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    1. Mortarion 10 yrs ago

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7 yrs ago
Current Sometimes I wonder whether or not my trust is misplaced or not, especially when it seems that the trust I place in some people isn't reciprocated.
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7 yrs ago
All that is gold does not glitter; not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither; deep roots are not reached by the frost.
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8 yrs ago
Currently in exam periods at University after a full month of mobilization and a constant strike Things arent looking well so ill either be busy trying to save the semester or not because its lost
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8 yrs ago
I should re-read the Lord of the Rings one of these days
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8 yrs ago
Is it wierd that, whenever I am stressed I want to RP? I don't know, helps keep my mind off of certain things. Don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
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Most Recent Posts

@POOHEAD189I'm in the same boat as BC truth be told, plus I've been rather distracted the last couple of days. I'll try and get something up asap
Well, sorry for hte delay, but I finally got a post up.
With the group having decided to head deeper into the forest, Nicademus muttered a short prayer of thanks to Varden, the god of vigilance, for having watched over them as they fought against the Mantiraus before he resumed the march in silence. It didn't went unnoticed by the knight how the path they walked on began to change, growing wider and with the soil becoming more barren until they suddenly found themselves looking at the abrupt end of the treeline that had marked the scenery ever since they had left on their patrol. "What in the..." Nicademus muttered in disbelief as he stared at the barren terrain in front of them.

As the shock from the sudden change wore off, Nicademus' attention was drawn towards the two statues that stood at the entrance of the road in front of them. The knight approached the statues, inspecting the stonework that had went into creating the sculptures in front of him; he was no expert but, to his untrained eye, the stone figures seemed well built and placed were they stood with the intent of marking the entrance. "But the entrance to what? Some long dead kingdom?" The knight thought inwardly, but any further thoughts were interrupted when he heard An-Hasst speaking.

"Not that I know." He replied to the Skayleigh's question regarding if someone in the village knew about this. "But, admittedly, I've never ventured too far from the village since my arrival, it could be that the villagers simply thought that it wasn't worth mentioning anythign about this. For all we know, this place." He said, motioning with one arm to the area past the two statues. "Could have been like this since the villagers first arrived." The knight finished, frowning slightly as he pondered what would be the best course of action. "We could always return to the village and ask them about this place. See what they know and then return with more information."

@POOHEAD189@Stormflyx@Gardevoiran@BCTheEntity@The Fated Fallen@Fetzen
@POOHEAD189Shoot, my bad, sorry, soprry, been really distracted lately. I'll try and get something up asap!
The Choices We Make

By Morty & @Greenie



18th of Midyear, late morning, Alik’r Desert tent village

It was somewhat shameful, but when Megana Corvus woke up the day after the prison break; the sun would soon be nearing its zenith and it was more than clear from the sounds of people outside her tent that most folk had been awake for quite a few hours. Groaning piteously and holding her head with both hands, she pleaded with Stendarr to have mercy on her throbbing head. Tea with Sevari had been nice, drinking rum with Gaius had been nice… having a stupid bet with the locals in a hookah den that she could down more drinks than they could had been stupid. She hadn’t won, and now she was nursing a dreadful hangover with lighter pockets than before.

Swaying as she slowly pulled herself up to a seated position, the Nord reached around with a hand, patting away at the ground until she found her shirt, carelessly dropped on the dusty ground in her drunken stupor. This is m'tent… righ’? A moment of panic had her standing up suddenly- the next instance she stumbled and moaned, head hanging and arms pressing against the sides, shirt still dangling from her hand in her face. The smell of smoke and drink filled her nostrils and she let out another groan, this one of pity and disgust. She really needed to control her inhibitions.

After a good while of freshening up and managing to find another shirt to wear, Meg guzzled down some water before finally heading out of her tent, eyes lowered against the light. She didn't quite feel hungry… or rather she felt as if she'd probably throw up anything she attempted to eat, so for the time being her mission was to simply survive, and hopefully find Jaraleet. She hadn't seen him since their arrival at the village, and truth be told he had seemed withdrawn even after the escape from the prison. Meg had been preoccupied with the entertainment the previous night, but with regret looming heavily on her senses, she hoped to find him and see how he was doing.

Unfortunately for the Nord woman, Jaraleet had withdrawn from the village almost immediately afterwards the celebrations had started. In truth, the Argonian hadn’t been in any kind of festive mood after their successful escape from the prison; what they had seen in the Necromancer’s room, plus the confrontation between Sevari and Gregor, had left the Argonian with plenty to think over. And so, like he often did when he needed to think, the assassin had found himself falling into the training exercises that had been ever-present in his life since he had been handed over to the An-Xileel.

