An Unlikely Alliance Ch. 02

She laughed bitterly, "Come to think of it, you probably wouldn't have walked across the road for me if I'd sent a courier here today."

"Wait," Iman said, "I'm really sorry Basmah. I – I know I don't have any right to ask you for this, but I knew they were here very recently. The guards arrested one for sneaking in over the wall. They have him in the keep's cells.

You could find out from him where Kemaatu is hiding."

"I don't care where Kemaatu is hiding," Basmah said, "Weren't you listening? I only want one thing now – to live my own life without you in it."

While Iman sat trying to process it, feeling the cold hand of fear on her heart, Basmah was down the stairs and gone.

Iman took a deep breath after a few minutes and went downstairs as well, back to being Saadia the barmaid again.

Basmah made her way back out into the street and smiled to herself. This just might work if she was careful. She asked for directions and walked.

The only thing was that she knew that she had to deal with Kemaatu soon anyway.

For sure, if they got to Iman, the first thing that she'd try to buy her way out with would be to offer up the name of the one who'd been killing them off for so long.

Basmah knew Iman. She knew her well.

She also knew that selling her former protector out wouldn't buy Iman a thing.

–––––––––––––-

When he walked in, his aunt was looking down, reading a recipe. She didn't miss a beat though, telling him to look around to his heart's content, sure that she had something for everyone.

"It's me, Aunt Arcadia," he smiled, "Janus."

She looked up and flew around the counter to hug him, "Janus!"

She stood hugging him tightly for a moment and then she drew back to look at him, "Look at you, a fine grown man at last!

We'll have to fight the women of this town off with sticks at least!"

She hugged him again, "Ohhh, you feel so good to hold. I was worried while I waited for you."

He smiled, "Mother sent the letter only a week before I left."

"I know," Arcadia said, her words muffled from her face being pressed against his neck, "but I worried anyway. Have you eaten anything today? I can whip something together in a minute."

He wondered when she was going to let go, and she wasn't showing any signs of it happening any time soon – since one of her hands had already made the trip down to caress his ass lightly.

He sighed. So all of the family was this way. "No, but I'm fine for now. You don't need to make anything for me."

It wasn't really what he'd have ever wanted, but he'd had to leave and his aunt had agreed to take him for a time so she could teach him her craft, so that he could run the shop in her absence.

He was getting a little alarmed at the way that is aunt was working her hips, thrusting against him slowly. It was almost as though she wanted to start something.

"Mother said that it was best for me to come," he said, "She told me that you were wanting to visit back home in Cyrodil for a while."

She nodded, kissing his throat now, "It's been twenty years, Janus. I've got a good living here, but though I'm sure that I've fucked with every single guard and half the men in town, no one seems to want to keep me in their beds on a permanent basis and I'm running out of time to make a little one of my own."

She sighed, "So it's going to have to be Father."

Janus groaned, "Aunt Arcadia, are you sure that's what you really want?"

She drew back and looked into his eyes, "No, but it's about all that's left for me. I've even gone out of my way to get nailed on nights when I knew that I was fertile, but so far, nothing. Why?"

He looked uncomfortable. "There is a limit," he said, "You run the risk of making an idiot."

Arcadia nodded, "It is possible, but look around. Half the men here are idiots."

"There's more to it," he said, "Hasn't it ever occurred to you that there's something wrong with Grandfather? Look, he's your father and mine too – and my grandfather. You don't see anything wrong with that?"

She smiled, "In some ways, yes. But it also gets me going a little to think that I've got such a gorgeous little brother as you."

She was back to holding him tightly and pushing with her hips again.

"Did Mother ever tell you the reason why I'm here – besides to learn how to man your store while you're making a kid with your own father? He was trying his best to get me to hold still for him!"

"Well that's just wrong," Arcadia said as she took his hand to lead him back behind the counter, "though there's nothing wrong with a little family love, now and then. That's what our family has always done. All us girls know that it's best for our males to keep them flowing."

Janus didn't reply. He hadn't minded helping his mother out now and then, but it had gotten pretty deep into stupid to his mind. He wondered who she was fucking now.

