Lex and the Thief, Might as well post this one as well... Options

[Ornamental Nonsense]

I wrote this because, quite frankly, Lex is a great character from the game, but I don't see many stories about him. I usually write darker stuff, but I was in the mood for something light and funny when this idea popped into my head. Hence, here is a piece that veers into traditional territory that I normally wouldn't even consider writing. I'm not totally satisfied with the results either, but I can't decide how to fix that. *sigh*
Well, anyway, so long as someone enjoys reading this, I consider my time well spent. Please leave some feedback as I muddle through editing this.


Chapter 1: She Doesn't Like Him

The thief watched the captain of the guard with interest. It wasn't that she liked him. No, that would be a slight against everything that she stood for. Members of the Thieves' Guild did not fall for guards, especially one that harassed the guild at every turn. Still, she was watching him, and maybe it was a bit of a fascination. The man looked capable and handsome in his armor, roaming the docks with a single-minded purpose as he did. His eyes were hard steel. They always were, like he never thought of anything besides work and his hunt for the Grey Fox. Little wonder that his own comrades sometimes mocked him, but Mandila found his determination curious. Most guards could be bought or avoided, but neither seemed likely with this man. She wasn't used to that.

“Hello, sir,” she greeted as he neared her. She was perched on the harbor wall, feet swinging out over the water, head half-turned to look at the captain. His Imperial features settled on her, and she inwardly cursed herself for drawing his attention. Then again, she liked playing with fire, and Hieronymus Lex was definitely fire. Just having him this close made her jittery—like the feeling that she got right before stealing something. He was legal danger personified, and even though she shouldn't, she couldn't help herself. She had to speak with him.

“I'm busy, Bosmer,” he stated, and she smiled at his clipped tone. The captain was far too easy to irritate. Don't do it, Mandila. Oh hell, when had she ever listened to reason?

“A little touchy today, Captain,” she told him, her brown eyes brimming with hidden pleasure as his narrowed. “Aren't soldiers supposed to be friendly to us good citizens?” She caught a glimpse of someone standing to the side, observing the exchange, and she immediately recognized Methredhel, her sister Bosmer in crime. The woman was shaking her head in disbelief.

“I am on duty, ma'am,” Lex said, the words polite but not his tone. “Idle chatter when there is work to be done is disgraceful.” Gosh, someone needed to take himself less seriously. He didn't even bid her goodbye as he walked away, the sunlight shining off of his armor. He's always so impeccable, Mandila noted. She wished that he would talk a little longer, but he never did; although she swore that she'd get a conversation out of him one day. Why she found him so fascinating, she couldn't say, but she followed her inclinations without much hesitancy. She knew that her thieving friend was watching her, but her eyes were only on the captain as he disappeared around a corner.

“Did you fall from a tree when you were younger?” Methredhel asked.

“Stop being a mother,” Mandila jokingly replied. “A little conversation never hurt anyone.”

“That is Lex that you're trying to talk to,” the other elf reminded. “He's our sworn enemy.”

“And if I get him to lighten up, maybe he'll stop chasing us so much.” Methredhel burst into laughter at the suggestion, and Mandila giggled along with her. The idea was rather ludicrous.

“I tell you what, sister,” the older elf whispered, stepping closer. “I'll make you an offer since you want to 'lighten up' the captain. If you can get a kiss from our dear nemesis, I'll give you twenty lockpicks for free.” Mandila's eyebrows shot upward. Twenty lockpicks? That was a good deal, but then again...

“He'd arrest me for assault,” she huffed with a pout, and Methredhel's eyes went wide.

“You...you really do like him, don't you?” she asked, amazed. “Bosmer, you listen to me: this is a bad idea.” And Mandila shook her head in instant denial. She did not like Lex. She couldn't like Lex. Hell, there was nothing to like about the man, except maybe how he looked in uniform, and that wasn't enough for a picky elf.

“I don't like him,” she protested. “He's just...oh...” She fought for the right words, and the longer she took, the more Methredhel's face contorted into a mixture of confusion and delight. “He's interesting!” Mandila finally spat. “And they say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer, right?” She had never tried to put her fixation into words before, and now that she was, it sounded ridiculous. Great, now Methredhel would be taunting her for eternity. “Besides,” Mandila pointedly said, “It's not like I spend that much time on him.”

