's all covered in dirt and blood. I can't see anything, this could be some plot a conspiracy and he could have been dropped here. This could be a noble man of nobler deeds he could have spoken out against some wicked lord, and been silenced in the night and dumped here and now the only ones who know the truth, the only ones who can see that justice is done."

"Well that strikes me as a long series baseless assumptions born of childish excitement."

"Oh Tyac I wish you wouldn't use those words with me, you know I get get turned around. All I'm saying is we have guards and traditions for a reason. We should follow them, let him go to the hall of the dead."

"And all I'm saying is surely the worst thing now would be to go to waste, we can put his loss to gain of the land and the hold. I think it's what he would want."

"Who's making assumptions now. You're just sore because the price of manure went up."

"This has nothing to with that. This about moving on from these anarchic traditions and covens of priests and wizards. We should use our resources more wisely."

"Who died and made you jarl then?"

The hunter, couldn't feel himself breathing, but he must have been doing it somehow. He quietly sent his mind throughout his body inquiring about injuries. As his limbs slowly began to wake up, he found that they were stiff but fine for the most part just tired from all the training. The pain was in his right wrist, his neck and a dull stinging cut on his face.

"Listen, would you agree that dead plants help the new plants grow?"

"Of course everyone knows that."

"And bones, brains and all the stuff we don't eat also seems to help?"

"It's common practice."

"Would you also agree that Skyrim can be a harsh and unforgiving land?"

"Yes."

"And when one is a harsh and unforgiving situation one must use everything at he or she's disposal to survive."

"Yes."

"And so granting that this is a harsh land we should be able to make use every resource including the dead to get by."

"No."

"Why not."

"Because unlike you I don't consider people a resource."

"You'd make a terrible foreman."

"That's as maybe but it doesn't matter now does it. He's waking up, look."

"Oh so he is."

"Do you think he heard us talking about burying him"

"Doesn't matter I'll just tell him it was your idea."

"Oh you wouldn't dare."

The hunter felt the cool soil that he had sunken into over night. It had compressed and conformed to his shape being the rich loamy soil it was. He was very pleased that he didn't smell any manure, but that wave of relief was matched by a report from his legs that his right ankle was badly twisted. His head though, his head...

"Look, do you have any idea how much living space there is underground. Cavernous tombs and ancient cities reaching down to depths unfathomable. But no one lives there, its all miles and miles of dead things and ruffians. If we clear that out make it habitable living space, the before we'd know it we've got a lot more space for our children to live."

"That place isn't empty. There's... there's all those underground people, the Dwemer or something."

"The Dwemer are extinct you moron."

"What? Since when?"

"Since before you were born."

"Well now one told me. I see people walking around with the stuff all the time. Bits and bobbles, weapons too."

"And you think folks would be walking around with their stuff if they was alive?"

"I don't know I just figured they were very generous."

"Course not. The Dwemer went extinct a long time ago, now all we have are their technologies and the ruins, and many of those ruins are still inhabitable but all we do is hand them over to wizards to go and piss about in."

"I've met a few Wizards who were decent people."

"You? You've met wizards."

"I've met some people claiming to be wizards."

"Well its very easy to claim to be a wizard."

"True but if I was going to lie about it I would be so nervous that someone would ask me to do a magic trick."

"Did you ask them to do a magic trick?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I just didn't want to be one of those people."

"Oh and what sort of person is that?"

"Its like every assume that wizards float everywhere and whip there mouths with there minds. I mean wizards can be normal people."

"They most certainly can not. They're wizards."

"See don't feel that attitude's very helpful. Furthermore I didn't ask because I just didn't want to put them on the spot, in case they were lying."

"Then how can you claim that you met many wizards."

"Look it doesn't matter. All that matters is whether or not you yourself would want to live in a Dwemer ruin or as you say depths unfathomable."

"No."

"Well, there you go then."

"Fine... What were we talking about again?"

"You were talking about what you should do with me." the hunter grumbled. Finally opening his eyes.

"Oh that's right- AGH!" the hunter heard a spade drop to the ground as the man above him gave a high shriek and leapt away.

The sky was dim and hazy it was hardly after dawn. The face of a bald Nord in a bandana came into focus. He had short beard that curled at the tip like he had tried and failed to braid it. "Rise and shine interloper. What brings you here?"

The hunter tried to sit up but a great pain stung at his chest as if he's been stepped on by a horse. He lay back down and felt for his pack, he found it next to him an sighed in relief. "Where am I?" he asked.

"You're in a wheat field in the farm of clan Battle-born."

"And where is the farm of clan battle-born?"

"Whiterun hold just east of the city."

East? The hunter didn't remember crossing a bridge last night but he had been pretty checked out. "Chance brings me here, I got lost on a midnight walk."

"A midnight walk? What are you daft?"

"No just clumsy."

"What happened to your eye?"

The hunter felt the dagger hiding in the dirt buy his shoulder and surreptitiously moved the bag over top of it. "Like I said, clumsy."

"You sure he innut a dead thing?" came the high voice as a curious face masked by greasy hear peaked over the wall.

"No he's not, but he should be."

"Ahh!" they yelled again as the hunter's hand reached up gripping and clawing at the stone of the wall.

With some effort he used the large inset stones to pull himself to a sitting position. His wrist and ribs protested but he pushed through. "So does that make you too farmhands?"

"Obviously, I'm Tyac and this is Hardy. Now if you don't mind coming over the wall you're technically trespassing and we don't need you upsetting the crop."

"Of course," the hunter grumbled and gingerly stood. He gather up his gear stowing his dagger in his bag as he did, and spun himself over the wall so he was sitting on it and took in the two farmhands. They both wore similar brown vests, with a many pockets full of sheers and small wooden spades. Tyac was husky and leaning on a hoe, Hardy thickly padded was tightly gripping a shovel. Behind them a hand pulled cart rested in the road, "You two didn't happen to see anything strange on the way here, did you?"

Tyac looked around, "we found you and that was strange enough."

"Yeah," seconded Hardy, "Who are you anyway?"

The hunter tried not to roll his eyes and glanced at the ground around the farmers. They were standing on a sea of wolf tracks. Not well defined prints in the mud but more like impressions in the dust over the well compressed earth of the road. He wanted to look for something bigger but noticed the silence hanging in the air. He straightened his back and brushed some dirt off his shoulder with a haughty, motion he'd seen the merchants use back in Helgen.

"If you must know I was once a noble in Riften,"

"I knew it!" Squealed Hardy, rapidly tapping his friend on the shoulder, "didn't I tell you T"

"I was in the shipping business until I was betrayed and set at the mercy of the malefactors of the city. I barely escaped with my life and now I live in exile."

"Oh was it Maven Black-briar? That witch."

"Yes, it was precisely that person you just said, yes. Truly she is formidable enemy and a worse ally."

"Oooh I bet she is, and you'll be heading back some day? For revenge?"

"With great fury and might indeed. Now..." the hunter looked to where the two wolves had wrapped his rope around the fence. It was gone. He shook his head, everything was hazy, there was a dull sting behind his right ear, and he felt he might be sick. "Have you seen an odd length of rope around here, perhaps over by that fence post?"

"You mean this one? Tyac reached back into the cart and produced a length of coiled rope.

"Yes that's the very one, I'd like that back please."

"Hang on," Tyac recoiled, eyeing the hunter suspiciously, "How do we know that this is your rope, in fact how do we know that you're even a former noble?"

"Oh Tyac don't be rude."

"Shut it, how can we know that any of what you say is true."

"Could I convince you that this my backpack?"

"I suppose so, I haven't seen anyone else with it."

"Then can I convince you that the rope in your hand is the same rope that is reenforcing the straps of my pack?"

"Its a common make of rope, that proves nothing."

The hunter dropping his chin his chest in building exasperation. Just motion that nearly made hime retch. Not that anything would have come out. He was ravenous. "Ok then how do you explain that I knew where to find it."

Tyac stood defiant with narrowed eyes "It could have been a baseless assumption. A lot of those seem to have been coming up roses lately."

"Now you're just being stubborn."

"Listen you milk-drinker. We found it, it's in our hands, it's our rope."

