Contagion of Madness

F O U R

Jayred's loud snoring is interrupted by a slap across the face from Shae and he wakes suddenly.

"Get up. We need to go, now," she tells him.

He frowns in offense and rubs his cheek. "Ow..."

She groans with frustration, just rolling her eyes before she leaves from the room to get ready to go.

"I think she likes you, friend." Jorin chuckles from outside Jayred's room looking in. He then turns back, heading out with Shae.

Jayred lifts his brows and then smiles at that thought. But he soon jumps out of bed.

"What did you say?" Shae questions Jorin, squinting because she didn't hear what he told Jayred.

"Just motivating him to get out of bed." He shrugs with a smirk.

She doesn't think more of it and goes back to fixing her bag onto her belt. She then pulls her hair into a tight bun to not get in the way during their heist.

The Nord comes out with a bow and a quiver of arrows at his back, along with his trusty war axe as well. He looks at them with that crazy eye again. "It's bone time," he says with anticipation.

Shae manages to hide a laugh and exchanges a look with Jorin.

(track: "Data, Data, Data" by Hans Zimmer)

The three of them peer around the corner of one of the houses in the village, watching Shelden talking with Felas outside in the dim light.

"I think she's just confused," the elf says.

"Well obviously she should have talked to me," the Redgard replies.

"Why? Your cooking is worse than your dancing."

"Okay. Just because you got projectile vomit that one time doesn't mean..."

Shae rolls her eyes and drowns out their conversation so she can turn to the other two. "How do we get past them?" she whispers.

"We could kill them," Jayred says.

"What?" Shae asks with confusion.

"Or not..." he shakes his head and looks down.

Jorin stares with a deadpan look. "Don't you have magic? How about that? Or, we could use the tried and true method of going around them."

"Oh so you're picking now to be a smartass?" she gets in his face.

"Only when you're around, princess." He replies.

She growls through her teeth. "Oh what have I done to the gods to deserve working with such a stuck up, piece of skeever dung?" she adds to herself.

"Probably stealing an amulet blessed by them." He says plainly.

"I told you if you ever mentioned—"

"Oh! I have an idea," Jayred says with excitement.

"This better be good," she tells him, frustrated now.

His excitement instantly melts and he just decides against it.

She rolls her eyes and looks at Jorin. "Go cause a distraction," she tells him.