Dark Moons and Sharp Arrows

If there was one thing any guard in Tamriel knew, it was that professional thieves were hard to catch, a Khajiit professional thief wore their trade openly yet were impossible to pin, Bosmer embraced thievery as an art form. Catching a Bosmer and Khajiit working together is like trying to catch water as it turns into mist with your bare hands. With the war taking many experienced guards and soldiers away from the homes of the Nobility and wealthy it made the life of thieves easier in many respects yet every heist had to be carefully planned, even the simplest of plans required contingencies in case any recon on the mark missed even the smallest detail.

Itylra looked down at the table in the planning room of her new home in the swampy regions of Shadowfen right on the border between Black Marsh and Morrowind. Before her lay several documents written by herself and her partner in crime; her adopted son and protégé Varharel. The young man was a Khajiit of the Dagi variety making him smaller than most Khajiit the Dunmer were used to dealing with, and despite being a teenager he could easily pass for a young child.

“from what I saw the guards patrol the grounds twice an hour in groups of three, one swordsman, one archer and one mage.” Varharel said as he gestured to the crude map he had drawn of the Manor that they had planned on breaking into.

“any particular routes?” Itylra asked as she looked at her son who nodded and gestured along the wall, Itylra noting that Varharel had marked the opposite side of the ma as ‘cliff’.

“They mostly patrol the southern and western sides which are exposed to the plains, probably expect ladders or something like that.” He said half joking and Itylra smiled a bit remembering when she had began teaching him how to steal he had suggested using ladders to get into high up places, now it had become a joke between them.

“What about the cliff?” Itylra asked as she stood up and Varharel shook his head as he gestured to a small building. “Secret passage?” Itylra asked before grinning as Varharel nodded.

“The Morag Tong used to have tunnels leading all over the place, this family happened to have moved into their old base, and the tunnels are protected by a door that can only be opened from the inside.” Varharel said and Itylra looked at Varharel who’s expression shifted into one akin to a starving and pathetic urchin. “Please Serjo, this one is scared and hungry, this Khajiit does not know where his mother and father are.” He said in a whimpering voice that made Itylra laugh, the act was good, very convincing to someone who had not spent time with Varharel and knew that he was anything but a terrified hungry urchin.

“So, if that actually convinces the guards to let you in, you slip out to this outbuilding and open the passage door to let me in?” Itylra asked and Varharel nodded before tappng his finger on the main building.

“Dunmer buildings all look alike on the inside, given the size of the manor it’s likely the treasure room is on the lower level, likely guarded by smarter Dunmer than the ones at the door.” He said before he looked at Itylra. “I also found out that the couple who own this building are VERY vocal about certain topics in House Dres, particularly in support for one particular trade.” Varharel said and Itylra looked at him.

“Don’t take any unnecessary risks kiddo.” Itylra said firmly before lapsing into thought, if the rumours were true and everything went off without a hitch they would be able to make a lot of money off of this heist, enough money that she could comfortably retire and focus on her newfound passion for enchanting.

“Khajiit is always careful.” Varharel said with a cheeky tone in his voice and a smirk on his feline face as he looked at the map. “This will be a piece of a Moon sugar cake.” He added and Itylra smiled a bit.

“You could just say “piece of cake” you know.” Itylra said as she looked at him. “Alright, from the top, what’s the plan?” she asked and Varharel’s expression settled in a professional mask that agve away nothing.

“This one acts like the poor scared starving Khajiit, and gain entry into the manor, once inside I dodge the attempts to slap a slave collar around my neck and get to this outbuilding.” He said before gesturing to the building on the map. “Once there, I open the door and let you in, we then proceed to the vault, knock out the guards, get into the vault and make our daring escape and House Dres loses a substantial amount of coin.” He said and Itylra nodded.

“Spot on, one of these days you’ll make an excellent master thief.” Itylra said laughing softly hearing the purr from her adopted son, “Come on, let’s get dinner, we’ll go over the plans a few more times and get it down pat before we strike.” Itylra said as she gestured to the door.

three weeks later.

Itylra was starting to get concerned as she waited in the tunnels beneath the manor, she had seen Varharel enter the manor and she was sure about two hours had passed since then. Hearing a loud click she turned her head and watched as a section of the stone wall slowly opened and a familiar feline face popped his head out of the new opening.

“You’re late Varharel.” Itylra said as she walked over and lightly ruffled his head relief washing over her as she stepped inside the tunnel as the doorway closed behind them.

“I was checking the interior, all the guards within the building are guarding the upstairs guarding the master bedroom, all the slaves have been freed too, so it’s just the servants, guards and one very terrified noble.” Varharel said as they walked through the tunnel towards the ladder leading to the outbuilding.

“Morag Tong or Ordinators?” Itylra asked as they walked, Morag Tong would be the better situation, the assassins rarely killed without a writ, and Itylra was very careful to make sure she wasn’t known as a thief, and no Dunmer in their right mind would waste gold on a writ for a Khajiit as young as Varharel.

“Not sure, all the windows are boarded up, the only ways in or out is through the front door, or through a servant’s escape passage.” He said casually before purring “which this one managed to get the key to.” He said with a purr as he held up an old brass key.

“Good work, now let’s get in and out before the blades start flashing.” Itylra said as they reached the steps leading up to the outbuilding.

Itylra slowly climbed into the open window Varharel had left unlocked for her on the bottom floor of the large Dunmer mansion, a structure consisting of three spires rising from a triangular shaped building. From what Varharel had learned every single guard had been moved upstairs blocking the doorways to the bedrooms where the master of the house cowered in fear. As the Bosmer woman looked around the hall an unfamiliar voice spoke quietly behind her.

