[h3]Brunch, Interrupted[/h3]

[@Mortarion] [@Hank] & [@Stormflyx]

[i]Mid morning, 15th of Midyear 4E208 [/i]
The Oasis, Alik’r Desert

It was a careful cut that was precise, quick, and moved through the skin with ease. It was not easy to decide how to go about the task, and she had at first studied the skin with an intense glare, hoping it wasn’t going to give her too much trouble. Her brows were so harshly furrowed  that they almost touched each other in the centre. This was the last thing she needed for her current task. 

She was surprised to find that with the use of a good, sharp knife, even a something as awkward as a pineapple was easy to deal with. With a few more motions, she had removed the thick skin from it, and was now working on cutting it into evenly sized slices. She took them, and placed them on the platter beside some bread, wedges of cheese, and some of the leftover meats from the night before, there was a bowl of warmed oats drizzled with honey too. She had even brewed one of her herbal teas. 

Raelynn smiled at her handiwork as she poured two small cups of the tea, using the last of her mountain flowers to brew it. It was of slight concern to her, she did not know when she would find some next. She left the rest for anyone else who may like a cup of the invigorating drink, the scent was sweet and fresh and rolled around the campfire in the plumes of steam rising from the pot. She carried her tray in both hands towards Gregor who had found his way back to their tent after whatever it was he had been doing for most of his morning. “I’m going to hazard a guess that you haven’t yet eaten today…” she said in a sprightly tone with a raised eyebrow.

The pleasant fragrance of the herbal tea, pineapple slices and meat wafted into the tent a second or two before Raelynn appeared in the opening. “You’re right,” Gregor said as he sat up straight, his curious gaze affixed on the bottom of the tray -- while Raelynn stood over him, he could not see what she had brought him. His hunger won out from the half-sleep he’d been enjoying and Gregor crawled out of the tent, making himself comfortable on the pillows they’d put by the opening of the tent for them to sit on and watch the goings-on in the cave. “You come bearing gifts?” Gregor asked and smirked. He had always enjoyed being fed by the women in his life. 

“I do,” she replied as she knelt down beside him, balancing the tray as she did so before placing it on the ground in front of them. “Although I did pilfer that pineapple and it seemed to be the only one so you might want to eat it quickly…” There was an almost childish giggle and an air of cheeky mischief in her voice as she said it; leaning close to him so as to plant a kiss on his lips. “We can deny it later when the investigation begins…” An impish smile grew across her lips as she took a slice for herself and bit into it. “Mmm,” she moaned with a bigger smile. “It’s [i]exceedingly[/i] good. This just became a very serious crime, we had better destroy the evidence.”

He recognized that moan. It all but confirmed that Raelynn was speaking the truth -- it was a sound she only made when things were, indeed, exceedingly good. Gregor snatched up three pieces of pineapple for himself. The succulent juices of the yellow fruit were delicious and he nodded in enthusiastic agreement. “Where has this been all my life?” Pineapple was not a common food in Cyrodiil or Skyrim at all and he immediately regretted not having eaten any sooner. The two other pieces disappeared into his mouth with such haste that he had to wipe the juice out of his beard when he was finished. “Thank you,” he said and gestured towards the rest of the platter. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Because I feel like if I [i]didn’t[/i] do this, I would be worried that you would eat naught but bread and cheese at erratic intervals for the rest of the day... And that doesn’t give you the energy you need.” She was scolding him in the most playful manner she could, and as she leaned back  with a stretch onto the moss, she sighed. “Also because I love you and I think that’s what people do when they are in love, and when they are grateful.” She rolled onto her side and looked up at him with a smile. There was nothing playful about that, just simple sincerity, the words coming to her as easy and naturally as breathing did. 

“What’s wrong with cheese and bread?” Gregor muttered and pouted a little while he picked at some of the meat. He tried to maintain that facial expression when Raelynn told him that she loved him but an irrepressible smile made itself master of him regardless. “I love you too,” he said while he looked her in the eye and he gave one of her hands a squeeze for emphasis before he turned back to the platter. He started eating in earnest and before he knew it, he was wolfing down everything that caught his fancy. Raelynn was probably right about his eating habits.

