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The Forsworn Retribution	By : Samson Category: +A through F > Elder Scrolls - Skyrim Views: 60892 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 3
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Eagle Feathers

The Forsworn Retribution
Part V - "Braves"
By: Jesse Racine AKA Samson
Original Date Written: June 21, 2014

The first hour or so of the cart ride was quite pleasant, all things considered. Maximus, still rather annoyed by his first meeting with Jarl Igmund, had descended into an uncharacteristic silence. He spent his time drinking the last of the mead bottles Svetlana had bought before the forced march to Dragon Bridge, tossing them back with gusto despite their warmth and staling flavour. The Dunmer sat across from him in the cart, silently watching the scenery pass them by with a neutral look on her face. Svetlana, to Maximus’ left, chatted merrily with Bunny, who took up the last spot in the cart, just next to the Dunmer. Maximus was glad for their lengthy conversation, since it kept the cart driver in a respectful silence. The last thing he was in the mood for was awkward small talk with a stranger.

Maximus blinked, dimly aware that Bunny had said his name. Svetlana’s hand suddenly came down on his thigh, stroking from knee to groin in order to get his attention, which it invariably did. He looked over, a slightly perturbed look on his face as he finally got around to chucking his empty mead bottle back into the supply sack. Svetlana and Bunny were both looking at him with a smile, but Bunny seemed the most lit up with excitement. “Well? What do you think?” She asked, blissfully unaware of the concept that he hadn’t been paying attention, something he made abundantly clear when he coolly said “Think about what?”

Bunny’s spirits weren’t doused. “About trying out my potion! I tried telling you earlier, but I couldn’t really finish. You seemed pretty preoccupied.” Maximus pulled out what had to have been the last mead bottle. Even though his teeth were already floating, he uncorked it and took a sip, fully prepared to nurse it for an hour or two. “I don’t think so, Bunny. I’ve never been keen on drinking weird potions. Pass it to Lana, or something.” Bunny tittered at his grouchy answer. “It’s totally safe, Max, I promise. In fact, it should have some interesting effects! I call it “Vigour Tusk,” I made it with powdered mammoth tusk and some ground-up Dragon’s Tongue, as well as one or two other little odds and ends. I had a bit, myself, but...I think the effects will be a bit more potent on a man.”

Maximus furrowed his brow. “I’ve never heard of a potion that’s stronger on one sex. What does it even do? If you tried it, you should know.” Bunny grinned. An unmistakable hint of red started washing over her face. “Well, eh heh, it...Um...How do I put this?...” Svetlana took over, smiling mischievously. Giving his thigh a little squeeze, she said “It’ll be a surprise, Max. But, trust us, it’ll be a good one.” The Dunmer’s brow subtly sank, her eyes slowly drifting over from the scenery. Maximus, meanwhile, raised an eyebrow. It was always nice to see that Svetlana was hot to trot, but she couldn’t have picked a worse time for it. Maybe once they reached Solitude, he’d pull her into some back alley and show her what-for. Come to think of it, he’d been meaning to do that for a few days, already. On top of that, poor Bunny must’ve been feeling neglected, too...

He lightly chuckled. “Let’s wait until we reach Solitude before we start messing around with weird potions. Shouldn’t you two be thinking about what shops you want to visit first?” Svetlana smiled. “We already have! Bunny’s not really comfortable about going into the city, so I’ll probably just stop by an alchemical shop, for her. I was thinking about going to a clothing store, too, and then maybe swinging by the temple. They have an all-inclusive temple in Solitude, the only one in all of Skyrim! What about you?” Maximus briefly smiled. “I’ll just be a tourist, thanks. I don’t think I’ll-” A sudden whistling briefly filled the air, followed by a sickeningly wet crunch!

The cart gave a hard lurch before halting, tipping everyone over in their seats. One of the two horses pulling the cart cried out over the sound of something heavy collapsing, but a second whistling sound cut the animal off. The carriage driver panicked, crying out “By the Eight! Oh gods, my horses!” Maximus glanced to the side, throwing away his mead bottle. The horses had both been killed, each impaled through the torso with icicles the size of a large child. The sight of ice Magicka instantly gave away who their attackers were. Maximus’ brow sank as he found the handle of his sword, teeth baring as his head twisted to the side.

Eyes roaming the hills beside the road, he spotted them almost instantly. There must’ve been about six of them, with five men leading in front of a woman whose hands possessed the telltale glow of Magicka. Their bold daytime attack infuriated him, and the way they just casually marched down the hillside suggested they were more than confident in the success of their surprise attack. Maximus’ free hand found Svetlana’s shoulder, ready to pull her with him when he began leaning backwards. The Dunmer beat him to the punch, violently diving out of her seat and straight into him, bashing her shoulder into him to force him over the edge. All three of them fell over the side of the cart, hitting the ground in a hard jumble.

Bunny covered her head and cried out a couple of times, briefly panicking as further ice spikes came raining down from the hillside. One brutally smashed into the cart just next to her, destroying the sack Maximus had been keeping his bottles in. The splinters of wood and glass striking her side finally spurred her into action, making her grab her bow and quiver before diving over the edge of the cart. The cart driver must not have noticed the attackers, as he made the extremely foolish decision to not use the cart for cover. He ran past the side of the cart, beginning to head back the way the cart had come, perhaps thinking to flee back to Markarth.

