Smoky braziers illuminated the entry way, which was lined with blood red and shimmering gold banners bearing the Imperial insignia. I felt Derk's anxiety coupling with my own as we entered this lion's den. Massive pillars arched overhead. Immediately the Imperials made their point as I felt thoroughly intimidated by their presence here, and all I had done was experience the architecture!
Ahead was a wide doorway watched over by a guard, who eyed us skeptically. Voices carried from the room, tense with heated discussion. I glimpsed a table with a map decorated with tiny flags. Curious, I edged closer, barely managing to maintain the ruse of an injured soldier. The guard tensed, moving to block the door. With a sharp yank, I was pulled back by the collar of my tunic.
"My apologies, she is a little addled," he said with a sharp glare aimed in my direction. The guard nodded once and pointed off to our right where a smaller doorway led to a set of stairs.
"What were you doing?" he hissed in my ear.
"They were talking about Constantius. I heard his name spoken," I hissed back, now thoroughly annoyed with this whole plan.
At the bottom of the stairs, a small kitchen greeted us, the smell of boiling stew made my mouth water. In front of the roaring fire lie a table heaped not with food but nearly folded cloths and metal instruments. Chills ran down my spine as I bent over a gleaming saw, whose teeth bore minuscule flecks of dried blood. A set of various sized needles and sinew thread lay in regimented order on an oilskin cloth. I had never seen such implements, even in Chorrol. As a small town, most of the residents resorted to the local chapel for healing, which used magic more often than not.
Turning from the horrific table, we passed through a set of archways opening on a room lined with beds. Men lay tossing and turning restlessly, some moaning in their sleep. Potions and dark wine bottles crowded the end tables near the beds.
"Well, let's have a look at you," growled a bearded man seated near one of the arches. I jumped away from the man, forcing a look of terror and confusion on my face. Grabbing for a sword that wasn't there, I held my hands as if I had actually drawn it and crowded near Derkeethus.
He placed a comforting hand on my back. "Easy, recruit. There are no vampires here," he soothed, rubbing his own false injury with a pained look.
"The shadows! They're in the shadows!" I exclaimed, glancing about wildly.
"Vampires? Was she infected?" asked the man with considerable alarm.
"I think so. Nasty bloodsucker was practically glued to her wrists with its teeth. Had to burn the thing off of her," my friend responded casually.
"This could be serious, I need to see Angeline for a cure. Can you hold down the fort while I'm gone? There are a few healing potions in the cabinet for your injuries, should you need them," he said with worry etched in his features.
"Sir, yes, sir." Derkeethus led me over to a bed, where I made a show of sounding pained and tormented by nightmares.
When the dark-haired Nord's footsteps retreated up the stairs, I stopped writhing and Derkeethus' posture finally relaxed. He let out a 'woof' of relief. "What do we do now, Henny?" he asked, his voice returning to the gentle rasp I'd come to appreciate.
"We get out of here, that's what. Before that man comes back." I sat up on the bed, fidgeting with the bandages. My skin was sweating underneath and the rough cloth was itchy. Lifting the bandage from my left eye, I blinked as it watered with the exposure to light. The man in the bed next to me groan in pain, his arm nothing more than a bandaged stump.
"Poor bastard," Derkeethus murmured, watching him for a moment before pouring out a small portion from the White Phial into a vial and leaving by his bedside. I cocked an eyebrow at him and smiled bemusedly.
"I didn't know you could be so generous," I commented. The scales on his face flexed and darkened. "Derkeethus are you...blushing?" Deeply amused, I grinned broadly. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. You did a good thing, even if it was for an Imperial, I thought.
He clicked and hissed softly, saying something I couldn't understand, then, flustered, managed, "Let's go then. Come on."
We crept back to the kitchen, Derk's armor clanking inconveniently, but no one noticed our passage. All about us the drowsing soldiers slept fitfully, a few waking to look at us blearily before falling back into their feverish dazes.
The stairway was clear for the moment when I peered around the corner. Holding my hand out, I motioned for the Argonian to remain still. I listened, straining my ears. There was nothing. Slowly we snuck up the stairwell, keeping our eyes and ears peeled for any movement. As I relaxed my mind, I found I could see out of Derk's eyes as well as my own, and hear with his ears on top of my own.
Turn around, that way we can see all around us all at once, I thought. And we continued down up the stairs in this manner, I facing forward and my friend facing backwards, each of us sharing the other's senses. At the top, I looked about, seeing the guard from before still in his same position. Derkeethus made for the front door, disappearing off to my left.
In the room beyond, the man and woman were still talking.
Henny! What are you doing?
I ignored him, creeping instead to my right, into the shadows behind the guard's back.
Don't! You'll get us caught!
"Ulfric is foolish if he thinks one of our Legates has defected to his side. It's just impossible. All of our officers are loyal to the Empire! None more so than Hrollod," spoke the woman, sharply.
"Be that as it may, reports suggest he's been playing with fire over in Eastmarch. Working with the Stormcloaks every chance he gets. See here, 'Suspect Legate Hrollod seen treating with local Stormcloak guard to increase protection over village of Darkwater Crossing.' and 'Exchange of septims between Suspect and enemy forces. Investigator has tracked mine shipments to Stormcloak warehouses. Apprehended possible conspirator from the village. Claims to know nothing. Will hold for questioning...' On and on," quoted the man.
"Still Tullius, haven't you questioned the nature of this 'investigator' Legate Constantius has been using? Doesn't it seem odd that he's been focusing on Hrollod alone? And what about the funds he's been requiring out in the Pale? The Pale is in a small, empty hold, what could he possibly be doing?"
"Relax, Rikke. Constantius' project, whatever that may be, has given us access to overseas supplies that haven't been making their deliveries to Solitude. He's managed to do more for us than Hrollod ever has. We may have to consider promoting him if he keeps this up," Tullius reassured, crunching on something.
"And what of Hrollod?" Rikke leaned heavily over the map, her silhouette blocking my view.
The man called Tullius sighed, leaning his elbows on his knees and staring emptily out at the room. His back was to me, but I was certain he bore a troubled expression. "What I'm hearing doesn't hearken me to his cause. Either he'll be reassigned or dismissed, I have yet to decide. We may send him back to the Imperial City for retaining, but that'll cost us more than we can afford at the moment."
"Very well, sir. If I may--"
Henny! Get over here! NOW! Derkeethus roared in my head, forcing his will into my body and making me turn around and crawl away from the door. He kept his grip on my mind until he opened the door. The guard started as he saw us sneaking rather conspicuously through the shaft of bright, morning light. His footsteps clanked toward us as we slipped outside.
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