As Trey so justly stated, your story is very vivid, making it easy to relate to the characters.
I thoroughly enjoyed that last chapter.

Mistakes and suggestions have been noted, and I touched up the chapters accordingly. Also, I take no responsibility for any questionable innuendoes. I don't know what you people were thinking!

Another fun installment! Again, you do a good job of taking your time to slowly, and realistically, show Mandila's attraction steadily grow. You do a wonderful job of showing us her thoughts and motivations, making her step off the screen as a real, live person.

Speak of a daedric prince, there he was
I loved this excellent lore-friendly phrase. Many other writers would have made the mistake of saying "devil".

Mandila wondered if something was wrong with her own brain since she recognized danger and ran toward it anyway.
And indeed there is! The "L" word, but not like on the cable show!




I believe that should be Chorrelians...



nits:
Mandila stood atop the central lighthouse that dominated the docks, just watching a ship with large, white sails approach, and happily striking up a soft tune.
You change tenses in the middle of the sentence. It begins in past tense, then goes to present tense. Perhaps something like this:
Mandila stood atop the central lighthouse that dominated the docks. She watched a ship with large, white sails approach, and happily struck up a soft tune.


too poor to support herself with a regular job
This was confusing. Usually a job pays you money, not the other way around! Perhaps you meant she had no skills to find a regular job? Or there were no regular jobs to be had for Waterfronters like herself?



“Damn straight,” the other chuckled. “Watch out. He's coming our way. We should get back to patrol.”

“Yeah, but what about this poster? They're an eyesore.”

“Take it down. No one's watching,”
There is a continuity error here. It starts with one guard saying that Lex is coming. Then two sentences later he says no one is watching. Then later Mandila finds Lex exiting the office. But if he was in the office, the guard never could have seen him coming.


It's obvious to everyone here that you're hellbent on completing your mission,
There is no hell in ES, so you might want to try another word, like Oblivionbent, or obsessed, or dead-set, etc...

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Jul 29 2010, 05:04 PM

I am pretty sure I heard some Oblivion NPC's mention the word hell. I think Savlian from Kvatch says hell for example. Some guards too.
And to be fair, Oblivionbent just doesn't have the same ring as hellbent does.

@haute: It's amazing how I can read a chapter several times over and still totally miss mistakes. I've noticed in other things that I've written that there's this tendency to accidently switch POV for a few sentences in seemingly random sections, and I'm much more aware of that now given everyone's helpful comments. Part of the problem probably stems from the fact that I usually don't write very many drafts. I tend to spend a lot of time writing a first draft, and then I'll read through and edit the chapter, fix some wording, add content, etc. Then I simply post it. I'm not entirely sure if it's the best policy since some grammatical things continually slip by me, but I don't like sitting on a chapter for long either.

@Acadian: I aim to please.

@Melarg: In the same vein as my response to haute, it seems that I switched to more of a narrator's perspective (in reference to the inclusion of Methredhel's name) when the rest of the paragraph was Lex's perspective. I've got to be more careful about doing that!

@Trey: I second the use of 'Chorrolians'. The other choices just don't sound as nice.

@Subrosa: I actually wrote 'speak of the devil' first, but when I reread the chapter later, I realized that it didn't make sense. The other mistakes have been fixed up, but I'm still thinking about 'hellbent'. I'd like to think up a creative alternative, but nothing has come to me yet.

@Remko: I can't say that I've noticed this, but I agree that Oblivionbent doesn't have the same ring to it as hellbent. Has anyone else noticed the use of 'hell' in the game's dialogue?

"You rescued me from Hell. I won't forget it." - Ilend Vonius if you speak to him after closing the Oblivion Gate in Kvatch.

Chapter 4:

"Sir, excuse me for interrupting, but I need to speak with you immediately," a guard announced. Lex looked up from the desk where he was finishing paperwork, and stared at the man.

"What do you need?" he absently asked, much more interested in his current task.

"There's been an incident, sir."

"An incident?" Lex questioned, his relaxed tone quickly becoming stiffer. "What kind of an incident?"

"Nothing serious, sir, but the guards can't get the women to stop." By the Nine, it was some pathetic problem. Lex just knew it, and although he hated wasting time on minor issues, he was still obligated to restore order. Then again, he had been staring at paperwork for several hours, so maybe a break was in order. Forget the tedious scribbling of notes, for there was enforcement to be done, and Lex would have been lying if he claimed that he didn't like exhorting authority over people, especially when said people were causing problems. As such, he followed the guard out of the building without much reluctance, and stepped onto the harbor walkway.

"There, sir," the guard pointed, but really, there was no need for pointing. Lex couldn't have missed the indicated commotion if he were blind. He paused, a frown creasing his face.

"Why is that woman taking off her clothing?" he asked, beginning to march toward the scene. The culprit looked like an Imperial, but it was difficult to tell since her shirt was in the process of being pulled over her head--an action which exposed ample cleavage and a leather bra to the afternoon air. The woman wasn't alone in her indecency either, for two cohorts in crime were mimicking her actions, and one was...oh, this was going to be interesting day. Lex was now amidst the scene, watching as one of his subordinates futilely tried to control the situation.

"Ladies, this is most inappropriate!" the helpless guard was shouting.

"We just want to go swimming," Methredhel laughed while tossing her shirt to the ground. A crowd was watching from a distance, and several men even shouted encouragement and made catcalls, which only served to further aggravate a certain captain. Lex could not believe that he had to deal with this. Who in their right mind would strip in the middle of the street to go swimming? Didn't these women have any propriety?

