The font looks good on my laptop. No problems.

I am very keen to see what happens with Maxical and Fathis Aren.
He (Fathis), is without a doubt my most hated person in Bravil. My Bosmer assassin always seems to run into him.
Tell Maxical I shall be looking out for her....... and paying my own personal visit to that castle.

The thing with Fathis, every game I ever played he hated my character till this game. The first time I ran into him at the Bravil Mages guild in THIS game, Fathis was leaning in to my character, tilting his head. He started telling me how bored he was, and that he would do anything to allieviate that boredom, then he would lean his head at me and tilt it to one side! I thought I would die laughing! So I walk out of the Mages guild, and I hear someone talking, so I look around and it is Fathis! He had followed me out of the Mages guild! He has popped up all over the place in this game, (which is why he has that role in the story) - I don't know if this is part of that glitch that happened in game or what!

Chapter 22: Manheim and Alix


Manheim looked up from the latest copy of the Black Horse Courier discouraged. He would have to be dead not to have heard the gossip about Fathis and Maxical. The rumors all had reached his ears, even those of Fathis touring Cyrodiil in his 'Royal Marital Robes.' Somehow the gossip died down in the last month though, giving him hope that Fathis had given up. The 50,000S reward killed that theory.

Manheim sank down into the chair he had sat in that day with Maxical, holding her in his lap while she cried; his mind once again reliving that moment. He let his thoughts drift over that day, the sight of her so ill that he knew she would perish if he didn't get those potions; holding her outside in the sun so she could breath fresh air; the sight of her in his oversized long underwear and shirt; and then sitting in this chair holding her in his arms while she cried in relief that it had been he, not Rufio that had undressed her. Manheim had frequently dwelled on those moments since that day.

It was hard to believe it was the same girl he had seen fighting, so bold a warrior she was in that Arena; yet so tiny and fragile when she was here. The fighter in the Arena thrilled, the girl he saw here brought a totally different sensation.

Manheim never told Maxical that he watched her fights, the reason being the Grand Championship match where she had fallen apart after the death of the Gray Prince. The gossip about them also reached his ears, he had no opinion on its veracity. But there was no doubt whatsoever the pain it brought her, and he would not bring up anything to her that may cause her pain.

Manheim sighed. Fathis may be old enough to almost be Maxical's grandfather, but he sure had the Septims to toss around, and the gossip said she loved Fathis. Manheim looked around at his little Inn, it sure didn't compare to living in the Castle Bravil. "Well, best stop thinking about it, some things just aren't meant to happen," he thought.

The door of the Inn opened and Manheim was pulled out of his reverie by the sight of Alix Lencolia coming through the door.

***

When Alix took his leave of Torbern he was torn between wanting to run to S'Jirra with the information or keep tracking Maxical. In the end he decided the best route would be the former, the tracks here were old, and S'Jirra would be worried till she heard something.

He made his way home and spent a day resting. Maxical had been headed east, and he hadn't run into her. If she were staying in the mountains then she must have gone on to the Valus Mountains. He would cut across to them from Leyawiin.

Alix set out toward Leyawiin early the next morning, cutting through the woods at an angle to meet the road south. The morning air was damp and a thick foggy mist lay over the woods, making progress difficult. The sight of the Inn of Ill Omen was a welcome one, Alix decided to get a cup of coffee and wait till the sun came up enough to allay the fog.

Alix hailed Manheim, they had some small acquaintance through the years, mostly to do with supplying the Inn with S'Jirra's potato bread.

Manheim stood up and shook Alix's hand, then poured him a cup of coffee, eyeing him cautiously. He handed Alix his coffee, laying the copy of the Black Horse Courier down on the table beside Alix, then stayed to watch if Alix reacted to it.

Alix pretended to concentrate on the spoon in his coffee cup, stirring it slowly. Manheim was watching him for a reaction, why? As far as Alix knew, Manheim didn't know Maxical. Or did he? Alix waited, sipping his coffee.

Manheim broke the ice after a pause. "Say Alix, do you still teach blade? I'd be interested in some training."

Alix looked Manheim in the eye, searching. "I'd be happy to offer whatever help I can." In normal circumstances Alix wouldn't have agreed to train Manheim, but Alix was sure Manheim knew something about Maxical. Why else push that paper in front of him and then watch for a reaction? "I'll have to get with you for that training when I return, I am going up into the Valus mountains, my daughter is missing and I think she may be up there." Alix said, eyeing Manheim for a response. He got one, Manheim's eyes had flickered.

