Hands of the Company *NSFW* (Elsy, Alijham, and K'shajiir/Daro'Zhinda)

Daro'Zhinda looked over her arsenal of personalized torture tools, a wicked grin spreading across her face. She barely reacted as the white Khajiit, K'shajiir, clapped her on the back. "This one assumes you are set here, yes?"

The female nodded, popping her neck. "Yesss. This will be most fun. I thank you for the opportunity."

K'shajiir nodded, and departed wordlessly and silently, leaving the sandy-furred Khajiit alone to her work.

Zhinda turned back, the woman stretched out on the wooden torture rack, her wrists and ankles manacled. The female clapped loudly, attempting to wake the little Bosmer up.

Her eyes shot open, though she was met with a spinning room and too much light. She blinked hard, trying to right her vision, and began to panic internally. Her expression remained cold as she looked around, attempting to figure out where she was. Her eyes flicked to the source of the sound, and she was able to make out a Khajiiti woman. She said nothing.

Zhinda mirrored the silence, turning a small knob on the torture rack, stretching the Bosmer's limbs a small bit, just to get the blood flowing.

The Khajiit looks over the woman for a few moments, remaining silent, as if studying her.

She finally speaks, breaking the short, yet eerie silence. "It is good to 'work' with you, little Bosmer. Your name?" She tilts her head like a housecat, one ear falling to the side and the other staying upright.

She locked her jaw, only slightly flinching to the stretching. She turned her face from the Khajiit, not even thinking her worthy of acknowledging, much less talking to. She breathed calmly and her eyes flicked around the place. She tried to figure out where she may be and why exact she was there. No doubt this was the work of the Skooma peddlers... But why? What did they want from her? She wouldnt be answering a thing without first getting information herself.

The Khajiit slapped the Bosmer on the forehead, hissing.

"Hey. I asked you a question." She turns the knob a little further. "Answer, or I will not be such a nice Khajiit."

She looked around the room for a moment with her amber eyes. A cave. Of all places, a cave...The money was good. Screams would echo though. Not so good.

Personally, she would've preferred a shack, or a dungeon. She could make due with a cave though.

Her gaze flitted back to the mer, awaiting a response.

She choked down what would have been a wince. She answered coldly, still turning her head away, "You care not for my name. Now why is it I'm here?"

Her eyes continued to flick around the dim light. A cave. What were they planning on doing with her?

The Khajiit sighs, turning back on her heels and turning her attention to the tools laid out before her, trying to select which to use first.

"Wrong answer. I will let that one slide. I was only trying to be polite. I know of you, Lady Elsynia Nightwind. The company has told me much about you."

Zhinda grabbed the first tool, a small, scalpel-like object. She turned back to the Bosmer.

"As for why you are here...you will find out soon enough." She replies, smirking deviously.

"I expect no less of you," she said, mocking politeness. She closed her eyes, withdrawing into herself, and felt the binds, trying to formulate a plan. She knew she couldn't escape without pain and began to choke her emotions down to a place deep within her. Now was not the time for crying or screaming. It would only feed the sick Khajiit.

Zhinda twirled the blade between her fingers a few times, contemplating where to begin. Where to begin, where to begin...that was always the question.

The white Khajiit had wanted the Bosmer scarred, not so much physically, but mentally. Though Zhinda knew, excruciating pain often went hand-in-hand with mental pain.

The woman set the blade aside, opting for a different method to kick things off. She ducked under the torture rack, humming quietly to her self as she made sure the spikes were properly affixed. Once the Khajiit was satisfied, she began her work in earnest, pushing the spikes up, the sharp tips just touching the woman's back. She let them stay for a moment before raking them downwards, all the way from the top of her back, to the small of it.

The spikes weren't enough to cause any major bleeding, or scar, though it sure would be painful

Her eyes watered and her body arced in pain. She bit down on her tongue and swallowed her scream. She refused to allow the Khajiit any pleasure of hearing her cries. The only thing that escaped her mouth was a low growl. The anger in her began to rise.

Finally, she asked through her teeth, "What's the use of torture if you're not even attempting to get any real information out of me? Why is it I'm here?" Her eyes remained closed. She didn't want to see what may be the next thing to happen to her.

The Khajiit smirked, unfastening the spikes from beneath the table and standing again. "Hmm. I suppose I owe you that much. Not that you'll remember anything, anyway. But first..." She turns the knob only a bit more, putting a fair amount of strain on the Bosmer's limbs.

"There is something we need to know. About your boyfriend, hmm? We have heard that the /other/ little Bosmer can...brew many things. Is this true?"

Her face scrunched from the strain and she let out a breath. Her eyes opened and the green in her eyes darkened to the mention of Ali. She was beginning to put together why she was being kept there. She let out a low growl. "Nothing more than potions. Leave him out of this," she spit her words at the Khajiit.

Zhinda clicks a few times with her tongue, chuckling. "So rude. We'll have to do something about that."

The Khajiit grabs the scalpel again, her other paw forcibly grabbing onto the woman's hand, separating the fingers, her grip like a vice. She brings the tools in and makes small incisions in the webbing between her fingers, so that a sharp pain might accompany every time she clenched her fist, or moved her fingers. She only did this on one hand, though, saving the other for later.

She speaks up again. "Our contacts seem to think that he is capable of brewing Skooma. Is there any truth to this?"

Tears rolled down her cheeks and she bit her tongue. She tried her best to wriggle from the woman's grip but couldn't. She managed to quell her would be scream into a whimper.

Her words hung like poison in the air, thick with hate and rage. "No. No truth to it at all." Her eyes darkened and she stared up at the cave ceiling.

