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]

Prologue

“No, anyone but him, Velanda. Surely you have another suggestion.”

“No, I don’t, Lord Helseth. Not if you want the very best.”

King Hlaalu Helseth and his councilors were discussing a matter of utmost importance, directly involving the Great House Hlaalu. Eerie happenings were taking place in the city of Balmora, the district seat of The House. One month ago a member of House Hlaalu went missing. An investigation was of course conducted by hired investigators, but nothing came up. The case was eventually ruled that the member, in this case a low-rank Dunmer, had simply ran away to an unknown location.

However, just two weeks ago two more members went missing, and again the disappearances took place in Balmora. Now the leaders of House Hlaalu are taking the situation very seriously, and they are also extremely angry. For one, they are upset because the previous investigators were obviously wrong. And two, they are now going to be forced into hiring the one man they had exiled long ago.

“You do know Sirius is currently a struggling merchant in Caldera, correct? The last I heard, his little business was on the verge of collapsing, and that was two years ago.”

“Yes, but agents never forget their trade, my lord,” Mistress Velanda Omani claimed.

Helseth stood up from his chair and walked over to a wall and stared at one of his paintings. It was a large picture of him and an Imperial, both grinning from ear to ear. The two were once very good friends. About a month after that same painting was created something happened, something awful and unexplainable. Now the two haven’t spoken in nearly four years. Helseth didn’t want to make contact with him, but he knew it was the only way to ensure success.

“But he’s a traitor, Velanda. You know this,” Helseth said, still looking at the painting.

“That is true, my lord, but I’ll have to agree with Velanda on this one,” Master Crassius Curio announced. “Something is happening in Balmora; something that needs to be dealt with swiftly.”

“That is right, my lord,” Master Yngling Half-Troll said in agreement. “Unfortunately I don’t see any other option.”

The king of Morrowind turned his head and walked back to his chair and sat down. “What are your opinions?” He asked towards Master Dram Bero, and Mistress Nevena Ules, the remaining Councilors who had yet to speak.

“I won’t lie; I do NOT want to hire the scoundrel,” Nevena said. “But, as Yngling has just mentioned, I don’t see any other way around this either. We have to contact him, my lord. He is the only one capable of the job it seems. The others failed, and I doubt you’ll be talking to them ever again.”

“Oh no,” Helseth said, sort of chuckling afterwards. “They’ll be lucky to still be alive next week. Because of those fools I’ve lost three members, all with the potential of becoming wonderful assets to The House,” He said, referring to the previous investigators who had failed.

“I don’t want to have anything to do with the piece of scum. He almost destroyed everything we’ve strived for, and now you want to re-hire him? That is ludicrous!”

It was obvious to everyone that Master Dram Bero didn’t agree with them. His anger was obvious, but Dram doesn’t even like foreigners anyhow. None of the Councilors did very much, but Dram’s hatred was purest.

“Then what do you suggest we do, Dram? It is easy to sit there and complain, you know,” Velanda said harshly.

“I don’t want a traitor working for us! That doesn’t even make any sense! Just think about it!”

“There is no other way, Dram! And again I ask you, what do you suggest?”

Master Bero sat there with his arms crossed, angry because he knew he wasn’t going to get his wish. Deep down inside he knew it was the only way. He just didn’t want admit it.

“Fine, do what you want. But don’t come crying to me when he stabs us in the back once more!” He then stood up from his chair and walked out the door, slamming it forcefully behind him.

“What a damn child!” Velanda exclaimed. “It’s a wonder how grown beings can act so immature and selfish!”

“So…it’s agreed?” Helseth asked the remaining councilors, ignoring the argument involving Velanda and Dram.

One by one they reluctantly nodded their heads. They didn’t want to do it, but they also didn’t want to see anyone else vanish.

“Very well, then. I’ll send a courier immediately.”

[paragenic]

The Conifers of Balmora, I thought the title was at first! Need to read more slowly...

[redsrock]

The Conifers of Balmora, I thought the title was at first! Need to read more slowly...

Lol, nope...

[The Metal Mallet]

Eh, I would've suspected the Councilors that were previously the lapdogs to the Commona Tong would be more racist than Dram Bero but this is your story which means you've got free will over the characters.

This Sirius guy sounds quite intriguing though, I wonder what he did that black-balled him? I see potential for this story, but of course we need to be better introduced to the main character to actually find out.

[redsrock]

Thanks, Mallet. The next chaper is almost done, but I am being careful not to give too much information too quick, you know?

This post has been edited by redsrock: Apr 29 2008, 02:23 AM

[redsrock]

CHAPTER ONE


After the other councilors had left and gone back to Vvardenfell to their respective homes, Helseth closed his doors and told his servants to let no one in. The King needed some time to think alone, without the bickering and arguing that had ensued during the meeting.

Before they left, the councilors and Helseth had debated on how the letter should be worded. After a few minutes of debate, they all decided to disguise everything. The address of the letter would link to a fake person from the city of Vivec. The letter would speak of a generous offer of gold from a friendly Breton, who himself would be made up. Sirius was always a sucker for money, and the councilors knew he wouldn’t be able to deny the offer, especially in his current economic state.

It was very ironic that the reason Helseth would be contacting the Imperial, was the same reason he had exiled him long ago. All of the pain from those days still cropped up from time to time, but all in all Helseth had for the most part dismissed all of those feelings. But now that their man-of-the-hour was soon to walk the streets of Mournhold once more; Sirius Mero was coming home…


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


“I’m not going to budge on this one, Sirius. Either you give me the money now or I will shut down your shop altogether. I’ve let you slip by without having to pay anything for one whole year, and yet you still don’t have any money to show me.”

“Business has been slow this year, I…I just haven’t been able to gain enough money to repay you.”

In all honesty, business for the lonely Imperial had been slow all year. But that still doesn’t explain all the empty beer bottles lying around his small home just inside the city gates. Even though Sirius himself is very manipulative and is very good with words, he wasn’t going to be able to weasel himself out of this one.

“No money, eh? How do you explain those?” The Breton, Malpen, said. Malpen was the local government’s tax-collector. And then without letting Sirius finish he continued. “You run a clothing shop, Sirius, and an expensive one at that. How do you explain not having enough money to pay me? What the hell have you been doing, spending all the money on booze?”

