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Fall from High Rock	By : mistressarachnia Category: +A through F > Elder Scrolls - Morrowind Views: 4940 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: The Elder Scrolls universe belongs to Bethesda. Alyssa Elbert belongs to me. I make no money from writing about her adventures.

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
Chapter
16: Reintroductions
It was nearly morning when Alyssa
arrived at Stendarr�s Retreat with the rest of the abolitionists and former
slaves.� Edmund had stayed very close to her throughout the entire journey,
although he said very little.� Alyssa wasn�t sure how much she should pry into
his personal life, although she was very curious.� At the tavern she went
downstairs and helped the others make up beds, finally laying her charge down
and assuring him that he was in good hands.� When everyone was settled, she
followed Ajira upstairs.
�Alyssa did very well,� she purred
contentedly as she swished her tail back and forth.
�Indeed.� You were a natural with
that young boy back there,� a familiar voice said from behind her.� Alyssa
turned to see Malcus.� Ajira smiled.
�Alyssa, this is Ajira�s friend
Malcus.� Ajira told you about Malcus,� Ajira purred.
�Yes I remember.� I do believe
we�ve met,� smiled Alyssa.� Malcus nodded as he returned the smile.� Suddenly
Alyssa felt nervous.� But she had asked him to make his presence better known,
had she not?� And Ajira was right beside her.
�I�m curious though,� Alyssa
wondered aloud, turning back to Ajira, �How did that boy get there to begin
with?� I�ve never heard of a Breton being kidnapped by slavers from High Rock.�
I know Kajiit and Argonians are kidnapped from Elswyr and Black Marsh but� I
had no idea that other races could be slaves too.�
�You�re right.� They aren�t
kidnapped.� They�re purchased outright,� explained Malcus, �Petty criminals
mostly.� The jails get so full that when the slave ships come by they need only
take their pick.�� Alyssa�s eyes widened in surprise.
�You mean Edmund was a criminal?�
she asked.� Malcus laughed.
�A petty one, most likely.� My
guess would be a thief � that�s what we get for the most part around here.�
Then there are the disobedient servants, those who cheat their taxes� all petty
crimes that no one really cares about.� With a boy that young, I�m guessing he
was probably orphaned and left with little choice but to turn to pick-pocketing
to acquire his next meal,� said Malcus.
�Man races bring more gold than
beast races,� said Ajira with a growl.
�Yes, well, they are less common.�
They also have an initial cost to obtain, unlike the Kajiit and Argonians who
are stolen right from their beds,� explained Malcus, a hint of anger rising in
his voice.
�But what do they do with them?� I
don�t mean to sound racist, but I�ve just never seen a slave out in the fields
who was not of the beast races,� wondered Alyssa.� Ajira laughed, but it was a
grim laugh.
�Man races are luxury items.� Most
are house slaves.� Many have the task of sexually satisfying their masters,
although all slaves, even field slaves, tend to get used in this way,� growled
Ajira, her ears flattening.� Somehow Alyssa was not surprised.� It hadn�t taken
her very long to figure out where Edmund had bit his captor.
�It�s just� it�s a lot to take in
at once,� said Alyssa, looking around the room.� Unlike the lively taverns she
had been in before, this one was filled with exhausted patrons nursing wounds
as they slowly sipped their drinks.� A harpist played music in the corner, but
it was only a soft background noise, meant more to sooth than excite.� The
d�cor was unembellished, with little to cover the plain adobe walls.� There were
simple barstools at the counter and a few plain wooden tables and chairs
scattered around the room.� Still, the bright stars shone through the tavern
windows, illuminating the tired faces.
�It is a lot to take in at once.�
You got quite the initiation today,� agreed Malcus, �You both must be
exhausted.� I know I am.�
�Ajira is very tired, but also very
happy.� All of the slaves are safe and sound,� she purred.� Malcus smiled at
her.
�That�s because Ajira has a big
heart,� he said, �Can I buy either of you a drink before you head back?� I can
walk you to Vivec if you like.�
�Vivec?� asked Alyssa.� Had she
really walked that far?
�Yes, we�re just outside the city.�
It�ll be a lot closer for you and Ajira to go there and use the guild guide to
get back to wherever it is you need to go,� Malcus replied.
�Will Edwinna worry about Alyssa
being gone so long?� asked Ajira.
�No, no I don�t think so.� Edwinna
is so busy with her research lately that she barely knows I�m there when I am.�
I think she trusts me to take care of myself at this point,� she smiled,
feeling proud of this statement.� She had done a lot today.
�Alright then.� Can I get you
something to drink?� asked Malcus.
�I� haven�t had much to drink, so I
don�t know what�s good,� confessed Alyssa.� Ajira laughed.
