Challenges

Eiryn returned post haste to Balmora, heading directly from the strider port to her father’s apartment he kept on the seedier end of town. To uphold his cover of the local Skooma junkie, he wanted to be close to the undercurrent of society and the west side of Balmora was certainly the place. Here one found the South Wall Corner Club, known as the ‘poor man’s’ pub. South Wall was also the hangout of any number of less-than-savory individuals and rumored to be the Thieves Guildhall.
Balmora consisted of typical Hlaalu district architecture, with the square adobe building lining streets like stored crates. City walls with gracefully curving archways surrounding the city to offer some semblance of protection from the cruel world, but the city was not known to have many dangers outside of its borders. Only the occasional Nix Hound or Kagouti beast might dare to approach, but even then, more often than not, the fierce city guardsmen took matters well in hand.
Pausing at the threshold of Caius Cosades’ humble abode, Eiryn hesitating before knocking. Even through she was his daughter, knocking gave him a head’s up to who was entering for each Blade was expected to rap on the wooden portal a series of knocks in a code. To anyone else, the knocking was nothing unusual, but to the Blades, it not only announced their arrival as a member, but her father said he could even tell who was at the door by sound alone.
Swallowing hard, she rapped knuckles in the familiar rhythm. Caius’ voiced called out for her to enter. Here goes nothing, she thought to herself.
“Ah Eiryn! I was beginning to worry. I expected you to return last night.” He said, already moving to shove a pile of miscellaneous items to the floor to clear a spot for her to sit in his cramped living quarters.
His single room home had a scattering of empty bottles, ragged burlap sacks, and broken crockery, even clothing strewn about the unswept floor. The scent of Skooma smoke lingered in the dank air, a sickly sweet aroma mixed with the smell of dust.
If he missed me, he lost himself in his sugar last night, she frowned. Eiryn was growing concerned with this growing addiction of his. He’d never spoken of his Skooma habit, but some of the other Blades speculated he’d had it long before coming to Morrowind, and had used it to his own advantage in the guild. No one outside of the guild could possibly consider he was the spymaster, and he handled his addiction certainly better than others had.
The single cot along the one wall hid his Skooma pipe and moon sugar, while the other wall harbored a rickety table with chairs one often felt would either topple over or simply break from any weight. The very chair she sat on wobbled dangerously to falling over, and she steadied her balance by gripping the edge of the table. When was the man going to replace at least the chairs?
“Finding the Dunmer took longer than expected.” She told him, and grateful it wasn’t a lie. “He says he will return in a few days.”
To Caius seemed completely surprised by this message. Had he expected more insurgence from the thief? Brows pulled together in a frown. “Nothing more specific?”
Eiryn shook her head, hoping she could leave soon for fear of letting something slip of her nightly activities. “As you said, he wasn’t happy about hearing your orders to return, but he did tell me that he would, and I believe him. He wasn’t specific to when.”
“And you had no trouble with him?” Caius asked, almost as though he had expected something more to what she said than she was revealing.
“Nothing I couldn’t handle.” She replied with an inward smile. Yet another truth.
Her father turned his attention inward, considering her words, but seemed resigned. “Well I have something else I need you to do for me.” He said finally.
Great, she thought, another stupid errand. Steadying herself for another mote trip, she waited for her new orders.
“I’ve asked Marayn Dren at the Mage’s Guild to provide you some training in a few spells and enchantments.” He told her. Eiryn felt her heart nearly jump with joy. Training always meant consideration for advancement, but also that Caius was planning something of importance for her to take on for her next set of orders.
“When do I start?” Eiryn asked, eager to begin training. She’d always loved learning, and Marayn was one of the few mages she actually enjoyed dealing with at the Guild. He was the only male in the association of wizardry of Balmora; he was also the only Dunmer in the guild of mages, and like Saber, unlike most of his kind.
Though by far more reserved than the flamboyant thief, Marayn was soft-spoken and well mannered. He focused on his studies or his students, and kept to the task at hand. The sheer will and intellect the man affirmed why he was one of the more powerful mages within Balmora. The mage’s mind was a steel trap of memory, and very little passed by his attention.
Marayn also never bore prejudice against anyone regardless of rank or title. He treated a peasant with the same general good manner as he would a noble or merchant. Eiryn wondered if this same conduct might even extend to Lord Vivec himself! Then again, the mage had ties to one of the most powerful families in all of Morrowind. His cousin was Lord Dren of Ebonheart, spokesman for the Emperor here in Morrowind. The Dren family had a great deal of pull among the House of Hlaalu as well.