Sirius is a heavy drinker, there’s no doubting that, and perhaps on the verge of becoming the town-drunk if he didn’t act quickly. Of course not all of the money has been spent on beer and wine. It has also been used to pay for his secret-love of women. But there’s no way he’ll tell Malpen about that. Oh no, he’d run Sirius out of town, after taking what money the Imperial did have.

“I…I just don’t have the money, Malpen. I swear, just give me six more months. I swear I’ll have the money, and then some.”

Malpen was now stuck between a rock and hard place, so-to-speak. The tax collector knew Sirius probably wasn’t very good for his word. On the other-hand, his store does bring in more money than anyone else.

“I’ll give you one option, Sirius. I will let you have six more months, but, if you do not have enough money when the time is up I will throw you in jail for tax evasion. You do know that Governor Dillon thinks that is exactly what you are doing, correct? They have no clue I’ve let you slide. Also, you will give me seventy-five percent of your earnings from here on out. If you don’t take this offer, I will take your shop away and what money you do have, forcing you to start all over. I’m sure you wouldn’t want that. So, what’s it going to be, Sirius?” Malpen said, his long Imperial black hair flapping in the wind.

Sirius didn’t like the option, but he didn’t feel like giving up his business either. But what else was he going to do? There was also the option of running away to another city, but then again that would be starting over as well. Plus, Sirius wasn’t a coward. “I imagine that seventy-five percent won’t be going government, right?” he asked, trying to stall for time.

Malpen just continued to wait impatiently. “Just answer the question, Sirius.”

“I’ll take it.”


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


The sun was setting on the magical city of Mournhold when the letter was finally written, edited, and then written all over again. Hlaalu Helseth wasn’t sure too sure what to say at first, and it took him all day to write the damn thing.

Words usually never failed the King of Morrowind, but today his mind had been frozen. The letter to Sirius had to be perfect, and nothing less. Helseth knew this, and that’s why it had taken him so long to write it. And to add to it, the letter had to be fake, and that was a challenge in its own. It was hard making up everything. But now, after editing it for the last time, he was satisfied with its contents.

Dear Sirius Mero,

My name is Catolino Balvicci, but you may call me Cato. I have come under the impression from a friend of mine in Caldera that you are currently having some money issues. What I have come to realize is that, despite your money woes, you really do have the potential to run a successful business. My friend has told me that your store has attracted far more people than anyone else. I would like to extend a hand in helping you recover.

I am an entrepreneur of sorts, and have helped finance many striving merchants in Cyrodiil. I came to Morrowind just a few weeks ago to work my magic here, and my friend, Sabatha the Khajiit, immediately told me of your situation. She holds you in high regard actually.

I am willing to offer you twenty-thousand septims. This should be more than enough to pay your debts, and it will also let you buy some nifty new products to attract even more patrons. I know all of must sound like a dream to you, but fortunately for you it is not. Talk to Sabatha, and you will see this is real. She will explain everything, and even give you my address. I would do it myself, but I fear I do not trust the mailing system just yet!

I look forward to seeing you my friend, and until then, good luck!

Sincerely,
Cato

Simple, but to the point. Helseth worked work hard at getting the Khajiit to agree to help, and a lot of septims at that. Sabatha was a cunning individual herself it seemed, there wasn’t a doubt in Helseth’s mind that the deal wouldn’t be accepted by Sirius.

And then once he does make it to the fake location, which was going to be the Foreign Quarter in Vivec, he would be instantly tracked by several of Helseth’s agents. Once Sirius realizes he’s been tricked, he’ll trek back to Caldera, and on the way back in the wilderness he will be ambushed and kidnapped by the agents, and then immediately transported to Mournhold’s dungeons. Helseth knew Sirius hated Silt Striders, and that was Morrowind’s only transportation system. The King had already instructed his guards to alert him as soon as the Imperial arrives.

So he then folded the letter and carefully placed it in an envelope, and then fastened a fancy seal to close the envelope, but nothing that would trace the letter back to Helseth of course. He called for the courier and then said, “Deliver this immediately to Sirius of Caldera. You’ll find his clothing shop just past the gates. This is very important, so use this scroll to get there without delay. Hurry, please.”

The Breton courier gave Helseth a curious look, but then left almost as soon as he had arrived.

[jack cloudy]

I like the intrigue. You really manage to put Helseth down as a sneaky manipulator. So everything about the offer is false and just meant to get him to walk into a trap and forced to take Helseth's offer instead.

Heck, he might not even get paid after doing the real job! Helseth holds all the cards here.

[redsrock]

Exactly. Helseth is in full control for now.


CHAPTER TWO


As soon as the annoying tax-collector left his house, Sirius went back inside, closed his doors, and immediately knocked back a couple of beers in matter of several minutes. His only option had already been laid out before him, but he didn’t like it one iota. Though he was given yet another deadline, he had a bad feeling he wasn’t going to make this one either. He was giving up too much to gain too little, at least in his opinion anyways.

seventy-five percent of my earnings from here on out? he thought angrily to himself. He absolutely hated Malpen for taking advantage of him like that, for he knew the shady Imperial was going to pocket the money for himself.

But no matter how much he hated Malpen, he had nobody to blame but himself for the position he was in, and deep down inside Sirius knew this. The broken and empty bottles scattered throughout the shop told the sad story of the once-prestigious special-agent for House Hlaalu. For many years he roamed the halls of Mournhold Palace, a hero in every eye, and a model for almost as many. But that was long ago. Those days were over, not that Sirius cared. He had his fun playing spy, but when the unthinkable happened and he was betrayed by his own best friend, things drastically changed for the worst. However, Sirius didn’t like contemplating those events. He wanted to forget the past and move on. Of course, that was easier said than done.

No more than a few minutes after he was finished drinking his alcohol, a knock came from outside. Sirius assumed Malpen was back to agitate him some more, and he angrily stomped over to the door and opened it with great aggression.

“What the hell do you want now?” he yelled loudly as he opened the door. But to his surprise it was not Malpen, but rather a different Breton, this one very scrawny and making a unpleasant expression about his face, no doubt smelling the odor of beer coming from Sirius’s breath.

“…A message from the city of Vivec, sir…” The Breton said wearily. He was careful not to sound suspicious, carefully instructed by Helseth of course. The courier really had to sell the act, and it appeared he had done just that.

