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[right][sub][color=a1a1a1]Direct mentions: [@LC][/color][/sub]
[sub][color=a1a1a1]Indirect mentions: [@Sir Lurksalot][@MacabreFox][@Spoopy Scary][@Stormyx][@Quest Abandoner][/color][/sub][/right]
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[color=8493ca]"Buy me a beer later and we'll call it even."[/color]

[color=a1a1a1]As Yashar bid them well and gave yet another blessing of the Nine, the Emperor himself seemingly finding it urgent to go through this cell in particular, and Khaliya disappearing just as soon as she was provided a way forward, this left Roshanarra alone with her thoughts and a choice to make. It had been the expectation that the man before her would have continued the fight when she was least capable of defending herself, or at the very least to do so verbally. She had braced herself for the consequences of her actions coming once more, a familiar sensation over the years just the same as sudden overwhelming rage. So just the same as he was set off balance by her contrition, so the same it was for her now seeing that he was perfectly willing to let things go. Her coppery features turned towards a bit of a frown, but nodded towards him all the same in acceptance. As soon as they found a way out of this rather precarious situation, she would have to make do on that beer.

For now though, as she watched the dark-scaled figure of one of the Argonians slithering by everyone and down the tunnel, she just barely caught the figure of her sister already joining the rest of the group in the adjacent room. Leaving behind those too uncertain of the corridor ahead, and waiting for the Blades to escort the Emperor ahead of her, she moved into the tunnel and fought off the growing claustrophobia. It was just a matter of focusing her eyes on the back of the masked Blade in front of her, paying no mind to those behind her and within a moment the rest of this impromptu group was gathered in what seemed to her to be a long-forgotten cistern.

The Cathay-Raht Kiffar had done everyone the favor of sweeping the tunnel first, though the leavings of the dust and cobwebs were traipsed into the room by many feet to follow. She kept to the side, giving a slow nod to the larger cat and preferring to keep quiet for the moment. Despite being underground and in rather poorly maintained tunnels, moonlight filtered in through grates above them along with the sounds of distant fighting and people rushing off to try and quell the violence. And by the stance of the Blades about them, it was clear that wouldn't be easily done nor far from them either.[/color][hr]
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[color=a1a1a1][i]A secret tunnel. It was a secret tunnel.[/i]

Such things were how adventures began, mysterious secret entrances into long-forgotten catacombs. Obviously, the moment there was the opportunity to do so, Khaliya slipped between the more uncertain of her fellow prisoners and followed behind the trio that was the prancing man, his devoted follower and the very much less devoted woman who was very clearly a witch. She hadn't been following their conversation very closely, as the man talked in a confusing manner with quite a few words that she felt could probably be shortened by half and say the same thing. But while others had fallen into despair or a hangover from their unceremonious jailing, this one had kept his spirits fairly high. Maybe they would be interesting to follow along in this strange journey. Just the same as the Bosmer Yarmira and the object of her obsession, Kiffar the Cathay-Raht. Actually, the guy that her sister had nearly knocked through a wall was interesting to her as well, especially as it seemed that he knew at least one of the Blades and was very nearly to start a second round with Rosh.

Khaliya had started the night feeling as if it was just going to be another rather unassuming night of putting her hands where they were very much unwelcome. The Arena fights going very south very fast were an interesting development that became very complicated, and after feeling like she might have to share a cell with a bunch of very unhappy people for the rest of the night, the Emperor himself shows up with his Blades. Granted, she didn't recognize him immediately as the Emperor, but she knew the Blades well enough. At least by reputation. Sure, to many citizens of the Empire they were the ones charged with the protection of the Septims above all else, so she knew like the rest of the group to give them and their charge a respectable amount of personal space.

But for her, in all her studies over the years of swordplay and combat, she knew that they had earned their reputation over centuries. Her silver eyes trained over the shape of those swords, fascinated with the Akaviri style of blade and wondering if she could recreate it with her Shehai. That would have to be something done later though, preferably much later and hopefully without unwelcome eyes upon her. Despite such a gift in her hands and what it could bring, she had found a few times that it was a lot more beneficial to keep such things in her pocket for safe-keeping. If the rest of these people saw her as defenseless, then it could work well in her favor in not making herself out to be a potential threat.

Already the Blades seemed to look past her and focus more on the others gathered in the cistern, most notably the larger members.[/color]
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[color=a1a1a1]A dream. A dream had told of this night, of a familiar face awaiting him in the depths of darkness. This was to be the final days of an era, and the final hours of his life. Yet not all had come according to the prophecy of his dream, and as Uriel had been taken from his study at the behest of his Blades, it was clear the die had already been cast. Strange faces moved within the walls of the palace, metallic and frozen in a grimace of daedric malice. One by one they were cut down, and one by one the Blades and Palace Guard joined a makeshift formation carving a path towards what they felt was salvation. But he knew. He knew what awaited him in the crumbling catacombs beneath the city. Many of his kin had been slain this night already, his eldest son among them and in public view no less. It was just a shame that he would have to witness his companions here fail to preserve his own life at the end of this journey. Pardoning them for a night of misfortune was but the least he could do, and he hoped that Captain Renault would not hold these poor souls to what they could not prevent.

His eyes wandered over those presented before him once he was safely among his Blades and now joined the now former prisoners in the cistern.[/color]

"A day of intended fortune and celebration turned to misfortune and bloodshed." The Emperor said aloud, drawing Renault's attention towards him and instructing the two masked Blades to close ranks.

"With respect sir, the night is not yet done and we've got more than enough fight left in us to get you to safety." [color=a1a1a1]Her eyes shifted towards those around them, recognizing that more than a few here were merely just people unfortunate enough to be caught up in the chaos. The Khajiit Kiffar was recognizable at least in name, remembering him called by another title in another time. He had seemed to have fallen far since the death of his Mane, but perhaps…[/color]

"Manesguard." [color=a1a1a1]She said abruptly, addressing the imposing Cathay-Raht directly and leaving the immediate protection of the Emperor to the rest of her squad.[/color] "It seems your path has brought you an opportunity to redeem your name. As you may have noticed, there are assassins pursuing our Emperor and willing to kill anyone and everyone in their path. Can I entrust in you to guide these people out and assist us in seeing the Emperor to safety?"