The Khajiit shakes her head, patting the woman on the head. "That is too bad, now isn't it?" She reaches for the knob and gives it a swift twist, the pain would come much quicker now, not dislocating anything, but more than likely straining them severely.

"More comfortable, hmm?" She chuckles throatily, running a hand through her fur. "What next...what next..." She thought to herself, returning to the torture tools.

She gritted her teeth and a small wince escaped, her body arcing yet again in pain as her limbs were stretched. She said coldly though her teeth. "Do what you will. But it will be pointless."

The sandy-furred Khajiit ignored the Bosmer's words, sliding a thin, needle-like dagger from her torturer's pack. She produces a small, though deep vial from her pack, dipping the tip of the dagger in before corking it again.

Zhinda spins around, facing the Bosmer. The Khajiit brought it down, and, just above her foot, pierced the tip of the dagger through the skin, letting it stay for a moment before removing it. She stepped back to watch.

At first, the Bosmer would likely feel nothing different, but not a minute later, though, a severe, burning pain would rush into her torso.

She let out a gasp to the dagger sinking into her skin. At first she was surprised that's all the Khajiit did to her. But as the dagger was pulled from her, she felt a tingling in her chest. Then suddenly it felt as though her blood was boiling. She writhed in pain, pulling at the bindings, though she bit down on her tongue again, refusing to scream. She bit down so hard she could taste blood. Her eyes suddenly became black, the green in them entirely disappearing. She was struggling to hold in her rage as she writhed, but she wouldn't let the Khajiit break her.

Betraying her cold attitude, Zhinda giggled at the sight of the struggling Bosmer. The Khajiit decided against going further though, instead bringing chains from under the rack and strapping Elsynia down, one across her torso, so she couldn't move that, and one tightly around her neck, so she couldn't move her head.

The woman stared, waiting for the poison to dissolve.

She let out a growl at the chains that kept her down. Her body stilled as the poison faded, but her chest heaved with rage. She sucked in and attempted spit what was now a mixture of saliva and blood on the woman's face as she came close to tie the chain around her neck. She bared her teeth and her body trembled with fury. "I will kill you. And that is a sincere promise."

Zhinda's head snapped to the chamber's entrance, the presence of another almost...unnerving her. She wasn't used to spectators.

"What is it?" She snapped. The Redguard swordsman flinched ever so slightly, but maintained his composure, for the most part.

Wordlessly, he pulled a long, thin strip of silver from the bottom of his bag, the metal glinting in the candlelight. "The Bosmer, ma'am. She might...you know..."

Zhinda looked between the two for a moment before nodding. "Of course. Leave that by my tools, then get back to your post. It will not be long before...someone finds us."

She looks down to the Bosmer again, once the human had left the room. "Now...where were we, I forget."

Her gaze flicked to the silver and her black-colored eyes widened. She cursed herself internally for not letting herself change sooner...for hating that part of herself when it was her only escape. Now things will be more difficult.

She sucked in as the woman approached and attempted to spit on her face again as a reminder to where they left off. She was now shaking, partly from the mass amounts of strain on her limbs, and partly from her body's want to turn into what she dreaded and feared most.

The Khajiit thinks for a moment before grabbing a cloth rag from her torture belt, as well as a bottle of water.

She brought her thumb and index finger up to pinch Elsynia's nose shut, at the same time forcing the rag onto her mouth as the Bosmer opened it to spit.

"Shhh. Just breathe." She pulled her hand away to grab the pre-opened water bottle.

She started coughing and gagging. She pulled as hard as she could at the binds and tried to force the chains to break, to the point where she was certain she'd have bruises. She knew the only way out was to turn. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to force the rag out of her mouth with her tongue, but to no avail.

Her chest heaved as she prayed in her mind.

For the songs you sang to us and the other creatures of the forest, for the birds and trees that are also a part of us, Y'ffee I am grateful. I beg your mercy and forgiveness for my sin. But this must be done.

She trembled and her dark eyes shot open. She felt herself slipping and her new self settling in. All she could see was the colors of the cave and the woman, blurred by her rage. She felt a strength grow within her as her body was on the edge of changing form. Her thoughts clouded. All she wanted now was blood.

Zhinda decided that enough was enough, at least in terms of trusting the chains. She almost ran over to her tools, grabbing the strip of silver. The Khajiit turned back to the woman, pressing the strip quickly onto her exposed arm. She waited for its effects.

She let out something between a roar and a scream as the silver touched her skin. In spite of the rag in her mouth, it was loud enough to bounce off of the cave walls and fill the air around her. She writhed and tried to pull away from it as it seared her skin, tears rolling down her cheeks as she squeezed her eyes shut. An almost burn-like impression from the silver would be seen when it was removed.

The tremors that ran though her body halted and she went nearly limp, her body pushing towards its point of exhaustion. Her breaths rattled in her chest.

Zhinda smirked and pulled the silver away. "Good. Finally broken." She grabs the Skooma bottle and looks at it for a moment.

"We aren't done yet though." She begins pouring the liquid into the rag.

She coughed and tried her best to spit the water out with the rag in her mouth, but as more and more water poured into her throat, she began to choke and gag. She felt as though she was drowning, as though her lungs were filling with water. She couldn't breathe. She started to struggle again, trying to turn her face away as best she could with the chain around her neck.

Alijham's nostrils swelled with the scent of Elsynia's blood, eyes wide and savage as he prowled around the cave. He had been searching all morning, and had not yet found its entrance--but he was very close.

When the scream rattled the walls, he knew that is was her, and the rage blossomed inside of him. His breathing quickened, senses slightly off focus as he was entirely blurred by his emotions. His pupils dilated and his lips drew up into a snarl.

