Madness Helps Me Save Myself Options

[Jacki Dice]

Hello again. Thank you all for reading my previous thread, Champion of Madness. As I posted before, I felt the story was in need of a lot of work. First off, titles are one of my weakest points. I have to admit, it took me hours to come up with "Champion of Madness" (sad, I know) but it just didn't feel right, not to mention the fact that it didn't work with the upcoming Oblivion Crisis. Other than that, there were characters issues, plot holes, and world building issues that I felt could only be dealt with by starting fresh, with a better idea of where I was going.

That said, I'd like to welcome you to the revamped version. I hope you all enjoy it ♥

PS....I made a typo in the title... I sure feel silly now -_- Please ignore it.

~~~~~♥~~~~~

Prologue

Wrothken didn't even flinch as a deafening roar erupted from the arena. He remained in his seat at the bar, his head slumped over a cup of tea that had long since gotten cold. He sat listening to the dull buzz of quiet conversations, his ears searching for specific words. He knew he shouldn't. If he happened to overhear something that he didn't want to hear it would send him into an even deeper pit of despair or rage, like when that jerk the other night asked Kirsty if Wrothken's "Uncle Flo" had been in town. Wrothken knew what that implied as did the rest of the bakery. And many people found it hilarious up until Wrothken nearly beat that man to death with a chair.

Chop. Chop. Chop.

He could tell Kirsty was right in front of him. He could smell lavender lingering under the scent of fresh bread, cinnamon, and ham. He heard her sigh softly. He knew she wanted to help. She even tried getting him rip roaring drunk and then taking him to a brothel. Oh, what a fiasco that had been. The drink only magnified his sorrow, causing him to bawl like a baby in the middle of the street and then once he was with the working girl his body wouldn't cooperate, no matter what she did. Though she had shrugged it off, claiming to have seen that a thousand times, it wasn’t exactly something that a man ever quite lived down, drunk or not.

Kirsty sighed again. "You're only letting them win."

Wrothken raised his head slightly. Behind his curtain of Bravil-water blond hair, he saw her tiny hands holding a large knife and slicing up some ham. He brushed the hair from his face and looked up all the way. She was such a mess, but cute in a way. When she opened up that morning she had been wearing a nice, clean turquoise blouse. Now, even though she wore an apron, it was covered in white and brown powder. Her dark brown hair wasn't long enough to braid, so she wore it in a simple ponytail, though as the day went by the short locks that were once bangs escaped. Her cool brown eyes were on the meat, though she occasionally glanced up at Wrothken.

Wrothken stared at the ham. Its scent was suddenly the most captivating thing in the world and his stomach announced it loudly.

"What was that?" Kirsty asked, setting the knife down. The bright blush across his face told her the answer. "What have you eaten today?"

Wrothken shrugged. He hadn't been feeling hungry lately but when he had, the thought of food sickened him. The very act of chewing and swallowing seemed like just too much effort.

Kirsty huffed and set a cinnamon apple muffin in front of him. The crumbly top beckoned him, the sweetness he knew he would find seducing him. Yet the thought of eating turned his mouth sour. Still, if he didn't eat it, Kirsty would probably jump over the counter and shove it down his throat. He bit into it, trying to catch the crumbles before they hit the floor.

"That's better," she said, continuing to chop up the ham. "You look like you've lost weight actually."

Wrothken grunted. Atrea had been pestering him to lose weight for years. He was broad-shouldered and a bit "snuggly," as Kirsty put it. It was almost funny how the pounds began to shed after he caught his intended in bed with another man. A thigh slapper really.

"Great," he finally said. "Now if I could just lose all my body hair, maybe I could win her back."

Kirsty crinkled her nose. "No, don't do that. That's just...weird. Have you ever seen a hairless Nord? It would look off and I bet you’d hate the feeling. And besides," she looked at him, wagging her knife as she spoke. "If you take that girl back, so help me, Wrothken, I will beat you with my rolling pin until the sense comes back in your head."

He believed her. She didn't like Atrea much before but now it was full on hate. The feeling was mutual. Not that she ever admitted it, but he knew Atrea was insanely jealous of Kirsty. He didn’t think she should have been, but he could understand why. Kirsty built herself up from a grape picker for Tamika to a little pastry cart by the markets to an upscale bakery. She was as strong, persistent, and smart as she was beautiful, and Wrothken happened to work late with her most nights. Not that anything happened. He had honor. He was faithful.

"Have you given any thought to my idea?" She asked.

He had, but he didn't really want to go through with it. "I won't run away," he said quietly. He would rather drop dead than give them the satisfaction of knowing they ran him out of town, tail between his legs.

"I never said to run away," Kirsty said. She glanced back at an hourglass atop the oven. The pink sand was almost all the way at the bottom. She swore under her breath and began chopping faster. "I said take a break. Go on a trip for a while to help clear your head. Maybe meet some new people while you're at it."

"But they'll think I ran away!" He protested. He could imagine them laughing about it after a good romp in the sack. His stomach churned at the thought.

Kirsty set her knife down again, exasperatedly saying, "Who gives a flying guar what they think? They aren’t worth the filth under your boots. Why are you going to let them control your well-being?" She chopped furiously. "Do you really think it’s healthy to just hang around here forever? Or avoid places because you're afraid to run into them?"

She had a point. Kirsty always had a point and she would nag and push and prod until the point was not only seen, but agreed with.

"Where would I even go?"

"Well," she looked at the hourglass. It was empty. She opened the oven and pulled out a batch of flaky croissants. "You're from Bruma. Why not start there?"

Wrothken's slapped the counter. "I'd sooner hunt mudcrabs while skyclad!"

Kirsty laughed a bit.

"I'm serious!" Wrothken said, shoving the rest of the muffin in his mouth. "If I set foot there, my ma will bludgeon me with 'I-told-you-so' until my ears bleed! No way am I going back there like this!"

"Okay," Kirsty said taking out a bread knife. She took each croissant and cut it in half before slathering on creamy butter. "How about the Imperial City? There's lots to offer there. In fact, I'd like to move there one day..." She trailed off for a moment as a slight smile grew on her lips.

He agreed on that point. The Imperial City was the center of everything. A man could make his fortune there just as easily as he could lose it. All kinds of opportunity was found there.

"And I'm not saying forever, either." She continued, placing the sliced ham on the bottom halves of the croissants. "Just a week or two. Just enough time to clear your head."

"But what about you?" He asked.

"I'll be fine," she said as she started to slice bright tomatoes. Chop! Chop! Chop! Chop! Chop! Wrothken was amazed that she never sliced a finger off with how quick she was with her blade. "If I could get from Valenwood to Skingrad on my own, I'm sure I can handle a few drunken oafs. Besides, it’s just for a little bit. Worst case, I can see if Yyaevannte can come by now and then. He’s not as big as you, but he’s Fighter’s Guild."

Wrothken could see that she wasn't going to let up. As much as he wanted to just go back upstairs and sulk in bed, she would just push it later, over and over and over until he went mad. Women. Why did they have to be such nags?

"Fine, fine," he sighed, getting up. "I'll get my gear then."

"Hold it," she said. "It's not enough to just go. This is a chance for a new beginning. Once you leave those gates, I want you to think of it as the first day of the rest of your life. No thinking of her. No thinking of him. Now, you are going to reclaim your dignity. Just promise me that."

He nodded. He didn't remember ever seeing her so serious before. "Alright, I'll do my best."

"Good! Now, come see me before you leave. I'll pack a lunch for you. And write to me once you get there."

"I will."

"No, promise me. I know how you are. You'll forget the moment you find something interesting. In fact, I'll even write a little reminder for you."



This post has been edited by Jacki Dice: Dec 23 2019, 07:29 AM

[Jacki Dice]

SubRosa~ I love Cutter too She says the starngest things. Ad Kalila was there before, though I think I changed some of the wording. ♥

mALX~ Did you happen to visit the Orc in Bliss first? They get upset if you visit the each other. Cutter flat out threatens you I think

