Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-3293219-20140323001956/@comment-3293219-20140328235649

Tabith awoke at her desk, groaning as she straightened her spine and put her neck back as she had a slight crick in it. She grit her teeth as she held the painful areas, finding herself constantly seething and tutting as it settled.

Eventually, the Guard Captain stood up and made her way over to her office door. She had decided what she was going to do last night, what needed to be done…

If I set off now, I’ll reach the Penitus Oculatus Headquarters, in the Imperial City, before midday and I’ll be home before dark.

She’d go alone, faster that way, and she’d walk to the capital city of the empire and demand to see a senior member of the order. Kaizen was too dangerous to be imprisoned here and she was not an executioner or a professional interrogator.

The Dunmer walked past the cells, completely forgetting about her promise to the General, to release him in the morning. She approached the front door and threw it open, marching over to the barracks to inform Darren about her expected journey.

The Guard Captain knocked at the front door of the guard’s barracks, only having to wait a few seconds before it was opened by Darren. Everyone else was on patrol now but Darren could usually be found here, his shift didn’t start until nightfall…

“C-Captain?” He stammered, like he always did, when addressing her…

“Guardsman…” She answered, cutting off any over formal salute or praise that often follows a greeting. “I’ve come to tell you, that I’m heading off to the Imperial City and I won’t be back until nightfall at the earliest. I may not be able to return until tomorrow morning, so it’s up to you to make sure that the guardsmen follow their routers, the prisoners are fed and most importantly, it’s imperative that you make sure that nobody breaks open the Skingrad wine that I keep in my desk.”

“What? Th-The Imperial City?!” Darren stammered, grabbing her by the arm before she could walk away. “When was this decided?”

“This morning, when I woke up…”

He looked at her in disbelief.

Look Darren, we don’t have the facilities to keep a prisoner, as dangerous as Kaizen, locked up. If he escapes, he could endanger the entire guard…

Hell, the entire town!”

“I know but… You’re going now?! Couldn’t you…”

Tabith cut him off, turning to face him as she let her annoyance show.

“What are you trying to say?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“That you shouldn’t be going, out into the wilderness, by yourself!” Darren snapped, suddenly regretting it as he realised who he was talking to. He stood in shock at his own stupidity as Tabith raised an eyebrow, fearing dismissal or worse…

<p class="MsoNormal">“Darren… If Nepht can travel from Cheydinhal to Riften, I can travel from Cheydinhal to the Imperial City. I’ve done it before…”

<p class="MsoNormal">“I know but…” He thought for a second, deciding that there was only one way forward here.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Let me come with you. Just in case something happens…”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Right… Because there are plenty of things that I can’t handle that you can…” Tabith replied, mocking Darren’s lack of combat experience.

<p class="MsoNormal">“But what if something happens, it’s always better to have two of us!”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Darren, if something happens to me, then the guard can recover, I’m just one person. There’s no need to risk two of us. You’re better off here anyway…”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Captain, please! I want to be by your side!” The Imperial pleaded, causing Tabith to grow suspicious.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Why?” She asked, showing no effort of hiding her suspicions.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Because…” Darren froze; he couldn’t give her the real reason, so he had to be as evasive as possible.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Because you’re the best Captain I’ve ever served under!” He answered, he had hoped to impress her with that answer but sadly, he failed.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Darren… You’ve served under two captains, during your time and one of those was a temporary captain, who served when Nepht got the flu that week…”

<p class="MsoNormal">The Imperial didn’t listen and just looked away, feeling defeated, as he wasn’t able to convince her to stay or let him go with her. He could only do one thing now…

<p class="MsoNormal">“Let me go with you, I’ve always wanted to see the Imperial City…” He lied, hoping to get some sympathy and cause her to cave and take him with her.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Guard Captain rolled her eyes and tutted; she really didn’t want this to be a shopping trip or a tour.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Al… Alright but we’re going there on official business and that’s it!”

<p class="MsoNormal">“F-Fine by me…” Darren stammered, incredibly happy if not amazed at the fact that it had worked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Okay, now go and see Islev and fill him in, I’ll be waiting for you, by the main gate.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Th-Thank you Captain!” The Imperial bowed as he ran back inside, ready to dump responsibility onto his friend and travel with his Captain, who he adored more than anything about being a guard.

<p class="MsoNormal">He shut the door and pressed his back against it, sighing up to the sky as he closed his eyes and thanked the Gods for giving him this day as it couldn’t get any better than this.

<p class="MsoNormal">Shot by bandits? Eaten by wolves? Decapitated by an ogre? All of it would totally be worth it, if he got to die fighting alongside or in defence of Tabith.

<p class="MsoNormal">He nodded and ran upstairs, ready to pack his gear and arrange for the guard to be looked after, while they were away.