Kyora - 50 Shades of Darkness

Dunmer Charcoal

Kyora shadowed the warrior Kade as he did his rounds. Sylvaswift had instructed her to watch him and learn what she could and she obeyed him without question. She was glad of the opportunity to get back into his good books, and happier to be closer to him rather than being stuck at Kenarthi's Roost.

She had witnessed from her hidden perch and heard the entire exchange the day before. Sylvaswift looked incredibly impressive to her, as he fronted the Leader, Risari, looking so regal in his fine black & silver clan armour, her heart ached a little as she watched with great interest. She spotted Khai upon his unseen rooftop perch as he moved to a better vantage point, knocking several arrows in readiness should things go badly. Kalistia she knew was not present, as always she would have her nose buried in a book somewhere, most likely at the Mage Guild in Rawl'kha.

She followed the warrior along the dirt road that led towards the barn situated in Sren'ja, glancing to her right she spotted Sylvaswift seated on the ground outside his newest dwelling place, beside him sat a Dark-haired Dunmer, she knew him now to be one of Sylva's newest associates but she had not yet had the pleasure of meeting yet, he oozed sensuality and a kind of darkness that was like catnip to her - she looked forward to making his acquaintance in more ways than one if luck would have it. In front of the Dunmer sat a stunning red-haired female she knew to be known as Leslie, a newer arrival to Sren'ja the female had not gone unnoticed by Kyora. Kyora snickered seeing Sylvaswift surrounded with such delightful company, how so like him. Then she noticed the young man, she had not learned his name, yet, he looked less at ease than the others and had a strange aura around him Kyora could not place. In a flash Sylvaswift disappeared into the shadows, he had noticed Kade and disappeared to follow him. Kyora frowned believing Sylvaswift had lost faith in her promise to keep him under surveillance, he must have otherwise why would he have done that.

Kyora slipped behind a tree, fuming a little. It hurt her to think that he had lost faith in her, she only had herself to blame though, she would just have to work harder. Instead of returning to her post she decided to stay behind and spy on the others, perhaps overhear what they were talking about. She surveyed the area looking for a better vantage point unsuccessfully, instead she decided to climb up into the branches of the tree and watch from there.

Sylvaswift returned to the group for a few minutes before vanishing again having spotted Kade once more. Kyora chuckled he had lost him, Sylvaswift was never that good a tracking, this pleased her on some level as she knew she would not have lost the warrior - serve him right for not trusting her to do her job.

Sylvaswift returned again to the group and sat down. Kyora noticed that Sylvaswift sat incredbly close to the Dunmer, infact he had been before but her thoughts had been too focused on the others to realise it until just at that moment. He had been touching him too, playing with his boot. This puzzled Kyora greatly, her mind told her what those signs meant yet she refused to believe it. Sylvaswift was into females only, ever, and Khajiit ones at that. It was entirely out of the question there was something other than a business relationship between the two - or was there?

Some moments later the red-head departed and returned to the tavern. The three continued with their discussion for sometime, Kyora was tempted to leave several times she was so bored however curiosity held her in place. Eventually the young man rose and left Sylvaswift alone with the Mer. Kyora watched to see if they would return to the house or stay where they were. To her surprise Sylvaswift pounced on the Dunmer and kissed him passionately. Kyora was so taken by surprise by this she nearly fell out of her tree. She could not believe what she was witnessing, Sylva with a man... a fur-less one!

Kyora watched as the both of them grew more passionate, until the Dunmer took him in the open. Kyora almost could not watch as her understanding of Sylva disintegrated, but she did. The sex was hot and almost rough, it turned her on a little to witness this. When over they lay together, embracing for the longest time. The harsh reality hit Kyora like a pile of rocks, that was no act of lust she just witnessed, Sylvaswift feelings toward the man was obvious to her, tender and intimate and the dark mer returned the sentiment.

Kyora fumed, a dark cloud began emanating around her and jumped down from the look-out and vanished.

Envious Ebony

Kyora was livid.

How could he?! What was he thinking?! Her thoughts raged. A male! A Fur-less male!! She threw stuff - lots of stuff, whatever wasn't tied down, attached to something or too heavy to toss, was thrown. "This one will never be ruled by love, " she mocked. "This one cannot love, Kyora," Having run out of things to throw she stood stock still and yelled."Liarr!"

Stiffly she fell silent, her chest heaving from exertion and anger. The tempest that surrounded her darkened and expanded, and the air surrounding her became charged.

"Whye? Whye hime? Whye not Kyora? She haz loved you alwayz, alwayz she haz beene faithful to you - trrusted you, in everything and now you do this thinge to herr. You choose that thinge overr herr. You will pay, they all wille paye, I vowe it!"

Betrayal Black

A couple of days later Khai contacted Kyora to tell her that Sylvaswift wanted to meet with all of them in his Sren'ja residence, he had an important announcement. She would attend, but only because she was curious, and she could get a closer a look at him, the dark fur-less one she had seen with Sylva. She would study him closely, and perhaps fantasize about all the ways she would/could kill him, oh and Sylvaswift too.

It turned out that Sylvaswift was dissolving his association for some reason, he did not elaborate, he did give everyone the freedom to leave or stay. Kyora suspected the mer to be behind all these changes she was seeing in Sylvaswift. She could not help but notice how different he was as he addressed them, he was so different to the Black Khajiit she had fell in love with years ago. She idolized him in every way, accepted his hardness and loved him all the more for it. She understood him, they were alike. Not now, oh no that black creature had stolen him from her in yet another way.

Kyora was bitterly disappointed when the dark-one did not attend the meeting and wondered briefly where he might be. If only she had known he was sleeping soundly upstairs, under the influence of heavy self-induced sedation. If she controlled her anger and jealously enough she would have endeared herself to the newly birthed couple, but Kyora was not known for this kind of temperment, she was hot and feisty.

She demonstrated this accurately in the way she berated Sylva as she stormed out of the house and away from the tattered remains of her idealistic picture of her life with Sylva and his organisation. Everything she knew and loved was gone now.

Covert Coal

There was an upside to not working for Sylvaswift anymore, and that was Kyora now had plenty of time to devote to finding out more about this lover of Sylva's. She sat many hours hidden watching the house, noting who came and went, thinking and planning.

The locations of doors and windows she knew well already. There was a newly appointed house guard. That meant entering the house through the front door would be highly risky. She watched the guards routine patrols, and the paths they chose. In all that time though the dark-one did not emerge, and only Sylvaswift came and went, but rarely. What did they do in there all day? Wait,no, she didn't really need to ask that question - nor think about the answer for that matter.

There was a window that could be accessed by careful scaling of the exterior of the house, she was tempted to use it the first night of surveillance. Climb in and catch them at it, tie them both up, hurt them - a lot, and then kill them slowly... of course the house guard could prove a problem. He would need to be killed or at least immobilised for the length of time she wished to play with both of them before she killed them. Then there would be the time needed to pose the pair in a totally dishonoring manner to be discovered in.

Kyora was near the end of her patience when the Dunmer finally emerged and made his way toward the Clan House-come-Tavern. She watched him stride gracefully toward the large building. He was ever watchful, cautious. He did not however spot her. As he drew closer to Kyora's position, she was able to get her first good look at him. Her mouth fell agape as recognition exploded in her brain. It was that bastard Dunmer from Rawl'kha, she could not believe her luck in finding him here. Go figure he was already a target of hers. Killing him just became all the more rewarding for her, but not before she asked him why he gave the necklace to her in the end, along with the bottle of wine, which she went and lost to Cesare... oh yeah another face she hoped to meet again soon.

Sumar prowled through the manor as the hour passed the night into deeper darkness. The night was his time, and seldom did he sleep unless the sun were up. He lit no candles nor lanterns, relying entirely upon his unnatural vision as he stepped barefoot across the floorboards in naught but a pair of drawstring black silk bed pants. His long dark hair hung low and free down his spine.

He suspected nothing, comfortable, seeking a simple night cap of white wine. It just so happened that he passed a window cracked open just a notch. Immediately he froze and drew the deeper shadows around him, ceasing all motion and sound. Unarmed, he extended his senses to listen and watch, suspecting he and Sylva were not the only ones within the manor, now.

Sneaky Shadowesque

Kyora had opted to scale the manor's exterior, up onto a rustic verandah that overlooked the village square. From there she edged herself around to a window to pry it open. As she expected he would, Sylvaswift, had installed the most complex of locks on every door and window in the place, but he had trained her on exactly these kinds, so really just like revision for her. She had the locks picked relatively easily, even one handed.

She slipped inside noiselessly and waited for her eyes to adjust, allowing her senses to search out the interior before she moved. When all was quiet she proceeded downstairs to poison the house guard to find he was absent. This could prove a problem, where was he? Kyora had not seen him leave, but she had not been at her watch-point all day, so maybe he did not turn up - or left early. She could only hope that he would not return before the morning by then her work would be done.

Before heading back up the stairs she unlatched the front door, giving her an alternative route out of the house should she need it. She didn't think she would. At the base of the stairs she loaded her dart pipe, her blades were already coated in a paralytic, stun type of concoction that would give her time to capture and bind her victims. Her bag was still on the verandah where she had left it, she would collect that next.

Sumar watched the shadow pass him toward the stairwell. He could have reached out and touched her. There was no mistaking her identity. Coldness sank into his chest as he watched her slip off downstairs while he held his breath to allow her to pass without noticing him.

But he was unarmed.

The moment she broke line of sight to go downstairs, Sumar moved with swift silence back to the hidden room, opening well-oiled hinges. He grasped the first thing he thought of – one of his many syringes. Then he closed the cabinet again and hid himself near the banister where she would need to pass again.

Notably, he placed himself between her and the sleeping Sylva. There he called up a rare magic of his, casting himself into invisibility until he should take offensive action. There he waited.

Kyora glided up the stairs noiselessly. All senses wired, scanning endlessly noting nothing. She paused at the top of the stairs, eyes peering thought the darkness to see the barely visible outline of Sylvaswift in the double bed across the room - one hump not two!

Sumar watched her creep up the stairs without an ounce of expression upon his face. He saw her gaze slide toward the bed. He waited no longer.

The Dunmer slipped one step behind her and sought to slam the needle deep within the artery of her neck, thumb already depressing the plunger at a terribly cruel rate. His right arm swiftly moving to cross her torso and try to pin her arms against her body long enough.

If successful, that much of his drug at once would burn. But that close to the brain one would not feel much of anything for very long. A long time user of that drug, Sumar had developed resistances and required it to be quite potent and a strong dose. Most would experience very vivid, very colorful dreams and hallucinations.

Ambush Noir

Kyora's senses were overloaded in a rush of fright, pain and crushing pressure before she was able to comprehend she had been located and attacked. She felt an intense burning travel upward into her skull and she faded quickly into unconsciousness.

Sumar held her bodily until the drug took her senses, and he knelt, slowly following the weight of her body to the floor. He was gentle, then. “Sylva!” he hissed, not sure if the Khajiit could hear him through his dreams. He wanted to draw no attention from any roaming guard outside of the open window.

Sylva woke, stirring briefly at first before rousing to a more wakeful state. At first he wasn't sure if Sumar had spoken to him in a dream or in reality. His eyes adjusted quickly and he noticed the bed beside him was empty and cold.

Sumar? he called softly.

Sumar removed the needle from her skin carefully so as to not damage the artery further. He likely would have use of it. He placed her head into his lap. "By the stairwell, love," he whispered back.

Sylvaswift peeled back the covers and joined Sumar quickly not bothering to cover his nakedness, sensing urgency in Sumar's summons. As he neared he saw Kyora unconscious in his lover's arms. His mind comprehended the scene in an instant yet refused to tally it toward a truthful summation. So he said nothing.

"She lives, love," he told him just above a whisper. "She yet lives. She entered through the window, and the way she eyed your sleeping form, I have terrible thoughts as to her intentions in doing so.

"You meant what you said? Should you have any reservations at all love, speak them. I will heed."

Sylvaswift shook his head. "No I meant what I said." He looked down at Kyora for a time. "I trust you in your judgement. I fear you are right, her intentions I don't believe are friendly. I would suggest asking her when/if she wakes... although I do not expect her to tell the truth."

The Playground

NSFW Disclaimer

NSFW Disclaimer
This thread should be moved if possible please. The faint of heart, squeamish, and sensitive should walk away now. If you have any kind of past which may be triggered by reading certain things happening to a character, you should also walk away. Please view this as a respectful request. No harm is intended by my creative writing.

I am about to reveal a part of Sumar few individuals know to exist beneath his carefully constructed façade. If your character is not involved in this RP, you may not use knowledge of him found in this thread in character without permission from me.

Thank you.

