"GALURO BELAN?! That fetcher! I'm reporting this to the magistrate! Thank you for your help, Locke... I'll give you your... reward... once I'm back." , Aurane spoke once I informed her who had been behind the slander. She winked and stormed off, leaving me alone in her shop. This was a perfect opportunity. I picked up some of her notes from the table, some spare blank paper, and a ink pen, and began copying. I had just finished copying a large amount of her notes when I heard footsteps approaching, so I slid the copies into my pack, the notes back in their place, and sat down on the bed with the expression of a impatient lover.
All I shall say of the reward is that it was very pleasing. The night passed with little rest - fortunately, being Elven, I don't need as much as humans do - and before she awoke, I left. Going for the Hlaalu quarter, I handed the notes of Aurane to Edryno, who promised she'd have a courier send them to Balmora.

I then left the city, hoping to take the boat on the outskirts on the city to Hla Oad. Unfortunately, I was awaited by a mixed group of Nords and Orcs led by an old, shrewish woman in Telvanni robes.

"There's the one who put me out of business! GET HIM!" , she shrieked.

I smirked, though realized I was at bad odds. Not counting Belan - who I recognized the Dunmer woman to be - I was outnumbered five to one.
The thugs charged me, flailing about with axes and clubs. I swiftly dodged an orc's axe, which hit a club-bearing Nord instead. This caused the Nord's club to narrowly miss my head. I gave a swift, cruel slash to the hand of a club-bearing Orc, which cut off half of the orc's hand, causing him to drop his club and spraying blood over his companions. Quite a messy move. The other two Nords, bearing axes, simultaneosly sent blows to my head, but I ducked, causing their axes to clang against eachother.

The club-wielding Nord had regained his footing and moved to hit my kneecaps with his club. I dodged the blow and retailiated by planting my kneecaps firmly in his groin area, causing him to yelp. I furthered his pain by piercing the same area with my off-hand wakizashi, removing him from the fight. The club-bearers had been neutralized- now the odds were only three to one. I jumped high as the axemen moved to attack me, causing them to crash into eachother. I took advantage of this by running a nord through with both of my blades, who fell and didn't get up.

The Nord slashed at my shoulder and I was unable to dodge in time, ripping open the cloth to reveal a large gash. I responded to this by raising the blade in my right hand as though to strike. The Nord fell for the feint and moved to block it with his axe. I used this opportunity to send a lightning-fast strike to his heart, slaying him. The next moment I felt two strong arms close around my body as the Orc lifted me up! I had allowed the half-pig to attack me from behind! The Orc raised me overhead then threw me at the ground several feet away from him. Blood trickled down my face as I looked up, to see the Orc charging me. I quickly raised my swords upwards - the Orc, too late to break off his charge, impaled himself onto them.

I got up, wiping my face with a sleeve, and smirked at Belan.

"Is that everything you've got?"

To my surprise, she responded: "No."

All I remember was Belan chanting some Daedric yaggle-gakkle and a stream of Magick shooting from her finger towards me before everything went black.

Cool!! I like how your descriptions of the battle make locke still seem like a gentle make in a Sneaky sort of way...

Don't worry. He's a Not-So-Gentleman in a Very Sneaky way.

As I woke up, I found myself in a cell. Galuro Belan was standing in front of me.

"Welcome to Ald'khatras, Hlaalu scum! Telvanni prison and dungeon island for thousand years and nobody ever left alive! I would do an evil villainous laugh here, but the healer says it's bad for my throat."


Day 2.

Began tunneling out of cell with my spoon. V. work intensive.

Day 3.

Got Fargoth as fellow prisoner. V. bad. Have tried to speed up tunneling process.

Day 4.

Got used as training dummy for paralyzation spells by Telvanni acolytes. Body v. cramped. Unable to tunnel.

Day 5.

Requested to be removed to different cell. V. annoyed at Fargoth.

Day 6.

Request denied. Damn. Continued tunneling. Still slow, especially with Fargoth yappering at me all day.

Day 7.

Spoon broke, stole Fargoth's spoon. Think that the stale bosmer drool on it might make it not as good to tunnel with.