Zhinda opened her mouth to speak, only to be cut off by the Redguard, rushing in. "Zhinda! Get out of here! Someone approaches!"

The Khajiit didn't hesitate, leaving the rag in the woman's mouth as she collected all of her tools, packing them into her bag hastily. Without another word, she climbed out of the cave by means of a ladder, an emergency escape. She emerged into the night air of Malabal Tor, rushing for the docks that would bring her back to the Covenant.

Ears cocked, nostrils flared, Alijham glided into the cave entrance. He moved so fast he was almost a blur, tugging his hood over his head and eyes.

He reached the makeshift torture room, ripping several throwing knives from his pockets and readying them, before he saw what the room held. He dropped them immediately and rushed over to Elsynia, struggling not to just fall to his knees and lye dormant. He pryed the rag from her mouth and tore the binds with his daggers.

She began to cough, each one racking her chest, once the rag was pulled from her mouth. She could move her limbs now that the binds were cut but was still held down by the chains around her neck and torso. She tried to warn him between coughs, motioning to the other end of the room. "The...Redguard..."

The bodyguard had never left and stood there ready to get rid of Alijham.

The Redguard, heavily armed and armored, fluidly removed his scimitar from its sheath, taking an expert strike at the new Bosmer's back.

He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand and stuffed a small red bottle into her hand before turning to meet the redguard. He drew his daggers and took a slow, wide step toward him, a low growl climbing up from the base of his throat.

"Pick which testicle you'd like to lose first, and then start thinking over which is your favorite eye."

He took a split second to think, just barely rolling away from the redguard's blow, before sheathing his daggers. He sprung on his hind legs to pounce on top of him.

The massive Redguard chuckles throatily, popping his neck. "Cute, little monkey." He stepped in with a surprising quickness and sent a jab for the Bosmer's stomach.

She downed the bottle and managed to stop her coughs in her throat. She struggled with the chains, trying to use what was left of her strength to wriggle out of them and help Ali, but it didn't seem to be enough. All she was doing was further bruising her neck and torso.

"Ooh, that was pretty cute too, feckin' elephant," he snorted and dived aside. He whipped around, behind the redguard, and attempted to jump on to his back.

The Redguard stumbled forward, but didn't lose his balance, instead only laughing and backpedaling quickly to slam the Bosmer into the wall of the cave.

Alijham wrapped his legs around the redguard's waist and slinked to curl his arms around his neck.

The Redguard reaches the cave's wall, almost launching himself backwards at it, trying to bash the Bosmer off.

Alijham let out a yelp, the breath almost being knocked out of him, but he didn't let up. He locked his arms around his neck and squeezed his arms as tight as he could, trying to ignore the burn in his chest.

The Redguard momentarily ignored the fact that he was unable to breathe, smashing back against the wall again.

Alijham growled. He slinked up to lean his head over the redguard and opened his mouth, saliva dripping all over him from it. He did his best to dig his claws into the other man's throat and puncture it, right above his collar.

The Redguard flips his sword, holding it inverse, shaking his upper body, stabbing back at the Bosmer.

Alijham was latched to the redguard, there was no prying him off. He let out a yelp as his shoulder was clipped by the blade, and he reached out hand down to quickly grab one of his own daggers and hold it to the other's throat.

The Redguard uses his other hand to reach up and latch onto the Monkey Elf's dagger hand, trying to pry it away from his throat while still frantically stabbing at the, what he assumed to be, feral Bosmer.

Alijham struggled with his dagger, trying to press it to the redguard's throat, his armor doing most of the work for the shoulder that was being constantly stabbed at.

She flinched as the Redguard made attempts to stab at Ali. She needed to do something, but the chains kept her from doing much. She needed to get out of them. Now.

She squeezed her eyes shut and thought of what the Khajiit had done to her and the Redguard stabbing at Alijham. Her rage began to build again, and she knew she needed to use it. It was the only way. Her eyes flew open, black in color.

She growled, placing her hands around the chain around her neck. She squeezed her eyes shut again. Her body trembled with fury and she found a strength in her dreaded beast-self that laid in some dark place within her her. The tiny mer let out a yell from deep within her chest, and pulled at the chains with all her might, arching her back to force the chain around her torso to break. They buckled and the bruises under the chains deepened in color. Finally, the chains snapped.

Her body went nearly limp and she let out a relieved and utterly exhausted breath of air. Her head was shouting at her to get up and go to Ali, to help before he was hurt anymore, but her body was spent. She could barely find the strength in herself to continue breathing.

His eyes widened at Elsy and he gasped. He started to kick at the redguard's sides and tried to dig his claws into his throat, raking him with his fingers. He leaned to sink his teeth into the side of his neck, struggling to be finished with him and get to Elsynia. His chest heaved and his mind clouded as he saw her in the condition she was in.

The sides of the soldier's neck were collared in thick steel, that the Bosmer's teeth would be entirely unable to tear through. The Redguard wasn't going down, grunting at the kicks. Despite the threat of imminent death, he slammed up against the wall once again.

She cringed at the sound of the slam, knowing Ali was getting crushed between the Redguard and the wall. She'd had quite enough of it and wanted so badly to end it. She was exhausted but just as stubborn. She labored to pull herself into an upright sitting position on the torture rack. It hurt just to move, just to breath. She winced, the bruises feathering her ribs where the chain had been feeling like a million needles as she sat up.

She looked down at herself. She had no weapons, she needed to make do. She clutched the now empty bottle Ali had given her to drink. She slowly raised her hand, the strain that had been put on her limbs making it ache to even do that. She sucked in a breath and brought the bottle down hard on the rack, glass spraying in different directions. The jagged edge glinted in the dimly lit cave. Now she had a weapon.

