Ah, the golden armor, yes a very sad state of affairs there. Our poor Khajiit never does quite get over it.

My heart broke when Maro and his brother made fun of Maxical. Who do those fools think they are?? Our characters save the world and they are nothing but shop keepers!!

Later she did manage to clean herself up a bit but then walked straight into the bloodworks. That is not fair! I hope depression doesn't set in. Give Maxical a hug from me.

@ Foxy - Thank you very much Foxy! Now that is what I like to hear!
***
@ Acadian - Thank you so much Acadian! I like it better myself, lol.
***
@ Destri - Thank you very much Destri, and I edited it back in for you, it is in chapter 5, I believe.
***
@ Winter Wolf - You ROCK! Thank you so much Wolf! You have Maxical's thanks and a hug back!

*

The Arena

Chapter 14: The Rank Match II





If I had any plan at all it was to wear the two men down by making them chase me. If I could catch one alone we would clash and break apart (because I ran like a banshee when I saw the second man nearing). Once I got far enough away I would stand still long enough to swivel my ears or do something with my tail, trying to get the crowds screaming for me.

This was the first time I really had to fight for my life, and I was not prepared for it. Knowing the right moves doesn't mean you win, it just increases your chances. You still need to learn to actually fight, and all that sparring I did was just a game, no one was really trying to hurt me. This was the real thing, and I was scared. The only thing keeping me from wallowing on the floor of that Arena and crying like a child was the crowd up there screaming my name. My name.

It is a powerful force that pushes you beyond yourself and your own capacity and capabilities; you are suddenly there only for them. Owyn made us repeat it daily in our training, "you live for that crowd out there, you die for that crowd out there." Suddenly I knew what he meant by that. I had shouted it out with the others so many times in training sessions, but this was the first time I really understood what it meant.

I was trying to see where the man with the blade was, I could see Mr. Sledgehammer easily. Where did the other go? I put my tail straight up and scratched my own head with it. The crowd went wild over that. They were roaring and it looked like some may tumble over the balcony railing.

The man with the heavy sledgehammer was tiring from chasing me, I could see it. I thought I spotted the other man behind one of the large pillars. I had managed to pierce him with my longsword as I ran by him. They could call me hit and run, or stop and pop - that was the fighting technique I was using. Dart in and strike and run like wind the heck out of there. Either by my youth or being a Khajiit I was faster than the men, had more stamina.

I made a question mark with my tail and then pointed my tail at the man with the sledgehammer. The crowd started stomping their feet in unison and chanting my name. Everyone was standing up. I gave the Arena signal for finishing him and then put my tail in a question mark again. They screamed and pressed themselves against the balcony railing, everyone was pounding their feet till it sounded like thunder rumbling.

I still couldn't see the one with the sword. I was saving him for last because one on one I can look good against an opponent with swords. I charged the man with the sledgehammer, making my tale twirl as I ran toward him. I wanted it to look like I was being propelled toward him by my tail.

I had picked the wrong pillar as the one the bladesman was behind, or he moved while I clowned with the crowds. He darted out and caught me with his sword in a thrust that felt like it went all the way through me.

It felt like an icicle pierced me, the steel was cold inside me. A second later the pain came, but for that blessed second I didn't feel anything but the cold of the blade. The crowd gasped and screamed.

He was too close to me for my longsword to be of much use unless I used the hilt in his face, but he was too tall and I wasn't strong enough for a move like that to be effective. Alix taught me to always carry a dagger if I was going to use a longsword. I yanked the dagger out and for the first time did what turned out to be my signature move. I gouged it into his crotch and twisted it, then shoved him back to get his sword out of me so I could run, Mr. Sledgehammer had arrived on the scene and was raising that huge thing. I wanted out before it started falling, but didn't make it. I felt his hammer glance off my left shoulder with a crunching sound. It barely missed my head, the smell of steel clung in my nostrils.

Oh dear gods, oh dear gods that hurt. I screamed in pain as I ran, and then tried to turn it into a battle cry. The crowd was silent, and it is hard to fight off pain and injury without them backing you. I swirled my tail to get them cheering again, but it was the hardest thing to do when I felt like I wanted to drop to the Arena floor instead and writhe from the pain. They started screaming again. I needed that to get through this fight. Thank goodness they were on my side.

The man whose crotch I gored was struggling to get up from his knees. I had run the perimeter of the Arena to get away from the lug with the sledgehammer, crying the whole way from the pain and alternately pressing my hand over the hole in my stomach, afraid my entrails would start coming out.

When I was behind the man I had gored I darted towards him and raised my sword. With a full sweep and as strong a follow-through as I could muster with that shoulder crushed I beheaded him. The man never knew what hit him. His head rolled, and I almost lost my stomach seeing it. It was my life or his, it was my life or his.

The action of moving that shoulder made me scream, and I tried to turn it into words so it would sound like a battle cry, but the only ones that came out were extreme curses from the pain. I guess Owyn was right that we needed to come up with our own battle cry for these moments. The gash in my side suddenly wasn't that painful compared to the shoulder.

A steady trickle of blood was pulsing from that piercing in my side and I could feel air hitting my back. His sword had to have gone through me. Tears were rolling down my cheeks from the pain and I was not playing with my tail anymore. I felt like I may vomit. I wasn't sure if it wouldn't be blood that came up, we don't ever eat before a match.

I had to get through that giant with the hammer so I could get to the healing fount, I couldn't stand much more. A roaring sound filled my ears and my vision was edged in darkness. I circled him with my sword raised high to trick him, and it worked. He raised his hammer up to block and I swept his ankle with the blade and then ran. After that it was a lot easier. He couldn't walk on that leg at all, his ankle was shattered. Still, he had a huge hammer and I just had a sword. The hammer was two handed, if I could just take out one arm...

Standing as far away as I could on the opposite side of the Arena from him was a good place to rest, and I needed it desperately. I tried to heal myself but wasn't making much progress. My breathing was ragged and labored.

The crowds were too quiet, I needed them to charge me up for the finish or may not be able to do it. I gave the Arena signal to finish him and tried to make a question mark with my tail but couldn't. The crowd started calling my name again, but they could tell that I was spent. The frenzied atmosphere had become hesitant. If they lost faith I would not make it. I need you now more than ever.

Bent over and propping my hands on my knees got my tail up into the air pretty well just by the position, so I did that and made it snake dance a bit. It was taking all my strength, but I needed their support to get me through this.

They roared and started calling my name and stomping their feet again. That was what I needed to give me the strength to go over and finish the big guy. My shoulder was the worst for pain, but blood loss from my side had me feeling weak. I clutched the hilt of my sword tightly. Weakness can make you drop it, and that would be considered giving up in the Arena.

Needing to conserve what little strength I had left, I didn't run up to him. I walked up and stood facing him, my breath coming in heaving gasps. Finally, gathering my strength up I raised my sword again as if I was going to trick him and sweep his other ankle. He fell for it, this time he raised his hammer to aim it low and block my sword. He obviously thought I was stupid enough to try the same thing twice. I held off long enough so his arms would be stressed holding the heavy hammer up in that position. I could see his arm muscles straining. I deliberately looked at his ankle then feinted with the blade before swinging it fully. He fell for it, his arms stretched out long and low as he swung with the hammer and I swept his arm, severing it just above the wrist. With a quick motion I thrust the blade into his abdomen while he was still roaring. He still held the hammer in his other hand, but the head of it lay on the ground. If he had dropped it I would have won by default.

His teammate's error had been to thrust through me, burying his sword. That is a mistake amateurs make. Alix taught me better than that. I didn't run mine through the big guy. Instead I shoved it into his liver and swept it across to sever the main artery and disembowel him. In one quick motion I drew back slightly and rammed it upwards to pop his lung. I heard the soft hiss of air escaping the lung and the blood that poured out of his wound was filled with bubbles. A spurt of blood ran out of his mouth. He was done then, even if it took a few minutes for him to actually die of blood loss.

I didn't have the strength to sweep his head and take it off, and I doubted my blade was in good enough shape to do it either. I just stood there and waited for the Arena announcer to declare him killed. It didn't take long. He toppled face first into the dirty Arena floor.