The female in the Forsworn group thrust out an arm in the man’s direction, a pulse of frosty air flashing from around her hand. A lengthy spike of ice shot from her palm, flying through the air like a spear. It hit the cart driver in the stomach, jamming about a quarter of it’s length into his body. The cart driver, mortally wounded but not yet dead, collapsed to the ground, looking down at his stomach in raw confusion. Svetlana scrambled around, getting up in a squat before peeking past the side of the cart. Hissing urgently, she asked “Forsworn? Is it Forsworn?” Maximus grabbed her by the shoulder, pulling her back into cover before she invited another volley of spells.

“Of course it is! Bastards think they’re gonna finish us off!” Maximus growled, unsheathing his sword. Bunny peeked under the cart, watching as two pairs of feet came into view at the base of the hill. Nervously, she whispered out “They’re coming! What’re we gonna do? They’ve got an Ice Maiden with them! W-Without Sabrina-” Svetlana gave Bunny a firm look, muttering out “I’ll be able to handle it, just leave her to me. Worry about the other guys, first.” The Dunmer watched from under the cart as one pair of Forsworn boots stopped by the injured cart driver. The man looked up, screamed for a moment, then went rigid as an axe came shearing down into his mouth, brutally splitting through his face. The axe pulled back and gave another savage hit, cutting clean through, leaving the man’s head in two halves. She averted her eyes, hands finding her daggers. Not a chance in Oblivion she’d let that happen to herself. She’d take her own life before suffering such disfigurement.

The group didn’t have much time before the attack was underway. After all, it wasn’t as if the Forsworn didn’t know where the group had taken cover. Maximus briefly muttered “Get ready, and stay behind the cart!” as the pounding footsteps came closer. He pulled Svetlana behind himself as the driver’s murderer came around the corner of the cart, axe already upraised. Maximus thrust out his sword like a stinging bee, running the man through before he could even swing his bloodied weapon. The Forsworn man grimaced, looking down with a hint of surprise. He hadn’t been expecting to find his enemies low near the ground, and that simple mistake had spelled his doom.

Complete anarchy broke out. The Forsworn had to have been expecting their targets to simply cower and beg, as once they realized one of their own had been attacked, the rest of the brawlers scrambled in a hurry. Maximus twisted and yanked his blade back out of the Forsworn man, knocking him down to bleed out in the dirt. Another of the men came rushing around the corner, wildly swinging his axe in the process. Meanwhile, two more came rushing around the far side of the cart, coming face to face with the Dunmer. Stuck in the middle, Svetlana and Bunny looked up in surprise as the last male jumped up on to the cart, quickly scanning around at the situation below.

When his eyes fell on Bunny, they widened in a blaze of rage. Raising up a makeshift sword of bone, stone, and twine, he jumped over the edge of the cart, yelling “Traitor! Kill the traitor!” Bunny jumped back when the man landed close to her, swinging his sword down into the dirt in the process. She tried to notch an arrow on her bowstring, but the man was too close for her to finish, in time. She backed up in such a hurry that she ended up collapsing to her back, enduring a nasty slash across the calf from the man before he came close enough for her to kick away. As she jumped to her feet, she grabbed a small potion from inside her fur bra, uncorked it, and splashed the contents into the man’s eyes. He immediately shouted in pain, blindly swinging his sword around as he brought a hand to his face.

Maximus leaned back as his enemy’s axe came swinging, avoiding the stone edge just in time to let it crash into the wood of the cart. The Forsworn man tried pulling it back out, but found it stuck just long enough for Maximus to take advantage. The Imperial raised a foot and stomped it out, striking the top of the man’s right knee so hard that his foot slid back in the dirt, throwing him off balance well enough that he fell to his side. Maximus tried following through into an execution, but before the tip of his sword could find the man’s throat, the Forsworn had rolled to the side and gotten up to a knee. Having left his axe behind, however, he now faced a severely undesirable position.

Svetlana knew what she had to do, what role she had to play. Still, before she left the others’ sides, she did what she could to improve their chances. Holding out her arms by her sides, brief golden glows filled her hands, the twinkling Restoration spells hitting both Maximus and the Dunmer. They both developed a very brief green aura of light as the Fortify Fatigue spell gave them new limits of stamina, instantly making them more energetic fighters. Then, Svetlana jumped up, grabbing on to the cart. She hefted herself over the edge as quickly as she could, jumping up to her feet.

The Forsworn Ice Maiden, still standing up on the hillside, had simply been waiting for an opportunity to attack. Once her allies her moved in, she had held off for fear of hitting them with her spells. Once Svetlana showed herself, however, the female Forsworn had a perfect target. She didn’t notice Svetlana hold up her hands in front of herself, the air in front of her visibly beginning to ripple in a wide blanket. The Ice Maiden fired a bolt from one hand, launching it straight for Svetlana’s chest. To her great surprise, the giant icicle shattered the instant it reached the priestess, failing to even graze her skin. The Ice Maiden threw a few more spikes, but they met the same ineffectual fate. Svetlana smiled to herself as her enemy continued to tire herself out. Evidently, the confused Ice Maiden had never heard of Ward spells.

The Dunmer lashed out with her daggers, attempting to stab the two men before her in their chests. The one to her right jumped back in time to dodge it, while the second simply leaned back, suffering the tip of her blade as it pierced a couple inches into his flesh. The man who had jumped away charged back towards her, trying to tackle her to the ground. She ducked and wove around him, luckily enough switching places with him just as Bunny’s blinded enemy gave an errant swing, cleaving his sword into his ally’s shoulder. The man whose chest she had stabbed gave a wild overhead swing at her, but the Dunmer managed to catch his blade between her own, crossing her daggers above her head.

