Milo HilltopJul 15, 2014Jul 15, 2014 at 02:57 PM
#1
Milo dismounted his horse in front of the Clan Mother's building in S'ren-ja. The rain had been light while he had been riding and it failed to dampen his spirits. He tied off the reins to a post and walked inside to see if Lucrezia was about. If she wasn't, there would probably be plenty of other business to attend to.
Turning to the left, Milo saw Qa'iit not far away. He remembered overhearing Qa'iit's heated diatribe on why all vampires should be destroyed, and thought that perhaps the honorable warrior might be reasoned with. Putting on his friendliest smile, he greeted the big khajiit and asked him how his day had been. He hoped to instill a little sympathy for the healer Donvyn, who happened to be vampire-spawn.
Qa'iit was having none of it. He brusquely dismissed Milo's friendliness and denounced him as a tool of the undead. A little shocked, Milo persisted, but only succeeded in drawing out more insults to his judgement and worth. Thankfully, J'vani showed up just then. Qa'iit seemed to ignore Milo's presence from then on, which was probably for the best because the Bosmer was close to letting his irritation get the best of him. He was glad J'vani's arrival saved him some face.
J'vani told Milo then, a murder had occurred in S'ren-ja. It involved a mystery Argonian dressed in the same fashion as herself but claiming to be a guard. She had already uncovered the fact that S'ren-ja had no Argonian guards, and Milo assured her that he would be careful and keep his ears open for more news regarding this unknown threat. It was a disappointment to him that their new home wasn't as safe as he had hoped, and also apparently harbored racial prejudices like any town.
Conversing further with the attractive woman, Milo learned that the Thalmor were already mobilizing to send a contingent out to S'ren-ja. His hopes sank. What evidence had they left behind to bring the Thalmor after them again so quickly? It seemed far too soon to him. This would mean additional time and money lost in avoiding the brutal and judgmental force, just to try and maintain their fragile peace here. He thanked her for the information as his mood shifted to a melancholy apprehension for the days to come.
Unexpectedly, J'vani then made a request of him. Curious, he listened to her suggestion that he use his loose network of merchants from Woodhearth to get more information about the Thalmor; particularly whoever tipped them off to the Clan's whereabouts. He assured her that he would try to get what she asked for, but cautioned that his contacts were not reliable spies or in positions of advantage, to which J'vani acknowledged as understandable limitations.
It was a little flattering that she would come to him for such a request; yet it also set him on edge. Was it coincidental that she was suddenly treating him like a sort of spymaster? Or did she suspect more about his true purpose and abilities? Confused and ill at ease, Milo was about to leave to think through this new problem when Lucrezia came down the stairs.
Just when it seemed his prospects were looking up, he noticed the way she sort listed from side to side and spoke in choppy, drowsy sentences. She was drunk, which for Lucrezia meant she had been drinking a lot. Milo asked her what her problem was, steeling himself for more bad news. She told him; her half-brother had visited her, one she hadn't even known of before. As she talked, more information came spilling out.
Cesare was a tall good-looking Imperial and an assassin. Instead of helping his half-sister, he came to blackmail her with his connections in her former friend's assassin guild so that he could get into business with the Clan's skooma distribution without her interference. At this point, Milo's usually expressive features fell slack. She continued to describe her encounter with him, saying he was vain and condescending. Milo said in an even tone that he didn't like the guy already, and planned to have some unkind words with him.
Trusting Lucrezia to get herself back to her camp alone, Milo gave her a tender, lingering kiss and then parted to head straight up the stairs. He was fairly certain the man he needed to talk to was up there. Sure enough, as soon as he reached the top of the stairs, he found Sumar and Sylvaswift. Foregoing his usual good manners, he simply pointed at Sumar and said, "I need something." The seriousness of his expression and voice had the intended impact.
Meeting privately outside, Milo acquired a paralytic poison from the Dunmer. Sumar had wisely inquired as to the intended target's race, weight, and height for the proper dosage, and Milo gave him the description he had from Lucrezia in the briefest terms he could. With the packet tucked away, Milo headed back toward the doors of the clan mother's house when who happened to be walking out just then? Cesare.
