CHAPTER SIX
I was about open the gates and enter the city, but before I could do so Martin whispered my name loudly, just enough where I alone could here him.
“Wait, Rayden, feel the back of your robe.”
I swung my right arm around and felt the back of my crimson red gown, and my fingers found there way into a hole and a sticky substance: blood.
How could I have been so stupid? I had killed this robe’s owner with my bow, a shot straight into back causing the obvious tear in the robe, plus the blood that had been spilled as well. I didn’t know what I was going to do now. Obviously I couldn’t just walk into the city like this.
“What now, Martin? I can’t go in there like this!”
“I know, I know. I can’t believe I almost let you walk in like that. What about the Altmer, you know the one whose throat you cut open? What about his robe?”
I looked at Martin his sense of both frustration and stupidity.
“Martin…I slit his throat. Do you really think there’s no blood still pouring from his wound?”
“Yes, that wasn’t a very intelligent question. Umm…well, I’m clean out of ideas. I suppose we could wait until someone else comes out. Then perhaps you can strangle them and then take their robe.”
“Enough with all this killing, Martin. While I don’t mind it a bit, sooner or later I’ll go up against someone that I cannot take. I’m just going to enter the city with what I have on.”
Martin didn’t seem to like that decision. “Are you crazy? You wouldn’t last five minutes in there! Surely you’ll be caught!”
“Well, what else am I supposed to do? I can’t just sit here forever and ponder ideas on how to get a stupid robe. Don’t worry about me; I’m a professional at this kind of stuff.”
“I realize that, Rayden, but how in the world do you expect to get in there unnoticed?”
“I’m still working on that at the moment. Wait…..the Waterfront District! I can get in through there! I cannot believe how stupid I am acting today! Why didn’t we think of this before?”
“To be honest with you, I’ve never been to that part of the city. Isn’t that where the beggars live, or used to live I should say.”
“Yes, it’s where the panhandlers seek out there money. They really aren’t as dangerous as some claim. There’s only a handful that can get aggressive. The others are actually good people who got into some trouble.”
“Seems like you’ve made some friends over there,” Martin replied.
“No, definitely not. I don’t get into friendships. It’s bad for business.”
“What about me?”
“Who said I was your friend?” I said playfully.
So we walked around towards the east, along the walls until we reached the waterfront district. We were standing at the top of a small hill, overlooking the entrance into the Temple District. While perched upon the hill, we spotted many Dawn patrols of course. They were walking about in groups no less than three and seemingly no more than about five or six. I looked up at the lighthouse and I could see a glare. It was likely they had some men up there, and the glare was probably coming from a staff or something. Also I could see movement as well.
“Hey, Martin, look up there,” I whispered while pointing towards the building. “They’ve likely got a unit up there as well. Stay out of the light at all costs.”
“What do you mean? There aren’t any lights around us!”
“I know. I’m just talking for future references.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. I don’t plan on moving from this spot. I’ll be waiting for you here.”
I nodded and was about to carefully climb down the hill and finally enter the city, then something amazing, and lucky, happened. A lone cultist had left his group and was walking towards Martin and I, from our left. I had at last found my disguise. I grinned at Martin and then waited for the Dawn member to come past. I was crouched behind a stone, eagerly waiting for my chance to strike. I would let him pass by, and then I clamped by hand on his mouth, silencing him. Then I would strangle him, or maybe her, I’m not sure just yet.
Martin gave me the signal when the figure was closing in, and I quietly stood up, ready to pounce. When the hooded figure walked by I quickly jumped out from my hiding spot and grabbed body. I was able to subdue the cultist in a matter of seconds, and then I looked at their face. It was an Imperial male, and his face was that of a look of complete surprise. Thankfully he was not carrying a source of light, and I was able to do my work in the dark. So I dressed out of my bloody robes in exchange for some cleaner ones. I waved my final goodbye to Martin and at last I was able to enter the city.
When I stepped inside the first thing I spotted were the rather large statues. And in the middle of the Arboretum was the statue of Tiber Septim himself. Truly a master of an artist created these, but I had not the time to gaze, I had a mission to fulfill. I crept along the streets, trying to avoid all the other patrols that were walking around the park. I had feared that I would be stopped by someone, but as of yet I had avoided that. I hoped my success would continue, but it appeared that I had spoken a little bit too soon.
“Hey, you there, where do you think you’re going?”
A rather tall Altmer came walking towards me. I was stunned with fear, not only because I had been spotted, but rather who had spotted me: Mankar Cameron himself.
“Judo…is that you?”
I nodded eagerly, hoping that would be enough.
“Why aren’t you with your unit outside?”
I shrugged my shoulders and grumbled a low “I’m sick. I was told to settle in for the night so that I may be healthy for tomorrow.”
“Well you certainly sound sick. You look rather pale as well and your voice is very croaky. Let me see your face.”
I covered my face with my hood even more than I already was. I was too afraid my true identity might be discovered.
“Please, master, I do not wish for you to catch my sickness. I fear it may be contagious.”
