[IC] Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

[EliteCommander]

Almost immediately after Janius spoke, one of the nearby patrons, another Argonian male, turned his head and looked up at him slightly baring his teeth, indicating that he did indeed speak Cyrodilic. "Who are you calling unsavory, softskin? We're not deaf, ya arrogant...what are you, an Imperial? Typical."

The obviously inebriated man stopped a moment to examine the rest of the pack, which caused him to scoff. "Humans, an Orc, cats, a Dunmer, what is this, some kind of fair? You come into our tavern, walk right up to us and start throwing insults, you better hope you're trying to tell a bad joke."

By this point, the entire table the man was sitting at, as well as a few others from different tables, had their eyes on Janius. One of the man's friends leaned over and nudged his elbow to grab his attention. "Are you really surprised? I'm more impressed that it's not the Dunmer tryin' to dis-respect us this time."

"I guess he's smart enough to keep it to himself. These Imperials aren't known for their smarts. I think they should all get outta here before someone gets hurt." He commented before casting his gaze back on Kaleeth, just as he had when she stepped into the tavern. He gave a grin, then glanced back to his friend beside him. "Except for maybe her, she can stay as lonnng as she wants." He added, generating a laugh from both of them.

While Kaleeth just looked confused, Meesei turned around and let out a sigh. Having just finished paying for their rooms, she did not want to get kicked out of the tavern already. Hopefully, Janius would be able to diffuse this situation.

[Muttonhawk]

Janius' first reaction was to tense up a bit. What were the chances that all of these men spoke Cyrodilic? Oh, but he was stupid. With a city this close to the borders of the empire, of course plenty of people would know Cyrodilic! How could they not!? It would be the trade language. Janius felt like hitting himself. Still, it was clear that they were cross. Their words towards Kaleeth were threateningly sleazy, even. But it would do no good to give them more reasons to be angry. If there was going to be a scene, they would have caused it without provocation anyway.

Fendros turned his head and looked back at the men cautiously. Even though Janius already had his attention to the table, he gave the back of his head a look that threatened unkind words if he didn't clear this up.

There was a pause before Janius pushed any anger he had to the back of his mind for the sake of everyone else. Honesty was probably his best bet here, followed by an attempt to change the subject. With a slow breath in, Janius raised his brow and faced the men with a slightly amused smile. "Sorry, gentlemen. I thought everyone here spoke Jel. Serves me right for letting my mouth run." He brought one hand to the back of his neck, both because he was nervous and to be somewhat non-threatening. "I didn't mean anything by it. We're all just tired from the road. What do you folk do around here?"

[EliteCommander]

The man did not seem to like Janius' apology, but since he didn't escalate the situation, he didn't grow any more angry. Instead, he just grunted and turned back to his table. "None of your business, kaoc."

Janius had certainly offended the group, but it didn't look like they cared enough to continue with the confrontation. For Meesei, that was good enough. She did not particularly care if the local population like them, she just wanted to get out without confrontation. She decided it would be best not to even attempt to interact with the patrons any longer and instead approached Sabine and placed her hand on her shoulder. "After we get our rooms situated, do you want to go find a courier to send your letter?" She asked.

Ahnasha smiled at Janius. Since nothing came of the confrontation, she found it rather funny. "You're an amazing people-person, aren't you?" She said sarcastically. Almost immediately, Rhazii started crying in her arms for some inexplicable reason. She started rocking him to try and calm him down, but it did not seem to work in the slightest. Eventually, once a few of the patrons started to look visibly annoyed, she let out a sigh. "I probably deserve that. Come on, let's take this room Fendros." She said before picking the room farthest to the right.

[Muttonhawk]

Janius felt his shoulders relax as he exhaled from his nose in relief. That certainly could have gone worse, especially if Janius had fallen into the same insular pride trap that got him angry with Zharanthixil. He turned from the table and to the pack again hoping that something like that wouldn't happen again. He would have to watch his words. Ahnasha gave a comment that Janius couldn't quite discern as being a sarcastic chide or a commendation. Janius just took it as a compliment for now. He was about to explain that he had experience with some dives like this in Cyrodiil before Rhazii joined in the conversation. Janius let the parents deal with that. "Come, Kaleeth. Let's find a room," Janius said, opting to reduce the risk of any more hot air.