The hunter quirked an eyebrow "Have you tried smelling it?"

"What?" Tyac looked confused and promptly, before thinking, took a whiff of the rope in his hands. "Ugh," He reflexively dropped it. It right into the hunters waiting hand. "What in the world? That ropes smells like terrible rotten meat!"

The hunter calmly slung the loops over his shoulder. "Actually it smells like wolf drool, and look at that it's in my hands now. I guess it's mine."

Tyac's fists clenched. "Why you little-"

"Morning Tyac, Hardy." They all turned to see a strong imperial woman with long dark hair and a smudge of dirt on her nose. She was pull a hand cart half full of crops and a little girl was walking along side her.

"Lady Carlotta!" came Hardy's high call as he whipped around and bowed to her. "A very good morning to you as well."

Tyac looked back at the hunter for a moment before scowling and taking off his bandana. He nodded to the hardworking merchant woman. "It's good to see you. Are you heading to the pumpkin grove?"

Carlotta Valentia paused as she took in the group "Yes I... Stranger?" the hunter met her gaze but couldn't hold it. "Is that you?"

He looked everywhere but her and adjusted his shoulder straps sheepishly. "Yeah it's me." he eventuality admitted.

Carlotta set down the cart and walk over to him brushing he dusty hands on her dusty dress. "What happened to you? You look like the dead."

"That's just the blood-loss, I'll be fine."

"What happened to your face?"

"There was an accident."

"What were you doing?"

The hunter sighed, "I was taking a walk."

"Excuse me Lady Carlotta but you know this fellow here."

Carlotta didn't take her eyes off of the hunter, something angry was swirling behind those irises. "Yes I know him, he's a fool and I'm taking him back to the city."

"I can walk there myself," the hunter objected.

"Oh can you?" Carlotta stepped back to the cart and put her hands on her hips. "walk to me right now."

The hunter glared at her she must have noticed that he wasn't putting any weight on his twisted ankle. "Thats not fair." he grumbled.

Strong woman that she was, Carlotta had little difficulty dragging the hunter's wiry frame back to the gate in her cart. Mila helped too, not by pulling the cart with her mother but by walking along side and refraining from hitching a ride herself. As for the hunter laying back in the cart things were getting worse fast. Riding in the cart felt like a long protracted free-fall. He could only get his eyes to really focus on something for a few seconds. The stinging behind his ear was growing to the point he could hardly feel that side of his head.

When they approached the battered ramparts about a half dozen guards were standing around in a circle making a ruckus. As they got closer the hunter realized the noble defenders of the hold were taking turns spinning a Whiterun shield on its edge and taking bets on how many rotations they could get. He could hear them counting in unison, they seemed to be getting excited around the 9th rotation.

The sight of the much desired widow and the anemic hunter was enough to distract the guards from their game. A dirt smudged smile and a bat of the eyelashes was enough to convince two of the guards to help pull the cart up the winding path to the main gate.

He didn't remember the gate opening for them, only the jolt as the cart came to a stop at Carlotta's stall. Life was slowly leaving his limbs again. His head swam when he tried to stand and he felt his legs give out. Strong arms before gold sashes caught him on either and pulled him along. Stars swam before his eyes as stairs drifted by below. A gruff worried voice reached him.

"By the nine! What happened? Where are you taking him?"

"I don't know, he needs to go to the temple." said Carlotta.

"Who are you?"

The voice was very familiar but suddenly the hunter couldn't place it. He blinked trying to find the memory and the blizzard raged before his eyes. The flecks snow stung his face, and he blinked them away. The right side of head went cold.

"No! We're lost!" he cried "Please stop it we're lost! I want to go back. I want to go back." He tried to flail his arms but the blizzard held on tight and the stairs kept passing by.

"We're not lost we're going to the temple, just keep your eyes open stranger."

The hunters eyes focused just for a moment on a familiar bearded face "Bury me," he said, "don't let them take me down there, let me grow let me grow."

"You like things that grow? Then look at this tree."

Its called the Gildergleam, its a special tree so keep your eyes on it. Priestess! Over here! This man needs help its companion business!"

The hunter looked up at the tree, mouth dry and temple throbbing. The branches where leafless but flowering, pink peddles around a yellow center. Round and bright like a gold coin. He watched that coin dance and spin in the air as the world grew dark around it. Finally it danced alone in the black. He reached out his hand, snatched it and he was lost. The world of thoughts and senses ran away and so he wandered for want of mind into impulse and memory.

The water lapped gently at the posts that held up the dock. Morning mist was rising off the lake painting everything an eery clouded grey even the sun at his back felt chilled coming through the gloom. A deer roared from some far shore and the high sound seemed ghostly and twisted. It didn't seem to bother the boatmen down below who with tireless consistency were setting about the preparations for a day of fishing.

The boy watched it all from the roof of the fishery. His knees were hugged to his chest and he shivered in his thin rags with every gust the lake sent whipping by. He'd started to count the seconds between when he saw the wind ripple off the shore, when he felt the wind chill his small bones and when he heard the wind ratting though the trees in the city.

"Are you thinking of going for a swim?" came a soft raspy voice behind him. He turned to see a small dark figure, clumsily clambering onto the roof. It was swathed completely in a dark brown robe that was clearly too big for it. Beady eyes peaked out from a deep hood that kept all the face in shadow.

"Hey Zak. Just enjoying the view." the boy said gesturing at the foggy panorama.

Another gust of wind picked up and the robbed figure had to clasp at their hood with gloved hands to keep it straight. The figure looked around, awkwardly turning there shoulders rather then they're neck. "Some view..." they said sarcastically. The boy moved aside offering the newcomer a seat beside him. The figure took it and leaned back letting their legs splay out before them. They flex there toes in the brisk air but there was something different about them. Their ankles and feet were covered in speckled grey and brown fur and their toes seemed broad and beast-like. "Did you hear what Jo' is up to?"

"No," the boy said unperturbed by the hairy display.

"Well you might want to check on her. She's being weirder than normal today."

The boy raised his eyebrows slightly "What's she doing?"

"Well nothing really, she's just sitting by her bed staring at an empty plate."

"Hmm" the boy shrugged "Not too weird, remember the time when all the cutlery went missing? Or the turtle incident?"

"So your not going to check on her."

"Nah, I'm kinda liking this spot."

"Oh," the hooded figure looked around again "its a good spot..." there was silence for a few seconds then the figure started fidgeting. First came the adjusting of the robe, then the rubbing of the feet, the tapping on the knees and the surreptitious glances over to the boy. "So then," they said eventually, "if you're not going, do you want to help me steal some more fish from the smokers? Your burns have healed right?"

The boy let a long breath out through his nose. "So she just staring at it?" he eventually asked.

"Yeah, hardly blinking."

The boy sighed and stood up "Ok lets go. Here I'll help you down"

"Oh I can just jump down myself."

"Fine just make sure to keep your tail tucked."

Keeping there heads low and sticking close to each other the little ones made their way through grey allies of aspen wood, over watery divides and across rooftops till they came to a narrow building at the edge of the city. Sneaking along a thin wizened garden path the pair came to a window with a loose hinge. The boy quietly jimmied the hatch with a long metal pick and the window swung open reveling the hefty pad lock on the latch inside. As the two halves of the window swung open as one, bound together by the lock the pair crawled through.

They found themselves in a long room with rows and rows of tiny beds. Dull iron candle settings were affixed to the walls by every bed, but none of them were lit. The only light came form the grey day outside slithering in through the locked windows and minute cracks in the molding. From this pale light the boy could see several rows away the waifish figure of a young girl just into her teen years. She had long hair such a dark shade of brown it may as well have been black in the low light. She wore a long sleeved dress over thin boys pants, a convergence between the need for proper appearance and the desire to be less cold. She was sitting cross lagged on the bed and sure as Zak had said had her grey eyes fixed on a dark iron plate.

The boy looked at her for a moment, then over to his hooded friend who simply shrugged and shook their head. Or at least he though Zak had shook his head, he heard a rustling sound but the hood didn't move.

The boy looked back to the room, "Where are the others?" he asked in a hushed tone.