"I will be forced to act if you won't dress yourselves!" the guard continued, flustered as a shirt flew into his face amid giggles. The offending garment settled into a draped position over his iron helmet before he ripped it away, and only then did the man seem to notice Lex's silent but severe presence. "Captain, sir, I swear that I'm doing my best, but they...could you please...?"

"Captain!" Lex's head snapped from the guard to the short, stone wall that separated the street from a drop to the harbor's water. He was surprised that Mandila hadn't noticed him sooner, but she'd been preoccupied with stripping and taunting the other guard. Now her eyes were wide, as if shocked, and a shy hand reached for her discarded shirt before she stopped herself. Then she morphed back into a spirited smile, and there she stood on the wall, leather bra pushing up her chest, and a blue cloth tied around her lower regions. Her pale skin stood in sharp contrast to her dark hair, and those long lashes blinked in his direction. Although apparently joyous, the faint pink in her cheeks indicated that she was fighting back a hint of embarrassment.

"If you don't come down from that wall and get dressed this instant," Lex lowly threatened, "I will be forced to arrest you." Even though the other two woman now stood on the wall as well, his words and attention were solely directed toward Mandila--that Bosmer that never seemed capable of leaving him alone. Perhaps the elf might see reason since she seemed more uncomfortable than her friends, but feeding off of her companions' energy, the discomfort soon faded.

"Forced to arrest us?" Methredhel taunted. "Oh, please. You'd gladly do it. I daresay that your guards might not mind being forced to help detain us either." One of the guards behind Lex actually chuckled, and the captain sent a scathing glare in the man's direction. Someone here had to act like a professional.

*********************************

"We're just going for a swim," Mandila added with a sweet smile. She couldn't stop looking at Lex, and for a moment, she was sure that his eyes were running over her body. He seemed to be taking stock of her long legs, rounded hips, and curving torso, and then his eyes were traveling upward to her shoulders and face. Methredhel started speaking again, but Mandila beat her to it, for she was suddenly seized by the urge to keep Lex's attention all to herself. She didn't want him to turn his blue eyes elsewhere. She wanted him looking right at her as she dove into that water, even as she was horrified by the prospect of his hands seizing her body and even forcing her shirt back over her head. Nocturne have mercy on her, but what if she actually liked it? And to add to her dilemma, Lex was making her feel extremely self-conscious.

"Captain," she began, "You could always join us." He looked at her like she'd just sprouted wings, and Mandila and her companions nearly choked on their laughter over his outraged expression. "Okay," she conceded. "But it's your loss."

"Ready, ladies?" Methredhel asked, eyes shining with excitement.

"This is your last warning!" Lex warned. And when the woman proceeded to count down their jump, it was quite apparent that the captain had reached his limit. "Grab them!" he ordered the other guards, who rushed forward to restrain the would-be swimmers, but the effort failed.

"THREE!" And the women jumped, laughing as their bodies hit the cool water and plunged beneath its surface. Mandila held onto a rock at the bottom of the harbor, and opened her eyes, looking upward at the water's surface. Light shimmered and danced across it, and she smiled as she saw what she thought were the guards lined up against the wall, staring downward at where she'd gone under. This was going to be fun, and so she finally kicked toward the surface, breaking the water with a gasp, and laughing as the Imperial beside her splashed water in her direction.

"Ladies," Lex growled from above, and Mandila was staring at him again. His arms were braced against the wall, and unlike some of the other men, he didn't look amused. Of course, from his vantage point, he would naturally have a much better view of female cleavage by this point, and Mandila wondered if he was taking advantage of that or if he was oblivious. "Get out of the water," he ordered, as if his voice alone would make them listen.

"So that you can arrest us?" Mandila asked. "I don't think so."

"And I don't think that you're coming in after us either," Methredhel added. Surely the guards wouldn't toss aside their armor and jump into the harbor, even if the older Bosmer was giving them her best 'come hither' look. Well, okay, maybe some of them seemed really tempted.

"No," Lex bluntly answered, a slight, triumphant smile curling the edges of his lips. "But you do have to eventually come out of there, and we'll be waiting. Gather their clothing," he ordered the other guards, clearly annoyed by their ogling of criminals. Then he stood there and waited, but he would be waiting for some time, for the women were swimming about and playing, dunking each other beneath the water, and giggling like little girls. Clearly, some of the guards were enjoying the show, which was unavoidable as far as Mandila was concerned. Lex couldn't very well order grown men to not notice attractive, undressed females. He was male too, after all, and he couldn't yell at guards for something that he himself was having a difficult time ignoring, or so she assumed since he was closely watching the display of female skin. Fortunately for the captain, his annoyance at the time-consuming incident probably outweighed the soft, calling eyes of his elf.

Mandila swam and played, but she kept looking at him when her friends were busy. Her legs would tire, and she'd cling to the hull of a nearby ship, her pale legs kicking back and forth in the water, and her face half-hidden by hair as she watched him. She could tell that his eyes kept returning to her, and his accusing stare seemed to blame her as the chief culprit of this crime. She shyly smiled at him in return, and then one of the guards behind Lex nudged his neighbor to make a rude comment.

