Alda'hirakam ghar Ara; Chapter 4

• Posted by Caladran March 15, 2018 - Filed in TSC: Long Story - #ciel'nn  #reavers  #Raven Rock  #Slitter  #Mogrul  - 1,144 views

  

  

  In front of the shrine of Boethiah, Ciel’nn meditated in silence while he pondered the situation of Raven Rock, and how he would get rid of Slitter. He needed to do it to get closer to the hogger.
  
  He had to admit; he wasn’t a tactician at all, but perhaps the opportunity would present itself soon. It didn’t matter what way he’d do it, but Slitter and the hogger must be separated first. Also, he wondered if the young Redoran Guard would show up. If not, then he’d find answers in another way.
  
  A curse came from the door when Ondren walked inside the Temple. He looked around for the mer and approached him. The young Redoran Guard was relieved to find  Ciel’nn as he had said he’d be here at midnight. He walked to the shrine of Azura and knelt down for a prayer. Ondren had wanted to visit the shrines often, but the Captain had said the Bulwark was the priority one. A pain on his face made him wince as he stood up and turned  around to look at the mer. “Ciel’nn?”
  
  Ciel’nn had finished his meditation when Ondren had closed the door, and he got up on his feet. His lips curled up as he turned to face the young mer, and a frown replaced the smile. “What happened to you?” Ciel’nn asked in genuine worry. The Redoran Guard had a bruise on the left side of his face and it required treating. He stepped closer to Ondren with an attempt to look closer at the bruise, making the mer shift. “Can I look at that?
  
  Ondren twitched when the mer’s hand came close to his face, but the black-haired mer seemed to be genuinely worried. He let Ciel’nn examine it while he looked side-ways towards the shrine of Mephala. “Slitter…found us resting and made an example of me. Next time it’d be worse, he said.” Ondren  whispered and he briefly paused as he felt the mer’s tender fingers on his bruise. Still sore and swelling like Oblivion. It will leave a mark later - Ondren looked down as if he was ashamed. “I don’t know how long we’re able to hold on, Ciel’nn.”
  
  There were moments when Ciel’nn wouldn’t touch anyone, and the moments when he went daredevil about it. Now, he wished he’d do more but the mer was Redoran, so he restrained himself from hugging Ondren. Instead, his voice was soft and soothing when he said, “There is no need for shame, Ondren.”  This bruise needs treating before it gets worse. He stepped back to reach for his pouch on his belt and took out a small wooden box. A soothing gel - made from netch jelly. “I’m working on a plan, but I need information on Slitter’s doings.” He pause and gestured  for Ondren to sit down on the bench. “I’ll treat that if you let me? I know the alchemy.” Ciel’nn showed the small box in his hand.
  
  The young Redoran guard sighed as he wasn’t used to gentle touches, but swallowed his pride, nodding. “I’m grateful, F’lah. The alchemist closed her stall earlier than expected.” He sat down on the bench and looked to the black-haired mer, who was kind to him, which was the opposite to Slitter. Ciel’nn made him calm - Ondren didn’t mind. It had been a long time when the last time he felt calm. When the gel was applied on his bruise - the touch was utmost tender and careful. “What do you need to know?” Ondren asked as he relaxed. “The N’wah needs to go.”
  
  “I’m working on it, Ondren.” Ciel’nn replied as he tended the bruise. “I need to know if Slitter ever leaves the town, and if the hogger have the reavers on his side too? This is netch jelly gel - it should help the healing.” He continued in a calm tone. Inside the Temple they would be safe, Ciel’nn mused to himself, unless Slitter finds his way here. He wouldn’t take it kindly - if anything would happen, his darkness would find a away to response to the intrusions. The mer gazed into Ondren’s eyes and saw a hope there. “Ondren, I’ll do my best to get rid of them, but I need time and perhaps… help.”
  
  Determination shone off from the young Redoran Guard’s eyes. He understood as he nodded. “You’ll have our help if you need it, but I don’t want to dishonor my house.” A pause. “Slitter,” Ondren murmured, “does leave the town once a week - I think to contact their reavers, possibly.” The gel on his bruise felt cool and already he could feel its effects on the bruise; maybe he would need to ask about a small box for his own?
  
  Ciel’nn thought for a moment, making quick mental notes before he smiled. “I can work with that. In the meantime I’d like you to keep eye on Slitter, but don’t do anything that causes them to suspect you. Tell your friends to stay on alert.” He put his hand on the young mer’s shoulder, looking directly into his eyes. “And, don’t worry for dishonoring the house. I’ll deal with them.” He’d gladly do it - whatever it takes. “If you need my help, leave a message behind Boethiah’s shrine.”
  
  “Alright, but how do we know to come for your help if we need to?” Ondren asked, feeling a a smile creeping across his lips. He observed how Ciel’nn showed the Temple gesture and did the same. “Thank you, Ciel’nn. We’ll be ready soon.” He paused as if to think of something. “Tell me, though. Eronos thinks you are sent by Mephala.” His tone was curious, but  Ondren had his own doubts.
  
  “I’m here on my own business.” Ciel’nn’s reply was honest. He had no idea of how the mer had a such…odd idea. ”I thought so.” He heard Ondren saying with a smile. “We’re tired of the constant guarding at the Bulwark.” Ciel’nn frowned slightly. “Between us, Ondren, things are going to change.” The Redoran Guard nodded to him and left the Temple.
  