Sirius took the envelope, thanked the messenger with no emotion, and then closed the door without waiting for a reply. He belched loudly for a few seconds, and then sat down at his office desk. After cutting the seal with a small pocket knife he took out the letter and read it to himself:

Dear Sirius Mero,

My name is Catolino Balvicci, but you may call me Cato. I have come under the impression from a friend of mine in Caldera told me that you are currently having some money issues. What I have come to realize is that, despite your money woes, you really do have the potential to run a successful business. My friend has told me that your store has attracted far more people than anyone else. I would like to extend a hand in helping you recover.

I am an entrepreneur of sorts, and have helped finance many striving merchants in Cyrodiil. I came to Morrowind just a few weeks ago to find work here, and my friend, Sabatha the Khajiit, immediately told me of your situation. She holds you in high regard actually.

I am willing to offer you twenty-thousand septims. This should be more than enough to pay your debts, and it will also let you buy some nifty new products to attract even more patrons. I know all of must sound like a dream to you, but fortunately for you it is not. Talk to Sabatha, and you will see this is real. She will explain everything, and even give you my address. I would do it myself, but I fear I do not trust the mailing system just yet!

I look forward to seeing you my friend, and until then, good luck!

Sincerely,
Cato

Sirius’s first thought was “what the hell?” He wasn’t too sure what to think, because of all this was happening out of the blue. This ‘Catolino Balvicci’ was a suspicious-sounding character, although the proposed offer was more than tempting. But could he trust the man? That was the question. He threw the letter down and downed a few more beers. He was now more confused than ever…


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


“Yes, my lord, he took the letter. Although I could smell a strong odor of beer coming from his breath, if that means anything.”

Some thing never change, King Helseth thought to himself. “No, actually it doesn’t. I’m not really that surprised, for he’s always been attached to alcohol. Anyways, thank you for sending the message. You may retire for the night.”

The courier bowed slightly and then left the room in hurry, closing the door behind him, happy to finally rest. Helseth immediately sat in his chair and began thinking about the situation. The letter was given to Sirius, and now the only thing to do was wait, and hope that the Imperial takes the bait. His agents were already in Vivec, anxiously standing by in the lobby of an old inn in the Foreign Quarter. They were professional agents, two Dunmer and one Altmer. The three had been trained at an early age and were the best Mournhold had to offer.

Helseth was also a bit weary about the Khajiit, Sabatha. Yesterday his agents had sworn that the cat was trustworthy, but Helseth always had his doubts. However, that is why he offered so much gold to Sabatha. And if she was smart she wouldn’t dare double-cross the King. Either way, it was only a matter of time until Sirius was standing in Helseth’s office one more.

But what would happen then? The King of Morrowind himself knew the situation was going to be awkward, no matter how much he’d prepare. Deep down he knew this situation would come up eventually, and yet he was still afraid. The hard feelings of the past were still certainly present, but there was also a hint of remorse coming from the King. Even though Sirius deserved what he had received long ago, the man’s life had been ruined by the exile.

It would be an awkward scene indeed…


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


At around eight o’clock that night Sirius got the sudden urge to walk over to Sabatha’s house and probe her with questions. The letter had explained that he needed to talk with the Khajiit to learn all of the details, and that is exactly what he was doing. He still wasn’t too sure about all of this, but then again he really did need the money, and there was really only one way to find out if everything was true.

“Who is it?” Sabatha asked seconds later after hearing a knock outside her door. When the Khajiit opened the door, she cracked it slightly, peering out with her yellow eyes hoping that it wasn’t another one of Helseth’s agents.

“It’s Sirius, from down the street. I have some questions I’d like to ask you.

Oh god, he’s here… Sabatha whispered out loud.

The three agents had arrived at her house early yesterday morning, quite early in fact. They stated their proposal and Sabatha at first though she was dreaming. But after seeing the shining gold coins she knew it was anything but a dream. The agents didn’t mention who their master was, but she didn’t care. She’d do just about anything for the gold, which was fifteen-hundred up front, and the another twenty-five hundred after the deed was done.

“Oh, Sirius, of course! Come on in!”

She had been constantly practicing ever since the agents left yesterday. She was supposed to act like she knew this ‘Catolino Balvicci’, and that he was a good friend of hers looking for some business over at Vivec. Sabatha had read the file on the fake business-man, and she was totally prepared. Once Sirius explained what he wanted, and the letter, she started working her magic.

“Yes, I am glad he sent you the letter! I told him all about your situation, and he was happy offer a lending hand. He really is a wonderful man, Sirius. Are you going to take him up on the offer?”

“I don’t know,” Sirius said, a little confused by the Khajiit’s extreme cheeriness. “I don’t really even know where to find the man.”

“Oh, right now he’s staying in Odie’s Inn, in the Foreign Quarter of Vivec.”

An inn? Sirius thought to himself. Why the hell would a man of his prestige be living at an inn?

“Very well, I will make a visit tomorrow night. Though I do have one more question. How do you know this man?”

The Khajiit kept her cheerful smile and replied, “Why, he finances my mother and father’s jewelry store in Cyrodiil. He’s been a family friend for many years, and I wouldn’t trust anyone else more than I do him. He’s really a wonderful man, Sirius.”

Sirius left the Khajiit’s more confused than before, if that was even possible. He was still a bit suspicious about everything, but Sabatha seemed to be a real fan of this Catolino. He’d have to see for himself tomorrow.

[treydog]

I like the way you move the story along, leaving us with questions that keep the reader interested.

A couple of suggestions- be careful of tense shifts. (Look at the section of Chapter One that starts, "Sirius is a heavy drinker..." For that to be parallel with the rest, it should be "was a heavy drinker". If you want to go for an interior monologue, you can do something like this:

"The tax-collector's questions forced Sirius to face a reality he didn't much care for. He was a heavy drinker- and then there were the women."

Having said that, I like you dialogue and plotting. Shall read this one with pleasure.

[raggidman]

ok - what's the hold up? Get your pen moving again right now. I want to read the rest of this yesterday!

[redsrock]

Yes, Trey, tense is what I am really working on because it's a huge problem of mine. Thanks for the example, that'll help a lot in the long run. It's a lot harder than I thought, writing in third person I mean.

@ raggidman: Don't worry, it will probably be up tonight.

