Across The Pond

Vallius stared at the one eared Khajiit as she moved towards him, she was fast but she was far enough away that it gave Vallius a short window to think.

Vallius quickly turned to the middle aged man and demanded "your dagger, give it to me, now!"

"Wait what?" stammered the man.

'I don't have time for this' Vallius thought as he turned back to Shotherra. Vallius saw the glimmer of her sword and jumped to the side, but he wasn't quick enough. The sword cut deep into the left side of his torso but it didn't appear to have hit anything major.

Vallius was clutching his side, wounded and defenselessness he had to think of a plan quick. Vallius decided to fall back on what he did have, at least until he could get close enough to something he could use as a weapon, his wit, and hopefully it would stall her long enough.

"Even you have to admit this is crazy Shotherra, what is this all for? Do you even know?" Vallius said.

"I don't care, I do what I'm told. I don't need more, perhaps that is the difference between you and I Vallius. I accept the cards fate deals me and don't question it. You have your moral code too high for this kind of thing, it's like a kid in his room at night, finding monsters where there are non."

"What's worse? A boy afraid of the dark or an adult afraid of the light? Afraid of the reality of things in her life? The most sinister aspect of you is your detachment Shotherra, your ability to distance yourself from your feelings. It isn't right and it isn't normal. I refuse to believe that you have always been like this."

"Oh please, you aren't going to give me a whole, 'I know there is good in you' thing are you? Because if you are then I might as well kill you now" Shotherra said lightly.

Vallius was running out of ideas, he was backing away from Shotherra and he had no idea which direction he was moving. He quickly bumped into a building and walked along the side, still facing Shotherra, as he looked for a handle of a door. Once he found the door he walked inside and ran further in to grab a weapon.

"A church? You have got to be kidding me" Vallius muttered under his breath.

"A chapel huh? Want to get a last prayer in I see. Well make it quick, I still have to end that miserable family you were trying to protect."

The priest were huddling in the corner waiting for Shotherra to move so they can make a run for the door. It was midday on a weekday so there wasn't anyone else in the church. The Priest didn't understand what was going on, all they saw were two people dressed in Dark Brotherhood uniforms, one with a deep wound and the other with a sword. They didn't want to be there for whatever was about to happen.

Vallius walked further in, drawing Shotherra in after him. She was taking her time, toying with Vallius. The priest ran out of the door.

"Cowards" Shotherra muttered.

Vallius was at the alter now, out of places to run and nothing to fight with. Nothing, except a book on the alter. 'That's ridiculousness, what can I do with this? Vallius thought.

Vallius didn't have time to ponder, Shotherra was moving towards him and he didn't have anywhere to go. He grabbed the book and brought it up to his chest as Shotherra thrust her sword forward. The book stopped the sword and Shotherra hissed, Vallius smiled.

Shotherra yanked her sword out of the book and thrust again. This time Vallius opened the book about half way, side stepped, and closed it on her sword. The book closed in on the sword and Vallius pushed it up until he had leverage at the hilt and he twisted the book so that the sword was swung out Shotherra's hands and onto the floor.

Vallius laughed and said "what are you going to do no-" his taunt was interrupted with a heavy, soft, fluffy paw came across his face, claws extended. Vallius was bleeding now but he didn't look away from Shotherra, the smile now gone from his face.

"Did you forget I have claws, or was getting killed a different way all part of your plan?" Shotherra said triumphantly.

"Maybe it is all part of my plan Shotherra, and maybe I know what I'm doing" Vallius said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I can't wait to shut that mouth of yours up" Shotherra said, swinging her paw again. Vallius ducked underneath the swing and brought his fist up, punching her in the chin. Shotherra stumbled back and Vallius ran over and picked up the sword, kicking the book under the rows of public seating.

Shotherra's sword was heavier than what Vallius was used to but it wasn't beyond his ability to control.

Shotherra recovered from the punch quickly but by the time she was preparing for another strike Vallius already had her sword. She stopped mid swing, contemplating her next move.