Through fields you till,” The assassin intoned in Jel as he lunged with his sword, “Through broken earth,” he continued on with the follow-up move. “Through crops that you will grow,” Jaraleet followed up, his breath heavy with the strain of exercise. “Honor that which is change.” So absorbed was he in his training and his recitation, that the normally keen eyed Argonian didn’t notice when Meg found him in the middle of his training routine.

“There y'are!” It had taken a while to find the Argonian, though probably not as difficult as it would have been if he was any other race. Meg paused a little ways away from Jaraleet, seeing he was absorbed in his training, though that did not stop her from speaking up. It was a shame she was still hard harbouring the remnants of her hangover, because otherwise she wouldn't have been amiss to a sparring session.

“Didn't see much of ya last nigh’,” she continued, pushing her messy hair away from her eyes- it was still damp from her attempt of dunking her head in water to clear her fuzzy mind. “Doin’ a'ight?”

Jaraleet paused as he heard Meg addressing him, his stance visibly relaxing as he turned to look at the Nord woman. “Hmmm, I didn’t feel in a celebratory mood truth be told.” He said to her, a look of concern briefly settling in his face as he noticed the poor state that Meg was in. “I am, more or less. Didn’t had much sleep last night, truth be told, but I’m used to that kind of things.” He said as he approached her, frowning slightly. “You don’t look too good yourself.”

“Wha’, me? I'm fine!” The declaration was only hampered by a little bit of sheepishness, knowing that despite her change of clothes, she did probably still look like a mess. However, she wasn't quite concerned with her state right now, a frown on her own face to rival his.

“And I’m Sanguine in disguise.” The Argonian replied drily to her comment that she was fine, shaking his head slightly. “Did you overdo it with the drinking?” He asked, raising one eyebrow in the direction of the Nord woman.

Meg let out a begrudging huff. “Maybe a li'l. What about you?” Ya didn’ feel like celebratin’?” From what she recalled, everyone had been taking a break from dour moods, enjoying the music and laughter and general happy vibes. Even the Khajiit man she had deemed scary had seemed in a celebratory mood of sorts… so why not Jaraleet?

“No, I didn’t.” He replied, somewhat bluntly, to her question about not feeling like celebrating.

“What's the matter?” Hands at her hips, she looked up at the Argonian, a decisive look on her face.

“Just got a lot of things on my mind to process at the moment.” He answered. It wasn’t the full truth, but it wasn’t a complete lie either. “Is it really all that surprising that I didn’t felt like partying after all we’ve been through?”

“Well, kinda?” Meg let her arms fall loose as she approached the Argonian man, her expression no longer annoyed, the frown on her face shifting to one of concern. “Everyone was happy t'get outta there, not jus’ alive but with Alim an’ Sirine's brother, an’ we even foun’ Gaius an’ Fjolte of all people!” A hint of a smile came to her face at the Nord she had never expected to see again, but it left as she focused on Jaraleet once more. “So… why not you? Wha’ is botherin’ ya?”

Jaraleet smiled at Meg, touched by her concern, and pulled her into a quick embrace. “I’m fine.” He muttered as he hugged her, letting go of her a second afterwards. “I’m just...worried about what the future holds. And some things I saw while in the prison.” He admitted, letting out a soft sigh. “Guess I’m a bit different from the rest. I’m not used to partying, truth be told.” He said, letting out a soft, self-deprecating, chuckle.

“We dunno what the future's gonna bring,” Meg replied quietly. She had been surprised by the spontaneous hug though not averse, and a little disappointed it had ended so quickly. “Tha’s why we gotta take the chance t'enjoy when it shows itself, no? Gettin’ out of there, alive with our friends…” She nudged him, a small smile on her lips. “If ya don’ know how t'party, I'm sure y'can learn.”

“Hmmm, I never said I don't know how to cut loose, you know.” He replied, smiling softly in her direction. “I'm just not used to partying all that much. And I wasn't in too much of a mood to do so, like I said previously.” He added after a second. “And I'm sorry, for worrying you I mean.” Jaraleet said softly, placing his hands on her shoulder and giving them a light squeeze.

“So y’said,” she agree, letting out a breath. “Min’ tellin’ me why y’weren’ in the mood then? What did y’see there?” Meg didn’t expect him to be shaken by anything, not after Gilane.

“The lair of a Necromancer.” He said, crossing his arms over his chest. “I'm not shaken, if you are thinking about that….it was more the…” The Argonian said, pausing for a second as he thought how to explain himself. “The cleanliness of it all, I suppose. The place was equal parts a laboratory, I suppose, and a butcher shop where the prisoners were sent to be processed. It wouldn't surprise me if that's where the Dwemer got their means to power their automatons and other war machines.” Jaraleet said, pausing for a second to allow Meg to process what he had just told her. “It left me thinking, and without much of a mood to celebrate.”

