[h3]A Wholly Unpleasant Visit[/h3]
A Shaft and Dervs collab
[I]14th Midyear 4E208, Governor’s Palace, Early morning…[/I]

The dungeon door creaked open and a guard carrying a torch guided Zaveed down the prison corridor, the Khajiit carrying a bottle of rum in one hand and two goblets in the other; he’d been patted down and his weapons had been left behind in his quarters, save for the dagger at his back that he left with the Dwemeri prison officer that was on duty. No lockpicks, no keys, no weapons; nothing that would aid Sevari in escape or taking his life. Zaveed was lead to the cell, and the two Thalmor guards who were on duty and sitting in chairs were relieved, more than eager to walk away to stretch their legs and get something to eat. Zaveed grabbed one of the chairs with a free hand after shifting the goblets to the same hand that carried the bottle and sat it down in front of the bars before descending himself. Wordlessly, he poured the contents of the bottle in one goblet and then the other and offered one through the bars. 

“It is not a good look for you, being in a small cell like this. You are not a zoo animal… have you been treated fairly?” Zaveed asked his brother, able to see him clearly in the dark thanks to the trait all Khajiit shared. Even the smallest bit of light could give them impressive visual acuity in the dark.

“It’s not the worst jail I’ve been in. Besides Marassa barely restraining herself from killing me and explaining in detail how she would do it?” He said, eyeing the still uneaten lamb hocks, “It’s been some high living.”

He sighed, taking a sip of the rum he’d been given and then looking at it as if it had slapped him, “You pirates and your rum. They didn’t have whiskey?” He said with much faux-incredulity before returning to his previous demeanor of quiet brooding, “I don’t suppose you’ve already cooked up a plan to get me out of here.”

“Beggars can’t be choosers.” Zaveed shrugged, taking a drink from his own goblet that he had been fidgeting with moments before. “And I’m afraid it’s a work in progress, for once I’m going to take this slow and careful; so far, the winning solution seems to be ambushing the escort party when you are safely off of palace grounds, or setting fire to their ship while they’re coming to collect you.” the Cathay sighed, drinking back heavily this time. “I’m afraid I haven’t had time to plot this out, the news is still fresh and doubtless they’re keeping a close eye on me because of our relationship and the fact that I have a reputation of being something of a wildcard.”

“Huh.” Sevari nodded, taking another sip of his rum and sitting back on the bed, “Well, I’m sure I’ll figure out if you come up with a plan on time. This is only going to end one of two ways.”

He frowned, staring into his goblet, “It doesn’t look good for me if I go to Alinor, Zaveed.” He took a sip and then shrugged, as if letting the cloak of sadness and regret off of his shoulders, “Can’t say I wasn’t expecting that though. I had fun tonight, brother, for what that’s worth.”
“No, shackles and a hangman’s noose seldom fill out a flattering attire.” Zaveed agreed. “And it was worth more than you know. I made a new friend, got to spend some lighthearted fun with my estranged brother, and I know my sister is safe. Sorry she threatened your life; we both know what she’s like when she becomes ill-tempered. I don’t think she’d follow through with that particular threat, though.”

“You weren’t there, brother.” He smiled softly, “I just wish we met again under different circumstances. Not with me ready, willing, and just about to kill her boyfriend and hang him from the mast by his gut-rope.”

He shook his head, sipping from his goblet, “I can’t say I don’t understand or deserve the aggression. I’ve been a horrible brother, Zaveed, horrible to you and Marassa.” He looked at his brother and smiled, “It was a good night.”

He gestured to the plate in front of him, “She brought me lamb, even.”

“Gut rope.” Zaveed repeated, gazing down at the dark liquid sloshing about in the concave mouth of the goblet. “Ew.” 

Glancing up, he shook his head. “What’s done is done. I did caution you about pursuing vengeance as means to an end, but it would not do you any favours to bother you with that particular vitriol. You are punishing yourself worse than any executioner could. But yes, I could see how she’d have little love for you for that particular stunt. For a diplomatic mission, the Dominion has suffered a number of casualties. I imagine she feels towards her fallen the same way I feel about my drowned crew.” Zaveed sighed, tapping his claw against the metal, letting it ring in a steady rhythm. He looked towards the lamb. “It’s of my professional opinion one should never turn down offered food. You need the energy and strength to take advantage of an escape opportunity; their minimal compassion works against them in some cases. I just know I wouldn’t relish the idea of dying on an empty stomach, I’d rather shit myself unpleasantly in my dying moments and make those who did the deed have one final and terrible act of defiance to deal with.” he grinned.