Putting on his friendly act, Milo stopped the man and introduced himself, then offered the Imperial a drink. The man seemed willing enough to accept a free bottle, so Milo led him into to the kitchen. Crouched down behind the counter, he asked Cesare, "Are there any rolls on the far table by the wall?" While the man was distracted, Milo slipped the drug into the wine bottle and swirled it around a little before standing away from the counter. "Here you are, sir," he offered politely, and was pleased to see the man drink heartily.
Milo led him again out the front door as Cesare questioned him about his familiar look and time spent in Woodhearth. Then the poison started working, and Cesare swayed, feeling dizzy. Milo's friendly expression went cold, and he suddenly raised his fist to punch Cesare in the face, knocking him down. On the dirt road in front of the clan mother's house, Milo kicked the helpless man in the stomach. "...Kill...you..." was all the man could manage to wheeze out under the effects of the paralytic and abuse. Milo bent down close to the man so that he could see his face. "We're just going for a little ride," he told him softly, and then moved to hoist the much larger man onto his back.
While turning around to trudge the heavy Imperial over to his horse, Milo caught a glimpse of a dark Argonian watching him from the top of the stairs. Since the figure didn't interfere, Milo slung Cesare over his mount and then climbed into the saddle and rode away from S'ren-ja at a trot.
They rode for perhaps a half mile over hills and rocks until Milo found the spot he had been looking for. It was just a large bare rock next to a stream bed, unremarkable in every apparent way. The Bosmer knew the crocodiles nearby couldn't quite get up its sides, making it a place the local khajiit youngsters would sometimes go to test their bravery. Unceremoniously, Milo dumped Cesare off the horse onto the rock. Hoping a decent level of terror was running wild in the Imperial's mind about now, the wood elf dismounted and stood over Cesare again to look down at him.
"I've had a bad day, and now you caught the end of it. The only reason I don't kill you now is that Lucrezia might find a use for you. Don't get on her bad side."
With that warning, Milo climbed back into his saddle and headed back across the hills to let the paralyzing effect of the poison wear off in a couple of hours.
Turning to the left, Milo saw Qa'iit not far away. He remembered overhearing Qa'iit's heated diatribe on why all vampires should be destroyed, and thought that perhaps the honorable warrior might be reasoned with. Putting on his friendliest smile, he greeted the big khajiit and asked him how his day had been. He hoped to instill a little sympathy for the healer Donvyn, who happened to be vampire-spawn.
Qa'iit was having none of it. He brusquely dismissed Milo's friendliness and denounced him as a tool of the undead. A little shocked, Milo persisted, but only succeeded in drawing out more insults to his judgement and worth. Thankfully, J'vani showed up just then. Qa'iit seemed to ignore Milo's presence from then on, which was probably for the best because the Bosmer was close to letting his irritation get the best of him. He was glad J'vani's arrival saved him some face.
J'vani told Milo then, a murder had occurred in S'ren-ja. It involved a mystery Argonian dressed in the same fashion as herself but claiming to be a guard. She had already uncovered the fact that S'ren-ja had no Argonian guards, and Milo assured her that he would be careful and keep his ears open for more news regarding this unknown threat. It was a disappointment to him that their new home wasn't as safe as he had hoped, and also apparently harbored racial prejudices like any town.
Conversing further with the attractive woman, Milo learned that the Thalmor were already mobilizing to send a contingent out to S'ren-ja. His hopes sank. What evidence had they left behind to bring the Thalmor after them again so quickly? It seemed far too soon to him. This would mean additional time and money lost in avoiding the brutal and judgmental force, just to try and maintain their fragile peace here. He thanked her for the information as his mood shifted to a melancholy apprehension for the days to come.
Unexpectedly, J'vani then made a request of him. Curious, he listened to her suggestion that he use his loose network of merchants from Woodhearth to get more information about the Thalmor; particularly whoever tipped them off to the Clan's whereabouts. He assured her that he would try to get what she asked for, but cautioned that his contacts were not reliable spies or in positions of advantage, to which J'vani acknowledged as understandable limitations.
