** Anyone that read the original Maxical story may remember the feud between the Palace Chef and Ocato over rats in the stew - this is a nod toward that chapter, which was inspired by Treydog and Mrs. Treydog with the �Rat Award� they donated.
Rat Award:
http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images0...60a6e16d9/l.jpg
** The scene with Alix the Mouse was inspired by another donation from Treydog and Mrs. Treydog which was a different chapter in the original story and became �Alix�s Portrait, by Mrs. Treydog�
Alix�s Portrait, by Mrs. Treydog:
http://a4.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images0...7025ecc36/l.jpg
Alix the Mouse:
http://a4.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images0...e246cc570/l.jpg
Alix the Mouse after Evangeline babysat:
http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images0...26c119ae9/l.jpg
** There is a cameo mention of Mrs. Treydog in this chapter. Thanks Treydog, Mrs. Treydog !!!!
Chapter 135: Palace Security and the Khajiit
******* Maxical (From Page 67, Chapter 133):
I couldn�t stand to stay in that room with all that had just taken place, especially surrounded with the sounds of passion echoing in at me from both walls. Knowing Sir Damien would probably cross back through my room to return to Uriel�s suite was another deterrent from remaining. I decided to go visit Evangeline and Alix the Mouse down in the Battlemages Quarters. I never made it that far.
A high pitched shriek that could only have come from Ocato was echoing up the ramp from the bottom of the corridor�where our gauntlet of traps was set up. Oh dear gods, his name had not been among those given permission to be on this floor�and I had promised Uriel not to harass him. I let out the mewling signal to stop combat and hurried down the ramp as fast as I could. The women were yanking his fine velvet clothes off him as I rounded the curve of the corridor. I mewled for them to scatter and they did, taking his clothing with them.
The bottom of the corridor was a bloodbath, but Ocato had no visible injuries�other than being knocked out cold, and for some reason his arm was already in a makeshift sling. From the twist of his leg I was pretty sure it was broken, that was fresh but not bleeding. Dear gods, what had been going on here?
I popped the door open and made a silent sound. One Khajiit woman emerged silently out of a potted tree in the alcove.
�Get Evangeline here, quick. This one was supposed to have permission, and Sire�the Emperor made me give my vow not to molest him. Where did all this blood come from?� I spoke only in Khajiit as we had agreed for security sake.
�The other trespassers. They fought.�
�Where are they now?�
�They fought.�
�What do you mean? Are they��
�Dead. We didn�t want to upset Sire, so threw the bodies out the window.�
�Dear gods�did you get any identification from them?�
�Of course; we always rob everyone first.� She shook her head at me as if I were addled. �Trespassers. Fair is fair. We have to make a living somehow��
�But we�ve got shelter and all the food we can eat. And I�ve been keeping you well stocked in the vampire juices��
�We do for Sire out of loyalty, only the untrustworthy would accept payment for duty.�
�I hope he sees it like that. Get Evangeline quickly before Ocato comes to.� She nodded and scurried down the Battlemage�s corridor.
***
She returned in no time with Evangeline and a man dressed all in white with a high puffed hat�a chef. What was that he was carrying? Dear gods...
�GAAAH! What�what happened to Alix?� I gasped. Alix the Mouse was�white? �What is that, hair on his head?� Thick wisps of what looked suspiciously like a mini horsehair wig that had been dyed red were sticking out from beneath the cap.
�What is that he is wearing, infant clothing?� It looked like a thick velvet suit and beret someone very wealthy may have bought for a newborn infant. I had a sudden clear vision of the painting in the room Nissy and I shared. Prince Ebel�s first public appearance captured on canvas by the famous Mrs. Treydog�in this outfit.
�Dear gods�� I got a sickening feeling that somehow I was going to be blamed for pilfering from Uriel Septim�s family storage chests.
�Evangeline, we can talk about Alix later, right now we have to do something with Ocato�er�he seems to have met with an accident. Uriel will blame me for anything that happens to him, he made me give my vow that I would not harm Ocato�or harass him.�
�I�ll handle it. See this spell?� Poof! Evangeline cast a sleeping spell over Ocato that would have knocked out a horse, then grabbed his unbroken leg and cast a feather spell. We helped her drag him through the doorway into the Battlemage�s corridor.
