Vinicia Melissaeia
It seemed my fortunes were finally looking up. All thoughts of my hectic days past had vanished, melting away every time I saw Augusta smile.
She was busy in the hotel, of course, which was probably a handy thing because it nudged me out of procrastination. First thing in the morning, I splurged for an enormous bouquet of flowers for my dear lovely Augusta, guaranteed to pleasantly embarrass her whenever anyone asked about it, then went about my day.
I dropped by the Office of Imperial Commerce to deliver the Anvil Well Crystals and received a second assignment to sort out the water wells in Cheydinhal, which water had for some reason become foul-tasting. There was a Mages Guildhall in Cheydinhal as well, and if I ever wanted to access the Arcane University in full I'd have to go there for a recommendation, so I agreed. Hopefully there wouldn't be any more crazy, murderous, Argonians.
Some inquiries into local businesses and opportunities brought up the topic of real estate, and I was interested to learn from the rather stern official, Vinicia Melissaeia that a small home was for sale at the measly price of 3000 gold -- a foreclosure. But, she assured me, it could be rented out for a continuous income. Was there a catch?
Of course there was. She was trying to get rid of it too quickly and sight-unseen.
I couldn't play the flirt card with her -- She just wasn't the type. She was more of the stick-in-the-mud tight-assed type, actually. After catching her in a few discrepancies, a truer picture emerged: It wasn't a house at all, but a shack. There weren't any shacks in the Imperial City proper, of course. It had to be at the Waterfront. A place known to be crawling with beggars, smugglers, and thieves.
How the Office of Imperial Commerce got stuck with this real estate was a mystery to me, and they were certainly trying to get rid of it quickly and cheaply.
There had to be more to this story and I wanted to see it, but she wouldn't part with the key -- probably afraid I'd run off with it. At the same time, she wouldn't come with me to show me the property. Finally I was prepared to walk and she relented. At first she tried to get one of her underlings to do it, but they balked and had some sort of excuse or other, mostly related to work. The tried to get one of the Imperial City Guards to come along with us, but evidently she hadn't endeared herself to them and they brushed off her request as frivolous.
Finally, she took a fine dagger from a drawer in the counter and tucked it into the cloth belt of her dress.
"No telling what sort of riff-raff might accost us," she explained.
We passed through the Imperial City's centre, Green Emperor Way, then the Temple District, and finally left the city proper to the Waterfront District.
She instantly tensed and quickened her pace. It didn't take long for me to realize what had made her suddenly nervous, and why she'd been so reluctant to come here in the first place -- Her fine clothes and affluent appearance made her an instant magnet for beggars and other even less savory attention. There was little doubt she'd come here before, probably to show other potential buyers the property. There were lewd catcalls and rude propositions.
She clung to my arm and pressed close to me. For my part, I squeezed her hand reassuringly and we made it to the shack in short order.
To find it thoroughly ransacked and devoid of any furnishings.
Vinicia had a conflicted look on her face, in between outrage and despair. There wasn't much point using the key now. We even had to chase a squatter out, although he'd probably be back as soon as we left.
"I wish the damned City Guard would do their jobs just once," she cursed.
"Well, there you have it. A grand shack for sale. Three thousand gold," she said ruefully.
"Uh... I'll think about it," I said.
Vinicia sighed. "I suppose I can't blame you. It's hardly a good neighbourhood, unless you're thick with the thieves."
"And how does one do that?"
"Do what? Become a thief? I suppose you could try joining up with the Thieves Guild."
"The what?"
Vinicia picked up a ragged poster off the ground. I had seen a few around town, but hadn't paid very close attention. "They say this 'Grey Fox' controls all the thieves in the Imperial City, and they've got a Guild of their own. Some say the beggars spy for him. Others say it's all rubbish."
Vinicia hastily pointed out the main features of the shack, then we readied to leave -- Only to find the exits blocked by three rather disreputable looking thugs.
"Well lookie here... The prissy little bitch is back."
"You!" Vinicia spat. "I'm warning you! You'd best clear off before I have you arrested again."
"I don't see the Watch with you this time. Just your skinny boyfriend. No... it's my turn. I'm going to beat the crap out of him, then make him watch as I make you my bitch."
