“Ha! Someone worth talking to at last. Tell me, how’s it going with that young Mer of yours?”
“It’s… Erm… Going quite well, I think? What? Gods, you don’t need bloody visions, do you, I bet just staring at people like that gets you any answers you need. Yes, we have.”
Idgrod grinned. “I would never dream of asking, my dear. Not least because you look like you’ve had a good seeing-to, and quite recently. Oh, don’t worry, you look perfectly proper, not a hair out of place, hmm? But not so tense as before. That’s good, can’t save the world with your drawers frozen on. So, let me guess, you need a distraction?”
“Well, now you mention it. Not just yet, but I’m going to need to, um, slip away for a few minutes. Just got to retrieve something, you know.”
“Of course, of course, just picking up an old shopping list, I’m quite sure. Well, if there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s distractions. I’d get Maven to go first, though, or your… former colleague? The one who won’t remove his hood. One condition, though?”
“Name it!”
“Ha, should’ve thought of something bigger if you’re going to be that forthcoming. Just promise to come by our sleepy hamlet soon, I want to make that handsome fellow of yours squirm, as well.”
Nerussa laughed. “I’d say that’s a very fair trade. I’m not sure quite when, but certainly by the end of the year, if that’s acceptable?”
For a moment, a cloud passed over Idgrod’s face, but it was followed by a smile.
“Yes, the end of the year should be… just about the right time.”
---
“Well, well, aren’t we full of surprises. I’d heard you’d had a rather nasty fall, and yet here you are, full of life, with a new…look, and asking for a favour!”
Nerussa cursed under her breath. She shouldn’t have approached Maven, gods, what if she told Mercer? Still, too late, now.
“Maven, there’s a lot going on that you probably aren’t aware of, all I can say at the moment is I wouldn’t trust Frey as far as Saerlund Law-Giver could throw him.”
“Well, that’s hardly news, but all right, I shan’t pry, so long as your loyalty lies in the appropriate places. So, you want me to keep Elenwen busy, you say? Very well, I assume you know what you’re doing.”
“Thank you, Maven. I should only need fifteen, maybe twenty minutes, there’s something I need to ‘acquire’, I’m sure you understand. I’m hoping my former colleague over there will cause an initial disturbance so I can slip away, then if you could manage to keep the First Emissary talking for a few more minutes, it would be most helpful.”
“Yes, yes, fine, well, what are you waiting for? I imagine I’ll see you in Riften at some point, I don’t imagine you’ll leave Frey to his own devices indefinitely?”
Nerussa smiled, tight-lipped, nodded and took a deep breath before walking towards Ondolemar.
---
“Well, good evening! Don’t you look splendid? Although… what’s happened to your face?”
“I felt like being myself again, Lemar.”
“Of course you did, and here you are! Well done Saltar, hmm? Where did you get that wonderful gown, is it imported?”
“No, I had it made in Solitude, the Altmer dressmakers? You’re in a very good mood, I thought you hated these parties?”
“Now, now, whatever gave you that impression, I adore the First Emissary’s hospitality, who doesn’t?”
He paused for a moment, then chuckled to himself as though he’d made a clever little joke. Smirking, he continued on.
“So, I suppose this is your first attendance at one of these events out of uniform, so to speak.” His smirk turned lascivious at that, and Nerussa fought to keep her face bland, to push back the memories trying to peek around the edges of her conscious mind. “How are you finding it? Le… Elenwen has done a marvellous job with the décor, hmm?”
Nerussa blinked at the slip-up. Was he on such good terms with the First Emissary to use her family name? Gods, he stank of wine, just like… nulli, para, vena…no, vera, nata…
“It’s beautiful, I shall have to ask if I can take some of the pastries home with me. Lemar, would you do something for me?”
“Of course, my dear, anything.”
Gods, the look on his face now. He didn’t think..? Oghma’s tits.
“Thanks, that’s very helpful, I just need you to keep the First Emissary busy while I slip up to my old quarters, I left some letters from my grandmother up there, I’m sure they’re probably long gone but you know, I’d just like to see.”
He looked a little crestfallen, but it seemed his effervescent mood was near-indestructible this evening, and he actually rubbed his hands together before declaring he had the perfect plan, and turning on his heel to stalk angrily toward the drunk Redguard sitting on a bench near the entrance.
“How dare you speak of the Thalmor in such a disgusting manner?”
Nerussa let out a breath she hadn’t noticed she’d been holding, then took advantage of the fact that everyone in the room was staring at Ondolemar to slip quietly behind the bar and through the door that Malborn had opened.
Why had he been in such a good mood, she wondered as she was bustled into a kitchen staffed by a rather annoyed Khajiit. And, more to the point, would she be able to talk the cook into allowing her to take a few cakes away with her?
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