[Sot2A] Rogues

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Galdryn kept looking at Wanders trying to figure out if he could determine any physical weakness from the way she carried herself. He couldn't wait until they could spar. Finally, Galdryn turned his head again and asked, "Wanders would you like to clash blades sometime? Be good experience fighting a Shadowscale, might learn some things from each other. I have training from the Morag Tong and you were born into this so let's see who is better."

Galdryn pointed over to a small clearing that had plenty of room for a close combat practice and began to head that way.

WandersWithMoonlight

Wanders turned her head slowly, her eyes widening in surprise. A faint smirk of mild shock appeared at the corner of her mouth for a moment. Though she did grimace slightly at the utterance of the name of the Morag Tong. "Sparring, eh?" She looked forward, idly tapping a few clawed fingers against her chin. "Been a while since I've had to...and it's the first time someone's asked."
There was a brief and reluctant pause, "Well. I suppose I do need the practice, and it wouldn't hurt to learn something new myself. Let's go." She quickly followed Galdryn towards the clearing.

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The clearing didn't have much in terms of a training area but it wasn't cluttered like much of the camp had been plus here he could get away from the other two in their company not that he didn't like them but Galdryn felt better either by himself or with one other person which was normally his target. No tree stumps or ugly roots to trip over that was good, he would have hated to slip and lose due to it. Galdryn made his way into the center of the clearing and drew out his sword and dagger.

Turning toward Wanders he said, "Care to lay out some ground rules? I mean this is sparring and not an actual fight."

WandersWithMoonlight

She paced about the clearing, getting a bit of the lay of the land, not that there was much to see. She was thankful to not see any roots sticking up from the ground, or anything she might catch her foot on. "Of course," she said, turning back to him. "The standard rules should work out fine. Fight as you will, but we won't draw blood. If your weapon touches a vital spot, the other loses, but we'll go no further than that. Aside from not drawing any blood and not actually killing one another, I think we're set on the rules."

"I'm ready if you are," she said, as she drew out her daggers.

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Galdryn crouched in a ready position similar to that of a cat ready to pounce. "Well if any of our skills go let's get underway," Galdryn said. He pounced forward with blades coming down in an arcing motion. He hoped that by seeing how Wanders reacted to this attack would give him an idea of how her fighting style was and how he would have to approach his next few moves. Galdryn heard of the Shadowscales throughout his training and even though his vampirism heightened his reflexes and muscle movements, she would probably still give him a run for his money. This split second analysis seemed like it took minutes as the few seconds passed and his blades came down toward the Argonians head.

WandersWithMoonlight

Wanders watched closely, waiting for him to make the first move. As Galdryn pounced, she took a quick step back, readying herself. She readied her blades, and just as his were coming down towards her, she shifted along the ground, skirting behind him in a fluid movement. There was a sharp jab as she slammed the pommel into the center of his back. She moved forward, keeping up a staccato rhythm of swings of her daggers, alternating between the two. Her feet kept shifting slightly as she moved, ready to dodge away again if she needed to.

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The elegance with which Wanders moved her body during the fight reminded Galdryn of a dancer's during a performance. It was amazing how quick her movements were, the jab in the back surprised him. He would have to step it up now, he had not been using his full speed but now he was gradually going to speed up. Galdryn rolled with the attack and spun around meeting Wanders flurry with careful ripostes before finally parrying her blades and kicked her in the abdomen with his heel advancing with a flurry of his own.

WandersWithMoonlight

Wanders attempted to dodge the incoming kick, but Galdryn's speed managed to surprise her. She nearly doubled over as the wind was forcibly drawn from her, making her chest tighten and her stomach twinge with pain. There was no time to recover, however, as Galdryn start advancing on her, and it took everything in her power to block his attacks. As she blocked them, she glanced down at this feet as he advanced, waiting for one to get in the right place. As he put one forward, she quickly stuck one of hers out, hooking her foot around his heel and pulling forward, sending him falling onto his back. She made careful steps to avoid getting caught by his blades as she fell. She quickly moved forward, kneeling down over him, putting the tip of of her blades to his throat. Enough to feel it there, but not to draw blood. "Dead," she said.