“I’m sorry about your crew.” Sevari said, voice low, “Young Jacque seemed like the better man of everyone there. He was right, you know, he should’ve been a bard. Helena and I had some good nights too. I never needed a blanket and it’s better than taking care of it yourself when no one’s around.”

He swirled the rum inside his goblet, “Who says I was going to escape or defy anyone?” He said, smiling sadly to his brother, “Zaveed, I’m a bad man and if I live life outside of this cell then I’m only going to make more orphans and grieving families. I killed an innocent man in his own home four days ago.”


“I just took the knife out of his frail, shaking hands and put it in his neck. He didn’t know about what was happening outside of his home. To him it was just another day in retirement until some bleeding stranger stumbled in.” He shook his head, downing his rum, “Maybe, just maybe, past everything else I’ve ever done in my life… I deserve a hanging for that.”

“To all of them.” Zaveed said, raising his goblet is a toast before finishing it off. He picked the bottle and filled his goblet once more, sliding the bottle over to the bars for Sevari. He grunted, tapping his foot in annoyance before continuing. “You know, it’s a bit late in your life to start growing a conscience. I’ve never apologized for what the world made me, and neither should you. It’s so easy for those who were born in love and comfort who never knew what it meant to starve or have to fight just for the right to live to condemn men like us for becoming the creatures that they caution their children about, to tell us that we are rotten and horrible, but they fail to realize they would be just like us had they gone through the same.”

He stood, approaching the bars to look down at Sevari with narrow eyes. “Look, I forgive you for what happened. It wasn’t your fault, and perhaps [I]I[/I] could have done things differently, but we can’t change the past. I already know I’m going to lose my identity when I die, to never feel warmth again or see the Sands Behind the Stars, but this world is full of rotten men worse than us, and how many of [I]those[/I] do you think you personally killed? I know I’ve racked up quite a few bodies in my day, and many of them definitely had it coming. 

“I’ve never been what one would consider a good man, but sometimes one predator hunts another that preys on a village. Do you think a shark gives a shit about the seal’s family after it evicerates it and eats it?  If you’re as rotten as you claim to be, then stop worrying about it because you’re going to end up in the same rotten afterlife I am, so you’re already as low as you can go. So why not take the time you have left and maybe start being the person you want to be rather than the one that assholes made you be?” Zaveed asked.

“With speeches like that, I can see how people accept you as Captain.” Sevari nodded appreciatively without looking at his brother. He asked without turning his head, “Did you see Marassa talking with any of the Thalmor or Ministry agents? Anything about me? Watching me closer?”

The Cathay shook his head. “No, nothing out of the ordinary. Those charming fellows that are guarding your cell seem pretty bored and relaxed. Why? Do you think she’d want to make you more miserable than you already are?”

Sevari frowned, shaking his head and shrugging, “No,” he said, standing and stretching towards the ceiling with a growl, “She said the same thing you did, you know? Well, almost. The gist of it was the same.”

He strolled up to the door, pushing it open casually as if he was only in there for the fun of it. He took a step out, “I’d say the visit was nice, but…” he rubbed his neck and rolled his shoulders with a grunt, “You’re right, though. [i]Fuck them.[/i] Still, a conscience the size of a louse’s cock is still a conscience. Sometimes they even grow.”

He looked to his brother, frowning, “Consciences.” He said, “Not… you know.”

Zaveed grinned, watching as the cheeky bastard strolled out of the cell like it was the most casual thing in the world. Of course Sevari had a flair for the dramatic; they were family. “Oh, I’m sure those grow all the same. But of course Marassa would say something similar to me; it’s almost as if we’re twins or something. I don’t see the resemblance, personally. I smile more.” 

He glanced back at the still closed prison doors. “I assume you have a plan that isn’t going out the way I came in.” he observed.

“Over the past few weeks, I’ve talked to a lot of the servants and staff of the Palace. The guardsmen have strict orders of guarding the late Caliph’s old escape passage because as it turns out, sometimes exits can also be used as entrances.” He said, “It’s somewhere here, in the dungeons, I know that. It’s convenient, even if you can manage to kill the guards posted at the escape passage’s mouth, shimmy through spiders, rats and other creatures and their shit and piss, the guards on the other side of the prison door over there get to point and laugh at you before they unlock it and fill you with spears.”

“Every time the guards change shifts to cover the other while they shit or eat, the rats always run in the same direction. Sure, some of them may be living in the cells themselves, but I follow enough of them, it’ll take me to that little tunnel I can enter freedom once more through covered in spiderwebs, piss and shit.” He smiled, “I’d take that over a hanging any day. She’s nice, by the way, Marassa. I wouldn’t have gotten out if it weren’t for her bringing me the food with that lockpick.”