Caius was gazing at her oddly, breaking her thoughts on training with the mages. “By the way, where did you find Saber?” He asked suddenly, catching her off guard. She thought the topic had ended.
Gritting her teeth, the young scout blew a frustrated sigh. “He was staying at Desele’s Earthly Delights.” She told him. Her father was not stupid. Was Caius piecing together where she might have stayed herself last night? Would he know how charming Saber could be, or worse, did the Dunmer already have a reputation here in Balmora as well as Suran? Thankfully there was no brothel in the city…not yet anyway.
The spymaster carried a tightness around his mouth. The rigidity was his attempt at stifling a laugh. “I’m sorry Eiryn-“ A hand covered his mouth, and the faded eyes flickered quickly away to hide his humor. “Was he otherwise occupied?”
The young scout frowned, folding her arms over her chest. “Its not that funny.” She told him sternly. This only prompted a chuckle erupting from the spymaster, who quickly nodded in agreement. “And don’t ask me anything more on this matter.” She wasn’t about to give details that the elf was naked, and what led from there.
Caius snorted, breaking off a loud guffaw before finally controlling the laugh that threatened to burst out of him. “Well you handled this task quite well.” He told her. “Finish up your training with Dren and I just might advance you another rank.”
“Well I’m going now then.” She scowled at him, giving him warning to not ask her more about her trip to Suran. Might as well work this to her advantage, “And you can find me at the Eight Plates.”
”Why not stay here?” He offered, as he always did. It was a little game they played every time she visited.
She threw a discerning look about the clutter and tiny cot that seemed overcrowded in the cramped apartment. Caius snickered at her expression, nodding as he waved his hand for her to go.

*************************
Saber stiffened his resolve to meet with the spymaster two days later, giving the appropriate signature knock and waiting for Caius to bid him enter. Standing on the low stoop of the squat little building, the Dunmer couldn’t help but let his gaze wonder down the narrow street to see if he’d been followed, or anyone watched. It was an old habit of his, and to his surprise, he found himself hoping to see the young Breton woman upon his arrival. When the familiar voice of the spymaster called from within the apartment, the Dark Elf entered with night vision adjusting to the windowless room.
“Ah, so you’ve actually come back.” Caius said, his demeanor remaining cool. For some reason, the spymaster had remained consistently aloof. Had the man no sense of humor, or was he so dedicated to his role as a leader of the Blades that he saw the thief as something of an insult to their little club?
“Didn’t your messenger tell you I would?” Saber challenged him, setting his pack near the door. He was tired and wasn’t at all in the mood for a lecture, let alone from Caius.
The spymaster stiffened, gray eyes narrowing to glare. A day’s growth of beard marred his weathered face, with bushy browed tugged together in a permanent frown. “She did. Just out of curiosity, what made you change your mind? When you left, I was under the impression you’ve had enough and wanted to return to Cyrodil.”
“Return to prison you mean.” Saber responded in disgust. “That alone would convince me.”
“It hadn’t convinced you a week ago.” Caius pointed out, crossing arms across his chest. His jaw was set hard, raised in question. “So why the sudden change of heart?”
Saber fought the urge to fight, clenching a fist rather than grip the pommel of his sword. “No change of heart, Caius.” He insisted. “I find that this little endeavor might turn me a profit, and that is all.”
“Indeed?”
“I told you. I’m no hero.” He glared back.
The old man was unimpressed. “Care to explain why my messenger took so long in returning?”
Saber almost laughed, except his question seemed sincere albeit inappropriate. Why would he even care of his messenger’s whereabouts? But hadn’t Eiryn said the Blades’ frowned on members getting too acquainted? “How should I know?”
“She said you were in Desele’s, in Suran?” Caius persisted.
“And?” As if that should mean something. Was it even his business? Was he going to ask for details of each encounter he had within the Earthly Delights, or was his interest just for Eiryn?
“I know Desele’s is the only place in Suran with rentable beds. Eiryn must have stayed the night.” The spymaster’s gaze watched his reaction very carefully.
“And you’re thinking she must have stayed the night with me?” Saber finished for him, but admitted nothing. Did he think she was a child? Since when do guildmasters have any say in what their members were doing? Wasn’t she also a Blades, a spy, that was in service to the Emperor? Angered that he’d dare ask something as personable as this, the Dunmer leaned to one side, tapping a finger alongside his chin in pretended consideration. “Let me think…I slept with Myra…Runa…Desele…”
This clearly annoyed Caius to no end. “Did you or didn’t you?” The voice grew almost ragged in anger.
