The first of two posts today! First up is todays Flash Fiction February prompt which I have been really enjoying and a Valentines Day/Hearts Day themed fic is coming later tonight :)
Day 14 City:
Ugh, I forgot it was hearts day, and the business of the city that comes along with the holiday. People out and about with their partners and loved ones going for dinner, shopping, whatever else they might be up to on the one day I need to get somewhere with relative haste…typical. “Excuse me, sorry.” An older couple taking their damn time walking down the main street. “Pardon me!” A young couple of teenagers with no concept of space or time. “I have to squeeze by you, thank you.” A flower vendor selling their wares in the market district. With a lot of patient waiting and a bit of sneaky maneuvering I get to an area of the market district which will allow for a better and quicker way to cut across the city…but not before I stop by to visit Sarah Velothi, Valan’s mother. Having caught up with her and been forcefully given something to eat in the way only Dunmeri mothers are capable of, I bid her goodbye and head for the rooftops. Thankfully the Imperial City has mostly flat roofs, unlike Daggerfall and its sloping triangular shaped ones, Bruma has a similar style just made of different material.
Jumping from roof to roof I make quick time, and good thing, too, I’m supposed to meet Baurus at Luther Broad's Boarding House anyways, Jauffre’s orders. It seems like Baurus has stumbled upon something interesting. Climbing down from the rooftops I am met with a slightly confused look from a guard, he looks new. “You’ll see me do that a lot…I work for The Blades, don’t worry about it.” He gives a hesitant nod and walks the other way. That I suppose is one upside of working with Jauffre, I have an excuse for jumping through the rooftops of cities even when I’m doing so for the sake of my other and more nefarious jobs. Walking into Luther Broad’s I find Baurus sitting at the bar, but when I go to talk to him I’m met with nothing more than a glance that says “sit down” and so I do. “Took you long enough. See that guy over there? Don’t look at him! Anyways. He’s been following me. I’m going to get up in a second and watch, he’ll follow, once he does I want you to follow him.” We agree to the plan, and Baurus gets up, walking downstairs, just like he said the strange fellow who was sitting at a table nearby follows, and I silently trail after. Once in the basement the man reveals himself to be a mythic dawn agent who Baurus and I take down easily.
After some conversation, running around the city looking for books, and an annoying Bosmer intellectual, we meet back up and have dinner. “Aw, what a lovely couple. Enjoy your meal and happy hearts day in this beautiful city!” The overly cheerful waiter says, placing down our meal “Thank you but we’re not a couple.” Baurus says, and the waiter turns a strange sort of pale before apologizing. As a result, we end up with another apology and free dessert. “I really hate this city sometimes, especially on holidays. Too crowded” I say between bites of chocolate cake. “Well you’ll love where we’re going after this. Remember the sewers? Nobody down there…except the occasional crazy person and undead…or blades agent.” I’m sorry what? Baurus, seeing my confused expression, explains that the Blades use the sewer system to get from place to place without being seen, he’s been using it frequently on his mission in the city tracking the mythic dawn agents. “I never took you for a sewer gremlin Baurus but I must say I can see you being one, something about your personality.” To that he smirks “You prefer the rooftops and I prefer the sewers, we each have our preferred forms of traveling unseen.” he pauses “Lucien I suppose prefers invisibility spells and cloaks…” That is true, he’s a fan of magical invisibility.
Having finished dinner and paid we formulate a plan and Baurus leads me to the nearest sewer grate. “Ready to get out of this annoyingly busy city and stomp around in sewer waste for a bit?” Never thought I would answer with such an enthusiastic “Yes” to that question. I climb down first and stand off to the side, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. Baurus climbs down after, shutting the grate and hopping down. “Right, let's have a much more interesting time than anybody on the surface could say they had on your regular Monday night.” Baurus says, pulling out his sword and begins to lead the way. Off we go, I suppose, next stop is Bruma. See you later, Imperial City, I won’t miss you while I’m gone.
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