She sat a moment to work up enough strength to continue moving. There was no way she could walk, she could feel that much. She didn't think she could even accurately throw the bottle. Then an idea came to her. She needed to wait just a little longer, just a little bit more strength. She cursed her exhaustion.

Alijham barked and let his legs off of the redguard, pointing them backward and using them to propell himself hard into him, in hopes it would knock him flat on his face. His pupil turned to but a slot as he looked again to Elsynia. He gave her a pleading look, for her to be careful, or to not move at all.

The man stumbled forward, almost falling, but catching himself on a small ridge jutting from the cave's wall. He spun around as quickly as possible to face the two, sword still in hand.

She looked to Ali and her eyes reverted to their normal green. Her eyes flitted to the Redguard as he righted himself. She looked back at Ali and flicked her head in the direction of the Redguard, gritting her teeth to the flooding pain from the motion. "Get his helm. I need it removed." She growled in a low tone, trying to only say it at a volume where only Ali would hear.

Ali gave a tiny nod. He lunged to latch his claws into the crooks of the redguard's helm, springing off the wall with the force of a freight train, surprising for such a small man.

The Redguard slides forward, his helm being torn off of his shaven head. He swings viciously and precisely for Ali.

As soon as she saw his helm torn off, she yelled, "ALIJHAM MOVE!"

She threw the bottle with as much speed and force as her body would allow, wincing at the pain that shot through her arm. She threw it nowhere near the Redguard, directly at the wall in front of her. It hurdled through the air and she raised her injured hand, palm towards the bottle. Her eyes locked onto it, and just as it was about to hit the wall, she flicked her fingers, some of the cuts opening up again on her hand. She ignored the pain, focusing entirely on the bottle, and it went up in a plume of smoke and shadow.

Her eyes quickly flicked to the Redguard and the bottle rematerialized near the side of the man's head, the momentum and speed from her throw still kept after the teleport. The jagged end out, it zoomed towards the side of the man's head, ready to pierce it.

The Redguard stumbles, but the bottle catches him unaware, driving directly into his head. He collapses to the ground, dead, with a loud thunk, blood pooling around his head.

She saw the Redguard fall, though quickly the room spun and faded into a blur of colors. Her eyelids fluttered and she collapsed back onto the torture rack, her head and upper body landing on it with a thud of her own. She fainted from exhaustion.

He ducked and curled into a ball. When he heard the crashes, and felt nothing come for him, he stood and let out a gasp. He jumped over the redguard's body and rushed to Elsynia. "Oh, love," he breathed as he scooped her into his arms and sat down. He layed his head on her chest and kissed all over the bruises.

She was unresponsive and her body was limp. Her chest rose and fell in shallow breaths. Some blood came from her hand, back, and just above her foot. The strip of burnt flesh down her arm as also sticky with blood. Bruises covered her wrists, ankles, neck, and there would be many around her ribs.

He grabbed his satchel and went digging through it, pulling out ointments and salves. He got to work on removing her clothing where there were wounds, cleaning and bandaging her.

Her eyelids flittered and the smell of the ointments and salves made her rouse from her state. She whimpered quietly, though none of the sounds were words.

He paused. "Els.. are you okay? What did they do to you?" He nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

"They... They did a lot..." she mumbled. Her eyes closed and she remained mostly unmoving. Even the slightest movement would hurt. Hell, it hurt just to breathe.

"No, it's fine. I'll heal." Her gaze lifted to his. "They want you to make skooma for them." Her voice was no more than a whisper and she talked slowly, as though it was painful.

His brow furrowed, processing the information. Then, he began a short laugh. "They wanted me?" His laugh ceased, and he frowned deeply, running his fingers through her hair. "That's sick. Why did they take you?" He was more thinking aloud than anything.

He unpocketed a small potion and tipped her chin up. It was thin and blue, and glowed in slight. "Don't speak. You need rest. I'm so sorry this happened, I.. to think it was because they wanted me.." He looked rather bewildered at the thought, swallowing.

She nodded, then let him give her the potion. She coughed a bit, feeling ill from whatever that Khajiit had poured down her throat. "I think they wanted to... persuade you. Show you how bad things could get if you said no." She coughed a bit more and tried to sit up to help it, but ended up laying back down from the pain it caused.

She closed her eyes. "I will kill that Khajiit."

He kissed her forehead, looking down at her softly. He shook his head. "Disgusting. All over some fecking Skooma. You will only kill that khajiit if I don't get to it first."

She nodded, her eyes still closed. "I just want to leave this place. I'll... tell you what happened. When we get to a safer place."

He nodded and scooped her up, making to carry her out. "I'll bring you to my hunting camp nearby, I set it up just a few hours ago."

"Thank you. I'm sorry to make you carry me like this." She looked down at herself and frowned. She realized much of her clothing was torn. Under any normal circumstance she would have been embarrassed, but she couldn't care less at this moment.

She relaxed in his arms and closed her eyes, thankful to be getting out of the gods-forsaken cave.

"No, it's a privilege." He gave her a small smile of reassurance and headed out.

She managed to give him a weak smile back.

She opened her eyes when she felt they were drawing nearer to the camp. It was already getting dark out. She'd been in that cave for nearly a day. Her arms wrapped around Ali's neck and her face was buried in his chest.

When they reached the camp, Alijham opened the hide flaps of the tent and layed her gently down inside. He kissed her forehead. "Do you mind if I give you some of my clothes for now? I don't want you in that, all full of blood and whatnots.." He went digging through his satchel. "I want to clean up your wounds better and get you something to eat."