“You know, the way you two look right now, I am almost loath to interrupt the moment.” Echoed a nearby voice, followed by the nearly imperceptible sounds of footsteps against the mossy floor of the oasis. “But, I’m afraid that I have things that need be discussed.” Said Jaraleet as he finally reached the spot where the two lovers were having their breakfast, an apple in one of his hands from which he took a quick bite. “About Gilane, and what happened there.” The Argonian said, his tone low, once he was done swallowing, a look of seriousness settling on his face as he regarded the Breton and Imperial. 

“Good morning to you too, Jaraleet. It's nice to see you safe and well.” Raelynn sat up with her back straight, casting a glance to Gregor who was still eating. Her tone was unappreciative - whether it was for being interrupted or for the fact she felt that she was about to be interrogated by the Argonian. She lifted a cup of tea from her lips and took a small sip, before placing it back down and dropping her hand to Gregor's thigh. She swirled her thumb in slow circles there. “What's on your mind?” she asked, almost as matter-of-factly as Jaraleet himself had.

“Many things.” The Argonian replied calmly, taking another bite from his apple. “The new arrivals, this mission to assault the Deep Elves prison, our flight from Gilane….” Jaraleet began as he finished swallowing. “Oh, and the reason for why Irranhu cell wanted to butcher us.” He added, almost like it was an afterthought but, from the tone in his voice, it was clear that the latter point was the one that occupied the assassin’s mind. 

Gregor noticed the change in Raelynn’s demeanor and correctly interpreted what the hand on his thigh meant. [i]Control yourself.[/i] She had accurately assessed that they -- or probably more specifically Gregor -- were on thin ice again. He’d only vaguely heard that Irranhu cell had turned on Samara cell before but it was news to him that it was related to them. Jaraleet spoke in a neutral voice but Gregor had heard that same tone before, after Nblec. 

“I’d heard about that, but not the reason,” he said, regarding Jaraleet with as much innocent curiosity has he could muster. “What do you know?”

“I am pleased to see that your self control has improved, my friend.” The Argonian smiled, but there was no mirth in his eyes. “The last time we had a chat likes this, why, you immediately jumped into veiled threats.” He said casually, pausing to take one last bite of his apple before discarding the fruit. 

“Hmm, what do I know? Not much, I know that they were looking for two of our members.” Jaraleet said, gazing into Gregor’s eyes. “Now, normally this wouldn’t rouse much suspicion, but the way that Zhaib behaved the way when the leaders of Irranhu cell made their demands….” The assassin shook his head. “Ah, but he leapt into the midst of the gathered insurgents. Said something quite particular about our group and ‘her man’ being able to protect someone, that someone being the one who sent him to us. And who was it that sent Zhaib?” Jaraleet asked rhetorically, waiting for an answer from either of the pair of lovers. 

A chilling realisation came over Gregor. He ignored the rhetorical question. “What did these leaders look like?” 

“One I had seen before, when we were planning Daro’Vasora’s rescue, he looked quite like the ordinary Redguard man, I suppose. Now, the second leader, now her appearance was more peculiar….” Jaraleet said, pausing for a second to wager Gregor’s reaction. “Her name, I do not know, but what I do know is that she wore a snakeskin cloak and fought with a spear. Do any of these look familiar to you?”  

As soon as Jaraleet uttered the words [i]snakeskin cloak[/i], Gregor’s face contorted as if he was in pain. He drew in a sharp intake of breath and his right hand shot up to his left shoulder involuntarily. The memory of fear and agony squeezed his heart and he looked at Raelynn, intuitively and instinctively, for protection… but there was nothing she could do for him. This was his own grave and he had to dig himself out of it. Fortunately, Gregor realised, thinking quickly, he could. 

“The woman,” Gregor whispered intently and gestured for Jaraleet to sit down next to him. It was decidedly in his best interests to make this conversation look like a normal chat between friends and that did not involve having the Argonian lording over them. “I can’t fucking believe it. Irranhu the whole time.” 