She stood up, briefly putting the second blade in her other hand before reaching a hand out to him, "Another round?"

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It had been a long time since Galdryn had been taken to his back. The whole thing surprised him but not to the point he lost his nerve, she was a Shadowscale after all. "Sure thing, another round." Wanders stepped off of him and he rolled backwards to his feet in swift succession.

"This time be prepared, I will not hold back speed or abilities. I will come at you with the intention to kill," Galdryn's eyes flashed bright yellow and he sank back down into his first position. Galdryn waited for her to move first this time, as soon as her blades would hit him, he would transform into mist and attack from behind.

WandersWithMoonlight

"Wouldn't have it any other way," she said. Wanders got herself a good distance away from him, returning to about where she thought she started to begin with. She readied her blades again, crouching low. Wander took a deep breath, inhaling slowly. She tightened her grip on the daggers again, and she broke into a brief sprint before leaping forward, her daggers held blade down.

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The attack she was coming in with was pretty well telegraphed. Galdryn went with his initial plan and just as the blades would have connected he dissipated into mist. He relocated several meters away in the shade of some of the surrounding trees and blended with the shadows before sending out a shade of himself to attack her. Galdryn made sure the shade looked exactly like him before sending it into attack.

Galdryn sat watching in the dark waiting for a slip up from Wanders. Watching her movements reminded him of his old mentor, spending hours upon hours sparring but they sparred for blood. Blood, something Galdryn now needed to survive, he had to keep himself from drawing blood seeing how it had been several days since his last feeding. The Argonian was beautiful in her movements and the way her body moved. Galdryn had never seen a woman fight like this since his first love, whom he sadly had to kill, and her skill was amazing. Shadowscales taught very well considering they went into the brotherhood. He himself had never actually been in the Tong but those are who trained him and time to time he aided them and ran from them. His time for recollection was over as Wanders was advancing towards the shade. He knew it wouldn't keep her fooled forever. His eyes flashed yellow again but this time his face, if Wanderws could have seen it, was full of hunger, anger and lust. He waited patiently to strike just after the shade disappeared.

WandersWithMoonlight

Wanders was denied any kind of satisfying impact. No clashing of blades, simply mist where Galdryn once stood, a noticeable absence. She stumbled forward, managing to recover, her blades briefly skimming the dirt beneath her. She grunted and quickly turned, readying her blades and looking around for where he vanished to. She suddenly saw Galdryn rushing at her from another part of the clearing. She ran to meet him, suddenly ducking at the last moment and then rising up, thrusting her daggers up towards him.

Wanders had long wanted to leave the life of a Shadowscale behind, and for the most part, she had done this successfully, much to her delight. However, being here in this moment, sparring, like she had all those years ago when she was first handed over to the Dark Brotherhood, she couldn't help but feel the thrill of combat and attempting to best her opponent. Knowing full well that she was not here to take a life, she was able to simply enjoy the sport and skill of it.

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Galdryn watched Wanders duck under the shade as he lunged forward, when she thrust upwards the shade was wide open. He knew this was the time to strike, still in the shadows he performed his first lunge from last time and as the shade dissipated from the strike Galdryn's blades were pointed at her liver and pointed upwards for a strike under her ribcage to her heart. "Double dead, that wasn't even my full speed still but if I had gone any further in this I might have done something I would have regretted."

Galdryn sheathed his blades and held out his hand to help her up. Galdryn had never been one for admiring women but this Argonian definitely had an attractive appearance for a lizard, he never had felt restricted to same race relationships considering he wasn't really a noble. After this spar he knew that Wanders could be trusted with this knowledge and that it may also aid them in their journey.

"Now how about we grab a drink and discuss tactics," Galdryn said, hand still outstretched.

WandersWithMoonlight

She felt the blades press against the two points, and she looked at Galdryn in surprise, her blades dropping from her hands and dully clattering to the earth as she went down. An unintentional bit of theatrics to her "death" spawned her genuine surprise. She attempted to grab at words, any words, but found she could get a hold of none of them. She took his hand and stood up. "Well," she said. "I'm glad you didn't, then."

