» Tue May 17, 2011 10:09 am
Chapter 8A: The Fuel And The Fire
The day Fathis saw Maxical's armor hanging in the shop at the Best Defense, it had shocked him. Why would she have sold the present he had given her? What did she need to buy, S'Jirra took care of all her needs, and she had said she was going there first. Surely she didn't need to sell the armor to make the trip to the tower, S'Jirra could well afford to have funded her that trip. Why had she sold it?
The thought of that blue nose had taunted him then. Maybe she sold the armor because she had a beau, and was putting good old Fathis behind her! A white anger had filled him then, and he had flown down the Faregyl Inn and raged at her.
Maxical's eyes had pleaded with him then, but pleaded with him for what? Understanding that she had a new man in her life? That would never happen!
It all started that day of her graduation, when he had seen the blue markings shading across her nose, and had been startled by it. That blue on her nose meant she was a woman now, Fathis had not expected that, certainly not this soon. He had been relieved to still sense the innocence of youth clinging about her. Maybe she was not ready yet, but very soon would be.
Fathis had decided that he would wait only two weeks and then visit the Faregyl Inn to see if she was still there or had gone on to her new tower. If she was still at the Inn, he would escort her to the tower. He realized she would want to spend time with her family first, she had told him as much.
That was his plan. But soon after that day his own thoughts began to intrude on him, thoughts about Maxical and thoughts about that blue flag on her nose and what it stood for. Fathis had been shocked to realize that she had blossomed into womanhood before his very nose, it had caught him totally off guard.
The thought that soon she would be with a man had suddenly occurred to him, and just as suddenly overwhelmed him. The thought of her being with another man was intolerable!
Fathis realized then that he must act quickly before her youth and innocence were taken from her by another. He had known for some time that he loved her, but that day for the first time he realized that he desired her as well.
***
Fathis wasn't sure when his feelings for Maxical had started. Maybe it had been as early as that first day, although at that point Fathis had not desired her in the same way as he did now.
For so many years he had been bored by the tedium of his life as the Court Mage, and had sought by any means to alleviate it.
The day he had taken over the guardianship of Maxical, that had all changed. That day, bringing her to the Arcane, boredom was overwhelming him at the thought of having to escort a child.
She had surprised him out of his ennui that day, and he had not felt that boredom or tedium since. In Fathis lifetime he had never met a female that had been able to alleviate his boredom, but that tiny Khajiit had managed to do just that.
She had been a little spitfire; her rage, her pride. She would burn to rebel, and yet remain obedient. She was like a little warrior, and it had tickled him when she had taken on those rude crowds with her 'Eye of Khajiit' although he knew it was probably meant for him. Fathis smiled remembering that day.
In her fear of the water, she had turned to him for protection, and he had suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to protect her, a feeling Fathis had never experienced before. To this day he could still remember the feel of her arms clinging round his neck, and how it made him feel that he would easily slay dragons on her behalf to make her feel safe.
Fathis had never had any children of his own, nor ever wanted any. But that day, when Maxical turned to him for protection, Fathis had suddenly had a vision of having his own child looking up to him, turning to him for protection.
A long list of his previous conquests flashed through his mind then, all of them dissatisfactory as candidates to be the mother of his child. As yet he had never met a woman he was willing to wed, although he had found many he was willing to share his bed with.
As the years had passed, whenever he visited the Arcane to check on her progress, he would always find Maxical waiting there at the base of the tower when he finished his meetings with Traven. She would always look worshipfully up at him with those huge eyes of hers; her tiny face turned up at him; like he was a God, or a hero; this was another first for Fathis. What a feeling it was to have someone look up to you like that, in his lifetime no one ever had before.
Fathis was not used to being around younger girls. Mothers usually shepherded their chicks away from Fathis; he had a reputation for being a womanizer. And yet, Maxical had been placed in his care, and he had honored that, not touching her, even as she got older and was obviously developing into a shapely young woman.
Maybe it was that which caused his feelings to grow so strongly, the fact that he had over five years of her acquaintance in which she was too young to bed. The females Fathis usually dealt with fell quickly into his bed and were just as quickly cast out of it. His feelings for Maxical had definitely surpassed anything he had ever felt before.
The fact that she was a Khajiit, yes that had bothered him. Fathis had never even thought of Khajiit in that way before. He had always been partial to Wood Elf, actually, even preferring them to his own race.
Maxical was different than most Khajiit though. Her bones were tiny and refined, and as she aged her fur had shed away to almost a skin, and it was so fine, not like the coarse fur of other Khajiit. Fathis had long since begun to wonder if she had been the product of a mixed union.
And then there was her innocence. Yes; her innocence, that would be another first for Fathis. His desire for her, though only recently born, moved rapidly into an obsession that threatened to drive him mad. Her innocence; the thought of her untouched, belonging only to him - and then immediately the thought of that blue flag waving in the eyes of all the males in Cyrodiil had crossed his mind. Fathis found himself overwhelmed by a terrible jealousy, something he had never experienced before. That jealousy grew so powerful that it was beyond his ability to control, and would lead him to do things he could never imagine himself doing before.
Fathis had originally purchased the tower for Maxical with the purest of intentions; but as his jealousy grew his visions of her being in that tower centered on her being isolated from all other males that may see that blue flag shining on her face like a banner of invitation. He was driven mad by the thought of another having her.
The thought of her going home to S'Jirra and Alix had at first comforted him, but upon further reflection he began to realize the vast exposure to males Maxical would be receiving at that Inn - why he himself had met her there!
For the first time since his fifteenth year Fathis became celibate, not by conscious oath, rather his mind had become so obsessive over what may or may not be happening with that blue nose that it blocked thoughts of any other subject from his mind, including other women. Fathis was even neglecting his duties as Court Mage.
Finally, feeling he would burst if he didn't act soon, Fathis had gone to the Imperial City to stock up on Alchemy supplies. He thought he would talk to Varnado about armor over a nice dinner, get a room for the night at the Merchants, then stop by the Faregyl Inn on his way back to the Castle, bringing Maxical with him to his tower. That was the day he had seen the golden armor hanging in the Best Defense and ridden like a man possessed to rage at Maxical.
Fathis remembered S'Jirra rushing over to defend her kit that night, as if he would have hurt her. If S'Jirra had not interfered, Fathis would have shown Maxical the error of her ways and then swept her off to the tower, picking up the golden armor on the way.