*******************************

"You're still on duty," Lex tartly reminded them, watching Mandila watch him. She looked so free and young when spinning in the water and squirting water out of her mouth like a fountain. Lex would have left right then and there if he didn't think that the pretty women would talk their way out of trouble. The other guards wouldn't be harsh with those beautiful bodies slick from a fresh swim, which meant that he had to stay if he wanted the women properly punished. He frowned, and in annoyance, asked to see the women's discarded clothing in order to search the pockets.

"Captain!" Mandila called, and he returned his attention to the water. "What will our punishment be?"

"Twenty gold pieces for exposure and disobeying an authority figure," he rattled off. "And if you can't pay, you're spending the night in chains." The women began privately conversing, and finally they seemed to reach a consensus. Lex didn't like it one bit—their quiet chatting and plotting while they treaded water. He ordered his men to be ready, just in case the females tried to pull off something slick.

"If we go to prison for the night, do we still have to pay the fine?" Methredhel asked. No, Lex thought.

"Yes," he said, wanting to scare them into never doing this again. The women frowned, and Methredhel blatantly told the Imperial next to her that Lex was lying. Oh, how he wanted to wring their necks! "Listen," he began to demand, but with nothing but a few ripples attesting to what had just transpired, the women were gone. "Damn it!" he cursed. "Fan out! Find where they surface, and catch them. Where are the smaller Bosmer's clothes?"

"Here, sir." Lex grabbed the bundle and stormed off. The Imperial and Methredhel could be left to the others, but he was going to catch Mandila and teach her a thing or two about following directions. She had taken her game too far this time.

*****************************

She would be patient and bide her time, or so Mandila decided as she pulled herself along the harbor bottom. She could hold her breath for some time, and so she had little trouble in keeping ahead of the guards. When they went in one direction, she surfaced in the other, took a deep breath, and went back under. She was now behind the waterfront, clinging to a large rock that jutted out of the water in view of the shacks that were home to the harbor's poor. She kept herself hidden behind the weathered stone, lightly treading as she watched the shoreline with its patrolling men. They would tire of their hunt by evening, but with a glance at the sun, she realized that it was only midday, meaning that she had hours before nightfall. Great, so she would be stuck here for hours, but it was so worth frustrating the watch, and she knew that for an offense as minor and amusing as hers, they wouldn't care if she escaped their equally inconsequential punishment...or rather, most of the guards wouldn't care.

Mandila watched as Methredhel tried to sneak onto the shore only to be accosted right outside of her home by one of the guards. The other elf would opt for a night in prison rather than pay, and it wasn't that bad, really. The women had sort of known that they'd get in trouble for swimming like that, but twenty coins? They hadn't expected Lex to be that harsh, but then again, it was Lex. Mandila sighed as she bobbed in the water and wondered if there was any sure way out of escaping the captain. She doubted it, but there was always a chance that she could avoid the man until tomorrow morning. Surely he wouldn't patrol for two women all day and night, and the other guards definitely wouldn't. Even if Lex wanted them to, his superiors would override and reprimand him for detaining his men for such petty business.

"Lex," she murmured, trying to spot him, but she couldn't. She could still imagine his piercing gaze on her body, even if it hadn't been leering or admiring. He'd been annoyed, like always, but at least he hadn't looked disgusted at what he saw. In fact, she would guess that he secretly approved, for he had run eyes over every inch of her. She wondered if Lex had ever looked on a woman with the yearning of an ordinary man instead of the calculation of an officer, and more importantly, she wondered if it would ever be possible for him to look at her like that.

Mandila, don't cross that line of thought! She sunk deeper into the water, irritated by her own thoughts. This was what Methredhel had warned her against. Lex was fine and dandy as an object of interest, but not as something to actually pursue or think about like...like that. But when had speculation ever hurt her? Mandila wasn't actually trying to get him to notice her as a woman. She was perfectly content with the short encounters that allowed her to bait him or perhaps learn something about his life.

Something in the water was moving near the shoreline, and Mandila's eyes shot toward the dark splotch. It looked as though the Imperial was attempting to sneak back onto the waterfront as well, and Mandila watched with dismay as the woman was apprehended. Now it was only her—alone, skin wrinkled from the water, and the constant fear of slaughterfish hounding her. For four more hours, she shivered in the water and obstinately waited. The sun finally began to set, and only then did the guards leave. The waterfront was again devoid of uniformed life, and most commoners were already locking their doors for the night. Maybe another hour, just to be safe...oh forget it! Mandila was sick of waiting, and she was fetching freezing.

With carefully controlled strokes, she advanced on the shore, and when she reached the shallows and began wading toward the grass, her teeth nearly chattered. She stood there, nearly naked and with her limbs looking even paler than usual in the moonlight, and tiptoed toward her small shack. She would have to go through Oblivion tomorrow morning, for Lex would still be waiting for her, but she could at least get a good night's sleep. And besides, she rather liked the idea of giving him a run for his gold. He thought that he was so good, but she'd show him. The poor man probably wouldn't sleep a wink tonight, because he'd be consumed by the idea that a criminal had temporarily slipped by him.

Mandila's hand reached for the door handle of her shack, and she was about to open it when...

"And what do we have here?" She froze, scared that she was about to be attacked before she realized who was talking to her. She sighed and even wearily smiled, feeling a familiar presence at her back.

"Captain," she greeted, slowly turning around and wondering where the man had been hiding. Lex's arms were crossed over his armored chest, and he moved extremely close—so close that she was looking up at him, and he down at her. If he was trying to intimidate her, he'd need to work a little harder than that, for Mandila knew that he would never physically harm her. He was too controlled and obsessed with upholding the tenets of his office for that.

