Chapter 8: An Unexpected Meeting

Alyssa had left one morning for Balmora, this time to see Ajira.  Edwinna and Anarenen had both agreed that it was best for her to take a friend along on further hunts for alchemical ingredients, and Ajira had happily agreed to the extra help.  She had just been promoted to journeyman rank recently, and as a result had a little more free time on her hands.  However, when Alyssa arrived at the guild, she was surprised to see the little cat noticeably agitated.

“What’s wrong?” asked Alyssa.

“Ajira has many secrets, many of them important,” purred the little Kajiit, twitching her tail nervously.

“What kind of secrets?” asked Alyssa.

“Secrets that could get Ajira into trouble if her rival Galbedir were to put them into the wrong hands,” Ajira growled under her breath.

“Why would Galbedir do that?  I don’t understand her, you haven’t done anything to her and she’s always so mean,” said Alyssa, becoming more puzzled by the minute.

“Galbedir does not like Kajiit.  Many Bosmer do not,” growled Ajira, her ears flattening with the thought, “And many Kajiit do not like Bosmer.”

“Well, you’d think she’d be able to put that behind her in the efforts of getting along in the Imperial Mages Guild,” said Alyssa.  Ajira smiled, her ears rising to their normal stance as she licked her whiskers.

“Alyssa is a good friend.  Does Alyssa want to help other Kajiit?  Some are not as fortunate as Ajira is to be a mage, some must sneak away from slavers who beat them,” said Ajira, twitching her tail nervously as she awaited a response.

“Oh I know.  I do think it’s dreadful, what the Dunmer do to your people.  I don’t know how I can help though,” replied Alyssa.  Ajira leaned closer.

“Ajira has a letter from a slave hiding nearby who has escaped from Orvel Dren’s plantation.  She needs help and the letter tells where she is.  But Ajira was silly and put the letter in her journal, and Galbedir has stolen Ajira’s journal,” Ajira hissed, “Ajira does not know what Galbedir will do with the letter, but if someone else finds the slave first they will probably kill her.  If Ajira is found to be assisting her then Ajira will be punished as well.”

“Oh dear!  I see.  That’s horrible!  What can I do to help?” asked Alyssa, suddenly very concerned.  She did not realize that the little cat dabbled in matters of such dangerous importance.

“Ajira knows that Galbedir keeps the journal upstairs locked in her desk, and Ajira has managed to pick a key from Galbedir’s robes.  But every time Ajira goes upstairs the wood elf follows her and blocks the desk.  Ajira cannot go upstairs and retrieve it,” she growled, “But friend Alyssa can, if Ajira gives her the key and distracts Galbedir downstairs.”  She looked up hopefully.

“Alright, I can’t see any harm in that plan,” said Alyssa, “I’ll do it.  But what do you want me to do with the journal, and letter inside of it, once I have them?”

“Ajira has a friend next door, Ra’vir the trader, who will know what to do with the letter to make sure the poor slave is safe and Ajira does not get into trouble,” Ajira purred, twitching her tail, “It is very easy.  Once Ra’vir has the letter safe and sound, Ajira can have her journal back and we can go out and look for mushrooms.”

“Ok, I’ll do it,” said Alyssa cautiously.

“Good.  Alyssa is a good friend,” purred Ajira, handing Alyssa a key.  The two girls walked out into the main room and up the corridor to the entrance.  They spotted Galbedir near the stairwell, polishing a soul gem.  She looked up with a smirk.

“If you didn’t go putting your dirty little paws all over my soul gems, I wouldn’t have to polish them every day.  I know you can’t trap human and elven souls with a petty soul gem, but I can’t help but wonder what would happen if you tried it on a Kajiit,” she said with an evil laugh, “Did you ever find your journal by the way?”

“No, but Ajira does not care.  Ajira is starting a new journal,” Ajira retorted, looking at Alyssa pleadingly.  Alyssa took the hint and headed upstairs, Galbedir’s high pitched voice ringing in her ears from downstairs.  The desk was the first thing she saw, and the key fit right inside.  Ajira’s journal was under a few papers.  It looked like it had been unopened.  Apparently the jealous wood elf just wanted to keep it away from Ajira, but wasn’t interested in the actual contents.  She tucked it under her robe, shut the desk, and headed back downstairs, past the bickering Bosmer and Kajiit.  She nodded silently at Ajira as she left, catching the faintest hint of a relieved smile as she flicked her tail.