"Your move, kitty cat" Vallius taunted.

Just then the doors to the church opened and in walked one of the priest and the guard Vallius was ordered to kill, named Belisarius.

"Now what do we have here?" asked Belisarius. The Priest left after he saw Belisarius was where he needed to be.

Shotherra remained silent, staring at Vallius with her claws extended but in front of her body.

"Khajiit, I'm talking to you" Belisarius called out, drawing his sword and moving forward.

Shotherra remained silent, allowing Belisarius to move closer and closer until.

"I said I was talking to you" Belisarius said lowly and he grabbed Shotherra by the shoulder and spun her around. Shotherra grabbed him by the throat, claws digging into his neck as she chocked the life out of the young guard.

Belisarius dropped his sword as he clawed the air as Shotherra slowly ended his life.

"No!" Vallius yelled. Shotherra let go and stepped to this side as Vallius thrust his sword for her. But instead of the sword finding it's way into the furry flesh of the female Khajiit, Shotherra helped guide it into the guard on his knees as he gasped for air.

Shotherra kicked Vallius and twisted the sword outward, making the wound Belisarius had received even bigger, guaranteeing he would bleed out. Vallius was now on the floor and Shotherra had forced his sword into someone he had said he would protect not one hour ago.

"Any last words?" asked Shotherra.

"Yes, just three" Vallius responded, staring Shotherra strait in the face.

A moment of awkward silence passed as Shotherra waited to hear what Vallius was going to say and Vallius said nothing.

"Oh, Kay?" Shotherra said as she raised her sword to strike and as she brought it down Vallius grabbed the sword that Belisarius had dropped and brought it up to defend himself. The sound of steel clashing echo'd in the great acoustics of the church.

Vallius rolled to the side, dodging Shotherra's second swing.

"Why won't you just lay down and die" Shotherra yelled out as Vallius got to his feet and raised his sword.

"Shotherra, I think I'll make you into a nice rug. How does that sound?" Vallius asked.

Shotherra screamed and ran forward. Vallius brought his sword upward and once again, steel met steel. Clash after clash, echo after echo the sounds of their fighting could be heard from the streets outside. Guards were coming now, the fight would have to be ended now or both of them would hang.

Vallius swung his sword from the side and Shotherra blocked it, and while Vallius was locked in another power struggle Shotherra brought her clawed paw up, striking for Vallius' throat and missing by a few inches.

Both were exhausted from the fight but neither was prepared to quit. Shotherra was slipping, the effort she had to put forth was greater because she had been an assassin most her life. She didn't have to get in many fair fights as most of her targets were unarmed. Being a legionnaire gave Vallius more stamina and preparedness for long winded battles. Shotherra was losing, and she knew it.

Vallius began a barrage of strikes, using the last of his energy to beat the fight out of Shotherra. Shotherra raised her sword but her strength was fleeting, and after the sixth rapid swing her sword was knocked clean out of her hands and she had fallen to her knees.

Vallius stopped swinging. He and Shotherra both were breathing heavily. Vallius looked down at Shotherra and asked in a very gentle tone "anything you want to say before I end this?"

"Just hurry up and get it over with, I could have killed ten men while you're messing around, asking me questions" Shotherra spat.

"Aren't you at least remorseful?" asked Vallius, more curious than angered.

"I've had a lot of fun and I've enjoyed every minute of it, I can die happy. But if you want some real last words then I'll tell you this Vallius. Beware, be watchful of every corner because no one invokes the wrath of Sithis and lives" Shotherra said, smiling up at Vallius.

"I'll try to keep that in mind" Vallius said flatly as he brought his sword down on Shotherra's left shoulder, cutting deep into her torso and through her heart, killing her almost immediately. Vallius kicked Shotherra's corpse off of the sword and dropped the weapon.

Vallius walked over to the corpse of the young guard Belisarius and grabbed his sword and sheath and began to fit it back onto his belt.

"I should get out of here" Vallius muttered to himself.