“Really?” Oh that smile meant trouble. Methredhel knew something that she shouldn't. Mandila just knew it. “I've seen the way that you watch him, and I daresay that other guards have noticed too.” Mandila frowned and hoped that Armand hadn't heard any of the rumors that were circulating around the waterfront. There might be one or two about her mooning over the captain, but it wasn't mooning. They just couldn't understand that she found him curious.

“It's only talk,” Mandila claimed. “No meat to it at all.”

“But you don't deny that you watch him. You're lucky that he doesn't notice. He's too thickheaded to realize when a woman's interested. Poor man will be single for life.” Methredhel laughed, finding her own words hilarious, but she stopped herself when she noticed Mandila's contemplative face.

“You don't believe me at all,” she said.

“Not a bit, sister. Oh, I know it's harmless enough, and you really don't mean anything by it. Perhaps you really don't like him, but at this rate, you might find yourself liking what you don't want to. That's why we never watch a target for an extended period of time. It sometimes makes things complicated. Remember: the guild comes first.”

“Yes, sister. You haven't spoke to Armand, have you?”

“No, because I know how you are. You'll get over this fixation soon enough. I remember when that pirate was here. You spent hours secretly watching him, even looking for excuses to eat lunch near his ship. Thank goodness that's over.” Yes, it was. The man had been found dead in his cabin one day, and it was rumored that the Dark Brotherhood was responsible. Well, Mandila wasn't sad. Like she'd already said, it wasn't that she fell for these men. They just occupied her attention. Lex was like the others, or so she told herself. Besides, the man would never give her a second look. He was too...Lex.

“Still thinking about him,” Methredhel stated, jerking Mandila from her thoughts. “Ah honey, he's too old for anyway.”

“How old is he?”

“Stop. Just stop,” Methredhel said, face twisted into exaggerated disgust. “Lex is a pest. It doesn't matter how old he is.” Then she suddenly smiled and rolled her eyes. “I can't wait until you get over this one. See you later, sister. Don't waste too much time staring into space, and my offer still stands.”

“I would never wound my dignity by taking you seriously!” Mandila called after her. As if I would ever kiss Lex. She winced but then giggled. The man probably would arrest her, or else eye her warily for the rest of forever. There he was again, all justice and order, and speaking with another guard. Perhaps she could get closer and eavesdrop. That would be harmless enough, and she wanted to know if the man ever talked about anything other than business. She had yet to catch him in the act, but she was determined. Of course, she never made herself obvious. Besides staring and the occasional brush by, she didn't interact with or follow the man. In fact, she rarely saw him, and never outside of the harbor, for she refused to let her interest interfere with her normal routine.

This is unhealthy, girl, she told herself as she felt the familiar draw toward the man. As Lex glanced at her, her eyes moved to his lips, and she noticed how perfectly shaped they were. They looked soft and appealing, even if she'd never noticed that before. It was Methredhel's comment making her think these things, she decided. She smiled, but turned to go home, knowing that she had a job to do that night.

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

“There goes your elf, sir,” the guard commented, and Lex frowned. What on earth was this man jabbering about? He turned to see that Bosmer girl walking by them. She frequented the harbor, for he saw her almost every single day, but he never paid attention to her. She seemed harmless enough, and therefore he had more important tasks to focus on.

“My elf?” he questioned, finally registering the guard's word choice.

“She has a habit of showing up when you're around,” the guard explained, trusting commonsense to elaborate the unspoken remainder of his thoughts to the captain, but he would be wrong on that account. Unlike a normal man who might recognize his appeal to a young woman, Lex was instead wondering if Mandila might be keeping an eye on him for the Grey Fox. All of these poorer folk were likely to have connections to their hidden 'hero', and suddenly Lex was paying closer attention to the woman strolling away from him. Of course, he understood what the guard was trying to imply, but this was a world where even the innocent might be dirty criminals beneath their smiles.

“Do you know anything about her?” Lex seriously asked.

“No, sir. She comes and goes—lives somewhere near Armand actually. She's pretty for a Bosmer.” Lex grunted in indifference. He would keep a closer eye on that girl for a few days. There was no telling from where his next lead might come.

