Opportunities

Six: You Only Think About Yourself

“I’ll be leaving town again,” I told Mazoga.

“I figured. You seem like the restless type.” She made the face that came closest to an Orc smile, a big toothy grimace. “Come back around sometime. It was fun.”

“I will.”

She thought for a moment. “Have you told your mother you’re going?” She frowned at me for rolling my eyes. “I know you don’t get along, but it’s still proper. Go talk to her.”

“Fine, but I’m only doing it because you’re so much bigger than me.”

Mazoga laughed. Sure, easy for her: she’d never even met my mother. “Why don’t you come along?” I asked. She agreed.

Like I said, she’d never met my mother.

Everyone else was cordial to both me and Mazoga, and complimentary about our recent promotion to Knighthood. Agata even seemed proud of me, which was a strange sensation for both of us. My mother, on the other hand, looked more inconvenienced than happy when they called her down the stairs to see us.

“So,” she said. “I suppose I’m expected to congratulate you for becoming a thug who goes out and kills people for a living. With an Orc.”

Mazoga grunted in displeasure. “Wanted criminals, mother,” I clarified.

“Oh, fabulous. That makes it much more ladylike, then.”

Agata scowled at her. “They did Leyawiin a service, Yvette. Most people appreciate them for it.”

“Thank you, but don’t bother,” I said to Agata under my breath. Then to my mother, “Actually, I’m going to be leaving again. I have other matters to attend to.”

“Of course, off again. Will you be taking your girlfriend with you?”

Mazoga was staring at her wide-eyed; her fingers curled around the hilt of her sword, but then she glanced at me and loosened her grip. “She’s not my girlfriend, mother,” I said.

“No? At least I know for sure that you won’t show up here unmarried and pregnant.”

I had to bite my tongue, hard. No, I wasn’t going to show up pregnant. Ever. It was physically impossible. One of her little tavern buddies had seen to that ten years ago, back when she used to cart her little girl around to seedy places and then ignore me for hours while she flirted and drank. Not that I was going to tell her that now when she wouldn’t even have cared at the time.

And she was a fine one to talk about “unmarried and pregnant,” anyway.

“Fine, Yvette,” I snarled. “You’re right, she is my girlfriend. And being a Knight is really just my cover for joining the Dark Brotherhood, because I just love killing people that much. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m off to assassinate Chancellor Ocato. Watch the papers!”

Mazoga followed me as I stormed out of the Guild hall. “Wow,” she said. “You weren’t kidding, were you? Sorry I brought it up.”

“That’s about what I thought you’d say.” I clapped her on the shoulders. “Not your fault, don’t worry about it. I’ll drop by when I’m in town again.”

Back up in Bravil, S’krivva greeted me more nicely: now I was regarded as a hunter rather than prey. “Here is your payment. There is more work right away, and it is important. You come from the Waterfront originally, yes?” I nodded, since it was close enough to true. “Hieronymus Lex is plaguing it again, and business there has shut down completely. The Gray Fox himself is safely away, but the siege must be broken. Methredhel has been charged with coordinating the effort: go and talk to her.”

Oh, good. Methredhel loved me.

She wasn’t home. That was for the best, of course, since the whole Waterfront was swarming with Imperial Watchmen. Lex had taken extra men from everywhere else in the city for the effort. The people who weren’t under active house arrest were mostly hiding in their shacks anyway.

I went into the Temple District instead, where a beggar directed me to a house in Talos Plaza where Methredhel was hiding, waiting for me. The plan, apparently, was to show up the folly of concentrating so much of the Imperial Watch in the Waterfront by pulling a rapid-fire series of robberies across the rest of the city. The job I’d been assigned, she told me with a decidedly malicious grin, was to steal a frost staff from the private quarters of the Arch-Mage.

I’d robbed her house in Bruma, sure, but that was different. Everybody knew that she’d barely set foot there since the Oblivion crisis, back when she was the Dragonborn’s eyes, ears, and hands in Tamriel. Along with other things, according to rumor, which might explain why people were now starting to whisper that she’d gone crazy. A crazy Arch-Mage, and a Destruction mage, no less. And at any rate, possessed of an infamous temper even when sane. And I was to leave a note there from the Gray Fox, to make sure she knew we’d done it.

A quick survey of local gossip established that she wasn’t in the Imperial City currently, so at least I had that going for me. It wasn’t as if she would be able to connect the crime to me personally unless I got caught, right? Surely the Gray Fox wouldn’t give me up. Right?

Purloined Shadows aside? I wasn’t the distraction, was I?

With the Watch distracted, it was shockingly easy to pass unnoticed into the Arch-Mage’s tower, and none of the mages were there in the wee hours of the morning. I made my way up through the disturbing portals the tower had instead of stairs. In the top floor was a nice little apartment, obviously seldom used. There wasn’t much there by way of personal items: the staff I was supposed to take was lying on top of an empty chest.