~~~~~♥~~~~~

Chapter Ten: Raining Cheese, Indeed!

Kirsty could hardly sleep at all. Her stomach was knotted with worry. After lying in bed and thinking about it for a few hours, she couldn't believe that she allowed some stranger to break into Wrothken's house and take jewelry. Maybe Lilitu-- if that was even her name-- wasn't a thief after all, but an undercover guard trying to put a stop to the Thieves Guild. Or maybe she and Awour were old friends, looking to catch Kirsty in something, just so they can report her later. Maybe she really was a thief, but was going to run off with the spoils.

Realizing that sleep wasn't going to come to her, she decided to get to work.

She walked downstairs to the bakery and stood at the counter with a quill and parchment, checking her sales for the previous day. She made around fifty sweet rings yesterday, but didn't have enough for everyone who wanted one. She could try for seventy-five...but then again it was Tirdas. For some reason, Morndas always sold more sweets than any other day. "Sixty rings," she decided, writing it down.

Immediately she set to work. She found a large bowl and emptied a sack of flour into it. She was so happy to have left Valenwood. Flour, since it's grain, is forbidden by the Green Pact. Instead, they used bonemeal. It wasn't bad, but it didn't give the bread that fluffiness she loved. She took out a jar of honey and mixed it in, creating a thick paste. After forming the rings and soaking it in wine, she put them in the oven.