While I waited for the Arena Announcer to give me the okay to leave the Arena I played with the crowd a bit, bowing and flagging my tail. Dear gods please hurry announcer! I didn't know if I would last long enough for him to call it. It seemed an eternity before he finally called, "Contestant from the Blue team, leave the Arena." I staggered across to the chute, dear gods please let me make it to the fount. Stumbling down the chute the blackness was hedging into my vision, taking over and the roaring in my ears was deafening. I bumped into the healing fount unseeing and fell across it.

Owyn ran up and activated the fount and was checking me over. He wedged the sword out of my hand and worked over me while I slid into unconsciousness.

***





******* After Blow From Hammer:







******* Wounded:













*

Wow, the rollercoaster ride is moving at 100 miles per hour!!

What started out as a fun filled journey quickly headed into a tightly woven battle for Maxical's life. Your life-like detail during the final battle scene was amazing. Foxy will be proud, that is for sure!!

I made a question mark with my tail and then pointed my tail at the man with the sledgehammer. The crowd started stomping their feet in unison and chanting my name. Everyone was standing up. I gave the Arena signal for finishing him and then put my tail in a question mark again. They screamed and pressed themselves against the balcony railing, everyone was pounding their feet.
This is insane.That is why I love it so much!!

In the eastern disciplines of the arts of war, both armed and unarmed, they have a saying

"The Student has surpassed the Master".

In fighting technique you're not quite there yet, mALX, but in WRITING... well, let me put it this woy. You're not staring at my boat, I'm staring at yours ... disappearing way into the distance.

Riveting is the word I want. Once I started reading this chapter, it flew by. Wonderful!

I can't help, but agree with Acadian.

I went back and read chapter five, and I encourage everyone else to do so. After reading it seeing that golden armor on display in The Best Defense is simply heartbreaking.

The Arena battle was magnificent. Maxical’s running commentary and attention to detail cast a spell that doesn’t let up until she slumps over the healing font, as spent as her grateful readers.

OMG..I've spent the last 45 minutes to read through this purely amazing story...and I'm speechless (and that's not normal for me )...

I'm a cat lover and reading about this pretty Kitty is a sheer joy. i think I mentioned it somewhere, but you'e a professional mALX, you must be!

Now this will either inspire me to take up my writing again or....make me realise that I never can come up with anything remotely like this one!

Anyway i am so impressed and I will try to learn from you (and all the other magnificent writers that dear treydoggie encouraged to come here)

YES I will learn and I will continue writing, but most of all i will follow this story about the sweet, funny, adorable Maxical

Hmmmm amazing...

@ Winter Wolf - That means tons coming from you Wolf, Thank You so very much!
***
@ Foxy - I fixed some nits I had with the fight itself, and it sounds much better to me now. Thank you very much Foxy, You ROCK!
***
@ Acadian - Now coming from you that is huge! Thank you so much Acadian, you are greatly appreciated!
***
@ Zalphon - Thank you so much Zalphon, and it is so great to be on the same forum with you again!
***
@ Destri Melarg - I have redone the fight a bit, (chapter seven) - I wasn't happy with it but feel much better about it now - Thank You so much Destri, coming from you any kind words mean the world!!!
***
@ Minque - Thank you so much Minque! I really got into your story, and see some similarities in our character's backgrounds; I was immediately drawn to Serene because of them too! I appreciate so much your kind words!
***
@ EVERYONE - I redid the fight above so that I was much happier with it, if anyone has extra time on their hands to re-read I would love to hear what they think of the changes. I certainly understand if you don't, this year has been a really busy one!

*

The Arcane

Chapter 15: The Bloodworks





The sound of the healing fount being activated woke me. I was laying on my back across the top of it and Owyn was leaning over me working on my shoulder and side. The infusion of magicka and healing spells bathed me in their aura, washing away the pain and exhaustion. I had heard it go off several times, I must have been in bad shape at the end of the match. Owyn was a master healer and could be compared to Arch Mage Traven for his healing ability. If he could only learn to be silent while he healed you.

"You did it! You got the crowds behind you! People will be coming to see you fight now, I'm moving all your fights to the weekends from now on. That thing you did with your tail, you had 'em eating out of your hand out there! Now you listen to me, Maxical. I didn't think I'd see you come out of there tonight. Don't get cocky now and stop your training. It could have gone either way tonight, you know that as well as I do. You made mistakes that could have cost your life. You need to train harder than ever now." Owyn was babbling. I closed my eyes again and let him work on me, hoping he would think I was passed out and stop jabbering.

Owyn was right, I had been cocky going into this match. Till today I had been fighting against people that really were raw recruits. Today I had been seriously challenged and really didn't think I was going to come out of that Arena.

All my dreams of being a warrior came down to this match. Was I going to learn from it and improve; or take the fear it had instilled in me and run away, quit the Arena. Owyn was right that I needed to train harder, but training is never against someone who wants to actually see you dead. How smug one can get when they do well in a practice; but it is all a game, play acting. There is nothing serious in that practice room.

What I faced today in that Arena was what the raw recruits I fought before now must have felt when they went up against me. But I was still playacting even then. The thought that I was killing them, actual death ... it never occurred to me even as I left the Arena a victor and cleaned their blood from my sword. Today was the first day that reality set in.

And yet ... the crowd today. It is an addiction that begins in your soul the first time they chant your name. You need them, live for their response, crave their voices calling your name. It feeds a hunger inside you that you never knew existed till that first time, that first experience of having them there for you. Now I know what "You live for that crowd out there" means; but what about the end of that? What about the other half of that saying Owyn has pounded into our heads, "You die for that crowd out there." What about that part of it? Am I willing to die for them? I know I almost did today, but am I willing to go back in and take that chance again? I know several that have, for I had to wipe their blood from my sword. But that was before it was almost my blood on someone else's sword, and them leaving the Arena the victor.

My usual buoyant spirits were subdued by the fight today. I had to make a decision on if I wanted to continue or not. I wished I could talk to Alix, wished I hadn't runaway from home. There was only one other person I could ask for advice on this, my friend Agronak. When Owyn got me wrapped up like a mummy I hobbled over and signaled him to let him know I'd be waiting for him when he got done practicing.

My mat is behind Ysabel Andronicus, she is the Battle Matron here. She handles the Grand Championship fights, and is Agronak's trainer and manager since he is the Grand Champion. At night she manages the women that sleep in the Bloodworks on an unofficial basis. We sleep where she tells us to. She can't stand having women in the Bloodworks, and the feeling is mutual. None of us can stand her.

She is insanely jealous over Owyn. Now, we all love Owyn, but no one is fighting for a place on his mat including Andronicus. She just doesn't want to see anyone else with him. They have a history that none of us can stomach picturing. We are all just glad it never came to fruition, if any of us had to see the two of them kiss we would all go out and throw ourselves on the next sword.

I guess because I was the youngest female in there she had pointed at me my first day in the Bloodworks and then pointed to the mat behind her. "That is where you sleep." She commanded.

It didn't matter to me when she is sleeping, but awake she has a very coarse and strident voice. Today she was doing a lot of loud hollering, her brash voice edged against my nerves. I needed a quiet place to think. I signaled Agronak again and pointed to the other end of the room down by the fount. There were a few mats in a dark corner there and it was quieter. Only one mat was occupied by a man pleasuring himself. I slumped down on the mat furthest from him.

There is a saying, "If you haven't seen it in the Bloodworks, it don't exist." It's the truth. Of course we all have to undress and change in front of each other, but there is much more that goes on pretty much out in the open down here. It took me a while to get used to it, my eyes stayed bugged out of my head constantly at first.

My first day in the Bloodworks was the first time I had actually ever seen what a man looked like naked. My first reaction, (which thankfully I kept to myself) had been "GAAAH!" But I was trying to sound mature and worldly, so I held that in. Instead I pointed to his member and said, "What is that?" and then looked down at my own self wondering if it was something that would grow on me now that I had the blue show.

"It's my sword." He said, and began walking over to me. I think he was about to show me something when Andronicus stepped up and dragged me into the corner to finish changing. My head was turned back as she dragged me away because the appendage had begun changing in shape and size.