“I’ve seen ‘em b’fore,” Meg replied after a moment of silence. “In Skyrim… sometimes me an’ J’raij would stumble on ‘em. Dunno ‘bout… ‘em bein’ clean though. Filthy, bloody. We were lucky they were abandoned.” Her face looked disgusted just thinking of the sight and smell, and what sort of horrible people could go through with doing such vile deeds. She let out a sigh, reaching out to pat Jaraleet’s arm. “I can see why y’wouldn’ wanna join in… jus’... hm.” Her lips were pressed tightly as she tried to think of what to say. “Y’don’ havta keep things in, y’can talk about ‘em. If not t’me, then t’others. Like Sevari? He’s yer friend.” She recalled the chat with the large Khajiit, her frown softening a little. “If anyone’s gonna know how y’feel, it’d prob be him. He did say y’both came from the same world.”

Jaraleet smiled at Meg’s words, nodding slightly. “You are right, I can talk with him. Like he said, we both come from the same world.” The Argonian said, chuckling softly. “Like you said, if anyone gonna know how I feel, it’s probably him.” He said, pausing for a second as a thought crossed over his mind. “And you, you do seem to have a knack for knowing how I feel.” He added with a small smirk.

“Well o’course I do,” Meg replied, sounding a little grumpy. She crossed her arms over her chest, letting out a sigh and shaking her head. “Y’should know by now I would. Ain’t like we’re friend’s or somethin’.” There was a definite hint of sarcasm in her voice, though she did manage a chuckle afterwards, relaxing her stance. “So don’ tell me, ye’ve jus’ been fightin’ with yer shadow since we got here? Didja eat an’ sleep at least?”

“I know, I know.” Jaraleet replied, smiling fondly at Meg. He chuckled sheepishly when she asked him if he had at least eaten or gotten some sleep. “Can’t say I did.” He admitted, knowing full well that the Nord woman would probably be less than pleased by his admission. “Honestly, it’s fine, I’m used to this. I swear.” He added after a second, hoping that Meg wouldn’t be too mad at him.

“Hmph.” Meg’s little frown returned and she shook her head even more vehemently than before, short messy locks bouncing as she did. “Tha’ ain’t good enough. I don’ think it'll kill ya t'take a break an’ head back t'get some food an’ rest. 'Sides, I'm sure the others'll wanna know yer doin’ fine too.”

“Believe me, I know my limits. And I’m nowhere near them right now.” He said reassuringly, chuckling mirthlessly when she mentioned that the others would probably want to know that he was doing fine too. “Do you really think so? I’m not exactly the most popular member of our little group.”

“Y’don’ havta wait ‘til y’reach yer limits t’take a break,” Meg snapped, shoving the toe of her boot hard against the ground. She huffed before shaking her head yet again, this time less vigorously than before- her head still hurt and she really didn’t think it would help the way she was feeling. “Sorry.” Letting out a loud sigh, she then took a calming breath before continuing. “I’m just still feelin’ the remainin’ hangover… that bein’ said… I think yer wrong. I think more people like ya than y’think.”

“Alright, alright, how about I take a break now, and get something to eat with you. Does that sound alright to you?” The Argonian finally relented when Meg snapped at him, placing one hand on her shoulder. “If you are still hungover, it probably wouldn’t hurt to get something to eat, and probably some water to drink as well.” He added, a note of concern on his voice.

“Yeah well… you should too,” Meg replied, still sounding rather grumpy. “So yeah” She did find herself somewhat peckish now, and if it finally force the Argonian to let down his 'hair’, she was ready to be appeased as well. It was strange, she wasn't sure why it annoyed her so much that he seemed so self-depreciative when at times- no, it was most times- she felt the same about herself.

Attempting a smile, she reached up and took hold of the hand on her shoulder, removing it from there but keeping a hold of it nonetheless. She motioned with her head towards the tent village. “C’mon then. They have some pretty good food.”

“You don’t need to keep convincing me. I already said I’d go.” The Argonian replied, chuckling fondly. He smiled as Meg motioned towards the village, “Then lead the way, I haven’t been around it too much so it’s probably for the best that you show me around.”

“A’ight then.”

Leading the way back to the masses of tents and through the makeshift streets were no big feat for Meg, not after her ventures the previous night, even though much of it had been passed in tiredness or a drunken stupor. Now that she was awake and somewhat focused, she could appreciate the simple beauty of life here, reminding her of stories she would hear from passing by Alik’r warriors when she was much younger. She had found them so strange yet fascinating, and it had been hard to imagine such a large expanse filled with only sand. Not so any longer.

As she continued forward, her eyes caught sight of the teahouse she had visited with Sevari, and the conversation between the two loomed in her mind. “What did he mean?” she wondered aloud, looking at Jaraleet. “Bein’ from the same world?”