Manheim shifted, feeling uncomfortable. He was not one to break a confidence, yet Maxical had said she was going home when she left the Inn. The only information he needed to keep confidential from Alix was about Rufio. It would be cruel to let the man scour the Valus mountains knowing Maxical had already come down from them. Manheim looked up to find Alix watching his face intensely. Manheim's face flushed.

"Well?" Alix said. He had no doubt now that Manheim knew something, and was struggling on whether to tell him whatever it was he knew. Alix would give him the opportunity to spill, but if he didn't give the information freely, he would give it at the end of Alix's silver longsword.

Manheim saw that thought in Alix's eyes, but he had already decided to tell him anyway, without that prompting. "Uh, Alix, Uh, the little lady?that is to say Maxical, she was here, about a week ago. I found her on the floor in front of the door there, sick from a slaughterfish bite, she'd been attacked by a bear and a Spriggan. I put her up in a room and ran to the Imperial City for some cure disease and healing potions. I didn't have anything like that around here. She wouldn't have made it without them, she was in bad shape. But Alix, she left here a week ago saying she was going home. I thought she would have been at your Inn by now, it being right around the corner."

Alix was stunned. He had never expected to hear Maxical had been this close to home, and not that long ago. It must have shown on his face, Manheim was leaning over him, giving his shoulder a shake.

"You okay Alix? Here, sip that coffee, or do you want something stronger?" Manheim didn't know what to do. He had never seen a man go white like that.

Manheim sat down in the chair beside Alix. "She talked a lot about you once she got well. She stayed for a meal, then said she was going home from here. I was planning on stopping up there to see if she was okay - I mean I was coming up to stock up on potato bread and thought I'd see if she was all right while I was there."

Once Alix got over the shock that she had been this near and not that long ago he started thinking again. Why was Manheim hesitant to tell him that? "He can't be telling me everything he knows." Alix thought.

Alix leaned back in his chair and studied Manheim. That he was fond of Maxical was obvious, not just from what he was saying, but the way he was saying it, that and the look on his face. But there was something more there as well. He was hiding something he knew about Maxical, what could it be? And the Faregyl was such a short ways, what could have happened to Maxical that she never showed up?

"Did you happen to see her leave, what direction she was walking?" Alix asked.

"Yes, she was headed toward the Faregyl, well, she started heading up the road, then stopped and turned into the woods. I figured she was taking the shortcut through them." Manheim was getting worried now, and it reflected in his voice.

Alix stood up, he was going to search the woods he had just come through where the fog was so thick he couldn't have seen anything. He'd search it on his hands and knees if need be. "How much do I owe you for the coffee?" he asked.

Manheim stood up. "I'm going with you. Coffee's on the house."

After hours of thoroughly searching the stretch between the two Inns and finding nothing Alix had a thought. "What if she was going to her old home?" Alix looked over at Manheim, the man was genuinely worried about Maxical.

"Say Manheim, before Maxical came to us she lived at that little abandoned house just this side of the old Priory of the Nine, I wonder if she may have gone there?"

Without a word Manheim turned and started walking to it. Alix caught up to him. They hadn't gone far when the overwhelming smell of decomposing flesh assailed their noses.

Alix had a moment of terrible fear that it might be Maxical till he caught the expression on Manheim's face. "That man need never play at cards for Septims" Alix thought. Now what would Manheim know about a decomposing body out here in these woods? Alix started following the scent toward the body instead of avoiding it.

Manheim was trying to draw Alix away, walking the opposite direction and calling to Alix that the Priory was this way, pointing away from the direction Alix was going.

Alix hadn't been Maxical's father all these years and not learn when a child was trying to keep their parent from finding out something. He ignored Manheim and kept trailing the scent. Manheim even came up and tried to tug on his arm to get him to go the opposite way. "He is definitely hiding something." Alix thought.

Alix found the body stuffed in a coffin outside the Pothole Caverns. The lid of the coffin was pried off and sat askew on the coffin. Alix kicked the lid off the rest of the way and looked inside. It was a man. His head and half his face had a large gash, similar to what a bear would do if it struck with it's paw. But as Alix scanned further down on the body he saw something he had only seen once before. The man had been gored in his groin by a dagger. A sudden nausia threatened to overwhelm Alix, not just from the strong odor of decomposition. His kit had killed this man, whoever it was. And Manheim was protecting her. That had to be the thing Manheim was holding back on earlier.

Alix looked over at Manheim, who was still trying to get him to leave. So who was this man, and why wouldn't they just have left the body, why hide it? Even if the killing took place in the Inn Manheim could have had the watch remove it, why hide it? Manheim had obviously known the body was here by his overt attempts to distract him. So maybe he helped her dispose of this body, but why would she need to dispose of it? Was it murder?

"No, not my kit. She will kill in a heartbeat, but she is no murderer!" Alix thought. But then why hide the body?

