On the Move

Hammerfell was a nice province, as provinces go, but things there had become too interesting for Ma'Dar and myself. The honorable thing to do would have been to regroup at our Dwemer hideout, and plot to rescue our fellow smugglers from their Imperial captors. However, as is often the case, the honorable thing to do and the smart thing to do weren't the same thing. Besides which, how great of a rescue could we have mounted?

Still, I felt guilty for abandoning my friends. Of course, walking south without a drake to our names, and living off the land has a tendency to put one in a bleak, guilty sort of mood. Add that to the fact that we were walking south, toward the Imperial province, the self-proclaimed center of civilization in Tamriel, and more importantly the center for Imperial law, and you can understand why my spirits weren't too high.

When I asked Ma'Dar again if we really had to go this way, she responded as she always did: "Ma'Dar knows, and Ma'Dar doesn't like it either. But try to think fuzzy thoughts -- Cyrodiil is a big province. Big provinces have big problems. They don't have time to worry about a couple of Ja'Khajiit like us. We'll just slip quietly by Rihad and Anvil, and then we'll be in Valenwood. It's a wild place, but the Imperial arm doesn't reach very far in the forest, and that's what matters."

I contemplated that for a moment, then said "And the Bosmer... they're light-fingered mer. We might be able to find employment there."

Ma'Dar stopped walking, and studied my face. Her bright, clever eyes twinkling, she purred "A clever Orc you are, to say this without having to fortify your intelligence. Ma'Dar thinks maybe you are only unlearned, and not..." she trailed off, realizing the insult that train of thought ended in. "This is good," she said hastily "it means Ma'Dar might not have to worry about the big, silly Orc getting himself lost again."

She was right - I hadn't used an intelligence enhancer for quite a while. I still used them when I wrote in my journal, but other than that I was relying more and more on myself. And as we drew away from civilization, it dawned on me that I was a much better outdoorsman than Ma'Dar. Her area of expertise centered on thieving in a city, which didn't adjust well to roughing it in the wilderness. I hadn't had time to contemplate, and really realize how much I'd changed.

We passed just east of Rihad without event. As we walked parallel to the road south to Anvil, I motioned Ma'Dar to halt. We had run out of water two days ago, and the constant march was wearing on us. Gratefully, she sat down on a cool rock. I looked around, then nodded.

"There are some gourds over there, in the brush sprouting up by the forest. If they've been growing there for a few generations, there might be a few dry, hollow ones. We could use them as canteens, and we're still close to the river south of... of Rihad." As I finished, I realized how strange those words coming out of my mouth sounded. Seeing my confusion, Ma'Dar's ears flattened in amusement. I quietly and quickly went off to check the gourds, and found three likely subjects. When I returned after filling them, Ma'Dar had something to say.

"My friend, Ma'Dar thinks that all that fortification has rubbed off on you. But that's not quite right, is it?" I shifted uncomfortably, "The insight it would give you... some tiny bit of it stayed with you every time. Not whole big ideas, just little parts you could sink your claws into." she paused to take a drink "But you'd used fortification so much, those little bits added up. Now you understand so many little parts, you're smart without fortification."

I hesitated. "I don't think I'm that smart. I couldn't imagine what you just said, for one thing. But now that you said it, I see what you mean..." I felt almost surreal. "Huh." I concluded.

But before the words had time to sink in, more words came, but were uttered by neither of us.

"Ho, there!" the confident voice of an Imperial reached us. "You two look rather road-weary, considering Rihad is so near." I turned my head to witness an Imperial guardsman walking steadily toward us, hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword. "It almost makes one suspicious. As if you have reason to avoid cities. As if you're evading the just reach of the Empire's law." The guard put as good a face on his suspicion as he could, continuing "But I'm sure there's a good, honest cause for it." He spread his arms, as if in friendship, but when they fell back to his sides his hand returned to the hilt. "And friends, I've always an interest in a good story." As he finished, he stood within an arm's length of us.

I knew it was an arm's length, because I reached out and grabbed him, holding his arms to his sides so he couldn't draw his blade. Leaning in menacingly, I cast a simple spell. When the light in his eyes changed, I knew I had him.

"He was just doing his job." I explained to Ma'Dar, not taking my eyes off the Imperial's. "He's probably not a bad sort, so I don't want to hurt him. I'm saying this, so the spell can transform my words in his ears. It doesn't really matter what I say; in his mind, it'll be the most terrible, frightening thing he's ever heard. It's a variation of the demoralize humanoid spell; it works with the spoken word, while your in-born Khajiiti ability is more visual."

As I released him, and he turned to run, Ma'Dar deftly grasped the hilt of his sword. All she did was hold it -- in his rush to get away, it slipped from it's scabbard. Handing it to me, she commented "My friend, you are getting sharper, but you still have tricks to learn. An opportunity like that is only an opportunity if you see it. But Ma'Dar is with you, so you are armed now anyway." She cast a glance in the direction the guard had run, back toward Rihad. "But enough musings. A scared man flees, but he will bring his fellows back. We should move on..."