When Meesei approached Sabine, she had just been listening on and staring idly at the patterns in the wood grain of the bar. She looked up at Meesei, smiled and nodded. She had been looking forward to sending her letter since she wrote it. Though, thinking ahead, she glanced to one side and swallowed, "Where is a courier?"

"Of course," Fendros agreed. Given how willing these patrons were to turn their mood, it would probably be best that they got their son behind closed doors. He followed Ahnahsa into the room she pointed out and closed the door softly behind them, turning the loud talk of the tavern into a muffled murmur. The room itself wasn't much, but they got what they paid for. Fendros put down his luggage and paced over to Ahnasha and Rhazii. He put one arm around Ahnasha and his other hand on Rhazii's back, then kissed Ahnasha on the side of her head. "You've been carrying Rhazii all day. If you like, once we've caught our breath and gotten him settled, I can take care of him for a while. The bookstores ought to still be open for a few hours, and you might get some advice from local healers."

[EliteCommander]

Kaleeth followed Janius silently into one of the rooms. She was not certain she understood everything that had transpired, but it seemed like Janius had upset the men at that table. At least, for the moment, it seemed to be over, so she could focus on all the other things that were confusing her. Just like everything else, she had never seen a room like this. It was small, with only a bed and a dresser and little room for anything else. "This place looks so strange to me, everything does. The other places in town seem okay, but this building and others around it look like they are about to fall down. Why do they build from wood when they have plenty of mud? Wood rots, mud doesn't. And why did Meesei make me wear these uncomfortable clothes? They hold in water, not like my scales that let it slide off. It doesn't make sense."

"I'm not sure, we'll have to ask around, but I suppose it will give us a chance to look around the city. The Ayleid district in the center I find particularly interesting." Meesei answered to Sabine as she went into the as of yet unclaimed room. It seemed she would be sharing it with Sabine and Lorag. While small, the room was not anything she was unaccustomed to.

Ahnasha sat down on the bed and tried to calm down Rhazii, but no amount of rocking or shushing seemed to be helping. "Maybe, though I think he is hungry. Not much you can do about that." She commented before adjusting her dress so he could nurse. "You're lucky. For now, feeding him is my sole responsibility, since no one else can actually do it. Once he starts growing up, though, you can bet I'll start passing that responsibility off to you. You'll have a lot of lost time to make up for." She said with a grin. "Anyway, if he gets to sleep, and I really stress that if, we might both be able to go looking. You won't hear him admit it, but I think Lorag is starting to warm up to Rhazii. He might look after him. I don't blame him, really. Look how cute he is, after all."

[Muttonhawk]

Kaleeth's volley of questions caused Janius to pull a half-smile despite situation just a few moments ago. He placed his own belongings in one corner of the little room. He responded while rummaging through one bag for something. "Well, there's quite a bit to it, probably. I'm not certain about the buildings, but it's probably just buildings made by cheap craftsmen who are used to building for dryer climates. Also," He turned his head to look at her, "the wood doesn't wash away in floods quite as easily, I'd say." He pulled out a purse of coins from the bag and began securing it to his belt. "As for the clothes-" Janius let out a small laugh, "-you can blame Imperial culture for that. Everyone is embarrassed to be seen naked in Cyrodiil. You'd have to grow up with it to understand. It took me a while to get used to it, but once you're in the pack for long enough, being clothed all the time is difficult. Soon enough, being embarrassed by it just seemed silly."

Sabine surveyed the room momentarily. Normally she was struck by the dry and the comfort of inn rooms when she walked into them, but apart from shelter from the rain and being away from the mud, there weren't many merits for this room over the swamp. She could smell the damp, but at least it wasn't overpoweringly moldy. There wasn't much room for alchemy, though. Sabine decided while they had the moment to share another question that had been dancing through her mind. She still spoke slowly and quietly, "The Ayleid buildings, wouldn't it be dangerous to live in them? They would have traps."

Fendros looked down at Rhazii with a smile and sat down beside Ahnasha while she fed the cub. He looked forward to bonding with their son more in the future, but young as Rhazii was, Ahnasha had a lot more to do than Fendros did. Once he had processed enough of Ahnasha's words properly, Fendros spoke at a lower volume now that Rhazii was occupied. "Lorag? Really? Hm, I would have thought he would be too annoyed by the crying." He shrugged, "Well, if he's willing to help, we may as well take the opportunity." Fendros looked up at Ahnasha, "We'll see how Rhazii is after a suckle before we ask Lorag."