[redsrock]

CHAPTER THREE


“Yes, my lord, the target has taken the bait and is currently on his way to Vivec on foot. My men are already in position at the specified location. Is there anything else you’d like me to do?”

Sirius was indeed already on his way to Vivec, and Helseth is now closer to having the Imperial right where he wanted him. He felt a bit remorseful that he was tricking his once best friend, but it’s the only way. Plus, he’s getting desperate. Another member of House Hlaalu in Balmora had disappeared that day, this time a young Dunmer female, a mother of three young elves.

“Yes, trail Sirius and make sure he makes it to Vivec, but stay in the shadows. If he wises up and heads back to Caldera, make sure he never gets there.”

“Of course, my lord,” the agent bowed, and then left the room.

This is getting ridiculous, Helseth thought to himself while sitting at his desk. What the hell is happening in Balmora?


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


While Sirius walked the dirt path to Vivec, he came up with his own plan. He wasn’t at all sold on this deal, for there were just too many holes throughout. Sirius decided that as soon he stepped foot in the Foreign Quarter he’d immediately ask around and see who this ‘Catolino Balvicci’ is. If he came up with nothing he’d turn right around and sprint back to Caldera, and then would bang on Sabatha’s door demanding an explanation.

And if this man was real, well, then all of his problems will soon be solved. It all sounded nice, but Sirius had learned a long time ago that not everything is always what it seems. In fact, it rarely ever is.

Sometime late in the evening that day Sirius decided to stop for the night and rest. He was now in the city of Pelagiad, a small town just northwest of Vivec. He entered the local inn and purchased a room from the bartender for ten septims. He was about to enter his room when he thought he saw someone staring at him from across the room. He turned around and looked again but no one was there, so he went upstairs to his room and fell right asleep.

He woke up at around six o’clock the next morning, and immediately left the city and walked to Vivec. Once there he headed straight for the upper level of the Foreign Canton, and then walked around looking for a guard. He found one, an Ordinator, patrolling the halls, and he calmly walked over to the guard and asked, “Excuse me, but could I ask you a quick question?”

There Ordinator looked at Sirius and said rudely, “Be quick, Imperial, I have not the time for idle chit-chat.”

“I am looking for a man by the name of Catolino Balvicci. Do you know where I can find him?”

The Ordinator just stared at Sirius for a couple of seconds, but of course it was impossible to see his expression because his face was hidden behind the ancient mask.

“I’ve never heard of him. Are you sure you’re in the right canton?”

“Yes, I was supposed to meet with him today. He’s a merchant from Cyrodiil, and has only been in Morrowind for a few weeks.”

“What does he look like, then?” The Ordinator asked impatiently.

“I don’t know, I’ve never met the man. I received a letter from him yesterday, requesting my appearance.”

The Ordinator sighed and then called for one of his buddies to help out. “Hey, have you ever heard of a ‘Catolino Balvicci’?’ he asked to his friend.

“Nope, never heard of him. Are you sure it’s the right name?” he asked me.

I sighed this time and responded, “Yes, I am positive. Here is the letter he sent me yesterday.”

I handed the Ordinators my letter and they looked it over for several seconds. “I’m afraid you’ve been tricked,” the first one said while handing me the letter.

“What? What are you talking about?”

The Ordinator grumbled a bit and said, “There is no Catolino Balvicci, that’s what I mean. Now if you’ll excuse us, there are more important matters to attend to.”

The two guards walked off, and Sirius was left standing by himself. Dammit, something’s up. Sabatha must be involved as well, or else she wouldn’t have lied. But what the hell is going on?

He then left the city entirely and headed back to Caldera.

About half way to his home he heard rustling in the bushes to his right. Suddenly a Dunmer appeared, carrying a silver longsword. Then he heard footsteps behind him, turned around, and saw three more Dunmer, each carrying similar weapons.

“Excuse me, Sirius, but I’m afraid you’ll have to come with me,” said the Dunmer from the bushes. He had a long beard and many tribal tats across his blue face.

Sirius immediately pulled out his iron dagger and asked angrily, “And just who the hell are you? You don’t by chance have anything to do with sending me to Vivec, do you?”

The elf smiled and said, “Why yes, in fact I do. The plan was for you to enter the inn in Vivec, and then my agents were going to sweep you away after slipping something in your drink, for I know how fond you are of alcohol,” he said with a wink. “Unfortunately it appears you were too smart for us. But it matters not, we are here now and you are to follow me to my superior’s home.”

“And what I don’t want to come with you? Obviously this is about something that is not to my liking. Why else would you try and trick me so foolishly. I should have smelled the lie all the way in Caldera. What did you do, pay Sabatha to lie?”

The Dunmer chuckled loudly and said, “Why, you are the smart little Imperial, aren’t you? None of that matters, Mr. Vero. Why don’t you simply come with me and all of your questions will be answered by someone who can answer them? I promise that your life will not be threatened.”

“Then what’s with the weapon?” Sirius asked.

“It’s here just incase you decide not to cooperate.”

“Then I suggest you use it!”

Suddenly Sirius charged at the Dunmer and went straight for his throat with his dagger. Sirius used to be quite the blade-master in his earlier years while working for House Hlaalu. But that was a long time ago, and since then the Imperial hadn’t been involved in any skirmishes whatsoever. And it certainly showed now.

The Dunmer merely grinned at Sirius, and grabbed his right arm. He twisted it violently and Sirius went spinning through the air, landing hard on his back, knocking the wind right out of him. He looked up and the four elves were looking down at him. Then the ring-leader said, “I am sorry, Mr. Vero, but you made me do it.”

Then a streak of light came from the elf’s hand and suddenly Sirius’s vision went blank.

[redsrock]

CHAPTER FOUR


When Sirius finally woke up he found himself lying face up on a hard and cold surface. His vision took a few seconds to focus, but when it did he realized he was in some kind of dungeon cell, with an uncomfortable stone floor. There were bars around him, and there were other inmates in other cells gawking at him with curious expressions.

Holy hell…


He rubbed his head to shake the sleepiness away, and then stood up from the ground, and recollected the recent events that had occurred. He had been walking back to Caldera when the Dunmer came, along with three other elves. The last thing Sirius remembered was failing to subdue the elf. Then a flash of light, and then everything went blank. Now he was in a place he’d never seen before, a stranger in someone’s dungeon. But whose dungeon? However, it certainly looked familiar to him for some odd reason.