"I commend your patience," Lex told her. "Four hours?" Mandila gave a forced laugh.

"I didn't think you'd put forth that much effort to get me," she admitted, and ran a hand over her wet and tangled mane, pushing it away of her face.

"You should have known better," Lex corrected her. "I don't like to be made a fool of, Bosmer, and for that alone, I would have waited eight hours to get you."

"You are persistent," Mandila agreed, rather enjoying that he was here, standing in the dark with her. This was the part where the handsome captain was supposed to open the door for the fair maiden and bid her a goodnight after returning her clothing...or not, and being alone, almost naked, and cold made Mandila even more self-conscious than before, causing her to gently wrap arms around herself.

"It's a little late for modesty," Lex commented, his eyes firmly focused on her face.

"It's cold," Mandila defended herself. "I'm going to get dressed now, if you don't mind, captain."

"Not at all, citizen," and Lex thrust out a bundle toward her. Mandila realized that it was her clothing from earlier, and that Lex had no intention of allowing her out of his sight. She dressed in front of him, and felt his eyes on her the entire time. There was no one around, and she was already in trouble, so maybe now would be a good time to steal a kiss? She straightened from pulling up her pants, and began to button her shirt. Lex watched her fingers work on each and every one, and when Mandila grinned, he scoffed.

"So what will it be?" he quickly asked her. "Twenty gold or a night in prison?"

"Neither," she smartly answered.

"If you won't make a decision, I will, and," he leaned closer, inadvertently giving Mandila a much better view of his lips. "If I make the decision, I guarantee that you won't like it." His lips looked nice, and even when pressed into a stern line, she liked them.

"You really won't let this go?" she asked him, amazed by his insistence.

*******************************

"No," he carefully enunciated. She sighed and then rolled her eyes, a gesture that Lex did not appreciate. Here he was, trying to arrest her, and she was still mocking him. It was enough to make him lock her away just for impudence.

"I'll pay the fine," she decided.

"Good."

"When I have the money." Lex's eyebrows scrunched together as he stared at the elf's completely honest expression. How could one person be so insolent? "I don't have twenty coins, but when I do, I'll pay you." His eyes hardened. "I'm poor, sir," she pointedly reminded him.

"Then it's a night in prison," he replied.

"You are unbelievable."

"You brought this upon yourself. If you'd done as I said, you wouldn't be in this situation, and we both know that you wanted to irritate me. You won't convince me that I can trust you, so there will be no extension. Come along peacefully."

"Sir," Mandila pleaded, a hand shooting out to grab his armored forearm. He paused and looked into her imploring eyes. "You see me every single day. I promise that I'll have the money tomorrow." Tomorrow? Where was she going to get gold that fast? "Do you think that just because us waterfront people are poor, that we're also liars?"

"I've seen little to indicate otherwise," he told her, and noticed that her hand was still not moving from his armor, but she seemed oblivious. She was too busy staring at him with eyes that seemed so innocent and naïve at times, but serious and even old on rare occasions. He wondered how old she really was, and how she had ever afforded even a shack in this area of the city.

"The people here might seem less open, but it's only because they don't trust you," she told him. "They have no reason to trust guards." Suddenly seeming to realize where her hand was, she snatched it back to her side, but she wasn't exactly timid. Not once did she seem uncomfortable as she made eye contact with him, which was what Lex expected from her—not that semi-shy girl that he'd witnessed right before she jumped into the harbor. He had noticed several months ago that she wasn't afraid of his rank or talking to him like an equal.

*************************

"Hold out your hands, citizen," he ordered her. Mandila frowned and didn't budge. "Now," he stressed, and so she stretched her arms outward as he removed a pair of iron bracers from his belt and snapped them around her wrists. A thin chain dangled from his hands, and on the end was the key to the bracers. He allowed her a long look before he tucked the chain into a pouch that was connected to his belt. "Goodnight, Mandila," he quietly stated with a satisfied smirk, and then he took several steps backward, leaving Mandila confused. She stood watching him with a befuddled expression while her hands remained locked together, and wondered what in the name of Oblivion was going on.

"The other two got off with a warning and a fine of five gold," Lex shared, but he didn't seem happy about the admission. Mandila was guessing that it wasn't his choice, but rather the directives of his superiors after they'd watched him waste manpower hunting for stripping women. But if the others had gotten off so lightly, Mandila couldn't understand why Lex had told her that the fine was twenty gold or prison, unless... "I expect that you'll bring the required sum to me as soon as possible, or I will arrest you."

"Captain?" Mandila half-protested, half-questioned, and he looked at her with that same, pleased smile as before. By the Nine, he was really going to leave her here with locked hands, and she'd stupidly allowed him to fetter her, thinking that she was actually going to prison. That crafty, evil, handsome...

"I trust that you have some experience," Lex stated, holding up a lockpick for her to inspect. Oh gods, but he must have found it in her clothing. She shouldn't have left it in her sleeve, stupid girl. Now he would be sure to watch her activities. "And I'll charge you for the loss if you don't return the bracers." With that, he departed, disappearing into the night.

Mandila didn't know what to think, but she suddenly found herself grinning and enjoying a light chuckle. Oblivion be damned, but Captain Lex had just played a trick on her—probably in retaliation for the slack punishment that he had to accept dealing out. She was pleased with his attention and frustrated that her hands were locked together, but she would fix that. Oh, she was going to get these off, and she was going to present them to him in public. The man probably thought that she'd need to wait for him to unlock them, but he had another thing coming. With a smile, Mandila set to work in the confines of her small home, all the while thinking about how this event was the first time that she'd felt Lex responding to her game. Dear gods, but simply watching him would never be enough after tonight. No, she wanted more interaction now that she knew how truly engaging the captain could be.