Before she could use the opening to kick the man in the stomach, he launched that very attack. The wind was viciously pulled from her lungs as she stumbled backwards, yet she managed to stay on her feet. The man charged towards her, and although she saw it coming, she was too stunned to immediately get out of the way. In hindsight, she was convinced she had only avoided being ran through because Svetlana’s blessing had given her just enough energy to pull to the side. She dispatched him with the precision of an assassin, using his new proximity to plunge one blade between his collar bones, stabbing into his esophagus. The other blade, she extended over his shoulder, punching it as hard as she could into the man’s spine. With wounds like those, death was quick, but very, very painful.

Maximus grabbed the man’s axe from the side of the cart, giving it a savage yank. The disarmed Forsworn man charged in, thinking Maximus wouldn’t have had such an easy time removing it. It was the last mistake he made. He came close enough at precisely the wrong moment, allowing Maximus to pull the axe free and, with that wicked momentum, catch the man on the side of his jaw with the axe blade. The vicious blow shattered the man’s jaw, split open an immense gash, and sent the man collapsing to the dirt for the last time.

Maximus’ eyes went red with bloodlust. He spun around just as Bunny’s blinded enemy struck his ally, swinging the axe down over his shoulder. He caught the wounded Forsworn with a skull-splitting arc, instantly ending his life as the axe sank deep into his gray matter. Blood splashed his arm and armour, marking him crimson with victory. Grinning like a madman, he mercilessly executed the blinded Forsworn, swinging his steel sword right into the man’s throat. He pulled his sword free by sliding it to the side, nearly decapitating the man in the process. Bunny watched him in genuine fear, her face draining of colour at his frenzy. She had completely forgotten how terrifying he could be, when he became angry enough.

The only one left was the Ice Maiden, still distracted with Svetlana. Bunny had an idea how to handle her, pulling a second little potion from her fur bra, this one filled with a green syrupy substance. As Maximus and the Dunmer walked out from around the cart, apparently hoping to charge the Ice Maiden, Bunny popped the cork to her little bottle and drizzled the fluid over the head of an arrow. Notching it on her bowstring, she took a step back out from behind cover, taking careful aim at the Ice Maiden. The Forsworn woman could see the three new targets for only a moment before Bunny had let loose her arrow, hitting the Ice Maiden directly in the side of her stomach.

The side of the woman’s body recoiled from the force of the arrow. Instantly, the white-blue glow of frost Magicka vanished from her hands, and her shoulders began to slouch. She blinked a few times, slowly, as if confused and tired. She grabbed the arrow jutting from her stomach, giving one weak tug at it before either pain or a lack of strength discouraged her from trying a second time. Svetlana finally dropped her Ward, huffing and puffing from the hefty drain it had put on her Magicka. They all watched as the Ice Maiden slowly dropped to a knee, then collapsed backwards until she hit the hillside. Bunny quickly hurried around the cart, saying “She’s not dead, I just hit her with some poison. I made something that was supposed to drain a person’s energy and Magicka, so she should be feeling quite tired, right about now.”

Maximus chuckled ominously, giving his sword a twirl as he started marching towards his helpless foe. Bunny’s eyes widened. Scampering towards him, her quiver jostling around from the loop about her waist, she loudly said “Wait, wait! Don’t kill her, I have an idea!” Maximus seemed to ignore her. When he reached the woman, he raised his sword. Bunny bolted over, grabbing his arm. Looking up into his eyes, she begged him to see reason. “Max, please, wait! We can ask her stuff! She knows who’s attacking us! Don’t you want to find out where they’re camping?!” Maximus finally paused. Bunny slipped a hand to his chest, encouragingly patting at his armour. If they had slaughtered everyone, again, they’d have nobody to question, and no way of knowing when the attacks would end. That, Maximus understood. It had taken a moment to reach through his bloodthirsty haze, but he had heard her, and it stayed his hand.

The Dunmer started to walk over. Svetlana, likewise, hopped down from atop the cart and began to approach. The Ice Maiden looked up at Bunny, eyes dull with exhaustion. Every word was a struggle, yet she managed to hiss out “T...Traitor...Others...W-Will...” Maximus silenced her by raising a foot, stomping it down on her stomach. Her face went stunned, then scrunched up in pain. Staring down at her without the slightest shred of compassion, he calmly asked “Where are you guys coming from? You’re trying to get revenge for what we did at Karthwasten, aren’t you?”

The woman just smiled at him, taunting him with silence. Maximus chuckled. Tough guy, eh? He loved tough guys. The fun thing about Forsworn, he had discovered, was that he could imagine doing anything to them without feeling the least bit troubled by any sort of morality. His conscience was already pretty lax as it was, but Forsworn freed him from everything. Smiling right back at her, he said “Alright, fine. I guess when I stomped on your stomach, I must’ve aimed a little too high. Here, lemme fix that.” The Forsworn woman’s eyes widened, but by then, Maximus had already stuck his foot between her thighs. Her entire body tensed up when he stomped down, grinding his heel into her most sensitive area. Sympathy pains made Svetlana’s hands dart to her crotch, and Bunny openly winced at the very sight of the attack.