Jaraleet was silent for a second before he let out a sigh. “We are both assassins, spies.” He said, looking at Meg in the eyes. “In our world, we are just tools. As easily as discarded as a blade that dulls. That’s what he meant when he said that we are from the same world.”

“Well tha's jus’ wrong,” Meg replied sullenly. She didn't like- no, she couldn't stand such a thought. Everyone had a life, everyone was an individual with feelings. Treating people like they were just to be used and thrown away like a worn item was disgusting and sad in her opinion, and she couldn't think how anyone could make her change her mind about the matter. “Yer no tool! Yer a person, jus’ like me! Sevari is a person too.” Her lips pressed tightly after that, unsure she would be able to control her words.

But that’s what I am, Meg. What I’ve been all my life, and I accept this. The Argonian thought inwardly, opting to keep silent by how Meg had reacted to what he had said. “If you are thinking something, you know you can tell me, right?” He said as he pulled her a little closer to him, squeezing her hand softly. “Please, tell me what you are thinking.”

Gritting her teeth in an attempt to stay rational and not overly emotional, Meg remained quiet for a good moment before finally speaking once again. “It jus’ doesn’ seem fair,” she finally muttered. “Everyone's gotta choice… everyone should have a choice. D’you… wanna stay what y'are? Be a tool?”

“I….” Jaraleet began, falling silent as he pondered Meg’s question. “It is...a difficult question for me to answer.” He admitted finally, letting out a sigh. “This life is all I’ve known for as long as I remember.” Jaraleet said, shaking his head slightly. “Truth be told, I can’t answer your question. What I want is something I’ve had not much chance to ponder.”

“A li'l change never hurt anyone.” She paused in her steps and let out a sigh. Perhaps it was easy for her to say, she had never really been a stagnant sort; as soon as she had found herself growing weary of life in Whiterun, she had left for adventure. But not everyone was like her, as she had discovered time and time again in the last couple of months. It seemed despite the difficulties and lack of a mother she had endured as a child, things weren't all that bad.

She smiled a little. “'It is good t’be brave’, that's a Khajiit sayin’, learned it yesterday. An’ I gotta say, change needs a person t'be brave…” She licked at her dry lips, wondering if she was saying too much now. “It's yer choice anyway.” She abruptly changed the subject, pointing to a stall where a sweet and bready scent was coming. “How's ‘bout we try some of that?”

“One last thing, before we go in there.” Jaraleet said as he pulled Meg a little closer to him. “Thank you Meg, for what you said.” He told her, pulling her into an unexpected hug. “I think...I think that if I had a choice, I’d like to stay with you.” He said quietly, letting go of Meg after a moment. “Come, let’s go in there.” He added, motioning to the stall with his head before he guided Meg there.

“Ain’ like I'm goin’ off anywhere,” the Nord woman replied, somewhat molified by the hug she received. She knew very well there was still much she didn't know, but now wasn't the time to go into that. Smiling genially, she nodded. “I'm here, rain or shine- or snow if yer in Skyrim.” Pulling her money pouch from her belt, she held it out for the Argonian to take. “Here, we can use whatever's left.”

“Thank you.” Was Jaraleet’s simple reply as he accepted her money pouch, making his way into the stall with Meg and ordering for the two of them. Like he had told Meg, there was much he had to think about but, right now, he could enjoy a meal with her and her company. Whatever doubts he had could wait after that.
Alright, it's, well, really short when compared to my normal posts but I managed to get something up. Sorry if it's, well, a bit mediocre in quality, my apologies.
The Andred knight was silent for a long while after Calanon and Argon's words, doubt nagging at his mind. Was he truly being just a paranoid fool? His gut instincts told him that something out of the ordinary was afoot and, yet, all that they had found seemed to point to the contrary. The half-elf's words about waking threats best left sleeping if they continued their patrol also worried him.

He was about to suggest they return to the village before they instigated a threat worse than the Mantiraus when An-Hasst spoke. The Skayleigh's words served to bolster the knight's waning confidence. "I agree with An-Hasst." Nicademus finally spoke, nodding in the Skayleigh's direction. Whatever beasts or potential threats we might disturb now would also have been disturbed when your group or when myself moved on from the village." He continued on as he followed after Calanon. "It is best for us to take our chance now, when we have the village to fall back on still." He finished, falling silent once more as he resumed the march through the forest.

@The Fated Fallen@Gardevoiran@Fetzen@BCTheEntity@Stormflyx@POOHEAD189
@POOHEAD189 Sorry man, been distracted as all hell as of late, but I'll get a post up before the weekend is done.
I reallyyyy should get something up soon too. Will begin to work on something asap.
Change of Pace

Brought to you by Mortarion and @Greenie



14th of Midyear 4E208, early morning, Underground tunnel.