�Say, Evangeline�I�d sure like to learn that spell, I don�t think even Hannibal knows that one!� I hinted baldly. Evangeline nodded her agreement.
I turned to Chef, tweaking an imaginary cap on my head in greeting. �Allo, Chef. I was hoping Evangeline would be alone in knowing this, it seems Ocato has become indisposed.� I spoke in Cyrodiilic.
The Chef clapped his hands. �Bravo for you! For this, I make special treat just for you. Tell me what and I make it. You like sweetrolls like the little mouse that bite Ocato?� He leaned over and spat on the prostrate Ocato.
�Oh dear, did Alix bite Ocato?�
The Khajiit sister stepped forward, speaking in broken Cyrodiilic. �Sisters number eight. For sweetrolls, we throw Ocato from window. Dead men carry no tales.� She imitated Chef in spitting on Ocato, then grinned up at him with a wide smile that displayed jagged yellow teeth.
�I bring sweetrolls for all, sisters too! Whole bagful.� The Chef declared, pointing his finger in the air dramatically. Alix squeaked loudly.
�Yes, I not forget you, little Alix.� He crooned at Alix and then handed him to me, turning on his heel and started hurrying down the hall.
�Wait! He can�t be killed! Uriel will blame me if anything happens to him, he made me vow.� He didn�t stop, but I hoped he�d heard. I turned back to Evangeline. �We need to fix this, Ocato�s name should have been on the list. Uriel will have my head over this.�
Evangeline waved me back to the Royal Quarters impatiently. �I�ll handle this. Just get back in there before Ocato wakes and sees Alix.�
�Didn�t the Emperor approve Alix staying?�
�Yes, but Ocato thinks he killed the mouse that bit him. He may recognize him up close, even with the disguise. I�ll explain later, and don�t worry about Chef. It is a long running feud between him and Ocato. Now go.�
***
�We�d better clean up this blood�� I signaled the three Khajiit guarding the door back out of hiding and spoke in Khajiit.
The older Khajiit shook her head no. �Find out if it is Sire�s enemy first. If yes, we�ll paint their blood on the outside of the door to warn others.�
�You are right, psychological warfare. I�ll help reset these traps, then someone show me whatever you took from the dead guys.�
�All morning Ocato has been setting the traps off. We had to change them around because he was getting wise to the layout. Ask Sire to tell him he�s not welcome anymore.�
�I don�t think I�d better. I get the feeling Sire is going to be very angry with me when he sees me next.�
While we were fixing the last one Evangeline tapped her coded knock. I guided her carefully through the traps so she didn�t spring them.
�Watch that tripwire. Ocato keeps getting caught in the traps, I think he broke his leg this last time.�
�He did. I put a hardened bandage on his leg. Maybe that will keep him from walking for a while.� Evangeline gave a dour grimace.
The older Khajiit showed me the loot from the four men they killed. They appeared to be pauper robes, and the sickening fear hit me that they may have killed some of the blind Monks.
�Evangeline, have you ever seen robes like this? They are all the same, no identification or documents�or Septims, from what the sisters said.�
Evangeline shook her head no. �I�ve never seen anything like�wait! I have seen robes like this before!�
�Oh dear gods, not�not blind monks or anything right? Please tell me�er�do you think it is possible they were enemies of the throne?�
Evangeline nodded. �I would stake my life on it.�
My breath released in a sigh. �Good. Maybe I won�t be in too much trouble then.� I stacked the clothing up and put Ocato�s on top.
No doubt I�d be in trouble over Ocato getting injured, best confess right away when Uriel called me. When I turned back around Evangeline was cradling Alix in her arms like an infant.
�Er�Evangeline, what�uh�why is Alix the Mouse white and dressed in clothing? Where did it come from?�
Whatever she was going to answer, I never found out. We heard Ocato�s shriek, he had obviously set off the traps again. Dear gods. I looked around and Evangeline and Alix had disappeared, literally. She must have cast chameleon, and covered Alix with it as well.