[EliteCommander]

"Oh, so the people are the reason I have to wear it, that makes sense. Well..it doesn't, but neither does anything else, so I can accept it." Since they were alone in the room, Kaleeth wasted no time in removing the dress and tossing it aside before laying down on the bed. She let out a deep breath and held an uncertain expression on her face. I have always wanted to see the cities. I was told what they were like, how big they were and how many people they had. I was told how you could find all sorts of things here you can't find in the swamp. But, it seems like something is...wrong here. The place we came in at didn't look so bad, but these buildings are about to fall down. The people on the street look so sad, and the ones in there were rude and...angry. Are all cities like this? If so...I don't know if I want to go to any more."

Meesei gave a light chuckle. "I'm sure it might have been at first, but Stormhold has been settled for a few eras by this point. I think all of the traps have been disarmed, and all the secrets found long ago. Anything scholars could have learned about this place, they likely already have. I think the ruins are mostly just pretty stonework now. Still, it has been a very long time since I have been in an Ayleid ruin, and there might even be some books about what Stormhold used to be. Maybe after we find a courier, we can see if we can find some?"

Rhazii was, quite predictably, much more content now. At the very least, Ahnasha had so far been quick to handle whatever needs he had. If he cried too much, it might anger the other patrons of the tavern, and they were already not on good terms. It was one reason why she felt nervous about leaving him with anyone else for any length of time, other than the fact that her natural inclination was not to let him out of her sight. If he started crying, whoever was watching him might not be able to stop him, since she was the only one who could feed him. Of course, at that point, it probably would be best to leave Lorag with him. Not many people, no matter how drunk, would willingly pick a fight with him.

"We might be able to risk leaving him with one of the others. If not, you could go out with Lorag or one of the others and find what we need. I'm sure Lorag would be good for keeping the local thugs off of you, anyway." She suggested.

[Muttonhawk]

"Not really. Not everywhere is like this." Janius answered, before sliding himself onto the bed beside Kaleeth with his back against a wall. He was about to explain that not all cities had poverty like this, but there were very few populated placed that Janius had been to without poorer people, so he had to stop and think about how to answer. "At least...not everyone in the city lives like this. It's complicated." Janius cast his mind back to his first attempt at explaining such things to Kaleeth, perhaps that might be a good starting point. "You remember when I explained how most people trade for gold, labour, and goods? Well, it turns out that such a system doesn't always make things fair. You have upper-classes, that are educated and skilled, or tax people who use the land they claim, or inherit wealth from their relatives when they pass away. These people tend to have more wealth. Oftentimes, it's more wealth than they need. They live comfortably and most of the time quite happily, but then there are others. There are lower-classes, that either don't have the luck or opportunities of the upper-classes. They have to work hard because most of what they are capable of in their position is simple labour. Unfortunately, they do not get as much wealth, so they can't afford a nice house, or good food and drink. Some can't even afford a house at all." Janius felt a bit grave describing it, but his tone turned a little more hopeful to describe the other parts. "There are those in the middle. Craftsmen, merchants and the like. Those that work their fair share, and don't live beyond their means. There are even occasionally upper-class people that understand the plight of the lower-class and provide work for a reasonable wage for them. It seems that this city has many who are suffering, however. It is unfortunate, but better than all those people out there subject to slavery." Janius smiled at Kaleeth to try and turn the atmosphere around a bit, "There are still good hearts in these kinds of places, don't you worry. Those people have likely just made a bad impression."

After getting over the feeling of being slightly foolish in her assumption, Sabine stopped to think for a moment. She wasn't sure how much the Ayleid history interested her, but the buildings were still impressive. It wasn't like there was anything else to do. "Okay," she replied through a nod, not revealing any particular inclination one way or the other, "When will we leave?"

"Now that's something I know him to be quite capable of," Fendros laughed. After a breath, he stood up. "I guess if it's one or the other, I may as well ask him now," Fendros said, "He's probably in one of the other rooms." With that, Fendros left the room, trying to minimise the noise. He walked up to the nearest other room and rapped on the door. Sabine was closest, so she answered Fendros by opening the door and giving him a quizzical look. "Is Lorag in there?" Fendros asked, craning his neck to see only Meesei in the room as well. Sabine shook her head in plainly. Fendros took a breath of the tavern air, either Lorag was with Kaleeth and Janius', or he was at the bar. Knowing Lorag, Fendros cast his eyes to the bar first.