While she waited for them to cook, she started preparing some croissants and chocolate muffins to be baked as well. By time she was finished, her apron and any unprotected part of her dress was covered in powder.

A knock on the window caused her heart to rise, then sink instantly. Lilitu wasn't outside but Yyaevonnte was. She felt guilty at her lack of excitement. Why should she be less disappointed to see her best friend than a thief?

She let the Redguard in, locking the door behind him.

"Kirsty! I was worried about waking you up, but I forgot that you're always up this early," he said, taking a seat at the bar.

Kirsty shrugged.

Yyaevonnte leaned back. "Just got back from one hell of a mission. A group of guys went exploring in some goblin cave and got in over their heads and lost their healer. I had to fight four of them off the poor girl and by then she was shaking so bad, she accidentally healed the dead goblins!" He laughed. "Should have seen the looks on their faces! They were dead but the wounds healed and everything! She nearly wet herself!"

"Hmmm," Kirsty said absentmindedly.

He leaned in. "Then we stripped the goblins down and had ourselves a good old time!"

"That's nice," she mumbled. "Wait," she looked at him. "What?"

"Testing you. You didn't hear a word I said before, did you?"

Kirsty shook her head. "Sorry, Yyaevonnte. I'm just a little stressed."

"Why? Wrothken still gone?" He sighed. "Why did he go anyway? If you ask me, he should have beat Bacchus out of his bed and put Awour out on the street!"

"I know... I thought he should clear his mind, though I'm still waiting on that letter from him!" She sighed, laying her elbows on the counter. "Yesterday, I heard Awour say that she was planning on selling some jewelry Wrothken gave her."

He shrugged. "So?"

"I couldn't let her do that so..." She bit her lip and wringing her hands.

Yyaevonnte narrowed his eyes. "So what?"

"I... I kinda hired a... a thief--"

"You did what?" Yyaevonnte jumped up. "You didn't!"

Kirsty looked away, starting to mince some strawberries. "I couldn't let her do it. Not after all Wrothken did for her."

"Kirsty, that's illegal! A thief? Oh, dear gods!"

"Oh, like you've never broken the law before," she hissed.

"Not like this! Nothing really harmful!"

"It wasn't harmful," she said, pouring the strawberries into a bowl. "I hired her to steal not kill."

"And what do you think happens on the roads outside of town? Never stops those thieves from killing."

"Shut up, will you? And don't you dare breathe a word of this to your guildmates! Last thing I need is for all of Kvatch to know." She huffed, folding her arms defensively. "Besides, it was the only way I could get them back for Wrothken!"

"Oh? And where is the jewelry now, huh?"

"That's the thing," she sighed. "Not here yet."

"Why am I not surprised?" He buried his face in his hands for a moment, then ran his hands through his buzzed black hair. "How long ago did you...?"

"Late last night. I know I'm probably being paranoid--"

"And with good reason."

"But," she said with a growl. "It is still pretty early in the morning. She's probably still asleep."

"Makes sense," he said. "Not like thieves have any sort of honest work to do."



After the breakfast rush, though Lilitu still hadn't shown, a man carrying a sack full of papers walked in. Kirsty's heart raced. Did Wrothken finally send her a letter?

"Morning, miss," he said, handing her a copy of the Black Horse Courier. "Special edition," he said with a nod.

He walked away as Kirsty caught the headline.

SPECIAL EDITION!
Ricotta Rain! Transdimensional door appears! Coincidence?

An ordinary, peaceful morning on the Niben Bay was suddenly turned upside down when a downpour of cheddar cheese coated the immediate area. Locals from Bravil and the Imperial City scrambled to get a basket of the cheese, but by time they got to the area, guards had been sent to keep people from consuming it until it could be tested for poisons.

At the same time, it was reported that a strange door opened up on a mysterious island in the bay. Plants not found anywhere on Nirn were discovered, prompting a mass gathering of mages to examine and gather them up for potions. Several adventurers arrived on the scene as well, seeking to find out where the door came from and what its purpose is. Few have come out, and those who have seem to be driven mad by whatever is inside.

A guard from Bravil, who has been posted at the door, was quoted, saying, "I keep telling them that nothing that enters come out right. They don't listen. Stupid kids got their heads filled with ideas of fame and fortune. Guess who gets stuck cleaning it up."

The obvious madness in the victims has caused many to wonder if the door is something from Sheogorath. However, because all who have entered have become too disturbed to talk, it has been difficult to confirm.