Where have I seen this place before? Sirius thought to himself. Unfortunately he didn’t have a lot of time to think, for a steel door opened down the hall and in walked the same Dunmer that had cast the spell on Sirius, along with several guards. And upon seeing the guards, Sirius knew exactly where he was. He was in Mournhold. The crimson-uniformed guards had given it away, and now Sirius stood in the one place he was exiled from long ago.

I’ve got to be dreaming…

But this was no dream, and that was proven when the Dunmer and the guards unlocked the cell and stepped in. Sirius didn’t dare make a move, for several reasons. One, he was in no shape or position to take on two trained guards, not to mention the Dunmer that had already proven his skill. And two, he was suddenly very curious as to what was going to happen. Perhaps House Hlaalu was finally going to try and charge him for his ‘crime’. This was all so sudden, and thousands of questions were circling through his head.

“Finally awake, eh?” The Dunmer asked, rather cheerfully. “It’s about damn time; you’ve been sleeping for nearly three hours.”

The elf was smiling at Sirius as if the two were old bodies. Hell, for all Sirius knew they could have been. The Imperial had forgotten a lot of people since being dismissed from House Hlaalu.

“I apologize for having to take physical action against you back in Vvardenfell, but you left me no choice. I swear to you I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t have to.”

Yeah, my boat... Sirius thought to himself before the Dunmer continued.

“But enough small talk, there are other matters to be discussed. Follow me while I take you to Lord Helseth.”

At that moment Sirius was filled with complete rage. Just the sound of Helseth’s name made him want to go crazy. The mer used to be Sirius’s friend, until the King of Morrowind stabbed him in the back. Needless to say Sirius didn’t want anything to do with him, but of course he really didn’t have much of a choice. He went ahead and followed the Dunmer, if only to find out what Helseth wanted.

The foursome followed the elegantly decorated hallways until they arrived outside of Helseth’s own personal chambers. After a loud knock the King himself opened the door seconds later. The initial reaction wasn’t too surprising. Helseth and Sirius both stared at each other for what seemed like minutes. Finally the Dunmer agent, whose name was Dorvel, broke the silence and said his goodbyes, then took off to who knows where. The guards remained present and at last Helseth told Sirius to enter his room, and then closed the door leaving the guards in the hallway.

This was all so strange to Sirius. He wanted nothing more than to leave Mournhold and never return. That was his sentence when he was exiled long ago, to never show his face in the magical city again. But now he stood in the presence of Helseth once more, who himself continued to stare at the Imperial with wondrous eyes. Finally the King asked Sirius to take a seat, and he did without saying anything. Helseth sat down at his desk and the talk at last began.

“I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re here,” Helseth said feebly, not really knowing what to say. Again this was one of those rare times when the King was at a lost for words. Sirius could certainly smell the awkward conversation miles away, so he decided to break the ice himself.

“Hell yeah I do,” he said, a little harsher than he planned. “I want to know why I’ve been lied to! I want to know why I’ve been tracked by the Dunmer that just left us a few minutes ago! I want to know why after five years of exile I am now standing in your room once again, and I want to know all of this now!”

Sirius glanced over to the wall to his right for some reason, and the first thing that caught his attention was the painting of him and the King himself, shaking hands and grinning widely. It amazed Sirius that King Helseth was able to keep the portrait up, when it surely had to bring a lot of painful memories.

“Yes, I apologize for that, but it was the only way to get you here for sure,” Helseth said, a weak comment at best.

“Yeah right, Hlaalu, I’m sure you are. As sorry as you were when you exiled me five years ago?” Sirius didn’t really want to bring up the past, but then again this was a perfect time for him to finally let loose and let the King of Morrowind know how he really feels.

“I am sorry, Sirius, and if you can’t see it, then that’s your fault. I didn’t bring you here to banter about the past; I brought you here to offer you a job.”

“I really don’t care what you want, Hlaalu. I am a prisoner here, but obviously I am a very important man to you if you’ve tricked and kidnapped me. The way I see it, I am in total control right now,” Sirius said, almost grinning a bit from the last sentence.

Helseth glared at Sirius, both admirably and angrily. Still a smartass. Doesn’t surprise me Helseth thought to himself. “Listen, Sirius,” he said, before being cut off by the Imperial.

“Now, you listen! Stop telling me what to do; I’m not your lackey anymore! Before you say anything, I want to tell you something, and then I want to ask some questions, alright?”
“First off, I want to thank you for personally ruining my life. After ridiculously exiling me simply because I told the truth and did what was right, I ran away to Caldera, where there were no boat-holes from House Hlaalu to stab me in the back. I figured I could make a good living, selling clothes, but of course my old habits never really ended like I planned for them to. The beer took its toll and soon I found myself in debt, about two years after coming to Caldera in fact.”

“Is that all?” Helseth asked impatiently, even though he knew the Imperial was far from finished.

“No, actually it’s not, and I advise you to shut the hell up until I say I’m done,” Sirius replied back. Helseth bit his tongue as he allowed Sirius to continue his tirade. He knew very well that his once best friend was taking full advantage of this golden opportunity to criticize and complain.

“You were wrong in exiling me, Hlaalu. When I first learned of your involvement with the killings I just shoved it aside. But then I got a little suspicious for some reason and I pried around, trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together and figuring out why you killed those two Dunmer. When I got too nosy you exiled me and found out the truth for myself you exiled me from The House, ordering me to never return to Mournhold or else I would find myself in a dangerous situation. But if I was such a threat to The House, then why did you let keep my life?”

“That was five years ago, Sirius. Why bring up the past?”

“Because the past is what’s caused by failure. The past is what’s haunted me for so long. The past is what stole my best friend.”

The two stared at each other for several minutes, and then Helseth finally told him the very truth.

“Alright, Sirius, I will tell you truth about why I let you go.”

Sirius crossed his arms and waited for Helseth to continue.

“I killed those two Dunmer because they were treading on something that did not concern them.”

“Which was?” Sirius asked.

“I am sure you are familiar with the death of Athyn Llethan?” Sirius nodded. “The two Dunmer knew some facts about his death that I didn’t want to be made publicly, and that was exactly what they were going to do.”