"I think Grelod sent them out to work. Probably begging in the market or out picking berries."

"Is everyone holding up ok?"

"Yeah for the most part, we're mostly worried about you since you left."

"Well I didn't leave leave."

"Still," the jumble of robes shuffled it's feet shyly, "they'd be glad to see you."

"We can't risk that, go keep an eye on the front in case Grelod comes back."

"Ok, good luck with her." Zak flitted away with surprising silence for a running pile of laundry and the boy was left the seemingly catatonic girl.

He stepped over to her quietly but loud enough for her to hear him. Though if she did she didn't show it. "Jo?" he asked tentatively. No response. He moved around in front of her and tried again. "Jolhel?" Still nothing, her gaze remand resolute, fixed, he saw a bead of sweat roll down her brow. Finally he stepped behind her and without warning clapped his hands over her eyes.

"Stop that!" She burst out in a high voice that echoed off the walls of the empty room.

"Shhhh" the boy hushed as she threw his hands off "Relax, relax, relax. I thought you were dead."

"Oh do you always cover dead peoples eyes?" she demanded turning on him glaring with those greys, they were deep set and little puffy giving her the look of someone who didn't sleep much.

"I think you're supposed to yeah."

"No, that's stupid"

"You're stupid"

"not as stupid as your face, where in oblivion have you been?"

"Not far, don't worry. What are you doing?"

The girl straightened her back and tossed her hair importantly "What does it look like? I'm trancing."

"Trancing."

"Yes."

"I don't think that's a word."

She glared daggers at him "It is and I was totally doing till you messed it up!"

"Ok don't shout." the boy held out his hands placating, "Why are you trying to go into a trance anyway?"

Jolhel sniffed and looked away "Why? It's not like you care."

"I do care." said the boy taken aback.

"No you don't."

"Jo." the boy insisted in a voice that was both tender and impatient, "I care. What's happening?"

The girl looked back at him with a little pout he was familiar with. Finally she tossed her hair again and picked of the plate. She held it out to him displaying it like it was some fine treasure. "This plate is made out of iron."

The boy furrowed his brow unable to refute her claim, "Yes?" he said questioningly.

"So I'm going to turn it to gold."

She said it with such surety that the boy was silent for a moment as he mulled over the impossible claim. "... How?" he eventuality managed.

"With magic."

His eyebrows shot up. "You can do magic?"

Jo's eyes fell momentary, "Well no, but," she swept her hair back over her ears relieving them to be ever so slightly pointed "I'm a Breton, and I read in this book that bretons have a natural epiphany for magic."

"Affinity."

"Bless you. So if I just focus hard enough I should be able to turn this plate to gold." she was beaming at him, those grey eyes boring into his browns. He might have been leaning back, she was definitely leaning forward.

"Ok but what are you going to do what a gold plate?"

"I'm going to leave here."

He straightened himself "... Like leave leave?"

"Yes."

"You're just going to go?"

"Yeah."

"Where?"

"Anywhere, anywhere but here." Something desperate had snuck behind her eyes now.

"But what about adoption."

"That's never going to happen, not here." Jo's eyes had turned to fire. "We're her playthings she'll never let us go unless someone just barged in and stole us and who in the world would do that for us?"

The boy took a deep breath trying to breathe through the emotion she was pushing into him. "Grelod beat you again didn't she." It wasn't really a question and the girl didn't answer, she only looked away and curled into herself. "Show me your arms." he demanded reaching for her but she pulled away.

"Don't touch me!" she shouted, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears, "Just go, I'm going to become a wizard and you're never going have to check on me again."

"I..." the boy was struggling to find words "I wouldn't want that, I-"

"Oh but it's okay for you?" she cut him off, "its okay for you to go and leave us but I have to stay? Why just so you can visit when it's convenient?"

"No that's not... Lets not forget you all ratted on me and started this whole thing! I had to get out but i'm still here for you guys."

"You're just like her."

Silence hung over the room for what felt like millennia. Then the door creaked open and the bundle of rags named Zak came running in, "Guys! You're being to loud I think she's coming!"

Jo didn't miss a moment, she was under the bed in a flash. Steps could be heard approaching quickly, and Zak disappeared somewhere along the wall. The boy looked for a place to hide but he was just a little too lanky and awkward to fit anywhere. The door swung open with a bang and he turned to see a middle aged woman, dark hair streaked with grey and sharp features that once upon a time would have made her handsome but now only made her look like a witch. Grelod the Kind had arrived.

Dark eyes scanned the room and settled on the boy caught like a rat in the daylight. She grinned a grin that was just beginning to yellow and was as chilling as a blizzards bite. "How nice of you to make an appearance little vermin. I do see so little of you these days" she closed and locked the door behind her and began walking closer. "You missed breakfast again today, but don't you fret, for I am kind after all. I've saved all the porridge you've missed for the last month. It's all waiting just for you in the back room. Please join me in the back so we can put some meat on those bones."

The boy glanced around as the fearsome woman bared down on him. She was between him and the loose window. He took several panicked steps back before he heard a loud pop and a shattering of glass behind him he and Grelod looked to see the hem of a robe disappearing out of a freshly broken window. The candle fixture was missing from the wall. Without a second glance at Grelod the boy took off running and somersaulted his way to freedom. The screams of Grelod the witch followed him and Zak as they disappeared into the late morning of the city.

Skirting around a rich looking chimney the two young ones quietly leaped a two story gap and crept across the roof of the parapets at the north gate. Not fearing the hight Zak leaned out over the edge to peer beneath the overhang, his tail flicked rebelliously under his robes as he did. Then seeing an opening he swung down and the boy carefully followed. Soon the two were huddled breathless between an assortment of barrels having put most of the city between themselves and the fiendish woman. They did there best to stay quiet as guards strolled by during the mornings change of watch. The boy was able to snatch an apple from an unsupervised food trey; he took two bites and tossed it to the hooded Zak who shook his head and tossed it back.

"I've had breakfast, as terrible as it was." the hooded figure reached up and lowered it's hood. Before the boy was a strange mix of pubescent child and cat, the furry face complete with tall pointed ears and long whiskers. His eyes were solid pools of crystalline blue; no pupils made themselves obvious but apparently the young Khajiit had no trouble seeing. Zak tossed his head back and sighed with relief, "You cannot imagine how hot it gets in there."

"I can imagine what the guard will do if they catch you. So cover up."

"One day, I'm going the to be able to walk around this city without a hood and no one will be able do anything."

"Good luck. But why not leave the city?"

"Well there's no guarantee that another place have so many good hiding spots. And fish." The cat-boy took off his gloves and rolled up his sleeves to air out his scrawny fur covered arms. "Besides, who better than a cat to rule a city of rats?"

The boy chuckled, "You've got me there."

"So what did you think?" Zak asked "What do Jo say."

"Hm," the boy took another bite of the apple. "They're worse, they are way worse, both of them."

"I don't think you can go back, Grelod will skin you alive if she catches you."

"I was about to say the same to you, I'm sure she knows who smashed that window."

The khajiit wiped his feline nose on his rolled up sleeve, "It's ok, I think I might be done with that place anyway."

The boy did a double take then turned pensive, "Do you think Grelod will tell the guards what you are?"

"Probably. But even if she did she'd only get in trouble for sheltering me all that time."

"I doubt that'd stop her, again you may want to consider skipping town."

"Nah I'll just stay with you."

"What am I an inn? I live in a net."

Zak gave an exaggerated shrug "Sounds like an upgrade to me. But we're getting off track, what about Jo?"

The boy ran his fingers through is loosely curled hair, he snorted and shot a nose nugget out the right barrel. "She wants to leave."

"Leave leave?"

"Yeah," the boy bit into the apple core, "She's trying to turn an iron plate to gold with her mind."

"How does she expect to do that?"

"Magic." the boy said impressively with a waggle of the hands. "but as koo-koo as that sounds it's not what worries me." Zak leaned in, concern in those large opals he had for eyes. "I think Grelod is singling her out somehow. Remember all the burning wax I got before I left?"

"Yeah?"

"I think its been moved on to Jo."