Alix was still watching Manheim's face, which had a myriad of expressions flickering across it. Guilt, stubbornness, fear; Alix watched as the different expressions emerged and faded to be followed by the next.

"Who is this man Manheim?" Alix asked firmly.

"Huh? Oh, that is a necromancer lair, no telling." Manheim didn't lie well.

"Necromancers didn't kill this man. Who is it?" Alix asked again, firmly.

Manheim came up slowly, his eyes avoiding Alix and the coffin. "I killed him Alix. It was me. I, uh, he was a tenant of mine, his name is Rufio. Uh, he was late on his rent for the room and we had a fight, and uh, well, maybe I had too much ale, I guess I got mad and killed him."

Manheim was a terrible liar. Alix liked him all the better for that, but for some reason bells were going off in his head. "Rufio?"

"Yea, he was a bad tenant anyway, I just got carried away. Hope you won't turn me in, but if you do I guess I'll, I'll go to jail." Manheim looked aghast at the possibility, but he was obviously telling the truth about that. He would go to jail before telling on Maxical.

Alix was surprised by that, the man was obviously quite fond of Maxical. "What better way to show someone you love them than to hide a body for them and take the blame for it?" A sound that was a cross between a groan and a snicker escaped at the thought.

Manheim looked at him questioning the humor. He looked bleak. He had given his word to Maxical that he would make sure no one would find out, and yet here was her own father finding out everything. But he would face whatever came before telling it was she that did the deed.

"Well it looks to me that you aren't so in need of those lessons in blade, that move right there is one the Grand Champions use." Alix said, pointing to the goring of Rufio's groin and watching Manheim's face closely.

"Uh, it was a lucky shot I guess; and besides if, well, in case I don't go to prison I need to have that blade training." Manheim lied again, but followed it up with a stubborn look.

"Why?" Alix asked, genuinely curious. He was sure Manheim would tell him the truth about that.

"A man needs to be able to protect a lady." Manheim said, his face turning bright red.

"So that's the way the wind blows." Alix mused. Well, he would much rather have Manheim as a son than Fathis.

Alix was trying to remember where he had heard the name Rufio before, when suddenly it hit him why the name struck a warning bell. The man who had attempted to [censored] that little daughter of Claudius Arcadia and killed her when she struggled. [censored]! Fear gripped Alix and he swung around and looked at Rufio's body again. Shaking with relief he noted that the dagger had gone through Rufio's pants, and that the pants were fully intact. Alix gripped the side of the coffin to steady himself.

"Oh my poor dear kit" Alix cried out.

"No, it was me, you can call the watch, I'll go along quietly and admit my ill deed!" Manheim said firmly.

"Help me over to that rock there, I need to sit down." Alix said, his face as white as Maxical's fur.

Manheim grabbed Alix's arm and gently steered him to the rock, then stood near in case he started to topple.

"Did he try to [censored] Maxical?" Alix asked, dreading the answer. He hadn't needed to ask, he knew the answer.

"Uh, bu, he...I" Manheim was having trouble lying over that one. He had seen the bloodstains on Maxical's sheet when he cleaned up the basemant that day. It had filled him with a rage like he had never felt before. He knew Maxical had escaped without harm from it, but the thought of what she had endured in that basemant had filled him with anger, and had Rufio still lived he would have murdered the man himself. Manheim leaned over and spat.

Alix suddenly remembered the rest of what he had heard about Rufio. Alix had been warned to keep his eyes out for Rufio by the watch that ate lunch at the Faregyl, the guards couldn't find him anywhere. Claudius Arcadia was sitting in jail for praying to the night mother for Rufio's death. The damn night mother! The Dark Brotherhood! Maxical had committed murder! The Dark Brotherhood would be coming to her when she slept!

"Did Maxical sleep at your Inn after Rufio was killed?" Alix asked, "This is important Manheim, I have to know."

"I don't understand." Manheim's voice reflected it's honest confusion.

"Manheim, if she sleeps, the Dark Brotherhood will come to her. Do you know where she is? We need to protect her from them."

Manheim went white. That thought had never crossed his mind. For Maxical's safety he would have to stop lying. "She didn't sleep at the Inn Alix. I don't know where she is, I honestly don't know. I thought she was going home to you."

Alix put his arm across Manheim's shoulder. "Look, lets go to the abandoned house, she may have gone there." Manheim was obviously distraught at the idea of the Dark Brotherhood getting their hands on Maxical, he couldn't have realized.

When they arrived at the abandoned house the bodies of the bandits gave evidence that Maxical had been there, and Alix noted the bed by the window had been slept in.

