Moonlight's Embrace (A Skyrim Fanfic) (ORIGINAL)

A Chance Arrangement

I'll make something clear... if you want lemons, go somewhere else. I don't do any of that, it's honestly jacked up. Of course this is going to have smexual themes in it, so does Skyrim (and Oblivion, Morrowind, etc...), but I'm not going to go down that path. Hell, if you want book porn, go read Fifty Shades of Gray. You won't find any of that here.

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((12th of Second Seed, 4E 202))

I hate walking. I will always hate walking. God dammit. I hate walking a hundred miles and running into just as many bandits on the way. I ran the back of my hand against my forehead, then wiped the sweat off onto the toughened wolflike armor I wore. Personally, I disliked the heavier armor, but what else could I do?

At the sound of a horse's whinny, my eyes flicked up. I was nearing Riften, a dirty town filled with criminals. For a moment, I envied the thieves within. "At least they'd have the cost for a carriage ride covered," I muttered irritably. Brigands didn't have a thing in their hideouts but traps and candlesticks.

I kicked up dust on my way down the path, giving a brief nod to the Khajiit merchants on the side. Twisting my back around to pop the joints, I proceeded to approach the great wooden gate. To my surprise, the guard on the right shoved me backwards when I tried to push through. My mood soured further, and I absently wished I could simply sock him one and get into Riften. Unfortunately for me, I was stuck listening to him drone.

"Hold there! Before I let you into Riften, you need to pay the visitor's tax!" The guard held out his hand. Even though his face was covered by the standard steel helmet provided by the city, I had no doubt he was grinning. Despite my irritation, I forced a smile onto my face.

"What's the tax for?" I asked, annoyance clear in my voice. I hadn't been stopped anywhere else before, so this was a bit odd for me. I'd still rather deal with a pesky, greedy guard than a walk from Markarth to Riften.

"For the privilege of entering the city," he snorted, crossing his arms as he broke me out of my thoughts. "What does it matter?" I scowled at him and decided to try an intimidation tactic.

"This is obviously a shakedown," I stated boldly through clenched teeth, one hand on my sword. It wasn't exactly wise to threaten a guard, but my judgment was lacking... as was my sleep. "Riften's sunk low, if a guard is trying to rob a citizen." I leaned in, pursing my lips in disappointment. "Trying to rob a Companion." The guard winced and took a step back.

"You can't be serious..." My glare told him all he needed to know. "Alright, keep your voice down, you want everyone to hear you? I'll let you in, just let me unlock the gate. Pardon me," the guard apologized as he unhooked the keys from his belt. I still wasn't about to tell him that I hadn't been inside Jorrvaskr for six months.

I pushed my way through the gates, hardly managing to take three steps before I was again stopped. This time, it was a ragged-looking man leaning up against a post, fingers wrapped tightly around my bicep. I shook him off and raised a questioning brow at the near-assault.

"I don't know you. You in Riften looking for trouble?" he grunted, eyeing me with distaste as if I was something he'd found between his teeth. I've been in Riften before, what the hell's going on? 

"I'm looking for a bed to sleep in and for insignificant little twits such as yourself to stop bothering me." I shoved the aggravated man aside and headed towards the Bee and Barb. I hadn't even crossed the small bridge, but I could smell the honey in the mead. After that trek, I think I deserve a drink-- or ten.

Yet again, however, I was stopped. Nobody forced me this time, but it was my own curiosity that made me pause.

"I'm really getting tired of your excuses. When you borrowed the money, you said you'd pay it back on time and for double the usual fee." A tall woman leaned against the rail while a scrawny Redguard sat on the bench. He appeared to be pleading with her.