Oblivion short 9
Feb. 17th, 2007 09:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cmdr_zoomAldos Othran was on the ground, bleeding out from a mortal wound. He was sober now, but that shocked awareness was fading from his eyes. His lips moved, forming a word - his dead wife's name? - and then he was gone.
Thag rounded on the shaken guardsman. "What in Oblivion was that?"
The guardsman swallowed, some of the color returning to his face. "You saw. He came at me with a knife!"
"So you killed him!"
"I had to defend myself!" the guard snapped. "What was I supposed to do?"
"Find another way!" Thag roared. They were standing toe to toe now. "Call for help, grab the knife... take the hit, that's what armor's for! Knock him out, knock him down, but don't kill a man just for being drunk and angry!"
"If you don't like it, take it up with Captain Leland!" the guardsman blustered. "D-don't make me fine you too!"
Thag scowled and took a step back. Searching his pouches and pockets, he found one of the assorted rings he'd picked up in his travels (silver, with an emerald setting) and bounced it off the man's chest. "Keep the change," he snarled, and stalked off in search of Llevana Nedaren.
The dark elf woman knew something was wrong even before he told her. Thag could tell that she was horrified, and angry, and guilty for her part in provoking the town drunk into his final, fatal confrontation - because he shared those feelings. But when she suggested luring the corrupt captain of the guard to a private meeting where revenge might be had, the orc hesitated, fighting his own instincts.
"I have the Count's ear; I saved his son's life," Thag told her. "I know how you feel... but give me one more chance to get justice instead of blood." Reluctantly, she agreed.
And after a talk with Ulrich's honest lieutenant, and the discovery of an incriminating letter, justice WAS done. As the surly captain was led away to the dungeons, however, Nedaren confessed to not being fully satisfied.
"I'm still saddened that there'll be no true retribution for Aldos. When I was growing up in Vvardenfell, my parents taught me 'an eye for an eye.' It's hard not to see that through."
Thag nodded in solemn sympathy, then left the lady's side and walked over to one of the guards in the arrest party - the same guard who'd been posted outside Othran's confiscated house. He tapped the man on the shoulder to get his attention, and when the guard turned, punched him out.
"That's how you put a man down without killing him," the orc observed to the unconscious guard, then turned and walked away. No one tried to stop him.
Thag rounded on the shaken guardsman. "What in Oblivion was that?"
The guardsman swallowed, some of the color returning to his face. "You saw. He came at me with a knife!"
"So you killed him!"
"I had to defend myself!" the guard snapped. "What was I supposed to do?"
"Find another way!" Thag roared. They were standing toe to toe now. "Call for help, grab the knife... take the hit, that's what armor's for! Knock him out, knock him down, but don't kill a man just for being drunk and angry!"
"If you don't like it, take it up with Captain Leland!" the guardsman blustered. "D-don't make me fine you too!"
Thag scowled and took a step back. Searching his pouches and pockets, he found one of the assorted rings he'd picked up in his travels (silver, with an emerald setting) and bounced it off the man's chest. "Keep the change," he snarled, and stalked off in search of Llevana Nedaren.
The dark elf woman knew something was wrong even before he told her. Thag could tell that she was horrified, and angry, and guilty for her part in provoking the town drunk into his final, fatal confrontation - because he shared those feelings. But when she suggested luring the corrupt captain of the guard to a private meeting where revenge might be had, the orc hesitated, fighting his own instincts.
"I have the Count's ear; I saved his son's life," Thag told her. "I know how you feel... but give me one more chance to get justice instead of blood." Reluctantly, she agreed.
And after a talk with Ulrich's honest lieutenant, and the discovery of an incriminating letter, justice WAS done. As the surly captain was led away to the dungeons, however, Nedaren confessed to not being fully satisfied.
"I'm still saddened that there'll be no true retribution for Aldos. When I was growing up in Vvardenfell, my parents taught me 'an eye for an eye.' It's hard not to see that through."
Thag nodded in solemn sympathy, then left the lady's side and walked over to one of the guards in the arrest party - the same guard who'd been posted outside Othran's confiscated house. He tapped the man on the shoulder to get his attention, and when the guard turned, punched him out.
"That's how you put a man down without killing him," the orc observed to the unconscious guard, then turned and walked away. No one tried to stop him.