As simple as that. I wondered if anyone was even going to notice the thing was gone.

I read the note before I deposited it:

It seems that security in the Arcane University is not what it used to be. In fact, that seems to be a problem all over the Imperial City. I would recommend that you get your guards back on duty unless you want more of your precious artifacts to go missing. –
The Gray Fox

When I brought the staff to Methredhel and told her my doubts, she smiled. “Oh, they’ll notice. They keep everything extra tidy up there in case she ever does come around. In fact, I bet that will be the one that clinches it for us. We should keep an eye out for the reaction. Go watch Lex for us.”

She loved being in a position to boss me around. I went ahead, though, because I did want to see whether the plan worked or not. It didn’t actually take long: the sun hadn’t been up two hours when the lone daedra came striding toward Lex and his men.

People outside of the Mages’ Guild never did like to see that sort of thing in the best of times, and this soon after the Oblivion crisis it caused even more of a stir. The other watchmen were running around in a panic until the daedra calmly handed its folded note to Lex and then vanished.

As the chaos died down, Lex read the note, crumpled it and threw it down on the ground, clearly dismayed. Then he collected himself, and with a wave of one arm, called the guards to move out of the Waterfront.

I was too curious not to read it myself.

Hieronymus Lex,

Your vendetta against the Gray Fox has cost the Arcane University dearly. You commandeered the guards patrolling our property. In their absence, someone stole a valuable artifact from the University. We demand that you return all guards to their posts immediately. If you do not do this, we will be forced to bring the matter to the attention of your superior.

Raminus Polus
The Arcane University

Raminus Polus was second in command at the University. We had indeed gotten their attention. If anything, I was worried we would end up having too much of it.

But again, Methredhel was unconcerned by my report. “We’re giving it back,” she explained. “The University can pretend it never happened, the Arch-Mage doesn’t get mad at them, and they don’t stay mad at us. It’s all part of the plan.”

“Good. And I’m sure they’ll just take it back from me happily with no questions asked.”

“Of course you won’t do it directly. You’re going to drop it with a retired mage named Ontus Vanin, and he’s going to take it back. Just don’t be seen leaving it there.”

That wasn’t difficult either, but this time, I didn’t stay around to see the effect. I headed back down to Bravil to report to S’krivva and get my pay.

It wasn’t S’krivva who sat in her chair when I arrived, though: it was the Gray Fox. “You’re creating quite a name for yourself,” he smiled. “Not everyone would have accepted such a rash order, even from me.”

I grinned. “Well, it was annoying to answer to Methredhel – ”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say you were answering to her. She was just the messenger. The courier. That’s the job she’s being trained to.”

“But I like a bit of challenge. It’s why I do this in the first place.”

“Capital.” He stood up and regarded me with eyes full of enthusiasm. “S’krivva’s pleased with your progress as well. Keep working for her while I finish my research.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Research?”

“I’m forming, well, something of a plan, and I am going to need someone very accomplished and very daring to help me carry it out. If it will work at all. If what I think is correct.” What I could see of his face seemed to darken for a moment. “If it isn’t, I don’t know what I’ll do,” he added quietly, more to himself than to me. “I don’t know what will be left.”

Suddenly he seemed lost, alone. Without thinking, I put a hand on his chest. That startled him, and his pale eyes snapped to mine as he gasped. But neither of us moved.

“I’m sorry,” he said at last. “I was thinking out loud. I… don’t spend much time with other people any more.”

“It’s all right. I’m sure that whatever you’re trying to plan, you will succeed. You’re a legend.”

He sighed. “It is not so intoxicating as you might think to be a legend. It, it isn’t – ”

I kissed him. Somehow, adding vulnerability into his aura of power made him that much more attractive. His lips went on trying to form the next word for just a second before he realized he was being kissed. Then he moaned softly, closing his eyes as one hand came up to touch the curve of my back.

But then he pulled back from me. “No,” he said. “We mustn’t let ourselves be distracted. If I am right, Luminara, then we are about to embark on the greatest quest either of us will ever take, and our names – ” there was the faintest wince there – “will live forever.”

I didn’t quite see why that meant we couldn’t touch each other, but I respected his retreat. The moment having passed, he gave me my payment and the name of S’krivva’s own fence in Bravil, Luciana Galena.

Not that I saw much point in using her, since I couldn’t imagine there was anything in Bravil worth stealing. I still had a bit of time before my appointment in Skingrad, so I decided I would try hitting the opposite of Bravil: Chorrol.

I arrived late enough in the day that I saw to paying for a room first. The pub in the downstairs section of the Gray Mare was lively with drunk and desperate men, including – “Guilbert?”