“And just what were those facts, Hlaalu?” Sirius asked suspiciously.

Helseth sighed heavily and shook his head while looking at the surface of his desk. He really didn’t want to talk about this; he didn’t want Sirius to know the truth. But, there was no other choice.

“I poisoned the former King, Sirius, something you are obviously aware of. How those two Dunmer found out about my actions I have no clue, but I immediately sent my agents to silence their tongues before the truth was spread throughout Mournhold.”

“But I was your best agent, Hlaalu. Why didn’t you order me to carry about the deed? This is also something I’ve been trying to answer myself.”

“Because you were someone with a large heart and someone who wanted to do things right, unlike the other agents. The others didn’t care what happened as long as they pleased me and received their payment. You were into ethics, they were into gold. I didn’t tell you because I knew you would never have agreed with such an assignment.”

“Alright, fair enough, you are right. I would not have gone through with the assignment. But what would it have mattered if the public had known the truth? They all had their own opinions anyway.”

“I didn’t want a rebellion to start. Sure, a majority of them assumed that I had poisoned King Llethan, but they had no actual proof. And without the proof the rebellion would have been a small one, because most would not have taken part simply for the fact that they weren’t one hundred percent sure that I was involved with the former King’s death.”

“Okay, that makes sense. But you still haven’t answered my first question. If you killed the tow Dunmer for finding out the truth, then it would only make sense to kill me as well. Why didn’t you?”

“You were my best agent, and also my best friend, Sirius. Believe me; the other Councilors wanted you dead, for several reasons. One because you are an Imperial and you being part of The House is questionable enough. Two, they also didn’t want a rebellion to start. All in all, they were scared for their life and were willing to kill anyone that threatened them, including you. It took a lot on my part to dissuade them from killing you, or ordering someone else to do the job.”
“I didn’t want to kill you for my own reasons. You were my best friend Sirius, and believe it or not you still are my friend deep down inside. I hated exiling you, but it was the only way. I knew you would have tried something to dethrone me. There is also another reason, and it directly involves the current situation I am in now.”

Sirius leaned in a little closer and then Helseth continued.

“When I exiled you, I was more than well aware that you were my top agent. In fact, nobody could even touch you, nor can anyone now. I didn’t have you killed because for some strange reason I knew I would need you in the future. It seems controversy has followed me wherever I have gone.”

“What are you getting at, Hlaalu?”

“Four members have gone missing in Balmora, Sirius. They’ve simply vanished and nobody can figure out why. I’ve hired our top investigators to solve the case, but nothing has come up.”

“But why Balmora?”

“I don’t know, that’s why I’ve brought you here. You are the only person for the job, Sirius.”

Sirius immediately stood up from his chair and yelled, “Wait a minute. You mean to tell me that you’ve brought me here so you can hire me for a mission?”

“Precisely.”

“Why didn’t you just send an agent? What was the point of the letter and tricking me?”

“Isn’t it obvious, Sirius?” Helseth asked with a dumb expression on his face. “You never would have outright agreed to come on your own free will. I know there are hard feelings between us. I had to trick you.”

“What did the other councilors say about bringing me back?”

“They didn’t like at all, but we are smart, Sirius. We all know you are the only one skilled enough to get to the bottom of whatever is going on in Balmora. We need you, Sirius.”

Things were happening so fast, and Sirius didn’t really know what to think or say. Just two days ago he was talking with Malpen about paying back a considerable amount of debts, and now he’s being asked by the King of Morrowind to solve a case of mysterious vanishings.

“You know, I have my own problems, Hlaalu. Like I said, my business back in Caldera isn’t going to well, and I have many debts to pay back. To top it all off I only have six months to do it.”

Helseth laughed and replied, “Nice try, Sirius, but you know I can take care of that myself. I am willing to pay all of the debts for you, if you agree to help us. Also, once the deed is done, I will allow you to stay with the House if you wish. There will be more gold to be handed out of course, but we can talk about that later. And let’s face it, you aren’t going to be able to pay those debts without my help,” He said with a large smile. He was baiting Sirius in perfectly.

“I don’t know, Hlaalu. Why should I help you after you stabbed me in the back? You betrayed my trust and ruined our friendship. Don’t you see how awkward of a situation this is?”

“Yes, of course I do. But I don’t like seeing my members vanishing without a trace. I need you, Sirius,” Helseth said sternly

After sitting back down in his chair Sirius thought to himself for a couple of minutes. It was true that he hated Hlaalu and the councilors for their decision to exile him. But on the other hand, he really did need the money. Right then he decided to accept Helseth’s offer. Of course there was no way he’d stick with The House once it was all over.

“Fine, I’ll do it. But only because I need the money, and nothing else. You are not my friend, Hlaalu, and this will be strictly business. Once everything is over and I’ve solved the case, I will take my money and leave for good.”

“That is fine. I would expect nothing less from you. Now, walk back to the lobby and Dorvel will take you to Godsreach, where I have a house already furnished and ready for you. You will use this house as a home throughout the investigation. Tomorrow there will be a meeting with you, me, and the other councilors. We will go into detail about who has disappeared, and will list any leads we have. For now you may leave. And thank you, Sirius.”

“Don’t mention it,” Sirius said with a smartalic tone as he walked away from the room. What the hell am I getting myself into?

[redsrock]

CHAPTER FIVE


Dorvel was in fact waiting in the lobby when Sirius arrived; he was sitting in a chair with his head buried in some book. But upon seeing Sirius appear from the shadows he immediately closed the book and stood up with jolly expression.


”Ready to go, Mr. Vero?”

“Yeah, I guess. I don’t really have a choice.”

“True, but believe me, Mr. Vero, there are many who are glad to see you back. Aside from me, the councilors and Helseth himself, there aren’t a lot of people who are supposed to know of your arriving. But of course, things tend slip out every now and then, if you know what I mean,” he said with a wink.

Sirius was confused at how open this Dunmer was. It was almost as if the two were old acquaintances or something. Apparently that was the case.

“You don’t really remember me, do you, Mr. Vero?” Dorvel asked as they walked down the paved streets and towards Godsreach.

“No offence, but no, I don’t. Should I?”