Probably her dog, he thought with a smirk to himself.

Or maybe the coat rack.

"We can get started teaching you later today," Arcadia smiled as she reached into his trousers. "In the meantime, you've had nothing since you left home. I'm your aunt –"

"And my half-sister," he sighed, wanting to remind her, but doubting that it would do any good, "Besides, It's only been a week and a day or so."

"Never mind," Arcadia smiled up as she got to her knees, "I've been waiting for this, now that you're of age and everything."

She leaned in to kiss his hardening prick; cooing a little over what she said was his 'good size'.

Janus sighed, looking down as she began to suckle him really well. This was why he'd had reservations about coming here. It had been talked of all of his life as far back as he could remember. Once he'd understood it, he'd hoped that his aunt – who really was lovely – could and would find a man here.

To hear his mother speak of it to him in her bed most nights, Arcadia's failure was due to the men in Whiterun being dull Nords for the most part and that was it. Personally, he wondered if the way that his mother and his aunt were so pushy didn't have a thing or seven to do with it.

He ran his fingers into his aunt's hair and she moaned to feel it. She was lovely, he thought. But she was related to him in probably more ways than he even knew about, so this wasn't helping much. He just wanted to get this over with. As much as he liked getting sucked, it would be by someone else if he had a say in it.

His thoughts drifted a little and he remembered the Khajiit girl. He really hoped that it all hadn't just been to set the stage for his eventual robbery. He hoped that he wasn't being just a young fool, but he did like her and he wanted to know her and her ways.

His aunt began to make appreciative noises and Janus realized that his thoughts had driven ...

He groaned loudly as he came into his aunt's mouth. She sucked and swallowed as fast as she could and in a little while, she licked every drop that had gotten away from her, eventually standing up to hug and kiss him.

"I've waited eighteen years for that, Janus," she smiled, "You're a fine and virile man in our family. Thank you, I really needed that."

"I know, Aunt Arcadia," he said softly, "I needed it too."

He was lying and he didn't like it, but he didn't see any other way here.

"I told you us girls in the family know what to do for our men," she smiled.

He nodded, wishing with all of his heart that he could see the cat-girl again.

Or maybe one of the males.

–––––––––––––

Looking at Irileth the Jarl's housecarl in the main hall of the keep, Basmah said, "I've come to see the Jarl. I have information about the Alik'r warriors who keep coming around."

Irileth shook her head, "I don't know what you're t-"

Basmah said, "Yes you do – unless you're a really lousy housecarl. There's one in your cells downstairs right now. He's just the only one that you've caught.

They come in groups, Irileth. The Alik'r are famed as scouts and sneaks – and they never, ever come alone. If your men caught one, then at least one other one got in and out again."

That bought her an audience.

It wasn't all that difficult convincing the Jarl that the Alik'r were a formidable force and even in pairs, he'd be losing guards over little other than trying to arrest them. It would be the next part of her plan that could very likely be tough.

"There were five of them out on the road here today," she said, "You might need something a little more ... along the lines of what they are themselves in order to deal with them effectively."

"And I suppose that you know someone like this?" He asked.

"I've killed over a hundred of them by myself over the last while," she said with a small smile.

"You can call it a personal thing if you want. My family's house was wiped right out of existence by them in the war, men, women, grandmothers and children," she lied, "They only missed one, but I've made that mistake hurt them, believe me."

"What do you want out of this?" Irileth asked before the Jarl did.

"Little from you here," Basmah said, "My companions and I would like to live here for a time at least. I've learned that the most powerful leader of the Alik'r is hiding near here somewhere. I just don't know where yet. I can probably get that out of the one in your cells, but he'll never talk unless I offer to give him something.

From you, I need only two things. Let me give him his freedom. He'll run and never come back and –"

"We're supposed to believe that he won't run straight to them?" The Jarl asked skeptically, "Is that your great plan? To follow him?"

Basmah shook her head, "See, that's why you need me.

You haven't got a clue about how they think and act. Going back to them would be worth his life and he knows that. He was caught. That means that to them, he's already dead and it's a one-way thing to them. If he runs to them, they'll kill him on principle, and then they'll be tipped off and hide even deeper.