[EliteCommander]

Kaleeth sat up and leaned against Janius, putting her arm around him as he spoke. He did not describe cities as being great, but neither did he say they were terrible. She had not yet seen the positive things he spoke of, but then again, she had only been there a short time. "Well...I guess you did insult them right next to them. I might have been mad too." Kaleeth chuckled. "Maybe you could show me around the city later and point out the good parts? I would not know where to start on my own. We can stay in here for a while though, I don't think I want to go anywhere yet."

After a brief interruption from Fendros, Meesei resumed her conversation with Sabine. "Now that we have dropped off our belongings, we can leave now. Besides, it would be nice to get out of this district of the city." She said. Meesei locked the door to their room behind them, which was admittedly flimsy. It likely would not stand up to most thieves, which was one reason that it was important for at least one person to stay in the inn at all times to watch over their belongings. Meesei kept a close eye on the other patrons as they left, as well as anyone that seemed to be looking at them as they walked down the street. They were traveling in a pair, but an unarmed Argonian woman and a young Breton girl did not make for the most intimidating duo. Even if they could handle any threat to them, it was still preferable to avoid confrontation. Meesei had to admit that she was likely being overcautious. After all, most people had no ill-intentions, but it only took one deranged individual to cause them problems. Nevertheless, Meesei became more comfortable as they exited the slums in search of the market district. "There is something I have been wondering, Sabine, if I may ask. I know you very much enjoy alchemy, but you have never really been open about other things you like. And I am not referring to hunting or other things we have to do, I am curious about what you want to do. Or did you never really have time to form varied hobbies as a child?"

Lorag was indeed at the bar, though he had not yet ordered a drink. Instead, he was leaned against a wall, staring at a coin resting between his fingers. On the one hand, they didn't have much to spend, but on the other, he could really use a drink, more so than usual. He was in an altogether sour mood, not because of anything anyone else had done, or the place they were staying, but because of something more personal, something that disturbed him at his core. He probably would have missed Fendros approaching if he wasn't the only Dunmer in the entire tavern. "Oh, hey, what do you want?" He asked directly.

[Muttonhawk]

"Sure." Janius didn't mind waiting for a bit. In fact, he was slightly grateful to have the time to think about what he could show Kaleeth, especially on their shoestring budget. Perhaps just exploring other districts would be the best approach. It wasn't as if he knew the city in the first place.

While they had the time and Kaleeth's mood seemed well, Janius thought that perhaps now might be a good time to probe on an issue that still made him slightly worried for her. He put and arm around her and put on a more serious look. "So, how are you faring with..." He looked down sympathetically "...you know, the homesickness?"

Meesei's question put a look of intense thought on Sabine's face. She had kept herself occupied in one way or another in the pack for so long that thinking about what she enjoyed before being turned took some time. She came across memories of playing children's games, as you would at that age, being taught things, pushing over sentinels. But beyond that, it was only really alchemy. Slowly, she shook her head, feeling a little odd to have such a void in her mind and reflecting the feeling in her face. "I...don't know." They continued to walk for a few seconds, but the way Sabine spoke indicated that she was trying to think of something to follow up. Being in a city, let alone one she had never been in, Sabine's mind drew a blank and she looked at Meesei curiously. "What...what is there to do?"

"Lorag, there you are." With a nod and a wave, Fendros approached Lorag and didn't waste any time. He could tell that eyes were on him again. "Ahnasha and I desire to use the last of the afternoon to look around the city for any books and advice we can find for raising Rhazii. He's tired from the travelling, though, and one of us needs to stay behind to keep an eye on him. We were wondering if, perhaps, either you accompanied one of us, so we aren't wandering around alone, or-" Fendros put out a hand in a noncommittal gesture, still wondering whether what Ahnasha said about Lorag warming up to Rhazii was true, "-if you like, you could keep an eye on Rhazii for us, while Ahna and myself go out looking together. What do you think?" It was only then that Fendros noticed the conflicted demeanour Lorag displayed, but for now Fendros played it off simply as whether or not to spend his coin on drink. With what he had, he wouldn't be able to get intoxicated enough to neglect Rhazii if he decided to stay behind, so that much was a comfort.

