The Argonian Maid?...Nope!

„What did you say?“ I stare at the orc speechless
“Oh what..nuthing. I said nuthing” and then she is going her way, back to the hut as if she really did NOT say that horse stew is tasting good. No…a delicacy to them…her..whatever.

I am slightly disgusted.
I like horses..but..
I do not know why i am so disgusted because I can not remember my past.

Still my face is scrunched up and I never want to meet that woman again.
Talking about eating horse stew when she has to care for the horses of citizens which pay her to keep an eye on their precious horses.
This sounds just plain wrong to me..and she is painting a bad image for all the people out there. The bad, barbarian orcs. And it also reflects on all the other races which are not quite humanlike enough.
Never ever let an ork or an argonian or a khajit care for your animals or !!beware!! your children because they may eat them when they are hungry or just because they like the taste…this is exactly what people will think.

Still making the impression of a fish I stomp away from the hut, behind the stable where I try to calm down while the horses do not seem to be concerned..maybe a bit with the orc but not with the stable boy or myself.
“Some people think that horses are for riding…and then there are people like orcs who think that horses are better in stew”
“Why eat such a useful animal? I mean..except it is the question of starving or not. Or the horse is already dead or dying..or similar things”
“You would eat a dead horse you found somewhere?”
“Well if I had to starve otherwise than yes, but I rather share some vegetation with the horse then have it on a plate”
This causes him to look strange at me “Thought argonians were mostly meat eaters?With all these pointed teeth?”
“Ah no well..i think there are more carnivour argonians known because..it is more spectacular to hunt and kill with teeth and claws than climbing trees and eat fruits, isn´t it?
But I think most of us have a mixed palate like humans. I myself are herbivore..i think…at least plants taste good to me and the smell and taste of dead animals and raw meat makes my stomach churn”
“But why the sharp pointed teeth?”
I point at my eye teeth “You mean these? Like with boars they are there to impress mostly but also to defend ourselves..i think…I can not remember clearly..got hit on the head”
At least that´s a good explanation.
“But all your other teeth are also sharp?”
“Do you think a beaver can gnaw down trees with blunt teeth? They are sharp as hell. My teeth are this way to strip leaves from branches..you see…bite and then pull”
Which I demonstrate with a nearby tree, ripping of a branch and combing all the leaves from it as I pull the branch through my teeth
“Anf fem my teef further in my mouf tear and grind everything, still sharp, how else?”
Hm, that twig wasn´t so bad tasting, chewing the leaves and then the young twigs before I scrap the bark with my teeth from the remaining branch..
He grins as I take another branch and eat it too, but I just shrug my shoulders.
“You are just jealous because you humans can not get your food as easily as I can” but my words are still jokingly and good natured.
“So you can only eat plants?”
“I could eat nearly every thing considered food by humans, but I prefer plants. There is a tribe in the desert which feeds their horses dried meat and fish because often there are no plants..so horses can eat meat too..but if that is something which should be done always?…so I just stay with plants and eat what tastes good to me and also makes me feel so.”
“Understandable…I personally can not stand melons,but I would give nearly anything for a sweet muffin”
“Sweet muffin?” I ask, still chewing on some bark.
“Like bread, only smaller and slightly sweet. It is often eaten by ‘better’ people instead of bread,but it is so good…and I do not have the spare money to buy it often.
Most time it is just gruel with what cheap foods we can buy on the market”
“Well…I have to go and meet a couple of people, maybe it get a regular job soon, than I will buy a couple of muffins for you to celebrate”

His eyes light up and he is smacking me heartely on my back “Then I hope it goes well and I see you soon”
“Yeah we will see..take good care of the horses and an eye on the orc”
I wave my hand as we part and I decide to take the way around the city walls to reach the harbour instead of taking the route through the city, all the while plucking plants and stashing them in my bag. Who know when I can use them? I still have more than an hour, at least by what I can tell from the dimishing light, so I indulg myself with collecting what I can find.
Not that I could name them all..but maybe later. Wouldn´t it be useful to make all that potions and salves by myself instead of finding or buying them, depending on someone else?

