Arnau waited in the gathering dark, listening to the lonely cries of gulls and steady rhythm of waves. Wind gusted about him, and lightning continued to flash. Freezing rain threatened to fall at any moment. Idly, he watched the waves, squinting for some sign of a ship coming into port or heading for the rocks. There was nothing. Only endless white caps and shadowy humps of marshy bog.
The young man called Nitters had not resurfaced, and Arnau briefly regretted intimidating him. Waiting was not the most stimulating of activities. At length, there came a scratching and clanking up the stairs. The knight started, drawing a spell meant to shove the intruder off the top of the lighthouse Magic warmed in his hand, ready to grip head and limb.
First, a tail emerged, coiled and lazily wagging. Then, hindquarters of a distinctly lupine origin. A neck girded by a leather collar. Finally, a large head bearing sharp little teeth clutched tightly to Arnau's helm. He had forgotten it halfway down the stairs. It wasn't as if he needed the stuffy thing up here, alone. Jovially, the dog released its prize and sat expectantly next to the helmet, tail sweeping the smoothed stones in a frenzy.
"Thank you," Arnau said awkwardly. He took his helmet and put it back on; more to warm his head than protect it.
The pup barked.
Arnau turned away and resumed watching the sea. Unlike his sister, Sorine, he wasn't in the habit of keeping pets, nor did he enjoy animals very much at all. The hour was inching close to ten or eleven in the evening he reckoned.
"Time to head back," he sighed. Then, turning to the dog, "Don't follow me." He needn't worry. It didn't.
* * *
"There. She's found it."
A low whistle, like the call of a bird, cut through the inexorable creak and groan of ships. Oars splashed quietly below the nearest ship, edging a whispering huddle of men out into the bay. Down a mast a lithe figure slid. He landed on the deck with a soft thump and well-practiced dismount. With a calculated leap, he slipped over the side of the Red Wave, sneaking along the quay toward the East Empire Company's warehouse. Jaree-Ra had a mind to lift a few valuables before leading that creepy knight on a wild goose chase through the marsh.
Small sprigs of steel pried and wriggled in the lock as the Argonian eyed the lurking guard. All of his focus then bent upon the lockpick. Just an eighth twist to the left and... Ah! The lock clicked open.
Something cold and hard clamped on his arm.
"Ah, hello, Jaree-Ra. I see you're not on the mast. Did you spy the ship with your sister aboard?" spoke a smug, but muffled voice.
"Y-yes... Yes! I did! The ship crashed right into the rocks like we hoped."
"Then let's go retrieve her--quickly!" The Argonian resisted the knight's pull meekly.
"I-I'm not suited for battle. Maybe... Maybe you should go rescue her. I could wait here to ensure she makes it to the inn safely."
"Nonsense. You must be there when we find her. It'll mean the world to her, I'm sure."
"No, really I--"
But the knight's grip only tightened, and Jaree-Ra was pushed, shoved, and pulled across the docks. His foot caught on a loose board and he fell sprawling, gazing up at the Breton in sudden fear and rubbing absently at his burning arm. That expressionless mask was tilted down at him. This is it. He's going to kill me.
"Please, don't hurt me. I wasn't going to steal anything! I just wanted a warm place to sleep," he squawked helplessly. Arnau only chuckled and picked him up by his tunic, nudging him onward with that cold gauntlet, one hand clapped on the back of his neck like a yoke.
"We have to find your sister, remember?" Something sinister leaked into the man's voice.
* * *
The entire day had turned completely sour, Arnau decided. He wanted nothing more than to finish Aquillius' request right there and then, but if he did that, there would be too many loose ends remaining. Too many people waiting for Jaree-Ra to show up. Sleep pulled at his eyes, making them burn and ache in his head. His legs dredged their way through the deep, marshy ground ever slower, and the lantern he'd held high and proud drooped dangerously low. In spite of this, his grip on the slippery Argonian remained resolute.
Over the course of the last hour, even Jaree-Ra began to tire. Now, his head hung low such that he spent more time looking at the frosted marsh grass than peering into the mists. When he did look up, it was only to grunt out changes to their heading. As far as Arnau could see, they were walking parallel to Solitude's docks, which lay in a faint, golden glow off to their left. The natural arch of the city approached like a mammoth's leg draped in shadow.