[EliteCommander]

Kaleeth lowered her head and broke eye contact as she thought back on her village. "I...still wish I could go home...maybe not forever, I just want to see them. I like it here, with you, but I miss mother and father, all my friends, the Treeminder. Everyone. I...I don't want to think about it though." She said, raising her head up to look at him with a smile, albeit an obviously forced one. Her mood had soured, but she didn't want to constantly bring down Janius and the others with her thoughts of home. "I would rather focus on passing the time with you. We can talk, mate, rest, anything you want." She said with each suggestion carrying just as casual of a tone as the last.

Meesei paused to think for a moment before responding. "Well, suppose that can vary. Back in Thorn, during that festival, there was more to do anyone could likely experience in a week, but that is a rarity. I know with us living in the wilds, it is hard to find much of anything to do beyond swimming, hunting, and perhaps some exploring, as well as our own hobbies, of course. You have alchemy, I meditate on magic, and Ahnasha has been recently occupying herself with painting. For here though, in cities like this, there is usually some more variety, beyond what we normally do. For me, when I have to pass the time in cities, I like to see if there is anything I could learn about, whether it be from a book or the people. Maybe I can learn something about the city's history, or something more general. I try to avoid just researching magic, though, as I can do that anytime. If that doesn't interest you...we might just try looking around and seeing if we can find something unique."

Lorag gave a grunt as he slipped his coin back into his pocket. "Wander alone? Ah, right, Alp- Meesei said not to walk around alone, so you need a partner, and you want me to watch your kitten. Hmm, I guess I can watch the little noisemaker. By this point, I'm pretty much a...old..." He began as his voice started trailing off until he was completely quiet. He grimaced, though not specifically at Fendros. Something seemed to be going through his mind that made him more and more agitated until he finally spoke again. "...actually, no. I'll come with you. I can be your bodyguard, keep you safe from all the thugs that don't like Dunmer walking their streets. When are we goin'?"

[Muttonhawk]

At first, Lorag's strange reaction earned a curious look from Fendros, but he agreed to accompany him anyway. "Good, good. We were going to leave once Rhazii finished having a meal, but if it's just you and I, we can leave now if you like." Fendros began to turn towards the rooms, "Let's just let the others know." Fendros hadn't let Lorag's behaviour go yet, but he wanted to get underway.

Sabine didn't immediately respond, still feeling unsure. It began to bother her that she didn't have any particular pastimes in mind. It made her feel as if something was wrong with her given how everyone else seemed to find a way to occupy themselves. However, One thing did start to sound more appealing, and it made Sabine lift her head with a little optimism. "Might we meet some people? Learn from them, like you said?" She asked slightly apprehensively, "I liked talking with Tunxeek in the village, maybe there are friendly people here as well."

There were a few seconds where Janius brought his eyes up to look at the ceiling. It was nice just to be up against Kaleeth, so he didn't mind what they did. But, would now really be a good time with what he just brought up? Well, it might turn the mood a bit. He brought his gaze back to Kaleeth's eyes and smiled. "Now that you mention it, we have been doing an awful lot of resting and talking..." Janius was about to contact Kaleeth's lips when an unexpected knock on the door made his attention snap away. He bowed his head and sighed with a high brow at fate, then looked at the door and called out. "Yes?"

Fendros' muffled voice briefed them from the other side, "Janius, Lorag and myself are going out to find books and advice. Just letting you know in case Sabine and Meesei beat us back here."

From Fendros' side, there was a pause, then Janius called back with a slightly out of place tone. "Thank you, Fendros. Good luck."

Fendros nodded as if Janius could see him for some reason, then obliviously proceeded to Ahnasha in their room. She was still nursing Rhazii, so Fendros kept his voice down. "Ahna," Fendros started with a smile after opening the door, "Lorag says he can go out, I'll go and see what we can find. Are you fine here?"

[EliteCommander]

Ahnasha gave a quick nod, being careful not to do too much to disturb Rhazii. "Yeah, go ahead. After he's had his fill, I'm going to try to get him to sleep, then maybe see about getting some rest myself. I would suggest looking for books or something like that. You might have to look for a while to find something that doesn't pertain only to Argonians. See you soon."

After Fendros closed the door and took a few steps away, Lorag practically dragged him out of the tavern with how quickly he rushed him out of the door. He seemed unusually eager, especially for something that did not pertain to him very strongly, and to say his attitude at the moment was odd would be an understatement. "Come on, lead the way...hmm, what should I call you now, Dunmer-dad? No, that sounds stupid. Ah, I'll figure it out. Now, let's go."