This post has been edited by Ornamental Nonsense: Jul 30 2010, 08:28 PM

Ahh, the plot (and maybe something else?) thickens!

Yeah, Lex was ignoring Mandila's appearance? Riiight! I suppose that armor is good for hiding tents!

Ornomint! What a delightfully fun romp! I smiled all the way through.

As the others said, a ton of fun. What a stick in the mud those guards are, to accost people for swimming (perhaps Lex should have fined them for cleanliness as well?). It was a clever little trick of Lex at the end. Delightfully devious.

The whole time though, I was wondering what Armand and the other thieves were stealing while the all the watchmen on the Waterfront were staring at the girls...

I agree. Someone had better check the treasury!

This was fun from start to finish. Lex finally shows a sense of, well, not humor really. . . maybe a ‘sense of human?’ When he commends Mandila on her patience he almost sounds proud of her. And the fact that he so gleefully tells her that Methredhel and the Imperial were given a fine of five gold and a warning is a great way to tell us just how much Mandila has climbed under his skin.

Damn! Slapped by Dhertee Inuu-Endo again! Thank the Nine you didn’t say ‘eye’!

It seems Dhertee Innuen Doe is planning to make himself a Daedric Prince. Mainly of dirty innuendoes, yes?

Hello, O.N! I've seen this story before and I will say: Awesome and fun beyond words.

... Hieronymus just doesn't get the credit he deserves. I mean he's chasing Shadows! How cool, and ridiculously idiotic, is that?



I don't get it.. Eye? As far as I can see, eyes are. . . Wow. That's. . . intense. I just got pimp-slapped and kneed by D.I.D (Dhertee Innuenn Doe)

Oh, and if you look closely at the dots before and after the letter 'I'... You'll see something.

-U.

@Ureniashtram: As I've said before, I take no responsibility for any innuendoes. Seriously though, the whole 'eye' thing never even occurred to me. Some people obviously have their minds in the gutter... I'm happy that you enjoy this story though.

@Melarg: I'm glad that you said what you did, because I really tried to make this chapter show how much Mandila gets to Lex, especially now that he's aware of her attention. It's hard to believe that any man could be so oblivious to a woman's interest, but...well, that's Lex. And now, concerning this D.I.D...I'm not sure from where he hails, but someone needs to stop him before he ascends to the level of a Daedric Prince, as someone else so eloquently put it.

@SubRosa: Yeah, quite a few objects probably went missing. And of course, Mandila must have been motivated to distract Lex in order to help the guild!

@Acadian: Making you smile was my goal.

@haute: Armor has many, many useful functions.

True dat, true dat! Someone needs to stop that. . . thing or else!

... And a certain person lingers here, like an eagle keeping an eye on his prey(innuendo).. Watch your stories way around that CERTAIN PERSON because that CERTAIN PERSON is the Harbinger of D.I.D!

(glances around fearfully, before nervously chuckling)

He, he. Anyway, I'm waiting for the next update.

Chapter 5:

Lex couldn't help but anticipate his day at the waterfront, and the jingle of bracer keys at his belt only heightened his mood. Mandila had thought to escape him, but he had shown her otherwise, and today would be the completion of her lesson. There was something supremely satisfying about gaining one up on the woman, for the look on her face last night had been priceless. For once, she had been the one thrown off balance by the unforeseen—the one left to wonder about the meaning of his cryptic comments. It was Lex's firm opinion that troublemakers should enjoy a taste of their own medicine, and hopefully Mandila would pursue him with less tenacity after swallowing hers.

The captain finished fastening his armor, and climbed down the ladder that led from his quarters. He usually stopped in the common room for a glass of water and some rolls, but given his expectations, he almost decided to skip breakfast. It was only as he reached the tower's front door that he realized how foolish it was to rush his routine for a trickster of an elf. Mandila would need to wait for him to unlock her bracers no matter what time he made his appearance, and even if her hands were no longer bound, she'd find him anyway. So why change his morning habits for her? It wasn't like she was the Grey Fox or someone who he had a vested interest in catching. She was just a nosy Bosmer who might be a thief, and that wasn't something for which he'd go hungry.

"Leaving without breakfast, sir?" a guard asked, the man sitting beside the front door for security purposes. Lex suddenly realized that he was standing and staring at that door, probably looking very much like a statue. So he turned around, sat, and ate, letting the inevitable wait on him, and taking his prior indecision as a sign that the elf was getting to him--something that would not be tolerated.

After breakfast, Lex continued toward the harbor at his usual pace and in the usual manner, which meant perfectly straight posture and ever sweeping eyes. His mind periodically returned to Mandila, and although thoughts of her faded in favor of more important matters, she disrupted his focus more and more as his feet drew closer to the harbor. He could imagine her sitting on the harbor's stone wall, her hands cuffed, and her face fixed in a frustrated pout. The thought almost made him smile, but what if she had gotten out of the bracers? Lex was actually very interested in seeing whether or not she had, despite the fact that he'd given her bracers with incredibly complicated locks. Unless she possessed the utmost lockpicking skills, she would still be trapped, and if she had miraculously unlocked them, then he had to assume that she was a thief. No one with that much lockpicking skill was innocent, and so his suspicions would be confirmed. It was a winning situation for him either way, although he really did hope that she needed his assistance.

