[I]Hegathe Barracks…[/I]

Wets-His-Blade’s reconnaissance, as luck would have it, went unnoticed by the three men in the upper floor. A well-furnished penthouse with no small amount of displayed art, fine rugs, and all manner of weapons and mannequins displaying elaborate sets of armour were laid out before Blade’s eyes. It was clear that Captain Ismal Doshin lived well outside of the means of your average Hammerfell citizens, doubtless enjoying the fruits of his partnership with the dwemer authority. He stood at the ready in scaled armour and a gold accented saber at the ready. With him were two men in heavy plate armour, chainmail veiled helms, and armed with kite shields and maces, both of dwemer make. All had their attention fixed on the locked door that evidently descended below.

After looking around the room, Blade will have noticed a forth figure, an upset looking man holding a ceramic mug in both hands, as if his life depended on it. 

“There’s just the one man?” Captain Doshin asked, not unkindly, to the seated man. The man drank from the cup and nodded once.

“A single argonian, but he was skilled… he killed the men at the gate with ease. I know you left your best fighters as guards, Captain, but I do not know if it was enough.” 

The captain seemed to give this no small amount of thought. “Very well, Kael.” One of his bodyguards stepped forward. “I need you to scout the lower barracks and see if you can’t find this assailant. Lock the doors behind you and exercise extreme caution; you may be one of the best fighters in the city, if not the entire province, but I do not want you to take any unnecessary risks. Now go.”

“Yes, captain. I will be diligent in my search.” He said, removing a key from a waist pouch as he approached the door.

“Kael, one more thing.” Captain Doshin called to his guard’s back. The man paused before he inserted the key into the hole.

“Kill on sight. No prisoners.”

The man nodded, a barely noticeable gesture behind the heavy veil, and soon the guard was through the door. Captain Doshin watched his man leave, confident in his own ability as a warrior, as well as his remaining bodyguard. Kael was a master of battle, a veteran of the Alik’r and one of the most ruthless bandit killers Doshin had the pleasure to employ. There was no reason to doubt his capacity in a fight.

The Captain turned around and immediately noticed something; the balcony door was ajar. He knew he had personally secured it when the alarm went out and a sinking feeling opened into the pit of his stomach. The killer was in the room.

“Show yourself!” He called out, brandishing his blade. His bodyguard took up position behind him, shield and mace at the ready. The receptionist leapt to his own feet, looking around uncertainly with his own blade. “Are you here to kill me, argonian, all alone? Is it your wish to perish in this room? Don’t be shy! What is it that you want, assassin?”