The Dunmer reached up to touch Sylva’s face, softly, tenderly and he smiled before he leaned upward to offer him a kiss. “Then I will take care of her, love. You need not worry any longer.” From there he shifted to move her head so that he could rise, and linked his fingers beneath her to pick her up. He crouched beneath her weight until he got her over his shoulder and rose with a stiff grunt. No, he was not as young as he used to be. Still, there was a driven expression upon his features which said he would not ask for assistance. Yet, he did not drive Sylva away if he wished to remain and observe.

In the darkness, he brought her to his secret room with its secret door not at all far from their bedroom. That small room had so much potential. It was time to realize it, and make himself at home at long last. He laid the Khajiiti female down at the heart of it, face down upon the wooden floor. Then, while the drug held her fast, he set to work. He judged that he had plenty of time from intimate knowledge of the drug.

The very first thing he did was find his pack, and one of five freshly forged eye-hooks he had purchased, knowing he may soon need to cage a werewolf. He fingered it with his long dark nails before he rolled to kneel beside her face. There in the crook between her shoulder and her ear he found a perfect section of floorboard and began to hand screw the eye-hook deep into the support beams. Part way through, he paused to tie back his ebony hair only to fall back to the strain of his work. His strength was older, corded, and through the years it had wasted some. Still, he was equal to the task and the wood grain groaned and splintered as he screwed it so deep the bottom of the eye-hook sank and bit into the wood.

He sat, kneeling like that and staring at the impressions on his hands left by his effort, and he smiled to himself. With far greater energy, with enthusiasm and inspiration, Sumar rose again.

The heavy table lost all of its contents with a single sweep of his arm and he leapt over it to the other side to put his shoulder into moving it. Things went everywhere, but he did not care. Sylva had his orderly, clean, opulent way of being; Sumar was his polar opposite. The table scraped along the floor this way and that until he had moved it over the top of the prone woman, almost exactly so.

When he was satisfied with its placement, the next thing to go were the curtains. He tore them down, ripped the fabric about the rungs without a care, letting in little pools of moonlight. He frowned. When he turned it seemed he attacked one of the book shelves, careful only in avoiding making too much sound as to call attention to the house. He popped up the wooden slats and gathered the things he needed. He screwed the slats over the windows, one by one, and when he came to the last one, he reached inside to tuck the torn and shredded curtains, old blankets, and nearly everything he could get his hands upon within the window frames beneath. He used the curtains to disguise what he was doing to the outside world, while he muted the sounds capable of passing through, and the light. He finished boarding over the windows from within.

Then it no longer mattered when he pulled a powerfully heavy bit of chain from a drawer, scavenged from an old farm house for the purpose of binding a wolf. He dumped it on the floor beside his new work table. He ripped a small hole into the upholstery of his favorite sofa and took his time working free a broken spring within, back and forth until the metal gave.

Excited now, the tiefling released the magic which hid the dark curve of very daedric horns and the long smooth surface of his soft-bladed tail. That tail shivered with delight as he again fell beside the eye-hook and used the thick metal of the broken spring to secure the heavy chain to the floor. He twisted and twisted until the metal bit into his hands and his blood made it slippery work. He scarcely felt the pain, or if he did, it did nothing to discourage him, so focused was he.

He grasped her by the armor and heaved her up upon the table. He shattered any number of plates, dishes and glassware until he found just the right piece to grasp between his fingers.

He sat back upon his heels with the twitch of his tail upon the old wood. He felt the burning pulse of his palms and he smiled - for his work was good.

Whelp

Moved :D

If possible can we RP this out for a bit, giving Kyora a chance to be a Character for a bit and me a chance to play her out. She is a strong character and I am curious to see at least if she can gain Sumar's respect or maybe even mercy. I just would like to explore this with Sumar also, since I doubt Sylva would ever be in this predicament with him - well maybe but with different motives & outcomes LOL :p And I totally love Forum RP :D

Sylvaswift was torn between following Sumar into the secret room and staying behind; equal parts wanting to stay and go. In the end he stayed... up until the moment he heard the destruction of his 'office' .

To say he was shocked when he first entered the newly renovated 'playroom' would have been an understatement. To his credit Sylvaswift uttered not a sound, rendered speechless at the sight of Kyora and the state of the room. He stood rooted to the floor having temporarily lost the freedom of movement.

Sumar looked up when Sylva entered the room, and the look upon his face made the tiefling gather his tail closer about his ankles. He softly tapped the shard of broken glass against the floor, and his gaze slid to the rest of the room. Slowly it returned to Sylva, together with a small frown. A little, guilty kind of frown. He reached long with his right hand to try and touch the toe of Sylva’s shoe while he stood there in such shock.

Finally breaks through being spellbound... "My office." Sylvaswift smiles weakly, not angry just a bit shocked.

“Forgive me love… I guess I decided to move in after all.” Sumar pet the toe of his shoe as if that made it all better. “I guess we are getting serious…” he chuckled softly.

The corners of Sylva's mouth lifted slightly more for a moment, until his gaze fell on Kyora. "What have you planned? No, maybe I dont want to know... I would ask one thing of you though. Allow me to talk to her, question her ... before you start. If only for my own piece of mind." There are volumes Sylvaswift wants to communicate to Sumar about his reasons, but his eloquence fails him substantially whenever emotion lies behind the words.

“Granted,” Sumar said with a soft nod. “She ought to be bound before then. I do not trust her to not just disappear and return to her original plans.”

Nods. "Ill leave you to it then." Sylva casts a mildly disparaging look at the disaster zone before leaving.

Sumar turned back into himself as Sylva took his leave. Immediately grabbing another eye-hook from his pack and leaping up onto the table with her, the curve of his tail aiding his balance. He placed one foot on either side of her crumpled body and stood, reaching toward the rafter to bury the hook within the ceiling. Working above his head was strain, no doubt, but he was focused, determined, even enjoying himself.

With the next step he jumped down to take the heavy chain, and moved to suspend the chain from the ceiling where it hung loosely beside the table. Then, it was attending to her, at long last. Her wrists were bound by the twists of thin rope. He was a master with a knot, a connoisseur, a legend. Getting his shoulder beneath her, he forced her to sit upon her knees and tied her wrists to the chain above her head. He knew she could not stay like that for longer than a day or so, least water settle on her lungs. He had learned that one the hard way.

For now he left her with the dignity of the armor she had arrived in, but he took away anything else that could be used as weapons. All of her gear was laid out upon a board left over from the destruction of the shelves. Then he bound each of her ankles, and secured them independently to different table legs.

He fashioned a simple blind by using his old dark rag, but first he soaked it in wine. The smell would dull her senses, and it would burn if she tried to open her eyes beneath it. He tied it well into place over her eyes, careful to keep her beautiful ears free and open. She would need to hear, and she would need to speak.

There he left her to have a good smoke of his pipe upon his torn sofa, watching her breathe as the drug worked its course.

Livid Onyx

Many minutes, hours, or days passed passed before Kyora stirred. She was not aware how long she had been out to it, ascending from her drugged state in slow stages. In the initial stages of consciousness before Kyora truly had her senses back, she moaned, occasionally muttering unintelligible words.

A blinding headache was the first clue that things had not gone as planned. In those first few moments of consciousness Kyora had trouble even recalling what had happened, but as the story unfolded into her fuzzy mind her awareness around her increased, along with her anger. A tangible strange black aura of energy began to emanate from her being. As her senses returned to her she realised the fullness of her predicament infuriating her further. She could not tell if she was alone or had company bar an unfamiliar scent of smoke.

Kyora's ears strained to pick-up any telltale clues or information as her mind cranked into action, tasking itself first and foremost to her escape. Hearing nothing, she flexed her wrists slowly, testing the bonds on her wrists, hopelessly. She was aware of her blindfold and had not yet tried to use her sight, preferring to stay in darkness to heighten her other senses. She moved ever so slowly her ankles only to find they were as securely trapped as her wrists.

The more she fathomed the seriousness of her situation the angrier she grew and hatred seethed beneath her cool exterior. She was not afraid, yet, she did not believe Sylvaswift would really hurt her, or allow her to be hurt. He was just going to try and teach her a lesson, she need only endure whatever he had planned. He would let her go and she would feign repentance, she would leave only to return another day. Oh, yes, this was a lesson she refused to learn, she would show him and that dark disgusting creature he had betrayed her with.

So dead, so painfully dead they were going to be.

At the first sign of her waking, and the inward draw of that dark energy, Sumar recalled one so very vital element. He chided himself for forgetting it up until this moment. Silently he moved toward his special pack, and from it and a tiny box within, he withdrew a small silver ring.

He clutched it delicately between his thumb and ring-finger in such a way one might think he was afraid of it. Without any warning, he grabbed a hold of her middle toe upon her right foot and slid the ring upon it. The magic would resize it to fit perfectly. While she wore it, however, she would be cursed to lose any ability toward supernatural travel. Ironically it also enhanced one’s dexterity, but Sumar kept the relic for the use of the curse upon it. He trusted his knots well enough.

Magic Notes

((She cannot shadow jump, teleport or anything other than, she is only a novice. Spells are - Cloak of Invisibility and Dark Heal (requires sacrifice) Her magic does deplete, it will not replenish unless she kills and drains life essence. The dark aura is connected to the magic though and remains even when her magic is depleted or blocked - it is more like possession or drawing of dark energies around her which give her abilities and empower her spells. She only learnt to access this though anger. In a calm state she cannot do it.))

Kyora flinched when she suddenly felt the ring placed on her toe, she could not help it so unexpected was the action. She managed enough control herself to simply lie completely still. She soon found that the more concentration she placed into this activity only increased her alertness, in turn making her more jumpy and vulnerable to surprise.

She knew this game well, but rarely had she been on the receiving end - other than for entertainment. This would be an entirely new challenge for her, one she wasn't entirely confident she would get out of at that very moment , she was the bound one after all. She would have to use every ounce of charm and intelligence, and keeping a stable mind would be imperative for that to work.

Sumar found he could never be too careful. He would take no risks, and he knew her not.

He spoke nothing, but from there slipped into the main room still smoking his pipe to look for Sylva. "Love?" he called once he had closed the door and left her in a sound proofed prison.

Sylvaswift sat at a table in the corner of the upstairs room pouring over the books and counting coin, rescued from his disassembled office when Sumar emerged from the room and called his name. He looked up at him instantaneously. Sumar looked remarkably happier than the black Khajiit had seen him - well ever.

"Hmmm?"

It was true, the tiefling looked so very at home in his own skin. There were also those similarities in how he held his tail when he was calm, even content, a gentle hook in his wake. "if you wish to speak with her love, she wakes. I can be present if you wish, or leave you to your time."

Sylvaswift thought on this a moment, "No need, come if you wish to. But let her think it is only me in the room, she may be more forthcoming with her answers,yes?"

He gathered his books and coin to place them in his specially designed chest that was virtually indestructable, complete with nearly un-pick-able locks - Sylva took no chances with his coin. Unhurried he made his way towards Sumar and the doorway to the secret room. He wasn't quite sure of the reason why but he was a little apprehensive. Not easily recognised by strangers, but perhaps discernible to one familiar with his common persona.

Sumar gave him a low, slow nod to his request. While Sylva readied himself, the tiefling finished his pipe and cleaned it, putting it away. Only when his lover was prepared and passing him did Sumar softly touch his arm in the passing. Yes, he did notice the apprehension. But he also would not stop Sylva. He was there for him, but he would not stop him if he would rather just enter the room.

Sylvaswift smiled briefly and touched Sumar's chest lightly in passing, he drew inner strength from his lover's unspoken support and presence. He moved he stepped behind the false cupboard and through the door to the room, bracing himself to confront Kyora.

He did not silence his steps as he traversed the floor to stand beside Kyora. Holding his silence in calm acknowledgement as his eyes took in the manner in which Sumar had her restrained... it could have been worse, much worse.

"Kyora, Kyora, Kyora, what have you gotten yourself into now, hmm? "

"Yoo telle me." She spat"

"From where I stand, you have got yourself into a bit of a bind." Sylvaswift examined then the manner of the knots Sumar had used, he was impressed. Sylva considered himself very good at escaping bonds, having done it with ease countless time, but these he was almost certain looked ingeniously secure. "Let us cut through all the bullshit, hmm? Why in the middle of the night were you prowling about my house? He asked sternly.

"Waz in the area, Khajiit thought she would drrop in and say hello. Perrhapz I should have wrritten firrst, this one apologieses mosst sincerrely."

Sylvaswift scoffed.

"No? Oh welle, these thinges happenz."

Sumar slipped into the room but a bare moment after Sylva, catching the door and closing it silently behind him. Noticing Sylva checking out his knots, the tiefling smirked briefly at his lover. He removed himself from the immediate area, instead taking back to his broken and torn sofa, careful about making noise as he curled up into the deep cushions. Quite comfortable he was, even pulling a small blanket across his lap while he observed their conversation. Nothing he had not expected, but he still learned things. He remained oh so quiet to avoid alerting her to his presence.

