{"id":2532,"date":"2018-09-29T07:15:00","date_gmt":"2018-09-29T12:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=2532"},"modified":"2018-10-06T07:19:52","modified_gmt":"2018-10-06T12:19:52","slug":"dovahkins-flight-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=2532","title":{"rendered":"Dovahkin’s Flight – Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dovahkin’s Flight<\/span><\/h2>\n

by AJ Marks<\/span><\/p>\n

Part 2<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Zoe made her way out of the city thinking she might do some fishing.\u00a0 If nothing else she might get something to eat for the next couple of days.\u00a0 It might not solve her money problem but she could at least eat.<\/p>\n

Looking down the road she noticed a man talking with the guard, wearing an impressive looking set of leather armor and sword.\u00a0 She slightly flinched when the guard pointed in her direction and the man started towards her.\u00a0 She wondered if running was an option, but she really had no problems with anyone at the moment.\u00a0 No debt fortunately so no collectors.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you Zoe Scatlite?\u201d he asked walking up to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, and you are?\u201d she asked, ready for just about anything, including running if this suddenly turned bad.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust a messenger, are you Zoe Scatlite?\u201d he asked again.<\/p>\n

Zoe weight the pros and cons figuring she really had no problem with a message.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I am,\u201d she finally said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, I have a scroll for you then,\u201d he stated, pulling out a scroll.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me?\u201d she repeated surprised.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t know anyone, all her family had died and anyone else wouldn\u2019t be looking for her.\u00a0 Any friends already knew where to find her as she tried to think of someone who might have sent her a message.\u00a0 However no one stood out.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know anyone who would be sending a message though.\u201d<\/p>\n

She took the scroll from him as he offered no explanation taking a better look at him but he still didn\u2019t seem familiar to her.\u00a0 She probably didn\u2019t know him at all.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s it,\u201d he said to her, turning and walking off back to the stables leaving her even more confused.\u00a0 He acted as if he didn\u2019t care, then again if he was only paid for a message then he wouldn\u2019t care what happened once it was delivered.<\/p>\n

She shoved the note in her pocket thinking it was probably a joke from a friend, but such an elaborate joke made her wonder.\u00a0 Something seemed strange for her to get a note.\u00a0 Thinking about which friend might pull off this type of joke she came up empty.\u00a0 However she noticed Valis walking out of the city as well and decided it was time to leave.<\/p>\n

She made her way back to her shack, not that it was much but it was home.\u00a0 It kept the elements out and her dry and warm in the winter.\u00a0 It would need some repairs but nothing she couldn\u2019t manage.<\/p>\n

She sat down pouring herself some water and pulled out the note she received.\u00a0 What type of joke had she received now from her friends?\u00a0 However this seemed almost too elaborate for them.\u00a0 Opening the note she looked on at eh elegant writing, nothing like any of her friends.<\/p>\n

Zoe Scatlite,<\/em><\/p>\n

I am aware that we haven\u2019t met, but its of the utmost importance for you to come north to Skyrim.<\/em><\/p>\n

Come to the Bathing Beauties Luxury Suite near Whiterun.<\/em><\/p>\n

I understand the journey will be long for you, but I will make it worth it.<\/em><\/p>\n

OMB<\/em><\/p>\n

Zoe frowned reading through the note.\u00a0 There wasn\u2019t much there other than to come north for something.\u00a0 Who was this OMB character and why would he make worth it for her to go up there?<\/p>\n

Skyrim, a place she only heard rumors of by passing adventures in the bars and taverns.\u00a0 It was also cold and harsh according to some.\u00a0 Nothing as civilized as what they had here, though the rumor that the Thalmor were not as involved in the politics as they were here.<\/p>\n

And what was this bathing house, reading the name it sounded strange.\u00a0 What type of luxury suite was a bathing house, and what was beautiful about it?\u00a0 Going over it in her mind it didn\u2019t fit something her friends would do.\u00a0 Nothing about it made any sense.<\/p>\n