All I need from him is where they are.

What I need from you is permission to free him in exchange for that – and I'll pay his fine myself because I want them that badly. After it's done, you give me and my companions permission to enter the city and live here quietly, that's all. If any more come, we'll deal with them for you."

"And who are these companions?" Jarl Balgruuf asked.

Basmah sighed, "That's the thing, my lord. They are two Khajiit if both come, though they're honest ones – very honest. I will certainly want to have one of them with me for this and both if I can manage it – and with your permission. I happen to have heard that you allow one Khajiit to live within the walls now. One of these – if you allow it – would probably be a little more ... visible, you might say, but he will trouble no one. On that, I give my word as an ... "

She smiled sadly, "Ex-noble daughter and fighter of the ruined city of Teneth – a city which tore it's own heart out in a civil war because one side was aided by the Thalmor. It didn't buy them anything in the end, but Teneth lies in ruins still."

––––––––––––––-

Kneeling in some shrubs which grew next to a few large stones, he shifted slightly, very slowly, trying to ensure that the cramped position which gave him the view that he needed didn't also cut off his circulation. Nothing like waiting and then suddenly needing to jump up and act only to find that your legs and feet have gone to sleep.

It can be embarrassing ... if not fatal.

In the middle distance, he was looking at rock formations, upon which were built the outer defences of the city of Whiterun. He saw bored-looking guards who looked out in his direction at times – when they weren't yawning or scratching their privates – or getting into conversations with other guards who should really have stayed at the posts which had been assigned to them.

He and his companion were alright here, he knew. These dolts wouldn't recognise a threat if it bit off their balls. They didn't represent any potential trouble for the two of them. It was that they'd just gotten here and didn't know the lay of the land. Closer in was the problem – of one of them, potentially.

There before him, he was looking at a clearing used by Khajiit traders, now empty save for one small tent, the usual Khajiit campfire, now much smaller than most usually kept it ...

And one Khajiit, who sat near it, looking into the flames morosely.

She was absolutely lovely, he thought, and it saddened him a little. If he moved much to change position, she'd notice the movement. She was a Khajiit, of course.

The guards weren't a problem, but she was.

It was only evening and not full dark yet. They could get past most people easily if it was nighttime. Even the excellent low-light vision of the Khajiit wouldn't be a problem in most cases.

But they needed to get into the city somehow and if nothing changed very soon, they'd have to kill her.

It was something that he would have hated to do, but ...

He saw a motion up above along the wall. There was a lookout post up there, totally enclosed, but for some shuttered windows – openings in the masonry, really, and at least one door. There was someone up there, looking out.

Without moving, he looked up slowly, his dark mask preventing the usual flash of a face which tended to draw the eye automatically in most people. As he looked, his pulse quickened and he began to stare as he silently counted to five before shifting his gaze slightly – again so as not to be noticed.

He looked down slightly after that.

It was her.

She was looking out and down after a moment as though she was trying to see the Khajiit by the fire. Then she was gone and the window was empty.

After a moment, the door opened and she ran along the wall, headed this way.

He didn't know what it might have meant to her, but he knew what it meant to them, he and his partner here.

Almost a year looking and now they'd found her.

––––––––––––––––-

Basmah's talk with the prisoner had gone well, on balance. She was fairly confident that he didn't see anyone other than a female in armour which was unfamiliar to him wearing a cloak overtop with her hood drawn up and she was careful to hide her accent.

He'd been reluctant at first, but she pointed out that he still had his fingernails, so if he wanted to be a prick about it, she'd be happy to teach the guards what to do and how. But she offered his freedom instead and gotten what she'd wanted out of him.

Basmah had to force herself not to run on her way back to where the Khajiit were camped. She kept it down to a bare trot as she ran up some steps near the gates to the city and then ran along a wall, going higher on, onward until she came to a lookout room, walled on all sides and enclosed to keep the weather out.

It was only used in times of war and possibly against a siege, so on one had been there for a long time, but she had the key.

