Adult-FanFiction.org : Games

A Nord's Tale	By : draygon Category: +A through F > Elder Scrolls - Oblivion Views: 4695 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
Baurus shoved the cover aside as he climbed the last few rungs of the ladder up, heaving himself out of the sewer with a grunt. He reached in to grasp Sanyue's hand as she too emerged from the sewer. She tore the cloth from her face as she breathed deep, the fresh air almost making her dizzy after all those hours in the sewers. The two leaned against the wall, just breathing, their eyes squinted against the sun's light as it slowly sank into the west. "You'd better get that to Tar-Meena before dark," Baurus finely spoke, motioning toward the pack Sanyue had sitting on the ground next to her feet. "She'll want to start pouring over those books as soon as possible."

Sanyue nodded and swung the pack over her shoulder. "Will I see you before you leave for the temple?"

Baurus chewed the inside of his mouth thoughtfully, watching the shadows lengthen in the small alcove they were resting in. "No. Probably not. My duties here are done. Besides," he smiled at her as he pushed off of the wall and stretched his arms over his head. "you should be able to handle things yourself from now on."

Sanyue took a deep breath and returned Baurus' smile. "I hope so." She extended her hand, clasping Baurus' in a tight hand shake.

"May Talos guide you." Baurus saluted her with a fist to his chest before he turned and quickly crossed the empty street to Luther's. Sanyue went the opposite way toward the University, her long legs eating up the distance easily. She dared to believe that this could be the worse part of the whole ordeal. That all she had to do now was wait for Tar-Meena to discern the location of the Mythic Dawn and after that it would be just a simple matter of sneaking in, getting the Amulet back and put and end to all of this Oblivion business.

The hope that bubbled up in her mind made her feel almost heady. She had found the last two volumes of the Commentaries and was one step closer to taking the Amulet back from the Mythic Dawn. Sanyue could imagine the look on Martin and Jauffre's faces as she handed them the large jewel encrusted relic. She could almost feel the weight of it in her hands again as she climbed the stairs up to the tower. She imagined the way it felt, warm and heavy in her hands, pulsing with power.

The sun was just beginning to touch the top of the western wall when Sanyue pushed open the doors to the Mage University. The candles had burned nearly all the way down to their holders and some had even guttered out entirely leaving the room filled with long, dancing shadows. Tar-Meena was right where Sanyue had left her, snout buried in a leather bound book and surrounded by fresh candles and an empty plate by her with a half full decanter of mead.

"Ah," Tar-Meena marked her place in her book and set it aside. "I didn't think it would be a quick matter getting those books." The Argonian mage handed the plate and decanter to a novice mage to take back to the kitchens to make room for Sanyue next to her on the bench. She took the pack from her shoulder and handed the last two volumes to Tar-Meena who took them from her with a delicacy that bordered on reverance. "While you were gone, I turned up copies volumes one and two from my colleagues and spent a little time rereading them."

"I don't know how you can stand his writing." Sanyue shook her head. "Reading that mess feels like hitting my head against a wall, while under water."

"I find him fascinating." Tar-Meena chuckled. "Though he was undoubtedly insane." She opened the third volume and read a few lines, shaking her head. "Quite insane."

Sanyue sat there for a few minutes while Tar-Meena lost herself in Cameron's insanity. "Oh, I forgot what I was doing for a moment," she chuckled. "But I think the first words of each paragraph are important, somehow. A message, maybe?" Tar-Meena ran her claw down the page again, her eyes narrowing. "It's getting late," she looked up at how far the candles on the walls had burnt down. "Why don't you come by tomorrow afternoon? I might have found something more by then."

Sanyue nodded and headed out as Tar-Meena got lost again in the Commentaries. She exchanged a short greeting with the guard as she left for Luther Broad's, stifling a yawn behind her fist as she pushed the door open. As she had suspected, Baurus was already gone. She wondered for a moment if he had even eaten before he set out for Bruma. Knowing how head strong the Red Guard was, Sanyue figured he probably didn't eat a single bite before getting his gear and rushing out. Upon seeing her enter, Luther exchanged a few words with his assistant who disappeared into the kitchens. "Don't worry about it," Luther grunted as Sanyue reached for her coin purse. "Already taken care of."

"Oh," she blinked as Luther's house special was set in front of her, piping hot. "And how much for a room?"

"You're paid up till the end of the week."

Sanyue's jaw dropped open. Baurus had been busy before he left. "I-," she stammered "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Luther threw his towel over his shoulder and poured Sanyue a glass of ale for her meal. "Blades're always welcome."

She pursed her lips into a smile. She doubted she had half of what it took to become one of the Blades, but she was entirely too tired and grateful to argue the point. Sanyue took a bite of stewed hare as Luther began cleaning for the night, wiping down tables and turning chairs over and setting them seat down on the tables. She chewed thoughtfully, her mind wandering back to the priest who would be Emperor. She wondered what Baurus thought he was going to find when he returned to the temple. Sanyue smiled at the mental image that made. What she wouldn't give to be in the room when introductions were made. The sight of the Emperor's son dressed in simple priest's garb might be a bit too much for poor Baurus.

Though, a different thought occurred to her as she took a sip of her ale. Baurus knew why she had been in that dungeon. Even though Sanyue felt convinced that Baurus understood that she was only guilty of defending herself, she couldn't help but worry about what Jauffre would think when presented with such information. Would he feel that she would be too much of a risk to stay in their service? And what of Martin himself.

Sanyue shook her head, trying to clear it of such thoughts. She had felt a near panic at the thought of Martin thinking her a cold blooded murderer waiting for the first opportunity to slide a blade between his ribs. She had made a promise that she intended to keep and she was not about to leave this life without fulfilling that promise she had made to Uriel. She would never be able to look her ancestors in the eyes if she did that.

Sighing and trying to hang on to the hope that this would all be over soon, Sanyue resumed her meal, though with less gusto than before. Though if she was having this much trouble with hunting down a couple of books to find a cult's hiding place, just how in-over-his-head must Martin be feeling right now? She shook her head and polished off her meal without tasting much. Either she was going to finish her meal or wake up in the morning with her face cheek deep in mashed potatoes. She smiled at Luther as he filled her glass one more time before putting the ale up for the night.

Sanyue finished off her meal and got up, slipping a Septim under the plate as a thank you before climbing up the stairs. She smiled, happily full and slightly relaxed from the ale as she opened the door to the room that Baurus had rented for her, already feeling exhaustion pulling at her as she unbuckled her sword and set it against the low chest of drawers. She was tempted to doff her armor, but the threat of assassins sneaking into her room, even locked, were great enough that she left it on. Washed as it was, it was starting to feel like a second skin and being without it for the few hours she had been north of Bruma had almost left her feeling exposed.

She straightened slightly, her breath still. In her rush to get to bed, she had completely forgotten to check behind the door. Baurus had surprised her once by hiding there, so really, anyone could hide there and wait for someone as careless as she to stumble in. Sanyue cursed under her breath as she turned around. She blinked, only finding an empty corner. She sighed and rubbed her face with her hands. "You're jumping at shadows." She laughed. "And now you're talking to yourself." She shook her boots off and made sure her door was locked. She cast a thoughtful look at the chair by the bed and drug it over to wedge it under the door's handle. Satisfied that she would not be disturbed by anything less than Oblivion itself, she resumed getting ready to sleep.

She pulled the blanket aside and slipped under it, stuffing the pillow between her shoulder and her head. "Sleep now," she mumbled, blowing out the candle that Baurus had left burning on the bedside table. "lots of time to go insane tomorrow."
- 12
- 13
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

A Nord's Tale