***
After leaving the Faregyl Inn that night Fathis had gone to his tower. He felt he had made his point clear to Maxical, that he would brook no other being with her. Fathis was sure she would race to her tower and wait for him after that, so decided he would be there waiting for her when she arrived. Away from the over-protective eyes of S'Jirra they could make up this argument. The thought of that made his senses swim. Fathis thought he would burst from the anticipation. Maxical was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to him, and she was going to be his soon! He would buy back the golden armor for her again once they had made up and she realized that he was the only one for her.
Fathis made his way to the Wizard's Tower he had given Maxical, and he waited for her there. He waited and waited, his patience (never a virtue he possessed in abundance anyway) was stretched to the limit, and then it suddenly occurred to him that she was not coming!
Fathis instantly laid the blame at S'Jirra's door, sure she had forbid Maxical to leave.
"Ah, that has to be it, Maxical is ever obedient. But S'Jirra will have to realize she can't keep us apart. I'm not a green young buck that will just fold under to her will." Fathis mused, envisioning himself laying a ladder up to Maxical's window and stealing her in the night.
Fathis, for all his firm plans found himself hesitant to face S'Jirra again after their last encounter. He rode up to the Faregyl Inn and eyed the door. Spotting the Imperial Legion Forester outside, he spoke to him rather than face S'Jirra's wrath.
The Forester hesitated, wondering if he should tell Fathis what he knew in light of his recent behavior. The thought occurred to him that maybe Fathis would be the one to bring Maxical home again, so he decided to tell him.
"The Little Miss left that same night you were here last, she's not been back since." he said, watching Fathis for a reaction. Satisfied with what he saw, he continued.
"I heard she was seen in the Imperial City." The Forester said.
Fathis vaulted onto his horse and dug his heels in. The horse's initial balk at such treatment was corrected quickly and soon they were galloping down the road to the Imperial City.
The Forester shook his head and went in to tell S'Jirra and Alix about the visit.
Fathis may have galloped his horse straight into the gates of the city but for the guard on duty's glare and shout.
It wasn't long before Fathis found out Maxical was fighting in the Arena. The talk of a white Khajiit fighting in the Arena was buzzing everywhere.
"Trying to get that armor back I'll wager!" Fathis had thought at the time. "Well good, that visit got her mind back where it belongs," Fathis had thought to himself.
That thought was instantly followed by one of Maxical in the tight one-piece Battle Raiment of the Arena with their short skirts, that blue shading on her nose waving like a flag in front of all those young bucks in the Arena.
Fathis then weighed the image of himself crashing into the Bloodworks demanding she come with him immediately and found the vision was always followed up by 18 young bucks pounding him into the filthy floor of the place. He decided it was best to wait it out a bit. The Arena was no life for a delicate little thing like Maxical; she would probably run home after her first real match.
Fathis took a room at the Merchants Inn so he would be close when she had enough of that Arena. Maybe she would turn to him again as she had as a kit, wrapping her arms around his neck. He went to the Arena to watch one of her early bouts, but as he stepped onto the balcony he had spotted Alix! What was he doing here? Fathis had tiptoed back out, forfeiting his bet.
Thinking Alix had come to take Maxical home, Fathis had gone back to the Castle Bravil and waited a week. Then he had ridden confidently up to the Faragyl Inn, ready to take Maxical to the tower himself. She was not there.
The Imperial Legion Forester saw Fathis making his way toward the Inn and just shook his head. Fathis questioned him anyway.
"She's never returned, but her last letter says she now works at the Arena as a combatant."
"I know that," Fathis snapped, scowling. "Didn't Alix go bring her home?"
The Forester looked surprised. "No sir."
"But I saw him there at the Arena last week." Fathis said, wondering if the man had all his senses.
"Alix? He just goes to watch her fights, keeps tabs on her he does, if you get my drift." the Forester replied.
Fathis didn't get his 'drift' at all. He couldn't believe Alix hadn't yanked Maxical out of that horrible place. With a snarl of frustration Fathis mounted up galloped back to the Imperial City. If Alix wouldn't do what he should be doing, Fathis guessed it would have to be up to himself to get her out of that place, and when he did he was bringing her to that tower, not back to this Inn!
Fathis stormed straight to the Arena. Maxical was not on the schedule anytime this week or the next either.
"So she has given up, huh?" Fathis startled himself by saying his thoughts aloud. "Then where is she?" A purple rage had filled Fathis then, what game was this she was playing now? Had one of the young bucks from the Arena set her up somewhere in some hovel?
***
Fathis wanted to begin his search by crashing into the shacks on the waterfront first, but instead decided to question some of the guards. Sure enough he found out that Maxical had been seen leaving the city heading west. Fathis galloped his horse across the bridge to Weye where a one legged man stood in the road.
Leaping off the back of his horse Fathis shouted to the man, somehow assuming having just the one leg may have effected his hearing. "You seen a white Khajiit pass by here?"
"She passed through here heading west." the man said in normal tones.
"West?" Fathis shouted back. "Who was with her?"
"She 'twere alone. Say, I could use some help getting these fish scales, I've only got one leg now?"
Fathis drew himself up to his full height, which in his riding boots was only four inches short of six feet. "Fool, stand back!" With that shout Fathis leapt back onto his horse and dug his heels in, heading west. "Where could she be going?" he wondered. "Well, at least she is alone, that's a relief."
Fathis picked up Maxical's trail in Anvil and followed it to Skingrad. It seems she had been sick, bitten by a mud crab the guard had said. She had been healed at the chapel in Skingrad.
"The poor thing must have been scared." thought Fathis after talking to the people in the chapel at Skingrad. It seems she had not even been ill when they healed her, other than an upset stomach; but she had insisted on them healing her repeatedly. Fathis made a large donation to the chapel for their assistance.
"All over the bite of a mud crab" Fathis laughed as he left Skingrad. Now that was the little kit he remembered! Still, what had she been doing in Anvil to get bitten by the mud crab? Fathis wondered for what seemed like the hundredth time.
Another stop at the Faregyl Inn gave him the information that she hadn't come there on her return from Anvil. Frustration and rage were beginning to build quickly in Fathis as he headed once again to the Imperial City and the Arena.
Fathis stared at the board that held the schedules for fighters. There was Maxical's name scheduled for a fight this very evening! Fathis didn't bother getting a hotel room and bathing, even though a cloud of dust poofed out of his clothing as he sat down on the bench in the Arena Box Seating waiting for Maxical's match.
He almost laughed when he had seen her in the chute with that silly mask on, till he saw the size of the Nord she was fighting. His throat closed tightly then, and he felt a little dizzy with fear for her.
Fathis felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. It was Alix. Alix shook his hand, and for a split second Fathis was afraid he was going to cry. Somehow all the things he had been through since that day of the graduation came down to this minute, and he was having trouble controlling his emotions. Had he finally found Maxical just to watch her die at the hands of that Nord?