But that are dreams which lie in the future, so when I reach the shore, still a good length away from the harbour, I dive into the water and swim the remaining way.
What is more refreshing than taking a swim while the sun is setting, the stars start sparkling and the heat of the sun is still caught in the water?
I dive and let myself drift. Strange that I can see so good under water in the night, but maybe only because I can not remember it.
Maybe everything is just simply natural for me instead something to wonder about.

When I get out of the water, again I see the old graveyard. Seems to be a ‘magical’ point for me, but first I need to dry of a bit, shaking myself on all fours befor I sit down and dig through my knapsack for the book I should have ‘collected’ for the thieves guild.
Would be good if that magical thing had compartmens so I could find things easier, but soon I have the book between my claws and I ask myself I I should sneak a peek.
But it is getting already too dark and late and I surely do not want to miss my chance to join a guild and one which seems to care for the poor people too.
So I just take the book and walk to Dareloth´s Garden, jumping over the small wall and not stumbling this time.

Well, soon I feel like hitting my head on exactly that wall, or better the one of someone else.

“You gotta be kidding me???” this redguard told me ice cold that I had to go to Bruma to show that I am worthy to be in the thieves guild.
First I thought nothing of it but when I asked where Bruma is, my jaw went slack before I started screeching at the guy.
Bruma, in the Jerall Mountains, the mountains I could see there..far, far away.
At least I saw them in daylight, not now because..well..past midnight.
And why should I earn money for the guild in Bruma? Because no one else from the thieves guild would buy stolen goods, only in Bruma because I am too new and could mean trouble to the guild if i steal the wrong things.
And because in the imperial city are too important people, they send the newbies somewhere far away.


But this Christoph guy is nice enough to trade a couple of blades for a good ammount of lockpicks, so I race back to the graveyard where no one can see how I use my knapsack and then I hand daggers and a sword over in exchange for my tools.

Yeah…the deal is not so good, but I need my money and where else should I get lockpicks?
I also have no interested to meet Jensine again. I could have made better money and bought more lockpicks then, but I do not want to dwaddle around another day here when I should travle to Bruma, even when I have no good ideas how to make it in one piece there...and also fast.
Maybe I should start walking now, take the road and just go on, but am just so depressed.
Life is unfair, especially when in the next moment I am grabbed by the shoulder as I walk along the waterfront and come face to face with my favorite three khajits.

“Birdie, you came..i thought you would try to weasel yourself out of the deal” and then I am pressed against a furry side, sandwiched shortly after by the the second brother.
“What deal, we had no deal..you …!” but I am silenced, or rather I shout scared as the brothers shove me on board of a ship with an orc as security it seems.
He is big, green and staring me down with his mouth full of teeth and these black, small eyes.
But before I can say anything, he and the khajits are greeting each other like good friends and the flock of people which follows us, is pushing us further, through the door which the orc opens.
I feel dizzy, not only because of the rough entry but also because the ship is buzzing full. Orcs, mer, khajits, argonians…and as bartender an altmer.
But the wild mix of people is not the worst..there on the table…