Dorvel chuckled and said, “Well, I suppose I shouldn’t expect you to. I was a young up-and-coming agent right before you left. I guess you don’t remember, but one day you sort of ‘trained’ me on certain things. You have me a couple of pointers here and there. Nothing too big, but I’ve remembered over the years.”

No, Sirius had no clue what Dorvel was talking about. He helped many young agents during his time at House Hlaalu, and remembered none of them. The only memories he did have usually weren’t very pleasant.

“Oh yeah, I remember now,” Sirius lied. “You were quite impressive, actually.”

Dorvel beamed with happiness, and Sirius had him just where he wanted him. His plan was to sugar-coat the Dunmer into worshipping the ground Sirius walked on. It was obvious Dorvel was quite attached to Sirius for some reason, and the Imperial would probably use this later on down the road.

“You know, Mr. Vero, you are a legend here,” Vero said softly as they entered Godsreach.

“Oh yeah, how so?”

“Well, I mean a legend within House Hlaalu that is. The other agents and I had formed our own opinions after you left. Most of us figured something happened between you and Helseth, but obviously it had to have been something major, because you two were very good friends. Anyway, you, Mr. Vero, are looked upon as a model of sorts at the academy.”

The academy was a training-compound that had been built some seven or eight years ago. It was built just a few miles southeast of Vivec, on its own little island. Agents-in-training went there to study House Hlaalu history, and other things to make them a better at their craft.

A Model, eh? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Sirius thought to himself happily. He liked being called a legend and a model, but he didn’t quite like being called ‘Mr. Vero’. It made him sound old, and even though he was nearing the age of forty, it wasn’t like he was an old man.

“Please, Dorvel, call me ‘Sirius’,” he said.

“Of course.”

Finally the two had arrived at Sirius new house, a two level mansion-like home with the usual beautifully crafted Mournhold architecture. Sirius had always adored these houses, and now he was finally the owner of one. Temporarily of course, but it was still of sort of ‘dream-come true’ all the same.

“Here is your house, Sirius. I’ll be here tomorrow morning at around eight o’clock tomorrow evening to escort you to the palace, where you will have your meeting with the King and the other councilors.”

“What are you my baby-sitter or something?” Sirius asked with a chuckle, though he meant every word.

“No, but the King wishes for you to be treated nicely. I am honored to be of service to you,” Dorvel said with a wide grin.

“Alright, fair enough I suppose. Do I have any boundaries, or can I go where I please?”

“You are not to leave the city of Mournhold, but beyond that you may do as you please. Oh, I almost forgot; your house has already been endowed with furniture and all the like. There is small room with food and drink downstairs as well. And if there’s nothing else you need, I will take my leave.”

Sirius liked the sound of food and drink, especially if alcohol was included. “Yes, I think I’ll be alright.”

Dorvel bowed his head and walked away.


XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


As soon as Dorvel left, Sirius immediately stepped inside his new home. It smelled a tad bit on the strange side; sort of like a clean smell, but a little more than that. Sirius didn’t care about that, though. He ran straight for the basement to take a look at the food and drinks.

What he found excited him immensely. There was of course many times of snack-food, including raw vegetables, seeds, a variety of fruits, and some bread; no meat because there wasn’t a storage place to keep such a food cold. But what thrilled Sirius the most was all the wine bottles kept in a nicely-crafted cabinet. There were bottles of Flin, Sujamma, Cyrodiilic Brandy, Greef, Mazte, Shein, and even a few bottles of the rare Vintage Brandy. And though Sirius was happy he wouldn’t have to go to the bar for every time he wanted a drink, he couldn’t help but wonder why the place was stockpiled with so much alcohol.

To him it was a bit suspicious, and ironic. Sirius was an alcoholic; mostly to wine, whether or not he would outright admit that. And because of his love for the sinned liquid, Sirius thought it was a little coincidental that this very house would be supplied with so much of it now that Sirius is the temporary owner. Perhaps there was a chance Helseth had the alcohol put there for a reason, or maybe Sirius had just gotten a lucky draw.

Either way Sirius didn’t really feel like pondering about it at the moment, and instead popped off a tab from a bottle of Flin and sat down at a nearby couch. What the couch was doing in a wine-cellar Sirius had no clue, but he didn’t care; he was too busy relaxing after a long and exasperating day.

Sirius woke up some three or four hours later, and when he did he took a walk around Godsreach to wake his feet back up. It was only eight o’clock in the evening and the night had only begun. Outside the streets in Godsreach were quite barren for the most part, save for the occasional wanderer and of course the Royal Guard patrols. After about five laps around the quarter Sirius decided it was time for some dinner. So rather than nibble on what food he had at his new home, he decided to walk to “The Winged Guar”, a fine restaurant/bar in Godsreach.

When Sirius walked into the place he immediately was astounded by the changes since he had left five years ago. Back then the diner was host to all kinds of people, both rich and poor, and both clean and dirty. You could always find someone playing a game of “shells”, or some beggar playing a random instrument for money. The place back then was usually grimy itself, and seemed to have been going downhill in terms of customer-satisfaction. But now it looked like a whole new restaurant altogether.

The ‘new’ restaurant was a clean as a whistle, and the atmosphere was different as well. No longer were there any beggars playing “shells”, or random people off the street playing instruments. The only ones present were lavishly dressed ladies and gentlemen who had a lot of money. And there was a professionally-looking band playing on a stage in the center of the dining-room. It was as if the entire place had been revamped during Sirius’s absence. He actually felt a little out of place, seeing as his attire wasn’t near as expensive or formal as everyone else’s.

Nonetheless, Sirius continued to walk through the diner and then sat down at a stool by the bar. Behind the bar table were cases of fine wine, and other expensive drinks. Working as the bartender was a nicely-dressed Dunmer who was seemingly doing a hundred different things at once.

“Excuse me, sir,” Sirius said softly to the Dark Elf.

The Dunmer turned around, and upon seeing Sirius and his casual appearance, sneered and replied half-heartedly, “Can I help you?” It seemed to Sirius that the Dunmer didn’t even want to serve him.

“Yeah, can I get an order of racer plumes and bottle of Cyrodiilic Brandy, please?”

The Dunmer sneered even more and said, “Sorry, sir, but we do not serve racer plumes,” with a sarcastic emphasis at the end.

“Then what do you serve?” Sirius asked with his own tone of sarcasm.