The Forsworn woman weakly tried to pull away from him, but with Bunny’s poison coursing through her, she was far too enfeebled to escape. Her face twisted up in pain as he ground his foot around, putting more and more pressure down over her. The Dunmer watched with zero compassion in her eyes, seeing the woman as nothing more than savage scum, undeserving of common human empathy. Maximus smiled more, leaning over until his forearms could rest over his knee, allowing him to put the majority of his body weight over her groin. “If I have to ask a third time, you’re gonna start having a bit of a bad day. Where are you coming from? Why are you coming after us?”

The woman gave him a cute answer. “We come...From the Reach...None of you...Belong here!...” Maximus smiled more. He’d have to work this one over, a little. He couldn’t say the prospect troubled him. He went upright again, looking over at Bunny. “Did you use up all of that poison?” Bunny’s eyes widened in recollection. She glanced over her shoulder at the cart, mumbling “I think so...I left the bottle behind. There might be a few drops left, but not much more.” Maximus grinned, a little. “Go get it, for me. Then, all of you start walking down the path, don’t stop until a few minutes have gone by. Then, just wait for me. I’m gonna chat with our friend, here, and I don’t really want any of you to see it. I doubt any of you would want to see it, anyway.”

The three of them seemed a little surprised. Svetlana seemed the most stunned, but Bunny and the pickpocket were a little appreciative of the forewarning. After retrieving for him Bunny’s poison bottle, Maximus’ three lady friends headed down the path towards Markarth, going well out of earshot. With privacy and a fresh little dose of the remaining exhaustion poison, Maximus could work without fear of startling his teammates. A few weak cries echoed throughout the immediate area, but after a few minutes, those sounds ceased. Maximus took a break after about fifteen minutes of working up a sweat, taking a seat across from the incapacitated woman.

“...You know, if you don’t start answering my questions, I’m gonna have to get really nasty. I’ve got a pretty good imagination, you know. Don’t make me the bad guy, lady. Come on, just give me a damn place, already.” He watched her twitch, quiver. She still wouldn’t answer him. He sighed in disappointment, then chuckled in amusement. “Heh heh, I have to hand it to you, you’re the toughest woman I’ve ever seen. Here’s the thing, though...All this pain, suffering? You’re bringing it down on yourself. See, maybe we got off on the wrong foot. Maybe we’ve been operating under some sort of, uh...Heh heh...Misunderstanding. Truth is, no matter how this goes, you’re not walking away alive. Either you die quick, or I have fun with it. Really doesn’t matter to me, either way. Being pigheaded, like this, is just making things harder for you and longer for us both.”

She took in a wheezing breath, then gurgled it back out. Several seconds passed in silence. Maximus grinned, shaking his head as he stood up. “By Talos, you’re more stubborn than my vampire slut, and that is really saying something. I admire your tenacity. You’re a credit to your people, such as they are. Well, I guess we better move on to the more serious stuff. We’re probably gonna be here, for a while...”As he approached her, she took in a sharp breath. She was trying to keep her voice steady as she said “We’re at R...Red Eagle...Red Eagle Redoubt. That’s where we’re...We’re camped...” Maximus’ eyes widened in indignation, which rapidly snowballed into outrage and fury.

“What? What? You make me do all this when you’re at Red Eagle? You’re bothering us from all the way over there?! Don’t you people have lives? Don’t you have stuff to do? You might as well be in Hammerfell! Little fetchers send you all the way out here, and I gotta pull you apart just get Red Eagle out of you? You stupid little bitch, what the fuck is-” She cut him off, forcing out “You’ll never kill them all!” Maximus’ jaw tightened. “Screw it, I’m gonna do you a favour, lady.” He immediately pulled out his sword, swung it around, and landed a hard chop right into the woman’s throat. At least now, her ordeal would be over a little quicker. Yanking it back out, he simply turned around and walked away, shaking his head in annoyance. “Fuckin’ Red Eagle, gimme a break...”

When he made it back to his lady friends, he had already washed the blood from his hands, and he was back to all smiles. He was pleased to see that none of them looked uneasy, which meant none of them must’ve heard or seen anything. He would’ve been a little peeved, had any of them tried spying on him. He held up Svetlana’s pack of general supplies for her to take, which was a bit light on foodstuffs, by that point. Still, it’d serve the journey. The Dunmer watched him approach and curiously asked “So? Did you get anything out of her?” Maximus passed Svetlana her pack, walking through the trio in the process, continuing on down the path. His sunny tone did not befit a torturer. “As a matter of fact, I did! Red Eagle Redoubt, it’s this little mountain area to the south, around the middle of Reach territory. Didn’t find out why they’re attacking us, but at least we now know which group of Forsworn, in particular, is sending people after us.”

His lady friends quickly followed after him. None of them asked on the fate of the Ice Maiden, and their stomachs were probably better off for it. The Dunmer narrowed her eyes for a moment, sounding confused as she said “It’s a bit out of the way, isn’t it?” Maximus chuckled. “Yeah, that’s what I said. I somehow doubt she was lying, though. Just goes to show how far Forsworn will go for every little thing.” Bunny pouted, for a few seconds. Sighing, she put her hands to her hips, asking “So...I guess the trip to Solitude is off, then?” Svetlana smiled, reaching over to give the young Breton a playful pat on the bum. “Obviously. What can you tell us about Red Eagle, Bunny?”