"That witch." the Zak muttered shaking his head, "Well that settles it she comes to stay with us?"

"Great lakes, Ab'zakar, you talk like I'm living in a mansion out here. Its tough, its tough now and I haven't even made it to Frostfall yet. Jo isn't like us. She not meant for this."

"Yeah she deserves better, but she's not getting it she where she is."

"Of course not." the boy rocked back and forth eyes looking every where except his furry companion. After a moment he stopped, "What about the others? Maybe we could get everyone out."

Zak's drooping ears shot up, "We burn the place down!" he said excitedly.

"No, no." the boy said fighting a smile. "but I wonder what it would take for us to all get a carriage somewhere."

"Like how much money?"

"Yeah, just to the next town."

"7 kids, 1 days travel, that's 14 gold assuming the carriage is already going there."

The boy blinked at him, "how do you know that?"

The Khajiit shrugged, "money's important."

"Huh..." the boy cleared his throat "How much to charter a carriage to go somewhere specific."

"10 gold to get it moving plus 1 gold for every extra body per day of travel."

"So its 14 gold to for us all to hitch a ride and 16 gold for us to go any detection for a day?"

"Well not any direction, carriage drivers don't like going somewhere they don't know, it's bad practice."

"But its only two gold extra?"

"Yeah, technically."

"Then let just get 16 gold and get out of here"

"How in all the nine holds are we supposed to get 16 gold?"

"You've got sticky fingers. We'll just steal it."

"Have you ever held gold?" Zak demanded.

"No." the boy admitted.

"Well it's heavy. Really heavy, people notice when it's gone I can't just lift it."

"Well that's... stupid. Darn it!" The boy sat back with a frustrated huff. Zak shrugged again and pulled his hood up. The boy sat tapping his foot for a long while, listening to the guards shuffling by the wind in the hollow rafters and the naying of horses just outside the gate.

"Have you got anymore ideas?" Zak asked.

"I might." the boy nodded.

"What is it?"

The boy waggled his hands again with a sly grin "Magic."

The lady was fine specimen and she knew it, she flaunted it and she used it to her advantage wherever she could. If the Altmeri Dominion had taught the empire anything it was how to carry yourself with superiority. And so this auburn haired imperial beauty strutted about town like a haughty princess. She'd married a rich man and was gaining connections by the day.

She wore her success and wealth on her person for everyone to see. A jeweled necklace rested against her bodes framed by a silken shawl from the lands to the west. Her bond of matrimony was accompanied by a genuine emerald crusted ring crafted by an actual Saxhleel jeweler and a proud Nordic band of silver and garnet given to her by her husbands oafish father. However the exhibit she was the most proud of was a unique set of dainty rings she wore in a stack on her right middle finger.

They were of thin elven make and as such she could stack them with little trouble if she slightly rotated each, the result was a pleasing spiral of sparkling gems around the digit. There were 5 rings in total, so small and delicate they were that she could whirl them around her finger without losing any dexterity. Not that she needed it, it was just another reflection of her quality.

She'd slept late on that morning as was her privilege and flung open her window to a cool breeze devoid of the dawn's nip. She wished she had a room overlooking the lake but that would come with time; for now her view of the multicolored aspen forest was enough for her. She breathed in the fresh air and set about her morning, the arranging of her fine but sturdy green dress, the washing of her luxurious hair. Her skin was pearlecent, further proof of her good breading.

As she sat brushing her hair in a mirror, something terrible nearly stopped her heart. In the mirror she spotted movement behind her near the small table where she staged her jewelry. Starting at the brief disturbance she spun around staring intently at the table and the surrounding jumble of silks and furs. She instinctively covered herself and chanced a cautious "Hello?". Just then a small furry something irrupted from the clutter and bolted out the open window. It was gone before the surprised shriek left her lips. She cried and screamed for a nearly a minute after the room fell still, partly do to her own shock and fright, partly due to the chance that there was another overgrown opossum somewhere in the room. She didn't stop until her the maid rushed in and calmed her down. Then another possibility occurred to her, something even more terrible the prospect of ill-tempered martins of outstanding proportion. She brushed off the fawning maid and rushed over to her precious jewelry.

It all seemed there at a glance, then she came to her set of five rings. One, two, three, four... and no five. The fifth was missing! One of her favorite rings had been stolen by that repugnant thing!

In a fevered panic she looked under the table, all around it, even under the jewel boxes themselves. She was slowly slipping into a fit of hysterics when with a sigh of utter relief she spotted the missing ring hanging on her earring rack. She must have placed it there in the fleeting moment of whimsy and forgotten. She plucked it off still simpering like a worried mother and returned it to the others content and secure once again. So secure was she, that she didn't notice until nearly a month later that the silver and garnet ring her father in law had given her was missing.

The shop keeper was a big man, muscle bound and broad with a proud braided mustache and shorn head. He was a confident dealer and with good reason. He'd set up a shop with money he'd made from years of bloody work as a mercenary body guard and his reputation for ruthless efficiency ensured the bartering process never reached any unpleasant conclusions. He wore a soft flaxen shirt fashionably ill-fitting as to show off his bulging arms. Like a beast he was, confident and ready to protect his cave. As such he had absolutely nothing to worry about when two unfamiliar, waifish figures stepped into his shop just before noon.

"Good day," he said, closing his book sweeping his mild surprise away with a welcoming smile, "What can the Bear of Bargain do for you young lads?"

The pair were an odd couple, one was a boy with dark tousled hair and skin lite brown like a pale tea. He was clothed linen rags, bare blackened feet and a vest that appeared to be burlap. The man had to shutter at the hellish prospect of wearing the scratchy material as a garment. However the boys companion was even stranger. About a head shorter, this person was wrapped entirely in an oversized robe such that no part of their body was showing, everything was folds and shadow. From deep in a dark hood the merchant felt eyes staring at him.

"Hello," chirped the filthy boy, taking the time to wipe his callused feet on the doormat producing a terrible scrapping noise that mad the man's eye twitch. "Would you perchance be perhaps interested in possibly purchasing piece of fine jeweled jewelry of fine make?"

The shop keeper raised an eyebrow at the redundant mess of language. Did he think it made him sound nobler than his obvious station? Whatever the case Jewelry had value regardless of it's origin, so the merchant leaned over the counter toward the thin waif. "I suppose I would be. Let us see this jeweled jewelry than."

The boy reached into a ragged pocket and placed a silver ring with a simple red crystal set into it. For a moment the man's heart raced think that ruby had just fallen into his lap, but as he picked it up and inspected it by the shaft of light coming through his round window, he saw that rather than the bright clean fire of a ruby the gem was a darker duller red with myriad fractals that complicated the shine. This was a Garnet, not quite as valuable as a ruby but still a very nice gem. He could not say the same for the silver band. It was a sturdy Nordic make with the motif of a sea serpent coiling around the jewel, but it was clear that it wasn't very well cared for. It was riddled with scratches and minute marring that showed up in the light.

The shop keeper pinched and twirled one of his mustache braids as he thought. "Tell me," he began, "how did you come by this ring?"

"Family heirloom, it's all I have of my parents and I've held on to it for as long as I could, but as you can probably tell by looking at me times have be been hard I just need the coin."

"Hmm" the merchant nodded looking back at the ring. It was good craftsmanship but the condition left a lot to be desired, seem like it'd be hard enough to give away let alone turn around and sell for profit. Still the gem was decent and the boy could clearly use the coin. "Tell you what, I can give you 4 gold for this."

The boy appeared ever so slightly crest-fallen, "You can't do 5?" he asked hopefully.

"Don't be daft son, 4 is plenty."

After a moment of solemn consideration the boy met his eyes and nodded. "Ok, I'll take it."

"Very well," the merchant pulled open a drawer and fetched out 4 bright gold imperial septims.

The gold gleamed in the boys wide eyes. The man suspected he's never seen so much money. Eagerly he reached up at swept the gold into his hands. He and his shrouded compatriot leaned over the gold for a moment just looking at it. Then with a slow tilt of the head the boy placed the coins back on the counter.

"What's wrong." the shopkeeper asked "did you decide you want the ring back?"