Just then a tall Altmer appeared from the side. She walked behind the bar and said to the Dunmer, “I’ll take care of this customer, Ravalli. Can you just tidy up the corner over there for me, please? Thank you.”

The Dunmer gave Sirius one last look of disgust and marched off. Sirius knew exactly who this Altmer was. Her name was Hession, the owner of the restaurant. Sirius was very good friends with her back in the day, and he often came to the place in order to discuss the daily hearsay and whatnot. Of course he didn’t expect Hession to remember him at all. Back then he was clean shaven and kept his black hair trim. Now Sirius had a nicely-kept goatee, and messy hair that went slightly passed his shoulders.

“My, my, how long it has been, Sirius.” Hession said with a wide smile.

Apparently Hession did recognize Sirius, and for that he was very pleased. It was nice to know that he had a friend to talk to in Mournhold. Dorvel was sort of a friend, thought that situation was a little different. Dorvel was more of a ‘fan’ per say.

“I has been long, Hession. I’m surprised you recognize after all these years. Anyway, it’s nice to see you again,” Sirius said with a smile. Mournhold was starting to feel like home again.

“Well, I have to admit, the beard and the hair threw me off at first, but once I heard you start talking to my waiter I knew it was you. But, weren’t you exiled long ago, Sirius? Why are you back in Mournhold?” Hession, mostly out of curiosity, though she was still glad to see Sirius.

“Official business with House Hlaalu, but that’s just between me and you,” he said slyly.

“Oh, of course, I won’t prod you anymore about it. So, what have you been doing the past five years? Gosh, I’ve missed you so much, Sirius. I miss the days you would come and chit-chat for hours.”

“Yes, I do too. As a matter of fact you’re one of the few people I’ve actually remembered over the years,” Sirius said with a hearty laugh. “But, about me, it’s a little complicated.”

“How so? Don’t worry, Sirius, you know I’ve got a few hours before I close down for the night.”

“I went straight for Caldera in Vvardenfell after being exiled. I wanted to get away from House Hlaalu and all of that crap. I tried to start a clothing business, but it really didn’t work out. Alcohol took over my life and here I am now. That’s pretty much it, I guess.”

As if right on cue, Hession poured a bottle of flin into a glass and placed it on the countertop in front of Sirius. She knew flin was his personal favorite, and she really didn’t mind to hand it to him for free. Unlike Sirius’s business, Hession’s had always flourished.

“It’s on the house, don’t worry about it. By the look at your clothing I can see why you didn’t make it in the world of business,” Hession joked. If any other person had said that, Sirius would have probably retaliated. Not Hession, though.

“Yeah, I guess you could say that,” Sirius said right before taking a sip from his wine glass. “I don’t mean to come in dressed like this. I figured it was still the same. Obviously it’s not. When did you renovate the place and throw out all the nasty people?”

Hession began wiping off the counter and replied, “Ironically, shortly after you left. When you were around I didn’t really notice all the drunks and gamblers, because I had you to talk to. But after you left I started to get tired of all their irresponsible antics, and decided a change of scenery around here wouldn’t hurt.”

“I don’t mean to be nosy or anything, but may I ask where you got the money to pay for all of this? I know your business as always brought in a lot of gold, but come one…..it must have been one hell of a renovation.”

She looked at the ground for a few seconds and said, “I borrowed some money from House Hlaalu actually. I was tired of all the gambling, the shouting, and the messes. I just couldn’t take it any longer and I was willing to do anything for the money.”

“How much?” Sirius asked.

“Don’t you worry,” she said, playfully pointing a finger at him. “That’ll be my little secret. Now, I’m sure you’re hungry, so what can I fix you?”

And suddenly Sirius really wasn’t hungry anymore. Although he didn’t want to hurt Hession’s feelings, so he made her a promise. “I’m not really hungry right now for some reason, so I’ll make you a deal. How about I come tomorrow afternoon and have lunch with you? Then we can really sit down and talk, because I know you’ll be closing down in a few minutes.”

“Alright, that sounds nice. Let’s say noon?”

“I’ll be here.”

[Lordban]

Nice to see you're still writing, and you've improved a lot since I last read you (over at the Rangers' Guild and at TES )

You write an interesting tale with well-portrayed characters, and you're quite good at hiding what's up your sleeve. I imagine more surprises are waiting behind the corner, and will try and follow what promises to be an enjoyable story

[redsrock]

Thanks, Lordban. And just so you know, I do remember you.

[raggidman]

There are two a few details that you might usefully consider:

Many years ago when I saved Daggerfall: Every time I entered the king's hall I saw this kid with red eyes staring at me, and there was a horrid roaring moan that reverberated though the hall. How is this relevant you ask? Read on.

One of the Quests I undertook was for the King's 2nd wife - she explained that a long time before she had begged a favour from the Underking - check your history and that he had now demanded that he be given the fostering of her son from age 12/14yrs on in payment ... Barenziah (the Queen there at the time) offered me a Quest to take her response to the Underking in his hall - which was filled with ancient Vampires and Liches etc (and I aint about to tell you about how many undead and other 'things' I killed getting down the vast cavern that led to his hall) ... so I had undertaken to deliver her letter of agreement and succeeded - and when I returned I realised that the roaring noise had been coming from the little boy, from Helseth - her son! He was gone when I returned and so was the roaring.

Whatever Helseth appears to be on the outside - that is not what is inside!

Caldera: This was originally a Redoran Mine, but was taken over by Hlaalu with corrupt Imperial assistance - and the nearby town (although it looks Imperial) is Hlaalu too - no way the Redoran retook it before Oblivion with Helseth King. And During Oblivion word is that Ald'Rhun got Kvatched - know what I mean? So the Redoran position on Vvardenfell is precarious to say the least.

Ah - the Winged Guar I remember the days - and nights. Sorted out a few of those losers too. Gambling??? Always makes a profit for the house. Therefore the Winged Guar's owner was raking it in. You might like to reconsider her reasons for needin' money to renovate - there might be a fun little side-tale you could insert there?



This post has been edited by raggidman: May 6 2008, 01:52 PM

[redsrock]

- know what I mean?

No, actually I am totally lost. What are you trying to say, with your entire post?

[raggidman]

Ald'ruhn was totally destroyed according to the Lore from Oblivion - another Siege machine like Kvatch came through a gate there