She nodded once slowly. "I'd appreciate that, thank you." She thought. "I..I might need some help with the clothing," she said timidly.

Her stomach wanted to turn at the sound of food. She was feeling sick and nauseous. "I'm not sure how much I'll be able to eat. I think that Khajiit poured more than just water down my throat." Her voice shook with exhaustion.

"I'll help as much as you need it." He knelt beside her, pulling out a plain, faded blue cotton shirt and beige pants.

"Aye, it would probably be wise to wait to eat. I'll make you a salve to wash out whatever else she could have put into your system." He parted his lips for a moment. "I wish there was more I could do for you, I.. I'm glad she didn't get that far. I don't know what.. I.." The bridge of his nose crinkled, and he wrapped his arms around her. "No one will ever lye another finger on you else I permit it," he murmured. He was tearing up a bit, but did his best to hide it from her.

"Thank you." She offered him a tired but nonetheless warm smile. She slowly labored to pull herself into an upright sitting position, wincing at the pain that shooting up her torso from the bruises around her ribs. She latched onto his arm and leaned on him heavily.

She nodded, then her brow furrowed worriedly. She brought a hand to the side of his face and kissed his cheek. She tried her best to smile encouragingly. "Don't worry. You can't get rid of me that easily."

He smiled back softly, sitting down to meet her and resting his hands on the sides of her ribs, keeping her upright. He touched his nose to hers and shut his eyes momentarily. "Do you need help getting that off, or can you do it? I don't want to make you uncomfortable, I mean, I could blindfold myself or something." He managed a small, awkward laugh.

She flinched at his hands on her ribs, then relaxed again. She smiled awkwardly and kissed his nose. "If you could hand me the shirt. I'll pull it on over myself then try to remove the other."

He nodded and handed it to her. "I'm so sorry this happened," he said for probably the twelfth time.

She took the shirt and turned, her back to him. Dozens of shallow scratches would be seen through the rips in her shirt, all neatly in a row down her back from the very top of it to the small of her back. Some of the blood had dried to her shirt, and would make removing it somewhat painful. She pulled the clean cotton shirt over the old one. "It's not your fault. Don't apologize. We should have seen it coming, after what happened to Malyne and Eranor..." She let out a sigh, but quickly regretted it as she was reminded of the bruises.

She kept her arms out of the sleeves and started to work the old shirt off slowly from the bottom. She winced as she felt the dried blood pull off her skin and open a few of the wounds again. "Could you help me get this other one off?"

"Aye, but none of them deserved it. Thinking of it now, knowing they wanted me the whole time.. just because I could brew Skooma? Is it really that important to them?" He bit his lip, reaching under her shirt, fingers sliding up her back to the trouble spots. He very gently, slowly started to tug it up. "Do you want me to just rip it off and give you something for the pain, and bandage them up, or ease them off? I reckon it will be just as bad either way," he sighed. "I could always grab a numbing elixir."

"I don't know. At first I thought it was to frighten us. That may have been it. But she was asking me about you, the Khajiit. She tried to get me to tell them you could. It seems their intentions may have changed..."

She tensed to the pulling. "I... I think it'd be best to just rip it off." She gritted her teeth. "Just tell me before you do so I can brace myself."

"Alright. I'll find something to put on it so it doesn't hurt as much," he pulled it an array of bottles and plucked one from the pile. He got it best he could around the little wounds. "That's just.. I can't imagine that. How does she know about me? What did she say?"

She nodded and waited for him to apply the substance.

"She didn't seem to know you much. She knew me. Maybe that's why they took me - they knew me. They knew you and I were together and that you may be able to brew skooma, being an apothecary, but not much beyond that."

"I suppose that makes sense, but how would they know in the first place?" He pursed his lips, finishing applying his salve. "Tell me when you're ready."

"Just watching the town. Seeing us in the tavern... And, well, you do run the clinic. Any visit there with all of your instruments and apparatus for potion-making would make it apparent."

She breathed out a hard breath and squeezed her eyes shut. "Ready," she mumbled as her non-injured hand clutched onto a corner of the new shirt for comfort.

"You're right," he nodded slowly with a sigh. He braced his fingers against her back and readied himself. "One.. two.." And he ripped it off.

Her back arced in pain. She bit down down on her tongue and her eyes watered. Her hand tightened around the corner of the shirt. She mumbled a string of curses under her breath. She felt the dried blood rip from her skin and a number of her cuts reopened. The new blood began to pool around the cuts.

She slowly released a breath, reminded again of the bruises around her ribs. "That was... not pleasant..."

Alijham frowned deeply. He rolled up the backs of both articles of clothing in his fingers and rested his forehead on the wounds, printing his face in blood. He kissed her wounds. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head and blinked the tears from her eyes. "It needed to be done," she stated matter-of-fact-ly. She tried her best to sit up straighter and slowly turned her head to look back at him, cringing slightly and placing a hand to the bruises that collared her neck.

She put a hand under his chin and tilted his face to look at her. She frowned at the blood on his face. She took a moment to peel off the ruined shirt under the one he gave her and slipped her hands into the sleeves of the new shirt. She found a clean spot on the old shirt, then dabbed the blood off of his face. She then placed a quick kiss on his cheek and offered him a soft smile. "I'm alright. It'll be a bit before I'm fully healed, but I'm alright."

He smiled back. "I'm just glad you're okay. I don't want to think of what that khajiit had done if I hadn't arrived sooner." He took her hands.

She frowned, "Aye..." Her eyes flicked to the strip of burned flesh on her arm from the sliver. "I don't either." She kissed his hands then folded hers around his, pulling back slightly, remembering the slices in the webbing of one of her hands.

His lips parted as he saw them. "I-Ooh my. Let me get you something for that." He plunged his arms into his satchel.