Lex was now on the familiar stone walkway that arched around the docks, but he didn't see Mandila. That was unusual, but maybe she was hiding at home out of embarrassment. That would suit him just fine, although he had given her more credit for backbone. Still...

"Good morning, captain!" Lex turned around, and to his chagrin, the woman before him looked anything but chastised.

*****************************

Mandila had seen Lex going about his normal patrol--seen how his head kept turning, as if he were looking for someone, and she had a strong inkling that she knew who that someone was. The keys to the bracers were still at his waist, so she had correctly assumed that he was expecting her to still be chained. Wouldn't he be surprised? And with that in mind, Mandila began approaching him from behind, imagining him as he had looked in the moonlight with polished armor that had seemingly glowed with the dull, pale light from above. His face had been cast in shadow, and his voice had spoken against a backdrop of crickets. Yes, the night had suited him, but so too did the daylight. In fact, Mandila couldn't think of a single occasion when the captain didn't look in top form.

She held the bracers in her hands, and hastened her steps, wondering if all prison restraints had such difficult locks. She had almost given up, and it had taken all night to successfully free herself, which explained her tired appearance. But it was worth it, she reminded herself. Lex had provided her with a challenge, and she'd risen to it, even if she'd briefly considered letting him win. After all, it would not make her look good to be so skilled with a lockpick. She already had one mark against her since he'd found a lockpick on her, and this would do nothing to ease his concerns.

Maybe it will lead to more attention, and the thought was both worrisome and exciting. As Lex's head swiveled to the side, giving her a clear view of his profile, she called out.

"Good morning, captain!" And he turned and fixed her with those icy eyes, and she smiled quite naturally at seeing him. He looked less thrilled than she did, but it might have something to do with the bracers in her hands. She walked until only several feet separated her from Lex, and then she held out her offering.

"I believe that these are yours, sir," she happily chirped, and Lex eyed the bracers like he wanted to grab and chuck them into the water.

"How very thoughtful," he allowed, reaching out and accepting them. Mandila watched him hook the restraints to his belt, and then she returned her eyes to his. He was studying her in the same manner that she might have eyed a locked door—thinking about how it worked and the easiest way to open it. An involuntary thrill shot through her, for he'd never looked at her quite like that before, even if his stern expression remained a harbinger of difficulties. She stared back, saying the most immediate thing that came to mind.

"How much would you have charged me for them?"

"Fifty gold," Lex answered, and Mandila nodded her head appreciatively.

"I figured as much. You didn't make it easy."

"I never do," and this was the point where she expected him to try and walk away. He'd clearly lost this round, and he was still on duty. When he didn't move, Mandila actually became suspicious. "So where is my twenty gold?" he asked her. "And I haven't all day, citizen."

"Mandila," she corrected him. "And I have it right here." She passed him a small bag of coins, and if Lex was annoyed, he didn't show it. He was impassive as ever, and he wordlessly eyed the money for several seconds before he leaned in closer to her face.

"And where, Mandila, did you get twenty gold when you had none last night?" he questioned. Mandila knew that she had to be careful this time around, for Lex had that fanatic officer edge to him, and that was never good.

"That's none of your concern, sir," she told him, proud of herself for not getting lost in his features. As was though, he was leaning so close that she almost did, and so her voice came out more weakly than intended.

"It might be my concern," Lex corrected her before stepping back to give her some space.

"No, it's not," Mandila stressed. "But if you really must know, I dug up a grave last night." Lex's eyes narrowed, and Mandila grinned. "Just joking. I borrowed money from a friend, so stop looking at me like I have thief written on my forehead. Are you always this suspicious?"

"Only when it comes to people who warrant it." Mandila's eyebrows shot upward in mock surprise.

"And I warrant it? What have I done to make you suspicious other than trying to be friendly? Maybe I like to cause mischief every once and while, but really, captain, you act like you're not used to female attention." Lex was about to respond when Methredhel came bounding over to Mandila and squeezed the other elf's hand in a friendly gesture.

"No time to talk, sister," Methredhel interrupted. "I need your help with something." She then tugged the younger Bosmer along with her as she moved toward the waterfront, and Mandila was left giving Lex a hasty wave. She even sent a wink in his direction.

************************

Lockpicks, hanging about with a suspected thief, breaking the law—Lex knew that he should never have overlooked Mandila as a possible link to the guild.

"Until later, captain!" the Bosmer called. He watched her go, and then moved to check how another guard's patrol was going, for he needed to get that elf—his elf—out of his mind. The guard that he approached wiped sweat from a wrinkled brow and grumbled about the weather, and Lex could sympathize given how hot armor could feel on warm days like this. Even he got sick of armor when the sun was high.

"I see that she hasn't laid off of you, sir," the guard finally joked in reference to Mandila. "I thought for sure that after the swimming incident, she'd leave you be. Guess she's as stubborn as you are, huh, sir?" Lex snorted as he looked to where Mandila had disappeared.

"I do not appreciate being compared to that elf," he stated, and the guard chuckled.

"Say what you want, sir, but there are several guards, including myself, who wouldn't mind trading places with you. She's easy on the eyes with those long lashes...sir, perhaps you ought to relax your standards a little." Lex sighed and waved the guard off.

"You're married," he reminded the man. "I doubt that your wife would appreciate those comments, and I don't want to hear another word about it. She's up to no good."