The blond man slammed his tankard down angrily, and even that gesture made him wobble. “No, no, no! I’m not him, and he’s not me! I’m me, and he’s…well, I don’t know who he is. But he should stay out of my business!”

I sat across from him and tried to calm him down. “Of course. Of course you’re not Guilbert. You’re…” I trailed off.

“Reynald,” he answered, “right. People keep asking why they saw me in Cheydinhal. I’m not in Cheydinhal, am I? No. I want you to go.” He paused to suppress a belch. “I want you to find this impostor who is besmirching my good name. Tell him I am perfectly capable of…of besmirching my own good name.”

“Sure. I’ve got a little business of my own first, but next time I’m in Cheydinhal I’ll sort that out for you.” I studied him for a moment. If this wasn’t really Guilbert being a crazy drunk, then the resemblance between the two men was uncanny.

So I stayed to chat for a few more minutes. He said he’d lived in Chorrol for as long as he could remember – although he was drunk enough that “as long as he could remember” seemed to be about five minutes. He’d been raised at the nearby Priory, an orphan. He had a little house in town, but he spent most of his time here.

It was funny. His double in Cheydinhal had been too staid and sober to raise my interest, but Reynald was not sober enough. After we talked a little about who was well off in Chorrol and what their usual habits were, I went off to bed.

In the morning, when all the wholesome folk were about their business, I went to find the house of Rimalus and Rena Bruiant, who spent most of the day away from home, playing with their dogs. It was on the circle around the great oak in the middle of town, which meant its main entrance was rather exposed: but I had gotten quite good at choosing my route and my moment.

A few items of interest on the main floor, but nothing spectacular. I started to search upstairs. Someone stepped out from behind the bedroom door, and blocked the fist I raised in response.

It was Othrelos. “Why are you in Chorrol?” he hissed.

“What – why are you in Chorrol?”

“Never mind that. Fathis is here. You shouldn’t be.”

I was getting tired of this. “O, I’m in the Guild now. I’m under S’krivva, and everyone is scared of her. I’ve talked to the Gray Fox himself. There’s nothing Fathis can do to me. Besides that, I have the rest of the money I owe you, in case that was a problem. I can give it to you right now.” I reached for it.

He held my hand to keep me from giving it to him, pressed his forehead against mine, and closed his eyes. “I don’t want it now, Lum. That’s not the point. The point is that he’s a sneaky bastard, and he holds a grudge. Don’t come this close to him. Don’t give him an opening.”

I sighed. “Fine. Then I’ll go after I’ve finished here.” With a playful smirk I added, “Do you want to do it together? Like Skingrad?”

He held both of my wrists now. “No. You shouldn’t stay that long.”

This was ridiculous. I appealed to my ace in the hole, pressing my body up against his and letting him feel my breath on his neck. “Not even for a little while? You aren’t just slightly glad to see me?”

Instead of responding the way I wanted, he shook me once and glared. “Damn it, not everything revolves around what you want!” He stopped to gasp, as if he was as startled by his own harshness as I was. “Your being here at all is a hazard,” he growled, “and every moment you stay makes it worse. If you want to pay me back, do it by leaving now.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, how to feel about it. He’d never spoken to me like that, never, not even when I’d done something he didn’t like. I stood and gaped at him for a moment.

Then I said, “All right, then,” and I turned on my heel and left, and went out of Chorrol immediately.

I fumed over it all the way down to Anvil. Never once in all the time I’d known him. Never had he said anything so spiteful. “Pay me by leaving.” Fine. Fine. I was gone, and he could go back to obsessively spying on Fathis or whatever it was that he was doing with his time.

Zedrick and Khafiz were in our cave, sitting across from each other over an empty crate covered with beer bottles. “Is this all you’ve done since I’ve been gone?” I asked.

Zedrick snorted. “I’ve got a ship. I know where to get a crew, but I’d have to have some money to lure them over, and the main way I know how to get it, I can’t do without them.”

“If somebody financed you, would you pay them a cut of your takes?”

He raised his eyebrows at me. “Happily.”

“Good. Let’s go and see how many pirates I can afford.”

The answer was two. Zedrick took me to a docked ship named the Sea Tub Clarabella, where he knew the first mate. She was a Redguard woman, and she said she knew where to get the people we needed. We paid her for a supplier and a lock expert – if we weren’t doing this all in one go, we might as well start with the ones that would be the most use to me – and with what was left of my money, I also convinced her to outfit my cabin with appropriate furnishings. She was excellently quick: the whole lot showed up the next day.

Tahm Blackwell was a balding Imperial who had devoted his years to opening what other people wanted closed. He brought scrolls and potions devoted to breaking locks magically, and a set of practice lock boxes for improving the natural skill.