Alix read Fathis' eyes correctly. He drew back his long coat and showed the hilt of his blade. Fathis understood. Alix was watching the fights, but if it came to it, he would be off the balcony and in the ring. Fathis understood for the first time why Alix came to each fight but never pulled Maxical out.
"Does she know you come?" Fathis asked.
"No. She looks up into the stands after each fight, I duck back in there." Alix pointed to an alcove. "She is looking up here for you, not me." Alix said, turning his head away from Fathis. It hurt him a bit.
"How do you know?" Fathis asked, turning to look at Alix.
"She wrote it in her letter when she said she was working here. Said she looks in the stands for you each fight. I've seen her do it." The pain in Alix voice was palpable.
A feeling of relief flooded over Fathis on those words.
"Why don't you let her see you here?" Fathis asked.
"She never asked me." Alix said.
Fathis could feel the hurt in that short sentence. He didn't understand, and his face reflected it.
It was a rare thing for Alix to explain himself. He was a man of deep thoughts and few words.
It had occurred to Alix on more than one occasion that Fathis infatuation with Maxical was one more of the head than heart. It was not that Alix doubted Fathis love for Maxical, but that he was in love with a glimpse of her, an image he had in his mind of who she was. It was the same for Maxical, neither of them really knew the other. But with Maxical, being so young, she didn't even know her own self yet. She had been a child, then locked away in school so long. She may get out in the real world and find her feelings for Fathis changing. Maxical had Fathis on a pedestal, he could do no wrong in her mind, and she would brook no words against him. Her image of him was that of a God, or a hero. When she was mature enough to see him as a man, well then that would be different.
But Alix had also seen and heard what Fathis was going through in trying to keep up with Maxical, why the man was acting like a teen in love for the first time! Alix took an accurate guess at Fathis age and it put him quite a bit older than Alix himself was. And yet Fathis had been mooning around Cyrodiil like a bawling calf over Maxical, making a fool of himself to the gossipers!
Alix had noticed that Fathis had lost a lot of weight since Maxical's graduation day, along with the fact that his usual immaculate appearance was suffering greatly. On several recent occasions, including today, Alix had seen or heard of Fathis covered with the dust of travels and wearing the same clothing a few days in a row, and obviously without his scented baths. The gossip about Fathis's pursuit of Maxical had at first given both he and S'Jirra concern, but as it progressed had begun to leave them in stitches. Fathis had lost all that haughtiness and high image of his own importance. He was fast becoming a laughing stock, and many thought he had lost his mind entirely. In a moment of feeling sorry for the man, Alix explained.
"See, Maxical is just tasting life out in the world for the first time. She has to find her own way, who she is, who she wants to become. I am just here to make sure she doesn't get hurt along the way. If she makes mistakes, I want her to learn how to get herself out of them on her own, but if she can't - I am here." It was probably the longest speech Alix had ever given - up to that point.
Fathis tried to word his next question carefully, forcing nonchalance into his voice. "But aren't you worried about her living in the Bloodworks with all those men?" Fathis voice had squeaked on the last word.
"Maxical has to make her own choices now. She is becoming an advlt. And she can protect herself if need be."
Fathis did not find that answer to be very satisfactory at all. "But she is so na?ve and trusting." Fathis pushed on.
"She'll learn soon enough how to tell the good from the bad." Alix knew what Fathis was getting at with these questions, and it was starting to rankle him.
"Do you think that is the wisest?" Fathis didn't have enough time to finish the thought before Alix burst in.
"How much concern did you have for her safety when you left her to come home from the Arcane alone in the dark? You kept S'Jirra and me from attending our own kit's graduation ceremony, afraid we might be an embarrassment to her, to you more like! You said you would act in our stead - well WE would have escorted her home! Do you know she was attacked on the way home and almost died? And you can smugly lecture me on her safety? Why did you not escort her home? How did you think she would get home if you didn't bring her, fly? In all our years together that is the first thing I have ever kept from S'Jirra, to this day she doesn't know what happened to our kit on that walk home, but I do, I saw her blood, my own kit's blood in the road. Do you have any idea what that feels like to a father? No, of course you don't!" Alix had a very long chain on his temper, but this issue had been brewing in his mind for too long.
Fathis blanched. "She what? Why was I not notified of this?"
"Well maybe because the only time she has seen you since then you were frightening her half out of her wits! Accusing her of selling some armor? Did you know she was robbed of everything she owned, even her graduation robes? She almost lost her life, and you came and yelled at her and walked out! She thinks she loves you, and you walked out on her!" Alix was just getting warmed up.
Fathis was turning white with shock. "I didn't know, I didn't think"
"You didn't think anything about letting a 17 year old walk on the roads by herself? A girl who has been sheltered and protected? Didn't you think she might be scared? Did you even ask her if she wanted you to accompany her? No, you just left her to go it alone."
Fathis was eyeing Alix's hands, worried by the rage he was in that Alix may decide to pull that blade out now. Alix saw the look and laughed scornfully at Fathis.
"I'm not going to hurt you, you fool! If I was going to do that it would have happened that night you came crashing in the Inn. The only reason you survived that night is because my kit thinks she is in love with you. What fool maggot got into your head to think she would sell something you gave her?"
"Bu, bu, da" Fathis stammered out.
"Why do you think I've not stopped her from joining the Arena? She is getting some life training in there that will help her defend herself the next time. She is getting a safe place to learn it too, as long as I sit here - I will make sure that she is safe in there. She will learn to fight and gain confidence in that Arena, so the next fool that sends her out walking alone across Cyrodiil won't be sending her to the grave."
"Bu, I didn, please, how can I?" Fathis had tears forming in his eyes, his face was so pale Alix thought he may faint.
"How can you make it up to her? If you love her, be worthy of her. Now Fathis, I have said all I am going to about this. S'Jirra and I are grateful to you for all you have done for our kit, and as long as she thinks she loves you we will welcome you with open arms, but we expect her to be treated with respect and not abandoned like you did her that day - ever again. As long as you treat her with love we will put this behind us, but the Gods help you if you ever hurt her again."
Fathis tottered over to the bench seat and collapsed onto it. His thoughts were whirling. Alix sat down beside him and offered his hand. Fathis took it. Alix shook his hand with slightly more than his usual firm grip. Fathis gasped slightly from the firmness of that grip, wondering if he would have any bones in his hand at the end of the handshake.
"Good, that's off my chest, now let's watch the fight." Alix said, turning to look out at the Arena so Fathis wouldn't see the quirk on his lips. Alix had seen Fathis reaction to the handshake.
The gates were lowered and Maxical and the Nord charged out into the Arena, swords drawn.