"No it's just that I can't imagine spending gold very often."

"You want smaller coins?"

"Yeah is that too much to ask?"

"Not at all, what do you want imperial silver?"

"Um lets say half and half, half silver and half copper."

The merchant quirked his eyebrow at the boy "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Alright." the man meticulously dished out 10 silver coins and 80 common coppers.

The boy turned to pile of rags. "Fritz, do you still have that pouch." the shape wriggled like a marsh patty for a moment then a short arm produced a small drawstring pouch. The boy took it and stowed the silver into it, however as he began stuffing the bag with the coppers it soon became clear to everyone in there that the pouch was too small to hold 80 copper coins. The man could practically see the wheels in the young lads head turning. Eventually he dumped out the pouch and repacked the 10 silver. "I feel like you were ahead of me there. I'll just take 10 more silver."

"Good plan." The man said placing 10 more imperial silvers on the counter. The boy took them and the man swept the copper back over to him and started counting them into little stacks. After a moment he went still with such sharp suddenness two young ones froze as well.

"Tell me boy, why am I 5 copper short?" he asked letting the faintest hit of malice seep into his voice. He was pleased to see the boy fold immediately under his gaze.

"What?" he yelped in a panicked tenor and started feeling his pockets?

"Are you trying to pull something over on me?" the man leaned in to great effect

"No no I wouldn't," the boy looked like he was about to wet himself before he dropped down below the counter "Here! Here they are I just dropped them that's all!" The shop keeper leaned back suppressing a laugh. Sure enough the frightened boy came up with the missing 5 coppers and added them to the count. "I'm so sorry. In fact lets just forget the whole exchange," he babbled, emptying the 10 silvers from his pouch onto the counter and pushing them across to sit next to the 80 copper. "I'll just take the 4 gold."

The man swept his non-existent hair back, feeling a tad guity at how he'd frightened the boy. "No harm done, no harm done. Its all fine by me." He pushed the 4 gold back over to the lad and offered a friendly smile as the waif stow them away.

The boy turned then to the rumpled cloak next to him, "Did you have anything you wanted to pawn?" the hood appeared to nod as they fumbled with there belt and held pout a nice clean wooden sword and a quill. The sword was of the simple make popular among children of that age and the quill was a bright green iridescent pheasant feather.

The shopkeeper tilted his head and examined the quill. "Where did you get this?"

The hooded one seemed to shuffle its feet bashfully and the boy gestured for the man to lean in close. He did so. "The truth is we found it on the street, we think it fell out of a window. It's really nice right?"

"Very nice," the man agreed "it's practically brand new. Did you not think that they would miss it?"

The pair looked at each other sheepishly, "Well no." the boy said

"Hm you might be right, still I could report you to the guards for this."

"For a quill?"

"It is a very nice quill remember that." the shopkeeper waved the feather with what he hoped was a disarming smirk. Seeing the two weren't running he twirled his mustache in thought and help up the sword and the quill. He had plenty of both of these already but they were very easy to turn around in his experience. "How does 5 copper for the sword, and 2 silver for the quill sound?"

"Nordic silver?" the boy asked hopefully.

The man narrowed his eyes at the waifs apparent knowledge of the more valuable currency. "No, imperial silver."

The boy shrugged "We'll take it."

The shopkeeper slid the coins over to the pair, thanked them and saw them out of his shop, and so ended one barter in a day of dozens. It wasn't till the end of the day when he went to put the new quill and sword with the rest of their like items in the shop that he realized for some reason he had the same number as when he'd started that day. And it wasn't till a week later that it occurred to him that something might have been fishy about that whole coin exchange.

The apprentice was a dark skinned Redguard who was currently struggling with a bad case of adolescent acne. An unfortunate ailment for any hot blooded teenager looking for love. However despite his own lack of success in the field he was still fascinated by the bonds true as steel that could form regardless of circumstance or background. It was for that reason he became an acolyte to the goddess of love and mercy. The temple stood in stark opposition to city of sin around it but in the short time since he'd taken his vow, he'd seen the flowers of love blooming even here in this dreary place. That said, the scruple-less behavior he saw on a daily basis did chafe at his heart and one day he just had to step in.

He was walking through the gently packed market in the mid-afternoon buying carrots and unions for a large stew to be distributed amongst the city's homeless. He was just crossing one of the many bridges in the square, trying to ignore the stench of waste and fish guts wafting up from the deep aqueducts that wound through the lower layer of the city, when he saw in a unassuming corner of the market two small figures sitting on either side of crate. They seemed to be playing some kind of game, moving tiny objects around on the rough wood top of the crate, but then the apprentice spotted the telltale flash of coin and realized with bitter surety that the two children were gambling.

He thought he might be sick. He'd seen some bad things here but this... this needed to stop. He walked over to the pair and saw that they had a set of three walnut shells and were moving them around chaotically. A boy with dark eyes and rags for cloths was doing the moving. After a moment he returned the shells to a neat line of three. At that point the other, a bizarre child so concealed in an oversized robe that not one defining feature could be distinguished, pointed at one of the shells. The boy lifted the shell revealing a single uncooked bean, and promptly slid two silver over to the hooded one.

They then each put one silver down and the bean disappeared back beneath a shell and the raggedy boy set to dancing the shells around again. It was clearly to confuse the hooded one's eyes but the apprentice could easily track the shell that had the bean as it moved. Right to center, center to left and back, followed by a blur or motion that while impressive did not manage to deceive. Then to his surprise when the shells came to a halt the hooded one pointed at the wrong shell. The dance not been enough to fool the apprentice from where he stood but clearly it was enough to fool the child in robes. Incensed as this young stray was made to hand over his silver the acolyte stepped in.

"What are you doing child? Why make fruitless your good efforts in this way?" The hooded figure didn't appear to take notice and placed another silver down on the crate. The boy matched it and he shells danced away? "Child please heed my words."

"Do you need something holy man?" the boy interjected not taking his eyes off of the shells he was shuffling.

"I need you to cease with this shameful exploitation."

"Shameful," the boy spared him a brief glance of heavily lidded contempt, "Whats so shameful about an innocent game?"

"It's not innocent when there's money involved, you're taking this child's meager fortune. What can be more shameful than that?"

"Nonsense, if anything he's clearing me out of my coin. Choose." the shells settled and the hooded child pointed at the one to the left. The boy lifted the shell to reveal the bean "Case and point." the boy said as the hooded one took the pot.

The acolyte swallowed, looking for a new approach "Then it is wrong for you to waste your wealth in that case."

"Why not?"

"Because it is a sin."

"For your gods perhaps."

The Redguard could feel his face flush with indignation, "Regardless of what god you ally yourself at least concede that it is foolish to bet on such a simple game, sharp mind with a keen eye could take all that you have in one sitting."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, in fact I could clean you out right here and now if I wished."

"Is that a bet holy man?"

"No, and I will not be taking from the poor either, the goddess of mercy smiles on you. This will be a lesson, nothing more."

"Then please have a seat." The boy said gesturing to the empty space across from him.

The apprentice looked to see that the hooded child had moved and was now watching him in a manner the priest interpreted as expectant. Adjusting his apprentice robes the acolyte set his produce aside and sat down.

Smiling like a fox the boy reset the shells and placed the bean before them. "Welcome to the game, its a simple game you put down a silver and try to find the bean. The bean can be anywhere under these shells. You got the silver?"

"Of course I'll only need the one."

The boy whistled "They must be teaching a lot of self-esteem in that temple these days. Alright place your silver in the nonexistent pot," the apprentice did so "Alright. Bean." the boy said showing the bean briefly before covering it beginning the shuffle.

The acolyte calmly tracked the shell that had covered the bean. It started in the middle, then right, middle, left, middle, left, left, middle, right. The chaos concluded after a final furry of motion but it was clear to the apprentice that the bean was under the righthand shell. Sure enough when the boy lifted the shell the bean was sitting there all dry and spotted as ever.

"Well done," the boy said, pushing the 2 silver over. The apprentice didn't respond, only set 1 silver down and waited for the boy to match it. He did so and the apprentice found the bean again and again.