"Yes, sir." The guard left, and Lex was left wondering why everyone else looked at how the elf interacted with him and saw an infatuated girl. She was an absolute she-daedra, even if she was pretty, and she was years younger than him. He also suspected her for what others did not, and he could just imagine how a guild member would love to irritate and taunt him, acting as if she was unafraid in order to sidetrack his scrutiny. Besides that, he found it hard to believe that the elf could be as interested as other people seemed to think, and the guards loved to make smart comments about him as much as the waterfront residents did, so it was bound to be an exaggeration to target the lack of romance in his life.

Lack of romance. As Lex stood before the Bloated Float and watched two young Nords having a spitting contest from the ship's upper deck, he decided that 'lack' was a bit of an understatement.

The last woman with whom he'd been involved had disappeared from his life years ago, and the lovely, aristocratic lady had even wanted to marry him, but he'd kept postponing. Then, when he'd finally felt that he was financially prepared to please her, he'd proposed, but she was no longer interested, saying that he'd distanced himself from her to the point where she couldn't stand the thought of living with him. Absentee husband—that's what she'd claimed he would become, and so he'd watched her leave, wondering when this supposed drifting apart had happened since he'd been too preoccupied to notice.

Great. Now the two Nords were singing, and Lex didn't find sea shanties charming in the least. Maybe he would move to the other side of the harbor's horseshoe, but then again, the pirates docked on that side, and he was standing in a shady spot at the moment, where he remained as he continued to reflect on his ill-favor among women.

He hadn't bothered looking for another woman since his former lady had left, for she'd poisoned many social circles against him, and no one wanted to link themselves to someone with a reputation for being a fanatic over an imaginary criminal. He wouldn't have a wife that secretly scorned his work either, for that would be the height of unbearable. Yes, female rejection had initially stung, but he was beyond that now. He found comfort in his career, and he had no need of a woman hanging about, so that settled the matter. He'd wait until his reputation was cleared to start the family that part of him thought necessary for an upstanding man such as himself. He was a minor aristocrat, and so he was expected to bear heirs, which he'd get to in good time, but not now. He watched a man pickpocketing another, and angrily stormed toward the scene, the thought of women all but gone.

*************************

"What is it?" Mandila asked as Methredhel pulled her along. They were heading straight for Armand's shack, which was highly unusual. The man did not like discussing guild business in daylight, and he often refused to even acknowledge the other thieves unless it was midnight or later. They had a regular meeting place in a small yard near Methredhel's house, and only then would business be presented. Apparently something important and unexpected had occurred to break that routine.

"Armand's called an emergency meeting," Methredhel whispered. "Something big has come up, and if we don't move, we'll never finish the job."

"Oh," Mandila said, stunned by how massive the operation must be. She felt excitement racing through her veins as they entered Armand's house and found the man sitting on his bed, all windows bolted shut, and his dark features illuminated by a lantern.

"Lock the door," he instructed, and Mandila hurriedly did as told. Then it was the three of them in a tiny, shadowy room, and Mandila glanced at Armand with a confused expression.

"Where are the others?" she asked.

"They know what's to be done," he explained, "And I don't want to risk too large a gathering. Lex is on duty, as I'm sure you know." He fixed her with a knowing stare that made Mandila shift uncomfortably. This was her superior, after all, and his disapproval carried weight. She sat beside Methredhel at the small table near the bed, and focused on keeping a confident demeanor.

"So what's this job?" Methredhel blurted. "And why is it so sudden?"

"Remember the engraved mirror that we're supposed to steal from Handlor?" Mandila and Methredhel both nodded. "The man has decided to take an unexpected trip to see a relative, and that means that his house will be empty tonight. The problem is that it may be a trap. I've no evidence, but there might be a traitor among us, and the danger is doubled by the fact that the man lives near the northwest tower."

"That's where Lex goes at night," Mandila stated, knowing what kind of difficulties that would present.

"Yes," Armand nodded. "So we need someone to distract him—make sure that he isn't there tonight. That's why I've called both of you here. Someone needs to be a street lookout, and someone needs to keep Lex away. Take your pick." No sooner had he finished than a huge grin spread across Methredhel's face, and Mandila could guess what her sister was thinking.

"Oh, I think that Mandila will be a perfect distraction for our captain," the elder Bosmer smoothly teased. "She has more experience at it than I do." Mandila glared at her sister, and without looking, she knew that Armand was staring at her with those displeased eyes of his. She heard him sigh again as the staring match between the two Bosmer continued, and only when he clapped his hands did the two disengage.

"Just make sure that the job's done right," he said. "We can't screw this up or our asses are fried. The guild's entire reputation rests on pulling this job off, and I expect both of you to give a hundred percent. No fooling around." Mandila inwardly winced at his harsh undertone, and she stood to excuse herself from the tense atmosphere.

"Well, I better go think of a way to keep Lex busy all night." Methredhel snorted on a laugh that threatened to choke her with tears of mirth, and Mandila pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. "I didn't mean—oh, Methredhel, that's enough. You've got a twisted mind, Bosmer!"

"I think that we should go our separate ways before someone notices that you're both here," Armand intervened.

"Whatever you say, handsome," Methredhel said, calming herself. "Let's go, sis." Mandila made to follow her elder outside, but she didn't even reach the door.

"Mandila," Armand called. "A word." Methredhel shook her head and shut the door behind her, leaving Mandila and Armand alone to discuss what Mandila was sure she didn't want to hear.

