[center][h2]Alim and Anifaire[/h2][/center]
[center][b]A LadyTabris & POOHEAD189 collab[/b][/center]
[hr]
[center][i]A few days earlier...[/i][/center]

The Altmer woman took one more turn, stepping into another alleyway, glancing around to read the signs. With a sigh, she squinted at the nearest one, an alchemy shop. Had she been by here before? She couldn't tell. Looking around her, she tried to find any landmarks she recognized, to no avail. Frustrated, she sat down on some storage barrels near the shop. 

Anifaire knew how to get a handful of places - a few shops, the bank, those sorts of things - but only from the University. Without the landmark, she found she had no clue how to find her way back to that part of the town. Suddenly, she wished she had spent more time in the city. Fear had always held her back from it. Thugs robbing a rich Altmer lady didn't seem unlikely, and even now the though occured to her, though it sounded less fightening in comparison to the Dwemer ruin ordeal. 

As it was, she managed not to be too afraid, sitting on the barrels, trying to make sense of where she was in reference to the shop signs around her. 

Unfortunately for her, she was noticed by a few fellows of an unsavory sort with their eyes trailing on her for more reasons than one. She was quite a bit taller than most of the crowd traversing the city. Her pretty face and obvious wealth sent alarm bells through the up and coming gang of ruffians, freshly immigrated from the wars in the North. 

However, as fate would have it, she had also caught the attention of someone else. Someone who was an enigma to the oft sheltered Altmer. The dashing Alim had taken to the local marketplace, casually eyeing the merchandise and shops as he waded through the packed streets. He decided he wasn't in the mood to thieve today, feeling his surviving the exploding mountain pressed his luck far more than he was comfortable. Instead, he decided to spent a bit more than usual, tossing a few Gold coins a fruit vendors way before taking his pick of the stock. But Alim wasn't going to eat his assortment of food on the ground, and instead made his way atop one of the many buildings overlooking the marketplace to enjoy his meal. 

The apples were quite good, but the peaches were to die for. He was just about to skin his last peach, a small knife in his hands as he began to peel the soft skin off when he noticed a movement down below sticking out like a sore thumb. 

On second glance, it was quite a beautiful sore thumb. A sore thumb nearly seven feet tall, resplendent in a rich dress. He had never actually gotten to speak to Anifaire more than a few encounters, their being completely different people. But he wasn't above admiring a pretty Altmer, and he simply ate his peach and watched over her until she sat down atop a barrel below him, looking defeated. 

After a moment, he realized she had to be lost. He was about to capitalize on the situation and maybe surprise her and amuse her with a few tricks as he helped her find her way, but fate threw another curve ball. The spellsword blinked as several gentlmen he would describe as 'thugs' materialized out of the crowd and began to slowly surround her, blocking any view from the street. Two were wearing hoods, but if Alim had to guess it was three Imperials, a Khajiit and a Breton. 

"Might you be lost, miss?" The Breton asked, a dangerously mischeivous edge to his voice. 

As the thugs slowly boxed her in, Anifaire jumped up from her barrel. She barely made it one step before she was cut off by a large Breton man. In an attempt not to seem frightened, she straightened her back, using her height to her advantage. She was nose to nose with the man, but he still had far more strength than she did. 

Briefly, Alim wondered how these  thugs could ger away with messing with someone in daylight, even in an  alleyway. He'd thought the Imperial City wasn't as lax in their  guardsmen. Either way, he wasn't about to let this happen to a comrade.  Breathing in, he stretched his arms a bit and braced his hands on the  building's ledge. 

"No," she replied. "Just enjoying the day. If you don't mind, I'll just be on my way." She moved to step around him, but he stepped in tune with her to block her path again. She frowned, considering how to get out of the situation, but she couldn't see any way out. There were four more of them, blocking her off from the street. Were they after her coin? Nervously, she reached up and covered the jewelled necklace at her throat. 

The Breton gave a grin, and held a knife. "Now now, don't get greedy on us..." and he reached for the necklace. 

Suddenly, he felt a hand grip his arm and the men around him, too busy focusing on blocking the outer alley view, gave a start. It probably looked like Alim had materialized out of thin air to Anifaire, as he'd landed behind her and slipped under her arms to block the Breton's grab. 
"Whoa now," Alim said. "Is that anyway to help a lady? Offer to aid her and then ask for payment immediately?" 

Anifaire nearly jumped in shock at his arrival, at first glance assuming him to be another assailant. With relief, she noted who he was, from the expedition: Alim, the strange one. 

He let the incredulous stares and open mouth astonishment of his appearance hang as he casually unhanded the dagger from the Breton and handed it to Anifaire, as if it had belonged to her all along. "Thank you so much for your assistance, either way. I was looking for her all over." 

"You was...what?" one of the Imperials asked, a brutish looking man with scarred hands and a ruddy complexion. 