Jak Silver, a younger Imperial man, seemed to know how to get hold of almost anything. And he was also rather attractive for a blond – rougher and more angular than Guilbert, with more mischief in his face. He and Zedrick seemed to know each other, as well.

So that was a crew of four counting Zedrick and Khafiz, which was still only half of what he needed, but he was in high spirits as we all drank together. He was surprised that I wasn’t.

“What are you so mad about?” he finally asked as he opened his third beer.

“I spent months getting that money for someone, and he just – gah.” I waved my bottle angrily. “Been friends for years. I don’t know why he had to – so fine, so I kept the money, and I left! Just like he told me to!”

One edge of his mouth quirked up. “Friends, were you?”

“Of a certain sort.” Now I was even less happy.

He and Jak exchanged a suddenly cheerful look, and then Zedrick leaned over toward me. “Well, I know what you need to do, then.”

Khafiz rolled his eyes as I asked, “What?”

Zedrick murmured the answer into my ear. “Me and Jak.”

I giggled. “Oh really! That’s going to help?”

“You’ll feel lots better. It’ll serve him right, won’t it?”

On one hand, I wasn’t sure it would “serve him right,” since we’d never had any exclusive arrangement in the first place. I wasn’t convinced he would have cared. But they were both handsome men, and it did sound like an appealing distraction.

“I do have the new bed to break in,” I muttered.

The three of us rose from our seats, and I led the way into the ship and up to my cabin. It was now nicely appointed with a wardrobe, table, and a bed big enough to accommodate a guest. Or two, if we weren’t actually sleeping.

“I take it the two of you have done this before,” I purred.

Another lopsided grin from Zedrick. “Maybe.” He turned me to face him, and Jak stepped up behind me.

“I haven’t,” I said. “So you take the lead.”

He leaned down to kiss me, and at the same time I felt Jak’s lips touch the back of my neck. If I’d had any doubts about this idea, they were gone. I gasped and closed my eyes as their hands started to wander over me. Jak chuckled at my response and started to nip at my skin gently: Zedrick’s tongue entered my mouth to quiet me. With my eyes shut I lost track of who was touching me where, which hands were opening and removing my shirt.

That was strangely exciting, but I was losing the opportunity to watch them, and they were both pretty, so I opened my eyes again. I took off Zedrick’s shirt and ran my fingertips over his muscular torso. Jak’s hands cupped my breasts, and he pulled me back close against him. I felt his skin on mine; he must have taken his own shirt off while I wasn’t paying attention. I could hear him panting in my ear as Zedrick knelt in front of me and started peeling off the rest of my clothes. I wriggled a bit in anticipation, but Jak held me in place.

With a huge grin, Zedrick brought one hand up between my legs, pushing them slightly apart. He splayed his fingers, coaxing my lips apart, and started to lick and rub at my clit with an intensity that made me yelp. Jak sucked marks into the side of my neck and pinched at my nipples. Trapped between them, I arched back against Jak’s chest, growling and moaning. The arousal was making it hard to stand, and being forced to stand anyway was frustrating, and being frustrated was arousing. Soon I was howling in earnest as my legs shook under me.

Zedrick took hold of my hands and pulled me down toward him, and Jak pressed down on my shoulders. Zedrick opened his trousers and pulled my head to his cock. I teased it a few times with the tip of my tongue before sucking it into my mouth, which made him hum and take hold of my hair. I was on my hands and knees, and Jak’s hands ran over my back and my ass as I bobbed slightly back and forth in my work. After a moment I felt him enter me from behind – thicker than Zedrick, and I welcomed him with a muffled groan.

My nerves were all dancing and my skin was on fire. Jak’s pace was strong but not frantic, and his fingers clutched hard into my hips in just the way I liked. I stroked my tongue greedily up and down Zedrick’s cock, making him hiss and rasp for me. He gave first, deep back in my throat, making the swallow obligatory. Then he yanked up on my hair to pull me up onto my knees, my face to his. While we kissed again, our juices mingling on our lips, Jak started to pound into me more fiercely, and soon he had come as well.

We all leaned together wearily for a moment, back to many hands stroking along my skin, now with less urgency.

With one last grab at my breasts, Jak said, “You’d have a crew a lot faster if you made it known this was part of the regular pay.”

I clucked my tongue. “At least wait until you’re outside my cabin to start being an ass.”

Zedrick laughed, and looked at me as he refastened his trousers. “So, back to drinking?”

“No, I think I’ll go to bed. You two go on.”

They gathered their things and left, and I looked up at the bed next to me, which we hadn’t bothered to break in at all. I climbed up into it and lay there as the last of the sensations died down. It was the most intense experience I’d ever had. That made it even more frustrating how my mind went right back to the way I’d parted from Othrelos.