This post has been edited by Ornamental Nonsense: Jul 29 2010, 02:49 PM

[Ornamental Nonsense]

Chapter 6:

Mandila peered out from around the corner and beamed with delight.

"Here he comes," she warned while ducking back behind the wall. She and Methredhel were standing at the end of the harbor, hiding behind the last building where stone walkway gave way to a grassy slope, and trying to time their trap with the utmost perfection.

"You know his routine from top to bottom," Methredhel teased Mandila, who was too busy enjoying herself to rise to the goading.

"Shhh! He's almost there." Lex would usually stop by the edge of the harbor to watch the countryside for a few moments before returning to his office, and today was no exception. Mandila had been waiting for this, expecting him to arrive sometime before the sun was at its highest. Then he would check in at the barracks and head to the Market District for lunch, but unlike other days, he'd have something extra to distract him this evening.

His footsteps drew nearer, and Mandila nodded to Methredhel. They would begin as soon as the captain's boots stilled, for they knew that his sharp ears would easily overhear the bait that they were about to set. Sure, he didn't have elfin ears, but he seemed to pickup on more conversations than Mandila ever did. Then again, that might have something to do with their levels of concentration...oh well. The anticipation of how he would respond to this trap almost made Mandila giggle, but she didn't, for it would definitely ruin the nature of their plot.

Now, she mouthed to Methredhel, who was also forcing herself not to grin.

"Mandila," the other thief began, "You know how important this is. I told him that you'd be there." Oh, this was going to be excellent, and both of them knew it. Methredhel even gave Mandila a wicked wink.

"But isn't there another time?" Mandila asked with an adopted, consternated voice.

"No. It has to be tonight, sister. And if you don't go, you know who you'll have to answer to. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and you can't mess it up!"

"Fine," Mandila sighed. "I'll do it. I suppose I haven't been very active lately."

"Good. So you know what you have to do?" At this point Mandila had to pinch herself to keep a straight face, but she managed to do so.

"Yeah. I remember the trick that you showed me. But where am I meeting him again?"

"The Feed Bag, 10 o'clock sharp."

"Okay. I'll be there, but I wouldn't go if Armand wasn't insisting on it." Methredhel snorted and leaned in a little closer to Mandila with a conspiring smirk...

"Oh, we both know that you secretly want to be there, sister." Mandila rolled her eyes and motioned for Methredhel to leave. Thanks, she mouthed, and the older Bosmer simply shook her head as if she couldn't believe what her fellow thief was planning to do. "Enjoy your evening," she said, "but not too much."

"Have a good day," Mandila said in parting, but she didn't move. She remained in her position, listening for signs of Lex, who she gathered was still there due to the lack of noise. She counted the seconds away before the sound of metal boots reached her ears, signaling his departure. His pace was calm and even, but Mandila knew that the captain was digesting everything that he had overheard—maybe even planning how to handle it. Now it was time to wait and see if he took the challenge, which she was sure that he would. He had found a lockpick on her after all, and since he wanted to catch her red-handed, this would be an irresistible opportunity for him. Of course, there was always the chance that he'd send someone else to spy on her, but it wasn't likely. Lex liked to personally handle people who'd caused him trouble, and Mandila fell into that category with no small amount of pride.

When the footsteps faded, she popped out of hiding and lackadaisically strolled along the harbor, her hands tucked into her pockets. She tried not to look at him, but it was inevitable, and so she didn't fight the urge for long. He stood with two other guards near The Bloated Float, his mouth moving, but his eyes continually shifting towards her. She smiled, and her feet moved toward him of their own accord as her excitement about spending an entire evening with him mounted—or something like that. It wasn't like they'd actually be interacting, but he would be there, and she'd be there. Maybe she'd finally get to see him in civilian clothing, for he couldn't possibly spy in a captain's armor.

"Sir, no one that I know has ever seen this Grey Fox," one of the guards was saying. Mandila was getting closer now, and she could easily overhear the conversation from her place in the background.

"I have already gone over the evidence," Lex stated. "And we have been through this several times. If you will not respect my directions as your superior, you can either transfer to another captain or resign."

"My apologies, sir," the guard immediately answered. "I simply have a hard time believing it."