"I am giving you this chance Kyora, before I walk away from this and let my friend do as he wishes. Your choice."

"Frriend?" she scoffed. "Thiss one thinkz the furless prrick is morre than just a frriend, yess? Thiss one thought you said we would cut thrrough all the bullshite."

"Well when you do, I will also." Sylvaswift fell silent.

"... Sso yoo doo not deny it?"

Sylvaswift stayed silent.

Kyora sighed. "Whye doo yoo think Kyorra came?"

Silence.

It was Kyora's turn for silence as she tried to determine if Sylvaswift was still in the room. She knew he was undetectable when he wanted to be. He could have easily left the room without her knowledge. The edge of panic entered her heart. She tried to open her eyes, desperate to know if he had left. The residue of wine quickly seeped into her eyes causing searing pain, the more her eyes watered the burning increased.

"Son of a beetch!" She cursed.

For some reason Sumar found it difficult to sit still. He wanted a smoke, or to pick at the sofa's upholstery. What he did was stay still, however. That pesky tail of his twitched though, just the tip of it, and Sumar frowned hard at it like it had ultimately betrayed him. Too long spent in a form where he had no need to control it...

Her strong language to describe him caused no reaction.

Sylvaswift smiled a little. Kyora was being a bitch and he was regretting her predicament less and less with every moment that passed. He turned then fully to face Sumar. So focused on Kyora, Sylva had not noticed his lover had chosen to sit on the sofa, leaving only his back to his view. Quietly, he moved position to allow him to watch if he chose.

"Last chance Kyora."

Kyora breathed a tiny sigh of relief hearing his voice again. She did not answer straight away, she knew he was serious. Sylvaswift was a man of his word, he rarely bluffed, this was perhaps her last chance - ever. She sighed again, this time loudly. "Ohkay, Ohkay, no morre bullshite." She paused. "Thiss one came to kille you and yourr loverr, simplez. Khajiit would say she is sorry, no harrd feelingez but yoo would know it would not be the trruth, yess?"

"Why?"

"Becauze Kyorra is mad at yoo, that iz why!"

"Because I have chosen to dissolve the association?"

"Noo, stupide. That iz not the rreason, well... not the maine one."

"So tell me."

"Thiss one haz lost her respect forr yoo. You arre weak now, this one hatez what yoo have become. So shee killz yoo... so she doesnt have to thinke about yoo anymorre."

"I see. So if I let you go, you will still feel this way, yes?"

"Yess."

"Thank you for your honesty, Kyora. You know however, I cannot let you live."

"Yess." she said quietly. "At least thiss givez Kyorra a little respect forr yoo in thiss. You know this one iz not afraid to die. You also know she likez pain. So why all thiss?" She wiggled her limbs the best she could.

"That is my friend... lover's contribution in this. I will let him explain that to you if he wishes."

Kyora growled. "Him? The furless one? Whye hime? What he have to doo with our buziness?" Darkness flared around her and the air in her vicinity became almost electrified.

Sylvaswift sighed. "You still have not learned to control that temper of yours I see. I had hopes for you, I really did. I am sorry it has come to this, I really mean it. Goodbye Kyora."

Sylvaswift did not wait to hear any more, he had made up his mind. Kyora, in his eyes had failed and he closed the tiny door in his heart that led to any emotion he felt for her. He nodded to Sumar wordlessly as he headed toward the room's exit.

Sumar remained in perfect silence long after Sylva left the two of them. She might even think herself alone for a time, entirely abandoned.

Then, to her left came the unmistakable sound of a metal blade leaving a leather sheathe.

Kyora listened to the husky baritone of Sylvaswifts voice as he told her he was sorry and goodbye. She heard the disappointment in his voice. Listening in silence during his speech, and as his footsteps turned to leave her and head toward the door. Her wrenched dreadfully and she almost cried out to him. Instead she continued in her silence, had she known how to cry her blindfold would be soaked with them. Instead she lay in complete silence alone with the knowledge she would never see Sylvaswift again. She was not aware of Sumar's presence in the room but she guessed that he may be there.

She didn't care she just hoped he would kill her soon. Kyora was intelligent enough to know her situation was hopeless. Besides, she no longer had any desire to continue with life. She lay there in silence for the longest time, listening only to her own breaths.

She heard the blade, and braced herself for the next stage of the ordeal. How she would play this she wasn't sure. She planned to first get a sense of her captor and torturer and then play on what she learned to her advantage.

Again, there was a painfully long pause of silence without action. During this silence, Sumar observed her closely for that first physical sign of change of thought.

Observing such, he could gauge where the limit of patience was, the mood of his subjects and how quickly they changed. He could also learn what those little signs were, anything from a held breath to a flick of an ear. It was his first time enjoying a Khajiit in this fashion.

Kyora knew he was there watching her, planning, observing, most likely admiring, but mostly planning. She was not panicked but rather impatient for the show to begin, a tiny part of her would enjoy the pain and another looked forward to the end. The truth was the worst part for her was his abstinence. She thought to provoke her tormentor into action, but how, she knew very little and her knowledge was not increasing in the silence.

"Yoo arre the loverr, yes? How special yoo must be too have won the hearrt of Sylvaswift. I trruly thought it could not be done. I would take off my hat too yoo except, yoo know" She wiggle her arms as much as the tension would allow. " That and I doo not wearr a hat, ooh welle."

Sumar answered her question by touching her hand just above where it was bound. He touched it softly, laid his hand over it, balled it within his own palm and held it fast. The edge of the blade touched her wrist, sliding along the skin just to get beneath the fur without breaking skin. Slowly the edge of the blade began to separate the fur coat from the skin of her forearm.

Unless she began fighting him, he was quite good enough to avoid cutting her.

Kyora remained still, feeling the pressure of the blade and it movements but no tell-tale sting of it breaking the surface. Her heart-beat increased slightly with a mixture of excitement and anticipation. She steadied her breathing and allowed herself to purr softly.

As he came into contact with the edge of her clothing, the blade twisted with delicate skill to slide beneath the cloth and slowly shred it downward toward her shoulder. Then it lifted. There was a long pause before he began on the second wrist, shaving a thin swath of fur and shredding cloth until he shoulders of her shirt fell open to gravity.

Kyora's purring stopped as she began to concentrate on what he was doing, a morbid curiosity for what he had planned. A sprinkling of admiration seeped into her thinking.

Warm lips pressed against the sensitive bare skin of her inner wrists once exposed. He inhaled slowly with a low groan.

Kyora purred loudly, encouraging him hopefully to continue on his chosen course of action. She writhed seductively as much as her bonds allowed.

“Enjoy that, do you?” he spoke in a low tone near her wrist. He even brushed his cheek against her palm without fear of her claws… or perhaps testing to see if she would attempt to use them. She certainly had the chance. Then again, she might encounter the imposing curve of his dark horn if she tried.

Kyora had chosen not to resist at this point and rather encourage the course he had taken. She carefully retracted her nails and strained to touch him with whatever part of her hand could make contact.

She purred. "What would yoo think of me if I waz too tell you I doo, hmm?"

The touch fades, and a long moment passes.

Then there was a gentle upward tug at her shirt’s lowest hem. Then the sound of fibers parting before so sharp a blade. The blade slides through the fabric upward without touching her coat until it separates the cloth clear to her neckline. The ruined garment is allowed to hang from her shoulders, entirely open at the front, barely held on now at all.

Sumar leans close to one of her ears and speaks just above a whisper, “That deep inside there is only numbness.”

Kyora excitement increases as her clothes are torn, she feels the cold air waft over her body. Feeling his blade so close begins to arouse her. She relaxes her breathing and body to not hide anything of what she feels. This display halts instantly at his whisper. His voice is quite lovely, that is the first thing she notices. The second thing is the realisation that he has summed her up in one hit. This doesnt unnerve her but adds a sprinkling more respect toward him.

"Perhaps, what iz thiss too yoo?" she purrs seductively. Not giving away just yet that he has got her figured correctly.

The blade again finds her skin, the edge at the base of her neck and he slowly draws it upward taking the fur with it, the motion even sensual in nature and control. If she remains still, he will lay her skin bare clear to the underside of her chin. Her head is not restrained. She is free to move her head one way or the other in reaction to his blade.

His interest falls to know if there is a scar where he had stabbed her in the streets. For now, his words are held.

Kyora does not flinch, although she has not mastered her emotions fully she is an ace as bodily control. She does however withhold her breath knowing that any move could prove fatal, she has no wish for this to end just yet, curiosity holds her interest. Her desire at the moment is to follow this wherever it may lead, unflinchingly.

Sumar is quite careful when he feels the scar beneath his blade. The action so gentle, even tender how he clears the fur from her skin around it, exposing it to the cool air. The tiefling’s blade touches the underside of her chin, lets her feel the point of it, lets it bite slightly as it encourages her to tilt her head backward.

If she does, he breathes her scent at her neck audibly.

"I am the void. You need not live it alone."

Kyora tilts her head back obediently brooking no resistance to anything her tormentor should ask of her at this point. Her eyebrows crease slightly as his statement and she tries to understand his meaning. She says nothing and notes his inhalation of her scent and her lips shape to a pleasing smile.

The blade slowly slips away. It then begins to finish the job of cutting away the rest of her shirt, leaving her topless before him. He is in no hurry to finish.

Naked now Kyora feels the chill of air alight on her chest, her nipple harden. She is noticeably attractive to most males, adequately proportioned with a body built for sin. She is unabashed by her nakedness and aroused further by it. The smile on her lips increases in size. Her mind blocks for now the possibility that this will turn sour, keeping her thought toward a desirable outcome for her. She also plays the seductive card rather than the resistance one. She focuses all her emotion into being alluring and as sexy as possible. Wondering if he is even into females.

That cool blade repeatedly touches her skin, sliding with just the right angle and pressure to remove the fur from her body. Down along her arms, her shoulders, her torso, yes even her breasts. Methodical, even professional in cold distance, as if this was something he had to do and meant to do well.

It takes time, and he is silent all the while until she is furless from the waistband of her pants upward, with the exception of her face and the crown of her head. He takes special care around the scars she has earned through her hard life. One by one he tenderly touches them with the warm curve of a talon.

Kyora is puzzled by his actions, unsettled a little although she does not show this, internalizing those reactions. She patiently endures his skinning of her the epitome of stilled control. She feels his touch, unsure of what it is that touches her, only knowing it is not the knife. She wonders at why her scars attract his attention, perhaps he is fantasizing about adding to them. Is there real care in his touch or feigned. She is still unable to tell. If it were her, it would be feigned, playing with her prey before she struck. Leading them into a false sense of hope, even happiness only to snatch it away, yes. She would not allow this, she would allow enjoyment but refuse to believe anything other than a means to an end for her.

The contact ceases through another long several moments.

He breaks the silence with setting a bowl beside her. It rings like it is filled with water. There are long pauses following each deliberately made sound.

The water is warm when the raspy terricloth touches her cool bare skin, a tiny spot starting at her neck below her ears. With it wrapped about his fingers, he gently begins to clean her skin.

Lies silently, her smile fades as she endures this change and allows herself to move with this new action. She finds this highly erotic and it does not fear her. Her mind easily slips into a fantasy that he is simply another of her lovers. Even if things would turn rough it would not dissuade her from this fantasy.

He could have been a lover for how very tender he was, diligently caring for her. Then when he is finished, he softly runs his fingers through her hair just once.

Kyora purred softly, not at all feigned, allowing herself to soak up the care and attention. She had accepted readily it was to be the last she would ever feel. Kyora tried to move into his touch further but found the limits once again of her bonds. For the first time she is frustrated by this and sighs noticeably.

“Sssh,” he comforts following her frustrated sigh. “Rest now,” he says and he slides another needle beneath her skin. “You don’t need to feel anymore tonight.”

The drug he pushes into her veins is indeed one that quiets the mind, dosed just enough to let her drift into a merciful and dreamless sleep for several solid hours.

Kyora felt the tiny prick of the needle as it pierced her vein. The drug took rapid effect, having no previous contact with the substances used in it concoction and Kyora faded unwillingly into a deep restless sleep.

Sumar knew even as he left the room that he would have need of approaching her from a unique direction. He prepared his pipe and enjoyed that first long smoke, thinking deeply as he leaned back against the wall in their shared bedroom. His thoughts introspective and no doubt dark.

Kyora woke several solid hours later, a little hazy and disorientated in those first few moments. Gradually her memory relayed back to her in small bursts her situation along with the realisation a dire need to relieve herself. Kyora would have no issue at all doing so where she lay, it would force her captor to have to clean up the mess. Definitely no shame or qualms about doing that whatsoever. However, she had no real cause yet to do this, and preferred to keep things amiable. Kyora hadn't experienced any malice in what he was doing to her, quite the opposite. Maybe he was the sort to just keep her there for the purpose of personal pleasure. She could live with that, until she got bored with it. So she hung on forcing herself to think upon other things. She soon found it difficult to impossible to think due to the ever growing need to go.