“Here I am, still thinking about her career before mine. She was the last person to be alone with me and what better alibi to blow back in her face like dust than the tray of food I’d have scarfed down otherwise.” He shrugged, “This way, it just looks like I smuggled a lockpick in myself. That doesn’t cover you, though. How do you want it?”

Zaveed shrugged. “I’m flexible. My thought was it’s pretty dark in this cell, so those inattentive loafs wouldn’t even notice you were gone, most likely. I can be blamed for the lockpick in the morning, but by then I’ll be collecting Sirine and leaving within the next half an hour.” he pondered out loud. “Either way, I’d like to do this quietly, and the more time you have for a head start, the better. If I act like nothing’s wrong, we’re fine. If you punch me out, they’re going to question why I didn’t call for help. I’d rather take the good chance over the one that raises a lot of questions.”

“Alright.” Sevari nodded, “I think it’s best you and Sirine go, though, sooner than later. It’s going to be very loud here very soon. Latro, your best friend, he’s not happy about his girlfriend being cooped up in this place.”

That gave Zaveed pause. “You’re making friends with terrorists now? You know they’re the same ilk that attacked Marassa and her troops in the streets, correct?” he asked suspiciously. “Are they planning on attacking the palace in a rescue operation?”

“It wasn’t them. They attacked me and tried to kill Latro too. If I hated every Thalmor supporter I would hate you and Marassa along with them.” He said, “Guilty by association, no? Latro helped me. He helped me do a lot. After everything, you and  those wide-eyed foreigners are the closest I have to friends. Two of them, at least.”

“Now now, since when do I support the Thalmor? I just take their money in exchange for them leaving me to my own devices, but I take your meaning.” Zaveed replied diplomatically, blinking slowly. “So, this is going to be awkward, is it not? You befriending the same people who loathe me for my own actions against them? I can’t imagine they’ll be too keen on seeing me after I nearly murdered one of them, tortured another, and then broke Latro’s girlfriend’s arm before killing her old paramour. I don’t think you’re going to be able to justify that in their eyes, Sevari.”

“Maybe not.” He said, “But those are the people who aren’t trying to kill me right now. Or ever have. I know what Raelynn did for you. I don’t know,” he shook his head, “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Zaveed sighed, crossing his arms. “You know, this isn’t going to end well for them or myself. You went through a lot of trouble to get me back into your life, and you very well might be throwing that away for them.”

“Never, brother.” He said, stepping up close to Zaveed, “Wherever I go, you can go. Consciences, remember? You don’t take a journey in one step. Maybe If playing to Raelynn’s second chance she gave you and Sirine’s word of how you freed her, they can come to at least half heartedly tolerate you at first.”

“I’m not telling you what to do. I’m not saying I need to choose between them and you. I’m just saying we need friends.” He offered, “Nothing but death is going to be a goodbye for us.”

“Uh-huh.” Zaveed grunted non-committally, tapping his foot. “The way this conversation is going, one of us is going to be saying that final goodbye sooner rather than later. They tortured a man to death; one of them is a necromancer that tried to soul trap me. Not the kind of company I’d expect you to keep, Sevari.”

“Me neither.” Sevari said, “Latro and Jaraleet, at least, are good. You know my feelings about that necromantic fuck for doing that to you.”

“You know I will defend myself, right? You might think they’re good people, but they aren’t. I know I am not, but they think they’re doing the right thing. I can’t follow this path you want for us, Sevari. It was supposed to be about you and I together, not tagging along with a bunch of terrorists that willingly joined an insurgency. They will be hunted by the Dwemer; I’d rather fade away and pursue my own life away from such attention. I’d like to sleep without worrying about my throat being slit.” Zaveed replied bitterly, grabbing the cell bars. “I’d be better off in here than with your new ‘friends’. You didn’t think to ask me first, to talk to me first? All of this is out of nowhere, and these are people that ten minutes ago I thought we were both treating like enemies. What else have you been hiding from me?”

“Nothing.” Sevari said, simply. “I’ve talked to them, you know? I’m not going to turn this into a fight, Zaveed, but some of them are better people than they would have you believe.”

Sevari shook his head and sighed, growling, “I need to go.” He said, stepping farther down the halls, “So do you. Until I see you again, brother! All my love!”

Zaveed waved him off. “This isn’t going to go the way you hope, Sevari.” the privateer muttered, picking up the rum bottle and the two empty goblets and heading back the way he came, pausing to take a moment to compose himself so nothing seemed amiss. Inside, Zaveed was screaming.