"Most of the men do," the other guard added, making Lex's eyes harden into icy pools of determination. Gods, but did the other guards always undermine his work? Mandila had suspected as much since she'd heard several laugh at the Grey Fox, but surely someone saw that Lex was actually correct in his hunches. Then again, perhaps he stood alone in his quest, and if that were true, Mandila realized that to constantly act when others mocked must be beyond frustrating. Maybe that was part of the reason that he was so harsh in dealing out punishment. His life could not be easy, even if he had more money than anyone on the waterfront.

"I don't care whether you believe it or not," Lex ground out. "But you will follow orders to the best of your abilities."

"I'm not saying that I won't, sir," one guard began. "Forgive my brashness. I..." For some unknown reason, Mandila felt annoyed by the constant questioning of Lex that she was witnessing. Everyone on the waterfront knew how dangerous and accurate the captain's obsession was, and Mandila certainly knew how dedicated Lex was to that obsession, so why did he catch so much dirt from people? He helped anyone who needed it, yet no one appreciated it. No one appreciated how unique he was. But I do. Mandila didn't even realize that she had walked into the middle of the guards until she spoke.

"How would you know if the Grey Fox exists or not?" she threw at the men, her voice tight with annoyance. "And if you lived here or bothered to open your eyes, you'd know the truth." What the hell? Mandila wanted to cover her mouth and run and hide, but there she was, standing in front of these two guards with her hands on her hips. The three men were stunned into silence, and she felt Lex staring at her from the side, probably speculating over her unexpected outburst.

This is awkward...and I'm officially dead.

"Um," Mandila said, smiling uncomfortably. "That's what you get for being thickheaded." Why, oh why did her mouth have to run away from her? This was the dumbest thing that she had ever done in the history of her life. Lex was the enemy, so she shouldn't be defending him, especially if it included confirming his mission. As a member of the Thieves' Guild, her comment would make Armand tie a stone to her ankle and toss her into the harbor. Gods, but she was so idiotic sometimes. Still, as she glanced at Lex, something about his face looked softer, kinder, and it made her happy that she had spoken.

"We'll be going, sir," a guard stated.

"Very well," Lex agreed, and the others returned to patrol, leaving Mandila and Lex alone. The captain almost looked tired, his blue eyes losing their edge, and his posture less rigid. "I don't need you to defend me, citizen," he told her.

"I know," she replied. "Good day, sir." She gave a small, forced smile, and then returned to walking. Long after she could no longer see him, she knew that he was focused on her, and she kept imagining how aged he had looked when he'd dismissed her. His face bore no lines or wrinkles, but she could see where they would form from the seriousness with which he treated life. It seemed that his drive was a burden to himself as well as the poor, and she decided that there was something about the captain worth compassion. He never seemed like a man to need such a thing, but the way that he had looked at her...Yes, Lex was human like everyone else, and the incident would stay with both the thief and the captain for hours as they awaited evening.

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

Mandila couldn't wait. The anticipation was almost killing her, and there was still an hour left before she departed. She spent that time brushing her hair and changing, wanting to look mildly nice since she was going out for the evening. It was rare that she bothered fixing her appearance, but she did have something tucked away for special occasions, and this definitely counted as special in her mind. With a bounce in her step, she pulled on a deep blue skirt with flowers embroidered along the hemline, and to match the feminine look, she tied a green sash around her waist. The fabric was smooth and of much higher quality than what most waterfront people could afford, for it had been the only gift that she'd ever received from her father. He had been a merchant with money, and this was all that she had left of him from the one day that she'd known him.

"Bygones are bygones," Mandila accepted, glad that the man had bothered with even the smallest of gestures. She brushed the morose topic aside as she finished her outfit with a billowing, white top that exposed an ample amount of cream-colored shoulder, and then she exited her home. She meandered into the city and down streets and alleys, killing time as she awaited the appointed hour. She would be alone tonight, but that didn't matter. The only thing that could possibly go wrong was if Lex didn't show up, because then she'd need to go looking for him. There was no guarantee that he'd come inside The Feed Bag, for he might wait outside with a plan to trail her afterwards.