Bunny went flush in confusion, giving the priestess an awkward glance. “W-Well, um...I’ve never been there, myself. I think it’s close to a river...And I think it’s at the top of a cliff, though most of it should be spread across these old Nordic ruins on all these shelves in the cliff face. I’ve heard it’s a pretty big camp, so there should be a lot of my people, there.” Maximus’ brow twitched down in contemplation. Already, he was coming up with plans. “Mm. Maybe we’ll need more people...At the very least, we’ll need Sabrina. Getting caught without her in this attack was annoying enough, I’m not doing a whole siege without an offense mage.”

Bunny nodded in earnest, her expression quickly going grave. “We’ll definitely need her, Max. I can tell you that, right now. A camp as big as Red Eagle is guaranteed to have a Briarheart, maybe even two. There’ll be Frost Maidens, archers, berserkers...I’m pretty sure it’s a serious encampment. This is a big deal, it’s no joke.” Maximus gave a nod. “Alright, then...Maybe we’ll have a talk with the Jarl, when we get back to Markarth. All of us, as a team. Maybe he’ll take us a little more seriously when he sees us all, together.” The Dunmer momentarily puckered her lips and narrowed an eye. Under her breath, she muttered “Well, this should be interesting...”

By the time the group had made it back to Markarth, it was shortly after sunset, a time that worked perfectly into Maximus’ plan. The Jarl would no longer be holding court, true, but Sabrina should already be prowling around, and barging into the palace without caring what time it was would help demonstrate his team’s outrage at the Forsworn. Sure enough, as the gates to Markarth came into sight, so too did Sabrina, the busty vampire lingering not far from the gates. Without Maximus having twirled her odd little vial around, Sabrina must’ve assumed he was somewhere in Markarth, and had been waiting for him to either signal her or go out and get her, himself.

With a little smirk, he pulled out her vial, giving it a little toss up in the air before catching it. Sabrina suddenly perked up, like a dog being teased by some far-off sound. She gave a few quick glances left and right, then finally spotted the group coming up the main road to Markarth. She made a bit of a face, putting her hands to her hips. As soon as they came into earshot, she was complaining. “Where were you guys? I was looking all over Markarth for almost half an hour, you could’ve signalled me, before now! I hate wasting time!” Maximus chuckled. With Sabrina, complaining was practically a sign of affection. “Oh, quit your whining. You didn’t miss out on much, believe me. In fact, we’re just now getting to the fun part. Come on, we’re going up to Understone Keep.”

Sabrina’s face immediately went open in surprise. “Wait, what? All of us? Like, right now?” Maximus raised an eyebrow at her, smirking in amusement. “You heard me. It’s time we take the fight to those bastards.” Sabrina stammered for a moment, glancing at Bunny. She hurried off of the path for a moment, pulling a black bundle from some shrubs. Unfolding it proved it was her cloak, which she was quick to toss around Bunny’s shoulders and pull shut over her front. Sabrina nodded, glanced at Maximus, and said “There, we shouldn’t have any problems, now. Don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner, in fact.”

Bunny fidgeted, squirming under the cloak with a bit of an uncomfortable expression. Voice heavy, she grumbled “Jeez, I can see why you hate this thing...It weighs a ton.” Sabrina smiled ruefully, offering “You’ll probably start boiling in there, soon enough. At least no one will be able to tell who you are, though.” Maximus simply walked away without another word, urging everyone to get a move on. He led everyone into the city, his anger at the Forsworn resurfacing in the process. The group, moving with purpose like they were, earned more than a few looks from the city guards, especially once they realized the group was heading in the direction of the palace. Maximus couldn’t have cared less if they followed after them. He already knew how he’d handle the Jarl. One way or the other, he’d make the situation a positive one.

“...Stop right there. Hey! I said, stop! You idiotic little...Men! At the ready!” The guards in the hallway were close behind Maximus and his team as he shoved open the Jarl’s bedchamber doors, marching into his personal quarters. Maximus barely glanced around. The room, practically a lobby in size, was certainly fit for a king. A rather large fireplace burned over to the right, containing what may as well have been a giant bonfire. On a cozy little platform elevated to the left, the Jarl’s sleeping area was located, and in a small cave chamber on the other side of the room, there was even a private bathing area made out of an underground waterfall. Stuffed slaughterfish and deer heads were mounted on the walls, silverware and jewellery were set on shelves, firewood was heaped by the cooking area, but most impressive of all was the private dining area in the center of the room, where giant cheese wheels, seared slaughterfish, and bottles of wine had been set for the Jarl to enjoy.

Igmund was alone, seated at the head of his dinner table, halfway through pouring himself a goblet of red wine. When a group of armed adventurers burst into his quarters, he reasonably assumed the worst, bolting up to his feet as he slammed his bottle down. His hand went for the steel sword hanging at his hip, but when he saw the ten or so guards rushing after Maximus’ team, he relaxed. Maximus stopped walking several feet away from the Jarl, not wanting to provoke anyone into thinking he was meaning to attack. Last thing he needed was this situation getting out of hand. As long as things kept going as he had planned, everything would turn out for the best.

“What’s the meaning of this? You barge into my chambers-”

Maximus cut Igmund off, breathing hard with wrath as he exclaimed “My team and I were attacked by Forsworn, on the road to Solitude. A carriage was destroyed, and the driver was murdered!” Igmund’s hand left his sword as his guards finished piling into the room. Maximus was pleased to find Igmund’s tone much more appreciable, now. Whether it was the sight of his team or the audacity of his actions, he had certainly made an impression on Igmund, now. The Jarl gave a little nod, then said “Well, we all know the roads aren’t safe. That sort of thing really shouldn’t be a surprise for you, at this point. Still, this outburst was unnecessary. If I were in a worse mood, I’d have you all thrown into the mines.”

