Eye of the Wind – Ch. 1 – 8: The Elixir

  • "Your cousin shouldn't be that hard to find.  He's probably the only Argonian here."  The market was milling with people of varying races, all jostling for positions around stalls.  Near at hand was a Dunmer selling rare trinkets, though most of them looked like knock-offs.  I spotted a couple of amulets that reminded me of the ones my aunt wore when I was a child, but these were clearly made of wood and not bone.

    "Hang on, I think I see him," Derkeethus muttered, craning his neck.  "There he is!  Come on!"  Derk grabbed my elbow and pulled me after him to the stall.  I wasn't sure what was exciting him more:  the prospect of selling that ring for a hefty bag of gold or seeing this elixir.

    "Ah, Derkeethus, so nice of you to drop by..." Madesi hissed softly with his lips tightening into a forced smile.    "Please tell me you are here to trade and not drag me off on one of your...brilliant schemes.  I still haven't forgotten the last time you tried to...'get rich'."

    "Actually, we are here to trade," I interrupted, trying to let Derk have his moment of guilt in peace.  "What will you take for this ring?"

    I set the item on top of the display case, momentarily mesmerized by the candlelight wobbling gently in the reflective metal.  Derk certainly spent a lot of time polishing the thing, and I realized he must really want a good price for it.  I gathered myself, preparing to deal with the usual slippery methods of bartering with Argonian merchants.

    "Well, hmm...this sapphire appears to have been cut by a rather amateur jeweler.  Notice the faults in the lines of the cut," Madesi sneered.

    "Really?  I don't see anything wrong it with it.  In fact, let's compare the line here," I removed my knife from my belt, and held the straight edge of the blade up to the minuscule fold in the gem's facet.  It did not go unnoticed that I also pointed the blade tip directly towards Madesi. "Ah, look.  See?  They match up perfectly.  Elven made knives are flawless in their lines, as I'm sure you know."

    "Yes, but the gold is also pock-marked here.  And here.  Was this ring in a battle?"

    "While I won't disagree with you there, I will say this ring was owned by a Riften Guard who cleaved the skull of more than a few Imperials before he went down.  A ring owned by a powerful man.  Such a story would sell the ring well in this land."  It was in part a lie, I knew, but Madesi didn't have to know that, and he would probably lie even more to sell the thing.  "Given its history and passable make, I'll take 575 septims."

    The Argonian hissed.  "200."

    "Really now," I laid my knife again on the table, blade point facing the merchant. "500."  "350."  "490."

    "400 and I'll add in this old piece no one has purchased in months."  Madesi was really starting to cringe now.  I knew I had him.

    "Deal," I said, sheathing my blade.  I turned to give Derkeethus his share as well as the amulet, but I found he was gone.

    "Make love like a sabrecat!  Grow back a limb in minutes using my Falmer Blood Elixir!"  I heard just off to my right.

    "Oh, no..." I groaned.

    Madesi sighed and put his face in his hands. "Don't tell me Derkeethus dragged you here to 'investigate' this new scheme of Brynjolf's.  I had so hoped it would stay localized to Riften."

    "Derkeethus!  What the hell are you doing!"  I called.  "Get back here!"

    Derk, however, entranced by the display, only waved me over.  As I walked his way, I saw him extract his coinpurse from a pocket within his tunic and begin counting coins.

    "No!  Don't!  It's--"

    "Come now, lad.  Don't listen to your tough lady-friend over there.  She sounds about as close-minded as that jeweler.  You know that blasted competitor of mine has been after me for months?  Thinks he owns the whole market he does.  And you said he was your cousin, oh, aye, didn't treat you too nicely when he saw you over there, now did he?  No, awful way to greet a relative.  Why, if I were you, I'd go over there and give him a piece of my mind.  But nevermind him.  I'm your friend lad, and I'm more than glad to see you."

    By the time I made it over to the stall, gold had exchanged hands and Derkeethus stood clutching the vial of reddish liquid as if it would save his life.  "Look!  I think this will help Hrefna.  In fact, let me give it a try and see if it does anything." He worked on uncorking the bottle, but was only shredding the material into pieces.  In the meantime, I felt Brynjolf lean close to me.

    I felt his breath hot on my ear.  "I don't know about your friend here.  He seems short a few marbles.  But you, aye...  I bet you haven't done an honest day's work in your life for all that coin you're carrying. Eh, lass?"

    For an instant I froze, thinking of the back-breaking hours hunting, skinning, tanning, and sewing armor.  All that work trading with the caravans and acting as a courier, supplier, and defender for Darkwater Crossing.  I thought of my father and the small business he had hoped I would some day run in Chorrol.  Then I felt my blood run cold.  

    Slowly, I turned to look this man in the eye.

    As fast as a viper my hand shot out and snagged his greasy, red hair.

    "What's the meaning of this!"  Brynjolf yelped like a wounded pup, and squirmed like a rat.

    "Hey!  This is only tomato juice!  What game are you trying to pull!" cried Derkeethus loudly, having finally removed the cork.

    "Listen here you spawn of Baan Dar, I'm going to let go and walk away, and you're going to give back my friend his gold.  Do this, and I'll have my friend retract his statement and you can continue selling your Falmer Blood Elixir," I growled, loosely mimicking his Colovian accent.  I let him go.  Derk followed my lead, having regained his senses and his gold was placed back in his claws.

    "Ah, seems I was mistaken.  I feel stronger already!"  Pausing only a moment, he lifted a crate that was empty, but pretended it was full of ore.  Several people gasped in apparent astonishment.  He dropped the crate, and we both walked away from the stall as it was thronged with people.  

    Madesi glowered at us.  Brynjolf, on the other hand, took it all in stride and gave me a wide grin.  My heart felt heavy for fooling innocent people and ruining Madesi's business.  I tried to rationalize that he had been just as ruthless in his own dealings, but it didn't do much to make me feel like I had accomplished anything.

    "Here's your share, Derk," I sighed as I handed him his bag of gold and amulet.  "Do with it as you like.  I need to be alone for a while." 

    I left him in the market and walked around the city for a while.

    Eventually, I made my way down to the lower quarter.  The sound of water slapping against the boats and quays was relaxing.  As my boots tocked a steady time on the boards, I found myself humming a tune to the rhythm.  It wasn't long before I spotted the sign for the local alchemist.  I entered, figuring if there were more disappointments coming, I might as well get them all done at once.

Comments

5 Comments
  • Premier Eden
    Premier Eden   ·  September 9, 2013
    I like how she dealt with Brynjofl. Never like him or the Thieves Guild...
  • Kyrielle Atrinati
    Kyrielle Atrinati   ·  December 8, 2012
    Part of the Ranger Armor added by the Immersive Armors mod.  That boot style is oddly common among modders, I think because it's formed from the Triss Armor imported from Witcher 2 or something like that.
  • Piper Jo
    Piper Jo   ·  December 8, 2012
    Your bosmer wears some nice-looking boots.  Where'd she get them?
  • Eviltrain
    Eviltrain   ·  September 11, 2012
    Good entry. I thought everything worked except the last sentence. At a minimum, "disappointments" doesn't feel like the right word as I can't say all the market interactions felt that way.
  • Kynareth
    Kynareth   ·  September 3, 2012
    Another very nice edition, Kyrielle!  I loved that she grabbed Brynjolf's greasy red hair...it was a great way to deal with the same old line he shouts out, but in a fresh way.  
    All of your storytelling is fresh actually, and I am completely enjoyi...  more