Several times during the fight Alix had leapt to his feet and placed his hand on the railing ready to vault it, but had hesitated because he could see Maxical regaining her strength, rallying.
Fathis had come close to swooning or losing the contents of his stomach from the sight of all the blood and the sight of Maxical injured. When Maxical stuck her dagger in the Nord's groin Alix glanced over at Fathis and saw him pressing a handkerchief tightly against his mouth, his face as green as any Orc's. Alix looked back at the Arena right away with just a slight quiver of his lip as indication he had seen.
But both Alix and Fathis were in shock over Maxical's fighting skills. Maxical had used moves even Alix didn't know. Where had she suddenly learned these moves? Not even the blades themselves had moves like that! Only one he had ever seen move like that?Alix looked over at the large blue Orc in the stands. It was very odd to see him watching a fight; in fact Alix had never seen him up in the stands before.
"Well, it looks like Maxical has found herself a blue Orc trainer." Alix thought to himself.
Maxical didn't search the crowds that night, the only fight that she hadn't. She was standing their saluting the crowd with her sword in the center of the ring, her eyes lit up like stars, and a dreamy smile on her face. Alix knew that look and what it meant. He too had once been an Arena contestant. That crowd cheering for you can be a very powerful thing, and he realized exactly what she was feeling.
When Maxical turned to go to the chute, she faltered, her legs were buckling. Alix saw the look on her face as her legs buckled and leapt up, about to vault the railing, but as quick as he swung up he saw the Gray Prince vaulting over the railing. Alix pulled back in, but stayed standing and watching.
He saw the Orc carrying Maxical on his shoulders like a hero, but then saw him enter the chute and flip her down from his shoulders and run. Fear gripped Alix's heart.
He vaulted the railing and ran down the chute. When he got to the healing fount he stopped, she was moving and talking. Alix heard her say proudly that she hadn't dropped her sword and it made him want to cry and retch at the same time. He waited, watching the Orc healing her in the fount. The Orc knew exactly what he was doing, he was good. She would be hurting for a while, that was certain, but she would live. Out of the corner of his eye Alix saw Owyn charging up. Owyn knew him, he would call his name out. Maxical would know he had been spying on her to protect her. Alix backed back up the chute and managed to shimmy up the side wall and back onto the balcony again.
"What happened?" Fathis choked out, his normally blue face as white as Maxical's fur.
"Nothing, she's okay." Alix said. He was not going to let Fathis know how close that had been, or tell S'Jirra either.
Alix felt sick. He would have stepped in at any time, but every time he had started to Maxical had rallied, he had seen her rally with his own eyes. Alix hadn't realized during the fight that she was just rallying for the crowds. He never realized that until he saw her face at the end of the fight. His kit almost died with him sitting right there to watch it. She was giving her all for the crowd, and he never knew how much trouble she was in till she couldn't walk at the end. Alix looked down at that huge Nord she had just beat. That silly mask she wore was laying beside the Nord's body. Looking at that mask Alix had a strong urge to cry.
"Who was that blue Orc?" Fathis asked, his voice still shaking from all he had seen tonight.
"That's the Gray Prince," Alix said. "He's the Grand Champion." After the shock Alix had just gone through he was not inclined to talk.
"Hey Fathis, you are welcome at the Inn anytime you know." Alix said and shook his hand. Then he slowly turned and walked out, almost leaning on the wall as he went.
When Alix got outside the Arena he found the nearest bush and emptied the contents of his stomach on it. He didn't think there was enough vomit in the world for what he had felt seeing the Gray Prince run when he had hit that chute.
***
Chapter 8B: Fathis To Himself
Fathis sat in the box seat for a long time. He wasn't an avid fight watcher, and had been sickened by the blood, by seeing Maxical injured. He didn't understand how such a delicate girl could fight like what he had seen. She was a real warrior, not like he thought when she was just 12; not just throwing the 'Eye of Khajiit' at a bunch of rude people. The image of Maxical turning to him for protection, throwing her arms around his neck in fear?Fathis sat in that box seat and stared down into the Arena as that image faded away into the dust and dirt that lined the Arena floor.
Watching the fight, Fathis had been torn between that sickness and the excitement and pride at the way she played that big Nord, mocking him, her spins and sword play - she was as graceful as a deer leaping out there. Fathis had never in his life seen anything like it. Fathis knew Alix was a master blade trainer, but Alix himself had been surprised by her moves. Where could she possibly have learned to fight like that?
Fathis was shaking like a leaf. He didn't feel well enough to go home, so headed to the Market District and got a room at the Merchant's Inn. He stopped downstairs to get a bottle of wine to take to his room, and there the answer to his question had come soon enough, in the gossip he overheard as he waited for the Innkeeper to bring the bottle.
"Aye, the Gray Prince taught her those moves, alright; and he be teaching her some other moves as well, so I hear!"
A wave of jealousy and anger overwhelmed Fathis, and he spun around, his hand going instantly to his sword hilt. He took a step toward the one who had said it, ready to ram his sword fully down the throat of the man; and may have done it but for the whole room agreeing with the man.
Fathis was purple with rage. He slammed out of the Inn, even though he had already paid for the night and bottle of good wine; and the Gods help any creature or bandit that tried to cross his path on that ride home!
In the privacy and quiet of his room though, Fathis had time to reflect on what he had heard, and what he knew of Maxical. He began to discount the gossip the more he thought on it. Picturing tiny Maxical with the Gray Prince was ludicrous. Let's face it, blue or not, the Gray Prince was an Orc. Surely Maxical would never, not with an Orc. That thought was unfathomable.
Alix had told him that Maxical would always scan the crowds looking for him, Fathis. Alix was a man of few words, he would never waste words to lie. That and Fathis had sensed Alix's hurt over the fact that Maxical was seeking himself rather than Alix, who had raised her.
Fathis had been very surprised over what he had learned about Alix tonight. The man had depth and intensity that Fathis would never have imagined before. His deep love and care for Maxical was obvious this night, and Fathis felt a little ashamed of his earlier thoughts on the man. And the things Alix had revealed to him made him ashamed of his own self too. Why had he left her to get home on her own? It was his own fault that S'Jirra and Alix weren't there that day. The thought of her walking the whole way alone had never crossed his mind at the time, but now, today he wondered how he thought she would get home if he didn't escort her. She had no horse. What a fool he had been!
Oh how badly he wished he could go back to that day at the Arcane, when she had hugged him, and everything had been so right between them. She looked so young and beautiful in the armor he had bought her. Could he take back any day of his life and re-do it, it would be that day. He should have escorted her home and then straight to the Wizard's Tower. Oh what a fool he had been.