"Nitters sold me out, didn't he," came a ragged sigh.
Arnau started to answer, but thought better of it. He'll reveal himself he's so tired. Then, I can be sure of the reason Aquillius wants him removed.
"You don't have to say anything. I know he did. He told you everything; just like how he squealed to he guard the last time."
Here it comes. But Arnau missed the expression on the Argonian's face: the snide grin of a poorly-adapted chess player knowing his next move will be a check on the king.
"It's not my fault my sister took a shine to someone else!" The Argonian's nostrils flared and he stared at Arnau in fury. "You think I can control her. Don't you. I know your type! Now Nitters wants me dead by association."
"...What?" the Breton managed.
In all honesty, the outburst threw Arnau. It made no sense to him, and managed to rouse a vague roiling nausea at the thought of the young Imperial bedding what amounted to a lizard. In an effort to puzzle out the meaning, and avoid disturbing thoughts, his grip softened, reflexively reaching for his face to cradle it in thought. He stopped his relentless march through the soft mud and frozen vegetation. The lantern's flame flickered in a chill gust--one of many that had plagued them--and appeared to the dockworkers across the water as a stray torchbug in the marsh. Or, worse, a wispmother inviting them to follow the light into a frozen grave. They shivered at the thought just as Arnau and Jaree-Ra shivered at the cold.
Suddenly, Jaree-Ra twisted, lurched, and broke free of the iron grip. The mud sucked his shoes right off his feet. To his fortune, bless the Hist, his webbed toes kept him from sinking further as they slapped their way in a pell-mell sprint. Arnau, on the other hand, had sunk up to his ankles, and struggled to free himself through brute strength alone. When that failed, he watched the lizard's back fading into the darkness in dismay before he remembered the spell he needed. He held it in hand and looked at his feet, blocking out the faint splash of feet and croak of winter toads. They glowed a faint green and he was able to wriggle his boots free with a thick, syrupy squelch. Feeling as light as he might completely unarmored, he thundered after the Argonian.
"Halt! Stop right there and I won't hurt you!"
There was no verbal response, but the feet splashed harder and faster. A shape slowly emerged out of the mist, veiling the starts in a black blot. The Argonian drove towards it, more desperate than ever. "Help!" he screamed.
Lights bloomed above the shape, and they were now close enough to see it was a ship. Waves lapped against the hull, which lay exposed and vulnerable. Arnau ran harder. I can't let him reach the ship! He was almost on him. He could see his scales shining in the lantern light. Reaching out his hand, he pulled. Jaree-Ra stumbled and fell into the freezing muck. With a deft swipe, Arnau closed his fingers around an elbow and squeezed hard enough to feel the bones grind under the skin.
"Help! Help me!"
The Breton's lantern collided with the Argonian's skull, dislodging a few feathers and leaving a bright, red gash. Jaree-Ra fell silent. Panting to catch his breath, Arnau straightened and fought the stitch in his side. He glanced at the mud-caked, pale--almost human--colored skin of his charge and resisted the urge to beat him senseless.
"Why look, Jaree-Ra, we've found your sister!" he cried instead, pointing up at the ship.
"Deeja! No!" Jaree-Ra slurred. He peered up at the small figure lifting a torch high above her head. She leaned over the railing, then, seeing a pair of figures standing together, one of which who looked suspiciously like her brother, ducked below the railing and disappeared from sight.
"Shh. She's all right. We're almost there. Don't worry."
The Argonian groaned. He couldn't see it, but had he, he might have thought Arnau's expression was exultant. The last quarter mile to the ship lay straight ahead. No others peered over the railing or seemed to notice him. The knight blew out the lantern flame and hooked it back onto his belt.
"Deeja..."
"Almost there. Now be quiet."
Comments
Jaree-Ra hasn't eaten properly and spends most of his time begging and stealing.
Arnau has regular meals, is a trained knight, uses a two-handed weapon, and wears heavy armor.
Arnau is going to be physically... more