Kyora would awake entirely nude, entirely shaved save for the hair upon her head. The hair upon her head had been braided, quite neatly, even oiled. Into the strands of her hair had been woven thin strips of black silk which draped down her neck and back just past her waist. Her whiskers were shorn.

Sumar seemed to have thought of about everything, for she also knelt over a shallow pan for the express purpose which occupied her mind at present. But it would be difficult to realize this, coming out of the fog of medication, blindfolded.

As Kyora's system processed the drug her faculties thawed along with it. The extreme chill her skin felt was foreign to her until it dawned on her she was bald all over as well as naked. This proved to be highly erotic to her and excited her. This was only just over-shadowed by her need to relieve herself. Unable to hold on any longer she relaxed herself fully, emptying her body with a sigh of great relief followed by a tiny "Ooops" and a little chuckle.

Kyora had no idea if she was alone or being watched. She had in the time of being captive come to know Sumar's particular scent, predominantly that of an unfamiliar pipe-weed, scented oil, and well oiled-leather. Like a signature she would recognise it easily if it was not masked, although smell being by far one of her lesser senses. Her nose picked up only the faint smell of stale smoke...

Kyora is left there without blanket, without food, without water. For days. In truth, she was forgotten for the time being. Sumar had more important things upon his mind.

Hours ticked past like days as Kyora waited for Sumar or Sylva to return. No one came. Hunger showed up a quarter into the first day. At first it tormented her only mildly, this increased as hours rolled away painfully slow. Thirst was next to arrive, followed by stiffness and pain, broken up with numbness to her extremities caused by restriction and the cold.

Time expanded into days, which took months to pass; Kyora awareness of their passing only by the rise and drop of temperature. She lay in that sound proofed room cold & alone, and soon wondered if she would die just like that without ever seeing anyone again. She had not counted on that at all. Knowingly or not Sumar had found a weakness in her steely exterior. Abandonment and boredom began to wear the life harden Khajiit down faster than pain or torture ever would.

There was noise when he returned, aggressive, impatient noise. He grabbed her arm roughly and gabbed another needle deep into her vein. He needed her entirely pacified, silent, and limp, and the drug ought to do the trick.

Then he pulled her down, wrapped her tightly in blankets, and carried her over his shoulder. Downstairs, under the cover of darkness, he strapped her to the back of Evon. He mounted up, and turned the black stallion down the road. Only when they had put Sren'ja behind them did he give Evon his head and just road at a hard gallop to the teleportation shrine where he could take them home. To his home.

She would wake in a corner of a dark room. She was bound about the neck by a locked metal collar chained into a stone wall. But she had a heavy lined blanket, one to lay one, one to cover with. There was a small hole between the uneven floor and the wall for necessary drainage.

She could remove her own blindfold if she wished to. She would find herself surrounded by a small room made of stone and heavy wooden rafters. The roof had caved in on the far side. Old signs of life dotted the room, but nothing else was within reach. The roof looked destroyed by fire long ago. The sky was gray and absolutely lifeless where no sun would ever rise nor set. This was a place of shadow.

Kyora was too weak to cower or react in anyway once Sumar finally returned. Her senses told her she was no longer alone, but it was faded and disjointed. Her body was shutting down from dehydration. Through the haze she felt her arm gripped roughly and the sting as a needle was inserted once again into her vein. She opened her mouth to speak, but lethargy slowed her and the drug's effect took her before she could speak.

Time passed, and Kyora did awaken, but barely. It was more like the drug wore off but her body stayed sedated. She knew nothing of the journey to the new location, it didn't even register to her that she lay in a new surroundings. The worst of starvation and thirst had passed now, there was no suffering. Kyora lay in that cold dark room so very still, drifting in and out of consciousness. No longer aware of time that passed, however, the periods of unconsciousness lengthened with each ebb and flow; eventually she simply would not wake.

A weight joined the blanket beside her. Gently touched her brow and settled the blanket about her chin with silent care. Tilted her chin back faintly before dribbling water squeezed from a cloth across her lips. It was patient, careful, even tender.

Kyora stirred first to the coolness as the water touched her dry cracked lips. Her lips opened without thought, her body knowing instinctively what it needed. The first few drops did little but return moisture to the tissues of her mouth. Her faculties were far from restoration. Her body had shut down to just maintenance mode, she was not even aware at first of the one who sat beside her.

Sumar carefully considered all he had done before leaving. He had removed all evidence of his dealings with Kyora, taken with him his drugs and paraphernalia. Nothing could have been left behind should they search Sylva’s estate for further damning evidence – he had seen to this.

This were the things he carefully pondered over the hours he spent gently hydrating Kyora. He remained in one place so long his ankles fell asleep, but these things he did not fell.

LIke the desert after a bout of rain. Slowly signs of life restored in Kyora. First was awareness that she was not alone. With whom or where was still unknown. She relished Sumar's presence as much as she did the moisture he delivered to her. She no longer was dying alone. She didn't try to speak, look or think, other than to just soak up everything that came to her no unlike a sponge.

Sumar focused again upon her as she slowly came toward awareness. He actually hummed a soft tune, a hymnal of sorts, though his dark mind refused to call up the words. It was special to him. He continued to give her water, only slowly, so that her body could process it. Between drinks, he soothed her face with his touch and laid her head across his lap.

Her conscious state came back in fits and starts. With it came emotion and feeling. Tears unfortunately due to rehydration were able to flow and flow they did. From the very dark recesses of Kyora's nature came gratitude for Sumar's gentle touch and attention. How long before her normal sense of being took over and shut that crap down, was anyone's guess. Until then Sumar was the to see Kyora in her original emotional form before the damage and hardness of life had twisted her soul into the vicious evil bitch she had become.

“Good morning,” he said softly, letting her hear his voice.

He cradled her in his true form, dark horns curling up from his scalp, black hair falling about them. His tail held her close. Yet, his features were partially obscured by a mask of opalescent white. It was a three-quarter’s mask, leaving one side to curl upward in a perpetual smile while the other betrayed his true emotions. Those emotions at present seemed quite neutral. His manner was entirely that of an old lover, comfortable and content with her to care for in kindness.

Kyora's mind swirled around those words before curling around them and drawing them in. She was still blind-folded and made no attempt to open her eyes, remembering the lesson from her last attempt. She recognised Sumar's voice, it was pleasant and even soothing to her. She responded timidly, still out-of-character yet to find her footing within her revived state. In moments she was likely to find and reinstate her hard exterior, but for the time being it was as if someone had replaced her soul with another's.

"G-good... morrninge?"

Sumar peeled back her blind fold and looked straight into her eyes, tears or no.

Kyora did not open her eyes immediately, a little cautious and unsure, even a touch of fearful of what she would behold. Curiosity won her over and she carefully blinked once, then again. The dark interior of the room meant her sight was not assaulted by blinding light, which made keeping her eyes open easier. Her head remained still and released her eyes, still a little moist from the tears, slowly roamed to locate the owner of that voice that had soothed her moments earlier.

Sumar hid only his immediate features behind the mask while he cradled her head like that. He rolled his fingers softly across her cheeks, brushing away tears with his thumbs and taking such great care of his dark talons against her skin. "You are safe now, love."

Kyora's brow creased with confusion. Everything about him now perplexed her. She knew it to be Sylva's lover, but it was not him... not that she had yet to view him closely. He wore a strange mask and she pondered the purpose... why did he need anonymity - unless he thought to release her at some point. His words to her were those of comfort, his voice was soft and everything tried to believe he meant it... but experience had taught her well and ingrained into her to never trust. Althought she quite desperately wanted to, she quite naturally didn't. Kyora lay in his lap staring up at him, wordlessly, for once in her life she was at a loss for what to say. Still disorientated and not herself.

"It is only you and me now," he spoke softly.

"Sylva? Where..." At this point Kyora thinks to get her bearings and move her head to scan the room. She is weak and her neck is stiff and sore so her movement is not fluid. She sees the room is unlike what she saw of Sylva's home. She knew it was different, by the temperature on her fur-less skin. She never saw the secret room - she woke up blind-folded but this place did not even feel like Sren'ja ... she would have questioned if she was alive or dead except for her senses telling her she indeed lived. But such was the other-worldly feel of the place.

"He's dead," Sumar delivered darkly, as if the loss had left him emotionally bereft. He was almost as good at lying as he was at killing. Almost.

Some of him might have even believed it.

Kyora gasped, she did not hide it but in a flash all systems went into protection mode. Like steel shutters slamming down everything sealed up tight.

"What did yoo doo too hime? I-I will kill yoo..." she breathed.

A faint black cloud of darkness began to hum around her tangibly however it was very weak, perhaps connected to her physical being in some way.

Sumar struck out at her with a growl, with the back of his wrist, and with intentions of freeing his lap of her. He was not a strong individual, but he certainly had an upper hand.

It did not even matter to him if it connected, he slipped away from her into the deeper darkness of the room. He was not completely hidden there in the shadows, but almost. There was a faint glint of his mask, and the pale white of his eyes across the room, about waist height. At least before the eyes turned away from her.

Sumar's swipe connected painfully and Kyora hissed as she connected with the floor. She attempted to position herself to leap at him totally unaware of the chain around her neck. Gathering fragments of energy without thought or planning she pounced at him quickly finding the restriction of her collar and chain. It jarred her harshly against the wall behind her. She released a vicious growl type scream of rage and then quickly subdued to exhaustion.

Sumar fell silent. Over there. In the darkness. He would not break the silence no matter how long it stretched.

Kyora lay where she fell panting, exhausted from that tiny effort.

"Telle me!" She demanded.

Sumar did not answer her demands. She could yell and scream all she wished for it would not bring her answers.

Kyora growled menacingly when he did not reply. She was in no position to make him do anything, as she realised this her anger and energy-cloud subsided. Nothing was certain for her anymore. She supposed rather quickly he captor had no intentions of killing her or making her life any sort of pleasant. Everything she knew and loved, which was very little had been stripped from her. She looked for the first time at the state of her body. She realised her naked, furless body for the first time. Sumar had stripped away so much of her identity in that action. Her heart and will imploded suddenly into a state of non-existence.

The tiefling rose as her demeanor sank. He picked up something from the ruin of a small table, and headed for a door that hung off of its hinges. He looked to be leaving her.

Cold lifeless eyes watched Sumar. Taking everything about his form, for no real reason except it was the first time she could view him fully, even though the room was darkened slightly, her cat vision aided her effectively. With unmasked shock she noticed his horns and tail first being the first to stand out, she had attributed his pale-eyes to partial blindness, but seeing these other characteristics explained that difference in an entirely different way to her now. Kyora judged him to be taller than her by perhaps a foot, his build was slight although did not portray weakness, the opposite infact. His long straight black hair fascinated her and she began to at least understand her Sylva's attraction to him.

Thinking of Sylvaswift in that moment hurt her heart and she sighed quietly and looked away from the tiefling to stare at the ground directly in front of her. Her Sylva, was gone... she wanted to know... needed to know what happened to him. She cared even less about her life now. She wanted nothing but to die, even revenge and thoughts of violence drifted away like the rolling back of fog.

Sumar would be gone again for many hours. One might indeed wonder if he would return at all. He wondered that himself.

He came back alone, masked, and with an unsheathed blade in his hand. A simple knife, long and thin, a bit overlarge for light kitchen cutting, the ironwork upon it quite dark. From the moment he entered the small broken hut, he approached her directly with unhurried purpose.

The time that passed during Sumar's absence was spent recalling memories of Sylvaswift from the time he first met her on the street, to the saving of her life in a failed assassination. She regretted letting her heart turn to revenge and hatred, she after all owed Sylvaswift anything, it still pained her that he loved another and not her. She had accepted he would never return her love, she respected his reasons. She thought at first she had lost him, until now, now she realised she truly had lost him. She would have given anything to know he was alive once more, and she would accept her punishment for her betrayal. She owed that to him, his memory, at least.

When Sumar returned she cast her eyes upon the knife. She liked knives and in other circumstances she would have loved to study it, each one told a story to her. At this time however, she simply stared at it as it neared her in the tielfing's hand. She glance up to him briefly as he neared. Eyes searching weakly for information. She braced herself for her fate, accepting it as she had Sylvaswift's reported death.

Sumar came to stand over her, and tilted his horned head, peering at her through the slits in his pale white mask. The mask half smiled; what it showed of his face seemed dead.

“I stole a kill from you. I owe you another.”

Kyora thought Sumar meant Sylvaswift and her anger bubbled momentarily at his coldness towards his death. She reacted only a little, perhaps he saw it flash across her face for that instant. More noticeable to him would be her total lack of care about his actions. Even her steeliness had disintegrated along with her heart and will. She didn't even have the energy to fight him, her physical well-being so impoverished from lack of nutrition. She would have preferred a fight, a notable death, but in this the tiefling had stripped her even of this.