"You know her?" The Breton asked, eyeing Alim's sword and his obvious skills of sneaking. This mark was looking a bit less easy now than they had originally thought. For his part, the dashing young spellsword placed a hand on his chest and gave the lady Altmer a longing look. "Alas yes, she is my fiance." he declared, before leaning over and whispering to the Breton. "She's a tad slow in the head." Of course, her Elvish ears allowed her to hear every word. 

Too stunned to react, she slowly processed the words "a tad slow in the head" as she daintily held the dagger as though it would stab her of its own accord. She scrambled to confirm what was being said, relieved to see a familiar, if odd, face.

"I- um- there you are!" she stuttered. She glanced at the men around her nervously to see if they were backing off. The Altmer stepped hesitantly behind Alim, just wanting to avoid the Breton man. Fiance? This guy? She held her breath, hoping the deception was enough. But, really, would they believe that? Her? And this... She nearly shook her head, but stopped herself. 

"It does my heart wonders to see her safe," the Spellsword said with relief, and tossed a gold peice to the Breton with a subtle flick, followed by patting the cheek of the closest Imperial. The Khajiit tilted its head in confusion as Alim's feather spell on the gold coin suddenly took effect, and the wealth halted in midair, before floating further within the alley as if a powerful gust of wind redirected its course. All of the thugs but the Breton chased after it. 

"Now, if you'll excuse us kind sir, me and the misses must be going." Alim said, hooking his arm around Arinfaire's and escorting her out of the alleyway into the more crowded market. "Let's go [i]dear[/i]. We've many things to do today."

Anifaire blinked a few times in the direction of the floating coin as she was dragged off by her rescuer. She mumbled an uncertain "of course" as they moved away from the alleyway and into the crowds. Once safely in the middle of things, Anifaire stopped Alim by the arm and offered him the dagger, held out in front of her as though it might burn.

Alim took a respectful step  back, and then took the dagger off her hands. He flipped it, allowing  the blade to spin once over before he grabbed the blade between his  thumb and forefinger. "You know, the way things are you might need this  someday." He said, but he slipped the blade within his belt. 

"Alim, right? I, uh. Thank you, for your help." She glanced skeptically at the dagger, thinking she wouldn't know how to if she did. 

The spellsword blinked and looked to her with a pleased smile, before giving a dismissive wave and shrugging. "It's no problem. We're companions after all." He replied. The spellsword looked around and made sure they were in no one's actual way, before continuing. "You're not used to the city, are you?"

"Well, I used to live at the University," Anifaire said with a shrug. "But I'm not accustomed to being lost in the marketplace by myself, no. I've never stayed at an inn on my own either, so it appears these are days full of new experiences." Longingly, she remembered having the aid of her father's retainers back home. She hadn't had to occupy herself with these things. 

"Yeah I could tell..." Alim said, honestly pondering on how to help her. "First thing's first. The whole deal with the city is that there's more people than you're probably used to. And you might not have noticed but you kind of stand out.  Not many imperials are used to a beautiful rich Altmer that gets lost easily..." 

He glanced around at the shops within reach, pondering as he looked. "What you need is..." his voiced trailed off, and without a word he slipped away into the crowd as if born in it like a fish to water, before slipping back in front of her with a rolled up item. "A cloak." With a few quick motions, the cloak unfolded and he wrapped it around himself, his thick mane of hair and his face concealed and wrapped tight until he looked up at her, a knowing smile on his face before he unwrappred himself. "See? Can't cover your height, but it'll help you remain [i]somewhat[/i] incognito."

Anifaire glanced at the bundled cloak in surprise when he reemerged from the crowd with it. Had he just stolen that? She shook off the thought and nodded in agreement. "Ah, I understand. That is good advice." The Altmer touched her stomach, feeling the lump of her coinpurse underneath her clothing. That had been advice from her mother, perhaps the reason nobody had pickpocketed her yet. 

"My mother told me I should hide my valuables, but I'm unprepared, today," she admitted. "I haven't been thinking very clearly lately."

Alim wrapped the cloak up again to make it portable for her, though he caught the subtle wording of her next sentence and couldn't help but ask. "Why lately?" It was a quick and casual question, however he found he was very interested in hearing her explanation.  

"After the business at the Dwemer ruin. I've never done anything like that before." She was uncertain she'd be able to explain effectively, and struggled with the next words. "It's as though... I'm not sure, I just can't get rid of the feeling of being chased by the Falmer in the back of my mind." 

The spellsword regarded her for a moment, sympathy on his face. He sometimes forgot some people could be effected by such things in a deeper manner. He was often afraid as well, but it was an old feeling he was quite used to. He handed the wrapped up cloak to her, giving an encouraging smile. "I know the feeling. But it'll pass very soon, trust me." He chuckled. "You'll find Falmer are also not a common sight in about any location." He gave her a bow once the cloak was out of his hands. 

Standing up, he inclined her to follow him with a motion of his head. "I'll show you around town if you're still lost."  

Anifaire unfurled the cloak, wrapping it about herself. She left the hood down, but the fabric still covered her fine dress. She smiled gratefully and nodded. "Sure, that would be appreciated."