She sighed, dusting herself off, picking up her daggers and sheathing them once again. "A drink sounds nice," she said, grinning. "I've definitely worked up a thirst."

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"Fortunately for us both I brought a specialty draft of Sujamma courtesy of the Arethi family. And on that I have a few things to explain. I am not whom I have told you all I am. While I am an Arethi in name I am not an Arethi by blood. My real name is just Galdryn, I was an Ashlander from Vvardenfell. After a few years I left to further my future and wound up in the Arethis plantation. They are the ones who taught me and the old woman who owned the house had no children and left the estate to me. In a way I was adopted, she managed to pass me off as a long lost son. The man who taught me was a veteran Morag Tong agent and he was the closest thing to a friend I had since my tribal days. The rest is too painful to discuss right now."

Galdryn poured the Dunmer liquor into cups and looked into the cup as if answers to life were in the bottom before downing it in one go. He poured another before corking the bottle. He looked at Wanders, "Well that is a bit of who I am. Other than being a brotherhood assassin what is your story?"

WandersWithMoonlight

She took the cup of Sujamma and carefully sipped it as she listened to Galdryn tell his story, silently nodding and listening as he went on. She had never had Sujamma before, but she was finding that she enjoyed the flavor, and was quite content with this being the moment in which she first tasted in. When he finished his story, she took another drink, "I thought you didn't seem like the noble type. Not like the ones I'd met before, at the very least. It was a little refreshing."

"As for me," she began. "I'd hardly say I am a brotherhood assassin. I'm barely one at all. I've never carried out a single contract. Never even set foot in a sanctuary. I was trained under them, sure. I thought knowing how to defend myself was important, considering I spent most of my time in the swamps back home, and that was an easy way to learn. I..never wanted to be a part of the life, though. They told me I didn't have a choice. I decided to prove them wrong, so I left. I've just been going across Tamriel ever since. I didn't leave much behind. Just one friend, but I still see him every now and then." She smiled softly to herself, recalling a few old memories in particular. She unconsciously twined her fingers around the necklace around her neck, one in the traditional saxhleel-style, and she took another drink.

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"Ah a very close friend I'd assume. I had such a friend once long ago, or at least it feels like. She trained with me for many, many years but unfortunately died during a mission. I haven't really gotten over it."

Galdryn filled his cup again, how many was this now? He hadn't been keeping track of how much he consumed but he knew it wasn't enough to get him drunk. He sat back and watched Wanders drink her cup. "So brotherhood life wasn't for you? Should've tried the Tong. I am sorry to hear you don't get to see your friend much." Galdryn fiddled with his daggers handle, he took this trinket from her after that mission and had never taken it off. He knew how much trinkets like that meant to people.

"So did the scales teach you much about personas and how to utilize them? Or were they more subtle and just prefer simple execution?"

WandersWithMoonlight

"Yes, quite close," she said. "Most people mistook us for clutchmates." She poured herself another drink, already starting to feel the effects of it on her mind and body. "I don't think I would've done well in the Tong, either. To be honest, I'd rather not take anyone's life I don't have to have to. Outside of my own...personal defense. The Brotherhood seems to relish in taking the life away from another. I can't say I share their enthusiasm."

She thought on his question for a few moments, "It was..a bit of both. Primarily it was simple execution. How to get it done quickly and quietly. Outside of my training, though, I spoke with a few older members who made the use of personae. They taught me a few things. A bit of unofficial training along the side. How about you? I never really learned much about how things are done in the Morag Tong."

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"As I said, I was never in the Tong officially. I normally ran contracts they chose to decline but a lot of the time we do things like the Brotherhood. Other times we would infiltrate and get close, sometimes for months, before executing. I got very proficient at the art but the one that has been the hardest is the Dunmer noble, the one I live the most. I can convince most people but I have to really watch myself around other Dunmer," Galdryn drank another cup, nine down, "I am severely uncomfortable around Morvayn. If anyone makes me it will be him. Ordinators have a knack for picking these things up."

