The Connivers of Bosmora, (a redo) Options

[redsrock]

The following will be a remake of the last one. The previous story was rushed and I just hated it. This one will be much better. Expect the first chapter to either come out tonight, or tomorrow.

[redsrock]

Not my favorite chapter for some reason, but here it is:


CHAPTER SIX


A little after eleven that same night Sirius was resting in his bed, trying to fall asleep in a place he’d never been before. Though the bed was very comfortable, and the room was at a pleasant temperature, it just wasn’t the same as sleeping in Caldera. Of course that was a bit silly to say, given the fact that the bed in which Sirius slept in Caldera was basically just a large plank of wood with a torn cushion thrown on top. His new bed was certainly of the highest quality, but still, Sirius couldn’t help but feel a little awkward.

The next morning Sirius woke up sometime after eight o’clock. He walked downstairs and had himself a quick liquid breakfast, and then strolled over to the Great Bazaar in order to do some shopping. When he arrived, Sirius saw that even though it was early in the morning, the streets were already flocking with many people wanting to get their hands on the latest items. Most of the people shopping were of high social-status, and Sirius felt very out of place.

The first store he visited was the clothing store, which was run by an elderly female Dunmer. The elf looked upon him as if he were scum because of his lesser attire. Her store was supplied with clothing of the highest quality. Reaching into his pocket, Sirius pulled out fifty septims. It was pretty much what he had left, save for a few scatted coins back in Caldera.

“Are there any outfits I could get for fifty septims?” Sirius asked sheepishly, hopeful that the Dunmer would feel sorry for him and give a discount. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case.

She gave the look of disgust and replied, “My garments are rivaled by no one, Imperial, and because of this, every article of clothing is priced at a lofty rate. The only outfit I have that is under fifty septims is this.”

The Dunmer pulled out a pair of green pants, a green shirt to match, and also a pair of brown cowhide shoes. It wasn’t much to look at it, but sure beat the rags Sirius was currently wearing.

“How much?” Sirius asked.

The Dunmer sighed impatiently and said, “Thirty-five septims.”

Sirius walked out of the store with his clothes in hand, and began wandering towards the other shops. The next place that caught his eye was a book store. Sirius figured he’d need something to pass by the time other than wine and beer, so he eagerly entered the shop.

Standing behind the counter was a large Nord with massive bundle of blonde hair and a beard. The Nord was humming loudly, no doubt some ancient Nordic riddle that Sirius didn’t understand. Upon seeing Sirius enter his shop the Nord immediately stopped humming and attended to his new guest.

“Ah, good mornin’ there, lad! What can Rolf do for ye’ today?”

“Well, I’d like to buy a book,” Sirius said, albeit a little sarcastically. He was in a book store after all.

“Wonderful!” ‘Rolf’ came lumbering over to Sirius, and he threw his massive right arm around him as he led Sirius through the store. “Thur are hundreds of books in me store. Just tell me what ye’ want and Rolf will gladly get it.”

Rolf was certainly the cheerful Nords, a little too nice for Sirius; “Umm, I don’t know, I….”

“Just tell Rolf how many golds ye have today,” Rolf said.

“Fifteen,” Sirius said.

“Fifteen?” Rolf asked with great surprise. Suddenly Rolf’s grip got much tighter. “Hmm, well thurs not a lot of goods reads for that kind o’ gold. Lemme check somethin’ real quick.”

Rolf finally let go of Sirius’s body and then disappeared into a small room in the back corner. He returned minutes later with a large red book. “This here is called Children of the Sky”, Rolf exclaimed with a happy grin spread across his hairy face. “It tells the history of Rolf’s ancestors, and gives ye, the reader, a tale er two of our Nordic ways. Very interestin’ it is, lad. I’ll hand it over for a mere ten golds.”

Sirius happily paid the Nord and walked out of the store as quickly as his feet could carry him.

With only five septims to his name, Sirius left the Great Bazaar feeling a little foolish. He had spent fifty septims on an outfit, and then ten on a book. How was going to be able to pay for anything else now? It was a good thing he had food and drink back at his house. And back to his house he went. He threw his clothes onto the kitchen (downstairs) table and grabbed a bottle of Sujamma. While drinking, he began reading his new book, “Children of the Sky”:

Nords consider themselves to be the children of the sky. They call Skyrim the Throat of the World, because it is where the sky exhaled on the land and formed them. They see themselves as eternal outsiders and invaders, and even when they conquer and rule another people; they feel no kinship with them.