He dropped the blade, and the point sparked against the stone before it clattered down beside her. He did not move.

Kyora startled noticeably, her normal self-control not in play. She looked up a the strange male a hint of question upon her face.

Sumar gave her no answers. He stared at her with those pale eyes. There was the tiniest tick in the tip of his tail before he forced it still.

Kyoras eyes cast down toward the knife and then back to Sumar. Her eyes scanned him, arriving at his pale-eyed gaze from behind his eerie mask. His lack of action and words raised her anxiety a touch, lost, without anything to react to. Maddeningly she knew not what to even think.

"Nothing left to live for, nothing left to die for, nothing left to kill for. I wonder how far behind this same moment am I."

Kyora blinked... "W-what?"

Sumar just kept staring at her.

Kyora blinked and looked away thinking, trying to understand what was happening. Without looking at him this time she asked him ever so quietly, "What happened... to Sylva... tell me - please."

Sumar slowly crouched where he stood, breathing a long warm sigh. He left the blade laying there between them while he balanced upon his ankles. The curve of his tail brushed the floor aiding his easy balance.

He watched her, seeming so disconnected despite his quiet words. “Justice happened to him,” he spoke that one word with disgust before returning to an even timbre. “No one had his back when he needed it most. He confessed to his crimes, even knowing what it would mean for him.”

“We killed him. You and I. We were not there when he needed us, despite loving him. We may as well have driven the knife. But you… you already meant to do that.”

Kyora listened to Sumar's painful confession, he was right, she had meant to kill him, although whether she would have gone through with it was left in doubt - her hatred and anger may have well relieved itself on Sumar's demise.

"Meant?" Sighs. "Perrhaps, but now I will not everr know. You firrst - I would have killed, yess. But Sylvah? You alrready killed hime."

Sumar actually left her with the knife when he turned from her. He kicked it a little way so it would be an audible stretch for her, but he did not give her credit enough to even try something against his person.

He took what few things he had, and left her again. There by herself. While he returned to Sren'ja.

Kyora's eyes narrowed as she watched the knife slide across the floor and then watched quietly as Sumar packed his things and left. It was several moments before she even breathed, let alone moved. She believed strongly Sumar was taunting her - a trap for sure; one she would not fall into. She stayed put exactly where he had left her, only eyeing the knife occasionally. It would be a stretch but she could reach it if she really tried. Even absent he taunted her darkly.

"The basteed." She hissed quietly to herself.

Several hours later, Leslie dismounted a short distance from the burned-out manor and led her horse on foot around a jagged collection of rocks to place the beast out of clear view from any landbound direction. Then she quietly approached the building, nearing one of the breaks in the wall, and peered inside. In a clear feminine voice she called out, "Sumar? Are you here?" Wedging herself sideways, she stepped through the gap and into the interior of the first floor.

Kyora's ears twitched and focused toward the female's voice. She hadn't moved at all since Sumar left her, expecting some kind of trap but also with no real desire to run - where would she go? There was no place left for her in this world anymore. She did not make a sound or movement lest it alerted the owner of the voice to her presence. No even sure she wished to be found.

Leslie continued into the interior of the manor, her green eyes carefully searching the shadows for signs of movement. Coming through a doorway, she stopped cold when she saw the shaved khajiit bound by one length of chain across the room. She stared wide-eyed in the doorway, having no idea what to think of the unexpected stranger.

In a few moments of Kyora remaining still, the wizardess began to wonder if she was still alive. She took a small step forward, and then another, and gathered the courage to speak. "Are... you alright?" Mentally she rebuked herself harshly for such a stupid question. Then she suddenly wondered if this was some sort of trap she'd walked into, and glanced quickly around the room. She summoned her Magelight orb to hover around her which cast the room in a harsh blue light, and called out again, this time her voice tinged with panic and worry, "Sumar? Are you here?!"

Kyora's green orbs blinked once slowly before speaking. "The Darke One? He iz gone. I breathe."

Her voice startled Leslie and she jumped a little away from Kyora. "Who are you?" she asked, still on edge. "Why are you chained up here?" She was already working out those answers for herself, suspecting the khajiit was some enemy of Sumar's that he needed to torture for information. The details were a bit fuzzy, but her instinct was to not trust the woman.

"I am chained herre because the Darrke One put me herre? He did not send yoo herre?"

Leslie looked over Kyora and felt a pang of pity for the khajiit which would show in her expression. She had the impression Kyora had been locked away for days and was probably in shock, as she seemed to have no need to hide herself beneath the blankets. Suddenly she realized the prisoner had asked her a question.

"No, he didn't send me. How long has he left you like this? And who are you?"

Kyora shrugged. "I doo not know how longe I've been herre. I am Kyorra. The Darrke One brrought mee herre frrom Srren'ja. Now he haz gone. He livez me herre to die or iz trap. I dont know.... I dont carre."

Leslie frowned deeply. For one, she still wasn't sure if this was some kind of trap. Then she also pitied the woman and wanted to help her, but knew that Sumar wouldn't want her to release an enemy. Thirdly, she was pretty certain Kyora meant her words when she said she didn't care if she lived or died. Surely the khajiit was broken in spirit already, so where was Sumar?

She stood considering the possibilities for a long time. If Sumar had gotten all the information he needed from her, he would have killed her. She didn't know much about his business except to know that he wasn't one to be sloppy or leave loose ends. That meant he wanted her alive, but that contradicted the state Kyora was in now. Finally she decided Sumar had meant to return but that dealing with Sylva or some other issue had kept him away much too long.

"Kyora," she said at last, "I can't leave you here like this. If you want to live, you have to swear to me on your life that you won't try to escape from me." Her expression and body language showed that she was uncertain about this course of action but entirely serious.

Kyora shrugged. "I do not carre what yoo doo. I cannot prromise yoo anythinge. Doo what yoo wish." Kyora looked at her body in disgust. "I cannot go anywherre lookinge like thiss anywayz."

Leslie frowned again, quite unsatisfied with that answer. "Look Kyora, I want to let you live. I'll help you, but I need some kind of assurance. And your fur will grow back in time." She assumed Sumar must have done it to make her feel vulnerable and insecure without permanently damaging her.

"Yoo doo not carre about what he will say... do? Who arre yoo?" Kyora's eyes narrowed she did not believe someone he knew would want to let her go. It was definitely some kind of cruel trick.

Leslie dared to come closer to Kyora by several steps. She couldn't easily estimate how long the chain was that restrained her to her corner of the room, but the khajiit didn't look to be in shape for attacking anyone. She failed to notice the metallic glint of the blade near her feet.

"I am Leslie, of the Mage's Guild," she answered almost automatically. "And I do care about what he wanted with you. If you were a threat to him, then you're a threat to me. But I'll keep you alive, at least. Get you fed, and some clothes." She looked around briefly at the crumbling manor house. "I'm not offering you freedom, Kyora. If Sumar brought you here, it's because no one was supposed to see you again. If you want to live a little longer, I can help you, and when he does return you'll be his prisoner again. Maybe some more time will convince you to give him the answers he wants," she added.

"Yoo arre Soomaah'z frriend." Kyora's slanted to look up at Leslie. "He wantz no answerrs. He wantz to play withe me beforre he killz me..."

Leslie's eyes showed a momentary flare of anger before her sympathy returned. "I don't believe you, Kyora. I think he just left you alone too long. Can you even stand? You look..." she didn't finish the line, having nothing positive to offer about Kyora's current state.

Kyora was totally nude except for her head, which was braided. She had lost much weight and her skin was bunchy from dehydration. She had not washed or groomed in weeks and was covered in filth from where she had been left. There were no marks on her, Sumar had done nothing to physically harm her, quite the opposite. Leslie could quite easily see many scars afflicted upon her body for past events over her short life. Kyora is a young adult although her age may be difficult to determine in her current state. She is a totally black Khajiit, slight but well proportioned desirable female features. She has huge emerald green eyes, dulled presently.


Kyora noticed the flare of anger and chuckled softly. "Noo you arre right. He iz not the type to hurrt anyone. This iz all a big mistake." Kyora scoffed. "Leave me be, I dont carre... death comez soon." She smiled and laid her head back against the wall and closed her eyes.

She was not amused by Kyora's sarcasm, and was beginning to believe that helping the woman was a lost cause. "He doesn't make mistakes, so you must have done something bad to get yourself chained up here. Surely you have some regrets, some unfinished business before you die. I'm giving you a chance, Kyora. Are you going to be foolish enough to waste it?"

"A chance forr what? Foolish, yess that iz me." She sighed a very long sigh full of pain, but not of regret. "My unfinished bussiness iz whye I am herre.... but I no longerr even carre about that. I wanted to kille hime, and Sylvah. He, Soomah, caught me. Sylvaswift disowned me... " She paused. "I failed to do what I went to do... too many timez now. I am finished."

Leslie had somewhat suspected Kyora was an assassin. It was either that or a spy. Still, she was getting very little cooperation from the woman no matter how she tried. It was interesting though that she claimed some kind of previous relationship to Sylva.

"You tried something, and you failed. That's pretty common when it's something Sumar doesn't want. What did you mean, Sylva disowned you? Were you a spy or assassin for him?" For a mage, Leslie could sometimes be fairly oblivious.

Kyora remained silent for the longest time but finally sighed giving over, she had no reason to resist anymore.

"I was once everrythinge to Sylvah, evern hiz loverr. He made me everrythinge I am. He gave me everry rreason to be the best." She paused as she recalled old memories. Softly she continued. "I would have given him anythinge, done anythinge. He lied to Kyorra, told herr he could neverr love. Love is forr the weak he said.... now he iz weake. He has become nothinge, because of the Darke One." Kyora's lips curled in a silent snarl at the end of her short speech but soon after she cast her gaze downward just staring at nothing in the space in front of her.

Leslie listened, a bit surprised. She didn't want to think Sumar had left this woman to die because she was a former lover of Sylva's. No, Kyora said she'd tried to kill them both. An act of jealousy, but one she could partly sympathize with. She took the few steps to shorten the distance and crouched right in front of Kyora to get the prisoner to focus on her.

"We're not so different," she told Kyora. "Sumar made me what I am, he gave me... almost everything. And now he's chosen to be with Sylvaswift." She sighed with a genuine sadness. "No matter what we do, we can't control them. Everyone has their own choices to make. Their own lives to live."

"Ohhh soo yoo love Soomah." Kyora grinned a little. "Thiss iz whye you doo not want to let Kyorra go. Yoo dont want him angrry with yoo, yess?" She stopped and thought a moment. "Whye yoo not angrry with him? ... He not love yoo, he used yoo."

Leslie scowled at Kyora. "That's what you think about Sylva, isn't it? That he used you, and you wanted to get back at him somehow." She stood up from her crouched position. "Maybe this is a waste of time. You've had all this time to reflect and haven't once thought you could be wrong."

"Yess yoo arre most prrobably rright! Neverr trrust a hairrless khajiit chained to a wall. The onez who put herr therre could neverr be the onez who arre wronge. Goh Ahway, let Kyorra die in peece!" With that she quarter turned her body away from the red-haired mage and closed her eyes. Muttering to herself. "Stupide, everryone iz gone stupide."

"Whether or not I'm here, you're not going to die in peace," Leslie shot back. "Thirst and starvation is a terrible, agonizing way to die. How long has it been since you've eaten already? Days? Weeks? You must have had water because you still have your voice."

"Talke, talke, alwayz talkinge. Maybe Soomah luv yoo back if yoo shutup now and then."

"Maybe Sylva would have loved you if you listened."

"Listened to what? I did everrythinge he asked. Gave him everrthinge he asked. You know nothinge of him. Now go ahway!"

"I'm trying to get you to see you are acting like a hypocrite, Kyora. Yes, I don't know anything about Sylva. Neither do you! The only one who knows what's in his head is him. So where does your confidence come from?"

"I have known Sylva many yearrz - since I waz younge girrl... I loved hime. Now he iz dead. What confidence? No confidence, no anythinge." Kyora nodded toward the knife on the floor. "Whye yoo think Soomah left that? "

When Kyora said that Sylvaswift was dead, Leslie appeared confused. She was quietly thoughtful for a moment as she considered what Kyora might have been told. Did Sumar lie to her to try to break her will? That seemed to be the case, which meant that she should continue the ruse for Kyora, too.

Her gaze went to the floor where Kyora gestured beyond her and she finally spotted the knife left there. That revelation made her even more uncertain. Perhaps Sumar had expected the khajiit to simply kill herself when he left her there. It still seemed out of character from what she knew, or thought she knew, of the Dunmer. After looking at the blade for a long moment, she moved over and bent down to pick it up. Holding it delicately by the handle, she returned her gaze to Kyora. "Is this what you want?" she asked, leaving the meaning of 'this' up to her interpretation.