Had he known that moment held such an important place in time, he may have done so many things differently. But that moment was gone now, and Fathis was helpless to bring it back. Why didn't the Gods let you know when your life has reached a turning point? Give you a sign?
Even as these questions entered Fathis mind he saw Maxical's face that day turned up to his, the blue flag on her nose. The Gods had given him a sign, he just didn't realize its importance till it was too late.
Fathis reverie was brought to a crashing end at the thought of that blue flag. The thought of that blue flag waving under the nose of that Orc or any other of those young bucks in that Bloodworks, or for that matter any other male! He had to get her out of that Bloodworks, it was no place for her to be staying at night, or any other time! It was high time he took her away from that Arena, and instilled her in her tower where he could protect her and make it up to her how he had misused her in the past. But how to do it?
Fathis leapt up from his bed and dressed. He had come up with a plan.
His tired horse saw Fathis hurrying toward him and probably would have hidden had there been a more than just the one other horse in the paddock. Resigned to his fate, he waited for Fathis to leap on his back and dig in his heels.
Fathis arrived in The Imperial City and went straight to the Arena district. Once he reached the Arena, he loitered near the gate to the Bloodworks, trying to appear inconspicuous.
Fathis waited till the Bloodworks had emptied out, and then tiptoed down into the Bloodworks. His biggest fear as he crept down the steps was that he may find the Orc down there with her, the two of them together. Fathis had never committed murder, but seeing something like that would be more than he could take. Even not necessarily the Orc, he knew if he was to see her there with anyone the fight would be on, and with the rage he was feeling at just the thought of it, Fathis believed even the Gray Prince would not have a shot against him.
His plan had been concocted at the spur of the moment, but Fathis thought it was a good one. He would carry her, by force if necessary, out of this place for good, and take her straight to the tower.
Fathis got no further than the middle of the room, all the mats were empty. There was no one at all in there, where could she be?
Fathis left without seeing the small break in the wall that led to the manager's area behind the wall, where Maxical slept on the mat behind Andronicus.
Fathis' previous theory remerged where some beefed up young buck had lured Maxical to his hovel on the waterfront. Fathis headed straight over to the waterfront and began creeping around the shacks, putting his ear to the doors and outer walls. As he was coming around the corner of one house he spotted a group of people standing in front of one man with a torch.
"What are these idiots doing out here in the middle of the night?" Fathis wondered, straightening up and pretending he was inspecting the foundation of the shack nearest him.
After what Alix told him about Maxical getting robbed Fathis decided to go buy back that armor and bring it to Maxical. He headed over to the Best Defense first thing the next morning.
***
Maro Rufus saw the door opening, and hurried over to jab Varnado in the ribs. Although the two of them rarely got along, the recent situation over that gold armor had caused them so much amusemant, and afforded them quite a listening audience at the Feed Bag, that for once they were acting as a team.
Fathis Aren stepped in, and walked up to the counter. Varnado and Maro looked like cats with canaries in their mouths. "May we help you?" they asked in unison.
"That gold armor, I wish to purchase it." Fathis Aren said.
Maro jabbed Varnado, and they looked at each other with unmasked amusemant. "I think we have another party interested in that particular armor." Maro said, jabbing Varnado again. This armor had afforded them too much amusemant to sell, they could make money any day, but this kind of entertainment didn't come around often in an armor shop.
"Who!" Fathis demanded.
Maro and Varnado exchanged glances of unholy glee. "Did you write down HER name?" Maro asked, putting too much emphasis on the "HER."
Fathis face was turning purple again! Varnado and Maro could barely contain their enjoyment of the interchange, would he stomp out again?
Staring at Fathis Aren with their eyes goggling, Maro witnessed what Varnado had described to him, as steam seemed to literally begin to rise off of Fathis Aren's head, and the shade of his face turned a deep purple. They both stared fascinated at this metamorphosis, while Fathis Aren's temper hit its breaking point.
"I want that armor!" he demanded. "What is with you two, you are acting like you have lost all your senses!"
Maro jabbed Varnado again, and they both tried to stiffen up and act businesslike, but their laughing eyes and twisting mouths gave this little credence.
"I told you, I have another interested buyer, I would have to find out if SHE is willing to give up HER claim to it." Varnado said, following Maro's lead in over-emphasizing the pronouns.
With a sound like an explosion escaping his taut lips, Fathis Aren stormed out of the shop, slamming the door as he left. The whole store shook from the impact.
Varnado doubled over, and Maro fell to the floor in laughter. Oh, they couldn't wait till closing time tonight, what nice meals they may be offered to sit with others and discuss this new development in the case of that Khajiit and Fathis Aren.
***
Chapter 8C: The Gossip Grows
From the first day Fathis had first stormed out of the Best Defense on finding the golden armor Varnado and Maro had become celebrities of a sort in the Market District among the other merchants and guards who dined at the Feed Bag after the Market District closed for the evenings.
Fathis' hauteur had been to blame, he appeared to hold the working class as beneath him, which rankled. The appearance and effect of that golden armor had suddenly put them in a position of power over the Dunmer who was always so blown up in his own conceit. All the merchants loved gossip anyway, but to have Fathis as the subject increased the interest. Someone with a good Fathis story would be wined and dined in exchange for the information. Many a free meal or pint of the stout was exchanged over Fathis sudden eccentricities.
The subsequent entrance into the shop of the white Khajiit, in a rumpled state and obvious emotional agitation had been an immediate hit with the gossipers and speculation about Fathis and the white Khajiit became the main topic of conversation throughout the Market District and amongst the guards in their barracks.
Many of the shop keepers hoping to find something interesting to talk about would be more than willing to foot the bill for dinner for some interesting conversation, and that white Khajiit had gotten Varnado and Maro plenty of free meals since she had first graced the town that day, searching for that golden armor.
Before long the guards were getting in on the action as well, and many a guard who had witnessed Fathis Aren riding helter-skelter across Cyrodiil at any given day had discovered his stein was never empty as he repeated his tales in the most descriptive way possible.
"That Fathis Aren near trampled me with his horse, I swear on Akatosh that he was putting his horse at the city wall to jump!" One guard declared as he drank his free ale at the Feed Bag.
The conjecture of how the armor came into the picture, no one knew, but any one of the scenarios dreamed up by the gossiping merchants in the Market District could have been made into a play, even before the Gray Prince was thrown into the conjecture. After the Gray Prince entered into it, the Golden Armor had taken on a whole new depth of mystery and intrigue.
Each detail of every action of the players in the little scenario was watched closely, and every move they made became of interest, and by the time the action was repeated thru gossip, it was accompanied by a detailed story which added romance, intrigue, danger.