"Hey Manheim, I want to sit on this bed for a minute and think, would you care to wait for me outside?" Alix asked. He was getting a very bad feeling and needed to concentrate.

When Manheim went outside Alix sat down on the bed that was his kits when she was a baby. Why did she come here to sleep? How would she have known? Was she sent by the Dark Brotherhood to kill Rufio? She couldn't have been sent there by them, she would have had to commit a murder first to be sent out on a contract. Alix concentrated on his boot. Then he remembered the Grand Championship fight. The Gray Prince. The two of them looking so bleak. The pact they had. The Gray Prince had backed out on the pact. Alix remembered seeing the Gray Prince's Elven longsword laying a couple feet from his body before Owyn came up and picked it up. His kit had shut her eyes, she wouldn't have seen him drop it, but it still would have been murder, to kill a man that has given up in the Arena.

"How could you put her through this?" Alix shouted to Akatosh. "Oh my poor dear kit," he cried, his voice breaking into a sob. Alix cried then, unable to stop; overwhelmed by the frustration and helplessness; the fear for what his kit was enduring; and a terrible guilt that he should have thought of this the night he came home from that Grand Championship fight.

Manheim waited outside, hearing Alix's sobs from out there. He would not embarrass Alix by going inside. The truth told he felt like doing some shouting himself. In protecting Maxical from the legal aspects of murder, had he subjected her to worse? "I didn't know," he whispered, but the guilt was overwhelming.

When Alix came down finally he grabbed Manheim by the arm and shook it. "You're a good man Manheim. Are you coming with me? I'm going to get Maxical and bring her home."

"Let's go." Manheim said.




*** Pothole Caverns:


http://www.uesp.net/w/images/images.new/6/66/OB-Pothole_Caverns.jpg

Very nice Malx. I enjoyed the new chapters and eagerly await the future of Maxical.

Thanks for taking the time and trouble to read that SubRosa. I fixed everything you mentioned except that one I PM'd you about. You should take some credit for the difference in it, you lit the fire under me to change it! Thanks again so much for all your help!

I, too, have finally had the time to see your last edit of your first chapter.

I was worried that you would have edited out what I considered the charm of your original first chapter - not all revisions are necessarily good, you know - but I am so glad that did not happen. In your original we can clearly see the voice of a child, which was what Maxical was at the time. I am glad that the voice was not lost in the revision!

I salute you for taking the time to do that...

And your latis Fathis Aren Chapter. Ah, Fathis is back again, and Zaphlon's paladin making a cameo...that is SOOOO good to read!

And our joint chapter...hehe, I think the constant readers will love that, too!

Sorry I haven't been able to post, I was on holiday. I read your chapters that I had missed and let me tell you...
They were brilliant!!!!!!!!!! Seriously I think they were the best chapters in this story, your such a good writer. I would also like to thank everybody for helping mALX and encouraging her, keep it up!!!
I can't imagine this story ending, I don't want it to end!!!

and encouraging him,


HER, my dear sir.

:rofl:

Woops, I was worried that might happen, when I was deciding wether to use him or her. Sorry, my mistake.

Thank you so much Arcry, and I hope your story is coming along too, I can't wait to read it!

@ Iain Mc - You ROCK! Thank you so much for that!

@ D.Foxy - Thank you, I didn't want to lose that part of it either, but I like chapter one so much better now.



Yes, there have been some anxious comments and PM's about what will happen next on that! Lol. It will be next to post!

Just to enlighten readers...the epic duel mentioned in Damien's meeting with Maxical is one which will be the centerpiece of the Assassin's Duel in my own thread "Of Blades, Fights, and Assassins"!

Give me a link to that and I will put it at the top of the page with your credits when I post the next chapter, and your other books too since we had to cut out so many informative parts due to the length of the chapter.

D. Foxy has graciously agreed to co-write this chapter, employing his character Damien "Foxy" Reynard to assist Maxical. D.Foxy has written all the parts for Damien Reynard and his cutout. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have writing it.



Chapter 23: The Black Fox


When we reached the top of the stairs the man went to a thick door and made a discreet cadenced knock. The door was opened from within, just a hair. The door then opened just enough that only one person could enter at a time.

I ducked under the man's arm and darted ahead of him into the room. "Fathis?" I called, glancing around. The room was darkened, and appeared empty other than myself and the man that had brought me here. He stepped into the room behind me and closed the door quietly, but I heard the tumblers click when he locked it. I spun around, backing myself to the wall. I had learned my lesson already about attacks from the rear. I was mentally lining up spells while I readied my hand to my sword hilt.

The man that brought me here was blocking the exit to the room, his feet spread apart and planted. He was a large man, too large for me to stagger with his feet planted firmly. I felt a rage building in me.