�Ajira likes sujamma.� Sujamma is a
local Dunmer liquor � very powerful. Ajira likes skooma even more, but moonsugar
is illegal unfortunately,� complained Ajira.
�Moonsugar is bad for you, and I
think that Ajira needs to stick to something a little less strong this
time.� Everyone around here is so tired, I don�t think they�ll appreciate you
singing your rendition of �Lord Jornibret�s Last Dance� at the top of your
lungs,� suggested Malcus with a smile.
�Ah well.� Ajira also likes shein.�
Shein is a wine made from comberries.� Not as powerful as sujamma though.�
Shein is good.� Alyssa will like it,� said Ajira playfully.
�Alright, that sounds fine,� said
Alyssa skeptically, �What�s it going to do to me?�� Ajira laughed again.
�Make Alyssa feel good.� Try it and
see.� Just don�t try to cast any spells while you are drinking and everything
will be fine,� she grinned.
�Alright then.� I�ll order a round
for all of us,� said Malcus.� He walked over to the bar to place the order.�
The bartender took out a dusty bottle and blew it off, pouring the contents
into each of three glasses.� Ajira grinned at Alyssa.
�See?� Ajira told you that Malcus
was a good man,� smiled Ajira happily.� Alyssa fought a smirk as she looked
back at him.� Somehow she hadn�t seen herself drinking in a tavern with the
same man she�d wanted dead all these past few months.� Of course, she hadn�t
seen herself helping to fight slavers and care for wounded slaves, nor had she
expected to see Bretons among the captives.� In fact, she hadn�t expected that
her journey would take her to Morrowind at all.� Her life was full of
surprises.� At this point, she saw little purpose in trying to figure it all
out.� Malcus returned with the drinks, and motioned the girls over to a table.
�Just drink slowly and you
shouldn�t have any ill effects,� warned Malcus.� Ajira dove right in, licking
her lips eagerly.� Cautiously, Alyssa rose the glass to her lips.� The scent
was sweet and dry, a bit different than plain comberries.� Spicier, she
thought.� As the fluid touched her tongue, she felt a shiver of pleasure course
through her.� This was good.� She took a bigger sip, eager for more.
�Ah!� Careful, remember to drink
slowly.� This is your first time with alcohol, right?� If your first experience
is bad, you�re never going to enjoy it again,� Malcus warned.� Alyssa giggled.
�It�s good,� she replied.
�See?� Ajira knew Alyssa would like
it,� smiled Ajira, who was already nearly half finished with her glass.
�And you, missy, shouldn�t drink so
fast either.� If I know you, you�ll finish that drink right up and order three
more besides.� You want to be able to get home tonight, don�t you?� he joked,
laughing at Ajira�s mock growl as she returned to her glass.
�So, tell me about yourself,� said
Alyssa, looking up at Malcus as she took another sip of shein.
�What would you like to know?� he
replied.
�Everything.� Where you grew up,
who your parents are, where you went to school, what kinds of things you do
now, how you got involved with freeing slaves, what things you like, what
things you don�t like, you know.� Everything,� she took another sip of shein as
she returned her gaze to her glass shyly.� Ajira laughed out loud.
�Oh really?� said Malcus, �Well, everything
would take a lifetime.� But let�s see.� I grew up in the Imperial City in Cryodiil,
but I have no idea who my parents are.� I�ve been an orphan all my life.� I
know about when I was born, but that�s it.� I never went to school.� I was one
of those street urchin pickpockets throughout my youth, until I got picked up
as a teenager for petty theft and sent to prison.� Much like I assume your
friend Edmund was, actually.� I learned a lot in prison about stealth and
combat.� It wasn�t entirely pleasant, but it�s served me well over the years.�
I was sent over here to Morrowind in an attempt to rehabilitate me, I suppose.�
I�m not entirely clear on it myself.� Anyway, they freed me as soon as I left
the docks, although I still have to report in once and a while.� Glamorous,
isn�t it?�
�That�s awful, I�m so sorry,� Alyssa
replied sincerely.� The situation was starting to make a little more sense to
her.
�Don�t be.� Anyway, like many
so-called �outlanders� I was outraged when I saw the conditions that slaves
were forced to live in on the island.� I suppose I was especially moved by the
fact that I so easily could have shared their fate.� It was only by sheer luck
that I did not.� Now I help out wherever I can.� The Imperial Cult is also
sympathetic to the anti-slavery movement, and they taught me the arts of
healing and persuasion.� I�ve found that they�re particularly needed in this
line of work.� If one could call it work.� It doesn�t pay particularly well,�
he winked.� Ajira laughed, shooting a big smile at Alyssa.� Alyssa smiled back,
letting the new information sink in.� She was beginning to like Malcus.� Or at
least, she was beginning to see why Ajira liked him anyway.
�Well, you seem to be doing well
enough for yourself,� she volunteered, remembering the lavish gifts he had
given her.� He laughed out loud.