Chana Mona, the priestess in Bravil's chapel of Mara, has been conducting her services outside by the bay, warning people to stay away. At first her words were unheeded, but seeing as how most have either gone insane or haven't returned at all, more are gathering to listen to her sermons.

"Can you believe this garbage?" Kirsty said, looking at Yyaevonnte. "What's next? Strawberries in the sewers? Corn from the clouds? I certainly hope they figure out who printed this joke and send a retraction!"

Yyaevonnte scanned it. "I don't know. Those boys are usually on top of things. Besides, while I was in that cave, one of the guys mentioned it. I thought he was just drunk, but..." He tapped the paper. "There's only one way to find out. I'll check it out if this thief ever shows up."



Lilitu couldn't remember her dream, but she saw glimpses when she concentrated. A slender blond wrapped in soft sheets. A kiss before rushing out of the house after a secret night together. Such a soft kiss... Vivica... Lilitu remained wrapped in red sheets, her lips longing for another brush from those soft petal lips, but she knew it would only happen in dreams. She would just have to settle for that. She sat up and found the poem lying next to her, right on her pillow. Could that have been the cause of her dream? With it being the only explanation, she locked it in her nightstand, though not without reading it once more.

She hadn't even got out of the bed when Dolce bounded in, jumping up on the covers. She panted heavily, filling Lilitu's nose with the stench of morning-doggie breath. "Off!" She said, pointing at the floor. "By the Nine, your breath is awful! Remind me to give you some parsley before bed."

After Dolce returned to the floor, Lilitu got up as well, pulling a red robe over her nightgown. She went to the kitchen and chopped up some beef. Dolce quivered as she tried to refrain from jumping up on the counter. Lilitu set the beef in a blue dish on the floor. Dolce immediately pounced, greedily eating it as if she hadn't been fed in days.

While she ate, Lilitu got dressed. "Come on, Dolce," she said, after she finished. "Time to make a delivery."



When Kirsty finally saw Lilitu, she felt a wave of relief, along with a slight flash of jealousy. Lilitu was wearing a red high-necked corset top, which recently became fashionable in the area. Kirsty had been highly disappointed to find that it was impossible to stuff herself into one and a custom made top would have been far too expensive. She looked down. Sometimes the blessing so many girls envied and men lusted for was much more of a curse.

"There she is," she whispered to Yyaevonnte.

"The red one?" He raised his eyebrows. "Damn...she doesn't look like a thief! I thought they were...you know, dirty. Scruffy. She must be pretty damn good."

"Why do you think I hired her?" She said, trying to regain a sense of control of the issue.

Lilitu smiled, taking a seat in front of her. Without prompting, Dolce sat down as well.

"Special delivery," Lilitu said, handing Kirsty a small coin purse. She opened it, gasping sharply when she saw the earrings and the ring nestled inside. "You look surprised."

"No, I just..." She couldn't admit that she thought Lilitu would deceive her.

"She thought you were gonna skip town with them," Yyaevonnte piped up.

"Figures," Lilitu said, without a trace of anger. "Most people who hire thieves for the first time don't expect the merchandise to come, especially if they have no experience with the guild. And you are?"

"Me?" Yyaevonnte stood up. "I'm Yyaevonnte, Swordsman of the Fighter's Guild and fastest man in Tamriel..." he leaned in, suggestively wiggling his eyebrows. "At everything."

Lilitu's eyebrows raised. "That's not exactly something to be proud of."

Kirsty's cheeks reddened, and not from Yyaevonnte's most-used and most-unsuccessful pick-up line. She had worried herself silly over nothing. "Here, I know you wanted to do this for free, but at least take this, on the house." She handed Lilitu a fresh sweet ring.

When she took a bite, Lilitu's cherry red eyes suddenly seemed to glaze over and she moaned softly. "What is this?" she asked, quickly taking another bite.

"Just some sweet rings. I haven't come up with a good name for them just yet."

"I can think of some, but they're more suited for the bedroom than the kitchen. This is amazing!"

Kirsty reddened a little. She was usually too busy to hear people's compliments. "Um.. here's something for your dog, too." She stepped from behind the counter and set down a slab of ham.

Dolce sniffed it curiously and took a hesitant lick, as if she wasn't sure she could trust it. She looked up at Lilitu, who nodded. "Go ahead, baby." As soon as permission was granted, Dolce ate it up like she hadn't eaten in weeks.

"Something wrong with your dog?" Yyaevonnte asked. "I've never seen an animal question meat before."

"She was poisoned once," Lilitu said, her eyes blanking for a moment, as if lost in the memory. "She was sick for days after, even with potions."