"Where is Fathis!" I demanded. I heard a slight sound from the other side of the room. Trying to keep one eye on the man at the door I barely moved my head to catch where the sound had come from. I saw the chair in the back of the room moving, turning towards me.

A man's face emerged from the shadows, yet not enough to discern his features. Was he standing or sitting? I was unable to determine, yet felt it wouldn't matter. The man's piercing eyes told me that, should he choose it he could move from the floor to my throat before my heart could beat again. I froze, trying to take in every minute movement in case he should so choose. The man at the door be damned, should he leave his planted position he would be finished. This other one, I was sure it would be me that died if one did.

"It is clear that you were expecting somebody else...your erstwhile sponsor, Fathis Aren". The voice was soft, in surprising contrast to the hardness of the eyes.

I barely moved my hand and cast my night eye. The man was wearing a dark velvet mask that hid all his features except his eyes, glittering from holes in the mask.

He rose smoothly from his chair while continuing to talk. "Allow me to introduce myself to you Maxical. My name is Damien Reynard. Some call me Dark Fox or Dee Foxy. Perhaps that name will be more familiar to you?" The man's voice was as cold as the steel of my blade. Gloves covered his hands, a shadow had less cover than this man.

"Damien 'Foxy' Reynard? Oh yes, I have heard the name, 'tis the fairy tales we are told as children, just like the Gray Fox and the?" I was about to say the Dark Brotherhood, but I had found out all too well how real that was. The man knew what I had started to say.

"You were about to say?" The man claiming to be the Dark Fox prompted in a mocking tone; his hand making a signal to the man at the door, who nodded and quietly slipped out, locking the door behind him. "Forgive me, I like privacy when I speak."

I didn't like the sound of that clicking lock, and continued my wary stance. The man may best me, but I would go down fighting. I tried to hide my nerves with a show of bravado.

"Even if 'twere real, the man has been dead these many years, I have heard of at least ten ways the man was killed." I stated in a tone I hoped would sound worldly.

"And how many people do you know that suffer more than one death, my dear?"

He had me there. Could it be possible that this was he? The man everyone talked about in whispers lest he hear and wreak his vengeance upon them? And if so, why me? Why was I brought here? I thought the questions only, yet he answered as if he had heard.

"I see that you wonder why you are here. Have I not already explained that in my missive to you? I am not in favor of vampires, those that prey on the weak and helpless. Vicente was a fool to contact me, did he not think I could read what was not written? Just as you were able to read my message to you, though it was not written?"

"I cannot go through with the task he sent me to do." I admitted. Honesty is best when faced with an enemy you cannot beat.

The man turned, his movements lithe, cat-like as he went to the window and drew the curtain back a hair. The light entering through the gap revealed a room lined in bookshelves and filled with hundreds of books. He plucked a tome and a couple thick books from a shelf and turned once again in my direction.

My mind was going over all I had heard of the Dark Fox. He was said to have written a book titled "The Way of the Assassin." There was a tale of the murder of a Duke, how did it go? It was the most famous tale of his death. I glanced at the title on the top book as he approached and my breath caught in my throat - it was "The Way of the Assassin!"

As if once again he had read my thoughts he answered, speaking in a dry, ironic voice as though he were a professor giving a lecture.

"The Dark Fox was the protagonist in a story once told about an epic assassination... a mission to assassinate a Duke that involved not only infiltrating the Duke's castle, outwitting and killing his bodyguards, but also discovering and dueling with a rival assassin from another organization who was on the same mission. It is said that they fought to the death on the roof and in the corridors of the castle, pausing sometimes in mid-duel to jointly attack and kill guards that discovered them, then resuming the fight when the guards had been killed. While both assassins were wounded many times in the course of their battle, they refused either to cry in pain or call for help ...finally, still dueling, they reached the bedroom of the Duke, who attacked them both. All three now battled with each other simultaneously, and finally Foxy had killed them both. He cut off both the head of the Duke and the rival assassin, and carried them back to the Dark Brotherhood headquarters as proof of his mission's success and the unexpected obstacle that had surfaced during its commission. Then it is said Foxy died there afterwards of his wounds, and his body burnt and the ashes mixed into the parchment on which 'The way of the Assassin' is printed."

"Is that the tale you are trying to recall?" Foxy asked.

I nodded.

"You are not cut out for this game, my dear. Your thoughts can be read too easily, which is how Vicente was able to discern how best to use his power to entrap you. Here is my first lesson: An Assassin guards his thoughts and his face equally as well as his identity."

"I thank you kindly for your warning sir. Yet I still don't understand, why have I been brought here then? Your message already gave its warning?" I asked, curious.