Andronicus explained a whole lot of things to me in a very coarse way that surprisingly made things a lot clearer in my mind about everything than the Arcane ever did with their lectures on biology. Suddenly a whole lot of the dirty jokes I had told made a lot more sense. I now knew how babies were made as well.

I didn't sleep well my first night, my mind kept drumming up images of all I had seen that day. In the middle of the night I suddenly thought of Fathis. I sat up so quickly that the movement woke Andronicus.

"What is it?" She hissed.

"Fathis Aren." I whispered.

Andronicus sat up right away. "What about him?"

I swear butter could have melted in her mouth how sweet and interested she sounded suddenly. Her eyes were agog.

"I just realized what those men were saying about Fathis Aren all those years ago."

Andronicus insisted on hearing everything. She listened as if devouring every word till I told her that I was promised to Fathis.

"You can forget about that. Fathis Aren is a proud man, and would not sully himself with any of the beast species nor a fighter from the Arena, not even for a night's pleasure." Andronicus spat.

Some instinct told me she had been interested in Fathis Aren and had not prevailed. I wondered if her feelings for Fathis had been the reason she turned down Owyn's marriage proposal.

Still, what she said cut deeply. Fathis was a very proud man, I knew this about him. I just always thought his feelings for me overcame the fact that I was of the beast species. She had to be correct, though. At the end of every fight I always scanned the crowds to see if Fathis was there, he never was. I think that night was the first time I realized that I had lost any chance I had with Fathis when I lost his golden armor. And now here I was in the Arena, and Andronicus as much as said that Fathis turned her down because she was a fighter in the Arena. I lay back down feeling like someone had punched me in the stomach.

Eventually you become inured to the things that go on in the Bloodworks. After a while it becomes no big deal to see anything. I stopped gaping at everything that went on there and my eyes went back into my head. I doubt there is much that could surprise me or shock me now.




***

Agronak woke me. "I know what is bothering you, I can see by your bandages . You had your first tough match, didn't you?"

I nodded, pulling myself up till I was seated with my back leaned on the filthy wall behind me. Agronak sat next to me on the mat, his huge bulk eating up the remaining space.

"You know, that is a decision you have to make yourself. I can tell you why I chose to stay in after my first tough fight, but I'm not you. That is something you have to find inside yourself that keeps you fighting, or not find and decide to leave the Arena." Agronak said, taking my hand. "I heard you had the crowd eating out of your hand out there today." I leaned my head on his massive arm and listened to him talk about his first bad fight.

Agronak is my best friend here. He is the first Orc I've ever known. I was drawn to watch him practice just like all the other Pit Dogs who buzz around him like a mosquito. Agronak has moves even Alix doesn't know, and he performs them with such grace and precision that you are left dumbstruck watching him. It is deceptive too, that grace. It masks the power he is capable of and has lured many a dead man to think they could beat him in the Arena. I've tried to imitate him, just like everyone has.

His Arena persona is 'The Gray Prince' which I thought was odd because Agronak is a blue Orc. He doesn't take teasing from anyone about that, which is something you learn by the mistake of doing it. I was awestruck by him just like everyone else, and sought to start up a conversation with him hoping he may show me some of his moves. My idea of a conversation starter was to ask him why he didn't call himself 'The Blue Prince'. He took one look at me and laughed.

"When you become champion you should choose the title 'The Mouthy Marauder'". He said with a toothy grin.

"No sense warning them in advance." I spouted back. That started our friendship.

Everyone was surprised I had been able to tease Agronak and live to tell about it, but I know why. It is because we are both the wrong color for our race, that is what really bonded us as friends. We had both been ostracized by our own race and treated like freaks by others.

Agronak overcame it by pushing himself to a good education and by making Grand Champion. He was well respected now, but it hadn't always been that way. He shared things with me he had never shared with another because we had that bond. Things like that have a tendency to draw you together.


***



******* Owyn:







******* The Blue team Gladiator










*

Holy SHIPS, mALX.

You just keep getting better and better.

For those of you who don't fully understand, take a look at her first attempt to write about Maxical in the Arena. EVEN THEN if was pretty freaking good...


..but now, it's even better. We have a gritty, sand-in-the-feet realism of life raw and naked in the Bloodworks: an almost perfect slice-by-slash depiction of a duel to the death: psychological insights into the nature of crowds and crowdpleasers, and the parasatic, symbiotic relationship between them: and in addition to all this, we have - to use a Buddhist metaphor - Maxical, the "lotus in the mud" - she who is in the raw and ugly world of death, and yet not of it - who glides through the story and draws us all in...


...ah, I babble. Yes, I am not ashamed to do so. Who else? Who else but mALX could have done this, and not being content to do this once, do this TWICE, and better the second time around?


Thank you for gracing us with this, mALX. And when you become a best selling millionaress, remember us, your first fan club, 'kay?

As I've said! You're a PRO!!!

Adorable sweet Maxi....but what about Fathis? I'm curious...and a bit worried!

That last update was brilliant. It's that simple, you vision of the bloodworks fits so well with how it might be, none of this slightly grotty but more or less ok stuff from the game. You capture how different and desensitised people who live with that amount of death would become and paint a gritty picture of it. It also work well to show a change in Maxical.

Excellent stuff.

Very nicely done mALX! I was impressed to see that Maxical realized she had been cocky during her most recent fight and addressed the hazards of that. There was a lot that you brilliantly put in this - wonderful.

Incredible mALX. I have always been in awe of your ability to write 2000 words of non-stop humor into a chapter. Very few can do that. In this chapter, however; you have done the same non-stop transition into thoughts and reflection. Wow!! The whole thing flowed so smoothly and you kept Maxical's thoughts seeping down to us throughout. Simply incredible!!

I’m moving all your fights to Saturday nights from now on.
I would prefer to see the word Loredas here instead, but unfortunately the word 'Saturday' looks very different and you were probably worried that the impact of the meaning would be lost. If that is the case I understand.

Eventually you become inured to the things that go on in the Bloodworks. After a while it becomes no big deal to see anything. I stopped gaping at everything that went on there and my eyes went back into my head. I doubt there is much that could surprise me or shock me now.
Awesome part of the chapter here mALX. Very realistic. Bravo!!

Thank you for gracing us with this, mALX. And when you become a best selling millionaress, remember us, your first fan club, 'kay?
No chance of this. When mALX is sunning herself down at the Bahamas (aboard her 300 ft yacht, of course) we are the last people that she will think about.

I echo everything that has already been said. With everything that she has already been through, sometimes it’s easy to lose track of just how young Maxical still is. Thank you for rendering her combination of world-weariness and naivete so expertly.

A lot to smile, chuckle and laugh out loud about in this chapter:

These thoughts about Andronicus and Owyn that made me laugh out loud, in the way of parents and what they do when the kids aren't around:


Another laugh-out-loud moment:


Agronak is one of my favorite characters in the Arena storyline. This assessment of his character rings very true:


Well done, friend!

@ Foxy - Thank you so much Foxy, to hear those words from you means tons to me!!!! You are always appreciated!!
***
@ Minque - Thank you very much Minque! I appreciate your kind words so much, and was tickled to read about Serene. I hope to find time to finish the thread soon in case you will be adding to it, but I was struck by the similar backgrounds our main characters share - Cool !!!! Fathis should re-enter the story soon, in more ways than one, lol.
***
@ Olen - Thank you so much Olen! I actually took the atmosphere and goings on in the Bloodworks from the Jockey room at Hialeah Park in Florida (horse racing). I thought there would probably be a similar atmosphere in the Bloodworks due to what had been essentially a man's world for a long time suddenly being invaded by women, lol.
***
@ Acadian - Thank you so much Acadian! Oh yes, that fight definately took her down a few pegs, lol. You are greatly appreciated Acadian!
***
@ Winter Wolf - Thank you very much Wolf! I took your advice and changed the wording, and you are right about my reasons for doing it. I wasn't happy with the Saturday either, but didn't push my brain hard enough to come up with a solution till you said that. I think it works much better now, I changed it to "Weekends." You ROCK Wolf!!!!
***
@ Destri - Thank you so very much Destri!!! Maxical was pretty sheltered and so is somewhat immature for her seventeen years. Her curiousity has a tendency to get her into situations, or she may say the wrong things sometimes. Because of that, I really wanted to make sure her naivete was remembered, I am glad that came across. You are so appreciated Destri! Thank you!
***
@ Hauty - I was so hoping someone would pick up on these lines, Thank You so much Hauty!!!!! I cut one line out of there for word count that was another one children think behind their parents backs, lol. (When Andronicus explains the facts of life to her I had Maxical thinking to herself that maybe it was something Alix and S'Jirra needed to hear since they wanted a baby so badly - "I was pretty sure they didn't know about this...")

