Murphy's Law

Chapter 17

Luck was with them when they started their search. People around the city were still talking about the masked duo that had passed through- Dunmer, judging by their accents. "If they came through here, they must have come from Solstheim rather than Morrowind," Bruce mused. "I know a captain who sails to the island regularly."

However, when they reached the docks, said captain, and his ship, were nowhere to be found. "They must have used him to head back," Mayhem guessed. "What now?"

"Shame we don't have Iron-Tail with us. We could just build our own ship otherwise," Lucy sighed. "As it is, I certainly don't know the way."

"We may not have to," Bruce called over to them. They turned in his direction.

"What are you talking about?" He simply pointed.

Lucy tilted her head, puzzling out what it was he was pointing out. It took her a moment to realize that the strange, almost sickly green glow on the horizon wasn't the usual colors that dazzled the night sky in the north. "What is that?"

"No idea, but I know it's not anything good. Still up for building that ship?"

Lucy smirked. "You bet."

~* *~

Kitty and Iron-Tail made for an odd pair, garnering many stares as they strolled down the streets of Riften. It was a well-known fact that Khajiit and Argonians had long been enemies, so to see two such beings on obviously good terms was a sight to behold.

Especially considering that Kitty was perched on one of Iron-Tail's shoulders.

"How do you think we'll know it's him?" she wondered out loud, glancing around the market square. Most were legit vendors, though there was one guy hawking snake oil to the shopping crowd. There was also a beggar woman by one booth, holding her hands out to anyone who passed by, and another ragged-looking old man sitting near where they stood, plucking out a pleasant tune on his lyre. Shoppers were dropping coins into the tankard sitting on the edge of his mat; it looked to be nearly halfway full already.

"Mayhaps we should try the Ratways, like Penn suggested," Iron-Tail mused. Kitty wrinkled her nose.

"I don't know, that seems too obvious to me."

"Looking for someone?" the old man asked. They glanced down at him, then at each other. Kitty shrugged.

"He's as likely as anyone else to know."

"Fair enough. We be lookin' fer an old lorekeeper, goes by Vitruvius. Would ye know him?"

"What sort of lore does he keep?"

"Dragons."

"That so?" He set his lyre aside. They watched as he grabbed his half-full tankard and shuffled his way across the square, giving every coin it contained to the begging woman.

"Aww," Kitty cooed at the shocked look on her face. Iron-Tail only frowned. "What?"

"Why would a beggar not keep the coin he's earned for the day?" Kitty tilted her head as she puzzled it out. The old man shuffled his way back to them and retrieved his lyre. He stared at them expectantly; they stared back, wondering what he was waiting for.

"Well? Are you going to lead the way or not?" he finally asked.

"What are ye on about, old man?"

"You came here looking for someone. You found someone."

"Wait, are ye-"

"Oh, fizzles!" Kitty squeaked, and slid off Iron-Tail's shoulder, pushing him toward the inn.