  

  

  
  
  Before leaving the town, Slitter made sure that the oppressed young Redoran Guards were behaving as they should. He gave them a hard eye and noticed the redhead, who he’d punched in the other day - his bruise had started to heal faster than he’d expected. Why it was so, he couldn’t say. The alchemy was oppressed too, so why was it healing faster? A low growl raised from Slitter’s chest as he frowned; he’d find out later. Now he’d have to hurry for the weekly meeting with his and Mogrul’s gang and find out if the boys had heard or seen the new kid, who remained out of Mogrul’s reach. No one walks into Raven Rock without making an ‘account’ with Mogrul. Shit, you sound like the boss soon, old boy. That’s what you get by hanging out with a fucking banker-loan-shark-mer. By the Mazte! The money’s good, though. I need Milore when I get back. The bitch feels so good when she squirms. With that in his thoughts, Slitter disappeared beyond the Bulwark.
  
  A pair of eyes followed from the stalagmite cliff the axe wielding mer departing from the Bulwark. The older mer didn’t seemed to be worried as he carried himself casually in a rough manner. The young Redoran Guard had been right about Slitter’s leaving the town and Ciel’nn had been brooding and waited for it. He let the older mer walk away for a moment before he’d follow after from a good distance. Not that he was worried for Slitter getting lost - Ciel’nn was a splendid tracker. Tracking at the ash wastes wasn’t a problem.
  
  Ciel’nn tailed Slitter to a reaver camp that was bigger than he had seen before. He settled to wait behind a large stone and observed; seven reavers with different storage boxes around the camp. The group of seven mer was too much for him. The brutish mer and the hogger indeed had the reavers on their side. An issue that needs to be deal with later. Ciel’nn frowned as he saw Slitter talking to the reavers.
  
  “Stop slacking around, s’wits!” Slitter growled as he had seen the reavers resting cozily on the large wooden benches. “If Mogrul hears you’ve been loitering he’ll have you killed. Now, have you seen the new kid lately?” His tone was even and cold. The old mer eyed the reavers, who were sitting up from their nap. “Uh, boss, no luck with seeing the kid. Maybe the ashes took him.” Slitter narrowed his eyes, making him look even older, and he looked to another reaver to his left. “No, boss, nothing but the hunting Skaal.” The reaver shook his head. The old mer let out a slow growl. Mogrul gonna have my head if I don’t get results soon. A strange sensation crept up his spine. It wasn’t about Mogrul, but as if someone was watching him. He gazed around up and further into the ash wastes, but didn’t see anything out of ordinary. Still, a chill went down Slitter’s spine, but he tried to keep a straight face and turned back to the reavers. “Did you bright us the booze?” One reaver from the other side of the camp asked him. “No one gets anything until we have the kid. Keep looking.” The old mer hissed.
  
  A smirk crept on Ciel’nn’s lips as he had heard a part of the conversation, and if he understood correctly, when Mogrul’s unhappy; the reavers were unhappy and thirsty. He might have a chance to get more information if he befriended them over a bottle of Shein or Mazte. It would be risky, but Ciel’nn was willing to try out his new idea and cause a mess for Mogrul’s game. He’d need a helm and the bottle. Not a bad idea. After his musings, Ciel’nn left his stalking spot and quietly wandered off to tail Slitter once more.
  
  Nightfall was a minutes away when Slitter was hurrying back to Raven Rock. He couldn’t shake off the chill that had tightly latched against his spine like a blood sucking insect. Another concern was how Mogrul was going to react for the displeasing news. How did the kid manage to stay out of sight? How in damn Oblivion am I going to find him?
  
  “What the..?” A unexpected pain in the old mer’s arm caused him to hiss. Slitter gasped in shock at the numbness that spread across his arm, then down his body. He fell on the ash, a helpless old mer. His attempts to try to look around were futile as his body refused to function. Damned paralyze poison! Who is it? Then he heard the soft foot steps while his sight was blurred.
  
  The young mer had tucked his chitin bow on his back and looked down to his target on the ground, but stayed out of his sight.  “Darkness is coming.” Ciel’nn said in Dunmeri and a even tone, then his voice grew colder and darker as he knelt down, still out of the sight. “I could kill you now. In a heartbeat.” With that, he stood up and left Slitter to his thoughts.
  
  In a heartbeat.
  
  

   

  
  
  The Orc paced back and forth while the bladesman wondered what had upset the Orc. Not that he cared, but he also thought of the youngling who had been away for two days now. The ash shifts that way, eh? Such utter rubbish to me. The bladesman downed a sip of Sujamma. ‘The sack on your head’ still stung, but not a lot. He had to admit with a grin that the kid had guts to call his helm a sack.
  
  The blackmailing Orc hailed Geldis. “Let me know when Slitter’s back.” Mogrul growled and went to his room. He was getting tired of waiting and nobody dared to make a move against him. Slitter better be back in the morning. A curious idea rose up in his head; perhaps, he should hire the mercenary.
  
  Geldis gestured to the bladesman and the other Dunmer at his inn. “Want to bet who comes in first? The kid or Slitter?” He asked in an excited tone, trying to cheer up the oppressed mer and to his joy he saw their faces lighten up. Most of the people bet for Slitter for him being strong muscle. Geldis sighed - of course, they bet for the stronger one even if he was a bully and Mogrul’s war dog. The Severin family also bet for Slitter which wasn’t a really surprise. Once everyone had spoke out their bet, they looked to Drovas and the bladesman.
  
  Drovas thought a moment. “I bet for the kid.”
  The bladesman gave a deep sigh as he looked up from his cup. “The kid.”
  “I bet for the kid, too.” Geldis smiled and slammed the counter with a mug.
  
  On that moment, Ciel’nn walked down the stairs, and everyone turned to look at who it was. He saw many disappointed faces staring at him in disbelief. The bladesman laughed like he’d heard a dirty joke - the mer raised a dark brow at it. Drovas nodded smugly at him. The young mer couldn’t tell if they’d gone crazy from the ash or if it was the Sujamma talking, and he frowned. “What?”

   

   

  

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