How could it all have gone so wrong.” These were the thoughts that filled Jaraleet’s mind as the Argonian ran through the tunnels that they had once used to infiltrate inside the palace. He was no fool, he knew that the Poncy Man and his insurgency would try to get rid of them once they no longer saw any use in the group….but he hadn’t expected for them to attack them now. If it hadn’t been for Zhaib and Janelle’s spell they would all be dead now, their bodies riddled with the bullets from the rifles that Irranhu had stolen. His thoughts came to a sudden halt as he heard a moan of pain and his heart twisted as he looked down and saw who he was carrying in his arms: Meg.

As they had been running towards the tunnels, one of the insurgents had seemed to recuperate faster than his comrades and he had, unfortunately, managed to hit Meg in the leg as the Nord woman was making her way towards the entrance of the tunnel. “Don’t worry Meg, everything will be ok.” The Argonian said softly as he continued running through the underground passage. Now was not the time to let his mind be distracted with iddle thoughts, he reminded himself; his priority was to find Meg a healer who could look at the wound in her leg.

"Y- y'sure?" Meg wasn't. This hurt more than any would she'd had ever received, and it was all she could do to keep herself from screaming in pain or throwing up do to it. She barely even realized she was being carried by the argonian. One moment she'd been fine, the next she had let out a scream unlike any she had before and crumpled to the ground.

"What... happened?" Blinded by her own tears, she couldn't really make sense of anything right now.

“I am, I am, trust in me.” The Argonian replied, trying to make his voice as soothing as possible to ease Meg’s worries but he couldn’t help the worry that crept into his voice. “You were shot, by one of those drykillers from Irranhu.” Jaraleet answered, his voice cold and full of rage as he remembered the moment and his grip on Meg tightening ever so slightly before he relaxed again.

“Don’t worry, everything will be fine.” He repeated once more, giving Meg a brief smile. “If I could survive a shot to the gut, you can survive this. I know that you can.” He finished, giving her shoulder a light squeeze to try and reassure her.

Meg wanted to reply something coherent, but she was having a hard time. Even if she could, she knew very well she wasn't as strong as Jaraleet. Cuts and bruises she'd endured her whole life were nothing compared to getting shot. Why hadn't she run quicker than that? Forcing herself to calm down was an impossibility, so she tried to focus on anything other than the nauseating pain. Eventually however she simply passed out, which perhaps was for the better.

“Meg? Meg?” Jaraleet asked, worry plain on his voice, when the Nord woman didn't answer to his previous words. He paused to look down for a second and breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that she had just merely fallen unconscious. “You rest now Meg, I’ll make sure that everything will be alright.” He said softly as he began running again, focusing his mind entirely on one task: getting back to the Three Crowns and getting the Nord woman medical help.




The carnage that greeted them at the hotel did little to phase the Argonian, who ignored the wailing cries of those who had survived the Dwemer’s assault on the building. A lifetime of being an agent of the An-Xileel had deadened him to the horrors of slaughter and death, and the Argonian’s mind was focused on the task of getting Meg medical help above everything else.

The Argonian made a beeline towards the infirmary located in the hotel, kicking the doors open only to find himself greeted with more chaos. What staff was in the infirmary was occupied treating those who had survived the centurion’s assault, but it was clear that the vast majority of the wounded wouldn't survive. Spotting a bed that was mercifully empty, Jaraleet made his way there and gently deposited Meg in it. “Everything will be fine Meg, we are back in the hotel. I'll go and get you some help.” The Argonian said softly before he turned back to the chaos that reigned in the infirmary.

Quickly spotting a nurse that was making her way through the room, Jaraleet intercepted the woman in an instant. “You.” The assassin said, his voice cold and bereft of any sympathy or mercy, as he grabbed the nurse by the wrist. “You will help her,” He continued on, using his free hand to point at the bed were he had left Meg. “Is that clear?” He finished, his voice indicating that the woman had no choice in the matter whatsoever.

It seemed as if the nurse had indeed done what the Argonian had ordered; by the time Meg came to consciousness once more, the pain that had been assaulting her was quite numbed down. She could finally seen the state of her leg, bloody and reminding her of how Jaraleet's wound had looked. Bringing a hand to her mouth, she managed to quell the nauseated sensation that had returned. She didn't feel good despite the numbness of pain, and she was quite sure despite healing and potions, she wouldn't be walking for a while.

"This... ain' good," she mumbled, attempting to sit up. She was going to be a burden when they had to leave Gilane, and fast.

“Easy there, easy.” Jaraleet said as soon as he noticed that Meg had woken up once again, placing a hand on her shoulder. He debated inwardly for a second whether or not to tell her how bad things were before deciding that it’d be best to be honest with Meg. “Yes, things aren’t looking too good.” He finally said with a sigh, shaking his head slightly. “I take it the pain is less than it was before?” He asked her softly, a note of worry in his voice.