It was a little flattering that she would come to him for such a request; yet it also set him on edge. Was it coincidental that she was suddenly treating him like a sort of spymaster? Or did she suspect more about his true purpose and abilities? Confused and ill at ease, Milo was about to leave to think through this new problem when Lucrezia came down the stairs.
Just when it seemed his prospects were looking up, he noticed the way she sort listed from side to side and spoke in choppy, drowsy sentences. She was drunk, which for Lucrezia meant she had been drinking a lot. Milo asked her what her problem was, steeling himself for more bad news. She told him; her half-brother had visited her, one she hadn't even known of before. As she talked, more information came spilling out.
Cesare was a tall good-looking Imperial and an assassin. Instead of helping his half-sister, he came to blackmail her with his connections in her former friend's assassin guild so that he could get into business with the Clan's skooma distribution without her interference. At this point, Milo's usually expressive features fell slack. She continued to describe her encounter with him, saying he was vain and condescending. Milo said in an even tone that he didn't like the guy already, and planned to have some unkind words with him.
Trusting Lucrezia to get herself back to her camp alone, Milo gave her a tender, lingering kiss and then parted to head straight up the stairs. He was fairly certain the man he needed to talk to was up there. Sure enough, as soon as he reached the top of the stairs, he found Sumar and Sylvaswift. Foregoing his usual good manners, he simply pointed at Sumar and said, "I need something." The seriousness of his expression and voice had the intended impact.
Meeting privately outside, Milo acquired a paralytic poison from the Dunmer. Sumar had wisely inquired as to the intended target's race, weight, and height for the proper dosage, and Milo gave him the description he had from Lucrezia in the briefest terms he could. With the packet tucked away, Milo headed back toward the doors of the clan mother's house when who happened to be walking out just then? Cesare.
Putting on his friendly act, Milo stopped the man and introduced himself, then offered the Imperial a drink. The man seemed willing enough to accept a free bottle, so Milo led him into to the kitchen. Crouched down behind the counter, he asked Cesare, "Are there any rolls on the far table by the wall?" While the man was distracted, Milo slipped the drug into the wine bottle and swirled it around a little before standing away from the counter. "Here you are, sir," he offered politely, and was pleased to see the man drink heartily.
Milo led him again out the front door as Cesare questioned him about his familiar look and time spent in Woodhearth. Then the poison started working, and Cesare swayed, feeling dizzy. Milo's friendly expression went cold, and he suddenly raised his fist to punch Cesare in the face, knocking him down. On the dirt road in front of the clan mother's house, Milo kicked the helpless man in the stomach. "...Kill...you..." was all the man could manage to wheeze out under the effects of the paralytic and abuse. Milo bent down close to the man so that he could see his face. "We're just going for a little ride," he told him softly, and then moved to hoist the much larger man onto his back.
While turning around to trudge the heavy Imperial over to his horse, Milo caught a glimpse of a dark Argonian watching him from the top of the stairs. Since the figure didn't interfere, Milo slung Cesare over his mount and then climbed into the saddle and rode away from S'ren-ja at a trot.
They rode for perhaps a half mile over hills and rocks until Milo found the spot he had been looking for. It was just a large bare rock next to a stream bed, unremarkable in every apparent way. The Bosmer knew the crocodiles nearby couldn't quite get up its sides, making it a place the local khajiit youngsters would sometimes go to test their bravery. Unceremoniously, Milo dumped Cesare off the horse onto the rock. Hoping a decent level of terror was running wild in the Imperial's mind about now, the wood elf dismounted and stood over Cesare again to look down at him.
"I've had a bad day, and now you caught the end of it. The only reason I don't kill you now is that Lucrezia might find a use for you. Don't get on her bad side."
With that warning, Milo climbed back into his saddle and headed back across the hills to let the paralyzing effect of the poison wear off in a couple of hours.
Edited Jul 15, 2014 at 07:34 PM by 0
BeckifyJul 15, 2014
Phoenix.The.KidJul 15, 2014