Galdryn poured another, now he was feeling the affects. It had been a long time since he could sit down and enjoy a drink with someone, especially someone who knew this life. "I don't understand not liking to take life. We are literally the most powerful beings in Tamriel. We control life, who lives and who dies. Granted it can be overwhelming but that is something great to wield."

Galdryn, now fairly tipsy, poured another out of habit. If he kept drinking he knew it would get him talking more and remembering more about her. He finished his drink and put his cup away.

"Well what now my dear?"

WandersWithMoonlight

"Life is meant to be enjoyed," Wanders said, taking another drink. "Taking a life prevents others from doing that. If that's what it takes to be powerful, I'm happy to give it up and stay among the meek. We're not gods, and as far as I know, who lives and who dies is their business, not ours."

She finished her drink and set the cup, clearly finished, now that the effects were getting a bit heavier, especially with how loose her tongue seemed to be getting. She shrugged at the question, "Don't rightly know. It's certainly been a while since I've been able to listen to someone's story, but that can only go one for so long. And I hardly think we're in any condition to do any more sparring."

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Galdryn laughed, "I can't see us trying to do a dance of blades as sloppy as we are right now." He laughed hard and realized he was making a scene. "We may as well get back to the other two before they think something bad has happened. But first I need a drink."

Galdryn stood up returning the cups and bottle to his pack. It was getting dark finally and now was the perfect time for a feeding. "I will see you back at camp," Galdryn turned and looked into Wanders eyes with a piercing stare that would have shaken most men. His eyes were yellow and full of hunger. "If you will excuse me."

Galdryn turned away and headed towards the woodline. "Until the next time."

WandersWithMoonlight

She was silent as he began packing up. As the darkness set there was a noticeable change in the air. Not just from the cold that always came with the night, but between them as well. She thought it strange, claiming to need a drink as he was packing up what they'd been drinking. Could've been he meant to find a stream and fill his waterskin, and drink some himself to avoid feeling the Sujamma in the morning.

Yet something seemed off about that as well. They'd been fairly casual as the night and drinks went on, but now he seemed to suddenly grow distant, in addition to the hard, imposing stare he had given her. She kept eye contact with him in this moment, but she couldn't help but feel a terrible shiver creep up her back. It felt like wet, clammy fingers gently moving up her spine, the burning cold of ice.

She watched him leave, moving towards the woodline. After waiting a few moments, when she could only barely hear his footfalls in the distance, she stood up to follow him. It could be nothing at all, but the sudden change was too much to ignore this time. She would have to take careful measures not to be seen. Galdryn was no doubt better at sensing the world around him than he let on, and could very well notice her much more easily than she would notice him in the same situation. She quietly took to the trees, quietly moving along on the branches. She was keeping her eye on him, but making sure to stay a good distance away, ready to lie still or hide should he look up in her direction.

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Galdryn moved swiftly through the woods once he was sure he had covered enough distance not to be seen. His speed tonight was unnerving, the thirst had a huge pull on him. The sujamma suppressed it but now it flooded through him like a fever. Every living thing within ten feet he could feel their heartbeat. A pack of wolves, a doe and fawns, and finally he found it, the bandit camp. Galdryn stopped and surveyed the area. It was three mobile and two asleep already, a small campfire with what smelled like rabbit cooking. They weren't well armed which took the fun right of the hunt but Galdryn needed this in order to make it another week. He crept slowly forward looking more like a sabre cat stalking prey. Now pulling on all his speed and power that the muscles in his body could handle Galdryn flashed forward and two of the bandits throats were slit. Before the third could call for help, Galdryn was at his neck, fangs now firmly pressed into the flesh. He felt the warm liquid flow through him like the Sujamma would have if he had been alive. The yellow in his eyes now returning to a light red of the Dunmer as Galdryn finished his "drink" and dropped the body. The other two bandits never stirred and they would be in for a surprise when dawn came. Now revitalized and looking more lively, Galdryn turned to head back towards camp. A familiar scent caught his attention and he smirked as he ignored it trudging back through the foliage.