With these victories the apprentice grew board "Look is there anyway we could speed this along?"

"You could always up the pot if you think you can keep up."

"I've already proven I can keep up, but I said I'd clean you out and that's what I'll do."

"Have it your way," the boy shrugged, before checking his pockets "That'll be 2 gold and 4 silver if you want to clean me out in one round."

The apprentice reach into his robes and put down most of the money he had been given for to procure ingredients. "Then lets get this over with, I must continue with my duties."

"You must eh? Ok." The boy set up the game and began the shuffle.

The acolyte watched calmly but intensely as he had before, and aside from a small increase in speed noticed nothing different about this shuffle. The bean bearing shell eventuality came to rest in the center and with supreme confidence the apprentice pointed to it.

"Really?" the boy said with a raise of the eyebrows.

"Yes." the apprentice nodded.

"Are you sure?" the boy pressed, apparently worried he'd not been swift enough.

"Yes." he repeated firmly.

"Sorry to say friend. But you just lost a lot of money." the boy turned over the shell to show not but the water worn wood of the crate beneath it. The apprentice blinked unable to process for a moment. The boy turned over the other shells revealing the bean sitting to the right.

"No," the apprentice struggled to speak. "that's wrong."

"No that's a bean and this is my money now." the boy quipped, scooping up the coins with some effort.

"No," the apprentice repeated, clambering to his feet, "this is devilry of some kind."

"I assure you it's nothing like it. Perhaps your eyes are just slower than you thought."

"Give me my gold back, I said that even if I won the money would stay with you remember."

"I do remember you saying that but I don't recall agreeing to it or saying the same myself."

"Please!"

"Oh come now priest, I thought the church was all for giving to urchins like us."

"I'm not a priest. I'm an apprentice"

"Well the makes sense maybe the gods would have been on your side if you were."

"Why you little-"

"Listen if your not going to play another round, would you mind moving along? You're holding up the line."

The acolyte's eyes widened and he spun around to find that as the game had gone on, they had attracted quite the little crowd. At least twenty people were watching intently. Mostly men a few women and adolescents like himself. He could tell that a few of them were already thumbing their coins, brows furrowed, eager to step in and solve this potentially lucrative puzzle.

Limbs shaking with adrenaline and shame the apprentice scooped up what produce he had managed to buy and scurried back to the temple. It was several years before he felt comfortable confronting sinners and their devious ways again.

The boy shot a surreptitious wink to Zak as he fooled another gambler. The holy man had been a great goat, since he'd left the shells had hardly stood still as one after another the gullible came. Some winning money but most losing money. Some had already won but kept betting their winnings till they were all gone. The sun had dropped down below the building and twilight was fast approaching, the crowd had diminished to slow trickle of brave fools and with that last man swindled, the boy was content to conclude the days work. He'd gone from empty pockets to the rough equivalent to 11 gold over the course of the day. This plan had gone incredibly well, there had been so many moments it could have been derailed and it nearly had been. But now, even though 5 gold was no small amount of money the boy felt he was right on the cusp of getting all his friends out of that dreadfully orphanage and out of this dreary city. He just needed five more gold.

"Evening lad." came a smooth voice and the boy looked up in the middle of gathering his shells to see a young man looking to be in his mid twenties, with short bright red hair and the dusting of goatee. He was wearing a warm woolen coat over a flex shirt with a strange pendent resting on his chest. "Think you've got the time for one more game?"

The boy gave a rye smile, "Sorry friend, but I think that's all for today."

The man nodded understanding, "It's quite the hall for someone your age I'll give you that; but what if I offered you the chance to double it?"

The boy and Zak exchanged a quick glance. "I would be a fool to take that chance."

"Are you sure?" the man slowly and deliberately placed a stack of 12 gold septims in front of them. "It's honest wager."

The boys eyes grew huge at the sight of the coins and he knew his feline companion's eyes were doing the same. Still something was off about this and he was made sure of that when the man's calm eyes narrowed as he watched them and he removed 1 coin from the top of the stack. "Sorry, my guess was off buy a bit."

"How do you know how much would be double? How, do you know how much we have?"

The man grinned clearly pleased with himself, "It's all about sizing up your mark lad. That's the first rule in this game. Of course you'd know that if you were really a player."

"As impressive as that is, I still think I'll pass, we really must be going."

"I see," the man looked off towards the marketplace to the two guards in purple sashes leaning against a rail. "and what if I decided to tell the guards about this furry friend of yours?"

The boy looked to Zak who's eyes were lighting pale blue fires on the mans face. Unlike Grelod this man had nothing to lose by turning him in, what's more he could call the guards right now. "Those are some sharp eyes friend. Careful they don't cut anyone."

The man smiled, an push his stack of gold closer to the boy, "Lay out the shells. Lets play."

The boy breathed out heavily through his nose as he fought a wave of impotent rage. He reached for his coin pouch. Zak grabbed his arm and shook his head "You don't need to, I can run."

"I don't think that makes a difference." the boy said shrugging him off and emptying the coins onto the crate. "Besides you shouldn't have to." He counted out the equivalent to 11 gold, leaving him with a comparatively skint 2 silvers and 5 coppers. Trying not to grind his teeth in agitation he obediently set the game, flashed the bean and began.

He wasn't playing around anymore, this man would lose. He move the shells considerably faster then before, what at been the final flurry before was now the norm and the new finale was series of orbiting twists and strange stacks. The shuffle dragged on for nearly 30 seconds and perspiration began to dampen the boys forehead. The edges of the shell were warm from friction when at last the boy set them back in line.

The man young stroked his chin for a moment, smoothing the thin hairs of his russet beard. "You're fast lad, you'd never leave anything up to chance and that's admirable, you've got the makings of a thief but here it just makes you predictable." He pointed then, not the the shells but to the boys left hand. "You never reloaded the bean, which means it's hidden between your ring and little fingers on your left hand." The boy didn't move a muscle, he just sat there staring unblinkingly at the shells still face-down before him. "Aren't you going to reveal the bean?"

Still the boy remained motionless, frozen in shock and shame. "I see." the man "Well I'll just be taking my winnings." he said scooping the coins toward him and stowing them away. "You kids shouldn't be playing these games when you're not even players." the man stood up, brushing the dust off his rear. "If you're looking to become one then you can find me at the ragged flagon, ask for Brynjolf." and with that the red haired stranger turned on his heel and left the waifs to the deepening shadows of the ally.

Slowly the boy held out his left hand and splayed his fingers, letting the spotted bean clatter hollowly onto the crate. "Damn it," he muttered "that's a whole day's work down the drain."

"Well not entirely," Zak said and tossed 3 gold septims next to the shells.

The boy stared uncomprehending at first then he looked rapidly from the coins to Zak. "What?... How?"

"I lifted them while you were shuffling."

"I thought you said you couldn't lift gold."

"Normally I can't the stars aligned; he was distracted, sitting down and had a lot of gold on him. Beside I wasn't about to let him take everything. This way we have enough to try something else other day."

The boy was at a loss for words, so he just hugged his friend tightly. Squeezing his frail form through the robe. "Thank you, Ab'zakar."

"Don't mention it. Are you hungry?"

"Oh I'm always hungry, we'll figure this out tomorrow." And the two urchins packed up their shells and stole away into the dusk.

In the black of night the orphanage sat looking calm and tranquil from the outside save the bored nailed over one window. Inside all was quiet, any sinister machinations put to bed for the time being. Beds in there ridged lines filled with sleeping forms of various shapes and sizes some, under worn burlap covers, some choosing to brave the nip of night, a few lucky ones under torn sheets of woolen felt.

In this silence the boy slithered, dropping silently out of the chimney and into the seldom used fireplace. Grelod was not one to waste he money on firewood, "you can only burn it once and then it's gone," he remembered her saying. He stepped quietly into the room, eyes darting to all the corners. He crept along the rows of beds making sure to duck beneath the shafts of misty moonlight that shone in from the unboarded windows. He crawled inch by inch under beds till he came to the one was looking for.