“Excuse me Miss, but do you mind moving forwards a bit? I’m trying to get in as well.” The voice said making Itylra dive forwards and position herself between the source of the voice and Varharel who was currently working on the lock of a strongbox that contained the vault keys.

“Now now, there’s no need for violence, we’re all ne’er do wells here.” The voice said and Itylra spotted a young looking elven man with dark grey skin, silvery coloured eyes and white hair making him seem almost entirely monochrome, though he had an easy going smile on his face, marred only by vicious claw like scars on his face that Itylra recognised immediately as the scars of a Werewolf attack.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” Itylra asked keeping her eyes on the man who smiled before producing a scrap of paper from his belt, only now did Itylra take in the man’s armour, dark chitnous armour covered his torso, forearms and shins but left his upper limbs free of obstruction, on a scrap of cloth hanging from his belt was a symbol Itylra immediately recognised and made her nervous, the man in front of her was an Assassin of the infamous Morag Tong guild.

“I could very well ask you the same questions, but as you are a lady and asked first, a gentleman responds before returning the favour.” The man said before bowing. “I am called Mythren, I am a member of the Morag Tong here to carry out some business with the man who owns this house, he has been rather naughty, and House Hlaalu don’t like naughtiness that isn’t profitable.” He continued as he rose and gestured to Itylra “might I know your name, my lady, or that of your young friend there?” he asked

“Phyrra, this is Ma’Dar.” Itylra said keeping a close eye on the assassin who simply smiled both knew he could sense the lie, yet he seemed to acknowledge the need for anonymity.

“well met, I shall keep the guards busy while you carry out your tasks, best of luck to you both.” He said cheerfully before walking off towards the staircase humming a tune Itylra recognised as the Red Mountain drinking song.

“Var, do me a favour and avoid anyone with that symbol, okay?” Itylra asked as she looked at the young Khajiit who nodded as he finished unlocking the strong box. “Good, now let’s get going before he decides to remove any witnesses.” She said as she took Varharel’s arm and led him towards the other staircase, as her boot touched the first step she heard the sounds of fighting above and immediately brought out a long strip of fabric from her belt and covered Varharel’s ears with it moments before a loud blood curdling scream could be heard from above, and the two thieves dashed down the stairs to begin their heist.

The next Day

“Did you hear that one of the House Hlaalu stooges got taken out last night in his own mansion?” the raspy voice of an Argonian asked as he looked at the red haired bosmer standing opposite him on the other side of his small counter. The outlaw’s refuge in Stormhaven was damp, smelled like a manure pit and was filled with ankle high water that trickled in from the surrounding swampland.

“Really?” Itylra asked feigning innocence, she had seen the aftermath of the Morag Tong’s business with the owner of the house she had robbed as he murdered the man, and had done her best to shield Varharel from the grizzly scene of a Dunmer guard who had been shoved off a walkway in his armour with his neck snapped and blood pooling out of the gaps in his armour, his eyes lifelessly staring ahead. Varharel was quickly becoming a man, but Itylra didn’t want that image of be ingrained in his mind.

“Yes, from what I understand the Morag Tong got him, or atleast that’s what our friends in Deshaan say anyway.” The Argonian said as he finished looking through the small amount of goods Itylra had brought him. “still it means that someone else will be getting it, hopefully they are going to be as profitable as the last one for our trade.” The Argonian said as he dropped a large sack of coins onto the table.

“How much is in there, Dumat?” Itylra asked as she looked at the Argonian, Dumat was a large male Argonian covered in dark purple scales with golden eyes and small white spikes in a crown shape on his head before two large ivory white horns stood on top of his head.

“The merchandise is good, very good I must say, I will see about the rest of your haul later but rest easy in knowing you have earned a VERY fair sum.” The man said and Itylra raised an eyebrow before glancing down at the slip of paper the Argonian slid in front of her and her eyes widened seeing the figure.

“Need to visit that place more often then.” Itylra said as she took the bag and looked at Dumat. “Pleasure doing business with you.” She said as she turned to leave.

“And with you Dear lady, please come by when you require my services again.” The Argonian called after her as he started putting away his new merchandise.

Itylra soon made her way outside the small ruins that made up the village and after glancing around to make sure she wasn’t being followed quickly dashed into the marshlands that she now called home. Blackmarsh was a far cry from anywhere else Itylra had lived, in fact it was the opposite from the deserts of Hammerfell where she had spent a fair amount of her life. Soon she approached her destination a large treehouse built far up one of the larger trees within the swamps of Blackmarsh and she scampered up the side of the tree reaching the small landing where a familiar feline figure sat waiting for her, flipping a dagger from one hand to the other.

“How did it go?” Varharel asked looking up at Itylra as the woman smiled and sat opposite him on top of a crate full of ore her husband had ordered and one of Dumat’s siblings had brought to them.

“We’ve made enough out of that heist for me to be able to retire quite comfortably now.” Itylra said sincerely as she smiled at him. “You did well Varharel, definitely better than that little kitten I found in Balmora.” She said as she reached forwads and messed up the fur at the top of her adopted son’s head.

“I had an amazing teacher.” He said with a smile and a purr to his voice before he looked at her. “Thanks for taking me in Mom.” He said and Itylra paused a bit a small surge of pride in her chest.

“Couldn’t exactly leave you there Varharel, you wouldn’t have survived.” She said before smiling “you’re a good kid, but for the love of Y’ffre please don’t call me Mom when there’s other people around.” She said with a smile as Varharel purred in amusement a mischievous glint in his eye.

“I’ll be careful, mom.” He said as he continued to loudly purr to the point Itylra could feel the vibrations through the floorboards.

“I don’t know where you get that attitude from.” Itylra said a moment of silence falling before the two started laughing and stood up. “come on kiddo, let’s get your cut sorted, you did good on this one.” Itylra said as they began to walk inside their home.