"You owe me a debt, and you can pay it in two ways. One is to say a simple 'thank you' and leave, never to see me again. The other involves taking my training to be an assassin, and doing a mission for me. Think about your answer, for once you give it, you cannot go back on it and live."

"I have already told you I was unable to do the task I was sent on. In battle I can be ruthless, where my enemy and I are locked in combat. Yet the subterfuge of the assassin may be beyond my capability. I find I am not cold blooded enough for the task."

"You are a Khajiit, are you not? The 'subterfuge' as you say comes naturally to your kind. In fact this mission would not require you to kill another in surprise, which you so abhor. I would say this mission is one of rescuing another. If it was to save another do you believe you could find it in you to use the same tactics as an assassin? To be able to come and go unseen? To perform your task through the most dangerous places should you be caught?"

"Yes!" I said firmly. "If 'twere not to kill, I could, though I do not have the skills required. I am afraid Vicente taught me nothing in our so-called 'training sessions.' I believe he was just using those sessions to get me under his spell." The anger was clear in my voice at the remembrance.

"I am awaiting an answer. Do you thank me and leave or accept this mission. You cannot back out once you have given your pledge to me, you know." Damien reminded her.

"I owe you a great debt, and I will perform this mission, er?wait, to do what?"

"You have already accepted. As I said there is no going back."

"gulp, er?" I wished my mouth had stayed shut until my mind had absorbed the full of what he said. This should be a lesson in the future?if I had one now.

"This mission requires climbing, and the ability to slip past people undetected. I want you to first read my book, and then we will begin your training. The books you will read here: the training will be done...elsewhere." Foxy said, passing the three tomes to me.

I glanced at the other books; "Blades, fights, and Assassins: weapons and training for the warrior," and "Arrow, Sword and Spear Warriors: instructional tales of combat." The last volume was a compilation of tales told by warriors of the past, such as Stavak and Sword Sojourner, who were masters of their weapons.

"I can climb anything, but can you teach me to walk silently?" Although tiny, I managed to make the sound of stampeding animals when going up and down steps.

"That will come, and much more. For now you will just read. First, 'The way of The Assassin'. The other two books will become required reading at a later stage in your training."

"I'm glad my task is to read and not perform calculations." I thought, thumbing open the book.

The book was fascinating, and I could not tear my eyes from the pages of it. It spoke of how to gather information from all angles, and use the information to draw up a plan before attempting any mission. There was a chapter on pick pocketing, another on stealth, and one on lock picking. I pored over each chapter, unable to stop till the book was completed. I had read the day away.

"May I keep a copy of this manual as a guide?" I asked, "I could read it a hundred times and still find something I may have missed."

"You may keep it in your mind only. Nothing leaves this room. And now you will probably have noticed that the day has gone. I have given instructions to Augusta Calidia that she is to provide you with a room and a tab for your meals while you train which will be sent to me for payment. You will need to be here again at seven tomorrow. Now go to your?"

A loud rumbling sounded from my stomach at the mention of food and interrupted his speech. Foxy's eyes did not reflect he heard, but I thought I saw his shoulders shake slightly. My face flushed red.

"obviously well needed dinner. I suggest that you breakfast before you come tomorrow." Foxy finished, emphasizing the 'obviously.'

With a beet-red face I thanked him and took a hurried leave of him. When the door closed I heard laughter from within.

The next ten days was spent intensively reading the books. Foxy was a tutor like no other. I had questions to ask after almost every paragraph, sometimes each sentence. Foxy showed remarkable patience with my questions, explaining carefully to be sure I understood; sometimes even pulling a volume from his library to illuminate the meaning. He knew each book in his library by heart. Foxy treasured his books.

Foxy's dry, precise voice aided in my memory of the lessons. I would hear his voice intoning the words I needed to remember. Foxy said an excellent memory was the foundation of a well trained assassin, far above the techniques of martial arts.

"Memory enables the assassin to remember entire maps; notations of where guards are; when their shifts change; which individual guard has which strengths and weaknesses; places to hide and places to avoid; and exactly how the target is to be approached. It is also the foundation of disguise as well, for in wearing a disguise the assassin must wear the disguise in his mind as well as on his body or he will fool no one. An assassin must disguise his speech as well, it is of the utmost importance. It is not enough to just produce the voice of the one you are impersonating, you must also remember the turns of phrase and the vocabulary. Even in the martial arts, the combinations, and assessing the tactical situation even more so. Thus the way of the dagger is actually the way of the mind. And by the way, an assassin does NOT listen with her mouth open like a toad hoping to catch flies."

Wishing I could disguise the red flush mounting my cheeks, I quickly closed my mouth.