She nodded. "I can give you a list of... injuries, if it would help. Given I remember everything." She blinked a few times, looking over her hands and arms. "I can spare you the details."

"A list would be fantastic, and.. aye, I don't think I'd like details.." He took her hands gently and inspected the cuts.

"Alright." She took a breath. "The cuts down my back are fairly obvious, the slices in my hand here, I have a small dagger wound just above my foot..." She closed her eyes, trying to push back the vision of her writhing on the torture rack. "...She... she touched silver to my arm as I was just about to... transform," she turned her arm over to show him, "...and she poured what I'm guessing was more than just water down my throat..." She bit her bottom lip, "And of course all of the bruises from the chains and bindings."

She trembled slightly, "And there was this... poison? She coated the tip of a small dagger in it, and stuck it into the flesh just above my foot - how I got the injury - and it was... It felt like my blood was boiling. I don't know how long it stays in the body or if there are any other effects, but I figure it's worth mentioning."

He nodded. "I don't think the water or poison had anything fatal in it, that would defeat the purpose of the torture. They're trying to keep you alive as long as possible, but it never hurts to flush you." He pulled out a roll of cotton bandages and cloths, along with an array of bottles. He started patted at the cuts between her fingers with a damp one. "I'm sorry if it hurts, it must be cleaned."

Her face twisted in disgust at the sound of flushing her, but she nodded. She spread her fingers for him to clean the injuries easier. "That's alright." She watched him as he worked. There was no smile on her face but her eyes were warm and grateful. "I'm blessed you were able to find me. I'm blessed you came looking for me," she said quietly.

"Of course I did," he glanced up at her and smiled a tiny, brief smile. "Wyndhenir came up and asked me where you were, he picked some flowers. I went looking for you and.. well, you know. It puzzled me, but I just thought I'd wait. I went out hunting and caught your scent out here, so I followed it. I thought you were hunting as well or something."

He paused and looked back up. "There's nothing I can't find." While his lips didn't smile, his eyes did.

She nodded and gave him a small but endearing smile. "And I'm entirely grateful for it. I'd be... well, I wouldn't be here otherwise." She kissed cheek. "Alijham to the rescue. Thank you, truly."

She looked down at herself, at all of her injuries, and sighed gently. "I don't want to worry the others. I need to make some clothing to cover these up. Is anyone else suspicious of my time gone yet?"

He shut his eyes and nuzzled his nose to her cheek. "Anything for you, especially if your life is in the balance. No brainier."

"I don't know. It would be good to just tell them what happened, but I wouldn't want to worry them either." He tapped his lip. I don't think anyone else knows." He started fiddling with the seams of the shirt. "I could altar this easy."

She rested her head against his and closed her eyes, glad to be out of the cave and even happier to be with Ali. "You put yourself in danger for me, that's more than I could ask for you to do."

She opened her eyes the nodded. "I know... I suppose they do deserve to know. I'll tell them that I was taken, but I'll refuse to answer questions beyond that..." Her eyes flitted to his, "No, no, you're already doing so much. I can stop somewhere before I go back to Vulkwasten and see if I can't find a robe or something." She touched a hand to her collar, "I'd like to cover these bruises too, if possible." She flinched and gritted her teeth, accidentally touching the burn wound to the shirt, the fibers rubbing against the raw skin.

"I'd put myself in the way of certain death every day if I knew you could come out of it alright."

"They deserve to know. No, it's fine, I can make something nice out of it. I don't want you to have to buy something." He kissed her hand.

She teared at his words, and nuzzled into the crook of his neck. She whispered, "That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me. And please know I'd do the same for you in a heartbeat." She kissed his cheek and laid her head on his shoulder. "I'd do anything for you."

She drew out a breath. "Alright, if you don't mind. Thank you, again." She gingerly wrapped her hands around his and closed her eyes. She was leaning on him, still exhausted. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

He smiled and ran his fingers through her hair, shutting his eyes. "Thank you, but I'd never want you to put yourself in the line for me. You're much too.. everything." He leaned over and rested his head on hers.

"Well, you'd probably breathe and eat and be a treethane without me," he chuckled. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"If you were in danger I'd do it in a heartbeat," she insisted.

She peeked an eye open, smiling softly, then closed it again. "Never. I'd be so utterly unhappy and lost I think I'd just poof out of existence." She let out a little chuckle in spite of it sending pain through her chest. "You're the one who'd be able to eat and breathe, and you'd continue to be a wonderful father and an outstanding medic."

She brought a hand up to her ribs, her eyes still closed and her head still on his shoulder. "How long do you imagine it'd take for these to heal? It's uncomfortable to breathe, and anything besides that just hurts."

"Nonsense," he hid his red face in the crook of her neck. "I wouldn't be able to move, and.. well, I don't know. I wouldn't be able to do anything." He snorted lightly and grinned. "You're too selfless," he kissed her jawline.

"Only a day or two if I take good care of those wounds, which I will. I'm sorry about the pain." He layed his hand gently on her ribs. "Once we get to town, I have plenty I can do for them."

She smiled. "I wouldn't be able to do anything either." She reached up to kiss his cheek before lying her head on him again. "And you're entirely too sweet."

She placed her hand over his on her ribs. "It's alright. I'm not sure if I can walk just yet, but I'd be grateful for anything you could do to help it once we're back."

"Just what you deserve." He gave her a kiss back. "I'd be happy to carry you back into town. I know I have plenty of remedies there, but you could stay here and heal up a little before we move anywhere."

Nodded. "I'd like to rest here a moment more, if that's alright." Waves of nausea came over her and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think of other things.

"Are you hurt at all?"