Mandila frowned as she reached her destination and stepped into the warming atmosphere of the establishment. Numerous lanterns glowed about the wooden tables that dotted the floor before a countertop where the publican stood. The smell of fresh bread wafted out from the kitchen while mugs clinked together and people chatted. There was a decent crowd this evening, and Mandila briefly greeted a few people as she made her way toward a deserted table against the wall. From here she could keep a lookout on the entire room, and she liked how the stairs were at the far side of the floor, meaning that no one unexpected could join the crowd. It was a natural instinct to keep herself in a safe position, although if Methredhel had been here, she was sure that they'd end the night by dancing on the countertop. That had happened before, and the publican had allowed it since it attracted customers.

Good times, Mandila smiled. But tonight had the potential to top that event.

"Hey, Mandila!" the publican shouted with a wave. "What would you like, sweetheart?"

"Whatever's cheapest," she answered with a laugh. "Two of them!" Soon she was nursing a bottle of some dreadful, cheap ale, but she didn't care. It burned down her throat, and all she could think about was Lex. He hadn't shown up, and she was supposed to be meeting her mysterious contact in about ten minutes. Just as she was losing hope, the door swung open, and in walked a man with a red tunic and tan breeches. A cloak trailed over his back, and the hood was halfway over his face as he ordered something from the owner.

His hand lifted to exchange coins, and Mandila could only stare. Maybe it was the way that he walked, but she knew that it was Lex. His controlled movements and quick location of a lonesome bench were straight to business, and although he chose a table that did not afford Mandila an easy view of him, she thought that she caught a glint of familiar eyes when he took off the hood. If she wasn't expecting him, she probably wouldn't have noticed him in his regular garb and location across the room, where the lantern light was dimmer. He looked so damned ordinary, and he slipped right into the crowd, even as he kept his distant from it.

"Nice of you to show, captain," Mandila commented beneath her breath, leaning forward as she grabbed her second bottle of ale. She took a sip and fought back a gag. "What is this?!" she demanded, shouting across the room, which sent several men and women into fits of laughter.

"My special recipe," the publican joked.

"It's vile!" Mandila chuckled as she took another long sip. The alcohol swam in her belly, warming her, but she wasn't intoxicated. She was only settling into the environment, and she was not one for getting drunk since she hated throwing up. So she was a mild drinker, but she could still feel a light buzz affecting her body as she watched Lex drinking a deep, red liquid. It looked like wine, and she tried not to make her awareness of him obvious as he proceeded to scan the room. She looked away as his attention seemed to flicker in her direction, but it was difficult to tell where he was looking given his shadowy location.

I wonder what he thinks about my outfit.

"How about another one, Mandila?" the publican asked.

"I'd rather die," she laughed, pushing her bottles aside. Such a foul concoction had never before been seen, and she'd had enough for her tolerance. So she settled her elbows on the tabletop and pretended to be waiting for someone, looking around every once in an while, and playing with her hair. She ordered some bread, snacked a little, appeared to get impatient and loudly asked the publican if anyone had come in looking for her. The acting was exactly what was needed to keep Lex interested, and as one hour turned into two, Mandila herself was starting to tire of the game. How could Lex sit there and look so comfortable? The man had barely changed position since his arrival.

"Akatosh have mercy," she announced, wondering how she would keep herself and Lex here for another few hours. "I need another one!" Amid laughter she tackled her third drink, and it slowed her reaction time. When she next looked at Lex, he was staring directly at her, and their eyes met across the room. Now there was no denying that she knew of his presence, and considering how much she had ingested, she didn't particularly care. With a broad smile that naturally came to her upon meeting his gaze, she stood and began walking across the room, Lex's attention never leaving her as she did so. The game was up, but she still had to keep him here rather than letting him leave now that he'd been found out.

"Fancy meeting you here, captain," she greeted, setting her drink down at his table. "Would you like some company?" Before Lex could answer, she sat herself down beside him, and now she was with him in the opposite corner of the room, backs to the wall, side-by-side, watching a room from which they were detached.

"Your company never arrived," Lex stated.

"No," Mandila agreed. "But it's no sore loss. I didn't want to spend an evening with that guy anyway. And," she smirked, "You're much better company, but you never believe me." Lex snorted as he took another sip of wine, and Mandila loved how the lighting exposed his best features. Perhaps it was the atmosphere and alcohol, but he looked more relaxed here, and she could have stared at him all night. "I didn't know that you come here," she said, trying to start a conversation.