******* Uriel Septim (From Page 67, Chapter 132)
Uriel awoke to the sound of Ocato�s shrill voice shrieking. �Let me pass I say! I�ve been robbed, held up! Highwaymen, right here in the Palace!�
Uriel felt the bed around him�Nisaba was gone, when had she left his bed? He drew back the curtain to see the sun dipping against the western horizon. How had he slept so long? Uriel pulled his armor on quickly, sheathing his sword before strapping it around his waist and cinching the buckle.
He splashed the cold water from the ewer on his face rather than ring for heated water to be brought up. His hair was barely brushed before tying it back with a ribbon. How had he slept so long? Months of nightmares keeping him from sleep�but he�d had no nightmare this day. Uriel skirted by Ocato�s falsetto tirade and pulled the bell rope to call Evangeline.
Evangeline arrived immediately, as if she�d been standing outside the door listening.
�Did you ring for me, Sire?�
�Yes, Evangeline. Speak to Maxical and find out what she knows about this.�
�Yes, Sire.� Evangeline scurried down the corridor quickly.
Uriel noticed she hadn�t asked what he was referring to. He turned slowly to Ocato, dreading the scene that was undoubtedly coming.
�Have you injured yourself, Ocato?� Ocato had white hardened bandages wrapped the length of one leg and over one arm, which was hanging in a makeshift sling.
�Yes, thanks to your so-called Champion! She did all this to me! I have slipped on soap, had urns crash into me, slid on unshelled pine nuts, been jerked off my feet�see this lump on my head?�
�Your hair appears singed, has it been on fire?�
�YES! I will refrain from showing you the other places I�ve been burned, but they are there. There�s more, she slew what appears to be a minotaur in the corridor�possibly some beastly ritual. Did you know she filled the Palace with her friends as well? There�s gobs of hair in bathing pool, and the whole upper floors positively reek of them! Worse, they�re thieves! My alchemy lab was emptied, every piece of equipment and plants�gone! On my way to report the theft, I was attacked! Robbed by THREE Khajiit! Held me up, right there in the corridor like we were out on the Green Road! �Stand and deliver!� they said to me, and just like that I was trussed like a Saturalia hen. Do you find this funny?� Ocato pointed at Damien, who was doubled over and choking with laughter.
�And that�that brigand of yours held me at the door with the point of his sword, said you weren�t to be disturbed! AHA!� Ocato pointed a shaking finger at the door.
***
Maxical tapped on the open door and entered, carrying a stack of items in her arms. �I�m sorry, Sire. Er�here is everything taken, and I won�t do it again.� She lay the stack down on his desk.
�My bodyguard doesn�t have time to babysit your litters, Champion. If you must breed like a rabbit, watch them yourself.�
�Huh? I don�t know what you�re talking about�� Maxical looked dumbstruck.
Ocato glared at her and then reached down to snatch his clothing. He suddenly seemed to freeze in position, his hand hovering over the pile. His eyes glazed and his face paled till it appeared he may faint.
Uriel glanced down to see what had frightened him and felt a shock go through him. A crimson robe had slid out from the stack when Maxical dropped them on the desk. More crimson cloth could be seen in the pile.
Uriel pushed the pile over, mentally counting the number of robes. There were three more. A team of assassins, and here in the Royal Suite. How had they made it past the Blades? Past the Legion and his Imperial Army, the Palace guards and the monks? Past the Battlemages, Evangeline�had it not been for the Khajiit women, would they have made it past Damien as well?
�Sire, I�� Maxical began speaking. Uriel cut her off, his voice harsh with rage.
�You will be dealt with shortly. Ocato, you may well believe I will handle this matter. You may go.�
Evangeline blocked the doorway. �Tell them about someone scalping your horse, Ocato, and leaving a noose made of its tail hairs on your pillow. I saw an Altmer man in a blue robe in Ocato�s bedroom. He looked like a man who�d visited Ocato before, so I thought he must be a relative or friend�but Ocato looked like he�d swallowed a bee when I told him about the man.�
Ocato paled visibly. �Obviously the Palace is filled with criminal element now. If you saw him, you should have stopped him!� He pushed by Evangeline and hurried down the hallway without taking his clothing from the pile.
*