~*~

Ra’vir’s tradehouse was right next door to the Balmora Mage’s Guild, and Alyssa was at the door in only a few short paces.  She let herself inside and saw a big Kajiit male standing at the entrance watching her.

“You must be Ra’vir,” she said, taking out the journal.

“Yes, sugar, I am Ra’vir.  What can I do for you?  I have many fine goods for sale today,” he purred.

“Ajira told me to give you this letter – she said you would know what to do with it,” she replied, opening the journal and handing Ra’vir the letter which fell out.  His ears flattened as he read it and he thanked Alyssa and told her to come back any time; for any friend of Ajira was a friend of Ra’vir.  He glanced up the stairs as he said this.  As Alyssa followed his gaze, she felt her blood run cold.  Facing her coming down the stairs was a young Imperial man, looking to be in his mid-twenties, with long straight light brown hair tied up in a rogue’s knot with black ribbon, and piercing blue eyes.  She recognized him immediately as the man who raped her.  Panicked, she touched the amulet at her neck and with a word was transported away in a flash.

~*~

She arrived at the Moonmoth Legion Fort’s Imperial Shrine instantly, tears in her eyes.  She couldn’t go back to Balmora.  She needed to get away.  A priestess came over and asked what was wrong.  She only cried that wasn’t safe here.  She wasn’t safe anywhere.  The woman placed a hand on her shaking shoulder and promised her sanctuary, asking again what was wrong.  But Alyssa didn’t want to discuss it.  With tears in her eyes she thanked the woman.  She raised her voice to a scream as she shouted the words that would recall her back home to Ald’ruhn.  Dizzy, she wondered what Ajira would think when she did not return as scheduled.

~*~

“What was that spy doing here?” asked Malcus Esdric.

“The girl delivered a letter from a slave who has escaped from Dren’s plantation and is hiding in secret,” answered Ra’vir, “The girl said Ajira sent her.”

“Why would Ajira need to send anyone?  She’s right next door,” answered Malcus.

“The girl had Ajira’s journal with her, Ra’vir recognizes the writing as Ajira’s,” answered Ra’vir.

“Why would Ajira let anyone touch her journal?  She must have stolen it.  I bet that ‘secret location’ leads right into a trap,” Malcus replied, “In fact I’m certain of it.  Why else would she have disappeared so suddenly?”

“Hmm, Ra’vir thinks you may be right,” Ra’vir growled, flattening his ears, “But Ra’vir thinks it would be wise to question Ajira about this.”

“Do that then,” answered Malcus.  They didn’t have long to wait, for in a few minutes Ajira came to the shop herself, twitching her tail in agitation.

“Where is friend Alyssa?  Did a pretty Breton girl come by here with a letter?” asked Ajira.

“Oh she did indeed.  But you might be interested to know that your ‘friend’ is a Telvanni spy.  She said a word and disappeared somewhere or another as soon as I came down the stairs,” responded Malcus angrily.

“Alyssa is no Telvanni spy.  Alyssa is the younger sister of Edwinna Elbert, of the Ald’ruhn Mages Guild, and Ajira’s friend,” growled Ajira, flattening her ears at his tone.

“Then why does she carry Telvanni propaganda?” asked Malcus.  Ajira looked surprised, and a little confused.

“Tiram gave Alyssa a book on the Telvanni when he was visiting last week after Alyssa asked about the Great Houses – Alyssa had never heard of them before.  Ajira was there when he gave it to her, but Ajira did not know Alyssa carried it with her everywhere.  Ajira thinks it is much too heavy for that,” replied Ajira.  The angry look on Malcus’ face faded quickly to one of shock and horror.  Closing his eyes for a moment, he regained his composure.

“What do you know about this girl?” he asked cautiously.

“Ajira knows that Alyssa is a refugee from High Rock.  Alyssa’s family and guildmates were murdered by the Dark Brotherhood so Alyssa lives with her sister Edwinna now,” Ajira purred.

“That explains why she wouldn’t know about the Great Houses, I suppose.  Edwinna’s little sister…” he shook his head, trying to let the information sink in while holding back the horror he felt at the implication of this news.

“Ra’vir thinks we should save the slave from the plantation, now that we know the message is not a trap,” Ra’vir suggested.

“I agree.  I could have sworn that girl was a Telvanni agent…” Malcus mused.