On the reaction to her first sighting of a man naked - I admit that one was my own first reaction, ROFL!

I like Agronak so well, and after my first game have never done his quest again until I did this story and my game glitched. You are so appreciated Hauty!!!

*

The Arena

Chapter 16: The Gray Prince





Agronak explained, the Gray was the wrong color on purpose, it was a joke on himself being the wrong color. The Prince part was accurate, he was the son of a Lord. It surprised me to find out that he was of mixed race.

Something about that really struck home with me. My face shows none of the standard Khajiit features, and my fur is fine and sleek, almost like a skin. Most Khajiit have coarse thick fur. It wasn't the first time I had wondered whether I was the product of a mixed union.

For Agronak it had helped him to know there was a reason behind his odd appearance, and within myself I knew that it would be so much easier to accept it if I knew my appearance was due to a racial mixture rather than just a deformity of nature or a freak accident of genetics.





***

Agronak and I spent every minute together if we weren't in a bout or training. We usually ate together and sat and talked till 'lights out' when he would head across to his bed in the Yellow team Bloodworks. We knew gossip buzzed around both Bloodworks about us, but we were just friends, the thought never crossed either of our minds for anything other than that.

He mostly ignored the gossip unless he thought someone had cast a slur against me. I think how the gossip started in earnest was the fact that we held hands a lot. It was just an affection between friends and meant nothing to us, but obviously meant quite a bit to others. That and Agronak appeared to like my singing. Anyone who has ever heard a cat sing; well no explanation would be necessary.





***

"What the hell is that horrible noise? Is someone injured?" Owyn came flying out of the back room.

I stopped singing and dancing and looked around. "I didn't hear anything Owyn."

Was that the first time I realized my singing was not a pleasant experience for the listener? No. I could fill a book with the clues before that.

Adamus Phillida thought someone was torturing the prisoners. Irlav Jarol went into an apoplectic fit and had to be healed. Fathis would laugh himself into stitches. Alix said he loved my singing, but mysteriously always had something to do outside when I started. Arch Mage Traven said he was sure it could be used in battle as a form of psychological warfare, I could infiltrate and bring them to their knees with my voice and aim.

It never bothered nor stopped me from enjoying singing. I won't even begin to mention my dancing, but suffice it to say that on more than one occasion someone called for healers thinking I was having some form of walking seizure.





***

Owyn came charging up. "The Black Horse Courier is here. Agronak, you go talk to them while I prep Maxical."

Agronak squeezed my hand before getting up. I watched his carriage and facial expressions change from Agronak to The Gray Prince. Owyn's training is very strict on representing our public persona, how we answer questions and handle the public when we go out. It is especially important with reporters, because they know how to ask questions that can trip you up and get you to reveal something you shouldn't. The Bloodworks was closed to outsiders, especially the press. All interviews were held in the garden area outside.

"You remember everything I told you? They will probably ask..." Owyn began going over the drill. Before I went outside for the interview Owyn gave me a gate pass to give Hassiri and reminded me to tell him my fights were moved to the weekends now.

Hassiri from The Black Horse Courier always watches the promotion in rank matches and interviews the victor. A lot of odd things are pulled for rank matches, like how the Yellow team sent three men out to fight just me. They are the most interesting to watch other than the Championship fights. That last fight had been a rank match, I was promoted to Warrior at the end of it but was too injured to stand in the ring for my belt or be interviewed, Owyn was busy working on my injuries and so had sent Agronak up to the Arena to get the belt and talk to the press.

Owyn had always been with me for the interviews before, I was surprised and a little nervous to be handling it on my own. He had pegged exactly what most of the questions would be, though. Hassiri started off asking about my injuries. I gave the scripted answers Owyn had briefed me with, smiling and looking in his eyes as we are trained to. Then he started asking questions I had not been briefed for.

"Can you show me some of those fancy tail moves you made in the Arena?"

"I can do better than that, why don't you use this gate pass and come see me fight when I get off injured status. They've been moved to the weekends from now on. You may see me do something with my tail I haven't thought of yet." (smile)

"Moved to the weekend already? That is pretty good for a Warrior rank. Did you think it was a dirty way to do business when they pitted you against three that outranked you?"

Owyn had not schooled me for that one. "The Yellow team lost three good men in that match, Owyn thought they were just doing housecleaning." (smile)

"You did a couple moves out there I hadn't seen done in the Arena before, I'm referring to the beheading and goring, are these specialized moves, and where did you receive your training?"

I was getting in over my head, he was asking questions I hadn't been schooled to answer.

"You'd be surprised what moves you can think up when skewered on a man's longsword. My Arena training comes from Owyn and my Blade training from Alix Lencolia. The tail tricks come from Azura." (smile)

"Will you be making any of them your signature move?"

"Right now my signature is staying alive out there, but so far I haven't seen any other tails in the Arena." (smile) Oh thank goodness, here comes Owyn. If the interviews last too long he knows they are asking questions he hasn't schooled us on.

"There has been a lot of talk about you and The Gray Prince, can you confirm for the readers what your relationship is?"

"Oh, we are not related. He is an Orc and I am a Khajiit. But we are friends, all of us Arena fighters are friends. There is no Blue or Yellow teams in those Bloodworks, but one family unit until we get into that Arena. Out in the Arena there are no friendships, no family. Any thoughts you have in that Arena other than the fight will get you killed." (smile) Come on Owyn, hurry up!

Owyn signaled me and I thanked Hassiri for the interview while Owyn slipped him two more gate passes and gave him a run down on my injuries and the upcoming fights for the article. I hurried back inside hoping I had answered correctly.

The debriefing with Owyn went well, surprisingly. I told him what had been asked and what I could recall of my responses.

"You did better than expected under the circumstances." Owyn was beaming because as he walked up he had heard me quoting his training in my last response. "That was quick thinking. You did well."

I heaved a sigh of relief. "Owyn, Hassiri said those three men outranked me. Is that true?"

"They were ringers, couldn't you tell?"

"I never thought about it." I really hadn't.

"You've got the Yellow team scrambling to find fighters to pit against you. They are trying to get rid of you. You're good with that sword Maxical."

I flushed, Owyn does not give out praise easily. Then again, he may be throwing me a bone hoping I won't give up. And being good with a sword almost didn't save me in that last match. I still needed to think about it.




***

That there was gossip about Agronak and I within the Bloodworks I knew, but I thought it was odd to be questioned about it by Hassiri. That had stunned me a bit, how could silly gossip from our Bloodworks have reached the ears and imagination of the press?

It is true Agronak was protective of me, mostly without realizing it. When you are an enormous Orc with a reputation for merciless slaughter in the Arena it doesn't take much for someone to back off and feel threatened. With Agronak all it usually took was a glance.





***

When the Black Horse Courier arrived the next day I was startled to hear the sound of some liquid being spewed and Owyn roaring. "MAXICAL! GET YOUR [CENSORED] IN HERE!"

I hurried in and was shocked to see Owyn's face a bright red color. My eyes fell to the coffee drenched edition of the Black Horse Courier in his hand. The floor was dotted with sprays of it. Had he called me in here to clean up his spill? My eye caught sight of a towel on the cabinet. Glancing up at his steaming face I snatched the towel and quickly started cleaning the coffee off the floor with it.

"DID YOU SAY THESE THINGS TO THE PRESS?" Owyn bellowed.

"But ... you said I did well in the debriefing; did I say something wrong?"

Owyn's hands were shaking as he pointed at a place in the paper. "Housecleaning?"