Meg nodded, though she was looking around herself. There were others here... but no one she knew. She could recognize the building structure and colours as the Three Crowns Hotel, but she didn't understand why there were so many others injured here.

"I don' think I can walk though..." She slowly pushed herself up on her hand, looking at Jaraleet, a question in her still groggy eyes. "Where're the rest...?" What had happened at the palace had to mean no place was safe for the group, and now that she could think, Meg knew they had to get out of here. "We- we need t'leave."

“We do, Gilane is no longer safe for us to stay in.” The Argonian said with a sigh, shaking his head slightly. “Alms it everyone is here on the hotel. Alim….Alim was captured while trying to hold back a group of Dwemer soldiers so that Rhona and Brynja could escape. We have no idea were the two of them are, but Alim has probably been carted off to one of the Dwemer’s prisons.” He finished, taking Meg’s hand in his and giving it a light squeeze. “We are currently gathering our things and then we are leaving.”

"Knew that would happen..." Meg let out a breath, shutting her eyes as she listened to the argonian speak. Alim gone. Brynja... It was hard to bear the stinging of her tears, and when she finally opened her eyes, though she was calmer, her tears nonetheless rolled and dripped off her chin. "Well... looks like we're gonna havta save him then, eh?" She pushed herself up completely, though when she tried to move her leg she found it rather difficult.

"Shit." This was going to be a problem. "Shit..." Her hands clenched into fists, her eyes falling on the scars that still decorated her knuckles. "My stuff... it's in m'room, in the chest. A chest piece... a bow. There's a pouch with septims..." She took in a breath and let it out quickly. "I need t'drop tha' off for Zahir. He's... he's gonna be waitin' for me..."

“I’ll go and get them, don’t worry. For now you need to get as much rest as you can Meg.” The Argonian said softly, placing one hand in her shoulder before giving her a pleading look. “Please, take it easy.” He said, chewing on his lip for a second as he thought about what to say about the matter of Zahir. “As to what happens with Zahir….we’ll have to see if we can find him.” Jaraleet finally said with a sigh, shaking his head slightly. “Is there anything else I need to get back from your room aside from what you mentioned before?” He added, wanting to switch away from the topic of Zahir. He knew that Meg cared about the Redguard orphan, but right now there was no time to worry about him.

“I can’ just leave him like- withou’ nothin’...” She knew it had to be selfish and stubborn, but it was her own fault she had asked the boy to trust her. Why had she taken that responsibility? Now she had to leave without warning and would only be leaving behind memories of broken promises. What if he ended up getting beaten up or even worse because he had no gold to spend? Maybe it would have been better if she had never met the boy… Her mouth trembled before she composed herself yet again with a deep breath. “That’s all. Don’ think I have any other shit.”

“Meg…” The Haj-Eix began before letting out a sigh. He knew this was a battle he couldn’t win. “Alright, we’ll try and find Zahir after we gather our things.” He conceded,shaking his head slightly “We’ll give him your money, maybe see if we can get some food from here too, and then we’ll explain to him why we must leave, ok?”

She shook her head. "No... yer kind but I know we ain' got that much time." Meg winced as she tested her good leg, letting it settle on the floor. "Outside the hotel, there was a spot I'd drop things for 'im, we can hide it there. Won' take long. I don' wanna waste time an' let anyone else get hurt."

“Hey, hey, what did I say about taking it easy.” Jaraleet said as Meg winced when she tested her good leg. He let out a sigh at her next words, shaking his head slightly. “If you are sure, then I’ll go and retrieve your stuff and see if I can find some food for Zahir. You stay here and, I don’t know, try and write something so that the boy knows what’s up, alright?” The Argonian said, waiting for a moment to make sure that Meg would do as he had told her and then left to retrieve her belongings from her room.

"Aye," Meg replied, nodding a little. She would wait here- it wasn't as if she could move without any help. Once the argonian had left though she reached down into her tunic's pocket. Inside was her map of Gilane, wrinkled from all the folding up. She straightened it up before turning it around to its blank side, and as she did, she pulled out some leftover charcoal in her pocket to write with.

ZAHIR, I HAVE TO LEAVE. SORRY I CANT STAY FOR YOU. BUT I WILL COME BACK. USE THE SEPTIMS PROPERLY. DONT GET INTO FIGHTS. BE SAFE.
TALOS KEEP YOU SAFE.
MEG


Shortly after Meg was done writing her letter on the back of the map, Jaraleet appeared. On his back he was carrying the backpacks in which the both of them kept their possessions. “Are you ready?” The Argonian asked once he had approached the bed, a note of concern in his voice. “You show me the way and I’ll carry you to the spot.”

The spot wasn't too far away, just outside the hotel gates in a secluded area where no one would think to go. Zahir had been the one to show it to her when they had first met, so she had trusted his judgement and it hadn't proven wrong yet. Meg could only hope he wouldn't hold it against her, but more than that, she hoped he remained safe and sound.