Maximus continued, all too aware of the guards standing behind him, ready to arrest or cut him down at any signal from Igmund. His brow sank as he spoke, and he curled his lip up as he gestured with his hands. “We killed the lot of them, and we even found out where they’re coming from. The ones who’ve been harassing us are coming from Red Eagle Redoubt, there’s supposed to be a fairly large camp, there. You wanted to meet my team, and here it is. We want help clearing those bastards out.” Igmund hummed at the declaration. He let his eyes wander in silence, going from face to face for several long moments. He slowly approached the group, inspecting each team member in turn. He started with Bunny, looking up and down across Sabrina’s black cloak. “You some kind of mage, girl? Mages don’t earn much sympathy, from me.”

Bunny timidly shook her head. If this man knew she was a Forsworn, he probably wouldn’t even let his guards kill her. He’d do it, himself. “N-No, I’m an archer. I use a b...A bow.” Igmund just nodded, his silence suggesting he was satisfied with the answer. He looked to Sabrina, who promptly said “I’m a mage. I’ve mastered every School of Magicka, aside from Restoration. If the Forsworn want to do it, I’ll do it right back to them. They deserve nothing less.” Igmund gave a nod, commenting “Answered like a Nord, although I’m still not fond of magic. What’s your name, mage?” Sabrina was half-way through answering him when she closed her eyes and paused. “Sever - Sabrina, sire. They call me Sabrina.” Igmund raised an eyebrow at her unusual answer. He started looking deep into her eyes, his brow subtly furrowing. Sabrina was quick to turn on the charm, lest he put two and two together and realize she possessed the all-around most despised disease on the face of Tamriel.

Her eyes went half-closed, smoldering. Her lips barely puckered, as if she was ready for a kiss at any second. She raised a hand, coquettishly smoothing some black bangs behind an ear with a gentle flick of her wrist. Her vampiric seduction apparently did the trick, as Igmund looked away without seeming to really become conscious of the red in her eyes or the pallidness of her skin tone. Igmund walked past Maximus, looking at the Dunmer. At her, he raised an eyebrow, his lip almost curling up as he gave her a few up and down glances. He acknowledged her with a flat mutter. “You. I know who you are, dark elf. How could I not, after all the grumbling I’ve had to deal with, among my men. At least you’re spending less time hanging around my city, these days. Fighting Forsworn is a surprisingly productive move, for you.”

The Dunmer answered him with a silent stare. Luckily for her, Igmund wasn’t looking for a real response. He moved on to Svetlana, who seemed to be the only one actually eager to meet him. Smiling, she politely said “My Jarl, my name’s Svetlana. I’ve served the Eight for several years, but I’m currently a priestess of Dibella. I help Max and the others as a healer with spells I learned in Mara’s service.” Igmund nodded approvingly. He glanced at Maximus, commenting “A real Nord in your team. Maybe you’ve got some sense, after all. Not to discount your friends, but there’s poetic justice in a Nord beating down the natives.” He looked back at Svetlana, sizing the priestess up for a few moments more.

He suddenly narrowed an eye, raising a hand and pointing a finger upwards. “Hang on, a moment. Were you the reason why none of you could get to Dragon Bridge in time for that last bounty? I believe I remember the report mentioning that the woman wore priestess robes...” Svetlana smiled sheepishly, chuckling uncomfortably. “Eh...Well, I did do some drinking with Max before a courier found us, if that’s what you mean. It’s entirely my fault, my Jarl. You know how it is, exploring the mysteries of the heart. Just following and spreading Dibella’s good teachings.” Igmund stared at her, for a moment. Then, in a surprisingly lenient turn, he smiled and chuckled.

Igmund briefly waved a hand at Maximus, remarking “Well, at least you’ve got good taste.” As he walked back over to face Maximus, Igmund matter-of-factly added “Still, I’m not sure what you expect of me. I can’t send off my city guard to attack Red Eagle, I’m not going to leave Markarth undefended just to clear out a single camp of natives.” Maximus watched Igmund turn his back on him, beginning to walk back towards his dinner table. Maximus momentarily grit his teeth, then raised a hand, firmly declaring “Listen to me, Jarl Igmund!” Everyone in the room felt a chill go down their spine at the odd quality that had suddenly filled Maximus’ voice. None were more affected than Igmund, whose head quickly twisted back around to look at the young Imperial, a startled sort of confusion in his eyes.

Maximus spoke slowly, calmly, and an odd depth of wisdom had filled his words. As if he were a noble, he spoke with the voice of an Emperor, commanding attention, demanding respect. “We are but five individuals, Igmund. We have it on good authority that the camp at Red Eagle Redoubt will be heavily populated with Forsworn. This is not a meagre task for a small band of sellswords. This is for the protection of the Reach, and Markarth at the heart.” The unnatural majesty in his voice ebbed almost perceivably, leaving him as he ended with “We’re going to need help if we’re to accomplish this. We simply don’t have the manpower among us.” Igmund was visibly perplexed by the compelling strength that had filled Maximus’ words.