"But; I heard you say that..."

"That is not something you repeat to the press!"

I saw him scanning down the page and his eyes suddenly started from his head. Uh Oh. "I didn't know Owyn; er ... I think I may have received a head injury in the fight."

Owyn's hand was shaking and he was pointing at a place on the paper. His mouth kept opening and closing like a fish, but no sound came out ... at first. Then it was just a roar like a raging minotaur. I glanced at the page where his finger was.

"But; I was skewered on his longsword, I don't understand..."

Andronicus hurried over and pointed to my mat behind her chair. "Git, NOW!"

I was confined to my mat so Owyn could get over being mad at me. The worst part of it was, I would not have made him mad on purpose for anything.


***




******* Agronak:










*

Even when Maxical is trying to be a good kitty it still goes against her. She is too honest for her own good.

“There has been a lot of talk about you and The Gray Prince, can you confirm for the readers what your relationship is?”
“Oh, we are not related.
Magnificent come back there!! I love it.

His mouth kept opening and closing like a fish, but no sound came out
Damn those non-talking fish!! They must be coming from the water around Bravil.

Oh, too many to quote here! I loved it all!

But the part about Maxical's singing and dancing rings so true. Those who have ever witnessed a pet cat in heat will agree that it is the most obscene display in the animal kingdom.


Just a nit based on experience: when I get panicked calls at 2 am about a young female cat crying in pain, they're not having seizures, they're having trouble walking! Think Madonna writhing on the floor doing "Like a Prayer" at some awards show back in the '80's. Scandalous! I usually tell them to bring the kitty in so I can make sure it's what I think it is (otherwise if it's not, we've got some bad juju going!).

Yes indeed! This was great fun to read. It all flowed very naturally. I really like how you incorporated the BHC into this one. I didn't realize Maxical was such an entertaining singer and dancer! Well done (again), mALX!

@ Winter Wolf - Thank you so much Wolf! ... Hey, aren't you up in the middle of the night? I never saw you up at this hour before, lol. You ROCK Wolf!!!
***
@ Hauty - ARGH! My poor Maxical was not rolling around on the floor in heat, ROFL !!!! I hope that image doesn't stick in anyone's mind, ROFL !!! You had me in stitches with this! I fixed it to "walking seizure" hope that clarifies the image in your mind, you must have had an influx of cats lately in your practice, ROFL !!!!

I was trying to drum up an image more along the lines of of Elaine in Seinfeld dancing, ROFL !!! (with the thumbs, lol.) It was described as "A dry heave set to music"

Thank you so much Hauty, you made my day with your descriptions, lol.
***
@ Acadian - Thank you so much Acadian! I have been trying to add a little something to the original each time for anyone who is re-reading her story so they don't get bored, lol. You ROCK!!!!

Arch Mage Traven said he was sure it could be used in battle as a form of psychological warfare, I could infiltrate and bring them to their knees with my voice and aim.

It never bothered nor stopped me from enjoying singing. I won’t even begin to mention my dancing, but suffice it to say that on more than one occasion someone called for healers thinking I was having some form of walking seizure.

PRICELESS!!!


You’d be surprised what moves you can think up when skewered on a man’s longsword.


I SCREAMSNORTED so hard at that one....and the, lo and behold...


Owyn’s hand was shaking and he was pointing at a place on the paper. His mouth kept opening and closing like a fish, but no sound came out…at first. Then it was just a roar like a raging minotaur. I glanced at the page where his finger was.

“But…I was skewered on his longsword, I don’t understand…”


I suppose Owyn completely forgot that the *real* editor of the Black Horse Courier was a certain finger-in-many-pies D.Foxy...the DREADED master of swords, bawds, spears, fears, bows, beaus, poisons, poissons, martial arts, marital british boat ... AND innuendo..


Didn't he remember that before the name change, that newspaper used to be known as the the "Black FOX Courier"???


Tsk, tsk, Owyn. Punk'd by DFoxy again!!!

Using the interview with the Black Horse Courier as a narrative hook is just brilliant!



Hilarious!

@ Foxy - I remembered Damien Reynard pointing at the Black Horse Courier in "The Debriefing" when I wrote that, your overly excellent idea of having him point to a place on the page! - couldn't resist using it and seeing if anyone else was reminded of that! Thank you so much Foxy, I even laugh at your antics months later, lol. You are always hugely appreciated!
***
@ Destri - I have been trying to make this rewrite add something to the original for those that have read it before (so they aren't bored reading it again, lol) - while trying to slim it down but keep Maxical intact, lol. Feels like a juggling act - so if I have cut something you want in the story, or added something that sucks, please don't be afraid to TELL ME !!!! ROFL !!!! I'd rather know while it is fresh and I haven't deleted the hard copy, lol. Thank you Destri, you are Awesome!

I wanted everyone to see this, one of Maxical's readers sent me this to the BGSF - For those that have been keeping up with the story over there Maxical has been very ill - She said she drew a healing amulet on her to help her get well - I cried like a baby! Thank you so much Ariel, YOU ROCK !!!!!!!








*

I STILL demand to know what "wee wee on my Tee Pee" means!!!

Oh, is that what I sent you!!!! I couldn't figure it out by your cryptic PM, ROFL !!! It had to do with some comment you made on the date I sent that, so check the date and roll back in your posts to see what you said that brought that up - ROFL !!!! It may have been the Chocolate pudding comment, but I can't remember right now. I will dig around and see if I can figure it out, but it was something you said that triggered it.


As far as the poem goes, SOMEONE used to say that to any men that came in our house and happened to need to use the bathroom while there. - Yes, his humor was as twisted as mine, ROFL !!!

Hilarious, my cat sings and ...well, no comments really

What can I possibly say that has not been said already? I just adore this Kitty-cat, she's funny and smart and you describe her so well.

I see this as one of my "feel-good-stories"

Thank you so much for posting it here!

I am caught up again at last. I wanted to take the time to savor this reading and enjoy every "Maxical moment" of it.

Your editing has taken an already brilliant story to new heights. And you have preserved all the best parts- the humor, the sadness, the crossed wires of communication....

The Arena fight was one of the best I have seen. And the "letters home" section had me fighting to keep from bursting out laughing.

@ Minque - Thank You so much! Maxical really has my heart, I have played her on the 360 since 2006 and since 2009 on the PC. She is so much fun to RP when gaming that I started doing her story last fall. You are so appreciated!

***

@ Treydog - Thank you so very much Treydog! It really means a lot to hear that the edits came out as I hoped they would. I was scared of editing out a part that meant something to a reader - like Destri over the attack when she lost the golden armor.

You ROCK Treydog!! And I know how busy you have been, so really appreciate it when you take the time to read my stuff, lol !!

*

The Arena

Chapter 17: Repercussions Of The Interview





Haki the Bold poured himself a steaming cup of coffee and sat down at his breakfast table. After selecting an orange and a sweet roll he raised the piping hot coffee to his lips while perusing the latest copy of the Black Horse Courier.

SPEW was followed by a deafening CRASH, then a stream of curses shouted loud enough that a passing guard ran in from the street.









******* Maxical


I had just finished using the bathroom by the main entrance and was about to start heading back to my mat where I was being confined till Owyn got over the urge to kill me for the things I said in that interview.

CRASH! The door of the Bloodworks slammed against the wall and stomping footsteps followed. If I hadn't just used the urn I may have lost control of my bladder at the sight of the huge angry Nord. His face and even his shiny pate glowed bright red, and if eyes could emit steam - his were. It was Blademaster Haki of the Yellow team, and he was livid about something.

"It's Haki the Bald! Someone get Owyn, it's Haki the Bald!" I yelled, scurrying back to my mat behind Andronicus.

This made him even angrier, if that was possible. He charged after me roaring.

Agronak stopped practicing and came right behind him, sword still in hand.

Owyn stepped towards Haki and shouted "Hey!"

"That fur-licking tramp called me bald!"

Agronak stepped up to him. "Take that back!"

Andronicus pushed Agronak back and Owyn gave him the Arena signal to step off. Agronak did, but didn't go far. He stood just feet away glowering at Haki and breathing loudly through his mouth like a minotaur.