He popped up and saw her. Jolhel, dark hair falling sloppily across her face as she slept drooling on that same nasty iron plate. She'd apparently fallen asleep still trying to turn it to gold. He watched the peace in her face, the beautiful absence of anxiety. This was how he always thought of her, before her eyes filled with worry, her forehead creased with apprehension and her jaw set in fear. She was always strange, any that found themselves in this orphanage were bound to be a little off. Jolhel was every bit as adventures at he was in the past, but it manifested in different ways. If he climbed a tree, she would talk to it. If he went for a swim, she'd lurk below an snatch at he ankles. If he picked a flower and folded it into a ring, she'd sneak up and bite it right off his finger. She was a mystic and an imp and he more often then not was asked to get her out of some absurd fix, but she was always there for him in the same way. Now to see her slowly losing herself to pain and terror in his absence, he new that if he got no one else out of here he'd get her out.

He tried to think of some quiet yet tactful way of waking her up, but after a moment's fruitless thought he settled of giving her a firm prod straight in forehead. She snorted harshly as she came to, for a moment that dread flashed in her eye at the dark shape before her, then he spoke in hushed tones.

"It's me, don't worry it's me."

She groaned blinking at him before speaking just a little too loudly "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Shhhh" he inched closer to her face. "I'm not supposed to be here."

She looked annoyed but lowered her voice "Yeah that's why I asked idiot."

"I'm here to talk to you. That much should be obvious dummy." Before he knew it the boys head and neck were wrapped up in Jolhel's arms. The standard introductions had concluded but this was a very unusual next step. He blinked as he was lightly squeezed and patted her awkwardly on the back.

"I'm sorry," she breathed into his ears, "I'm sorry I said you were like Grelod. I've been thinking about it all day and I didn't know if I would see you again and..." she swallowed thickly as if holding in a sob. "You're not like her, you're a friend, you have always been my friend."

The boy finally returned her squeeze and sucked in air feeling some foreign emotion hit home. "Like I said, that much should be obvious." he chewed his tongue for a moment, then continued. "And I'm sorry for leaving you here. I should have known she'd come after you next."

"You can't have known, this whole thing is just so..." she let go of him and brushed her hair out of her face, "I don't know the word."

"Inhumane." the boy offered "that might be it."

"It might be yeah. Did you just come to check on me?"

"Well I mean... I did but that's not a bad thing is it?"

"I guess not." she rolled up her sleeves and he saw the burn marks up and down her arms. "I'm not doing great."

He nodded and wished he had some frost salts or just cool water for her, but he didn't, "I suppose we can talk about the others, if that's easier."

"Yeah ok," Jolhel nodded laying her head back down on the folded cloth she was using as a pillow, making sure to move the plate under her woolen covers. She yawned quietly and stared at her own eyebrows in thought. "No ones changed that much. Delson and Hjalamar have kinda taken charge since you left. They argue a lot but in the end they're just trying to keep Grelod happy."

"That's not possible, but they'll see soon."

"Elinan is as quiet as always, she does this thing were she bites jazbay grapes in half and stares at the insides. It's a bit creepy."

"I'm sure that's what she thinks of your antics."

"But, she's a good beggar. Kinda surprising actually... Hafella is a rock, I can't get a read on her, she's gotta have something up with her right?"

"She's always seemed sturdy to me."

"I guess so, but I don't trust it." her stormy grey eyes returned to him. "that just leaves Ab'zakar. He's been wandering more than usual and I haven't seen him since you and him broke that window. So it's your turn then." She did this thing, sort of nuzzling her cheek into her improvised pillow, the motion stirred something in him. It was cute like a mewing kitten. "Where is he?" she asked.

"He's staying with me."

"You have a place?"

"Not really, there's some old netting caught up in the support beams on the third peer out by the dock, I've managed to turn it into a bit of a nest. Zak will sleep there with me and tomorrow we'll see if we can make get him his own net set up, assuming it doesn't rain on us."

"Hm," the Breton girl's eyes seemed to grow heavy as she listened to him. "Does that happen a lot? What's it like out there?"

"Well," he began, licking his dry lips, "Its uh, rough. I don't really eat as much as I used to. I have maybe one meal a day but of its just picking at what ever I can get my hands on. I like fruit. We never got much fruit in here aside from the berries and grapes we'd filch. I really like apples when I can get them. Have you ever had figs?"

"No."

"I think they come from the east, they're really wired but also good in a wired way. But apart from the fruit there's not much to be said about the food. One day I caught and ate four beetles."

Jolhel smiled eyes closed and chuckled softly, "That's so gross."

"You don't need to tell me, I'm the one that had to eat them. All in all I'd say the biggest perk is the freedom and the blanket. I found this sabercat hide that fell out of some merchants cart and that thing keeps me warm better than anything we ever had here, and it's way less ichy than the burlap."

"That sounds nice." she said, sounding quieter and sleepier than before. She raised her own cover a little as if offering it. "Come in here, I've got one of the good blankets."

The boy felt himself flush again, "I can't stay here tonight, I have to leave before I get caught."

The girl pouted with bleary eyes, "Fine keep talking for a bit though."

"Sometimes when I wake up there is so much mist coming off the lake, I can't even see the water below me. I like listening to the birds, they tend to wake me up before it really becomes light. Did you know there are so many kinds out there and you can tell them apart by there songs. I never really paid attention before... I don't beg, mostly I lift coin and food when I can. There this house on the south side of town that has a nice garden, I sometimes get stuff from there... I still go swimming at dusk. I don't bother with fish cause I can't cook it anyway, but there is the is shoal of bluegill bleaks that come by my net sometimes and they shine like little diamonds under the water. Got in a fight with a raccoon once." the boy looked to the girl expecting another laugh, but he saw that she had drifted back into slumber. Reached in his pocket and fetched the 3 gold coins that Zak had given him.

"Jo, wake up." he poked her.

"I'm awake," she mumbled unconvincingly not opening her eyes.

"Look at your plate," he said arranging the coins on the iron. "You turned it to gold see?"

"It's beautiful," she slurred, still growing more inert.

"Zak and I have a plan, if we can get 16 gold then we can get all seven of us on a carriage and head in any direction we want for a day. Once we're out there we can make it as long as we can stick together. We almost had enough but we hit a snag, but don't worry." this time she didn't respond. "Jo, look at the plate." Nothing, just the gentle breathing of an exhausted young girl.

He weighed his options in his mind, thought about poking her again but decided against it. Another snort might wake someone up. So he compromised, he placed a single gold piece on the plate and tucked it back into her cover.

Though he knew this was a dubious arrangement at best he couldn't help but sit a watch her peaceful face, till the moons were high enough that their light left the windows. He returned to the fireplace and shimmied his way into back into the city.

The next morning the boy lay in his net woven hammock and saber cat pelt listening to the gentle creaking of the wood above and around him. Much of it was Zak rocking lazily beside him in his own improvised accommodations. They had managed to hind some more netting, the thick stuff ment for boarding and moving cargo, it wasn't as comfortable as his finer trawl net but they found a weather beaten coat that someone had left out for the taking, on a washing line, in their backyard... It wouldn't be missed they'd assured each other. The boy knew they'd have to be on the look out for any wayside thing that could improve their little bivouac beneath the third pier. The wayside, he had emphasized to Zak, was their marketplace.

It was a clear morning by the standards of the lake and the bright blue of the sky peaked in at them from between the gaps in the floor boards. They sharing a breakfast made up of a pouch of salted nuts they were passing back and forth between them. The nuts were a mix of peanuts and the roasted seeds of a gourd. It was the remnants of their dinner the previous night. Just as the bag was making the treacherous journey over the sloshing water for the dozenth time a single nut shook loose and plummeted into the water.

"Op, careful you dropped one." Zak warned.

"Oh did I?" the boy asked rolling over slightly and peering down at the tiny floating food nugget.

Zak crunched away at the nuts for a few moments then made to hand the bag back to his friend, but the boy was still staring pensively down at the bobbing morsel. "What are you looking at?" the Khajiit asked.

"Just hang on," the boy held up a hand "Somethings going to come take it."

"Like what?"

"Don't know."