The jarl had met her more than halfway, granting access to her and no more than the two Khajiit and even giving them the place so look out from. Really, it was a room with a firepit, now that she looked at it, but it was better than sleeping outside.

She ran out the other door and worked her way along the battlements to where the wall overlooked the Khajiit camp and she looked down.

It wasn't what she'd have expected to see.

They were gone.

All of the tents and the Khajiit, even the skinning racks.

All that was left was one small tent, the fire, now burned much lower, and one Khajiit.

Dyla.

She sat alone by the fire in the gathering gloom of the early evening, looking uncertain.

She called down to Dyla and promised to be there in a minute. Dyla looked up and nodded and her relieved-looking smile almost gave Basmah's feet wings as she ran the rest of the way to her.

–––––––––––––––

So the one they were here for knew the Khajiit out there in front of him. A little interesting, he thought, but another unknown for the moment.

But it had been enough to give them the break that he'd been hoping for.

The one that they were here for was coming down and the one out there was looking toward the place where she'd emerge.

He motioned silently to his companion. They got to their feet and with a quick look at the guards; they sprinted to the rock wall in front of them.

As busy as always and forever calculating and evaluating what was presented to them, they were now climbing the rock face, headed up the wall quickly, and ...

A little pleased that they now wouldn't have to kill the pretty Khajiit girl for having the poor luck to be in their way.

–––––––––––––-

They hugged each other tightly, looking more like they'd been apart for a month before Basmah asked what had happened. "Where is Do'Tanaht?"

Dyla looked very uncomfortable, "He is gone, Basmah.

The master asked him many things about what he wished for and what he wished to do. Do'Tanaht said that he wanted to wait for Basmah, the friend that he'd made and the master said that Basmah would probably not return – because the people here do not trust Khajiit and will often tell them anything.

Do'Tanaht said that he would stay if he could, and then the master said that he now had some trouble. There were not enough Khajiit to carry all that needed to be carried, if Do'Tanaht did not go with him.

So the master offered Do'Tanaht more pay – much more pay – if he came with the rest. He told Do'Tanaht that he could return with them on the next trip and see Basmah then."

Dyla looked down, clearly ashamed, "This one does not know what to say, Basmah.

She - she tried to tell Do'Tanaht that you WOULD come back and what would you think to see him not here? That one looked uncertain for a moment and then he told this one that he wanted the extra gold and would come back on the next trip."

Basmah's gaze dropped slowly, "I ... understand. But ... what is Dyla doing here?"

Dyla looked up, her eyes blazing a little. She was silent for a moment and then she said, "This one must bear the shame of her family. Do'Tanaht is her cousin and he gave his word and now breaks it for gold. Dyla met Basmah this day and she likes her very much. She wants to know her and hopes that what her cousin did does not change things between her and Basmah."

She looked down, "This one has left Ri'Saad's service over it. She asked for her pay and turned to come back to wait for you and say as she has told of it."

Basmah was very disappointed and a little unhappy, but she was also surprised and pleased over what Dyla had done. She didn't like the fact that Dyla now had no job, but on the other hand ...

She smiled, "Basmah found a friend this day, even still. This one if happy for it and ... "

She looked at Dyla for a moment, "Dyla, you can fight, yes? You look this way to me. I will need to find someone in a day or maybe two and kill him, one at least, maybe more. Can you help me?"

Dyla grinned and nodded, "This one is not as mighty as her cousin, but she can fight. She had her job with the master for longer that her cousin. With blades or a bow, she will stand beside you."

Basmah grinned, feeling much better and she hugged Dyla tightly. "Thank you, Dyla. Thank you. This one knows her luck to have such a friend."

"This one met a man just as Khajiit were leaving," Dyla said, "The master was angry with this one over it. Maybe this one can find the boy she met and liked. He told her that he would look for her. Dyla thinks that Basmah might like her, but if she can do things well, then two girls might have a male to play with even without Do'Tanaht."

Basmah stared for a moment and then threw her head back and laughed, "Oh Dyla," she chuckled, "You must stay with me. You make me feel better more and more."

Dyla looked around, "What is to be done here? Do we stay here?"