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Cold Dawn (Mandii/Danible)

T

TheMandii

Super-Earth
Joined
Jun 6, 2010


The streets of Dawnstar were dark and dank, dusted with light snow that blew mercilessly in the biting wind. A lone figure slinked through side streets, avoiding the city guard. She held no torch, seemed to carry no weapon. Other than a heavy black cloak, the feminine figure wore a hood that concealed her face and stark white hair, and form-fitting armor that glinted slightly in the pale moonlight when it reached her, failing to shine fully behind the clouds.

Soon, shouts and orders were issued, a half-frozen dead body having been found floating in the water. Was foul play suspected? No, it seemed the poor sod had either fallen in a drunken stupor or killed himself.

Inara smiled slightly, slowly making her way to the opposite side of the town, toward the edge of town. She kept to the darkest streets, crouching low when she had to, to avoid being seen. No one would ever know that the Dunmer assassin was lurking in the streets, killing off those who owed the Brotherhood dues. The tendrils of darkness seemed to shroud her movements and muffle her every step. Perhaps her armor was enchanted to hide her, but not all were fooled by the darkness.

Indeed, there were some who might see through the obsidian night.


 
J' Ziri, a Khajiit thief watched as the guards crowded around the body. None of them knew what had really happened and it amused him. As a member of the Thieves Guild he was not in the practice of killing his marks but he had to appreciate the art. Hidden from view on one of the many roofs around the inlet he had seen everything. The Dark elf woman stabbing the man in the back then sealing the wound with magic before dumping the body in the freezing ocean. Although he disliked the cold J' Ziri had become somewhat used to it over the 3 years he had spent in Skyrim. That said he was still uncomfortable staying still in the frozen night so he departed his perch and started after the assassin, hoping to blackmail her and earning some gold.

He saw her a few hundred paces ahead of him, his Night Eye making it very easy to see in the dark. The elf hadn't noticed his approach, which was good for him. He didn't want to startle a member of the Dark Brotherhood. They were dangerous when you don't see them coming but even more deadly when you try to get the drop on them, so he slowly got closer to his mark, moving with complete silence until he stepped on a dry twig, producing a loud crack. Not knowing anything else to do J' Ziri jumped behind a tree hoping the assassin hadn't seen him and passed the noise off as some animal in the woods.
 
Inara turned swiftly at the sound, tracing her steps backwards, boldly, needing to make sure she hadn't been tailed. Catching a slight glimpse of movement in the dull light. Had she been able to see as well as J'Ziri, she'd have seen his footprints and continued pursuit, instead, after glancing around slightly, she was almost completely sure that everything was clear. She murmured something under her breath and pulled a poultice from her belt. An invisibility potion. An expensive one.

She sipped from it and her figure disappeared in the darkness, she walked away, leaving only the faintest of footprints in her wake, keeping to whatever ground wasn't snow covered when she could to avoid leaving too much of a trail. It wasn't until she approached a dilapidated, small shack that the potion wore off, and she slipped inside. Smoke escaped the small chimney, and had there been any windows, a slight glow would be apparent from within. Here, Inara would stay tonight.
 
J' Ziri watched from behind the tree. Upon seeing the woman turn and vanish, he continued pursuit, keeping one eye on the ground so he wouldn't step on any more twigs. Difficult as it would be for someone who had not had his training, he kept up with the invisible woman without the slightest hickup. As they reached the end of their journey, J' Ziri saw the shack, smoke curling out of the chimney, probably a brotherhood safehouse. He waited until the woman was inside before approaching the door and placing his ear to the rough wood, trying to hear what the woman was up to.

After hearing nothing for minutes he figured the woman had gone to sleep so he pulled out his lockpicks and picked the lock silently, opening the door with a very faint creak. Upon entering the shack he saw a fireplace, fire blazing, and a table with some junk chairs but the woman was not in his line of sight. He looked around.
 

Next to the doorway was a tall book case filled with random goods, out of J'Ziri's line of sight, Inara sat perched atop it. A Khajiit? What an interesting turn of events. The dark elf smirked slightly, dropping down behind him as soon as he stepped into the single-room shack, holding an ebony dagger to his throat. "Why are you following me, kitten? I have no quarrel with your kind, and I've not killed any of your feline brethren recently."



 
The hair on the back of J' Ziri's neck stood up. How could he have missed the bookcase, and worse than that, he had his back to a potential enemy, one who was more than likely thinking of a way to dispose of him. He stood perfectly still, the only movement was the slight swaying of his tail, something he had learned to do to calm himself long ago but to anyone watching it would look like he was balancing.

"Many Khajiit have fallen to the dark brotherhood, but that is not why I made pursuit. I saw you kill the Breton man." J' Ziri said, just loud enough for the elf to hear. He didn't want to say it but the truth seemed his best bet of getting out of this alive.
 
(Posting from my phone for this so sorry if there are any mistakes.)

Inara listened to the Khajiit speak, amused by his threat. He had indeed seen her slay the Breton, it seemed. How else would he have possibly guessed the race of her target?

A low, cold chuckle escaped her lips. "If you were to try to kill me as vengeance for his death, my brethren will come for you. Why would you be so foolish as to cross one of the Dark Brotherhood?" She pushed him forward into the room, pulling the door to shut with her foot. The room itself was sparsely furnished as he had noticed, but that was what made it so easy to clean up.

"Give me a reason why I should not kill you."
 