Saber frowned in disappointment. So easily baited? “I don’t remember.” He sneered, curious to know if this spymaster could possibly lose his temper enough to fight him.
Caius stiffened, muscles flinching in his arms as if he’d considered doing just that very thing. For an old man, the spymaster was toned, and not unskilled with the sword. How could he not be, being the leader of a band of spies for the Emperor? Saber lifted hands with a laugh. “Oh settle down Caius. If you are so curious to the activities of your Guild members, perhaps you should ask her?” He paused dramatically, “Or perhaps you did, and she didn’t give you an answer either I’m guessing?”
“Saber…” Caius warned, his face flushed red in fury. “One last time to give me a straight answer-“
“No.” Saber said, looking in directly in the eyes when he spoke, and letting all humor fade. “My answer is no.” No, I won’t give you a straight answer, and no, it’s none of your damned business!
Satisfied with the response to his question, Caius couldn’t realize what Saber meant and had to believe the elf was simply responding. “Well it would seem I’m stuck with you.” He spat, shuffling through a pile of papers in the far corner of the room. “And I already have new orders-“
”Great.” Saber muttered, kicking his pack with his foot in frustration.
“I was to give you these orders the last time we spoke, but you ran off-“ Caius muttered.
Saber rolled his eyes, finding the control to not throttle the man. “Just tell me what you want me to do.” He sighed in frustration.
“You will need to visit the Urshilaku tribe to be tested.” Caius told him.
”Tested?” The Dark Elf scowled, wondering what was he to expect now.
Caius ignored his question and continued. “There you will need to speak to Sat-Matuul, the Ashkhan leader of the tribe, and their wisewoman, Nibani. Tell them your story, and have them test you against the Neveravine prophecies. Once that is done, report back to me-“
“And this tribe is where?” The scowl on Saber’s face only darkened. Seemed simple enough; get tested, find out he was nothing more than what he’d always been, a petty thief, and get on with his life.
The spymaster handed him a bag of gold coin. “Its along the north coast of Vvardenfell, North of Maar Gan. You’ll need to go to Fort Moonmoth first to pick up some supplies. I hear the Blight is rather bad in that area, so you might need some spells and scrolls that might come in handy.”
“And what of a scout?” Saber asked casually.
“A scout?”
“To help me find this tribe.” The Dunmer explained. Casually stuffing the coin in his pack, he lifted a strap to his shoulder in preparation to go. “Perhaps I could hire a scout.”
“The Woodsman Guild could provide you with one.” Caius said, growing suspicious.
“Oh I already have the scout I want in mind.” Saber grinned, turning to leave. “I hear Eiryn is a splendid scout -“
As soon as his back turned, Caius pounced, grabbing the elf by the shoulder to spin him forcibly against the wall. Using his heavier weight, and his stiff arm, the spymaster pinned the Dunmer to the wall. Despite the elf being slightly taller, the spymaster had the bulk to keep him there. Caius wanted to punch the smug grin off the elf’s face. The cocky smile meant he goaded him…again! Perhaps he needed to teach this elf a lesson? “You are not to go near Eiryn, understand?”
“No?” The Dark Elf continued to smile amused by the temper. He had anticipated this very reaction from the spymaster. “And why is that? Who is she to you?”
“I look after my operatives.” Caius glowered. “I won’t have you insinuating yourself with Eiryn-“
“Insinuate-?” Saber huffed in indignation. “She’s a grown woman, Caius. You behave as though she’s a child. Why is that? Why so protective over this particular operative?”
The muscles twitched in Caius’ jaw, and the man was very close to actually beat the elf to an inch of his life. However, his attacking Saber only adding to the elf’s growing suspicions, and could lead to more trouble down the road. Releasing him in disgust, the spymaster held back his livid anger. “The Blades look after their own.”
“And yet-“ Saber said, eyes narrowed in scrutiny. “Somehow I doubt the other Blades would attack me like this, let alone ask if I slept with the woman.”
Stepping back, Caius realized how it must appear, and his face flushed red. “Just complete your orders and report back to me.” He growled defensively. “As for Eiryn, she’s too busy to join you in your travels, so pick someone else.”
“Is Eiryn, by any chance, in Balmora?” Sabers asked, eyes wide and his face a mirror of innocence.
Why does he provoke me? Caius wondered, fighting the urge to punch him again. ”Get out.”
“With pleasure.” Saber replied, dropping the game to leave as quickly as he could.