Vinicia went ghostly pale and pressed closer to me.
The three of them advanced with clubs and long knives.
"Stay close," I whispered to her, and pulled her beside me.
We had our backs to the fireplace. I raised one fist to cast a spell conjuring a Scamp out of thin air.
"A bloody mage!" one of the thugs cursed.
They rushed me, but my spell was already cast and the scamp materialized in seconds. I took a staggering blow from a club to my left shoulder. Vinicia screamed and quailed beside me. The scamp had oriented itself and loosed a sphere of fire, burning one thug badly. The third had fled.
I drew my short sword and settled into a defensive posture to protect Vinicia. The scamp leapt into one thug, smashing him into the wall. A vicious claw rake disembowelled him. At this, the last thug finally turned to flee but the Scamp released another fireball which caught him in the back of the head. His hair and clothes caught fire and he didn't make it very far before he fell writhing on the ground, all ablaze. Gleefully, my conjured Scamp fell on the dying man and finished him off.
I grabbed Vinicia and we ran from the Waterfront. The Scamp followed us quite closely a few steps behind until the spell expired and it was banished back to whatever Oblivion it had been called from.
*
Once she'd calmed down a bit, Vinicia's natural indignation arose in her and she alternated between exclaiming her disgust for the Waterfront and swearing she would file a complaint against the City Guard for allowing vile rapists to roam freely. We didn't return to the Office of Imperial Commerce, but instead to her small apartment in the Market District, where, very business-like, she stripped me of my shirt and checked my wounds -- in particular where the club had smashed my shoulder.
"I'm alright," I assured her.
"I just want to make sure," she explained.
Then it seemed she suddenly realized what she was doing, roaming her hands all over my shoulder and chest and back, and a hot blush crept into her cheeks.
"I... I suppose you do look alright," she stammered.
I held her hands where she'd last left them on my chest, resisting her efforts to pull away.
"I do appreciate your care ... and attention."
"Well... you rescued me. Who knows what might have happened." She shuddered at the memory.
"Oh, I know exactly what would have happened," I whispered, and held her by her wrists.
I could feel her pulse quicken, her breath coming in short, frightened gasps. Her cheeks were redder than ever.
I undid the bun in her hair and shook it out, then leaned over her, pressing her down on her bed. She put her hands on my chest, and looked anguished, torn between pushing me away and running her hands all over me.
I leaned down to kiss her tenderly. When she roamed her hands from my chest to my back and pulled me closer, I kissed her again, more fiercely and passionately. She moaned beneath me.
After many long, hard, kisses; some with my tongue duelling hers, we came up for air. I suddenly pulled her arms off me and pinned her down by her wrists. I kissed her on her nape; gently bit her, pressing my canines against her vulnerable neck.
I whispered in her ear, "I'm going to make you my bitch."
*
Needless to say, she didn't go back to the Office that day. We dallied in bed for a long time, not getting up until the evening to draw a hot bath and wash the day's exertions away. Then, refreshed and she in an elegant gown for the evening, we took a pleasant walk through Green Emperor Way and into the Talos Plaza where we had a delightful candlelit dinner at, of all places, the Tiber Septim Hotel.
I could feel Augusta's eyes boring into the back of my head, but I couldn't refuse Vinicia's advances. Certainly not after the wild animal sex we had.
It must have looked scandalous, a woman of her more advanced years flirting with me, but she was relaxed in my company and a very different and altogether more pleasant person than the stern woman who must have become hardened in her position in the Office of Imperial Commerce, where day in and day out she had to hear the most inane and petty complaints from citizens and businesspeople alike. I rather found her intelligent company, very knowledgeable, and cautiously witty.
When we thanked our host late that night, Augusta betrayed no sign of emotion other than professional pleasantness, and I was really quite worried what tomorrow (or later tonight) would bring. But for the moment, all my attention was on Vinicia, and we took a circuitous route back to her home, crossing through Green Emperor Way to the Arboretum, a very beautifully kept public park with statues of the nine divines and an enormous fountain in the middle; then to the Arena, quiet at this late hour now that the final bloody matches of the day had been fought and the stadium closed for the night; and finally back to her apartment.