"Of course, there's no way you're fit to go anywhere yet." He took her hands. "No, I'm alright."

She nodded and sat up slowly to face him, weaving her fingers into his. "Thank you so much. I could very possibly be dead, or near it, if it wasn't for you." She frowned. "I guess I really should have some sort of personal guard. Many of the clan recommended it but I'm...well, stubborn and I think I can do everything for myself." She smiled and shook her head at herself.

"Shush, I had no choice but to see where you were," he smiled softly. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

He snorted with a small laugh. "I guess a gaurd would be helpful, but I would want one either. I'm the same way. I'd offer to be your bodyguard, but, y'know. I work too and people would think that's unfair because we're together."

She kissed his hands and gave him an endearing smile.

She nodded, still smiling. "Aye. I'd love for you to follow me around all day but you're right, you've got the clinic and all. I'll have to talk to Eranor about it when I get back." Her brow furrowed. "They must be worried by now."

"Aye. We could always say we went hunting and got into a little tussle, until the time is right to tell them. Perhaps it is time for a personal guard." He pursed his lips. "But who, besides Buidul really? Many of us are very busy on a day-to-day basis like that."

Nodded. "I don't mind trusting Eranor with what happened... But I'm not quite ready to tell everyone just yet. I don't know if I could handle all of the questions..." She blinked a few times, pushing back the visions of her on the torture rack.

She lifted her gaze to his and frowned. "I haven't the slightest idea."

"Exactly," he bit his lip and sighed gently. He ran his fingers through her hair, laying his head against hers. "I'm just glad you're okay."

She closed her eyes and gingerly wrapped her arms around his torso, also resting her head against his. "I have you to thank for my well being."

She paled slightly, waves of nausea overcoming her again. "Gah. I feel really ill." She kept her arms around him and her eyes closed as she continued to lean on him.

He put his arms around her. "You have your own strength to thank. I'll?" He pursed his lips. "Perhaps the khajiit did put something in that rag besides water." He let up one hand and stuck it into his satchel, setting a notebook from it in his lap. "Can you explain it to me?"

She kept her eyes closed but sat up straight, putting her head in her hands. "It's like... Oh. No." She realized what it was. "It's like the skooma poisoning from the tavern that one night when they slipped it into the drinks... but far more intense..."

His nose twitched. "Not surprising.. but if they have Skooma already, why want me to make them more?" He began scribbling in his notepad. "I'll make you something to flush that out right away."

"I don't know. I know they wanted you to help them, but I also felt like they know. Part of it is they know we're close to finding them. It's almost like they're just having fun now. A last hurrah sort of thing...Or maybe it was symbolic?" She shook her head, "I have no idea. All I know is that I want them caught. This needs to end." She spoke into her hands, her face still buried in them.

"Thank you." She didn't like the sound of it, but she knew it needed to happen if she were to feel well again.

He nodded. "What sick people. I couldn't imagine.." He started pulling bottles and ingredients out of his bag. "It almost seems like there's no motive for any of this. If I would have been thinking, I wouldn't have tried to kill that redguard and kept him alive."

"Aye..." She pushed out a breath. "I probably should have done the same... But I think I know where they might be. I need to talk to Eranor, we need to come up with some sort of plan. At first it seemed they were out to make money. Now it's as though they have a personal vendetta against us." She lifted her head and watched him work, a tired and sickly expression on her face.

He got to mixing, still allowing her to lean on him while he did so. "Where is that?" He asked. "Mmn. It does seem personal, it has the whole time to me, but it's just.. so pointless when they don't say why or to whom exactly."

She leaned on his shoulder. "There seems to be a little hut near Vulkwasten. It looked abandoned, but not really abandoned. Sort of as though someone was trying hard to make it look like no one was living there... if that makes any sense."

She nodded slowly, "I know... I don't know what their motive is, but it almost doesn't matter to me at this point. I just want them dealt with. They need to be caught." She sighed. "That white Khajiit... we need to find him."

"I know that you mean," he tapped his chin whiskers. "We should have sacked his ass the first time, I knew he was up to something," he sighed. "We'll catch them. And it'll be soon."

"Aye...We should have." She nodded and closed her eyes again, trying her best not to get in his way. She breathed slowly. She was still pale from the sickness she felt, and she made an attempt not to move much to avoid the pain and soreness.

He finished mixing and held out the little orange bottle to her. "That should do wonders for the sickness. Expect it to be coming out of your system shortly," he winced a bit. "I'm sorry." He kissed her forehead.

She opened her eyes and took the bottle. She peered into it, a scowl on her face. "Perfect..." She let out a short breath and tossed her head back, downing the contents as quickly as possible. She then handed the bottle back to him and squeezed her eyes shut. She wrapped her arms around her ribs and leaned on him heavily. "It's alright." Her expression softened slightly though her eyes were still closed. "Thank you for patching me up."

"Anything for you." He started to play with her hair, looking down at her softly. "I hope it didn't taste too bad, heh."

She smiled slightly and peeked an eye open at him. "All in all, it wasn't so bad." Her smile wavered, "Better then anything else I've been through today." She closed her eyes again.

"Mm, that's for sure. Is anything feeling different yet?" He leaned down and kissed her nose.

She nuzzled into him, eyes still closed, as if settling to sleep. "Just extremely exhausted. And sore. The nausea is going down some."

"I am as well, but not as bad as you in sure." He layed his head on hers. "I'm so glad you're okay."

She wrapped her arms around his torso. "I'm glad you found me. I'm glad to be out of that damned cave." She kissed the side of his face then settled back into him, closing her eyes again.

"Dear gods, I am too." He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Do you want me to tell you a story or something? A song, maybe?"