The theoretical training on illusions, diversions and distractions was fascinating. I had always loved illusion at the Arcane; this was like an advanced training in it that taught the secrets of the living mind, secrets which seemed so obvious and simple, yet I had never thought of them as illusion before.

" It is a fundamental truth that in any conflict between the eye and other senses, the being will accept the evidence of the eye, denying all other evidence. Thus in a situation where you unavoidably have to make a sound when sneaking past a guard, he will hear the sound, yet reject it if he sees, for example, something like this - "

Foxy reached behind him, and produced a mouse in his hand. "...since the human eye is drawn to movement, mice are an excellent diversionary tactic. Small, easily carried, they can make a surprising amount of noise if they want to. May I point out that while you have been watching the mouse in my hands, I have used my feet to move three books and a pair of slippers on the floor right between your own feet, and you have neither seen nor heard anything?"

I looked down and flushed red, the items were there. Foxy must think I was born with a face to match my hair, I seemed to stay red-faced in his presence.

The lesson on potions and poisons was very different from what we learned at the Arcane, had they taught these there, well lets just say Irlav Jarol may have found himself sitting atop the Arch Mage's tower instead of just his robe. We may have?Foxy caught the look on my face and knew my mind had wandered. My face was beet red, I was sure he had an accurate idea of my imagery of the things I could do with these new potions.

"This is gas made from nightshade, hembane, and jimsonweed. Simple plants, which when boiled give off a gas which produces a hypnotic effect on the person inhaling it - you could walk past almost in front of his eyes, yet the effect is on the mind only, they become semi-conscious and hypnotized while remaining standing. This gas can be captured into the bladder of an animal and rolled silently into a room, allowing you access under the noses of the inhabitants therein. And close your mouth, you are gaping again."

Foxy had a well-equipped alchemist's lab in his suite where he taught me antidotes to these drugs and poisons as well. Alchemy at the Arcane had been boring, but this training always had an exciting use. There was one potion that would enable one to consume a great quantity of alcohol, yet remain almost immune to drunkenness. Foxy said it is very useful when you have to ply people with drink to make them talk.

"You will now start your practical training. This shall be done in two places - in the city itself, and in a deserted fort nearby. Sleep well during the day, for the first two weeks we train in this city, at night!" Foxy stated one day.

First I had to learn stealth and silence. Foxy said he had seen Orc in full steel armor move quieter than me. With a peal of laughter I reminded him that he had been warned of that on the night we first met.

Foxy taught me that pressure and time equaled noise, and if I reduced the pressure of my foot and lengthened the time over which that pressure was applied, there would be little to no noise. In addition to this training he gave me wide-footed 'assassin's slippers' which spread out the pressure of my feet so that my step was now as light as a child's. By the end of that training I could have sneaked by Ocato with an army and he not detect it.

Then I was trained on picking pockets and picking locks. Each night Foxy and I donned a different disguise. Foxy posed as a guard of a different race each night till I learned a lightness of touch. If my mark felt me fumbling in his pockets and cried out for a guard, Foxy would 'arrest me' so the citizen would be satisfied. He taught me hand and wrist exercises that would give me more flexibility and speed when picking pockets, and how to trade a like-weighted object so the mark would not feel the loss of weight. My first successful pocket picked I was bursting with pride and excitement and ran up to Foxy to show him proof. It was a tiny purse of nine Septims, and I saw the twitching of his lips below the mask he wore.

" 'Tis not the size of the purse, but the doing of the deed!" I said in a mock indignant voice.

I had to practice the picking of locks next, something I had only done once in my life at that cabin. When I became proficient with even the hardest locks Foxy began to time me. Foxy loves to set up tests and gives you seconds to complete them. He said I must have nerves to pick the pocket under the very nose of a guard, and handed me a mouse. I was terrified the guard would see me because Foxy said he would kill the guard if he spotted me. I probably left a puddle of sweat (hopefully that was all it was) and nearly squeezed the mouse to death in my fear.

I threw the mouse with a little too much force and it landed on the guard's leg. The guard started hopping and jumping, shouting "I've fought mud crabs more fierce-some than you!" while chasing the mouse around.

While he hopped and jumped I picked that lock. I thought Foxy would choke himself laughing.

"Why do you give a cat a mouse to play with?" I teased Foxy.

Foxy taught me about watching another's body language, hands, eyes; a lot of which is innate to Khajiit.

I had always been good at gathering information from all angles, I had learned much of that from Alix, but Foxy taught me how to use these in cunning ways, rather than for outright battles. I was very excited about my progress in all fields but the planning. My mind had trouble wrapping around the concept of deep laid plans. I told Foxy as much.