�That�s because there are so many
wealthy slaver landowners around here who leave their manors far too poorly
guarded,� he grinned, taking another sip of shein.
�Where do you live?� I mean, I�ve
seen you a few places now, but I don�t know where you call home,� asked Alyssa
inquisitively as she savored her drink.
�That�s because I don�t have one,�
he said, �Although there are several places where I�m welcome, and I have
several others around the island where I�ve set up camp.� I never know where a
day is going to take me.� There are many nights where I simply pay for a room
at the local inn, and many more where I simply sleep out under the stars.� I�ve
thought about purchasing a small residence in Vivec to keep my belongings in
one place, but thus far there doesn�t seem to be any great need.�
�But how does someone find you if
they want to contact you?� asked Alyssa.� Ajira laughed out loud.� She�d
finished her shein by this point and was eyeing Alyssa�s hungrily.� Her tail
swayed pleasantly and she looked amused.� Malcus smiled.
�You in particular or someone in
general?� he asked slyly, giving her a sideways glace.� Alyssa started to
speak, but then stopped as a blush came to her cheeks.� She realized she was
being rather forward.� No wonder Ajira was amused.
�It�s alright.� It�s just that the
answer is different for everyone.� If Ajira wants to contact me, she leaves a
note here at Stendarr�s Retreat, or with Ra�vir to bring down here if she
doesn�t have time to go herself.� I check in here rather often.� In your case,
you�re welcome to do the same, although I really wouldn�t worry about it at all
if I were you,� he winked.� Alyssa blushed deeper.� She remembered how closely
he had been following her these last few months, and the ease with which he had
done so.� The situation was turning out to be� much different than she had
expected it would be.� She took another drink, savoring the cool texture
against her lips.� Malcus� piercing deep blue eyes suddenly looked like
polished gems, and his full lips turned up in a pleasant smile offset his
strong features, his long straight light brown hair pulled back with that black
ribbon�
�Do you ever take your hair down?�
she asked.� Ajira laughed so hard she nearly fell over.� Even Malcus had to
stifle an amused laugh.
�It tends to be more functional
when it�s out of my face.� Why?� he asked, reaching back to loosen the ribbon
and letting his hair fall about his face, �Do you like it better down?�� Alyssa
blushed once more, looking away.� Why was she talking like this?� Was it the
shein?� She realized she�d almost finished the glass.
�I, um� I just wondered.� I mean,
you have very nice hair but�� she trailed off, feeling a strange heat come to
her features.� She must have been as red as a comberry.� Both Ajira and Malcus
laughed.
�Why thank you.� You have very nice
hair yourself,� he smiled, �However, I�m thinking it�s about time to get you
two ladies back to the Imperial Mages Guild.� I don�t think Ajira is going to
sit here much longer unless I buy her another drink, and then we�d all have to
have another drink� and the night would just go on as such.� Seeing as how this
is your first experience with drinking and all, I don�t want to give you too
much all at once.� Less is really more, when it comes to drinking, you see.�
You�ll start having problems if you drink too much.� But just a little bit can
be fun.�
�We�ll do this sometime again
though?� asked Alyssa, finishing off her shein.� He shot her another sideways
glance, his head cocked to one side as he looked her over with a coy smile.
�If you so desire it, my dear, then
who am I to argue?� he smiled, �I�d be happy to buy you a drink whenever you
want one.� It seems, Ajira, that we�ve created a monster.� She�ll be as bad as
you are one of these days.�� Ajira giggled.
�Malcus is just jealous that Ajira
can drink more than him,� joked Ajira.
�Perhaps I am indeed,� he smiled
back.� It was clear that the two had a close friendship.� He stood and shook
out his hair, bringing it up once again to a ponytail with the black ribbon
forming a rogue�s knot on the back of his head.� He offered a hand to each of
the girls, helping them to their feet.
The journey back was quick and
simple � Vivec�s foreign quarter was indeed just a short ways away.� As he
turned to leave, Malcus stopped, then bowed low and kissed Alyssa�s hand,
pressing something into her palm.� She giggled.� Coda flowers.� They glowed in
the moonlight, illuminating their faces.� With a wave, he was off, disappearing
almost instantly into the shadows.
�Ooo, coda flowers,� said Ajira
enviously, �Malcus must like Alyssa.�� Alyssa blushed.� She wasn�t sure what to
think.� She was feeling rather giddy, but for all she knew, the alcohol was
affecting her judgment.
�Alyssa certainly liked Malcus.�
See, Ajira told Alyssa that Malcus was a good person.� One should always trust
Ajira.� Ajira has excellent taste,� the little cat smiled.� Alyssa didn�t know
what to say.� Things were just happening so much differently than she had
expected.
- 15
- 16
- 17
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Fall from High Rock