"Let's go," she said quietly once the money and note was dropped off. There was no sense lingering.

“If you are sure.” Jaraleet said softly, picking up Meg again in his arms before he began walking away from the spot. He knew that Meg was hurting, or would be soon at any rate, but now there was no time to stop, they had to get out of Gilane and rendezvous with the others. Luckily, despite having to carry Meg, Jaraleet managed to slip through Gilane’s streets easily enough and they soon found themselves in front of the city gates along with the others in the group.

Once they were there he made his way to where he, Sevari, and Latro had stashed their horses. “Here,” he said as he placed Meg on the horse’s saddle. “No idea how far away this oasis that Shakti is leading us to is, so it’d be better for you to ride the horse. Don’t worry, I’m used to walking long distances.” He told her, smiling at the Nord woman reassuringly.

Meg wasn't about to say no to the kind gesture. Even if she had wanted to, it would have been stupidity with her useless leg. "Thanks, Jaraleet," she replied softly, a weak smile on her face. She wasn't happy with the situation, but she was happy she had someone like him to depend on. Without thinking too much of it, she leaned over as much as she could without fear of falling and pressed her lips against his cheek. "I appreciate it."

Jaraleet was surprised when Meg leaned down to kiss his cheek, his hand moving to touch the spot where he had been kissed. He blinked, still somewhat incredulous, before he smiled at Meg. “It’s no problem, I’m glad to be of help.” He told her, taking her hand in his and giving it a slight squeeze before they started moving.



14th of Midyear, late afternoon, Oasis

It was probably the hardest journey Meg had ever made, and it wasn't even as if she was using her own two legs to make it like the times she had wandered the roads of Skyrim. When they came by the caravan, she immediately volunteered to sit in the wagon, even if it was being driven by the infamous Zaveed along with some Redguard looking woman who know one seemed to know. It didn't matter though. Her leg was hurting once again- while riding the horse kept pressure off of it, the jostling from the ride was enough to start the pain once more. The wagon was godssend for the Nord, and despite the clear negativity in the air, Meg was simply praising Mara she could rest under some shade. She did feel somewhat guilty to know the others were walking. At least Jaraleet could now ride on the horse though.

When they finally reached the oasis, it felt like days had passed, even if it night had not even come to pass. It was hard to even imagine such a place could even exist in the expanse of all the sand and heat, but here it was. A reprieve, a gift from the gods. Despite her soreness, Meg couldn't help but grin tiredly as she peeked out from the wagon, taking in the scent of sand, water and vegetation.

“You seem to be happy to be here, Meg.” Jaraleet commented as he saw the Nord woman peek out from the wagon. “I understand, I’m happy to be here too after the march through that blasted desert.” The Argonian laughed, shaking his head before settling on a smile. “There seems to be a nearby river, want me to take you there?”

"It was so bloody hot," she muttered. "Can' imagine how it was for y'all out there." The prospect of heading by the river was a nice one though, and the slight grumble in her voice disappeared. "Aye! Er... lemme try t'walk though. Don' wanna forget how to." Truthfully, she was just rather embarrassed now, especially with everyone there.

“If you are sure…” The Argonian said, a slight hint of reproach in his voice. “But if I see you wincing, I’m carrying you there whether you like it not.” He said, frowning slightly, as he offered Meg his hand so she could step down from the wagon.

Meg grabbed on to his hand and stepped out, putting all of her weight on her good leg, hopping about a little until she was sure she wouldn't fall over. "Isn' it amazin'," she marvelled, "how things're green in here?" She leaned against Jaraleet, not ready to topple over quite yet. "The sound of the river kinda reminds me of back in Riften when I was a kid."

“It is, never seen something quite like this in my life.” Jaraleet said, taking in the sights of the oasis. When Meg leaned against him, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders without thinking, not quite realizing what he had done. “Hmmm, tell me about it.” He said softly, pausing for a second as he realized that he might not have been all that clear. “About your childhood I mean.”

Meg blinked a little before grinning once more, shoving any notion of pain to the side for the time being. It was the first time he’d asked, and she was more than happy to divulge a little bit about herself. “I was born in Riverwood,” she started, mentally going back in time to try and remember. “Ma died when I was real small… Pa didn’ take it too good… but when he returned t’hisself, he decided t’move t’Riften. He used t’live there ‘fore he met Ma, y’see. He knew folks there, friends I s’pose? So we moved there an’ he’d go work as a bodyguard for rich skeevers.” She rubbed her neck sheepishly with her free hand. “I was s’posed t’stay in the house or head to Mara’s temple but… eh. I like t’wander ‘bout. Good thing too, that’s where I learned it all, sneakin’ about, sticky fingers… ehehe.