Perhaps Valis was behind this.\u00a0 He could easily kidnap her on the way up and no one would ever know.<\/p>\n

The reasons not to go were mounting in her mind.\u00a0 Head up to a cold unknown all because of a note?\u00a0 It sounded dumb when she actually thought of it.\u00a0 In the end she placed it back into her pocket and looked around her shack before grabbing an apple for something to eat.\u00a0 They were in season so she at least had something to eat for the moment.<\/p>\n

Now she needed a plan for the future.\u00a0 She had nothing she could sell, except maybe the shack itself, but it wasn\u2019t really something she could sell.<\/p>\n

Even as she sat there noises drifted up through the open windows of someone approaching.\u00a0 Moving quickly out of the shack she went to one of her hiding spots where she could observe who came or went.\u00a0 Something she learned early on when living alone out here when she was \u2018visited\u2019 by two men who thought they could intimidate her being a lone woman.\u00a0 She was fortunate they were drunk and stupid but learned an important lesson.<\/p>\n

Since that day she devised way to know if people were coming and hiding spots around the shack.\u00a0 It had paid off a few times, especially when Valis would randomly show up.\u00a0 She had no idea what he wanted, but didn\u2019t stay to find out.\u00a0 Nothing he came up with was anything she wanted to be a part of.<\/p>\n

Crouching she waited before finally seeing a few figures make their way towards her shack.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t recognize any of them making her wonder why they were there.\u00a0 Were they travelers who got lost, or hunters from another city?\u00a0 She would wait a bit to see even as she now made out three men.\u00a0 They headed straight to her shack and looked around.\u00a0\u00a0 They were obviously looking for her and knew where the shack was.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure this is the place?\u201d the shortest man asked as they finished looking around and gathered again by the front door.<\/p>\n

Zoe could see one of the three was an elf, the other two human, either Imperial or Nords by their height.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou doubt me?\u201d the elf replied in a tone a Thalmore would use making her wonder what they were doing here.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t look like she\u2019s home,\u201d the taller human said as she had continued to look around even poking inside.<\/p>\n

The way they were casually looking made her nervous.\u00a0 These three were not some group of hunters who were lost, they were here for her.\u00a0 Now the only question remained why were they there?<\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter,\u201d the elf replied.\u00a0 \u201cWe are here for a mission.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, speak for yourself, but she was quite the looker, tall, blonde, my type,\u201d the taller man said making Zoe wrinkle her nose in disgust.\u00a0 As if he was her type.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were not hired for that, stupid Nords, can\u2019t you do a simple duty or not?\u201d the elf stated, obvious disgust for his two \u2018partners\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, yeah, we\u2019ll do this for you and look the other way, we got it,\u201d the shorter man stated back.\u00a0 His tone indicating he didn\u2019t like the elf either.\u00a0 \u201cThough why you have to be here, I don\u2019t know we could have done it ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have our reasons,\u201d the elf replied back to him.\u00a0 \u201cBesides, this is a favor for a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

That bit got Zoe\u2019s attention.\u00a0 If the elf was a Thalmor then she could bet that whatever was supposed to happen Valis was behind it.\u00a0 Even as she watched they went back inside her shack.<\/p>\n

She realized how powerless she was, they all wore armor, and much better weapons.\u00a0 She had peasant clothes and a dagger which wouldn\u2019t be much in a real fight.\u00a0 Nothing would be in her favor at all if she decided to fight.<\/p>\n

Crashing noises were heard from inside the shack making her wonder how much damage they were doing.\u00a0 Would she even be able to repair the damage done?\u00a0 A part of her wanted to rush in and kill them for what they were doing.<\/p>\n

Watching they re-emerged looking disappointed.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s not in there at all,\u201d the shorter man said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd nothing worth taking.\u00a0 You sure you saw her coming back here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, and do not question me again Nord,\u201d the elf replied back.<\/p>\n