"I'll handle this." Owyn growled in Agronak's direction, then turned to Haki. "You don't come in here threatening my fighters. So what if she called you bald? If you're trying to keep it secret you should wear a hat."

"She was making fun of my name!"

"You got a problem with anything my fighters do, you bring it to me. She was just calling it like she saw it. Have you lost your mind coming in here threatening like this?"

A verbal battle of major proportions ensued. They didn't physically fight each other, but it looked like they may any second. Their faces were both beet red and sweat began dripping off their brows and down their necks. They got their mouths fractions of an inch away from the other's face shouting at the top of their lungs. Spit flew and they were shaking as if holding themselves back from fighting was straining them. Their chests bumped repeatedly against each other. It was much more frightening than if they had just drawn weapons and dueled it out.

Then it got down to me saying Haki had been "housecleaning" in the interview. Owyn may have raked me over the coals for saying that to the press, but when Haki demanded an answer Owyn got right up in his face almost spitting in his eye.

"Hell yeah I told her to say that to the press! You were housecleaning, those men came straight out of prison and you know it!"

"So what? I broke no rules. You got a problem with it?"

"Yeah I got a problem, you're in my Bloodworks. Unless you're here to learn how to train a real fighter then I suggest you leave before Pork Chop smells you. He'll do some housecleaning of his own if he gets wind of you in here."


All the fighters had stopped practicing and were hovering in the vicinity of the doorway to the backroom so they could watch the fight. I had started to go over and apologize to Haki, but Andronicus stuck her arm across to stop me then pointed me back to my mat.

I was pretty sure Owyn would kill me after Haki stormed out, but to my surprise Owyn was strutting around like a banty rooster that had just routed a fox from the henhouse.

Andronicus gave me a very blunt and coarse description of exactly how what I said to the press could be misconstrued and went on to point out that all of Cyrodiil was going to be reading that over their breakfast table. I had a very red face when I apologized to Owyn.

Owyn pounded me on the back. "It's a good thing you are on medical leave for those injuries. Some will think you are trash over this like Haki did, not all though. I'm hoping most will think you were being deliberately funny like you do with your tail in the matches. That is what we want them to think. Either way this will all blown over by the time you get back fighting. Something else will happen and everyone will be talking about that and forget about this interview. It always works that way, no one stays front page news long. I don't want you to open your mouth to the press again though. I don't care what the circumstance is, you do not speak to the press again till I give you permission, is that understood?"

He laughed at me for calling the Yellow team Blademaster 'Haki the Bald' to his face. It turns out that is something they tell new Pit Dogs to see how stupid they are. I guess I should have won a prize for stupidity, having made it to Warrior rank without learning his correct name.

I remembered recently seeing his name printed in the paper and pointing it out to several other fighters that they had spelled Haki's name wrong. How they must have laughed at me behind my back. Humiliation isn't adequate to describe what it feels like to know you have been the subject of private jokes without your knowledge.


That edition of the Courier sold out and had to go into another printing. I took a lot of ribbing over it. Several men asked if I needed help thinking up a move and offering their longsword as a skewer.

Agronak tried to put a stop to it by glaring at everyone and telling them that their 'daggers' would be hanging off his sword if they didn't shut up. He was perpetuating the problem by doing that, but there wasn't any nice way to get that across to him.

Owyn and Andronicus stayed out of it till the Champion from the Yellow team started in on me. She had been practicing in our Bloodworks regularly since well before I came to the Arena. Owyn always said he thought Haki sent her over to spy.

She had always been overly rude to me right from the start. All the Pit Dogs are picked on by the experienced fighters, that is just an initiation we have to go through. It usually tapers off as we gain in rank, but she had never let up on it with me. Owyn and Andronicus don't step in on stuff like that, we are supposed to learn to handle it on our own. That was why it was such a surprise to me when Owyn jumped all over her this time.

She wasn't five foot from Owyn when she said I needed to go to the Yellow team Bloodworks and do some housecleaning. Owyn got right up in her face and shouted at her to get back to her own Bloodworks, that she was no longer welcome here. She stormed out.









******* Varnado


Varnado looked up irritated when the loud Nord slammed into The Feed Bag. Her voice carried above the crowds long before she plopped herself down at the table behind him with a group he recognized as fighters from the Arena. He was considering moving to another table when something she said in that brassy voice caught his attention.

"That white fur-ball knew exactly what she was saying in that interview. How can you still think she is innocent after reading those things she said? I'm telling you she has Owyn eating out of the palm of her hand and that blue Orc tries to fight anyone that looks at her! He would have stabbed Haki this morning if Owyn hadn't stopped him. Owyn and Haki got into a huge fight too, they almost killed each other over her. She is trash, just pure trash. She's sleeping with them all, they wouldn't be fighting over her like this if she wasn't. Owyn threw me out today over her."

"If she was sleeping with Owyn, Andronicus would have killed her by now. You're off there."

"You idiot, they don't do it in front of her. Use your head."

"Nothing happens in the Bloodworks that don't get around, if she was sleeping with Owyn we would have heard about it."

"You're hearing about it right now, you numskull!"

"She isn't sleeping with everyone down there, that Blue team Gladiator has been trying to tap her since she started the Arena. He said he'd lay his winnings that she's never been touched. Said she had never even seen a man's sword when she first came to the Bloodworks."

"Key words there, when she first came. Do you really think she could have lived there this long and stayed pure? Get real."




***

Varnado watched the Nord and her teammates as they filed out of the restaurant. There was some confusion at the doorway as a group of guards were entering at the same time, shortly followed by all three Verus brothers that ran the 'Three Brothers Trade Goods'. Varnado hailed them over to his table.

"Sit with me, I've got to tell you what I just heard."

Cicero, Sergius, and Tertullian Verus all pulled up chairs and Varnado signaled the proprietor Delos Fandas over.

"Give me another stout Delos." Varnado said, waiting till Delos took the others orders before beginning.

"Did you see the interview with the white Khajiit in the Courier today? Let me tell you what I just overheard about her. She is the same one that got Fathis Aren steaming mad over that Golden Armor we've got hanging on display."

"I read it; that Fathis Aren is one cold character. Looks down on the working class, I doubt he would have anything to do with a fighter in the Arena." Sergius said, imitating Fathis by looking down his nose at Varnado.

"Delos, bring us a copy of the Courier if you've got one."

Delos handed him the paper as he lay the frothy stein of ale down.

"Read that." Varnado pushed the paper in front of Cicero. Tertullian leaned over and read it too. Loud guffaws followed, and they began elbowing each other and making jokes.

Sergius reached over and took the paper from them, scanning it quickly. "This is that white Khajiit we saw fighting? The one with the tail?" Sergius asked, still scanning the article with the interview.

"All Khajiit have tails." Tertullian said with a snort.

Sergius lowered the paper and gave him a look. "You know what I mean, the one that made us laugh by doing tail tricks. Remember? She is the one that cut that guys head off, and when it rolled her face turned green."

"That was my favorite part of the fight." Cicero said, becoming animated. "That and when she gored that guys crotch and twisted the dagger. I hurt just watching that, but couldn't take my eyes away. I hope she makes that one her signature."

"I worry about you sometimes Cicero." Sergius said shaking his head.

"Well you should hear what has been going on down in the Bloodworks with that same white Khajiit." Varnado brought the conversation back under his control before they got off on fight techniques. He hesitated till all eyes were on him.

"Here, let me pick up your tab for that ale." Tertullian said, pulling the tab over in front of him.


When he reached the part about Haki fighting over her two of the guards stepped up to the table.

"I can verify that. I heard shouting coming from Haki's house this morning and ran in. He was in a burning rage and holding the copy of the Courier in his hands." One guard said.

"I had to write a report on him crashing into the Blue team Bloodworks this morning. He busted their door latch." The other guard said. "Here, let me buy you another stout, what else did you hear?"

Urbul gro-Orkulg from the Slash 'N Smash came in and hailed Varnado. When he found out what the conversation was about he joined in, grabbing Varnado's tab for dinner and ordering him another ale.

"I know the Gray Prince is hitting that fur."

"How do you know?" Several asked in unison.