The merchants had begun to go to all the matches that featured the white Khajiit, hoping to see some drama unfold before their very eyes. They were not disappointed. Fathis was seen in all his travel filth walking in to the Arena Box Seat section, then at the sight of Alix Lencolia had sneaked back out like a thief in the night.
Then there was the night when Alix Lencolia had seen Fathis in the Box Seat Section and grabbed him by the shoulder, berating him over that white Khajiit and frightening Fathis with his sword. Varnado and Maro had been in the same Box and had witnessed it all. They gave details about how Fathis was seen weeping into his hankie after Alix had crushed his hand.
That same night Alix Lencolia had been seen vomiting outside the Arena, and the word spread that Fathis had poisoned Alix.
The story of Fathis creeping about the Waterfront District in the middle of the night pretending to be a housing inspector lost nothing in the telling, nor did the tale of him skulking about the Arena in the middle of the night. The imminent expectation was at first just the kidnapping of the young Khajiit, but later the possible murder of the Gray Prince in his sleep was added to that conjecture.
The entry into the gossip of the Gray Prince threw the gossipers into a frenzy of speculation. It began not long after the Khajiit had begun fighting in the Arena and grew from there.
The addition of the Gray Prince into the gossip began due to the fact that many of the Pit Dogs from the Arena ate at the Feed Bag, and when the talk had turned to the up and coming white Khajiit, Maro and Varnado had perked up their ears.
It seemed the Gray Prince was meeting with that Khajiit daily, bringing her treats, they held hands. None of the young bloods dared go near her, the Orc was very protective of her.
At the time, trying to free up the tongues of the young bloods, Maro and Varnado had then of course given their full description of the Fathis incident concerning that same Khajiit at their shop, and her turning up all dirty and swollen-eyed to buy the armor.
The Pit Dogs closed ranks against them at that though, the Khajiit was their hero.
The shopkeepers, however were all ears. Within short order, Maro and Varnado had spread their version of the Orc and that white Khajiit into the gossip.
"She lives in the Bloodworks. Need they have said more?" Varnado and Maro said later as they tipped up their pints of ale and forked the big slabs of venison the other merchants supplied them with.
As the talk of the Khajiit and the Orc heated up, the merchants were treated to the scene at the Merchant's Inn when Fathis first learned of the gossip, and grabbing his sword hilt had run from the Inn, not returning even though he had paid for his room and wine. Everyone fully expected to hear of the death of either Fathis or the Gray Prince by morning.
When Fathis had been seen entering the Best Defense the next morning the word was spread that he had killed the Gray Prince and buried his body under one of the houses in the Waterfront District. That story failed the first time the Gray Prince was seen after that.
The great Orc carrying her about on his shoulders after that match with the Nord, well that just confirmed that Varnado and Maro must have told the truth about what was going on there.
The Gray Prince had never gone to the stands and watched any matches before in his whole career, but suddenly he was seen up there at every one of the Khajiit's matches, "Jealously watching his 'Love O'Life' to make sure Fathis didn't jump into the ring and kidnap her" the gossipers tagged at the end of the fact.
Fathis drastic change in appearance also fed the gossipers. After decades of being immaculately dressed and perfumed, as well as being quite rotund, suddenly Fathis was a pitiful rumpled sight, and was said to be pining away for the Khajiit, probably the most truthful rumor.
The Golden Armor was displayed prominently in the Best Defense and the shop began to fill daily with people in on the gossip wanting to stare at it. They would hang out in the store hoping to be a witness the next time Fathis or the Khajiit came in for that armor. Even the Imperial Legion guards were seen lingering in the shop. It had brought in more interest into the shop than any sale they could have cooked up, and more excitement than they had seen in their lifetimes.
Maro and Varnado agreed not to sell the armor. They put an astronomical price tag on it and put that price on a large sign that hung above the armor. The few people that could afford to sink that many Septims (Fathis Aren being one) were told that the armor was being held for a customer that had previously expressed interest in it.
The merchants in the Market District had not found anything this intriguing, in quite a long time, (if ever).
***
Chapter 8D: The Quiet Before The Storm
Every weekend Fathis made his way to the Imperial City to watch Maxical's fights. Occasionally he found himself in the same box seat with Alix. There were no more close calls after that fight with the Nord, even though with each fight the Yellow Team sent up tougher contestants hoping to knock Maxical out from the competition. When Maxical breezed through an Orc with a sledgehammer and that with her sword arm in a sling it seemed like she had thrown down the gauntlet before the Yellow Team. It was almost as if they took it as a challenge to come up with harder and harder matches each time. On several occasions they sent up two or three combatants to the Arena, one time they even sent up three escaped prisoners!
On the few occasions they found themselves in the same Box Seat, Alix would sit next to Fathis and point out to Fathis the different Yellow Team fighters and give him some background on their level of expertise and experience, and how it was much higher than Maxical's own experience level. Alix's voice would ring with pride. He told Fathis what an important development it was that her fights had been moved to the weekends now.
After every fight Maxical would lift her head and scan the crowds, and Fathis would duck back into the alcove. If they had found themselves in the same Box, they would duck out together and stand for a few minutes talking outside the Arena.
"Why don't you come by the Inn for some homemade potato bread, you look like you could use some good home cooked food. Have they fired the chef down there at the castle?" Alix asked, trying to make a joke out of Fathis gaunt appearance. "Not on Skooma are you?"
Fathis was in the middle of sputtering a denial when Alix put his arm over his shoulder.
"Come Fathis. Come home with me and let S'Jirra feed you well. Stay with us a while. I was just trying to make you smile. Why don't you spend a few days with us?"
Alix was glad he had only mentioned the food to Fathis and not the hot bath and clothes laundering he had planned to add.
For the third time Alix made Fathis feel tears pricking his eyes. Alix was young enough to have almost been his son, yet he was taking on a fatherly role, more so than even his own father ever had. But his last encounter with S'Jirra instantly popped into his mind, so he turned down the invitation. Alix shook his hand and they parted company.
A merchant that had been exiting the gates overheard Alix words to Fathis and made a beeline for the Feed Bag. "Fathis is a Skooma addict, I heard it with my own ears! Alix Lencolia has caught him! Fathis began to cry!" Suddenly Fathis drastic change in appearance took on a whole new meaning.
***
Alix told S'Jirra about the fight as soon as he got home that evening. Then he told her about inviting Fathis to come stay a while. "S'Jirra, the man was this close to crying like a babe," Alix said snapping his fingers. "He is so thin he looks like a blue stick draqed in dirty cloth. He is not bathed, nor changing his clothes. I don't think he may survive being in love with Maxical. I know his mind hasn't survived it, I heard tell he was caught sneaking around the Waterfront district acting like he was inspecting property at three in the morning. Fathis is losing it S'Jirra, loving our kit has pushed him around the bend!"