What the hell is this author talking about? Sirius thought out loud to himself. He never did get the Nords and their strange way of life. To him, living in land full of snow was just stupid. Of course, Sirius had never visited Skyrim, so his views on the province were a little off, to say the least.

Sirius threw the book to the floor and then tossed back a few more bottles of wine before going back upstairs. He was extremely bored and it was only ten o’clock in the morning, two hours left until he’d be meeting Hession at the Winged Guar. So rather than sit around and wait at the table he instead walked to his room and laid in his bed and took a short nap.

Lucky for Sirius he woke up at a little after eleven thirty. Quickly he dressed himself into his new outfit, and then stared at himself in his large mirror that was nailed to his wall. He looked rather extravagant, or at least in his mind that is. He more so looked like some who was trying to look rich, but at least it was better than what he was wearing before.

At that time it was ten minutes till noon, and Sirius began to walk to the Winged Guar. But before he could go anywhere he was suddenly he was hit in the back of the head by something hard. His vision began to blur, and his sight darkened until it was no more.


++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++


After feeling the touch of smooth piece of cloth, Sirius opened his eyes, yet the only thing he saw was darkness. A blindfold of some sort was covering Sirius’s eyes, and he could not see a thing. He tried to move his arms and legs, but he realized they had been binded together with rope, no doubt by whoever had hit him in the head.

However, he knew he was inside somewhere, because the wind wasn’t blowing against his body, nor could he hear or smell anything that would be outdoors. He was probably in someone’s house in Mournhold, but he couldn’t be for sure.

All of a sudden he heard footsteps to his right and he turned his head in the direction of the sounds. Then a voice sounded, “Take his blindfold off.”

Within seconds a hand ripped the cloth from Sirius eyes, and he could see once more. He was tied to a bedpost in some room that he had never seen before. It looked to be an old kitchen of sorts, in an old and rundown house, judging by the holes and tears on the walls and floor.

“Get him to his feet!”

Sirius looked up and saw a Dunmer standing before him with a black cowl covering his entire head. He was holding a steel dagger in his right hand. Then from behind came two more Dunmer, both with the same black cowl. They cut the ties from his bedpost and allowed him to move freely. Of course Sirius didn’t try to run away, for that would have been a foolish move. So instead he stood there looking at the Dunmer with the dagger.

“Who the hell are you?” He asked, trying to sound brave, though in truth he was reasonably afraid.

The Dunmer just chuckled and replied, “That is not important, Mr. Vero. What is important is that my master wishes to give you a message. We know who you are and why you are Mournhold. You are here to help King Helseth and House Hlaalu solve the disappearances in Balmora.”

Sirius was surprised to hear all of this come out of the Elf’s mouth. “So, what if you’re right?”

“My master is directly involved with the investigation, but of course will not give up his identity to you. He wants to give you the message to watch your back. He is neither with you nor against you, but he does not wish for you to make a mistake that might cost you your life.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Tell me who you are!”

The Dunmer just stood there for seconds before replying, “No, Mr. Vero, I will not. My master wants me to give you this.” The Dunmer handed Sirius a letter. “I will transport you back to Mournhold now, where you can read the letter for yourself.”

“Then what was the point of bringing me here?” Sirius asked.

“Because my master also wishes for you to see something.” Then the Dunmer walked over to the wall and put his hand on a painting. Suddenly the wall opened to reveal a small hidden area. Inside were four Dunmer bodies, one female and three male, all dead.”

“Are those….?”

“I will let you answer that; it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out who they are.”

“Where are we?” Sirius asked, even though he knew he wasn’t going to get an answer.

“Again, I cannot tell you that. The only thing I can tell you is that my master wishes for this become somewhat of a game for you. A test, if you will.”

“Test?”

“Yes, a trial to determine something in the future. But I will say no more, and now it is time for you to take your leave.”

One of the other Dunmer wrapped both of his hands around Sirius’s neck and squeezed hard. He started to feel dizzy and everything went black once more.