Kirsty gasped. "That's horrible! I'm so sorry," she said, placing her hand on Lilitu's.

"Not to worry, she recovered and the man who did it is rotting away in prison as we speak."

"Huh..." Yyaevonnte said. "I didn't know it was illegal to kill a dog."

Lilitu's eyes twinkled. "It isn't."

Dolce just panted, wagging her tail happily. Kirsty stiffened as Dolce hopped onto the counter, rubbing her wet nose on her hand. "Don't worry," Lilitu said. "Remember what I said last night? Her heart is in her stomach. She'll love you forever now."

They were quiet for a moment before she said, "So, I'm just going to come out and ask. Who's Wrothken?"

"Wrothken?" She asked. "He's my brother."

Lilitu raised her eyebrows. "Your...brother?"

Kirsty shook her head. "Not exactly. I mean he's been like a brother. You know, looking after me and helping me out with stuff." She set her head on her hand, sighing. "He helped me run the place. Drunks listened to him more then they did me."

"Was he intimidating?"

Yyaevonnte laughed. "He's more like a big teddy bear, but people don't know that. All they see is a giant Nord with hands big enough to squash them like roaches!"

"I see. So, he's your brother, who lived with the high elf, and you wanted me to steal jewelry from their house." She looked outside. "She broke his heart, didn't she?"

Kirsty nodded. "He caught her in bed with another man."

Lilitu continued to stare outside. "How sad. Where is he now?"

"I suggested he go to the Imperial City to clear his head...but he was supposed to write me when he got there, and I haven't gotten anything yet."

"I still say he should've just thrown her out the door..." Yyaevonnte said.

Kirsty nodded in agreement. "He should've, but if we list all the things that should have happened, we'll all go insane."

"Hey," a voice behind Lilitu said.

She jumped, seeing Capaneus behind her. "What... Hi," she forced out. "What are you doing, sneaking up behind me like that?"

He just smiled, looking at Kirsty. "Did you break into Awour's house last night?"

Kirsty looked like a deer caught between a wall and a starving bear. "Oh...well, you see..."

Lilitu exhaled loudly. "She didn't break into anything. Why?"

He shrugged. "Awour's furious. Seems someone broke into her house last night and stole some jewelry. In fact, she was just at the Dancing Minotaur demanding that the doyen of the Thieves' Guild present themselves. Of course, she got laughed out of the place when she suggested that you did it."

"She what?" Kirsty shrieked.

"Calm down," Lilitu said. "First off, she has no proof it was anyone. The guards won't waste their time on speculation, especially since officially, we don't exist. Second, even if she did have proof, no way would I turn you in. There is honor among thieves."

"She's right," Capaneus said. "Turns out she knows exactly how far the Guild would go for anyone they consider an ally," he said, winking at Lilitu.

She narrowed her eyes. She knew what he was getting at, but how did he find out? Creepy, nosy fetcher.

"Hey there," he said, noticing Dolce. The moment his hand lowered with the intent to pet, Dolce barked loudly, snarling and trying to back away as far as she could.

"Dolce!" Lilitu said, hoping to calm her down. For once, Dolce ignored her mistress, continuing to bark. "N'chow!" She swore, looking at all the patrons staring at them. "Just give her this," Lilitu said, placing a slice of ham in Capaneus' hands. Capaneus threw it to Dolce, but she refused to acknowledge it. "Damn," she spat. She led Dolce away, saying to Kirsty, "I'm so sorry, she must be cranky. Just don't worry, everything will be fine." She nudged Dolce, saying, "Come on, baby."

Dolce growled the entire way out the door, staring hard at Capaneus. As soon as they were outside, Lilitu knelt next to the calmed dog and scratched behind her ears. "You don't like him, either?" She asked. She knew animals, especially dogs, had a sixth sense when it came to danger. People included. Dolce had been right once before. Lilitu couldn't help thinking that Dolce may have had good reason for her reaction to Capaneus.



"What in Oblivion was with that?" Yyaevonnte asked, looking back at Kirsty.

Kirsty shrugged.

"Probably lack of real training or maybe I just smelled funny," Capaneus offered.

"Maybe," Yyaevonnte said. "Well, I'm off, Kirsty. I'm gonna go check out that cheese. I'll see you later."

As soon as Yyaevonnte left, Kirsty felt more alone than ever. She licked her lips nervously, glancing up at Capaneus who remained at the counter. Something about him offered comfort, though she had never met him. She smiled weakly and was rewarded with glistening brown eyes and a grin that made her knees weak. He reached over and took her hand in his and suddenly, she didn't feel alone anymore.

This post has been edited by Jacki Dice: Dec 23 2019, 07:38 AM