“Yes, Judo, you are probably right. By the fires of Oblivion, I sure don’t want to be sick when tomorrow comes. Get some sleep, tomorrow will be a fun day,” he laughed, and then walked off towards the Waterfront.
Why he was coming from the palace and to the Waterfront I have no idea, but I was about to find out.
I followed him outside and as I did I stayed in the shadows. I didn’t want anyone to see me now that I was following the leader of their cult. Obviously that would be suspicious. We walked all the way to the lighthouse where I had seen the glare from the top before. Mankar entered the structure and closed the door shut. Very carefully and extremely quietly I entered and continued to follow him.
Inside we walked up a flight of stairs, and then Mankar exited through a door at the top. I knew then that he was going to meet with whoever it was outside. Instead of following him I put my right ear up against the keyhole and listened to their conversation:
“Good evening, Mankar.”
“Let’s end with the greetings and get down to business. Are the plans in order?”
“Yes, the table set for your forthcoming, tomorrow night. I assure you all is ready.” The man talking to Mankar sounded as if he were an Imperial, possibly in his mid-forties. “I also want to thank you again for accepting me into your extraordinary group. You made a wise decision in making me your right hand man.”
“You are not my right hand man; you are my puppet and nothing else. You will abide by what I tell you, but I swear, if you double-cross me it’ll be the last thing you ever do,” Mankar said sternly.
“I’m sure you will. I have no intentions of betraying you. What benefits would I receive with such an act? Did I not display my allegiance during the sack of this very city, my liege?”
“Yes, I am thankful for that, you did I splendid job in letting my men in. I have to admit, if it wasn’t for your acts I would have lost hundreds of more men than I did. But let’s not forget what you were before I allowed you to become my…servant.”
A silence fell for about five seconds, and then Mankar spoke again. “Let us leave now and make preparations for tomorrow’s siege. But first I must take care of our visitor.”
All of a sudden I heard a deafening blast outside and suddenly the door busted through, slamming me hard in the face. I rolled down the stairs until I at last laid rest on the cold stone floor. My eyesight was extremely blurry and blood was dripping down my face, but I could just barely make out two figures walking down the stairs. I could tell one of them was Mankar, but I didn’t recognize the other at first, that is until Mankar called him by name.
“What shall we do now, master?” Mankar’s companion asked.
Everything then started getting even more blurry and in a matter of seconds I couldn’t see anything. I think I must have passed out shortly after that, because the last thing I remembered was Mankar saying:
“Throw him in the dungeon, Hieronymus. I’ll talk with him shortly.”
On to the next chapter
I was about open the gates and enter the city, but before I could do so Martin whispered my name loudly, just enough where I alone could here him.
“Wait, Rayden, feel the back of your robe.”
I swung my right arm around and felt the back of my crimson red gown, and my fingers found there way into a hole and a sticky substance: blood.
How could I have been so stupid? I had killed this robe’s owner with my bow, a shot straight into back causing the obvious tear in the robe, plus the blood that had been spilled as well. I didn’t know what I was going to do now. Obviously I couldn’t just walk into the city like this.
“What now, Martin? I can’t go in there like this!”
“I know, I know. I can’t believe I almost let you walk in like that. What about the Altmer, you know the one whose throat you cut open? What about his robe?”
I looked at Martin his sense of both frustration and stupidity.
“Martin…I slit his throat. Do you really think there’s no blood still pouring from his wound?”
“Yes, that wasn’t a very intelligent question. Umm…well, I’m clean out of ideas. I suppose we could wait until someone else comes out. Then perhaps you can strangle them and then take their robe.”
“Enough with all this killing, Martin. While I don’t mind it a bit, sooner or later I’ll go up against someone that I cannot take. I’m just going to enter the city with what I have on.”
Martin didn’t seem to like that decision. “Are you crazy? You wouldn’t last five minutes in there! Surely you’ll be caught!”
“Well, what else am I supposed to do? I can’t just sit here forever and ponder ideas on how to get a stupid robe. Don’t worry about me; I’m a professional at this kind of stuff.”
“I realize that, Rayden, but how in the world do you expect to get in there unnoticed?”
“I’m still working on that at the moment. Wait…..the Waterfront District! I can get in through there! I cannot believe how stupid I am acting today! Why didn’t we think of this before?”
“To be honest with you, I’ve never been to that part of the city. Isn’t that where the beggars live, or used to live I should say.”
“Yes, it’s where the panhandlers seek out there money. They really aren’t as dangerous as some claim. There’s only a handful that can get aggressive. The others are actually good people who got into some trouble.”
“Seems like you’ve made some friends over there,” Martin replied.
“No, definitely not. I don’t get into friendships. It’s bad for business.”
“What about me?”
“Who said I was your friend?” I said playfully.
So we walked around towards the east, along the walls until we reached the waterfront district. We were standing at the top of a small hill, overlooking the entrance into the Temple District. While perched upon the hill, we spotted many Dawn patrols of course. They were walking about in groups no less than three and seemingly no more than about five or six. I looked up at the lighthouse and I could see a glare. It was likely they had some men up there, and the glare was probably coming from a staff or something. Also I could see movement as well.