I squint through my fingers, is it true?
There on the table are dancing people in different states of undressing and the brothers drag me to a table farther away. Ordering something to drink.
Not that I would see that, I try not to look because all the servers are more or less naked.
But when jugs are placed on our table I pick one up, sniff and take a sip, still trying to shield myself with one hand.
At least the drink is good..sweet and tasting like berries,also dark violet and warm.
Not hot but nicely warm so my stomach feels no longer as if I tumble down a hill.
“Lemme introduce you to the ‘Bloated Float’, our favorited place for entertaining”
Scoffing I look at the brother “Nice way of entertainment. Half naked people wagging their asses” rolling my eyes with the last words and gulping down the drink, ordering the next one “That´s on your tap kitty because you nearly blinded me with your display earlier”
They just grin to each other.
~Damn I whish i would know how they make that drink..i love berries~
“Why do you go here..i mean…” I just helplessly shrug my shoulders, I just can not imagine why they would …well..that is so embarassing.
But instead of an answer something is shoved in my face, blinding me as the soft mass is obscuring my view and I struggle to get free while someone cooes.
“Uh you guys, brought someone new..oh how twee..and with feathers. I never saw such one”
Womanly voice and a very womanly bust as I break free, breathing hastily and starring at the …ah…nord?
“What why…what are you thinking?” blinking stupidly at the skimpily dressed big and blond haired woman which tried to suffocate me just moments ago.
“Yeah now you see why we brought birdie, dear Olga..”
“But I am afraid I may break your bird” first ignoring me and then “So what´s your name, surely not birdie, or?”
“Ahm..Kyrell…or something similar..got hit on the head” I try to explain still dumbfounded
“Yeah Olga, hit on the head and hit on by me…do you know a nice girl..or boy?” twinkling eyes look sideways at me.
“Hey don´t speak about me as if I am not here?” standing up and thumping my fist on the table, a second later pulled down by the more silent third brother.
“Just let birdie be. It is better to take a look first then jumping into something unknown. Not everyone is as depraved as you dear brother”
“Oh well so I get you four another round of drinks, won´t I?” smiling, winking at me..why always me?…and then turning her back on us, waggling her butt as she walks away through the crowd and all the noise is crashing down on me.
The cheering, shouting an too shrill laughter is all too confusing to me. I just hid behind my drink for the time beeing.
I wish I could hide there for the rest of the night, just sipping my drinks, listening to the musicians which play while the servers dance on the tables or on the lap of the costumers.

The light is not dim enough for me to not to see what is going on there, when the dancers grind down, giggle,laugh..and touch.
And then some of the guest give money to the bartender and vanish down the stairs..with a server or dancer.

Maybe I am just too tired, or it feels to good as someone is stroking my tail, brushing the feathers, but I first do not realise what is happening until the hand is wandering to high, brushing the feathers under my shirt and I start with a fright, showering myself and the khajit brothers with my drink as I yank my arms high, falling backwards from the bench and a grinning cat on top of me.
Which one is he? I am so puzzled because I do not know whom of the three is looming over me that I forgot to struggle and hiss at the stupid furball which he seems to misinterpret as liking it.
Something in my big, unbelieving eyes must have told him I was up to some groping and slobering all over my face.

The few moments between him acting and me reacting seem still too long.
My face wet and my clothes disheveled. How could that have happened so fast?
Oh the wonders of a thiefs nimble fingers, or should I say khajit? Does it really matter? Both the same.
I shove him back, spluttering and wiping my face with the sleeves of my shirt, staring up at the others, now freckled with pink dots, one grinning, snickering behind his hand, the saner one of the three looking concerned and the one who got his fingers on me, sitting askew from me…

I really do not want to name what I see in his eyes, the hungry glint which makes me feel like prey, does he purr? He´s dragging his claws across the floorboards and I feel dizzy, rising panik.
Why did I agree to meet them? But technically I stumbled into them..if they didn´t search for me, did they?

Oh by the great dragon, did they search for me, is this a trap?
My befuddled brain is slowly catching up with my body, a body which is turning around, jumping up and running away as the khajit tried to pounce on me.
Somehow I was faster, tumbling down the stairs and through the door, searching for a place to hide.
There is an open door as I turned right, banging it close as I stumble in the room, turning the key and shoving a stool under the knob so the door can as sure as possible not be opened. And then also the chest at the foot-end of the bed ends up in front of the door and me hiding under the bed.

What exactly has happened and why? Now I realize that I shake, dumbfounded that…I hated the feeling of beeing touched…well..not exactly.
It felt nice when his claws stroked my feathers ..but…it was nice and horrible and in the end just horrible.