"I usually don't," came the short reply, and he finished his glass. "Be careful on the streets at night, citizen," he advised, his body beginning to rise from the bench.

No.

Mandila's hand shot out, and she laid it on his shoulder. She couldn't let him leave this early, and she didn't want him to go either. They'd barely spoken a word to one another, and she didn't think that she'd get the captain into a bar again. Ever.

"Please," she said. "Tonight has been a real disappointment, and having a drink with someone is the only way to salvage it."

"I am on duty tomorrow," Lex answered, and Mandila giggled.

"You're always on duty," she argued. "It's only one drink, and it would make me happy. Who knows? Perhaps my late company will show up before we're done. I can't leave yet, but I don't want to be bored." Lex slowly retook his seat and waved to the publican, who approached with a surprised expression at seeing him with the Bosmer.

"Yes, sir?" he asked.

"Another glass."

"And more minotaur spittle for me," Mandila added. "If I can survive this, I can survive anything," she told Lex as she took another swallow. "Would you like to try some?" Lex arched his eyebrows and took the bottle from her with a frown. He sniffed the air directly above the drink and cringed.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Afraid that the elf is trying to poison you?" Mandila teased, knowing that the alcohol was making her looser with her speech. She was less inhibited than usual, and while part of her knew how very bad that could be with Lex here, the desire to touch the lips that were currently fastened to her bottle made her eyes widen in distraction. Methredhel had dared her to kiss those lips, and tonight was well-suited for that sort of thing. Gods, but Lex was having a drink with her. Maybe he was only doing it in hopes that her nonexistent contact would arrive, but still, could life get any better than this?

"It's dreadful," Lex complained, setting the bottle down while he cleared his throat. "I can't believe that you're drinking that."

"There's an upside," Mandila countered.

"Oh?"

"It's dirt cheap." Lex smiled, and Mandila's jaw nearly dropped off of her face. Now she had seen everything, and never had she wanted to attack his lips like she wanted to now. With her intense staring, Lex must have noticed her expression, and he rolled his shoulder in a gesture that should not have been as fascinating as it was.

"You never saw a thing," Lex said with a dry sense of humor.

"Of course not," and Mandila smiled back at him. "I won't tell a soul that Captain Serious smiled." She thought that his eased features might again indulge in a smile when his face returned to its usual, sober nature as the publican arrived with a glass of wine and another bottle of cheap ale.

"Take that back," Lex said, motioning to the bottle in the man's hand. "And bring her a glass of Tamika's." The publican did as told, and Mandila found herself sipping on a very rich and filling red wine. "It's the best that they have here," Lex explained while Mandila ran a tongue over her lips to savor every little drop. "You've never had wine before, have you?" he asked, sounding amused.

"I have, but nothing like this. Cheap wine is about as good as cheap ale, if you know what I mean. Thank you." Lex continued drinking, and Mandila tilted her head to get a better view of his face. He was so handsome, and was she actually leaning in closer to him, or was it her imagination? She admitted that she had now definitely drank more than intended, for social convention wasn't preventing her from openly staring at him in the least. In fact, she was certain that her features were set in that fascinated, contemplative expression that betrayed her interest to everyone on the harbor—everyone except Lex. But then again, she could tell that he was carefully examining her as he drank his wine. Unlike her, he was far from being affected by his drinking.

"Why are you watching me drink?" he asked.

"I like watching you," Mandila conceded to the horror of her rational self.

"And the way that I hold my glass is interesting?" he challenged. "I hardly think that's worth your time."

"You're always worth the time," and with that, Mandila lapsed into a serious expression, her hands itching to touch his face. "You don't have any idea...the way you walk and talk, how nothing can touch you...you never give up. You..." She seemed to catch herself, and shook her head as if that would help clear her thoughts. "I'm sorry if I bothered you today. I didn't mean to stick my nose in your business."

"Yes, you did," Lex corrected her. Damn. Well, she did make it obvious, didn't she?

*********

Lex's head was still ringing with the shock of her words. It had to be the alcohol in her that was talking, for there was no way that this elf that targeted him at every turn was so genuinely adoring of him. But the way that she was gazing at him made it seem like he was the most important thing in her world—as if he were the most interesting person alive. "You've had too much to drink," he told her, but maybe that could work to his advantage.