“Hey, Martin, look up there,” I whispered while pointing towards the building. “They’ve likely got a unit up there as well. Stay out of the light at all costs.”
“What do you mean? There aren’t any lights around us!”
“I know. I’m just talking for future references.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. I don’t plan on moving from this spot. I’ll be waiting for you here.”
I nodded and was about to carefully climb down the hill and finally enter the city, then something amazing, and lucky, happened. A lone cultist had left his group and was walking towards Martin and I, from our left. I had at last found my disguise. I grinned at Martin and then waited for the Dawn member to come past. I was crouched behind a stone, eagerly waiting for my chance to strike. I would let him pass by, and then I clamped by hand on his mouth, silencing him. Then I would strangle him, or maybe her, I’m not sure just yet.
Martin gave me the signal when the figure was closing in, and I quietly stood up, ready to pounce. When the hooded figure walked by I quickly jumped out from my hiding spot and grabbed body. I was able to subdue the cultist in a matter of seconds, and then I looked at their face. It was an Imperial male, and his face was that of a look of complete surprise. Thankfully he was not carrying a source of light, and I was able to do my work in the dark. So I dressed out of my bloody robes in exchange for some cleaner ones. I waved my final goodbye to Martin and at last I was able to enter the city.
When I stepped inside the first thing I spotted were the rather large statues. And in the middle of the Arboretum was the statue of Tiber Septim himself. Truly a master of an artist created these, but I had not the time to gaze, I had a mission to fulfill. I crept along the streets, trying to avoid all the other patrols that were walking around the park. I had feared that I would be stopped by someone, but as of yet I had avoided that. I hoped my success would continue, but it appeared that I had spoken a little bit too soon.
“Hey, you there, where do you think you’re going?”
A rather tall Altmer came walking towards me. I was stunned with fear, not only because I had been spotted, but rather who had spotted me: Mankar Cameron himself.
“Judo…is that you?”
I nodded eagerly, hoping that would be enough.
“Why aren’t you with your unit outside?”
I shrugged my shoulders and grumbled a low “I’m sick. I was told to settle in for the night so that I may be healthy for tomorrow.”
“Well you certainly sound sick. You look rather pale as well and your voice is very croaky. Let me see your face.”
I covered my face with my hood even more than I already was. I was too afraid my true identity might be discovered.
“Please, master, I do not wish for you to catch my sickness. I fear it may be contagious.”
“Yes, Judo, you are probably right. By the fires of Oblivion, I sure don’t want to be sick when tomorrow comes. Get some sleep, tomorrow will be a fun day,” he laughed, and then walked off towards the Waterfront.
Why he was coming from the palace and to the Waterfront I have no idea, but I was about to find out.
I followed him outside and as I did I stayed in the shadows. I didn’t want anyone to see me now that I was following the leader of their cult. Obviously that would be suspicious. We walked all the way to the lighthouse where I had seen the glare from the top before. Mankar entered the structure and closed the door shut. Very carefully and extremely quietly I entered and continued to follow him.
Inside we walked up a flight of stairs, and then Mankar exited through a door at the top. I knew then that he was going to meet with whoever it was outside. Instead of following him I put my right ear up against the keyhole and listened to their conversation:
“Good evening, Mankar.”
“Let’s end with the greetings and get down to business. Are the plans in order?”
“Yes, the table set for your forthcoming, tomorrow night. I assure you all is ready.” The man talking to Mankar sounded as if he were an Imperial, possibly in his mid-forties. “I also want to thank you again for accepting me into your extraordinary group. You made a wise decision in making me your right hand man.”
“You are not my right hand man; you are my puppet and nothing else. You will abide by what I tell you, but I swear, if you double-cross me it’ll be the last thing you ever do,” Mankar said sternly.
“I’m sure you will. I have no intentions of betraying you. What benefits would I receive with such an act? Did I not display my allegiance during the sack of this very city, my liege?”
“Yes, I am thankful for that, you did I splendid job in letting my men in. I have to admit, if it wasn’t for your acts I would have lost hundreds of more men than I did. But let’s not forget what you were before I allowed you to become my…servant.”
A silence fell for about five seconds, and then Mankar spoke again. “Let us leave now and make preparations for tomorrow’s siege. But first I must take care of our visitor.”
All of a sudden I heard a deafening blast outside and suddenly the door busted through, slamming me hard in the face. I rolled down the stairs until I at last laid rest on the cold stone floor. My eyesight was extremely blurry and blood was dripping down my face, but I could just barely make out two figures walking down the stairs. I could tell one of them was Mankar, but I didn’t recognize the other at first, that is until Mankar called him by name.
“What shall we do now, master?” Mankar’s companion asked.
Everything then started getting even more blurry and in a matter of seconds I couldn’t see anything. I think I must have passed out shortly after that, because the last thing I remembered was Mankar saying:
“Throw him in the dungeon, Hieronymus. I’ll talk with him shortly.”
On to the next chapter