Someone is knocking at the door, than trying to turn the knob and pushing against the door.
Argueing which is getting louder while there is rattling and knocking.
Footsteps turning further away from the room where I hide and then blessed silence.
Only me and my wheezing breath as I try to stay as calm as possible.

I wake as someone is pushing against the door and rams it out of the hinges. I can not see who, just heavy, dark leather boots strolling in front of the bed, someone looking into the trunk clattering the lid before leaving the room again.

Then there is a rough voice screaming, but muffled..someone in an other room nearby?
Crashing sounds, thumping against wood and screams for help.
How long had I been asleep and how did it happen?
I thought I would never sleep again, but I felt so dizzy and sleepy, then nothing.

The door is ajar, but still obscuring me from view so I try to crawl into the open, inching me forward and cowering behind the door.
Ok what has happened?
I got this damn headache again and the taste in my mouth is horrible, but not as bad as after the potion.
As I try to remember what happened, I unfortunately can and just want to hit something or someone, but then I hear someone walking along the corridor and again the screams for help, the angry shouts about scum and pirates.

Oh that illuminates the strange feeling as if the floor is moving, the floor is moving or rather the ship I am on, shipnapped by pirates.
Maybe friends of the guys I got killed some days ago?
Through the crack between two planks I can see a guy. Hm…have seen bigger ones.
So for now I just stay behind the door and try to decide what I do, listening if I can hear something usefull..

Thank the Nine for bored bad men, seems that they start talking to themselves, complaining about their comrades, the damn boss, their names and what happened that annoyed them.
I do not dare to rummage through my knapsack for some potions against my headache, but then the man is walking down the corridor, kicking against the door at the end and screaming to the prisoner in there to be silent.
This is my chance, so I slink out of my room to the door on the main floor, but instead of going up there I just close it a bit noisely and walk whistling to my …->
“Hey buddy, one can hear you and the guy there up on deck. What are you two doing there?”
He blinks, looks owlishly at me and then straightens, sounding gruff
“Who are you? I thought there was no one else on the ship” while laying a hand on his weapon
I try to look as dumb as he did.
“Why…did no one tell you that I would join? Ok it was last minute but Selene wanted me here to help with the search”
This makes him angry, talking about not wanting to share with another person, but what can he do, he seems to be the last one in line.
“Oh don´t look so sad..i mean..there are good and bad things..there is another job..easy and with much money but I can not talk about that now..you know..the boss” looking annoyed about the antics of our boss.
“What about a drink until we can safely search the ship? Just keep an eye on our prisoner, I know where the really good stuff is”
So friendly as I am, I walk away, behind the corner so my new buddy can not see me and rummage through my belongings.
Ah..some bottles of wine..somehow the smell is not unknown to me, but there are more important matters now.
I drip some liquid from the bottle with the skull into the wine, swishing it and walking back when everything else is stored away safely.
Grinning I take a swig, at least it has to look like I do it..but before I can get the wine to touch my lips, the man is snatching the bottle away.
“Because of my troubles with you....because we get less money” he offers as a half serious answer, emptying the bottle nearly in one turn.
We chatter for some time while he gets more and more drowsy and then he slumps forward,still breathing.
Grinning I search his pockets and walk to the door in the back.
I knock which silences the screams “I free you, but please, stay calm, there are still bandits on the ship”
When the key is turned and I slip into the room, closing the door behind me again I come eye to eye with something big and green “Oh..ah..hy?”
“You..how?” skeptical the orc looks me up and down “You are too scrawny” he just says.
“Oh well,luck? But you can complain about my lack of strength and body mass later. There are only three more pirates and with a bit more of my luck we can take them out and get the ship back”
“You are the one argonian from yesterday, the one with the brothers from the courier”
This makes me hiss and I turn sourly “Yeah, and? Just do me the favour and do not bring them up again..and here is something we can try…”


Now that I have explained my plan, he is stomping up the stairs with lots of noise, creaking wood, splintering wood..just a couple of wooden boxes but it could have also been a door…and I wait while he growls and howls orcish.
But just as fast as he got up, he runs down the stairs, then walking backwards to keep one of the pirates in his line of sight.