"He's an Orc." Urbul said with a grin.

"Let's move to a bigger table." Varnado said, tucking his Septim pouch in his pocket.






*

The begingings of the rumour are nicely done, you show it spreading and developing well. It enhances the story's slightly darker edge too which is what makes this so good, it has lots of humour but enough grit to it as well. And they're well balanced with neither damageing the other.

I can see her not getting on so well with the press once they get wind of it...


The man's a master

So it'll all blow over by the time Maxical returns to the Arena? Owyn, are you certain? Really certain?

hehe...priceless!!

Another one:


Oh how humorous...I just love it!

Maxical....YOU ROCK!

There is an image that will haunt me for the rest of my life!

Between Maxical and Shivani it’s a wonder that Cyrodiil still stands.

Beyond brilliant!

Oh my, that was entertaining indeed! Fun and games in the Bloodworks. You do a nice job of 'showing' who Maxical's friends are (especially Owyn and Agronak) as well as her enemies by their actions. Well done.

*



Chapter 11a: Bringing Fathis Up To Date




** This section on Fathis is a backflash of what was going on with him from around the time Maxical ran away from home and leading up to the current events. It was out of order since the edit; moving here to get time framing right. Sorry everyone This really needs a rewrite. I haven't figured out what I'm going to do with it yet, may delete it.







Fathis had not been sleeping well since Ma'Thjizzrini Qa joined the Arena. Not hearing from her anymore after years of correspondence caused Fathis to wonder if she took that argument over the armor, the way he stormed out...could it be she thought they were over?

He trudged down to the Castle dining room for breakfast after another night of tossing and turning. He loaded his plate up with several meats and sat down to a hearty breakfast and a bit of news. Putting a large forkful of steak into his mouth he picked up the Black Horse Courier and began to read. GAAAAAK! Fathis heaved out of his chair, knocking it over with a crash. He was clawing at his throat and gasping.

Gellius Terentius leaped up and whacked Fathis on the back hard, causing the piece of meat to fly out of his mouth and bounce off Count Regulus Terentius.

"Good gods man! Watch what you are about!" The Count carefully blotted the meat juice off him with his linen napkin.

Fathis face continued to turn purple, but it was from anger at what he had read in the Courier.

"I'm at my breakfast man! If you are passing this life I request you do it somewhere other than my breakfast table! Gellius, have the staff come get Fathis. And send a healer to him. He appears to be succumbing to a heart ailment." The Count said disgustedly, turning back to his breakfast and picking up the now crumpled edition of the Courier.

Fathis waved Gellius back down and stormed out. He strode immediately out to the stables and demanded they saddle up his horse. Steam appeared to be rising off his head.

He rode at breakneck speed to the Imperial City and stomped the whole way to the Arena. The board out front showed Ma'Thjizzrini Qa was off the schedule for her injuries. She must have gone home then.

Fathis hurried to the Faregyl only to find she wasn't there either. His temper rose each time he thought about Ma'Thjizzrini Qa being 'skewered on a man's sword' and these delays in confronting her were not helping. He galloped back to the Imperial City, his mind a turmoil the whole way.

Why did she not go home? Surely she wouldn't lay around in that filthy Bloodworks when she didn't have to! Had one of the young bucks from the Arena set her up somewhere in some hovel? Well he would find her if he had to go house to house through the Imperial City!





***

Fathis decided to begin his search by crashing into the shacks on the waterfront first. As he started across the bridge he saw the waterfront was crawling with Legion guards. Swinging around he hurried back up to the gate.

"What's going on down there?" He asked the guard.

"They're going house to house searching for the Gray Fox." He eyed Fathis up and down. "You don't need to be going down there dressed up like that, not unless you plan to be knocked over the head and robbed."

"Good gods, is it that bad down there? I was looking for that white Khajiit, the one that fights in the Arena. Have you seen her go down there? I am to escort her home."

"I've seen her down there every now and then with the Gray Prince. He has a house down there. She's not down there now though."

The rage that filled Fathis was so great that the guard's eyes widened and he took a step back from him.

"Here now, I'll have no trouble on my watch!" He called as Fathis stormed away.

By the time Fathis left the Imperial City the next day he had heard about Haki and Owyn as well.







*

*


Chapter 11: Bad Things Come In Threes



Owyn was right, eventually bigger news hit the paper and everyone quit talking about that interview. The first was that Claudius Arcadia's daughter was brutally murdered in the act of a rape right there in the Imperial City. She was a little younger than me. It was horrible to think of what she had to endure the last minutes of her life, and frightening to know someone was out harming girls like that.

Then Agronak's mother died. He came into our Bloodworks broken and made the announcement to the room. He looked over at me as he spoke, his expression helpless and clearly he was needing his friend instead of the roomful.

"This morning at a little after three my mother lost her fight with..." Agronak began, but was unable to finish.

We all gathered around him to give him words of comfort. She had been very ill for a long time, long before I met him. I had gone with him to visit her several times and knew her time was near. Even though this was the expected conclusion it was none the less devastating to Agronak.

Andronicus gave up her chair and we all helped Agronak to it. Owyn made him take a small sip of brandy, even though Agronak does not drink alcohol.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" I asked him quietly. I really didn't know what to do.

"Yes, I really need your help if you can Maxical. I need to make arrangements for her funeral and the disbursement of her personal items. I guess I'll need to make a statement to the press. I really need your help to get through this, I don't even know where to begin." He was shattered.

I didn't know either. I looked over at Andronicus and she nodded. She knew what to do. Surprisingly, or maybe not, Andronicus was used to handling these things. Agronak gave her carte blanche with his bank account and she was a model of efficiency ordering the funeral arrangements and gathering the press. She wrote out a list of tasks that I could do for her to get everything done quickly. She spoke to the press on behalf of Agronak and fielded the questions the press threw at him afterward. He had to do very little speaking.

The funeral was arranged in record time and the Courier was given the details so they could print them on the Special Edition with the announcement of her passing. They were given a pass to sit up front with the fighters and family as quite a crowd was expected. Andronicus knows how to milk PR from any situation for her fighters.


Ocato himself could not have a bigger funeral than Andronicus set up for Agronak's mother. It rained, but that did not keep what seemed like all Tamriel from attending. People were squeezed together tightly all across the lawns and the streets were clogged. People hung out of the windows of nearby buildings and climbed up in the trees to see. Crowds spilled out into the other districts so the guards tied the city gates open for them. The Gray Prince was obviously the draw, for while she lay sick none of these had bothered to make her acquaintance.

Owyn looked surprisingly handsome in a very ornate armor I had never seen before. Haki the Bold was dressed to the nines and with a very somber expression. He and Owyn acted like a harsh word had never been spoken between them, clasping each other in grief. That is for the PR image, we strive to look like a close knit family.

Andronicus was wearing a new dress and she had me fix her hair and do her makeup for her. The fighters from both Bloodworks came in spotlessly clean battle raiment, all the metalwork polished to a high sheen and brand new skirting.

Hassiri, Urjabhi and Ra'jiradh from the Black Horse Courier all came dressed in suits and sat up front with the fighters. High Chancellor Ocato had been sent a special invitation to stand with the fighters, he is an Arena buff, surprisingly. He showed up in a fancy red uniform on a gorgeous black horse and gave a speech. I didn't see him because Andronicus had me fetch her some water from one of the houses. I caught her later dabbing it under her eyes to imitate tears. She is a master of staging for any event.

Agronak was resplendent in his Grand Champion raiment, but was very emotionally wrought by it all. He clung to my hand through the entire proceeding and wept openly. It was heartbreaking.




***

Agronak was very depressed, but driven. "I need to go through my mother's personal items and find her important papers. I will be selling a lot of her things, but ... I can't face digging through her things by myself. Would you mind helping me with this?" He knew I would, the asking was just a formality.

Agronak had bought his mother a tiny house on the waterfront so she would be close to him. It was just a short walk from the Arena. He started off picking up a few items and putting them in the crate, but after a while I noticed he was sitting on the bed with a faraway and lost look on his face.

"Do you want to wait and do this another time?" I asked, gently touching his hand.