\u201cStill, now what?\u201d the taller Nord asked.\u00a0 \u201cYou hired us to capture her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCalm yourself, you\u2019ll still get paid.\u00a0 Still, she should have been here,\u201d the elf said trailing off.<\/p>\n

Zoe watched as he paced around a bit thinking and mumbling to himself about something.\u00a0 Zoe felt sure Valis was behind this but had yet no proof.\u00a0 If she went to the authorities they would do nothing, because Valis was a Thalmor, and these two Nords probably were not from around here at all.\u00a0 They would disappear and never be seen again.\u00a0 And the elf with them she couldn\u2019t identify, and even if she could he was probably connected with the Thalmor.<\/p>\n

Everything came back to the Thalmor and the iron grip they used to keep control of the city and its people.\u00a0 She really did have no power at all to stop anything which was going on.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t meet her at the lake either, which means she\u2019s probably out hunting,\u201d the elf now stated stopping his pacing and now looking at the other two.\u00a0 \u201cits is only a minor setback, but one which I can adjust to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, well we don\u2019t care,\u201d the shorter Nord said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBurn it down,\u201d the elf said suddenly.<\/p>\n

The words almost had Zoe up and standing but managed to stay in place.\u00a0 This couldn\u2019t be happening to her!\u00a0 They were going to burn down someone\u2019s house, everything they owned.\u00a0 The two Nords didn\u2019t even flinch at the order.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever, as long as we\u2019re paid,\u201d the shorter one said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou will be,\u201d the elf said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, don\u2019t double-cross us, we don\u2019t care if your Thalmor or not,\u201d the taller one said, looking right at the elf and not backing down.<\/p>\n

Zoe looked on as they stared at each other for a few seconds before turning their attention back to her shack, and lighting it on fire.\u00a0 All she could do was watch seeing her home burn.<\/p>\n

Everything she had she had on her, a few coins, her clothes and almost nothing else.\u00a0 Valis had gone all out this time, and one she would make sur she paid for.<\/p>\n

He probably figured if she had nothing left she\u2019d come crawling to him begging for his help.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t know her at all.\u00a0 She would find a way to overcome this setback.\u00a0 He wouldn\u2019t win, that much she was certain of.\u00a0 He had pushed her too far now.<\/p>\n

Making up her mind she waited as the three finished their task and went walking off back to the city taking her time as she had no idea if they were waiting for her or not.\u00a0 The last thing she wanted to do was run into them again all alone.\u00a0 Once in the city it would be a bit different as there were guards and they just couldn\u2019t grab her.<\/p>\n

She went over everything which had happened today as she walked to the city.\u00a0 First off she had lost a large bet, one which didn\u2019t seem right.\u00a0 Others had accused the arena owners of knowing one of the fighters wasn\u2019t right and allowed him to fight anyways.\u00a0 And even to her inexperienced eye it looked rigged in some way.<\/p>\n

Now she had three visitors who were looking for her and burned down her shack!<\/p>\n

It all seemed to point towards Valis, he had something to do with it all.\u00a0 She had a hard time believing he had done it all juts to get her.\u00a0 Why did he have such an obsession with her?<\/p>\n

She needed to think first.\u00a0 She had to have a plan before confronting Valis and for that she also needed some information.\u00a0 With that thought she decided to head to a bar first and see if she could get any information on what happened today.<\/p>\n

Walking through the gates she didn\u2019t even acknowledge the guards.\u00a0 This evening she was focused on one thing.\u00a0 She wanted to get back at Valis.<\/p>\n

End part 2<\/p>\n

Continued in part 3<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dovahkin’s Flight by AJ Marks Part 2 Zoe made her way out of the city thinking she might do some fishing.\u00a0 If nothing else she might get something to eat for the next couple of days.\u00a0 It might not solve her money problem but she could at least eat. Looking down the road she noticed […]
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