Bloodied spittle sprayed on the wall as Rheya watched the man fall with one less tooth, and the drunkards around her silenced from the loud crack that came from the impact. “Don’t fuck around with me,” the dark elf hissed. Red eyes pierced into the skull of the man whom she punched, hearing him curse and cry out in pain. “Now tell me, where the hell is she?”
“Screw off!” he spat. Blood dripped from his lips and Rheya was tempted to smile just a bit. Only a twitch. He was going to say something else, his mouth moved, but no sound was able to escape as the tip of her sword slashed into both his cheeks. For a moment, they flapped in the air and the main howled only to start sobbing. Snot lowered into the wounds and all he could do was whimper as the dark elf flicked the blood off her sword and eyed for the others to do something. None of them moved.
“Now,” she began, kneeling to his height. “Tell me where she is.”
***
“Hello, pretty lady!”
Dammit to all the hells, Rheya groaned as the sun hit her eyes with its harsh rays and the sound of a drunken idiot stuck on the wind. She hated Riverwood, more than any other simple town in all of the holds put together - and she held no love for them either. But Riverwood took the top when it came to places the dark elf would love to burn off the face of Tamriel. From the stupid boys who tried to fondle that damnable imperial girl to these two drunks who were begging to be castrated.
“Come on, why don’t you sit in my lap?” Another piped in. Great, two drunks. “I can sing muh best ballad.”
Rheya’s eyes finally landed on them, two idiots who wore the clothing of adventurers. Their faces were nothing to write home about; only a draugr could love them. “Yeah,” she started. “How about you just shove it and while you’re doing that, choke on it. ”
This didn’t even phase the two men. In fact it seemed to encourage them, which only served to further their doom. “Come on, sweetheart,” the taller one purred, flexing his muscles a bit. “You won’t know you like it until you try us” he winked and Rheya scowled. As lightning crackled the tops of her fingers, her mind already picturing them turning into ash and bones, the sound of laughter broke her gaze.
“I’m sure you two assholes wouldn’t know what a good time was unless it hit you.” Another damn nord, she cursed as he stepped up, brown hair rugged and unkempt. “So why don’t you just scat, before you end up dust on the wind.” A flash of a grin, amber eyes flicking towards hers. Another cocky idiot she would have to shoo away, great.
The two men grumble, something about an army or not being drunk enough, Rheya didn’t care to listen. And as they did, they walked back to their spot where they began to argue over something and drink some more. Watching them a bit longer, Rheya rolled her eyes as they whistled at the dog only causing it to bark at them and run away.
“Okay,” she said. Her voice venomous. “What the hells do you want?”
The man snickered. “So you’re not the type to lip wrestle, got it.”
“Yeah in your dreams, lover boy. Now if you don’t mind, I have a ranger to find and your stink is going upwind.”
Just as Rheya pushed past him, heading towards the in, he grabbed her wrist. There was a flurry of movement, bodies reacting on instinct as daggers found two necks. Hers was tiny, decorated in jewels and bone, his was more simple but the blade still sharp and his hand just as practiced. “Let. Go. Of. Me” Rheya hissed her words. Eyes bright with rage.
He smiled. “This ranger friend-“
“He’s not my friend.”
“I don’t care, if we’re going to work together then we should at least get to know each other.”
Rheya scoffed. “What’s this we? Got something to tell me?”
“Maybe I do, Ladyship,” he spat the title out, amused with himself for being brilliant. “And if you’re planning on hiring me for some job of protecting your pretty face, then I want you to do something for me. I’ll even make it free of charge. Sounds like a deal?”
The dark elf couldn’t help but smirk, amused that the man before her though he had control. His amber eyes told her otherwise. There was a vengeance that she knew all too well. “Careful, Princess” she said. “Vengeance doesn’t look pretty on you humans.” With a simple tug, he released her hands and their daggers slowly pulled away. The ranger studied her, cautious as his fingers remained wrapped around the hilt of his blade. “Fuss up, who the hell are you?”
“Bishop, the ranger you’ve been searching for” he spoke proudly. Arms crossed and a curl of his mouth to show a crooked smirk. “And why would a lady like you need my services? Don’t want to get mud on your boots?”
Idiot, Rheya pursed her lips, nails digging into her palms. “We’re hunting someone, that’s all I’m willing to give. As for getting mud on my boots, I’m not going to step on you to relieve your little fetish.” A smile curled her lips as she saw a flash of anger in his eyes, his body going tense. There was an animalistic way to how he stood and reacted. It was a curiosity. And explains his manners. “I need to gather some information from some assholes at Cragslane, so if your request takes us in the opposite direction I’ll skin you alive.”