His gaze found the spot where Zaveed had made camp and disgust visibly made his lips curl. “She’s the reason Zaveed still lives. I was about to deliver the killing blow when the one you just described, with the cloak and the spear, came down from the rooftops and attacked me. She’s the one that poisoned me. Fucking Redguards and their godsdamned prejudices,” Gregor growled. His breathing came fast and hard and he looked down at his hands to find them positively shaking. “I’m sorry, Jaraleet, I really am, but I had no choice. Zaveed would have killed me if I hadn’t used everything at my disposal.”

Raelynn could sense Gregor's pain in the moment, the emotions he was feeling. Now it was time for her to step in, she took one of his shaking hands and held it.

“I sent Zhaib,” was her response, and how she chose to steer the conversation. “I suspected that he… Perished, but nobody told me as such,” she blinked and squeezed at Gregor's thigh before letting go, to hear it all but confirmed was still a shock. “I sent him to fight, he was my bodyguard and friend. I trusted him with my life and he protected me and took care of me in my darkest moments.” But what had he said? A man of such few words for all the time she had known him and it was his last words that gave way for her to be in danger.

“Do you remember what it was [i]exactly[/i], that he said?” 

“He yanked his pendant and then said ‘Give it to her. Let her know that she’s worth protecting by me, by her father. By her man and you’” Jaraleet recited, the memory of the moment still fresh in his mind. “Those were his exact words. I do not know who has the pendant, but it’s in the groups care if you wish to retrieve it.” The Argonian said after he sat in front of Gregor. “I must clarify, you two were in danger long before Zhaib said anything. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Poncy Man had us under surveillance after the incident with Nblec.” 

“Of course, the one time he chooses to give a speech more than a damn grunt and a singular syllable word is then…” She sighed as she ran a hand through her hair from root to tip, falling silent herself for a moment. “I assure you Jaraleet, his only orders were to protect Daro’Vasora. There was nothing insidious about his actions… Thank you for telling me.”

“It is no problem. And I believe you, like I said before we were in trouble long before the operation in the palace.” He said to Raelynn. “Now…” The assassin said as he turned his gaze towards Gregor once more. “Tell me everything you know about this woman, no matter how painful it might be. By the cut of her garb I’d wager she was an assassin, and if she comes back to track us, I need to be prepared.” He said, the tone of his voice serious as he regarded Gregor. 

It wasn’t until Jaraleet addressed him directly that Gregor looked up and met his gaze again. He shrugged. “My confrontation with her lasted less than ten seconds. She used her spear to defeat one of my… conjurations, but she poisoned me with a throwing knife before I even knew she was there. Assassin sounds right.”

“Hmm, I see.” Jaraleet said, falling silent as he pondered what Gregor had said. He hadn’t expected for him to have been defeated so quickly and, as such, he was left with less information than he’d have liked to obtain from the Imperial man. “Well, I’m sorry to have interrupted your breakfast.” The Argonian said as he stood up, looking at both Gregor and Raelynn. “I need to think about what you’ve told me Gregor but, please, I implore you to be more cautious in the future. Lest these….complications become commonplace.” He said, turning his back to the couple and began walking away from them. 

The blonde mage watched with a puzzled expression as Jaraleet paced away as quickly as he had paced over. “What was that about?” She asked quietly, running her tongue over her teeth. “Think about what? Do we need to be worried about that one?” It dawned on her that sometimes Jaraleet was just that way, blunt and intrusive and then gone as quick. Still, it wasn’t like him to refuse her even a smile or chuckle.

Gregor sighed. “Jaraleet seems to think so. I don’t expect them to pursue us into the desert, but you never know… Redguards are tenacious people.” He leaned back in his seat and rubbed his eyes. Another problem and another threat that could directly be attributed to him. Everywhere he turned, people and enemies were ready to punish him for pursuing his quest. It was exhausting. “He’s the closest thing we have to an assassin of our own. I suspect he feels it’s his duty to be prepared, should this Redguard woman come knocking.”

“You’re right,” she replied, easing up her own tension as she shifted closer to Gregor’s side, wrapping her arms around him with a sigh. “Whatever happens next, happens. Until then, we rest and get our strength up. All of us, including you.” She gave him a playful jab in the chest, sensing a cloud hanging around him, was it guilt? “I’m sure he’ll be back with more questions later…” Raelynn said lightly, placing her head against his shoulder, breathing him in happily.