Kyora stared at the knife, she did not know what she wanted. Would she run? Doubtful. The female khajiit was trapped chained or not. She looked at the attractive red-head - she appeared truly eager to help her. This confused Kyora. Why would a stranger do this? Surely it was a trick of Sumar's; she could not work him out - at all. One thing Kyora knew she wanted to be left alone, to die.

"I prromise I wont rrun."

Her answer was confusing to Leslie. The woman had wanted to die and now she seemed to be agreeing to Leslie's earlier offer of temporary rescue. She tightened her grip slightly on the blade in the event she might need to use it and came forward to Kyora again, taking a knee in front of her to speak with her face to face.

Her own expression was again one of pity as she got a close look at the neglected woman. "Are you going to let me help you? Or do you want to die here, now? I'm not giving you another choice." She felt she couldn't leave this woman to die of thirst and starvation, but she might not be able to get Sumar's attention in time to question him about her. He was often gone for days and weeks at a time, occasionally months, to places unknown to Leslie.

"Whye yoo want to help Kyorra? Yoo love Soomah, he hates me. Whye make him angrry with yoo?" Kyora looked at Leslie in genuine confusion. In all her life she had never met a person that did not want something from her, her body, skills or in the case of Sumar - her life.

"Sumar will forgive me if I screw up... whatever it was he planned for you," she stated with certainty. Her expression softened somewhat. "I don't want you to suffer like this. Even if I left, I would know that you're still chained here. If you were unconscious or clearly delirious, I would choose for you. I want to show you sympathy, Kyora. Please don't choose death."

Kyora's face scrunched as she thought hard about what the red-head was saying. Try as she could she could not factor in that someone would truly wish to help her... for no gain. In the end Kyora conceded at least if she satisfied Leslie in whatever way she needed, she would perhaps go.

Leslie slipped the dagger into her belt at her hip and then went to the end of the chain that was secured to the solid stone floor. She examined it with a frown, finding it quite secure. Then she turned to Kyora and moved to examine her collar, if Kyora would let her.

Kyora kept still giving Leslie access to wherever she needed to search or touch. She was tense though, expecting something although she did not know what. She felt dirty, unattractive and foolish the way Sumar had shaved her and plaited her up like some doll. She even for the first time thought about covering herself in the mage's presence.

Leslie handled the khajiit gently as she turned the collar around and looked at the lock. It was a sturdy and complex design. She held close to it for a few moments, trying to think about how to get Kyora loose. The coolness of Kyora's skin drew her attention to the furless neck and shoulders beneath the collar, and she was surprised at how dark her skin was. "Like Sylva..." she absently whispered.

Kyora looked at Leslie. "What yoo say? You know Sylvahswift? " Her eyes narrowed. She reached for a blanket and slowly dragged it up to cover her nakedness.

Leslie took a step back, concerned that she'd said something foolish. "I didn't..! I mean, I did know him, when he was alive of course. Sumar introduced us. You just reminded me of Sylva, that's all." Her light complexion flushed pink. "I didn't know him, we never... nothing happened." She knew she was a terrible liar, and so turned her back on Kyora for a moment to hide her flustered expression.

Kyora thought several moments and her face twisted slightly but then she shrugged. "He is... was... very beautiful, no?" Sorrow flashed momentarily across her eyes and features. Kyora stared at her lap, hopelessly.

Leslie kept facing the other direction and gave a nod. "He was quite handsome, yes. We should probably work on getting you out of here, though." She had plenty of destruction spells to cast, but only some intense flames might be able to weaken the chain where it stuck in the floor. Even then, she'd probably set both of them on fire in such an enclosed space. She continued thinking about the problem as her gaze scanned the room.

Kyora stared quietly at the filth covered floor her thoughts centred around Sylvaswift, not giving any aid or assistance to her rescuer. "How did he die? Soomah did not tell me."

Leslie returned her gaze to Kyora before lowering her eyes again. "I... don't know. I wasn't there." She fidgeted, absently running her fingers along a seam of her robes while trying to return her thoughts to the problem of taking Kyora with her. If only Sumar knew she was here, he would come rushing back and could tell her exactly what was going on. He would probably have the key on him, too. Suddenly, her face lit up with an idea.

Kyora watched Leslie as she thought. The red head was attractive, young and slender and Kyora could not help but admire her a little.

"What?' Kyora said as she saw the mage's face light up.

"I know how to solve this problem," she stated. "I have just the right, err, ritual. I'll need a tuft of your fur, I'm sorry. That will make the magic bind to you." She withdrew the dagger again from her belt, but didn't want to appear threatening to Kyora. So instead she turned it around in her hand and held the blade as she extended the handle to the khajiit.

"You can do it yourself if you like. I'm not going to hurt you, and I just need a little."

What she actually intended was to use her Pouch of Shared Acquisition to send the blade and a bit of Kyora's fur to the matched pouch that Sumar wore. The paired pouches were an old treasure she'd gotten during their adventures years ago, and they'd found them useful many times since to pass messages or small gifts to one another. She hoped the dagger would have enough weight to it to get his notice right away, wherever he was, and that would convince him to return to the burned manor. Then all she would need to do is wait.

"Morre fur?" Kyora sighed and shrugged. "Surre, whateverr. If Soomah left any."

Leslie decided that Kyora was behaving enough for her to do the trimming. She went to the khajiit's side and took hold of a strand of hair from her head near the back, hoping it wouldn't be missed, and passed the blade across the strands. The sharp dagger severed them easily.

The wizardess quickly deposited the blade and the strands of dark hair into her special pouch. "I'll perform the necessary incantations a little ways away... in a clear spot," she told Kyora. "It may take a while, but I promise I'll be back."

With little else to say and not wanting to take the chance on botching more lies, Leslie would exit the room and head back to where her mount waited, there to keep an eye on the easiest path to the manor.

Hours later and Sumar would not appear. Which was unusual.

Kyora watched Leslie walk out the door and then laid her head back against the wall and closed her eyes to wait, sleep or die... she cared not.

Leslie waited several hours, checking the pouch every ten minutes or so. The items inside never vanished, meaning Sumar either did not remove them by choice or never noticed them. He might've even left his own Pouch of Shared Acquisition somewhere. It was all very disheartening to Leslie.

At last she resolved to be merciful to Kyora and risk Sumar's wrath. She drew the knife back out of the pouch and crept quietly back to the manor house, hoping to catch Kyora asleep.

Kyora had fallen asleep, rather deeply, exhausted in mind, body and spirit. Her dreams took her back to her younger days. Although in her dreams there was only happiness, no abuse, and no bad situations like in her reality. She and Sylvaswift were together and so very in love.

Leslie moved quietly up to Kyora. Then, holding out her hand, she drew the blade across her thumb and let a drop of her own blood fall onto Kyora's head. Calling up her power, she weaved a spell of transformation over Kyora's sleeping form. In a flashing nimbus of white light, Kyora's body shrank and changed shape to that of a black rabbit.

Leslie easily reached down and picked up the rabbit, slipping it free of the metal collar. She wrapped it in the folds of her robe and then carefully made her way out of the manor house again, back to her horse and then on to Coldharbor.

Kyora dreamed on taking a dramatic turn when Sumar appeared and changed her into a rabbit and led Sylvaswift away. She awoke with a cry to find herself inside what she thought was a bag. She felt peculiar all over, something was very different but she could not put her finger on it. Her ears and nose twitched as senses reached out around her searching for information.

Leslie felt Kyora squirming in her garment and made sure to keep her securely wrapped, tucked close to her body and held in one arm. The transformation shouldn't last more than a couple of hours, long enough for her to get to town and get a room there. On the ride she began to question her wisdom in this decision. The khajiit might only be a helpless rabbit now, but she'd been dangerous before and certainly could be again.

Once in the city, Leslie went directly for the inn and rented a room, paying for a week's time up front and with instructions to the innkeeper that she would be taking care of a sick friend who was disturbed by things they'd encountered in Coldharbor. He seemed understanding enough, and the wizardess went to prepare the room.

The first thing she did was to check to make sure there was no gaps or breaks in the walls or floors large enough for a rabbit to escape through. Satisfied that Kyora would have a decent holding pen, she deposited her onto the bed and waited for her to get her bearings.

After what was probably Kyora's first realization that she'd been transformed, Leslie spoke her apology. "I'm sorry, Kyora. You were much easier to move as a rabbit. You will be back to your normal body in a matter of hours, I promise."

It took several moments before Kyora understood the reason for Leslie's apology. Partly because her brain refused to accept she was a rabbit. It wasnt until she checked herself over did the reality strike her. She opened her mouth to talk and found all she could do was make a strange noise. In frustration she ran in a circle three times bucking and making angry bunny squeaks.

Leslie stomped her foot to get Kyora's attention. "Now stop that. You need to be resting, not panicking and wearing yourself out." She made an effort to soften her tone. "It would be best if you just sleep this off. I'll be back with some clothes for you and some soup. You seemed to be about my size or a little thinner. "

Kyora stopped and gave Leslie an angry bunny stare, but conceded. The thought of food and clothing improved her mood a little and she bunched herself up and remained still except for the incessant twitching of her nose.

Leslie apologized again for having to leave her alone and then carefully slipped out the door. Remembering her pouch, she removed all the items from them in case Sumar checked it later. She decided she was better off letting him know what happened on her own schedule now instead of him showing up at a random time to resolve things himself.

She hurried off to the city market to buy two inexpensive, simple dresses, and a pair of nightgowns. She then visited an alchemist and picked up remedies for nausea and a couple of doses of a sleep aid. With those errands complete, she returned to the inn. She ordered three bowls of soup and delivered her bundles to the room, making a second trip down and up the stairs to get their dinner.

She didn't know if Kyora actually slept while she was gone, but her timing on returning was coincidentally perfect. As soon as she shut the door and turned around, that bright flashing aurora of light surrounded her rabbit body again, signalling she was about to change back to her normal khajiit form.

Kyora felt a tingling sensation as her body transformed back into a Khajiit. She felt a little disorientated and nauseous, and sat down again very quickly on the bed.

Leslie took one of the bowls and her shopping bag over to the side of the bed. She sat down by Kyora and set the bag on the floor, then the bowl beside her on the nightstand. From the bag, she pulled out a nightgown and then the potion for nausea. She held both out for the khajiit. "These are for you. I know how transformations can make people sick to their stomach. This potion should help you feel well enough to eat something."

Kyora looked at the items being offered to her. It was her nature to be suspicious and untrusting, but she was too weak and disoriented to care. Hesitantly Kyora reached for the night gown first and grabbed for it in the last few inches. She eyed it over critically, it was not something she would have chosen for herself... but she was in no position to be choosy. She then took the potion and took off its lid and smelled it first before gulping it down. She felt a strange urge to thank the red-head but ignored it and said nothing.

Leslie flinched a little at Kyora's snatching of the nightgown but was determined not to appear cowardly in front of 'her' prisoner. Instilling her voice with confidence, she reached for a sitting stool. "Put that on and get under the covers. You've hardly eaten and slept on little more than a stone floor for days, at least. Your body needs the rest."

Leslie placed a chair beside the bed and sat down, turning to get the bowl from the nightstand.

"Wash firrst yess? This one is filthy." Kyora offered no argument thankful for the time to be out of her predicament but still unsure as to what end. For now she was satisfied to do as directed.

The thought of a bath hadn't even occurred to the wizardess. She looked embarrassed for not anticipating her wish. "Of course. I will see what I can arrange." She assumed the inn had a washroom they could both take advantage of. Leslie stood again, leaving Kyora the soup and moved to go towards the room door before she paused and looked at Kyora with a critical eye. She seemed to be working over a decision in her mind.

"I'll only be gone a moment. Remember, you gave your word not to try to escape."

Kyora nodded and turned her attention to the soup. Her stomach growled loudly in anticipation of receiving food. "I will be goode. Prromise." she purred.

Leslie left the bedroom and went to reserve the wash room for the both of them. She herself had been riding a lot and would enjoy a good soak to relax her muscles, even if she couldn't fully relax her thoughts. It was well that Leslie sought out the more high-class, expensive inns as they would provide a full-size tub instead of a tiny wash basin. She wondered if Kyora hated getting wet and would prefer the minimal cleaning, but a bath had been her suggestion. Otherwise the khajiit woman seemed to accept whatever was offered, so she didn't worry overlong.

In a few minutes Leslie returned to the room carrying two bathrobes and towels. She set them down and then stepped out of her green slippers and began to undo her belt. Looking to Kyora, she said, "The washroom will be open for us shortly. Whenever you are ready, of course. I'm not trying to order you around."

Kyora simply nodded before tipping the bowl of soup into her mouth to finish off the last of it. She put the bowl down wordlessly on the nightstand beside her. The bald khajiit's expression was devoid of any emotion or thought as large emerald green eyes watched Leslie begin to disrobe.