Kaleeth held herself especially close to Janius. She usually enjoyed the "private" moments they shared, but in this case, she honestly just wanted some distraction from her thoughts. She just wanted to get away from her regrets for a while, but she did her best not to let on to her troubles, but even so, there was still that look of regret in her eyes. regardless, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, hoping he would forget about it.

After a few minutes of walking, Meesei and Sabine reached the market district. The main road cutting through it was even wider than the road leading into town, but it was even more crowded, as essentially served as a courtyard for an outdoor market. There were stalls with all sorts of foods, clothing, jewelry, and any other number of items for sale, in addition to businesses with proper buildings behind them. "Well, if you want to meet people, a market is a great place to do so. We should look for the courier service first. I would guess it would be located in one of the actual buildings, instead of the stalls. After that, though, I wouldn't mind shopping around and seeing if we can find some interesting people. Just keep an eye out for anyone you might want to talk to. I am not familiar enough with the culture of this city to know if it is normal to approach strangers, but I am sure there is a way we can justify a conversation, especially here."

[Muttonhawk]

"Woah, wait- ah! Hold on- what's the rush all of a sudden?" It was unexpected to Fendros that he would be dragged out of the tavern in any case, but with Lorag grabbing him by the arm, sounding a small amount of protest was all he could really do to resist. Once they were outside, they began at a brisk pace to the markets. Lorag gave his typical Lorag dialogue, but everything else wasn't quite right. With a confused and concerned expression, Fendros leaned himself forward slightly while they walked to look Lorag in the face. "Lorag, is something wrong? You seem on edge."

Meesei and Sabine wandered through the market district with their eyes peeled. A few things caught Sabine's eye, from the interesting to the downright exotic. She knew that she probably would find much to buy, but she thought that if the stall owners weren't too busy, that they might be ones to talk to. Sabine was unsure, though. She didn't want to anger them by talking all the time and not buying anything. In one portion of the street, a small number of people were gathered around something beyond Sabine's vision. Behind the people was the music of a stringed instrument playing. They walked on by without finding out who was playing the music, but Sabine noted it for later.

There wasn't much more walking before Meesei stopped Sabine and lead her into a building beside them. The door had a sign above it depicting a standing Argonian with a bag, paddling a canoe in the middle of some markings that Sabine didn't know how to read. On the door itself, however, was some Dunmeris that Sabine roughly understood to be "Tzik-Chiun Best Delivery". Sabine would have walked right past it had Meesei not pointed it out. This was apparently the courier.

When the door opened, it rung a small bell, much like Ariel's store. The storefront itself was slightly cramped in comparison to the rest of the building, but over the counter, packages, manifests, wooden pidgeon-holes, and strongboxes explained the purpose of reserving the rest of the room. Over the counter, a female Argonian with black and tan scales, as well as many spines protruding backwards from her head looked up at the two with a smile. "Good day. What can I help you with?" She asked in Jel. Sabine stayed silent, neither understanding the woman, nor how to ask for her letter to be delivered. Normally Meesei did this kind of thing anyway. In the resulting pause, the woman made an awkward expression, then tried heavily accented Cyrodilic, "Um, can I be helping you?"

[EliteCommander]

"Huh, what? No, I'm fine. You're looking for, what is it, books, right? Let's head over to the market or something, I guess Argonian cities still have those." Lorag answered in an entirely unconvincing tone. He was quick to shift to a neutral expression, but there was a moment when his face showed a hint of depression, or perhaps concern. He did not show emotion readily, and was even less likely to talk about it, but there was clearly something on his mind. Nevertheless, he kept a sharp eye out on the people they passed, just waiting for someone to try something.

"Yes, we would like to sent a letter to Thorn." Meesei answered, repeating herself in Jel just to make sure the woman could understand clearly. As they approached the counter, Meesei reached into her waterproof bag and retrieved the letter Sabine had written months prior. "We do not have an envelope for it. Do you have any for purchase?"

The woman gave a slight nod. "You not needing to worry about that. It is...covered in fee. We keep your packages very safe. Just..." She began as she grabbed a form from behind her counter and placed it in front of Meesei. She thought for a few moments on how to say what she wanted."Just fill out the information of the...person you are sending it to on this form. You can also make special requests for the delivery at the bottom of the page, though some may cost extra." She explained, her words much more clear since she had a chance to think.