She asked me up for a night cap.
How could I refuse?
She was busy in the hotel, of course, which was probably a handy thing because it nudged me out of procrastination. First thing in the morning, I splurged for an enormous bouquet of flowers for my dear lovely Augusta, guaranteed to pleasantly embarrass her whenever anyone asked about it, then went about my day.
I dropped by the Office of Imperial Commerce to deliver the Anvil Well Crystals and received a second assignment to sort out the water wells in Cheydinhal, which water had for some reason become foul-tasting. There was a Mages Guildhall in Cheydinhal as well, and if I ever wanted to access the Arcane University in full I'd have to go there for a recommendation, so I agreed. Hopefully there wouldn't be any more crazy, murderous, Argonians.
Some inquiries into local businesses and opportunities brought up the topic of real estate, and I was interested to learn from the rather stern official, Vinicia Melissaeia that a small home was for sale at the measly price of 3000 gold -- a foreclosure. But, she assured me, it could be rented out for a continuous income. Was there a catch?
Of course there was. She was trying to get rid of it too quickly and sight-unseen.
I couldn't play the flirt card with her -- She just wasn't the type. She was more of the stick-in-the-mud tight-assed type, actually. After catching her in a few discrepancies, a truer picture emerged: It wasn't a house at all, but a shack. There weren't any shacks in the Imperial City proper, of course. It had to be at the Waterfront. A place known to be crawling with beggars, smugglers, and thieves.
How the Office of Imperial Commerce got stuck with this real estate was a mystery to me, and they were certainly trying to get rid of it quickly and cheaply.
There had to be more to this story and I wanted to see it, but she wouldn't part with the key -- probably afraid I'd run off with it. At the same time, she wouldn't come with me to show me the property. Finally I was prepared to walk and she relented. At first she tried to get one of her underlings to do it, but they balked and had some sort of excuse or other, mostly related to work. The tried to get one of the Imperial City Guards to come along with us, but evidently she hadn't endeared herself to them and they brushed off her request as frivolous.
Finally, she took a fine dagger from a drawer in the counter and tucked it into the cloth belt of her dress.
"No telling what sort of riff-raff might accost us," she explained.
We passed through the Imperial City's centre, Green Emperor Way, then the Temple District, and finally left the city proper to the Waterfront District.
She instantly tensed and quickened her pace. It didn't take long for me to realize what had made her suddenly nervous, and why she'd been so reluctant to come here in the first place -- Her fine clothes and affluent appearance made her an instant magnet for beggars and other even less savory attention. There was little doubt she'd come here before, probably to show other potential buyers the property. There were lewd catcalls and rude propositions.
She clung to my arm and pressed close to me. For my part, I squeezed her hand reassuringly and we made it to the shack in short order.
To find it thoroughly ransacked and devoid of any furnishings.
Vinicia had a conflicted look on her face, in between outrage and despair. There wasn't much point using the key now. We even had to chase a squatter out, although he'd probably be back as soon as we left.
"I wish the damned City Guard would do their jobs just once," she cursed.
"Well, there you have it. A grand shack for sale. Three thousand gold," she said ruefully.
"Uh... I'll think about it," I said.
Vinicia sighed. "I suppose I can't blame you. It's hardly a good neighbourhood, unless you're thick with the thieves."
"And how does one do that?"
"Do what? Become a thief? I suppose you could try joining up with the Thieves Guild."
"The what?"
Vinicia picked up a ragged poster off the ground. I had seen a few around town, but hadn't paid very close attention. "They say this 'Grey Fox' controls all the thieves in the Imperial City, and they've got a Guild of their own. Some say the beggars spy for him. Others say it's all rubbish."
Vinicia hastily pointed out the main features of the shack, then we readied to leave -- Only to find the exits blocked by three rather disreputable looking thugs.
"Well lookie here... The prissy little bitch is back."
"You!" Vinicia spat. "I'm warning you! You'd best clear off before I have you arrested again."
"I don't see the Watch with you this time. Just your skinny boyfriend. No... it's my turn. I'm going to beat the crap out of him, then make him watch as I make you my bitch."
Vinicia went ghostly pale and pressed closer to me.
