[hider=Balance]It was a cool night. The moons Masser and Secunda were standing high in the starry sky. The lantern lit streets of Rimmen were deserted but you could hear the sweet, melodious tones of a musical instrument gently flowing on the wind. Like almost every night, Cyllandra was sitting on a plateau overlooking the market below, its stalls now empty, playing her flute. Her right leg hung over the edge, her foot swaying while she played with closed eyes. It was a very old tune and was the first her father had taught her to play. In her mind she was not in Elsweyr anymore but instead she was transported to her home in Valenwood where the light of the sun barely shines through the leaves and she was not sitting on stone but on a low branch of a graht-oak. Her fingers moving up and down the holes of the flute in a slow but fluid motion and when she inhaled she could faintly smell the scent of the river near her home. She saw the smiling faces of her parents and her sister waving and yelling for her to come down. But a shadow came over the faces of her parents and they disappeared, same happened to her sister. A darkness fell over her mind and Cyllandra opened her eyes as she let the song end, stretching the last note until she was out of breath. She was back in Elsweyr. Her home, parents and sister were long gone now. It felt almost like a different life. A tear was slowly making its way down her cheek and she wiped it off with a quick stroke of her hand. “It was very beautiful.” Cyllandra almost jumped up when she heard the warm voice of Bandras, her Khajiiti tutor, coming from behind her. She was shocked she had not hear him coming and turned her face away from him so he would not see that she had wiped away a tear earlier.[i]How long had he been standing there?[/i] Perhaps he had already noticed it but if so he did not let it show. “This one knew when he heard the sound that it was Cyllandra.” He said as he walked over to her right side. “Mind if I sit down?” She replied with a shrug, already knowing that he was going to sit down next to her no matter what she said. After months of training with him, she could say she knew well enough how and who Bandras was. He sat down with a deep sigh and looked up towards the sky. “The night is nice for music,” he continued “The skies are clear and lit with a thousand and one stars.” She glanced at him, pondering. In the light of the moons his fur had gotten a silvery glow, his face a relaxed sort of bliss and his eyes were brightly reflecting the light they had caught. He was not as young as he used to be but he had a certain refined charm. Cyllandra shook her head as she noticed she was staring and looked at her flute instead, turning it in her hands. “What song were you playing?” His eyes did not leave the sky and his voice got a softer glow. “It is called 'The Trees of Valenwood'.” She said trying to sound casual, afraid he would sense her thoughts. “Ah yes. Bandras could hear the emotion. Cyllandra misses home, yes?” He had turned his eyes towards her, a smile on his face. “Wherever I go, I always carry my home with me.” She said holding the flute in front of her. Though she herself was doubting if she was really talking about her flute. Bandras nodded slowly and looked at the flute in her hand before turning his gaze back to the sky. For a while both sat there in silence, each with their own thoughts. “Can you play the song once more?” She hesitated but gave eventualy a short nod and put the flute to her lips. Bandras closed his eyes while she played for the second time her song that reminded her of home. When the song ended, Bandras gave a soft sigh and got up on his feet with a grunt. He turned towards her and bowed his head in gratitude. “I thank you for the song. It warmed the heart of this old Khajiit. I am heading home now and Cyllandra should not stay here for too long either. Tomorrow the sun will be even more hot than today and lesson will be about balance. We start early do not forget.” With that said he started to walk away, his tail moving from left to right with every step, until she could not see him any more. Cyllandra groaned. Balance? She was a Bosmer. Her whole life she spent amongst the trees and their branches. Balance is something you learn quick. The hard way. What more could he teach her about that? She was trying to imagine how that lesson would be. She only hoped it did not involve something where she had to stand on a boat and had to keep her balance while he was rocking it. A good thing Khajiit don't like water that much. She suddenly felt very tired and decided to take on the advice of her tutor. The training hall of Bandras, where she was allowed to sleep without payment, was luckily not that far. Through a maze of narrow streets she walked and was glad the lanterns were lit. During the first few weeks she got lost often and that had been during the day but now she could walk these streets with her eyes closed. She was almost at her destination when she saw two Khajiit leaning against a wall, looking at her as she passed the corner. Both were tall and muscular with a sabre hanging on their sash. Cautiously, she slowed down her step as she was nearing them. Perhaps they meant her no harm. They drew their sabres and made their way to her, grins on their faces. Cyllandra looked back to see if she could flee but down the street she could see another one standing in the shadows blocking off her exit. She had no choice and she had to act quick. With short, quick steps, she turned around to the left, dodging the first blow and with one fluid movement she slid under the next one as she drew her sword, Moonblade. Staying low and constantly moving, her sword in her right hand above her head pointed towards her opponents. She blocked a strike and parried another. The sound of steel against steel was loud in the silence of the night. A flash, like lightning, and she barely dodged a thrust that could have cut her badly, though it gave her the opportunity to strike. The satisfying feeling of steel cutting through skin, bone and tendon, followed by a howl of pain let her know that she had struck home. One of them was looking at his hand that was holding the sword, a hand that was now hanging down lifeless, stuck on the arm still with some pieces of skin and tendon while blood was squirting out of the arm. The Khajiit fell on his knees with a look of disbelief, rage and pain. Cyllandra moved her arm forward and thrust her sword into his skull. She did not have time to enjoy her victory as the other, now enraged by the death of his friend, attacked her in a flurry of frenzied slashes. But one who is enraged is also prone to make mistakes, this Cyllandra knew and she slid back, dodging and waiting for an opening. She was tiring him out and had cut him a little, more to irritate him than to actual hurt him but it did trouble him. His attacks were less strong as before. Then she found her opening. She turned to dodge, drove him back with a feign and slashed the back of his legs and his back before letting Moonblade come down on his left shoulder cutting through his shoulder blade and collarbone. He fell to the ground, his blood colouring the sand a dark red. Cyllandra was shaking on her legs, out of breath and her arms felt heavy. She realized she had forgotten about the third Khajiit as she heard him come closer behind her and turned to meet him, her sword ready to strike. Clap Clap* Clap* “Cyllandra did very good. I have taught you well.” It was Bandras and he had a wide grin on his face. “Bandras? Wha...Why...” She looked at him puzzled, her mind trying to understand what was going on. Then suddenly she knew. “Is this your doing?!” She bellowed pointing her sword towards him. “A test of sorts. One you have passed.” He replied with a sugary sweet voice, his grin even wider than before and a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. “Are you insane in the mind?! What if they had killed me?!” Her voice had gotten even louder. “Nonsense,” His voice was calm and he seemed unfazed by her outburst. “You lack faith but Bandras does not. I was certain you would not get hurt or be killed.” “Who were they anyway?” Suddenly she felt a bit nauseous and breathed deeply in and out to try and get that feeling to subside. “Low-lifes. Thugs. Old...friends of Bandras. Don't worry. They will not be missed.” “You're a real cold bastard” She frowned as she looked at him not knowing if he was telling the truth. “I know this and consider it a compliment.” He truly sounded proud and she turned her eyes away from him without saying another thing “This was my final lesson for I have nothing left to teach you. Also this is my farewell gift. These Khajiit were wanted by the law and have bounties on their heads. They are yours and will provide you with enough coin to go back to your Valenwood. Go home little Bosmer.” “I...” “Yes, yes. Say nothing. This one will miss you. Perhaps we will meet again someday and Cyllandra can play her flute once more. Until then little Bosmer. May your roads lead you to warm sands.” She was still standing there for some time after Bandras left, staring at the two bodies and wondering how on earth she would explain this to the city guard. [i]Damn Khajiit[/i][/hider]