Meesei would have liked to let Sabine fill out the form herself, but it would probably be best in this case if it were written out in Jel. Still, she could get her input. "Is there anything special you want to do for the delivery, Sabine, or is just delivering the letter sufficient?"

[Muttonhawk]

Lorag was definitely hiding something, that much Fendros knew. However, if he wasn't going to be open about it, Fendros didn't know whether he really wanted to press the issue. For now, Fendros just looked forward again towards the markets. If Lorag continued to behave oddly, or drag people around in an unwarranted fashion again, Fendros would have to try again.

On the way there, Fendros noticed as many eyes on them as on the way to the tavern, even a gang of cheaply clothed young men talking in the street all turned their heads towards them. Lorag seemed to be a good preventative measure, though. No one gave them any trouble. The market itself wasn't difficult to find once they retraced their steps to the main road. It was crowded enough that they probably wouldn't spot Meesei and Sabine if they were around. "Was there anything you might be looking for while we're here, Lorag?" Fendros asked while they walked. Given how conflicted Lorag looked with his money at the tavern, perhaps he was saving it for something else.

Before Lorag could respond, a jumpy figure came up in front of the pair; a dark-green Argonian man with a wide grin. "Excuse me, did you drop this ring?" The man spoke in practiced Cyrodilic and presented a silver ring between his thumb and his forefinger. Fendros gave a shallow and frustrated breath. This was a scam that had made the rounds of Cheydinhal and other Imperial cities for years. It would only end up with them being accused of stealing the ring. Fendros started to move away, ignoring the man.

Sabine approached the counter and ran her finger across the words of the form. There wasn't really anything special that she had in mind, it was just a letter. She looked at Meesei and shook her head. "Just safe delivery," she mumbled. Without thinking, Sabine picked up a quill from the counter and slowly wrote Ariel Montgrave in the first field, but then let the quill hover over the next one. "Meesei, what do I write...?" She pointed to a field labelled Address.

[EliteCommander]

"That would be the location of her shop. Hmm, I think I remember it. Let me see the quill a moment." Meesei requested. She remembered reading the address when Ariel signed for the loan, but It had been quite a while since they had been in Thorn. She was not completely certain that the address she remembered was the correct one.

Seeing her hesitation, the Argonian woman chimed in. "If you cannot remember right address, you can put directions in comment section at the bottom. Our couriers are...resourceful. They will be finding it." She said reassuringly.

Meesei nodded and complied to the suggestion. She still gave the address as best as she could remember, but also wrote in directions at the bottom of the form, which she knew to be much more accurate .The fact that she knew the name of Ariel's shop would also help the courier find her. Once finished, she took out her coinpurse to start counting out the payment, as well as handed the form to Sabine for her to check over, which would also allow her to be the one to finalize the delivery.

Lorag cast his watchful eye onto every single thug-like group they passed, almost as if he was eying down a predators in the wilds. He was certainly serving his purpose by intimidating them, but every time they turned their heads and let the pair pass unhindered, Lorag looked almost disappointed. It didn't seem like anyone was going to disturb them, a least until the shifty-looking Argonian came up to them asking about a ring. Fendros was content just to ignore him and move on, but Lorag gave a subtle grin. He had no intention of going anywhere just yet, this was just what he had been wanting. That wasn't to say he didn't know what was going on. It might have been a few decades, but he grew up in Cheydinhal, he knew all these cheap scams. Plus, it wasn't like a lycan was going to own a silver ring.

"You tryin' to take me for a fool, lizard? What, you surprised I know your scheme, or surprised I care enough not to walk away? You're the worst kind of scum; at least a bandit has enough courage to fight for what he steals. You have to resort to trickery. You should do yourself a favor and throw yourself into whatever jail this city has before you make me any angrier." Lorag said in a stern, threatening tone.

[Muttonhawk]

As Sabine gave the form a quick look over, the address suddenly made sense. The name of the shop, the name of the road, the district, then the city. It was meant to help find the shop. There was a signature line where Sabine roughly printed her name, then it seemed that everything was in order. She replaced the quill then pushed the form towards the woman behind the counter, who took it quickly and skimmed over it herself. "This is everything. Your letter is delivered by end of week, and will be travel through swamp roads to Thorn as fast as possible."

Sabine gave a small smile to the woman, out of gratitude, and the small victory of sending a letter for the first time. "Thank you," Sabine said.

"It is nothing, young one." The woman replied, before turning to Meesei, "Thank you for your custom."