Leslie seemed to not be bothered by undressing in front of Kyora. She folded her robes over a chair after taking them off, then slipped out of her small clothes and wrapped one of the bathrobes around her body. After that, she he held out the second bathrobe for Kyora to slip her arms into. "This should be enough to hide your lack of fur in the hallway, in case anyone is watching. I don't think we've attracted any attention yet."

Kyora stood rather stoically to receive the outstretched robe. She looked it over quizzically before she dressed herself with it. These everyday items were something of a novelty to her. She did not do it up but rather pulled the front around her an held it there to hide her nudity. When she was ready she gave a small nod of her head.

Once Kyora was robed, Leslie would lead her to the waiting wash room. There, she set aside the towels and gestured for Kyora to bathe first. "You need to wash up more than I, Kyora. Go ahead, I can wait." She intended to be present in the room while Kyora bathed, not wanting to leave her out of sight for any longer than absolutely necessary.

Kyora entered the wash room quietly and offered no resistance to Leslie joining her. Kyora was not the least bit shy or bashful and disrobed again without utterance. She stepped into the large warm tub of soapy water and sunk down it with an almost visible expression of relief and began to bathe her very filthy body.

Leslie leaned against a wall nearby and smiled, seeing Kyora's reaction to the relief of the warm water. She was certain the same expression would be on her face on her own turn.

When she was more relaxed Leslie became more chatty, so she talked to Kyora like they were simply friends enjoying some down time. "I really had no intention of coming to Coldharbor again. This place depresses me, and it is hard to get a quality wine. Do you drink much? I have some most every evening."

Kyora shrugged, "Sometimes." She washed each body part thoroughly and the water became almost black-grey in a short space of time. She was in no hurry nor was she chatty, but that was her normal personality. Kyora was not used to being social or having friends, however her present state of being left her rather open to doing things she would not normally do.

Leslie frowned at the darkening of the water. She hadn't expected Kyora to be quite so filthy, but then spending time in a house covered in ash and dust would do that. It made her wonder how much grit would be in the robes she wore to the burned manor that she would have to put back on later.

She sighed. "I suppose I won't be having any tonight. It would be better for both of us if we just get some rest. Back at the manor, I worried that your health was in much worse condition."

Kyora caught Leslie's frown and she regarded the dirty water before standing. "I guess yoo should have been the one to go firrst... sorry." She stepped from the tub with the grace of a dancer. Absent of filth and hair the red-hair could see the a lithe and well proportioned body. He movements were controlled and precise, there was nothing sloppy about the way she attended to anything.

Leslie shook her head. "No need to be sorry, Kyora. I hope you feel better clean." She couldn't help watching the lithe khajiit step out of the water. She had a very attractive form and Leslie was far less put off by her lack of fun than another khajiit might have been. "You look amazing. I'm glad your time imprisoned didn't physically harm you too badly."

Leslie got out of Kyora's way so she would have room to dry off, then slipped out of her own bathrobe. She gracefully climbed into the tub next, choosing the murky water over no bath at all. She kept her hair mostly dry while she scrubbed her limbs, preferring now simply to get herself cleaned up instead of taking a long soak.

Kyora looked on quietly as the red-headed human bathed. The Breton was attractive even in Kyora's estimation of a furless one. Her glorious hair given her reason to feel her baldness in an unfavorable light. Subconsciously she pulled her robe tighter around her body to hide it.

Leslie noticed Kyora watching her, though she assumed she was the only thing of interest to watch in the little washroom. It was the khajiit's pulling her robe more tightly around her that made her curious of the other's thoughts. She sat up in the water, exposing much of her ample chest to view.

"Are you cold, Kyora?"

Shook her head no and stared at Leslie's ample chest unabashedly. "Yoo arre verry attrractive for a furless one."

Leslie was not prepared for her flattery, and just stared back at her for a moment. She looked down at herself and then back to Kyora. Then she smiled, as she always did when she felt she received a compliment. "Thank you, Kyora. You are quite beautiful for a khajiit."

The Breton finished cleaning up as best she could and rose from the cooling bathwater again. She stepped out and took her towel to dry off, then wrapped it around her hair to dry the ends that had dipped into the water before wrapping herself in the bathrobe.

When Kyora was ready, they both returned to their rented room.

Back in the room Kyora stood awkwardly not knowing what to do, in a strange way she had become accustomed to Leslie's instruction - almost submissively. The black khajiit had promised to behave but this was more than that, it wasnt something she was consciously now choosing but rather just being.

Leslie sensed Kyora's awkwardness and took a commanding role to her submissiveness as she would to a child. She wanted to provide guidance to the sullen woman. Though she didn't yet fully trust the khajiit, Kyora had all the body language that said she would do as she was told.

The day had been long, and with no sun in the sky she had lost track of how long she'd been awake. She gave a yawn and moved over to one side of the small bed to fold back the blankets. Leslie looked to Kyora in her bathrobe. "I'm going to wear a nightgown to bed. It doesn't bother me if you don't, I don't know how you are used to sleeping."

With a tiny bit of modesty, Leslie turned her back to Kyora and slipped out of her bathrobe to put on one of the nightgowns. Then she retrieved a small brush from her travelling pack and began to brush out her long red hair.

Kyora watched Leslie as she disrobed and slipped on her nightgown... and then copied her. Happy to have some covering, she sat on the nearby bed and watched as Leslie brushed her hair. Kyora fingered her own, she hadnt thought to wash it and it was at this moment she discovered Sumar's plaits and silk ribbons."

"Gah!"

Leslie was startled by Kyora's sudden noise. "What? What's the matter?" She looked over to see her touching the ribbons in her hair.

"Thisss - what is thiss he has done!" Kyora growled and a black cloud of energy began to emanate around her suddenly. She still had the ring Sumar had placed on her toe that would block any kind of magical ability. This she was unaware of, but it was a good thing for Leslie.

Leslie started towards Kyora but stopped when she saw the black energy. For a moment it made her think of how Sumar got when he was angry, but this was different somehow. She stilled her panic and talked to Kyora in a calm but slightly firm voice.

"I didn't know you didn't put those in your hair, but I can remove them if you calm down and take a seat." She gestured back to the edge of the bed where the khajiit had risen from. Leslie also picked up her brush to use on Kyora once her hair was untangled.

Kyora settled to a simmer and nodded and slowly took her seat as instructed.

Leslie waited for her to sit and then came over to the bedside and sat close beside her. She was just a little taller than Kyora which helped her get a close look at her hair. Leslie picked at the braids as gently as she could and freed the ribbons one at a time, letting them fall to the floor. Then with the help of her brush, she began straightening Kyora's locks. She was very gentle pulling the brush through her hair, not wanting to see her re-actively call up that strange magic again.

The process of smoothing Kyora's hair took some time as the wizardess was reluctant to force any tangles, so she tried to make some small talk again. "I haven't met many khajiit. There aren't a lot of them among the Mage's Guild. Does your fur grow out faster or slower than your hair?"

Kyora thought about Leslie's question before answering rather irksomely.

"I doo not knowe. I have not everr been shaved beforre."

Leslie shrugged and finished brushing Kyora's hair with long strokes once all the tangles were out. "I would think it will grow back quickly if you are the type that sheds much. Until then, you can keep dressed if you are embarrassed about it. You seem like a very confident woman." She paused awkwardly after saying it, either because she was uncertain it was true or Kyora's behavior lately was changing her opinion.

It was Kyora's turn to shrug. She would stay dressed, hidden even if allowed until she felt she could be seen once again.

Part of the reason Leslie wanted to help Kyora was a feeling of guilt being associated with the one who put Kyora on a chain in the first place. She was going to greater lengths now to somehow make amends, even though she wasn't at fault.

Finished with the brushing, she leaned over and gave the khajiit a small hug before releasing her and standing up. She moved around to the other side of the bed and climbed in, slipping her legs under the covers and then bringing the blankets up over her chest.

"I'm ready for some rest, Kyora. Unless you really wish to talk some more, I think I'm going to fade pretty fast."

Kyora endured the hug sitting stiffly. She was tired too and not quite the chatty type, so the most plausible option to follow for her very first girly sleepover was to sleep. She watched as Leslie got under the covers and followed suit. As she slid down under the covers she positioned herself on the very far edge of the bed, knowing instinctively she was not expected to perform any sort of sexual request in this instance. She did not allow herself to fall asleep until she was very sure her bed-mate was out to it.

Tired as she was, Leslie remained awake for nearly another hour, shifting from resting on her back to turning on her side with her back to Kyora and back again every five or ten minutes. It was difficult for her to stop worrying about falling asleep in the same room as an assassin, one who seemed to be an enemy of Sumar's. In the deep shadows of the room she simply stared at the ceiling and hoped to fall asleep.

It didn't help that she never heard a change in breathing from Kyora to indicate she was sleeping. She could only barely hear her breathing at all. Leslie couldn't really see more than the outline of the dark khajiit's head from her peripheral vision, but she felt like Kyora was watching her the entire time with eyes much more suited to the darkness. Watching and listening, waiting patiently for the mage to sleep. Her nerves were getting the better of her.

Suddenly, Leslie turned on her side to face Kyora. Now she could at least make out two reflective orbs that were her eyes, though she wasn't sure that made her feel better. "I don't know what I'm doing," she blurted out, her soft voice still sounding much too loud in the silent room.

Those two green orbs slowly blinked once at Leslie's confession.

"Yoo have forrgotten how to sleep?"

Leslie blinked back at her, trying to process her answer for a few moments and then a few more to decide if she was being sarcastic.

"No... Kyora, I don't know what I'm doing here. Saving your life. Sumar will be mad at me, or he'll think I'm a fool, which is probably true. I know nothing about you. I took a huge risk, but I just... couldn't leave you there. I guess this is a bad time to be second-guessing myself."

She shifted onto her back again and fixed her gaze on the ceiling, not wanting to meet Kyora's stare.

"Then kill me... or give me the knife and I will doo what yoo cannot." Kyora paused in thought a few moments. "I am not worth savinge. Two peoples have saved me so farr. The firrst... is dead now, but I was preparred to kill him. I owe yoo my life now too, it will mean nothinge also. I am not worrth yourr efforrt and I doo not carre, so you doo not have to feel bad.

Leslie frowned though she knew not if Kyora could see it in the dark. "Everyone's life should mean something," she asserted.

"If you believe in Fate and destiny, then I rescued you to serve a better purpose. If you believe the world is all chance, then you damn well better take the one that's been given."

Kyora thought long and hard about this before offering any comment. "Then Sylvah saved my life... so I could not be killed by Soomah, only to be saved by yoo..." This thought percolated awhile within her intelligent brain. "Destiny..." she muttered.

Leslie watched her from the corner of her eye. She really didn't want Kyora to kill herself, and she didn't want to be forced to kill her, either. If only she'd been able to tell what Sumar wanted, then the choice and the responsibility wouldn't be hers.

"It doesn't matter if you believe in that stuff or not. Actions matter. If you are dead, you are gone. But while you live, you have purpose because you have the power to act." She turned her head just enough to meet Kyora's gaze again with one eye.

Kyora was genuinely curious. "To doo what? I kill. I f**k. I f**k and I kill. In between thiss. I eat and I sleep. I should have been dead two times alrready. Why would destiny...what does fate want with me?"

"Those aren't the only things you're capable of. I mean, I'm sure you're very good at those, but you can try something else if you want to." She paused, thinking about how to answer her question about her fate. "Only a few people are blessed to know their destiny. I am not one of them, and I don't know yours, either."

"Kyorra can pick locks, sneak, steal... magic but that is it. Thiss one doesnt see any destiny otherr than to do those things. Perrhaps peoples like youself have destiny, peoples like this one..." Kyora shook her head.

"Why do you think I'm any different? I can f**k and do magic, that makes me less talented than you, doesn't it? From what I can tell, skills and talents impact fate in just one way. You stay alive longer."

She turned to fully face Kyora again. "I tell you what. When we leave Coldharbor tomorrow and you get to see the sun again, you're going to feel much better about being alive. You're good at sex? Go have lots of sex. Do whatever helps you remember that life goes on."

Kyora laid still and thought over Leslie's words. She determined herself not to sleep unless the young Mage slept. Kyora's will and experience would see this through to the end. She thought about sex for fun, the only sex she really enjoyed was with Sylvaswift the rest was just work. Kyora wasn't even sure if she could enjoy sex alone, without a reason or purpose. No matter how she looked at it should could not see any life ahead for her that could possibly spell out some kind of destiny. She would follow along, for now, out of curiosity and nothing better to do. She would most likely return to the life she led before her capture. All thoughts of revenge had faded into irrelevance for the time being.

Leslie studied Kyora in the dark for a little while. Finally, she decided the woman was not in immediate danger of hurting either of them, and she allowed her eyes to close again. Fatigue was starting to set in and overcome her nerves. Her breathing slowed and she drifted off to sleep.