"Yes?" she asked, rejoining Armand near the bed.

"I know about your odd behavior around the captain," he admonished. "And I don't like what I'm hearing. Ancus even said that you've been having conversations with him now."

"It's nothing bad," Mandila countered. "You know how I get sometimes, and he's fun to annoy."

"I wouldn't be worried if you were just annoying him," came the terse response. "Look, I'm in no position to tell you how to live, but these walls have ears, and when they tell me that one of my best thieves is expressing gratitude to our enemy, I get concerned. You don't want to give me gray hair, Mandila." The Bosmer tapped her toes against the floor and thought about the previous night. Armand did live next door to her.

"I guess you heard about what happened yesterday," she commented.

"Yes," and Armand smiled despite himself. "I hear that you nearly made Lex explode in frustration, but it backfired on you, didn't it? He found you, and now you've brought attention to yourself. Mandila," he stared into her eyes and passed her a new lockpick. "Remember that you can play with him, but don't do more than necessary. It's too risky for the guild, and I don't want to see him hurt you."

"He wouldn't," Mandila protested. "Come on. He's Mr. Rigid-for-rules."

"Have you ever been to prison?" Armand asked, and Mandila nodded.

"Once, when I was just learning how to pickpocket."

"And do you know what can happen to pretty girls who get sent to prison?" Mandila nodded, but more slowly this time. "It happens, and if he's the one that puts you there, he's responsible for knowing what could happen to you. He's obsessive, but he's not ignorant, and he sure as hell isn't someone who would protect you. So be careful."

"I know," Mandila weakly smiled. "I just can't believe that he'd catch me doing anything that he'd lock me away for."

"This is the same man that's planning to tax the waterfront," Armand pointed out. "He doesn't believe in leniency, and you should know that." But Mandila had seen Lex help Ancus, and he reprimanded fellow guards for abusing their power. He'd even helped a girl find her way home once. He wasn't totally heartless, and she knew it, but she couldn't tell Armand that. He'd probably flip the table in disbelief at her kind words.

"Is he really going to tax us?" she questioned. It seemed like Lex, but she hadn't heard a word of such a plan.

"It's a rumor, but I wouldn't put it past the fetcher. Keep your head down, and make sure that he's not near the target tonight." Mandila nodded and was finally given permission to leave. Great, but now Armand was upset with her, maybe even questioning if she was against Lex like the rest of them, but that was idiotic. Of course she was anti-Lex, for the man would hate her if he knew what she was. Ouch, but that stung a little. She didn't want him to hate her, even if they were opposed forces.

She checked the sun and realized that she had better get cracking on her plan. She had to keep the captain busy for an entire night, and that was a challenge if ever she'd faced one. The easiest way would be to dress as the Grey Fox and let him chase her around the city, but that would be suicide—and tiring, she quickly added. No, she needed something else, but the promise of an arrest or evidence was likely the only way to keep him distracted.

Mandila smiled as she noticed Methredhel talking to another woman. With a little help from her friend, she was going to hook the captain's interest.

You continue to entertain us with the story of Lex and Mandila! I found myself enjoying her mischievous mind and his blaring insensitivity to anything but his career, even at the cost of a potential wife. His excuses for not feeling bad about losing the lady are quite amusing, if possibly true.

"Rigid for rules!" I'm sure he was rigid in other ways yesterday, too!

This continues to be an enjoyable read. Nice to see some development of Armand here.

This was a long post. Perhaps just me, but I find sometimes that episode length and reader focus are inversely porportional. When Methie pulled Mandila away from Lex seemed a natural break point.

I am looking forward to what type of clever impishness Mandila comes up with to distract Captain Rigid.

This post has been edited by Acadian: Aug 2 2010, 11:08 PM

More fun again. I really do appreciate how you are taking this odd relationship between Lex and the Thief slowly. By taking your time, it all flows gently and naturally. Her obsession with him, and his own glacially moving feelings for her. His elf. That is a nice touch, I like that he keeps thinking it.

@haute: One of the things that came to my mind upon playing the Thieves' Guild arch was that Lex was so fanatical that a wife would kill him. Seriously, the man would probably discuss work nonstop, and even neglect his family in pursuit of his career. Then I realized that Lex must be single in the game, but he doesn't look young, and thus I felt confirmed in my tangent. After all, I figure that in a more medieval society, early marriage would be quite common, especially in the pursuit of heirs. This is just based on my assumptions though, for Oblivion and Morrowind don't provide much in-game evidence one way or another. I maintain that the games ought to include children as well as adult characters. I think that seeing children run around would add something to the atmosphere of the towns/cities.

@Acadian: My chapters tend to be anywhere from 4-10 pages, although there aren't any quite so long in this story. I honestly don't know whether readers (as a general group) prefer longer or shorter posts, although I hope that my stories aren't difficult to stay interested in.

@SubRosa: I imagine that if Mandila tried to rush anything with Lex, he'd clamp irons around her wrists yet again. If stripping in public carries a hefty charge, imagine the price tag that would be attached to harassment of an officer on duty! (And isn't it strange that you can make your character walk around nearly nude without repercussions in the game?)

This paragraph perfectly sums up Lex to me. That last sentence is fantastic! I wish I had written it!

This promises to get interesting. Mandila’s obsession with the obsessive Lex is skirting dangerously close to testing her loyalty. You would think that slapping the bracers on her would have taught her a lesson, but she seems determined to leave her hand in the fire until she gets burned.