After a moment of thought, he spoke with a decidedly regretful tone. “I simply can’t spare anyone, I’m sorry. Were it possible, I’d consider it. Something like that is more suited to the Legion, but I doubt the Legate enjoying my hospitality will be in any rush to send men after Forsworn, not with Stormcloak hostilities on the rise. I don’t see much I can do to assist you, except perhaps put out bounties for Forsworn at Red Eagle. Obviously, if I hear reliable word that you took part in clearing out that camp, a reward would be made available to you. There’s not much else I can do for you...Other than suggest you pack smart and fight smarter, I suppose. If we’re done here, I’d like to get back to my dinner, if you don’t mind.”

Maximus knew he couldn’t push things any further, and although he hadn’t exactly gotten the help he had wanted, having Igmund’s blessing would have to be good enough. Half the guards stayed behind with Igmund as the other half began seeing Maximus and his team out of the palace. As they all descended down the long staircase before the Mournful Throne, a middle-aged Nord man in steel armour approached from off to the side, head shaved bald and a swirling black tattoo on his right cheek. In a grizzled growl, he demanded “Hold a moment, the lot of you. Did I hear right, that you fight the Forsworn and want to storm Red Eagle?” Everyone paused, even the guards, who really should’ve been more concerned with the Jarl’s safety. Since they clearly respected this man, Maximus quickly realized he must’ve been someone of wealth and importance.

He nodded, as did a few of the ladies in his team. The Nord gave Maximus a nod, asking his name, a question Maximus answered truthfully. The Nord gave another nod. “Alright. Don’t leave the city. I’ll send word for you by sunrise.” Before Maximus could ask what the man wanted, he had glanced at the guards and nodded off to the side, prompting them to resume escorting the sellswords out. In seconds, everyone was back out in the streets of Markarth. It wasn’t until then that Maximus really realized how beautiful of a night it really was. The blackness above was dyed green with streaks of aurora borealis, and the moons were full and bright. If nothing else, the sight helped reassure him that things would turn out well. Svetlana put her hands to her hips, looked downwards, and idly kicked at a pebble by her foot. Shrugging, she mumbled out “Well...I guess that’s that.”

Maximus sighed, raising a hand to his forehead as he paced off to the side. Taking his eyes from the night sky quickly ended the serene little moment he had found himself in. He didn’t embellish what he was feeling for the sake of his lady friends. “Well...That’s not exactly how I wanted things to go, but it could’ve gone a lot worse. Igmund could’ve panicked and thought we were trying to assassinate him, or something. I was hoping he’d lend us some of his guard, considering we want to do the man a damn service, but I guess I can see where he’s coming from. I don’t know who that bald guy was, but maybe he can help.” Svetlana raised an eyebrow. She crossed her arms beneath her bosom and looked off to the side in thought. “I’ve seen that man before, but I don’t know his name...I think he’s one of the Silver-Bloods, which would mean he’d definitely have the gold and influence to help us out. I guess we just have to wait for the morning to find out, hmm?”

The Dunmer irritably sighed. Sarcastically, she muttered out “Fantastic. More waiting. My day is never complete without hours of sitting around.” Maximus chuckled, slowly beginning to grin. He walked up to her, took her by the hip, and started guiding her beside him. She was quick to pull away, staring daggers at him in the process. Glare or no glare, however, she walked by his side, the rest of his lady friends quickly following behind. Maximus laid out the plans for the night with a smile. “Don’t be so glum, elf. Sometimes, waiting’s good for you. You can’t tell me you’re in a rush for Red Eagle, now? Here’s what we’re all going to do...Since we’ve got the rest of the night free, we’re gonna go down to the inn, have a hot meal with some fresh mead, and sleep in real beds. Even if they’re made of stone, it’s better than sleeping on the ground.”

His pet dark elf made a bit of a face, pursing her lips. She didn’t complain, however, and the rest of his lady friends were openly excited by the idea. As they all headed down to the Silver-Blood inn, Maximus listened as Svetlana and Sabrina got into an odd little argument. It started innocently enough, with Svetlana asking Bunny if she could brew up a potion that made Restoration spells cost less Magicka to cast. Sabrina piped up at that point, making her own eager request. “While you’re at it, do you think you could brew me some Magicka potions? Last thing I’d want is to run out of mana in the middle of a fight. I-”

Svetlana suddenly chuckled. She gave Sabrina a confused look. “Wait, what did you call it? “Mana”?” Sabrina nodded. “Yeah, mana. You can call it that. It’s an old and less popular term than Magicka, but it is used.” Maximus glanced upwards as the petty bickering began. Bunny tried to defuse the situation by promptly agreeing to both of their requests, but she went unheard. Svetlana chuckled again, then sounded a little condescending as she said “Um...No, I’m pretty sure you can’t. It’s called Magicka, there’s no other name for it.” Sabrina patiently tried to explain, trying even more patiently to keep from rolling her eyes. “Magicka is the name for the magical arts, themselves. Mana is a different name for the energy inside you that fuels it. Two different things.”