WandersWithMoonlight

Wanders watched and felt the same rushing chill as before as she watched this all transpire. In some ways, it didn't come as a surprise. Some signs were there; the reflexes, the pallor of his skin, and many of the things she noticed as they were sparring. All the same, seeing it happen before were was different. He seemed to stop for a moment, and she felt a quick feeling of her heart being pulled downward, thinking he'd heard her, spotted her, possibly smelled her. There was a mild relief when he kept walking however. Coming to her senses, she quickly got moving, back through the trees. She had to get back to the camp before he did. If he didn't notice her in the trees just then, her arriving at the camp after him would certainly raise suspicions.
She felt she made good time, but there was no way to tell for sure. Soon enough, she made it back to the camp, stepping out from the trees and making her way to her bedroll, checking to see if Galdryn was already there in his own.

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Galdryn slowed his pace to take in the night air. Too long had it been filled with death, too long had it been filled with blood but somehow everynight after a feeding the air felt clean and clear. The last time he really took the time to breath this air was before he was turned and when she was alive. It was a night like this when his first personal contract was completed, the first night that the clean air was tainted. He trudged his way back to camp to find everyone in their bedrolls. Galdryn laid down on his but did not sleep. Too many memories flooded him now.

WandersWithMoonlight

The next morning, Wanders awoke, her mind still heavy with the memory of what she'd seen the previous night. She was surprised she managed to sleep as well as she did, but she hardly felt well-rested at all. She remained in her bedroll, almost wishing she could fall back asleep. She quietly looked around at the others bedrolls, to see who was already awake and who remained asleep, her eyes lastly settling on Galdryn's.

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Galdryn had rolled his bed up already and was praying while the rest sleeped. He did not sleep as much as the others and never right after a feeding, that's how he got the nightmares. Instead he laid there contemplating the past and the future knowing full well he would live far past the life span of the others. Would he ever have family?

Galdryn finished his prayers and put the totem back into his pack. He turned to see Wanders looking his direction, "Sleep well?"

WandersWithMoonlight

She simply nodded, "Somewhat. Haven't slept on a bedroll in a while, so I think I need to get used to the feeling again." She climbed out out from beneath the covers and began packing it up. "How about yourself?" she asked as she was tying it up.

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"Very well thank you."

Galdryn was busy packing everything back up. He picked up his pack trying to tie his bedroll back to it when his pack busted open at the bottom. The years of wear had finally gotten to it he supposed as he clambered to clean up the mess. The almost empty bottle of sujamma hadn't broken nor his cups, that was fortunate. His lockpicking kit was intact and his poisoning kit was fine too. Everything was accounted for except for one thing. Galdryn began to look around for it and couldn't find it. He was very sure it had been in his pack but now he couldn't see it. He widened his search from where it landed and spotted it rolling toward Wanders, the picture frame her portrait was in had been rounded after all.

WandersWithMoonlight

She kept a calm face as she took in his words. As far as she knew, she had slept well, but for reasons most would not agree with. Ones she was still sorting out in her mind. "Good to hear," she said. "Can't say I wasn't a bit worried you'd be feeling the aftermath of the Sujamma this morning." Wanders turned back, silently double checking her pack to make sure she hadn't left anything out, when she felt something bump against her ankle. She looked down, spotting the rounded object, still spinning in drunken circles before it settled on the ground after its shy impact. Without much thought, she picked it up between two of her fingers, quickly looking it over, curiously. As she turned it over, she laid eyes on the portrait that was inside it.

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"Beautiful isn't she?" Galdryn said, "She was the love of my life and a dear friend." Galdryn took the portrait back and eyed it over. Galdryn remembered the days, and nights, they had shared.

"Problem was she was meant for another but marriage to her would have officially made me nobility. Unfortunately she died before either of us could fight for her."

Galdryn placed the small frame into another bag and synched it tight. "I have never talked about her with anyone before." He moved his hand to wipe a tear away.