"Yes," she agreed. "So ignore me—not that I want you to."

"You should drink less next time."

"I know...and you should wear clothing like this more often. The armor is nice, but you look so formal in armor—not like now." She reached out to touch his tunic, and Lex caught her hand, feeling the smoothness of her palm and the way that she seemed to willfully slip it into his grasp.

"Who were you waiting for?" he questioned, and her eyes shifted to the tabletop.

"You," she replied, and Lex's eyes narrowed.

"You had no idea that I would be here," he reasoned. "So who were you really waiting for?"

"I was hoping that you'd come," Mandila smiled. "So the other person doesn't matter. He was...well, Methredhel wanted me to meet him. She thinks that I need to get out more—romantically that is—and she has this cousin who she thinks would be perfect...oh, it doesn't matter! He's not here, and I wanted to meet you, not him." The more she spoke, the more Lex suspected that something was going on, but he couldn't prove it, and Mandila was being very careful to watch her words, even in her tipsy state. "You can let go," she told him, and Lex released her hand. She kept staring at it with a frown once the limb was returned to her lap.

"Why did you defend me today?" Lex asked, knowing that he wouldn't discover what she was hiding by putting pressure on her.

"You don't deserve to be laughed at," Mandila sighed. "The Grey Fox does exist." Lex's investigative instincts kicked into overdrive as he leaned closer to Mandila, speaking into her ear so that others couldn't hear. The girl looked nervous now, and well she should.

*****

Lex's breath sent goosebumps across her skin, and his lips were so close now that Mandila could almost hear Methredhel taunting her from the back of her mind.

"How do you know he exists?" Lex asked. "Have you seen him?"

"I can't tell you that, captain," she replied. She turned her head so that she was facing him, their noses barely separated by six inches, and she was looking right into his piercing eyes.

"You can tell me," he promised. "I'm an officer of the law. I'm bound to do what's right."

"Only in your own eyes," she told him. "I..." Mandila couldn't resist any longer, and before she knew it, her lips were on his. She felt him stiffen in surprise as she leaned against his hard chest, hands resting on the bench and one of his thighs to support herself as she nearly fell into him. His lips were as soft as she had imagined, and as she worked her mouth against his, she realized how very wrong this was. People could be watching. Someone would tell Armand.

Armand can go to Oblivion. Her mouth moved some more, even as Lex's lips were fixed into a straight line.

"Sorry," she said as two strong arms gripped her shoulders and pushed her back. Lex stared at her with an unreadable expression as he supported her still leaning body. She would have noticed how serious he had grown except that she was too busy staring at his lips and wanting to touch them again. Against her will a blush rose to her cheeks, and she pulled away from him. "I should go home," she stated, rising from her seat so quickly that she almost lost her balance.

"This discussion isn't over," Lex told her. "I'll find you once you're sober."

"I'm sure you will," she said, and then, with more uncertainty: "Sir, I didn't mean..."

"It's all right, Mandila," he told her, and his face again softened. "You're obviously not thinking properly right now. Go home."

"Thank you, sir." With that, Mandila left The Feed Bag and made her way down the darkened streets, wondering why she had dared to hope that Lex would respond to her kiss. Of course he wouldn't. He was Lex! Still, she was disappointed, and the comments that she had let slip were bothering her. Alcohol plus her deadened mood were a bad combination, and the more she thought about it, the more she wished that she could go back there and demand that Lex give her a decent kiss. His lips had been so smooth, and if he'd only given it a chance...

"Goodnight, captain," she said into the night as she reached her front door. Tomorrow she would feel better, and then she'd laugh about this. She had won her bet after all, and that was worth something. Too bad she hadn't gotten what she wanted most, and the fact that she wanted it most confused her inebriated mind. She fell asleep, thinking of kisses and blue eyes, not knowing that someone had followed her home, both to make sure that she didn't land herself in trouble, and to see if she exposed any evidence against the Thieves' Guild. When she didn't, the captain left her be, a shadow among the night that would have done a thief proud.

This post has been edited by Ornamental Nonsense: Aug 5 2010, 07:23 PM