S'Jirra tried to picture the fastidious Fathis in dirty clothing and unwashed, mooning around the Waterfront inspecting property at three in the morning and the image caused her to go off in a peal of laughter.
Alix grinned and began giving detailed descriptions of the particular odor that Fathis now sported to replace his scented bathwater, giving names to the smell and mimicking the vendors in the Market District.
"A powerful fragrance to give strength to the weaker man, we call this scent 'Oh-no a scamp' it goes well for those of you who work nights as a housing inspector in seedy neighborhoods."
S'Jirra joined in with "And for the man who can't find the woman he loves, we have 'Musk of Dunmer' - let her find you!"
Abhuki chimed in "Nothing smells worse than a Dunmer that hasn't bathed, unless it's an Orc. - What? Why are you laughing?" S'Jirra and Alix were doubled over.
***
Chapter 8E: The Grand Championship Fight
The day of the Grand Championship bout Alix had seen Maxical's face when she came into the Arena and a terrible premonition about her mindset hit him. His kit did not plan to leave the Arena that day, he saw the bleak look on her face and it went beyond fighting her best friend. Alix started to vault the rail and stopped. The Gray Prince had the same bleak look. Alix didn't know what to make of it.
"Was the gossip about those two true then? Were they in love? What should I do?" Alix wondered. He decided to wait and watch very closely. He didn't have long to watch, for in seconds it seemed the fight was over and the Gray Prince was slain. The crowds had fallen to a dead silence and then he heard his kit scream over and over again. The crowds ran to the front of the box then and crowded him. He was trying to vault the railing but couldn't get over it, the crowd was pushing him tight against the railing.
Alix saw Owyn carry Maxical from the ring and he turned around and shoved the nearest people out of his way and leapt down into the Arena. He was too late, the gate was locked behind Owyn.
Alix was trying to scale the wall up to the balconies like he had before, but under the strain of his emotions he was finding himself weakened. The more failed attempts he made, the more frustrated he was becoming.
Alix pounded on the doors to both the Blue and Yellow Bloodworks chutes, but both were locked down inside and out, his pounding could not be heard. Alix sat down by the body of the Gray Prince and waited. Sooner or later someone would be out to remove the body. He looked at the face of the big Orc, now in peace and wondered what in the world had just gone on in this Arena tonight.
***
In another Box Fathis was watching the match. Fathis was too stunned by Maxical's emotional reaction at the death of the Gray Prince to duck back. The whole crowd had gone dead still, had he moved it would have drawn attention to himself. Had he been wrong? Had she really been in love with that Orc? The thought had burned through him, and the disgust and anger were fighting each other for a place on his face when she had spotted him. Her eyes looked tormented.
Fathis was shaken badly by the scene he had just witnessed. As the crowds were rolling down the ramp to exit Fathis sat staring at the body of the dead Orc and thinking.
Fathis had not believed the gossip about Maxical and that Orc after his initial flash of jealousy, not till tonight when he had seen her reaction after that fight. Then a jealousy like he had never known rose up in his throat as he watched her cry over that Orc. He could have slain the Orc himself if he hadn't already been dead.
He finally reached a decision, he was going to go get that armor, then go get Maxical, and take her away from all of this. Orc lover or no, and the Gods help him, he loved her.
Whatever had passed, he wanted to take her home now, and they would be together from here on. There would never be another chance for another man to claim what was rightfully his, he would make sure of that! Fathis had come to the decision to marry Maxical.
He walked down the ramp and exited. Upon finding the Market District closed for the fight he decided to wait for Maxical at the Faregyl Inn. He had seen Alix vault the railing and assumed Alix would be taking her home.
***
All of the Market District had closed their doors early and gone to the Grand Championship bout, and thereby witnessed the scene the Khajiit had made upon the death of the Orc, in their minds confirming that what Varnado and Maro had told them must be the truth.
The scene was repeated over and over again, and lost nothing in the telling. By the time it got around the room at the Feed Bag, it was being said that the Khajiit had cast herself on the Gray Prince's sword screaming, and her lifeless body was carried from the Arena.
***
Chapter 8F: And Insanity Follows
As Fathis rode to the Faregyl Inn the scene at the Arena kept playing in his mind. By the time he arrived at the Inn he was in a rage of jealousy over that Orc touching Maxical.
It was the middle of the night when Fathis arrived at the Faregyl Inn, but the crashing door as he stormed in alerted the Innkeeper to his presence. Abhuki awoke with a jerk.
"Maxical!" Fathis demanded in a shout, his shrill voice reaching to even the back rooms.
"Now that her lover is dead, she should come straight home." Fathis thought to himself. Even just the thought of Maxical and that Orc together caused the purple to rise in his face again.
Seeing the ever darkening hue taking over his face and his demonic expression, the Innkeeper ran to S'Jirra's room to get her up. (Not that she was asleep with all that racket going on downstairs).
S'Jirra came downstairs with Abhuki to find a man who looked tormented, but was in such a rage he was capable of doing some tormenting of his own.
In their nightshirts and caps, the two Khajiit women looked like twins, both standing there staring at him with mouths agape.
"Come, sit down. Let me get you some potato bread and ale." S'Jirra broke the ice. She was not going to make the mistake of chasing out the man her kit loved again.
"Where is she?" Fathis fairly shouted.
"She lives in the?" S'Jirra got no further before Fathis broke in.
"I know where she was living, but the Orc is dead now, why isn't she here?" Fathis barked it out.
S'Jirra felt a huge relief at those words. It wasn't like Alix to be late coming home, and since he had yet to arrive she had been deathly worried about Maxical. "But what did the Orc dying have to do with where my kit is living?" she wondered. "Has Fathis gone mad?"
S'Jirra eyed Fathis out of the corner of her eye for any signs of madness (other than the purple hue and the crashing into the Inn in the middle of the night ranting).
S'Jirra hesitated, not sure what to do. She would never again step between Maxical and Fathis, that had been a disastrous mistake. "Well, if you think she is coming, then why don't you stay, she may be on her way." It was the only thing she could think of to say.
Fathis strode over to one of the chairs and sat down, but then rapidly jumped up again as if he had sat on a spring.
"He looks uncomfortable and confused," thought S'Jirra. "Let me make you more comfortable," she said aloud; "would you like a little wine?"
Fathis sat down in the chair again, but jumped up again so rapidly that he nearly knocked the wine bottle out of S'Jirra's hands.
