Amnestic said:
quiet_samurai said:
What is the color of night?
Sanguine, my brother?
Leyawiin, Near the Five Claws Lodge
I tensed instinctually as I pulled the bowstring back, matching the bow?s own tension. My heart pounded as I released it, for I was releasing an arrow meant to kill an innocent person. The Argonian Weebam-Na was destined to die for something he didn't even know had happened.
When the arrow hit the Argonian's scales, I was surprised by the intense force behind the arrow. Normally arrows did not make it past a couple inches. Mine slammed into his throat, it went all the way through to emerge, barely visible, out the back. I flinched away from the gruesome scene, appalled by what I had done.
I scurried to retrieve my arrow and fled to the relative safety of a nearby inn. To anyone standing nearby I seemed relaxed as I sat at a table, but really my muscles were so tense I could barely move. As near as I was to the bar it wasn't quiet, but even so everyone could hear the sudden bloodcurdling screams that came from outside.
I rushed outside with the rest of the people at the inn along with much of Leyawiin, as much to see the results of my handiwork as to not blow my cover. A woman was standing next to the body of the unfortunate Argonian.
?Bejeen, what did you do!? One man yells, his voice sounding strained. Bejeen, whose face before had only the single emotion of terror, now showed a mixture of anger, shock, and the ever-present terror. Several other faces mirrored hers.
?I did nothing to my husband! Why would I? He is the only one that took in a lonely starving maid?? Bejeen trailed off sobbing.
?No.? My sudden statement surprised even me. ?No, she didn?t do this. What reason would Bejeen have to kill her husband? To me this looks like the work of the Morag Tong, which as far as they are from here isn?t very likely, or the Dark Brotherhood, which is much more likely. You might want to find the killer or you might have a string of assassinations on your hands.?
I paused momentarily to take a quick breath. ?Don?t blame Bejeen for something she cannot control. That would be the worst thing for you to do.? I said, my voice gradually growing fainter until it was barely a whisper, I walked as fast as I possibly could from the throng of onlookers.
I went back to the inn I had fled to. I asked the publican if she had any rooms left. One look at my face had her quickly giving me the key to a room upstairs.
?Okay?? She trailed off.
?Shadow Kear.? I supplied her with my name. Although it probably wasn?t a good idea, I was past caring.
I walked upstairs and collapsed on the bed, my emotions taking control. Guilt suppressed any of the joy of the kill I might have felt before. My horrified mind repeated one question over and over. What had I done?
The feeling of sweet relief as the black abyss of sleep swept over me was drowned out when I fell into a dream of the previous day?s events, of what had led me to this murder.
I was walking through the town of Leyawiin repairing gear and restocking supplies as needed for my adventuring habits. I saw an Argonian walking in my direction. It was clear he wanted to talk to me. My lips formed the beginnings of a snarl.
?What do you want lizard?? I hissed at him. His appearance made my otherwise pleasant, if sometimes cold manner, unpleasant and rude.
What he was about to say was drowned out by a sudden urge to stab him with the dagger hidden beneath my armor. This Argonian would die.
In a rush of fur and claws I was running, running from the sudden bloodthirstiness that had engulfed me. My emotions were primarily horror and a sadistic glee at the thought. I ran from my glee.
I woke covered in sweat. The dream had been so lifelike it could have been happening at that moment. The last thing I wanted was any more surprises.
So imagine my now familiar and unwanted surprise when I found the Imperial that would later lead my life in a direction I never wanted it to take, standing at the foot of my bed.