"No, It's not that. She was my last tie. I don't even know who my father was, only that he was a Lord. I have no one now ... to claim my body when I die. I'll be damned if I'll be put in the pit like trash."

Agronak never cursed, so it said a lot for how strongly he felt about this. I understand the feeling of having lost all ties, and about the pit. I wouldn't want to be put in there either.

The pit is under a grate in the center of the Arena. Fighters without families to claim their body are stripped and rolled into the pit immediately after their fight, right in front of the crowds. When the Arena closes for the night they light the pit on fire and incinerate the bodies. It is the worst smell in the world when they light it, but I have seen people sitting in the stands watching. I always wonder if it is family or friends that couldn't afford the cost of a funeral.

Before stepping foot in that Arena every single time you fight you have to sign legal forms and releases. The Battlemaster and one neutral party have to witness your signature on the papers. Andronicus acts as witness for Owyn's fighters and he does the same for her's.

The first is the 'Designated Claim' form, who will claim your body in the event you die. If you have family coming for you your body is taken to a holding area and stripped of the Arena equipment.

Then you have to sign the 'Incineration at the Discretion of the Arena' form. If your designated claimer does not show in what the Arena deems a reasonable period they have the right to dispose of you in the pit before you stink up the place.

If you don't have a person as a designated claim, you have to sign a waiver for the waiting period so they can just dump you in the pit right away.

At the end of each day the Battlemaster has to send a report to the Chancellor with the list of everyone that was incinerated along with their signed waivers or agreements.

The fear of being disposed of in that pit was foremost on Agronak's mind. He was desperate to find something in his mother's personal papers that would give a clue to any family.

"Agronak, there is no one in Tamriel that can beat you, I doubt you need to worry. But I overheard Owyn telling that Gladiator about something called a 'Power of Attorney' where you can designate a person as a pseudo relative, someone who would act on your behalf as a relative would. You can be released from it later if you find a relative or marry. I am sure Andronicus would do it for you, or if you wanted me to I would do it for you."

"Would you? You have no idea what a relief that would be on my mind. I'll talk to Andronicus about it right away. That Gladiator ... are you talking about Gils? The Dunmer?"

I nodded.

"Is he bothering you? You tell me if he is. He's been getting on my nerves sniffing around you like a dog with a steak dinner. I put a flea in his ear the other day about it."

"He doesn't bother me Agronak. It is just a conquest thing with him. Don't upset your friendship with him over this." I couldn't stand it if I was the cause of a rift between the two friends.

"As long as you are on that mat behind Andronicus I don't care; but if she ever moves you out from behind her, I wouldn't like the idea of you continuing to stay in the Bloodworks."

"I don't have much choice about that. Anyway, I doubt she will move me."

We filled two crates with clothing and bedding and Agronak handed me her jewelry box to carry. He found the deed to the house and brought it as we made our first trip to the Market District.

Jensine's bought the crated items, then Agronak had me wait outside the Red Diamond Jewelers while he took the deed to the Office of Imperial Commerce.

I saw Hassiri from the Black Horse Courier heading up the street toward me and was getting nervous that he would spot me. It was a huge relief when Agronak came around the corner and we were able to duck into the Red Diamond Jewelry together so he could sell the jewelry items.

Just before we stepped back out of the shop Agronak caught my arm and turned me around, slipping a rolled parchment into my hand.

"I want you to have my mother's house. It isn't much, just a shack; but it's somewhere you can go if Andronicus moves you. If that happens, I want you out of that Bloodworks. You know I will end up killing someone if one of those clowns touches you. Consider it your duty to take it so I don't go to prison."

"Agronak, I can't take that, it is yours!"

"No it's not, I had the deed put in your name. Maxical, you know me. I'll never live outside the Bloodworks, it's my home and always has been. You've been thinking about getting out of the Arena lately anyway."

"Agronak, this is too much! I can't take it!"

"It'd mean a lot to me to see you there, to know you had a place of your own. I have something else too, as long as you're already griping. I bought this ring for my mother with my winnings when I made Grand Champion. I couldn't bring myself to sell it. My mother asked me to pick something nice out of her jewelry when she was gone and give it to you, and I chose this. I want you to put a health enchantment on it to help you heal out there in the Arena. That is your main weakness."

"Agronak, what a dear you are, but I can't take that! Any old brass ring will do for the Arena, that is way too nice to fight in." We had stepped through the doorway as we were speaking, then stood outside the door.

"Let me know when your done griping so I can put it on your finger." He gave his lopsided grin. "You are the only one that ever came and visited with Mom. That meant a lot to her and me both. This is from both of us."

"How sweet you are Agronak." There is no arguing with an Orc that has his mind made up. I stuck my hand out and he slid it on, it was a beautiful ring.

"Thank you Agronak." I hugged him and then took his hand as we turned to leave.

"I see I should be wishing you happy. You didn't have to die of old age, did you?"

My head jerked around. Fathis was standing in the midway gawking at us, his face purple with rage.

"Fathis!" I let go of Agronak's hand.

Suddenly Hassiri was in my face, his pad in hand. "Let me be the first to officially congratulate you two. Would you mind giving a..."

"Fathis, please! Please, it's not what you think! Fathis!"

Fathis stormed away. Hassiri's eyes were lit with intrigue.

I looked up at Agronak. "I've got to go after him." I said, then left Agronak to talk to the press while I ran after Fathis.



*

Weeeeell.

I don't know whether to :, , , or !

I stand behind my original opinion of Fathis. He can be such a

Nicely done mALX!

If there is a misunderstanding, Maxical will find herself in the middle of it, won't she!?!

I love this! In the land of the Nine Divines, to be dressed to the Nines is so cool! I think it is wonderful that this phrase has equally effective meaning in or out of TES lore (just for diff reasons) and that you chose to use it!

@ Hauty - I hope all that is good, I know the ROFL is, lol. I slid some below the surface jokes in there, so I hope one of those laughing emoticons is one of these! You and Wolf are usually the ones that catch my undercurrents first, lol. Thank you so much Hauty!!

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@ Acadian - Thank you very much Acadian! I liked that too. I had to make the story a little different for those having to drudge through it again - a reward for their loyalty, lol.

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@ Everyone - since this is a re-write, if anyone wants to see something I have left out, or liked the original better than my re-write PLEASE tell me so I can fix it. (like Destri did with the attack where she loses her golden armor) I want it to be all good. Since I am changing some things around and adding new, I am torn on whether I am hurting the story with the changes or helping it.


****** For anyone that is still keeping up with the original story updates, the BGSF does NOT send notices anymore for stories you are tracking as of March 25, 2010. If you are interested in keeping up with the new chapters I can PM you if you let me know you want me to do that. There was a new chapter posted yesterday.


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mALXie....I'm so pleased you post Maxie's story here! I will most certainly follow this version...This last update was touching, without being too mushy...Really very professionally written.


Hmm ever thought of making a living on writing, huh?

@ Minque - Thank you so much Minque! You ROCK!!!


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Hold for edit



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Everyone - in trying to edit a couple chapters here the encoding issue caused some of the comment thanks I had written out to disappear. They showed on one encoding, but not on the other. When I tried to fix it, they were gone.

Really hate these encoding problems.

This is better written the second time around, tighter and more effective.

one nit:
I think the word you want is elusive.

This little woofy is sitting here with a big smile upon his face.


Oh mALX, this is lovely. You have nailed the male POV so well it makes my heart sing.
The way you write Fathis is soooo right!!

Go girl.

It's very clear where Fathis stands and of course Maxical is right in the middle of the misunderstanding!

@ Hauty - Thank You, thank you! I fixed that, I appreciate your help a LOT! I have some scenes coming up in a few chapters that are straight out of your PM over at...the other place - I think you will appreciate the details in it, I used almost all of what you gave me - can't wait to show it to you! Thank you again Hauty!

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@ Winter Wolf - Yeah! You are back! I read your chapter, and can see the hard work you put into it, so I know why you were gone so long! Poor Maxical was missing you badly! Thank you so much Wolf, coming from you that means tons!

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@ Acadian - Thank you so much Acadian! I really appreciate so much that you are still reading her current story updates and these changes too, that means a LOT !!!