The three of them advanced with clubs and long knives.
"Stay close," I whispered to her, and pulled her beside me.
We had our backs to the fireplace. I raised one fist to cast a spell conjuring a Scamp out of thin air.
"A bloody mage!" one of the thugs cursed.
They rushed me, but my spell was already cast and the scamp materialized in seconds. I took a staggering blow from a club to my left shoulder. Vinicia screamed and quailed beside me. The scamp had oriented itself and loosed a sphere of fire, burning one thug badly. The third had fled.
I drew my short sword and settled into a defensive posture to protect Vinicia. The scamp leapt into one thug, smashing him into the wall. A vicious claw rake disembowelled him. At this, the last thug finally turned to flee but the Scamp released another fireball which caught him in the back of the head. His hair and clothes caught fire and he didn't make it very far before he fell writhing on the ground, all ablaze. Gleefully, my conjured Scamp fell on the dying man and finished him off.
I grabbed Vinicia and we ran from the Waterfront. The Scamp followed us quite closely a few steps behind until the spell expired and it was banished back to whatever Oblivion it had been called from.
*
Once she'd calmed down a bit, Vinicia's natural indignation arose in her and she alternated between exclaiming her disgust for the Waterfront and swearing she would file a complaint against the City Guard for allowing vile rapists to roam freely. We didn't return to the Office of Imperial Commerce, but instead to her small apartment in the Market District, where, very business-like, she stripped me of my shirt and checked my wounds -- in particular where the club had smashed my shoulder.
"I'm alright," I assured her.
"I just want to make sure," she explained.
Then it seemed she suddenly realized what she was doing, roaming her hands all over my shoulder and chest and back, and a hot blush crept into her cheeks.
"I... I suppose you do look alright," she stammered.
I held her hands where she'd last left them on my chest, resisting her efforts to pull away.
"I do appreciate your care ... and attention."
"Well... you rescued me. Who knows what might have happened." She shuddered at the memory.
"Oh, I know exactly what would have happened," I whispered, and held her by her wrists.
I could feel her pulse quicken, her breath coming in short, frightened gasps. Her cheeks were redder than ever.
I undid the bun in her hair and shook it out, then leaned over her, pressing her down on her bed. She put her hands on my chest, and looked anguished, torn between pushing me away and running her hands all over me.
I leaned down to kiss her tenderly. When she roamed her hands from my chest to my back and pulled me closer, I kissed her again, more fiercely and passionately. She moaned beneath me.
After many long, hard, kisses; some with my tongue duelling hers, we came up for air. I suddenly pulled her arms off me and pinned her down by her wrists. I kissed her on her nape; gently bit her, pressing my canines against her vulnerable neck.
I whispered in her ear, "I'm going to make you my bitch."
*
Needless to say, she didn't go back to the Office that day. We dallied in bed for a long time, not getting up until the evening to draw a hot bath and wash the day's exertions away. Then, refreshed and she in an elegant gown for the evening, we took a pleasant walk through Green Emperor Way and into the Talos Plaza where we had a delightful candlelit dinner at, of all places, the Tiber Septim Hotel.
I could feel Augusta's eyes boring into the back of my head, but I couldn't refuse Vinicia's advances. Certainly not after the wild animal sex we had.
It must have looked scandalous, a woman of her more advanced years flirting with me, but she was relaxed in my company and a very different and altogether more pleasant person than the stern woman who must have become hardened in her position in the Office of Imperial Commerce, where day in and day out she had to hear the most inane and petty complaints from citizens and businesspeople alike. I rather found her intelligent company, very knowledgeable, and cautiously witty.
When we thanked our host late that night, Augusta betrayed no sign of emotion other than professional pleasantness, and I was really quite worried what tomorrow (or later tonight) would bring. But for the moment, all my attention was on Vinicia, and we took a circuitous route back to her home, crossing through Green Emperor Way to the Arboretum, a very beautifully kept public park with statues of the nine divines and an enormous fountain in the middle; then to the Arena, quiet at this late hour now that the final bloody matches of the day had been fought and the stadium closed for the night; and finally back to her apartment.
She asked me up for a night cap.
How could I refuse?
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