Now they both were watching with bated breath, waiting for the conclusion to the inconsequential drama before them. A minute passed and then another, the peanut bobbed this way and that with the waves of the lake. Finally when the Khajiit had just about had enough a smooth lithe shape swam up and with a flash of bronze lips and the slap of a tail the peanut was gone along with the fish. Zak looked to is companion expectantly. "So what was that?"

"Huh? Oh I don't know."

"Well that's not very satisfying."

The boy shrugged noncommittally "We barely saw it, do you want me to guess?"

"Yeah I kinda want you to guess."

"It was a greyling salmon."

"How can you tell?"

"The color was right and they have that really big fin on their back."

"I didn't see a fin."

"Of course not, but you told me to guess." Zak flicked a seed at him. "Hey! Don't be wasteful."

"You dropped the peanut."

"There you are!" both their heads whipped in the direction of this third voice. The newcomer was a young Redguard boy perhaps a year older than the pair hanging upside-down over the lip of the peer. He had ratty tangled hair he wore in short dreadlocks was swing below his scowling face. His cloths were not impressive but they were so well kept they still had some of their original color. His eyes were a hazel green, his nose was broad, and his was ruddy brown like clay. A faint fog was billowing out of his nose as he panted telling the pair that he had been running.

The boy held out his arms "Hey Del, welcome to the Saber's Nest."

Delson rolled his eyes as he caught his breath, "I suppose you think that sounds cool?"

"I do think it sounds cool."

"So do I." Zak chimed in.

"Whatever," Del shook his head "where's Jo?"

The boy blinked and looked to Zak who only shrugged. "Jolhel? You'd know better than me, what does Grelod have you doing today?"

"You really think I'd be here if it was that simple? She wasn't in her bed this morning, no one has seen heads nor tails of her all day. What did you do?"

The boy sat up in his make shift hammock the beams around him creaking as he did, "What did I do? What do you mean what did I do?"

"I saw you leaving last night. What did you tell her?"

Zak stared at him "You went back last night?"

The boy felt suddenly caught between the two pairs of eyes. "Well yeah I did but all I told her is that we're going to try to get you all out. Zak and I are hustling and once we get 16 gold we're all leaving the city."

"And everyone agreed to this plan?"

"No but I- it's not like you're coming up with anything."

"How do you know, you're never around. I'm the one who has to pick up the pieces."

"I can't be around. Is that not clear? By the lake! All I did was try to give her hope and- and..." the boy paused like someone who knew they were about to step in a bear trap. "I did give her a gold piece."

"You what?" it was Zak's turn to sit up in his bedding.

"I was being sweet, you know, turning her plate to gold." He could feel his ears going red, "It's just one gold it's not like she can go anywhere with it. You said she'd need two gold if she was by herself."

"Yeah but not if she can convince someone to let her in on a fresh commission."

"Ok but what are the odds of that? Its Jo..."

"Yeah," Delson interjected "a young girl and experienced beggar."

The boy didn't breath for a moment, dread settled in his chest cold and jagged. Then in an explosion of motion he scrambled out from under the dock using hand holds he'd whittled himself. He blew past Delson who fell back out of the way. By the time Zak had climbed out as well the boy was already scaling the outer wall of the city.

Back into the world of grey wood walls and black roofs they went, dashing for the north gate with all the haste they could muster. The boy led the way in a blind panic with Zak close at his heals fighting hard to keep himself covered as he went. Delson was no slower than the two vagabonds but he was lagging behind significantly as he was a much less experienced street rats. They leapt roofs ducked carts and hurdled barrels, paying no head to any cries or shouts they elicited. Zak suspected that at one point a suspecting guard had taken up the chase but the boy had lost them without ever really knowing they were there.

Before long the tall blocky facade of the north gate was looming ahead of them. The boy jumped from a barrel to sign post up onto and awning before tight-roping across a banner line and diving into the parapets to the sound of startled guards. Heading nothing he ducked a table and hopped over the wall where he knew torch grates were waiting as handholds for his decent.

Landing outside the gate he saw no carriages waiting, being readied or unloading, only an odd forked aspen tree and the soft worn dirt that led off to the stables. He spun on the pair of outer-gate guards who were making a cautious advance. "Have any carriages left today?" He demanded.

"Now calm down young one," said one of them with a kind condescension. "Whatever you stole I'm sure that we can get you off with a light beating, no need to make this hard on anyone."

"I haven't stolen anything!" the boy insisted and looked to the other guard, "Was there a carriage today, did anyone hire."

"Maybe there was maybe there wasn't but it can't help you now." the other guard sneered.

The boy stepped forward clutching at the hem of the guard's sash, ready to beg. "Please!" his advance was met with studded back of the guards hand.

"Keep those filthy rat paws off me." the guard shouted as the boy fell back clutching his bloodied nose.

" Keep him there" said the first guard stepping away, "I'll grab the small manacles."

"Wait!" Zak cried in best human voice as he vaulted down from the lookout, conspicuously not using any hold to slow his fall. "Someones gone missing. Did you see a girl?"

"Hey Gregor!" called a third guard from the small door next to the broad front gate. "I've got a boy here from the orphanage says a little girls gone missing. Have you seen any leave on a carriage?" Delson's sweaty face peaked out from behind the guards elbow.

The two guards looked at each-other sheepishly realizing they'd misread the situation. "Uh yeah," the second one began "a couple carriages were commissioned at first light, three merchants and a couple strong arms to guard their hoard, they had a there was a girl in the cart too wasn't there?"

The first nodded "Yeah she had dark hair, and bulgy eyes ugly little thing I thought."

"Where did they go?" the boy choked voice horse and ragged from his sprint across the city. "They took the north road to the City of Kings, straight shot via Kynesgrove and the rift."

"You have to stop them!"

"It's no good lad they'll be all the way to Shor's Stone buy the end of the day."

"We could send a pigeon."

"Maybe, it'd take a …"

The boy wasn't listening anymore, he was running out away from the gate to the first ridge line that looked out to into the golden woods waving like liquid amber and the jagged peaks that peppered the landscape like thorns on a rose. He saw the northward slope the descending into the rift the yawning mouth of the wilds. He heard the light footsteps behind him as his friends ran up along side him. As stared maybe it was something in his eye but be swore he saw something in the trees ahead, way out there some small shape moving steadily along.

"I think she's gone." panted Delson

"No, I'm going after her."

"No you're not, you'd never survive the wild. Look at you, you're already bleeding."

"Jo!" the boy called hearing his voice get taken by a breeze and bounced off a rocky face. In the woods his cries would be dampened by the trees but up here there was a chance he could reach her. "JOOO!" He screamed. The hollow echo came back and he felt strength leave him for grief.

"Zak help me with him." the Redguard boy sighed and he felt his friends hands clasp his shaking shoulders and gently lead him back to the gate.

With each step he grew lower and lower the ground reaching up to him, swallowing his legs and hips. It wasn't until he was sunk in up to his chest that he started to panic. He tried to press his hands against the ground but his friends were pushing him in with irresistible force. The dirt and weeds bubbled and roiled as they washed over him and he was engulfed. The water pushing in from all sides the pressure in his head was unbearable. Suddenly there was a pop, and something behind his right ear, some part of his skull shifted back into place. His body convulsed as it was racked with a piercing pain. Then he felt cool tiles settle against his back and the water slowly receded from around his form.

He gasped in air and chocked violently but several pairs of hands held him down. The hunter blinked rapidly trying to take in his surroundings. In the dim light he saw the arching green swirls and sweeping gold patters in the wood above him. Was he in a temple? All around him were hooded faces watching him with shadowed eyes. He felt their hands pinching at him lightly as if checking for something; those hands were warm though the water was cold. He registered his nudity but disregarded it, he only hoped that he wouldn't have to stitch his furs back together like last time.

His head was being held lightly in and glanced up to see a matronly face looking back at him with a small smile, "You gave us quiet the scare." they said, "Took us sometime to find the crack in your skull but it's healing nicely."

Just then a familiar grizzled face came into view. Bracknel smiled down at him with his typically crooked grin. "You know I meant it when I said that women find scars attractive. But this..." he ran finger down his own eye, "I think you might be taking it a bit too far."