Hours later, Leslie would unconsciously move closer to Kyora and place one arm around her upper body. It was simply a habitual act that sprung from sleeping near a warm body her unconscious mind mistook for a lover.

Kyora only dozed that night, having received sufficient sleep earlier. Her mind was too busy with Leslie's talk of fate and destiny. She stiffened when Leslie snuggled next to her and put her arm across her. At first she was tempted to remove the unwanted appendage, but decided against it preferring not to risk waking her, enjoying the quietness of night to lie and think about what she may do next.

Leslie would lie like that for the rest of the time until she awoke. She slowly came around to consciousness and blinked her eyes open before she realized she was cuddled up to Kyora. She bit her lip and slowly withdrew her arm, turning to give her a little space and face away from her. "Umm, good morning. Or whatever it is here."

"Good morninge... I guess." Kyora shrugged. "We leave today, no?"

Leslie nodded and made herself sit up. "Yes, we'll leave today. You didn't watch me all night, did you?" she asked, wondering if the khajiit got any sleep.

She got up and stretched, then went for her hairbrush and sat down again on her edge of the bed to run it through her red locks.

"So how longe is Kyorra expected to stay with yoo? When can she go?"

Leslie seemed a bit surprised by the question. "I was going to watch you until you were recovered. Then... I don't know. How are you feeling?"

"Thiss one feelz fine... yoo?"

She frowned at the khajiit's snarky response. "Look, I already told you, I don't know exactly what I'm doing. Sumar... probably left you for dead. I can accept that is a possibility. When we go through the portal, if I just let you go, you'll leave them alone, right? No more revenge, just find your own way."

Kyorra frowned. "For now, thiss one will keep hidden until herr furr growz back,yes? Afterr that, who can say forr surre. Right now Kyorra feels no need now to kill Soomah. Sylvah iz dead." A little sadness washes over Kyora's face before she catches herself.

Leslie frowned again. "No, that is not acceptable. Sumar is dear to me. I won't release you until you swear you will never go after him."

"Never?" Kyorra thought for a long while, not sure why she did as honour held no real meaning to her. However, Kyora felt she owned the Breton the courtesy at the very least since she had given her this chance. "I can kill otherz, yes? Just not Soomah. Ohkay. Kyorra do thiss, forr yoo... only. This pays yoo back for life debt, yes?"

"Good," she responded, having waited patiently while Kyora thought it over. "I'll take you out of Coldharbor and then you'll be on your own again. I'm sorry it has to be like that, but Sumar has a way of finding me and I don't want him to find you, too." It would be best if he just thought she was dead, Leslie decided.

After brushing her hair, she sighed with disappointment at her folded clothes, the same dusty set she'd worn the day before. It really was unfair that she hadn't brought a change, but both the dresses she'd bought in the marketplace were sized for Kyora. Grumpily, she slipped into her underwear bottoms and then pulled the nightgown off before dressing in her green robe once again. She felt a bit gritty but was at least presentable in public.

Kyora watched Leslie as she brushed her hair and dressed, her mind working overtime. Where would she go? What would she do? How would she live? There was no way Kyora wished to be seen looking the way she did, she needed something to tide her over. "Thiss one is wonderring wherre yoo learrned yourr magic. Kyorra is magic. She want yoo to teach herr - perrhaps her destiny is to be powerrful with magic." Kyora grinned. " Perrhaps thiss is whye yoo find herr, yes?"

Leslie thought that Kyora grinned a little too quickly; it made her suspicious. Still, she wouldn't immediately turn down a way to help Kyora just because she was finally showing some interest.

"I'm still worried that if you stay around me, Sumar will discover you and he won't be pleased to see you. But on the other hand, I do have a place he rarely goes in Skywatch. That is where I learned most about magical theory. I could teach you enough to get accepted as an apprentice at the Guild there, if you're actually interested in learning. It takes a lot of dedication, Kyora."

"Thiss one is interrested in becoming betterr with magic, yess." Kyora nodded emphatically. "All I can do is this..." Kyora then tried to throw her invisibility cloak spell but nothing happened. " Kyora frowned and became annoyed. The black energy field began to buzz around her. "Whye can I not doo it!" She paused and thought. "Maybe Soomah took it away." Kyora growled then.

Leslie frowned at Kyora's frustration. It seemed to be honest and not some kind of trick, but she had trouble telling if someone was lying to her. "Alright, I'll take you to Skywatch for a while and we'll see how that works out. Don't cause trouble, I'm worried enough about helping you already."

Kyora nodded. "I will give yoo no trouble - prromise." Her face still wore a frustrated frown and the dark energy still crackled around her. "Whye can I not doo it!"

*Time jump*


Leslie brought Kyora to her residence in Skywatch and tutored her in magic over the next several weeks. They discovered the ring that was suppressing Kyora's magic, allowing her to regain her abilities. Leslie let her keep it. The khajiit's fur also grew in during that time. She got to meet Leslie's dragonling familiar and Cypher, Leslie's son who was now about 7 years of age. The child's daedric heritage from Sumar was masked with an illusion spell created by the gold anklet he always wore that made him appear to be a normal Breton child.

This particular evening was quiet. Leslie knew Kyora was getting a bit restless under her hospitality but still seemed interested in learning more about magic. She hoped she could do something to calm the khajiit. They hadn't seen much of each other that day, and it made her wonder what Kyora might be dreaming up.

She let down her red hair and put on a simple plush green evening robe. Leslie had put Cypher to bed and then went to her study to write a note addressed to Sumar, explaining her long absence from S'ren-ja. She really missed his company but didn't want him to come searching for her here, so she chose to write a white lie about helping with a research project in Grahtwood that kept her busy. As usual, she took a bottle of wine to her study and had a glass at her writing desk. She was just finishing the letter when she noticed a small flicker of shadow near the doorway. Looking up from her writing desk, she called out, "Kyora? Are you there?"

Kyora had been the model student and keeping to her word she gave Leslie no trouble. Kyora almost would have been able to call her 'friend' had she not been as thoroughly messed up as she was. She did however trust her enough to let a little of her abrasive personality slide away. Kyora was intelligent, focused and persistent, and learned quite quickly.

Kyora had been watching Leslie write, for no real reason other than she had nothing else to occupy her attention.

"I am herre." Kyora answered. "Ssorry if I disurrbed yoo, I will goh auhway."

Leslie smiled and gestured for her to come into the room with a wave of her hand. "No, you're not disturbing me. You've been a wonderful student, Kyora. You have a sharp wit, even if you do use it against me occasionally," she chided her in good humor. "And I like your company. I don't have many girl friends who I can just talk freely with." Though that wasn't quite true with Kyora, either. Anytime Sumar or Sylva's name came up, the wizardess would clam up or change the subject. Otherwise, she treated her as a friend.

She put her pen down and took up her slim glass again for a sip of wine and savored its flavor for a moment. "I like these late hours when I have some time to clear my head. Come, have a drink." She extended the invitation before she realized she only had one glass, so instead she refilled the single glass and offered it to the khajiit.

Kyora quirked an eyebrow noticeably when Leslie talked to here about girl friends. Kyora wasnt really the girl-friend type, nor the chatty lets-sit-and-paint-our-nails kind of gal. However, she had nothing better to do and so she went along with Leslie's request even taking the wine from her.

Kyora checked the wine visually and its scent, checking for possible 'additives' namely poisons or drugs. She was a friend of Sumar's after all and even after all this time she was expecting his reappearance at some point where all this would be over in an instant. The wine seem clear of hazards and so she sipped it once, checking its taste before swallowing several mouthfuls.

"Thanke yoo." Kyora said as she took a chair gracefully, it was almost comical to watch her put on airs, it was Kyora's sad attempt at trying to believe she may possibly be on a path to change who she was and maybe, just maybe become respectable, or at the very least acceptable.

Leslie waited while Kyora tested the drink. It seemed almost routine to her now to patiently wait while the khajiit suspected trechery by poison or worse. She was glad it didn't take long. Then she smiled as Kyora made her attempt at acting ladylike. It was kind of comical but she didn't want to discourage her.

"You're welcome. I was thinking, it might be nice for the two of us to try going out into the city tonight. It's been a while since I enjoyed the night life here." She smiled over her wineglass. "Maybe some handsome fellows will even buy our drinks for us. I know you must be getting cabin fever here."

"You wish to goh out... together?" Kyora asked, honestly surprised. She considered the request quietly and shrugged and skulled the last of her wine, forgetting entirely about manners, and put the glass down rather hard. "Ohkay."

Leslie nodded. "I'll need to get dressed, then. Give me a few minutes and I'll meet you by the door." She was still trying to make sense of an odd situation, living under the same roof as Kyora. To her it made things simpler to treat her as a friend. Aside from that, Leslie herself was restless and projecting those feelings onto the khajiit.

Kyora was interested in getting out, she would have preferred solo - it is just how she was. However, she was street savvy enough to know to not look a gift horse in the mouth and so would naturally go along with anything so long as it suited her. Right now living with Leslie, and getting out for a while suited her. She waited quietly for Leslie to return, already considering herself ready, not caring about dolling up or washing. Changing for her was not an option, she only had the dresses that Leslie had provided her. She needed money, and tonight just may provide her with ample opportunity to acquire some.

Leslie got a change of clothes, slipping into a form-fitting redguard dress. Then she came down to the front door with Kyora and they made their way into the city. Leslie picked out a tavern close to the docks for their excursion. The crowd was likely to be more rowdy and loud but she didn't feel like being recognized at her usual hangouts tonight.

Going inside the tavern, they found a moderate-sized crowd of people enjoying music, drink, and boisterous conversation. Leslie supposed a good number of them probably just arrived on a sailing vessel and came here for better drink than grog and several noticed the ladies right away. Leslie paused for a moment after they got in the door and leaned over towards Kyora to speak briefly and somewhat privately. "You don't have to hang around me all night. Enjoy yourself. That's what I'm going to do."

Kyora nodded, she could not have planned it better. She wandered off quiet happily and found herself a quiet table in the corner where she could watch the patrons comfortably. When the barmaid came to her and asked her what she wanted to drink she chose a cheap mead, not wanting to dull her reflexes too much for her nights fun of lightening patrons pockets. She was almost excited to be doing something familiar to her again.

Instead of finding a table, Leslie went to the bar and flashed her pretty smile to the patrons nearby. This was her idea of unwinding, which she hadn't allowed herself to indulge in for weeks with her house guest around. In this setting she was chatty and flirtatious, melting into the boisterous crowd and forgetting her individual troubles for a few hours. She even got up and danced to the music a couple of times without too much convincing.

Only when the crowd began to thin out in the wee hours did Leslie remember that she should be keeping an eye on Kyora. She could have been gone and back several times from the tavern and the mage wouldn't have known.

Kyora blended into the background well and studied the patrons long and hard before picking out each of her targets. Admittedly waiting until each of them was drunk enough to give her a large margin of success meant that the haul would most likely be meager. Luckily though, there were still a few 'responsible' drinkers in Skywatch that knew when to stop before they emptied their pockets. Her earnings that night were poor, but so were the pickings. Kyora did not wish to risk her position with Leslie by leaving the tavern, or divines forbid she get caught. So she contented herself with what she'd acquired and ceased.

Now Kyora was satisfied she was able then to sit back, relax, and watch her keeper-friend more closely. Emerald green eyes followed the red-head around the dance floor and from table to bar or wherever the Mage's flirtations took her. Kyora was impressed, perhaps for the first time truly, by how well Leslie could work a room.

Leslie teetered a little bit on her way over to Kyora when she'd had her fill of drink and partying. She'd had enough to drink of the cheap mead to put a nord to sleep, but the slim Breton woman was somehow still on her feet. She glowed with heavy-lidded eyes at Kyora when she got to her table. "I hope you had some fun, Kyorrrrah," she giggled. "I'm ready to go home now." She held onto the back of a chair to keep from swaying too much. "I haven't had this good a time in...a long time. Did you see the arms on that redguard I was dancing with? My goodness." She waved one hand to fan herself while she grinned.

Leslie was in a very comical state which almost caused Kyora to show a genuine tiny smile - almost. Instead she simply nodded and got up from where she sat and prepared to leave. The thought flickered across Kyora's devious mind that Leslie would have been an easy target in her drunken state and most likely still laden with coin having had most of her drinks bought for her. She stayed her sticky paw with tremendous difficulty, and left her pockets unmolested on the journey back to the young mages home.

Leslie made it home largely thanks to Kyora's guidance and more than once the support of her arm. She was still having giggling fits when she reached the bottom of the stairs up to their rooms. "This was a good night." Then she looked up at the staircase and stuck out her lower lip in a pout. "Why did I have to put the bedrooms all the way up there? I should just sleep in my office."

Kyora stared at Leslie and shrugged. "Pleaze yourrself. Thiss one will goh to herr bed. Goode night Lehzelee."