Bishop gave a slight look of surprise, quickly hidden with a cold grin. “Well I guess we’re both in luck, aren’t we Ladyship.”
“Stop calling me that, Rheya. And if you call me Ladyship or princess again I’ll kick you so hard in the balls you’ll think you’re a girl. Are we clear?”
He scoffed. “As if,” he paused. A silent dare coming from the dark elf as they glared at each other. “Ladyship.”
***
The ranger nursed his black eye with some ice Rheya has kindly given him. After finding himself taken aback at just how fast she moved.
“Stupid wench” he growled. “You're lucky I don’t just ditch your ass here in the woods.”
He continued to curse as she continued to feed the fire, using a bit of magic to give it some life. There was no time to waste and it was taking too long for it to go the natural way, so why not give it a little nudge. Though her little ranger friend looked like he was going to throat punch himself as he watched her with his one good eye. At least he might be able to aim better now that one eye isn’t on my ass. “If you twist your face up anymore you’re going to be uglier than you are now” She said. Her eyes went towards him, staring into his ambered irises, seeing his thoughts prowl as he thought of a comeback to throw at her.
Surprisingly, he smiled. “Well that’ll still make me prettier than you.”
Rheya let out a choked snort, rolling her eyes. Yet, she couldn’t help smirk at his comment. “Says the man who suspiciously, instead of tracking ahead like a decent ranger, decided to stay behind.”
“What can I say,” his hummed, leaning back on one arm looking at her with his one eye. “The view was better from back there.” With a roll of her eyes, the silence between them drifted in like a morning fog. His eyes continued their disgust while the dark elf ignored him, continuing swirling the flames with her fingers, enjoying the powerful energy coursing through her veins.
The wind whistled in the leaves and for a moment, Rheya thought she was alone, forgetting the rather unpleasant company of a certain nord that smelled like he hadn’t bathed in a year. So much so that she began to make little figures in the flames, people dancing, animals hunting, random things to keep her hands busy. And just as she was about to get to a giant being overrun by Sabre cats, a voice broke the flow of the fire and Rheya was forced to pull her hand away before it got burnt. “Please don’t tell me you’re one of those prissy mages that hates getting dirt on your shoes and getting knots in your hair.”
With a swift motion, she tore out her dagger that was strapped to her shoe and threw it right between his legs, where his brain was. He only smirked.
“You missed.”
“You should know as much as anyone how hard it is to hit a small target, right?” Her lips curled as his face twisted into a scowl as she leaned back, back a little straight. “What? Bitch got your tongue?”
Bishop only growled, giving her a snort as he tried to busy himself with sharpening his dagger. Not like it needed sharpened. Rheya watched him for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh and leaning her back onto the ground, eyes upon the sky.
She allowed the silence to drift in then she spoke. “What business do you have at Cragslane?”
A snort was the first reply and continued with, “why should I tell you? You haven’t even told me what you're looking for that requires my assistance.”
“I’m the employer, I don’t have to tell you jack shit. But if whatever you’re trying to get interferes with what I’m doing, I won’t hesitate to fight.” Her eyes, as they turned towards him, seemed to absorb the reflection of the flames from the fire. With each flickering ember, her irises seemed to glow and her pupils shrunk. “But if you insist,” she continued. “I’m looking for someone, someone who is family to me.”
“Does this someone have a name?” Rheya refused to answer and after giving him the silent treatment, Bishop only huffed. “It’s my wolf, Karnwyr. He’d been missing for a few weeks now and I tracked him to a wolf fighting ring at Cragslane.”
“So you’re having me help your dog?”
Bishop growled. Wow, he really is a wolf. “That dog is the only person I trust in this damn world. I’ve had Karnwyr since he was a cub and has been at my side through thick and thin, regardless of the choices I had made.”
“If you need your space,” Rheya began. “Just say so, I’ll happily play third wheel.”
“Great” Bishop grumbled sheathing his dagger with a sharp hiss. “Of course out of all the people, I get a comedian.”
Rheya said nothing as she looked at him for a moment, no words coming out of her mouth as she watched his eyes gazing upon the fire. She debated on speaking. To at least give some noise to the air but she only gave a slight humph and turned her back towards him, covering herself in a blanket as she used her arm for a pillow. This only causes him to grumble. “Oi, lad-“ he froze. “Listen, don’t think I won't wake you for your watch.”
She made no reply, only frowned a bit as she pulled the blanket to her chin, watching the shadows before her shifted from blobs into long thin fingers reaching out towards her, only to be stopped by the light of the fire. Rheya watched and listened, for the darkness felt like it was going to close in.
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