Count Only The Happy Hours

Part 1: VI

It took several seconds and very reluctant rolling over, but a pale eye, with a very dark shadow beneath it, peeked out at him. "We're supposed to stay together, Vehk."

"I promise you, Sil, I will be completely safe," he assured, patting his shoulder again. "This isn't my first time slipping unnoticed in a big city. Rest up; I'll be back soon and we can both go out and do some actual recon."

The whole blanket gave a very long sigh, and the eye disappeared back inside–only for it to reappear, a pale brow arched over it now.

"If we're doing real recon tonight, then what was last night?"

Vivec grinned. "A chance to see you loosened up. And clearly, it worked just a bit too well." He went to the door, picking up his blade and sliding it into his belt before throwing his traveling cloak over his shoulders. "Be back soon."

Pains him though it does to admit it, sneaking through Hofstaag's seedy underbelly was much easier without a boy tagging along. It wasn't Sil's fault, of course–save for the staring, he was about as good a sneak as a novice could be. But knowing he was tucked up safe in the room meant that Vehk could go places he would never , under any circumstance, take a boy he'd committed into his care.

He's too old and too well-cared-for now to play the guttersnipe, and too good with his blade now to play the daggerlad. But he still knew the paths that led to the parts of the city people pretended didn't exist, where cloying skooma smoke sweetened the air and thin hands adorned with cheap jewels beckoned him over, promising an evening of delights if he had the gold for it. It was mostly Chimer here, with a few Argonians and even a Khajiit or two for flavor. And, of course, a handful of Nords who were very keen to avoid making eye contact with anyone. Certainly not the sort of place he'd find Neht or Voryn when they were fresh into town; but, of course, that had just been a story.

What Vivec really wanted was secrets .

He slipped into the nicer skooma den in the area, with a peek of plush furnishings and ornate pipes through the well-placed sliver between curtains. There were rooms here, he could tell as he stepped in, and that meant that there were regular visitors that didn't want to be seen.

He leaned against the service desk, adjusting his hood while patiently waiting. Finally, a Khajiiti woman came over, with pretty dark whorls swirled through her amber fur. Her blue eyes were clear, slit pupils only widening curiously once she looked him over; she didn't sample her wares, then, even better.

"Sedarra welcomes you to the Two Moons Cafe," she says smoothly. "This one has brought all the delicacies of Elsweyr to share with our eastern neighbors. Though..." She glanced down at the bag of gold he'd pulled from his pocket. "...she is certain you must have heard about our delectable sweets, trevan."

"I have , though I'll admit I'm more hungry for something besides sweets."

To his surprise, Sedarra gave a long-suffering sigh, and her tone grew crisp. "This one is not a whore ," she said bluntly. "Your gold can go to one of the zajiziit waiting outside; it will come back to Sedarra anyway, she knows, but at least her dignity will remain intact."

Vivec blinked, and he covered his mouth to stop his laugh. "A thousand apologies, zeti . Nothing like that." He leaned in, lowering his voice. "I'd like to know about some of your patrons ."

Sedarra blinked, pupils widening a touch more as she glanced down at the bag in his hand. "Sedarra is very sorry, trevan, but her guests come expecting that she will have the utmost discretion." As he started to tuck the purse away, though, she added, "But...there is gossip this one has heard that might interest you."