She poured him a glass of wine. He sat, took one sip, then leapt up again. S'Jirra was getting dizzy from watching.
Fathis seemed to have come to a decision this time, he strode toward the door rapidly. "Forget it, just forget I was ever here tonite." he said in more of a growl or snarl than the apology the words meant.
"Did that mean he was calming down or getting worse?" they both wondered as they watched him storm back out, slamming the door shut behind him.
"Well, that will be hard to do!" they both said in unison.
***
Chapter 8G: And Trouble Will Follow
Fathis forced his tired horse into a gallop as he headed back to the Imperial City.
When he arrived, he went straight to the Arena Bloodworks and crashed in the door there.
The place was filthy, Fathis wrinkled his nose at the stench. How could she have lived in this horrible place? He searched every inch of that Bloodworks, but there was no one in there at all. He found the bag of Septims with Maxical's mark inked on it though. Her winnings from the Grand Championship fight.
"So, she didn't take the money?" he thought aloud, his voice echoing eerily against the empty stone walls.
Fathis was dumbfounded. He had always assumed Maxical was fighting to buy that armor back; Maro and Varnado's words had all but confirmed that! So why would she not take her winnings? It certainly gave her enough to buy the armor back!
Fathis found the manager's area behind the wall this time. It was also empty. He opened up Owyn's cabinet to place Maxical's winnings inside, and his eye caught sight of two letters in Maxical's handwriting. He hesitated, then picked them up and read them. One was addressed to him! Fathis read both the notes, then slowly replaced them in the cabinet, placing Maxical's winnings on top of the notes.
The note to himself brought tears to his eyes. So Alix had told him the truth. "Oh how I have misjudged her, misused her." Fathis whispered. It had all been over jealousy, and yet she had signed her note 'With all my heart.' Fathis drank in those words, he was hard put not to take the note with him, but he was no thief.
Fathis closed the door to Owyn's cabinet and slowly walked back out of the Bloodworks. He had to wash the stench off him, it was disgusting him. Before he did though, he was going to find out where she had gone.
A young Dunmer lad was standing outside the gate to the Arena, but when asked, he said hadn't seen "the Grand Champion" leave the Arena grounds. He spoke in a voice that sounded like he worshipped Maxical, or as he called her, "The Divine Avenger." Fathis grunted at him and walked away.
Fathis then stopped at the gate and asked the guard on duty if he had seen the white Khajiit leave. The guard gave him a knowing grin, but then told him the information he needed. Maxical had headed out the gate and gone toward the west not long ago.
"So she is going home!" Fathis thought. There was a feeling of satisfaction at having found her, and in following that feeling Fathis decided to change his tactics.
Fathis was sure S'Jirra would tell her of his visit, so he was sure she would wait there for him. Fathis had decided on a course of action. Rather than run to her in all his dirt, he would come to her as a king coming for his queen and sweep her off her feet. But he would not take too long to ready. Too many men passed thru that Inn to get that potato bread, he didn't want to take a chance on another moving in on his territory again!
The guard watched the expressions on Fathis face with particular interest. "This information will net me plenty of ale!" he thought as he watched Fathis facial expressions range the gamut from anger and confusion to a particularly saturnine expression. "It was like watching a cat stalking a mouse!" he told the room later, as he tipped up one of his many gratis pints of ale.
"I put my septims on the wizard, now that the Orc is out of it, 'th wizard, he's hot on her trail now! But which one 'ta get the Golden Armor first, eh?" one of the ale buyers commented. With that the shouting started, septims were pulled out, and the betting began.
This added a new element of interest to the intrigue, as the guards had eyes everywhere. Bringing the shopkeepers into the bet, now that would bring in some good money to the one who won that pot!
It became of utmost importance to the guards to keep their eyes peeled for Fathis or Maxical, "The Divine Avenger," as it were; noting every movement and sending the information down the chain - for a price. Every bit of gleaned information was sold for a meal, or ale, or anything the person who wanted to know had, and was willing to part with.
The Bravil Castle guards were easy, a little grease in the palm, and they would know every time Fathis took his daily constitutional.
****
Fathis plan rejuvenated him. He felt like he hadn't felt in months, and the first thing he was going to do was bathe.
Fathis stripped down as soon as he entered his private quarters in the Castle Bravil and threw the clothes he had been wearing into the fireplace. They could never be worn again, not with that stench on them!
Then Fathis drew a hot bath and put extra scent in the water. He scrubbed himself thoroughly with scented soaps.
When he was finished bathing he stepped out of the bath and dabbed some extra scent on. A choking sound came from right outside his door. Fathis paused, "Who's there?" A scuffling sound answered. Fathis found a robe and poked his head out the door. Only two guards. Mighty slovenly too, Fathis was going to have to complain.
It had been so long since Fathis had felt so clean. He took off the robe and stretched out on his bed to think while he dried.
What could it mean that Maxical had left her winnings behind? Fathis was sure she was only fighting to get back that armor because he had raged at her and accused her of selling it. Her note in Owyn's cabinet proved that, as well as what those idiots at the Best Defense themselves had said. Maybe Alix had finally had enough and pulled her out of there, leaving her winnings behind?
And what of her reaction to the death of the Orc? In her letters she did not mention her heart belonging to anyone but himself, so she couldn't have been in love with the Orc, could she? Fathis sat up. What if there were other notes he hadn't found? Maybe he needed to search the Yellow Team's Bloodworks for notes to the Orc!
Fathis head was beginning to hurt from the strain of trying to figure out how this female cat was thinking. He was going to step down to the dining hall and find a potion for his head. Donning his robe he pulled open the door to his quarters. As he did, those two slovenly guards almost fell in the door!
"What are you two doing, listening outside my door?" Fathis shouted.
"Uh, we thought we saw a mud crab." one of them stuttered out, not very convincingly.
"What? Have you been drinking?" Fathis demanded.
"Why, the whole world has gone mad!" Fathis thought, remembering how odd Varnado and Maro had acted, and even that Ogier girl at the Main Ingredient had acted sillier than usual when he had gotten Alchemy supplies a while back. Fathis looked back at the two guards and saw them punching each other.
"I'm reporting you!" Fathis shouted.
"I need to get away from here, from people!" he thought. It seemed that everyone he spoke to lately had been acting like idiots!
He went back in his room without going down to the dining hall. As soon as he entered he slammed and bolted the door with as much noise as possible. He then cast a spell at the door, hoping it would scare those two ninnies away.
Fathis went to his mantle and moved a lever. The wall opened up revealing a secret tunnel. He closed the wall up behind him and then followed the tunnel to his private tower. At least there he could get some peace!