“Ajira has no love for the Telvanni, but Ajira loves Alyssa.  Poor Alyssa has very bad luck.  Ajira should go find Alyssa.  First Alyssa was a refugee, then a smuggler raped Alyssa while she collected flowers, then a few nights ago the Dark Brotherhood attacked the Ald’ruhn guild hall and nearly killed Alyssa.  Ajira should make sure Alyssa is not in more trouble,” Ajira purred, twitching her tail nervously.  Malcus’ blood ran cold, but he kept his face blank.

“Yes, go.  Malcus and Ra’vir will find the slave.  Many thanks, friend Ajira,” agreed Ra’vir gratefully.  Ajira purred and turned to leave, her tail swishing beneath her robe.  Malcus could only stare.

“Come,” said Ra’vir, throwing a cloak over his shoulders as he took out the key to close his shop.  Malcus nodded, unable to speak.  He followed the Kajiit in a daze as they left Balmora and wandered into the Ascadian Isles.

How could he have so grossly misjudged the situation last week?  He had received word through the Twin Lamps of a shipment of slaves being held in a cavern located west off the main road between Balmora and Peligiad.  The slaves were destined for the Tel Aruhn slave market, the most notorious of the Vvardenfell flesh peddlers.  When he arrived and snuck inside, he overheard the smugglers discussing a meeting with a Telvanni woman.  At first, he assumed the meeting would take place in Telvanni territory, but after he slaughtered the slavers and spied a young mage reading pro-Telvanni literature just outside the cavern door he realized that the meeting must have been expected to take place right here.  How could he have been so wrong?

The slaves he liberated had been so beaten and bruised that one of the elderly Argonian women died in his arms even as he tried desperately to heal her.  Her mate had gone catatonic at her death, refusing to let him take the body and hissing incomprehensibly at anyone who came near it.  Many of the slaves had been sexually abused as well, young males and females alike.  He doubted many of them would recover from the experience.  How could anyone allow such atrocities to be committed against their fellow creatures?

By the time he emerged from the cave, he was furious.  The pretty young well-dressed mage sitting on the grass reading pro-slavery filth as she delicately picked flowers around her enraged him beyond reason.  Ordinarily he would have killed her and been done with it.  Now that he knew of his error in judgment he thanked the gods that he had not.  But at the time death had seemed too easy for one whom he assumed had inflicted such torment on others, so he decided to teach her a lesson in empathy he hoped she would always remember.  If he killed her, the Telvanni would simply send another to collect their goods.  But if he could teach just one of them a lesson… maybe they would think twice before inflicting the same pain on another sentient being.

It seemed a good enough idea in theory.  But how could he live with himself now?  The girl he had brutalized had been entirely innocent.  The pretty sobbing face and big eyes pleading with him to spare her had no idea what was going on, or why.  The delicate body he nearly crushed was not that of a spoiled slaver, but a blameless, beautiful, terrified young girl.  Furthermore, from Ajira’s story, this girl had already gone through enough pain and misery.  With a start, he remembered the amount of blood she had lost when he took her… she hadn’t just been scared by the threat of death and humiliation, she’d never been touched at all before.  His eyes welled with tears as he realized that now she might never be able to trust another man again.  From what he remembered hearing of Breton sexuality this was no small matter.  She was straight from High Rock…  He had to catch himself to keep from collapsing in dizziness, Ra’vir taking his arm and pulling him along swiftly through the grasslands and marshes.

How could he have done this to Ajira’s friend, of all people?  What would she think if she ever found out?  And what would the rest of the Twin Lamps think of him after this?  The great Edwinna Elbert’s younger sister… how on earth did he ever mistake her for a Telvanni slaver?  His face paled as he remembered the rumors he’d heard of Edwinna’s skills as a battlemage.  But they were only rumors… right?  He’d had no trouble in Ald’ruhn the last time he was there, although he’d still never seen Edwinna in person…  With a start, he realized that the guild had probably been empty when he’d arrived for no other reason than concern over Alyssa’s delicate condition – a condition for which he was directly responsible.  It was inexcusable.  He’d only helped himself to one small blade while he was there instead of looting the entire guild but…

His head spun.  This couldn’t be happening.  It just couldn’t.

The great Malcus Esdric, secret trusted member of the Imperial Blades, devout Imperial Cult layman, recent initiate of the noble Bal Molagamer, loyal member of the Twin Lamps, salvation of captive slaves everywhere…

Reformed prisoner, high ranking thieves’ guild member, rapist…

He was no better than a common street thug.

Hell, he was no better than the heartless slavers he hunted down and destroyed.

And he knew it.