She smiled. "I'd absolutely love it if you sang to me. If it's not too much trouble, that is."

"Of course not. Let me find a song." He grabbed his notebook and went flipping through.

She nodded and kept her arms around him, smiling sweetly up at him. She placed a quick kiss on his cheek.

He grinned as he found one of his favorites, reading over it a few times. "Alright. Here we go." He smacked his lips and began to sing.

"Seven hundred elves from out the wood
Foul and grim they were
Down to the farmer's house they went
His meat and drink to share
There was a farmer in the west and there he chose his ground
He thought to spend the winter there and brought his hawk and hound
He brought with him both hound and cock alone he begged to stay
And all the deer that roamed the wood had cause to rue the day
He felled the oak, he felled the birch, the beech nor poplar spared
And much was grieved the sullen elves at what the stranger dared
He hewed him baulks and he hewed him beams with eager toil and haste
Then up and spake the woodland elves: ``Who's come our wood to waste?''
Up and spake the biggest elf and grimly rolled his eyes: "We'll march upon the farmer's house and hold on him assize
He's knocking down both wood and bower, he shows us great distain
We'll make him rue the day he was born and taste of shame and pain.''
All the elves from out the wood began to dance and spring
And marched towards the farmer's house their lengthy tails to swing
The farmer from his window looked and quickly crossed his breast
"Oh woe is me,'' the farmer cried, "The elves will be my guests.''
In every nook he made a cross and all about the room
And off flew many a frightened elf back to his forest gloom
Some flew to the east, some flew to the west, some flew to the north away
And some flew down the deep ravine and there forever stay.." He sang with great passion, obviously enjoying the song. He fiddled with her hair, as he was used to playing his lute as he did so, eyes fluttering shut throughout most of it.

Her eyes lit up with wonderment as she looked up to him and watched him sing to her, and she couldn't help but smile as she listened, her head on his shoulder. She was moved by his passion for the song, and soothed by him playing with her hair.

She waited until he was done, then took his hands. "That was incredibly beautiful." Her smile glowed in spite of the pain and sickness she felt. She planted a kiss on his lips then her gaze lifted to meet his. "Your songs are always the sweetest, most wonderful things I've ever heard. Thank you for sharing them with me." She looked to be in higher spirits.

"Thank you," his face reddened, grinning. "I love singing for you." He returned the kiss and looked tenderly back at her. "Is thee anything else I can do for you?"

She returned his grin then shook her head, "No you've done so much for me already. Thank you." She gently laid her head on his chest, careful with her own injuries, and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm entirely blessed to have you." She still smiled, "And I'm feeling better already."

"Good. I need you to feel as good as you can," he kissed her cheek. "I hate seeing you this way."

"Don't worry, I'm alright. I promise. I just need a few days to lay about and do nothing." She let out a soft, quiet laugh and her eyes flitted up to his.

His lids mellowed lovingly. "Then we'll lay about and do nothing together."

She let out a chuckle. "That sounds perfect. I could do that for the rest of eternity, just being near you." She nuzzled into his chest, her words now muffled. "I don't want to have to move from this spot. Ever."

"As could I.. I don't want to move," he chuckled, kissing the side of her head. "Despite the hurt, this is nice."

She nodded. "It's nice to just rest." She closed her eyes. "Though I'm sure everyone's worried sick. Plus you've got Wyndhenir and Ylir to worry about."

"Aye. We should get back soon, but.. just a few more minutes," he smiled softly, letting out a breath.

She smiled, "Alright." She reached up to peck his cheek then laid her head back down on him. She pushed back the terrible things that happened to her and the thoughts and worries she had of the Company and managed to just enjoy the moment with Alijham. She let out a slow breath herself.

He wrapped his arms around her tightly, but not too tight, smiling. "Has that potion done anything yet? You seems so much better."

She nodded, "I feel like it's working. I just feel really sore now. And the bruises make it hard to move comfortably. It's nice to have everything wrapped up and to get into new clothing." She thought a bit and frowned. "Though I feel with the skooma poisoning I won't be feeling so great tomorrow, as everything tries to work itself out of my system."

"Mmn, yes. It will be a little rough, but way less than if you keep it in your system. It could do so many bad things without being flushed," he bit his lip. "I can get you an ointment for the bruising once they start to heal."

"Aye, you're right." She nodded, "I'd appreciate it, thank you. You don't mind if I stay in the clinic for a few days, do you?"

"No, of course you can. I'd love the company, and it's easier to care for you there." He touched his nose to hers.

She smiled warmly. "Thank you." She placed a kiss on his nose. "I love you."

He rubbed his nose against hers and shut his eyes, smiling. "I love you too."

She gingerly wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead to his, then stayed that way for a time. Finally she said, "Let me know when you'd like to go back. I think I'm feeling alright enough to travel."

"Whenever you'd like to is fine by me, we're in no rush. At least I hope not," he smiled to her, cheeks lifted, squishing his eyes into even more of a squint than they were usually in.

She smiled, lifting her gaze to him. "I suppose not, as long as we get going in a bit. I should let them know we're alright. And I've got to talk to Eranor." She brought a hand to her neck, her smile lessening some, "And I'll need help with these when you can get to it." She gently touched her fingers to the bruises there, then dropped her hand and closed her eyes, pressing her forehead to his again.

"Aye, I need to look at their severity once we get to the clinic. They'll have their deepest color by then, so it will be easier and they may have began to heal. Give me the word when you're ready, and we'll head out."

She nodded then placed a kiss on his lips. "Let's return then." She took his hands.

He returned the kiss with a bit of a dreamy smile. "Alright." He stood, accepting her hands in his.