"Think of the most important person in your life, and they are in danger. Only you can rescue them. If you charge in with sword drawn they will be killed. You must have a plan or you will be responsible for their death. Do you understand me? Good...now here is the scenario written down. Read it, and find a solution! I will time you."

Foxy was always giving tests, and they were always timed. This was one of them, and helped me to think more clearly about the planning. Each day he would give a different scenario that I had to plan for and time it. As the month wore on it took me less and less time to plan, but still I was not as quick as he would have liked.

All my life I had planned spur of the moment. Waiting till I was in a situation to line up my spells, Foxy taught me to have them ready and memorized. I was taught different places to hide a blade, where if my sword was lost I had a back up weapon that the other could not see dangling at my side. Being a warrior already, this training was easily absorbed. I doubted I would ever again have to fumble for a spell.

I had really come to admire Damian, 'Foxy' as I called him. I was grateful he had sent for me, and given me freely of the wisdom it had taken him a lifetime to learn.

That is, till I heard what my mission was.

***




Here is one of the disguises Foxy made me:


http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/17/l_3d7aedad0628496fbb77ed431b2c54ed.jpg

Hi mALX, I just wanted to drop in again to say that I am up to chapter 5 now. I must say that I found those letters home in chapter 3a to be simply amazing. I laughed my tail off. I kept expecting: "If you are referring to that incident with the dragon I was barely involved."

Forum ate my post- timed out, I suppose. I loved the interaction between mentor and (gaping) student. A fear with co-authored stories is- whose voice will prevail? Here, it is Maxical's, a demonstration of the talent of the writers. Kudos to you both.

Chapter 3 is my favorite chapter, by the way, did you see the picture I posted at the bottom of Irlav Jarol after the bootblacking? That was the most fun chapter to write other than the gossip/Fathis chapter.

@ Treydog - Thank You very much! D.Foxy is brilliant, and it has come up a few times between bouncing ideas off eachother that it is scary how much we think alike when plotting, lol.

That I did. You are insane! :intergalactic: (I just wanted to use that smiley somewhere).

mALX, as you know, I have been out of town for several days. Nice to finally begin to catch up. It was with great pleasure that I read your last three chapters. Riveting! Simply wonderful. You have woven Zalphon and D.Foxy into your work wonderfully.

For D.Foxy, your brilliant touch is evident and adds greatly to this wonderful story. :goodjob:

Let me, for tradition sake, point out a tiny nit in each chapter.


Change Fathis to Fathis' in ch 21


Change Coffees to Coffee's in ch 22


Change feed to feet in ch 23

Your writing has come so far. Despite my above nits, let me assure you, that your attention to editing detail is solid. You have also broken new ground in 'breaking the thread barrier' by incorporating cameos that bring not only Maxical to life, but her friends as well. Finally, your plot weaving continues to be simply brilliant.

Here, you need another one of these: :trophy:

That was a combination of my lack of ability as an Artist and a really bad sense of humor, lol.

Because I posted 3 large chapters in such a short period of time (and this thread is close to 200 posts) I will probably hold off posting the next two chapters and put them on a new thread. (hopefully to give time to those that may not have gotten a chance to read them)


@ Acadian - so glad you are back! Thank you for that, I fixed them. Arcry had already let me know about the "Feet" one.

Thanks for the welcome back. Indeed you have fixed them!

I did go back (one more time ) and review your chapter one (simply wonderful and highly recommended reading btw). :read:
When did this happen?



Maxical with a red shock of hair? I think I would have remembered that - did I miss it, or is that something you added fairly recently?
I'm beginning to buy into friend Foxy's redhead conspiracy though now.... :lmao:

Edit so I don't run up mALX's post count: @D.Foxy - I'm doing everything I can to resist the red invasion. Both Buffy and Mrs Acadian are blondes. :shrug:

She added it! I remember the original chapter quite well!!!

NOW do you believe me..???

:wink:

Even I am starting to become worried now. Perhaps mALX and SubRosa are up to something.
Is it too late to hide ??

Red heads are always up to something. What I am up to at present is getting ready to close out this thread! Maxical will continue on her journey to prison, things start heating up quickly in her second thread, though; which will be posting A.S.A.D. (As soon as D.Foxy edits in his character, lol). I am very excited about the next several chapters coming up with Foxy, and will reveal also that Buffy the Bowgirl is due to make an appearance in Maxical's story in the not too distant future.

I want to thank everyone that has been reading Maxical's Journey, the help you have given me to improve it, I could never thank you all enough for that. For every one of you that has encouraged me or lit a fire under my tail to make me go back and fix things - You ROCK !!!!

Stuff to look forward too.

Start your next thread when you are ready, this one is at post limit.