Bunny fidgeted uncomfortably, clearly feeling caught in the middle of the argument. Svetlana raised an eyebrow, giving Sabrina a look laden with superiority. “Eh heh...No, I don’t think so, Sabrina. I’m pretty sure they’re both just called Magicka...” This petty squabble continued all the way to the inn entrance, with the two constantly tossing comments back and forth. Finally, Sabrina snapped, making a bit of a spectacle of herself with her stubborn outburst. Going wide-eyed in annoyance, she all but stomped her foot as she loudly proclaimed “Damn it all, I can call it mana if I want to! Some of the Daedra do it, and the Psijics probably do it too, and I’d wager they’re all a little more learned than you are! Read Arcana Restored, it makes mention of mana! It’s a matter of personal preference! Magicka’s just the more well-known name! I’ll call it mana if I want to, for crying out loud! Don’t ever try to lecture me on Magicka, you damn priestess! I know what I’m talking about!” Svetlana chortled to herself, giving Sabrina a big, taunting smile. Even Maximus was smiling, by that point.

Svetlana gave Sabrina a little pat on her shoulder, innocently commenting “Now, now. Let’s not get upset and make a scene.” Maximus laughed at that final remark. Sabrina just started fuming. The Dunmer smiled to herself as Svetlana pushed open the doors to the inn, while Bunny, who felt she had played some part in instigating the argument, couldn’t bring herself to feel amused. As everyone walked into the dim inn, Svetlana quickly took the lead as she sauntered over towards a nearby table, guiding Bunny and the Dunmer behind her. Sabrina lagged behind, and when she grabbed Maximus by the wrist, she slowed him down to a stop. He raised an eyebrow, looking at her in curiosity. Quite obviously still peeved, Sabrina could barely meet his eyes as she muttered out “Maximus, before I forget...I finished that ring you wanted. I even got it in that weird size you wanted.”

Maximus smiled, raising his eyebrows. “Oh, you know, I had totally forgotten! I haven’t even been wearing that ring you made me!” Sabrina gave a sour sigh, looking at him in utter disbelief. Maximus chuckled to himself as he quickly started feeling through his armour, patting down over belts and any other place he might’ve stashed the golden gift. For a moment, he thought he might’ve lost it, but then his eyes lit up as they went over a strap in his armour. He pulled the ring out from underneath, having completely stopped feeling it press into his skin long ago. He slipped it on his left middle finger, and instantly, a dark blue glow briefly emanated from his body as the resistance to electricity came into effect.

He smiled in amusement as she let go of his wrist. Her sullen expression completely unchanged, she held up her free hand at face-level, showing off the fairly large ebony ring she held between her index and middle fingers. Judging by the faint red glow coming from the black metal, the enchantment was a masterwork. As he plucked the ring from between her fingers, she muttered out “I imagine you’d like a necklace with a resistance to frost enchantment, now? Or would you prefer poison, instead?” Maximus just smiled, giving her an amused glance. He reached down with both hands, brazenly slipping them up under her skirt. Before she even knew what he was doing, he had pulled her panties down, letting the frilly pink underwear drop around her knees.

Her eyes went wide open. She stood stock-still in shock, going completely rigid at his nerve. His hands shifted around under her skirt, bringing the ring to the tip of her soft manhood. Her mouth started hanging open as she realized what he intended to do. He met her unblinking stare with one of his own, his smile growing into a cheeky grin. He got the ebony ring over her tip, which he then pinched to hold her steady as he pulled the ring up her shaft, nestling it up around her base. A brief red glow ran across Sabrina’s skin, momentarily disguising the flustered crimson blooming across her face. Maximus finally slipped his hands out from under her skirt, nonchalantly saying “There...Perfect size, just like I thought. Tight enough to stay put, but loose enough to be comfortable. Amazing I even remembered, when you think about it. Not like you ever get to use it.”

The nerve. The audacity! She slowly closed her mouth and blinked, mumbling out “By the gods, Maximus...I don’t even know what to say.” Maximus grinned. Quietly, he replied “How about thank you? Don’t you people have a weakness to fire? This’ll help overcome that.” She scowled. That was his explanation for this latest abasement? Lips quavering, she hissed out “I’m completely goddamn speechless!” A few chortles sounded out, in the inn. Her eyes shifted to the side, following the sounds. Sabrina didn’t know if people were watching them, but just the thought made her face go even more red. She reached downwards for her underwear, but made sure not to proceed too quickly lest the sudden movement draw peoples’ eyes. Trying not to bend over too far so her skirt wouldn’t slip up and over her massive rump was no easy feat, either. Eventually however, she had grabbed her ruffled panties and slid them back up her thighs, pulling them where they belonged.

Maximus was still giving her his infernal grin. “So, what do you say, Sabrina?” She lowered her chin, staring up at him from over her spectacles, too humiliated to answer him right away. She knew what he wanted to hear, but she wasn’t about to thank him for putting a ring on her cock in the middle of a busy inn. Instead, she simply mumbled “...It feels weird.” Maximus just chuckled, grinning even more. “You’ll get used to it. I expect you to keep it on, wouldn’t want that enchantment to go to waste, would we? Like you said, a ring that big probably wouldn’t even fit someone’s thumb.” Sabrina drew her lips. “...F-Fine. Bastard.” The insult was tossed out as an afterthought. He was right, she’d hate to waste the work she had to put in to make the ring, but if she had known what he had intended to do with it...

Maximus turned and walked away, still grinning. His other lady friends were watching from a nearby table, unable to see what the two had been doing, thanks to their positions. Once Sabrina had started to overcome her embarrassment, she glanced left and right, then finally followed after Maximus. Maximus, meanwhile, was signalling for Kleppr, a grin on his face. Life was good, wasn’t it? An equally good feast was in order. He had money, he had sexy companions, he had work, he was finally out of his parents’ house...When wasn’t it time for a celebration?
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The Forsworn Retribution