“But yeah, there were canals all ‘round, an’ even though I’d keep away from ‘em- I can’ swim- ‘t’was still nice listening to the water.” Her nose wrinkled. “Didn’ smell too great though.”

“You know….” Jaraleet started once Meg had finished talking, pausing for a brief second as he thought on what to say next. “Maybe once things have calmed down, if they do at any rate, you could….show me around Riften maybe?” He asked her softly, an edge of uncertainty to his voice. “Maybe I could teach you to swim too, if you are interested that is.” He added after a second, chuckling softly. Who knew what the future had in store for either of them but….right now, there wasn’t any harm in allowing himself to hope for such things, of this Jaraleet was certain.

Meg let out a small chuckle, hearing the note of hesitantion in the argonian's voice. "Sounds like a plan t'me," she replied with a nod. "Though I don'- well, I don' really live anywhere, but Pa's house is in Whiterun an' that's quite aways from Riften. Y'should visit the whole of it, bet you'd like it. Markarth's beautiful if ya like mountains..." She let out a small sigh. "It ain' hot like here, tha's for sure."

She blinked as she remembered his other comment. "Swimmin'? Me?" She looked a little nervous at the prospect. "I dunno... sound's kinda risky. Last time I tried was 'cause I was 'bout t'drown." She was referring to the dwemer ruins, of course.

“Hmmm, never been to Skyrim. It would certainly be nice to visit….” He replied wistfully, smiling ever so slightly. He chuckled softly when he saw the look of nervousness that crossed Meg’s face at the prospect of learning to swim and he smiled reassuringly at the Nord woman. “Hey, it’s only if you want, and I’d be there. Nothing would happen to you.” He said softly and reassuringly, giving her shoulder a light squeeze and pulling her just a bit closer.

"Hrmmm," Meg replied. It wasn't like she didn't trust her friend, but the idea of learning something so late in her life was a little daunting. Also, wasn't it argonians who could breathe underwater? He had natural affinity with water, unlike her!

"I mean, it'd be nice," she replied, relenting slightly. "Long as I don' feel like I'm dyin'."

“We’ll take it slowly, don’t worry.” He reassured her with a smile before chuckling slightly. “Plus, don’t think there’d be a better teacher than an Argonian.” He joked slightly. “Really, it’ll all be fine.” He added after a second. “But, like I said before, I won’t force you if you don’t want to.”

Meg looked up at Jaraleet before relenting even further. "Then once we're outta the desert," she decided. "Might as well, ain' a bad thin' knowin' how t'get across water." She then pointed over to a spot that looked nice to sit. "I'mma sit a bit, feelin' kinda tired from the walkin’."

“Then it’s decided, once we are out of this blasted desert, I’ll teach you.” The Argonian said, smiling at Meg, before moving his gaze to the spot where she was pointing at. “Hmmm, resting sounds good to me too.” He admitted, chuckling softly. “Want me to help you get there?”

"Aye that'd be nice," Meg replied. She still felt silly relying on the help, but who was she to say know? At least he had been kind enough to endure her stubbornness the first time. "Hm... thank you for all this, y'know. An' b'fore. About Zahir."

Jaraleet nodded and helped Meg make her way to the spot she had pointed, helping her to sit down before he followed suit. “There’s no need to thank me Meg.” He said softly once he was settled, smiling at the Nord woman. “If you need help, regardless of what it is, I’m here for you.” Jaraleet told her, pausing for a second as he pondered whether to not say what on his mind. “Do you….do you wanna talk about it? About Zahir and Gilane, I mean.” He asked softly, concern plain in his voice.

Looking out at the water, Meg remained quiet for a while before finally speaking. "I... I wish we didn' have t'leave him like tha'. I had a Pa growin' up, but there was lotsa times I was alone an' just walkin' on the streets, wantin' someone t'talk to, t'be my friend. Bein' lonely ain' fun... an', I've just done tha' t'him."

Jaraleet was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say, before moving closer to Meg and wrapping one arm around her shoulder. “We’ll return for him, one day.” He said without thinking, falling into a stunned silence as the realization of what he had just said hit him. “Once things have calmed down...we’ll come back and find him, ok?”

“Yeah,” Meg replied, nodding her head. When it all came to an end… whenever that was, she would go back to Gilane, even if it meant crossing all of Skyrim to do so. She had made a promise and she couldn’t go back on it. She looked to Jaraleet, smiling a little before looking back to the river, though even as she did, she leaned her head against him, taking whatever comfort she could. “Aye, ‘t’would be nice, travellin’ safe with a friend.”

Jaraleet nodded in response to Meg’s words, smiling at the Nord woman as he felt her leaning her head against his body. “It would be nice, yeah.” He replied, closing his eyes and allowing himself to enjoy the simple, peaceful, moment.
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