"Watch out! Travelers have been saying there have been bandits on the roads north!" yelled the innkeeper as I let in the morning wind. I waved my thanks, and trundled outside. I had been on the road for a day, and had spent the night in Rorikstead, a nice little hamlet. Bandits on the north roads, at least I knew what to expect this time, thankfully. I pulled my hood up around my head, and started up the road, daylight was wasting.
It wasn't long until I had rounded another bend in the road, and found a small fort arrayed ahead of me. I could see the movement of people in it, looking like ants from a distance. I snorted at the comparison, they did seem to be popping out of everywhere like them! My head shook in disbelief; The innkeeper had said there were bandits, but not a whole damned fort of them! Unfortunately for me, there was no way around them. Hopefully, they were merely the 'pay a toll and you can pass' variety. Either way, I had to go through them. sighing, I drew my hood closer, and began the trek down to the fort.
It didn't take long for them to notice my approach, and by the time I had arrived, they were waiting to welcome me, arrows notched and swords drawn.
"Hold your horses traveler, that is close enough!" yelled one of the archers. "This can be a nice and simple affair! Just hand to one of my associates below all of your valuables and weapons, and you can be on your way!" he extorted. Damn him, this just made my life hell. I was hoping to go on my way without having to kill anyone, but now that seems unavoidable. And what was it with these bandits always trying to pretend this will be a peaceful 'exchange'?
"And if I don't?" I stalled, trying to find a way out. If I could just get to the side of the road before being skewered by arrows, I would have a chance. the other bandits would have me cornered, but that was better than being a human quiver.
"If you don't, my friends and I will be forced to turn you into our newest pincushion!" he sniggered. He suddenly turned, startled by a fox that had come behind the boulders. I lurched into motion, diving away from the open road towards the rocks, hoping the arrows wouldn't follow in time. I threw a stream of flame at them, making them reel back. It could have never reached them, but it had the desired effect of putting them even more off balance. I reached the roadside, just to hear a rumbling above me. I looked to see a large dark shape come down and clip my head, and everything went dark.
I awoke, my head feeling as if a giant had danced a gig upon it, to chuckling. I looked at its source to find a tall, lanky Altmer looming above me.
"So you're the one who tried to resist? I must say, the lackeys made you sound like a much... bigger person… Oh! I almost forgot to introduce myself, where are my manners? I am Aiden, the leader of these mongrels. Now who might you be hmmm?" Aiden wrenched my face up to stare into his green eyes.
"Armel," I managed to cough out, his grasp becoming painful.
"Armel... Well Armel, no need for you to stay awake anymore. I'll leave you to sleep some more hmm?" he chuckled, before rapping me on the forehead with the pommel of a dagger, and the world dissolved back into darkness.
I gasped in pain as ice cold water crashed into my head, still sensitive from my capture. "Wake up Breton! Boss wants to see you!" my head throbbed from the volume of the Nord's voice. I felt my bonds cut and I was hauled to a ramshackle house in the fort. My jailor and I arrived to find Aiden eating breakfast, and the smell of cooked venison and cheese reached my nose. My mouth started to water, and my stomach growled with hunger. How long had it been since I had been captured?
"Oh! Armel! Please, do sit down!" Aiden remarked, as if I was a long lost friend, crumbs spilling from his full mouth, and he waved his knife in the general direction of a chair. "Please, help yourself," he motioned, indicating the mead and meat in front of me. I glanced suspiciously up at Aiden. If he wanted to poison me, this would be the time. But the smell of food and the sight of drink overcame my distrust. I cautiously took a sip of mead, trying with all my might to detect any odd tastes within the liquid gold. "I can see that look on your face Armel, and I am offended. I would not invite you up for breakfast, just to risk poisoning myself in my attempt to poison you? Don't you know us Altmer are much more... Civilized than that?" Aiden chuckled, watching me start to tear into a loaf of bread.
"How long have I been here?" I asked between sips of mead and gnawing at the remains of my loaf of bread, my hunger starting to subside. I set my hand under the table and attempted to bring a simple spark to my fingertips. Not even a sizzle. Out of the corner of my eye I spied my gear, tidily folded up and stowed away on a shelf within his house.
"A couple of days. Now Armel, I have a... Proposition for you. You caused one of my men to die. Normally, I would kill you slowly and painfully, before tying you to a stake in front of the camp as a warning to those who would try. However..." he started picking at his teeth with his dagger. "That particular man was plotting to try and steal my gold and life. So I give you a choice, join my little band of merry men and live, or die quickly and painlessly," the dagger whistled through the air, before lodging in the wood with a dull thud. "You do not have to answer me now. Just sleep on it," his voice drew out to a dark chuckle. I looked up at him quizzically, when he started to spin. I collapsed out of my chair, and glared up at the still spinning Aiden as he stood above me, a gloating smile upon his face. The bastard still somehow poisoned me, while he ate the same food!
"Wha... Why? You said..." I gasped out, as the world started to collapse around me. Only my anger kept my mind from slipping away.
"Oh Armel... Tsk. You trusted me? I didn't lie to you, not completely. I did poison the food, but gave myself an antidote first, just for safety. My vision finally flickered away, but I could hear the heavy footsteps of others approaching Aiden and I. "Tie him back up. Ensure he continues getting his dosage. I don't need a rogue mage in the camp," ordered Aiden, all the warmth gone from his voice, replaced by cold steel.
"Ya boss," The others replied, before the world disappeared again into nothingness.
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