With their business with the courier concluded, Meesei and Sabine exited the shop and stepped back into the noisy market. There was a short moment before Sabine spoke up about what was on her mind since she had witnessed it. "Meesei? I've...thought about what I want to do." She looked down the market street back the way they came, "There was music on the way here. Could we go back to listen?" There was no guarantee that the street performer they passed would still be there, but it had piqued Sabine's curiosity enough.

Seeing anger in his mark didn't deter the swindler at all. He responded with the same tone, "Sir, I am sure this is your ring. It fell out of your pocket just now."

Fendros had stopped and turned around as soon as he heard Lorag's bellowing. What was worse was that the conman was not standing down.

"I am sure this belongs to you," the conman continued.

Before Lorag had the chance to react with violence, Fendros stepped to him and grabbed him by the arm. "Lorag," Fendros gave a serious look and tone, then shook his head while continuing, "He's not worth it. Please." Sensing something troubling, Fendros lightly tugged on Lorag towards an alley out of the way from the crowds so they could talk. Hopefully Lorag would drop the issue and move away.

[EliteCommander]

Meesei responded to Sabine's question with an enthusiastic smile. She too had heard a part of the music as they passed. It wasn't a style she had heard before, so it would be new to her. It wouldn't be like the festival in Thorn, where a crowd of people gathered to dance, but it would nevertheless be entertaining. "Certainly. Music is something that changes in every city, every village. I...think it is a custom to leave some gold if you stay to listen long enough, so be aware. I was yelled at for that once in Cyrodiil." She warned as they walked along. Even above the rumbling of the crowd, she could hear and follow the music to its source. As before, there was a crowd surrounding the musician, so it might be that whoever it was would be too busy to actually talk, but Sabine might find someone in the crowd who was willing to have a chat.

Lorag turned away from the Argonian when Fendros tugged on his arm, though he kept a firm hand on his coinpurse. His anger did not seem to diminish as he responded in a tone just under a yell. "What do you mean, not worth it? What, you want to just keep this scum on the street? Or do you just think I'm not good enough to handle it? You think I'm just a soldier only good for bashing in skulls? Or do you even think I can do that? I've got news for you, boy, I'm not useless, not yet. I can put down these scum with words or fists." He barked, finally giving some hint as to what was on his mind; it wasn't the conman that was truly agitating him.

[Muttonhawk]

When they found the music again, Sabine's curiosity as to its source was renewed. There were just as many people gathered around, so she had to wander until she could find a gap and squeeze her way though to a point where she could see. It was times like these that she wished she was taller. She managed to get a view without too much trouble, and she beheld a male Redguard sitting on a crate playing a lute. He looked slightly older than Lorag, and had only a short carpet of black hair covering his head that was beginning to grey. His clothes suggested no particular wealth or poverty, but his music was enchanting. It wasn't strumming alongside prose like Imperial bards, but rather, melodies that seemed to flow without an end. People on the edges of the gathering came and went quickly, obviously having other business, but Sabine stayed staring and listening. The musician glanced up and saw Sabine staring, but simply gave her a quick smile before his eyes returned to the frets. The song eventually approached an end and the people around the man clapped, most tossing coins into the small wooden box that Sabine hadn't spotted until then. Remembering what Meesei said, Sabine frantically fished out a coin and squat down to place it in the box as well.

Once the man began to play another piece, Sabine looked either side of herself and found a girl who looked about her age, except Argonian. After a nervous swallow, Sabine considered speaking. Would it be rude to speak while the musician was playing? Maybe if she whispered it would be alright. Still, it took her a few seconds to get over the anxiety. "Um...excuse me?" Sabine said quietly to the girl, "Who is this man?"

Successful in pulling Lorag away, the swindler pursed his lips and put the ring back in his pocket, walking off to find another mark. "Lorag, who ever said you were useless? You're acting strangely. What on Nirn has gotten into you?" Fendros himself didn't know whether to be angry or confused until the pieces fell together in his mind. "Wait..." Fendros raised a hand, angled his head, and creased his brow, "What do you mean 'not yet'?" Fendros became worried that Lorag was covering up some kind of condition that might not have been affected by lycan disease resistance. Aging crossed his mind briefly, but it was hard to imagine Lorag succumbing to that. Whatever it was, it was causing Lorag worry. Even if he didn't like admitting weakness, it was showing. Fendros' expression became less cross and more sympathetic, "Lorag, if something is going on, you need to say it."