J' Ziri felt a fear he had not felt in a long time, ever since he was young in fact. He knew she would kill him if he didn't give her the answer she wanted but at the same time he didn't know what that answer could be, so he remained silent, standing perfectly still.

"I have no intention of killing you, as for why you should keep me alive, I did just track you all the way here, and you didn't even notice. That has to say something about my abilities." J' Ziri said, hoping this would be enough to peak her interest, at least long enough so that he could ensure his survival.
 
The lady assassin pondered his words. The kitten spoke the truth, he was skilled to track her even when she used the invisibility potion. He'd make a good recruit for the Brotherhood. Should her superior, Astrid, find him worthy somehow, that is. "It is wise of you to decide killing me is not the correct course of action." She murmured, knife held firmly against his throat. "Are you suggesting that all of this was simply to join the Dark Brotherhood?" She chuckled. "Your skills belie the idea that you are not affiliated with some kind of order."
 
J' Ziri paused. He had no intention of joining the dark brotherhood but he knew that the Thieves guild had some strong connections in it, and if he became a member he might learn some things to advance in the guild. He felt the knife against his throat and knew if he did not answer correctly he would never be seen again. He took in a deep breath to calm his racing heart.

"Becoming one of the Dark Brotherhood was not my intention, Khajiit are not the kind to join such an organization. However given these circumstances it is an interesting proposal, and you are correct in assuming my affiliation, as a member of the Thieves guild." J' Ziri said in a calm voice, though he was far from calm at this point and even his tail exercises were not helping him.
 
Inara took pause. "I see." She let him go. "Our guilds are occasionally collaborators, should the need arise as such. I would prefer to not cause trouble with your people as well." The dark elf walked around the Khajiit, eyeing him, calculating everything she saw with her ruby eyes. "I will let you live, on the condition that you speak to no one about what you saw tonight. If someone comes after me for what transpired, I will assume it was you. And I will find you." She smirked slightly. "That, you can be absolutely sure of..." Inara paused again. "And one other thing." The dark elf added, pausing to let him consider her words. She wanted him to ask what she wanted, to be at her mercy.
 
J' Ziri took in the elf's words. His life for his silence sounded like a good deal to him, he had never intended to speak about this to anyone, only to use it for personal gain so in his mind he came out pretty well. Her last words though had sent his mind tumbling. 'what did she want. Why didn't she just say it? Was she playing psychological games with him?' he thought to himself, determined not to fall for the trick if that was what this was, so he remained silent, hoping that she would just tell him and that he wouldn't have to ask; being at another's mercy was not a position he wanted to put himself in, especially when the other person was a member of the most powerful assassination groups in all of Tamriel.
 
"I need you to assist me, kitten. Only for tonight, or perhaps in the future should you impress me." Her ruby eyes searched his face as she stepped closer to him, reaching out and playing with one of his ears, knowing it was a sensitive spot for his kind. "I have been away from my brethren for too long, and I have needs." Her grin took a slightly malicious turn. "If you allow me to bed you, not only will I let you live, but I will pay you handsomely...I have always wanted to play with a kitten like you, I'm sure your skills in tracking and physical prowess reflects in your skills in bed." She stepped close, her impressive bossom meeting his chest. "If you refuse, though, I can't guarantee your safety.."
 
J' Ziri's tail twitched as the elf touched his ear. He hadn't had a mate in years, the thieves guild frowned upon that kind of thing between its members. As he thought about bedding this pretty elf it didn't really seem that bad of an idea. He would probably be able to satisfy her and himself as well as make her see that he was a competent lover.

"I will indeed share your bed with you." J' Ziri said, his tail flicking in anticipation.
 
Inara smirked. "Good choice, little kitten..." She grabbed his arm, leading him to her bed, which was off in the corner of the room. "Take off your trousers, and sit." she said, slowly removing her cloak and her armor, tossing the dagger onto the nearby table. "If you try anything, I have more ways to kill than just a dagger, kitten..."
 
J' Ziri began to remove his pants but then looked up at the elf. It was starting to annoy him that she kept calling him 'kitten' when he was going on his 26th winter. "My name is J' Ziri elf," he said in a very authoritative tone. He had not liked to be called 'kitten' even when he was younger, and at least in the guild he was addressed by either name or rank.
 
The assassin smirked. "Don't like being called Kitten? That's a shame, I rather think it suits you." She chuckled softly. "J'Ziri then. I am Inara.. Now take off your trousers. Quickly." She prompted him, her ruby eyes nearly aflame in the low fire's light. "I am a woman of great patience in all matters but this."
 
"You may be the assassin, but do you think I will let you command me to do anything if you wish me to share your bed?" J' Ziri said, slightly annoyed at the elf's attitude. For a Khajiit, mating was usually dominated by the male, not the female, although there were some rare cases where the male would be subservient to the female. Having a female, and a female elf no less, command him in this manner did not go over well with him. Placing a paw on her shoulder he pushed her down onto the bed so she was in a seated position, his paw firmly on her shoulder, claws appearing from his fingertips. "If you are to be my mate, you will obey my commands." he said forcefully.
 
She smirked slightly up at him, his frustration, his paw on her shoulder. All of these things were new to her, and exciting to say the least. "Fiery little feline, aren't you J'Ziri?" She murmured. "I like it... Show me more." Her long, snowy white hair nearly touched the bed. Inara's red eyes watched the Khajiit's.
 
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