Kay(jiit) Sarah Sara: Part 16 – Hitting the Books
Author’s note: Stay safe out there. Skyrim is a harsh land.
- Atsie Newt
Loredas, 23rd of Last Seed
This one is a target.
Racing back to the college, dodging ice wraiths and a sabre cat, this one sought out the Archmage. Unimpressed by Khajiit’s description of the orb, the old man sent Kay to find some books on the orb and learn what it might be. Typical.
Locating the librarian, this one described the orb only to have the librarian tell Kay the books Khajiit needed had been stolen. Hanging her head and heaving a dejected sigh, this one asked where the books had been taken.
Since Khajiit would be heading south again, this one might as well visit Windhelm and inform the alchemist at the White Phial of the damaged phial.
‘Figures. I doubt you have sufficient knowledge to harm the phial even if you wanted to,’ the old elf replied upon seeking him out and explaining the phial was damaged before this one found it. ‘Here’s for your trouble.’
Kay looked down at the five septims in her palm. After nearly dying at the hands of draugr, this elf considered five septims adequate reward. Kay’s lips began to curl back in a snarl as this one fought to keep her anger in check. It would be so easy to incinerate the ungrateful wretch and walk away, but Khajiit was not a cold-blooded murderer.
‘I want to thank you for your help,’ the alchemist’s apprentice said as this one left the old man to die. Suffering from his illness was a more fitting end than a quick death at Khajiit’s hands.
Kay opened the bag of coins the apprentice gave her as he went to aid his master. There must have been close to five hundred septims in there. Given the difficulty this one faced with the draugr under Saarthal, Khajiit used the money to hire Stenvar, a Nord mercenary loitering in Candlehearth Hall. With a powerful swordsman in tow, the dangers of Skyrim would be easier to navigate. This one just hoped he would not get in the way.
Continuing south, Kay and Stenvar made their way to Fellglow Keep and the supposed hideout of the former students that took the books, only to be ambushed by a red and black clad Argonian. Between Kay’s magic and Stenvar’s bow, the assailant stood no chance, falling to an arrow in the neck before she could land a blow.
‘Who have you angered so badly the brotherhood wants you dead?’ Stenvar asked as he pulled a note from the Argonian’s pocket.
‘Was the Nord dropped on his head as a baby, yes?’ Kay replied, taking the note and reading it. ‘This one has done nothing wrong.’
‘Well, someone thinks otherwise,’ said Stenvar, glancing nervously along the road. ‘We should get rid of this body.’
Khajiit nodded. If assassins were after this one, the longer it took to realise their first attempt had failed, the longer it would be before another attempt was made. Dragging the body to the edge of the cliff, Kay pushed the dead Argonian over the edge, the corpse striking the cliff and spiralling out into the rushing water below.
With the assassin dealt with, Kay and Stenvar continued to Fellglow Keep.
‘This is definitely the place,’ Stenvar whispered as we crept close enough to spy a wizard and his flame atronach patrolling the ruins. ‘I take it you have a plan.’
Khajiit was one step ahead. Fixing her attention on movement to her left, Kay smiled. ‘Brave Nord is strong enough to fight a wizard, yes?’
Stenvar nodded. ‘What about the atronach?’
Kay pointed across to a spriggan amongst the trees to her left. ‘This one has an idea.’
Drawing the spriggan’s attention, Khajiit lured it towards the keep, dashing over the crumbling walls and ducking out of sight as she neared the atronach. Spotting the approaching spriggan, the atronach attacked as Stenvar rushed the wizard. Keeping a safe distance, Kay watched the spriggan and atronach tear each other apart, waiting to finish the victor. With a scream of anguish, the spriggan struck down the atronach, only to die to its final flash of flame. Satisfied with the result, this one went to assist Stenvar.
True to his word, Stenvar had despatched the wizard without breaking a sweat, his greatsword cleaving the man in two. With the grounds cleared, Kay pushed against the door to the keep. Locked.
‘What about the dungeons?’ Stenvar asked.
Discovering the dungeon door was unlocked, Kay made her way into the keep, Stenvar close behind.
This one expected to encounter wizards and magical creations within the keep. Knowing someone from the college would eventually attempt to retrieve the stolen books, the likelihood of strolling in and collecting the books without bloodshed was slim. This one did not expect to find the dungeon filled with women in rags. Recalling her treatment at the hands of the Imperials, Kay approached the first cage.
‘Wait,’ said Stenvar, grabbing Kay’s arm before she could pick the lock. ‘These women are vampires.’
Kay froze, inches from the bars of the cage. What twisted reason could the wizards have for keeping vampires in their dungeon?
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