His hands are raised in a gesture of surrender, looking scared because her hand is glowing while the other one holds her weapon. As he walks backwards, stumbling slightly over the draped body of my ‘buddy’, seamingly knocked unconscious by the orc, or maybe the door of the storage room…yeah…good.
Another crashing sound, this time caused by a plank on a bandit´s head.
Graman catches her body easily and we both grin toothily from ear to ear.
As I help him to to tie both bandits up and gag them we both have a hard time not to laugh.
Maybe all the stress is making itself known, or we are just happy that it was so easily.

“Wait,give me the key…ok..i get the third?”
“So as you think what is best, you seem to have impossible luck, so we do it your way scrawny”
“Better than the nickname the khajit brothers gave me” I tsk, walking up the stairs.
How can you call the first floor of a ship? It surely has a special name which the boatmen are so proud about..why I am puzzling over that now as I turn the key?

As I stick my head through the door, having it only opened as much as needed, I see this guy.
He is defenitely bigger than the young man I poisoned.
And he also is less talkativ,no asking where I came from, he has already drawn is weapon, maybe as soon as he heard how the key turned in the lock, and then he charges at me with a malicious grin “Ah minx send me somehing to play with..come here and let me pet you”

Yeeeaaaah sure..i stay and let me get petted with his longsword..i just squeak frightened and flee down the steps to hide behind the counter while he does look nor left or right and then..he tumbles down as Graman pulls the rope and Wrath trips.
He was not as lucky as his companions, his head is the wrong angle, looking at his back with big eyes and a trickle of blood down his chin which makes me shudder.

I just stay where I am as my orcish friend is searching for the key to Ormils chambers.
Why is his death making me queasy?
Didn´t I kill before, also to save my hide? Just like now…but..i feel different.
Maybe because the other two are still alive and their death was not necessary?

Then we both stand in the doorway as the door opens and Selene turns, expecting to see one of her crew and then seeing us.
She just grabs Ormil, bound to a stool and threatens us with a dagger to his throat..but I am so tired.
“Can´t you stop it? One of your friends is dead…Do you want to die too? I can guarantee that you will die…your crew can not help you..think you can stand against an orc for long?
I think the resignated way in which I talk to her, is the main reason she lowers her dagger, looking pale while she looks nervously behind us and then at us

“They are dead, all of them?”
Now she sounds more like a little girl who made a prank which turned out bad.
“No, but I can guarante that the other two will die if you hurt Ormil because he and this orc are close friends I think..” and he fumes next to me, cracking his knuckles.
“Ok, you have won,I give up”
It really looks as if she has taken a too big bite on which she chokes now as I take her weapons, free Ormil and switch her with him, fastening the rope.
“A poor life is better then no life, hm?” do I feel a spark of symphatie…yes I do.

When Ormil tries to thank me I just get back down to the room in which I had slept, let them both stand there dumbfounded, now taking the bed instead sleeping under it, again barricading the door.
Now I hide under the blanket and I do not know why I cry..it was too much in such a short time.
But at least I can cry in peace now, without anyone disturbing me.
I cry, even when there is no clear image that comes to my mind as a reason why i feel so sad.
It is just the emotion, the overall feeling of beeing lost, alone.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Yeah i turned the bloated float into some sort of strip club.Why else would there be a tavern on a ship in the poorest district of the city, with an altmer as owner?
And also an altmer as costumer? Areldil is not poor, so why is he there, altmer seem to be rather snobby and never ever like to touch something below their standard?

Because Hieronymus Lex (and Servatius Quintilius) is also a regular costumer, there may be nice twists in the future, what do you think?

Just a simple tavern with high priced sleeping chambers..if you 'compare' prices of the different places where you can sleep it starts to look strange, or not?
Which other 'poor' tavern has bouncers?

So for the ship to be a swimming strip club, seems logical..or also maybe something with drugs.