Day 8.

Considered slitting Fargoth's throat with spoon. Instead convinced Orcish jailer that Fargoth is female. V. Amusing. Still not finished tunneling.

Day 9.

Still not finished tunneling. V. frustrating. At least Fargoth's less worse.

Day 10.

Fargoth told me that he and the Orc are getting married. V. disturbing. Scarred for life. Tunnel still not finished.

Oh that was hilarious...very very funny....nice update.

"Fargoth told me that he and the Orc are getting married. V. disturbing. Scarred for life. Tunnel still not finished."

*shudder*

what is with the "v"s if you don't mind me asking.


oops forgot the most important part! great job one the two additions that I missed.

Great additions, both of them..oh I liked the way Locke solved the Aurane-business..hope he had a very pleasant night.....


And the second one......really funny,,hehe I also want to know what those "v" means...

v. means Very. Tunneling out of a Telvanni prison island is a very tiresome activity, causing that Locke is only capable of writing short entries.

Ah I see

*is unable to type because of uncontrolable laughter*

I soon gave up on tunneling and decided to fight my way out. Blending with the shadows, I snuck after Fargoth and his fiancee as they went to the guardhouse, and whilst the Orc was busy derobing Fargoth, I stole the Orc's sword and thrust it into his back. Fargoth whimpered and passed out, and I recovered my gear from the chest. Placing the orc's sword in Fargoth's hand, I donned my armored cloak and snuck through the passages, avoiding the occasional patrolling guard. Eventually, I found a gate leading outside, and I eagerly walked out of it. I was briefly blinded by the sun as a horn was sounded - appearantly, my escape had been discovered. I was able to get a brief glance on the island - a rocky island with the prison keep built on the cliffs. I saw a dock with several small boats some ten metres below my location, but no way to get there.

Then, Telvanni mercenaries and spellswords began pouring out of a nearby barrack. I fled towards the edge of the cliffs, on a position that would have given me a very nice view of everything hadn't I been in a bit of life-threatening danger. As they approached me slowly, like predators, I nocked back an arrow on my shortbow and let if fly, piercing through the neck of a spellsword who fell over dead. I nocked back another arrow and fired it into a Bosmer's forehead, who fell on the ground with a shriek. They were now too close to fire at them, so I turned around and stared down at the cliff. I saw a small boat with a couple of men in it make its way to the dock. I decided that a high change of dying was still better than assured dying, so I jumped down the cliff.

I was able to pull off the jump and I landed within the boat. The two dunmer crewing it jumped up as I landed, drawing their daggers.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I fear this is a boat-jacking!" , I exclaimed. Letting out feral cries, they jumped me, but the first one jumped right into my blades. The second one, however, was able to get past my swords, and his hands closed around my neck, forcing me to drop the blades as he began choking me. Then I noticed that a third person- who was tied and gagged, and wearing Hlaalu garb! - had used the dead Telvanni's dagger to cut his ropes.

"What're you grinning at?" , the Telvanni asked as my fellow houseman thrust the dagger through the Telvanni's throat, who died with a gurgle.

"Thank you..." , he began.

"I believe you helped me out, too." , I responded dryly.

"Yes, I suppose... Let's get away from here shall we?"

"A good idea..." I didn't know what to call him , so I merely sounded expectant.

"I am Galdur Vedrani d'Hlaalu, Retainer of House Hlaalu" , he said.

"Locke d'Hlaalu, also Retainer." , I said.

We grinned at eachother as we began rowing away from the dreaded Telvanni island of Ald'khatras.

good job Bob, I really didn't want to know about fargoth though

A well-written and entertaining story. I like the very different perspective from a more cynical protagonist than usual. Looking very much forward to reading his involvement with the Imperial Cult, House Hlaalu etc. Those factions are also new in the fan fiction world, mostly, so this is and will be a delightful read.

The fargoth thing...well...just...ewwww...

It's a good update, fun, as usual.

Brilliant updates. The fight scene outside Vivec was classic. Humor "Scarred for life"; action; wierdness (Fargoth); all the elements of a great story. Wonderful imagination.