70 Finally... I

After playing with the children and answering a bunch of their random questions, like how many weapons do I have, why is the sky blue, and who the pretty lady was that I came in with. I'm finally let go and me and M'rissi meet up with Inigo in the market.

"So how did your errand go my friend?" Inigo asks handing over the 100 septims and our new contract.

"I think it went-" I start to say before M'rissi cuts me off.

"Fluffy is crazy! She most certainly thinks! He adopted an entire orphanage!" M'rissi exclaims in shocked exasperation.

"Is this true, my friend?" Inigo asks with his eye raised.

"Yeah, what can I say? I need to put some good out in the world and not by simply taking the evil out by the end of my blade." I say accepting M'rissi's comment on my sanity.

"Well, at least you are good with children. Making you a lucky mate for whoever catches your fancy." Inigo says whistling inconspicuously as M'rissi looks away and begins mumbling something to herself.

"Stupid blue furball..." M'rissi says inaudibly mumbling the rest before something catches my eye.

I see... M'rissi? No... This girl is obviously a full-blooded human, looking to be of Breton descent. Wandering around the market aimlessly perusing the various goods. Before looking up and locking eyes with me with a sweet smile. Making my heart squeeze tightly like I can't breathe.

She walks away, down one of the many alleyways as I follow her leaving M'rissi and Inigo behind in shock, but by the time I catch up to where I'd last seen her, the alleyway she was in was deserted and I was left standing alone.

"My friend? Why did you rush off like that? Is something the matter?" Inigo asks followed quickly by a concerned M'rissi.

"Fluffy?! Are you alright? She was worried when you walked off!" M'rissi exclaims.

"I'm fine... I just... Thought I saw someone I knew?" I say uncertainly.

"Who? My friend." Inigo asks.

"I... I don't know..." I say looking around in confusion.

"Perhaps you should go and lie down my friend. Take a night in the Inn. We'll take care of shopping while you rest, sound good?" Inigo offers.

"You know... I think it's time I finally do that..." I nod listlessly in agreement before finally heading to the Inn where I purchase a room for the night.

I go upstairs, doffing my armor and gear and wearing just a pair of loose pants before writing a note that I set under the armor.

[If you guys don't see me in the morning. Don't panic. An unexpected job opportunity presented itself, which Inigo knows of, and I couldn't say no. I'll meet you back at the Tower when I'm done.]

I sign the note and set it under my armor before laying down in bed... But no sooner had I closed my eyes did I hear a knock on the door.

*Sigh* 'For fuck's sake, what could it be this time?!' I shout inside my head before the interrupter speaks.

"Fluffy... It is M'rissi... S-she would like to speak with you if you are still awake." M'rissi lightly calls from the other side of the door barely noticeable over the din of the Inn below.

I reluctantly get up and open the door just in my pants, "Something you need, kitten?"

I see M'rissi in plain merchant's clothes, fiddling with her fingers and staring at her feet while standing outside my door.

"Good, you are awake. She..." M'rissi starts to say before noticing I'm shirtless and she goes quiet... Though oddly enough, the blush she had when I opened the door disappeared as she becomes pale with a look of concern and slowly reaches to the scars that crisscross my body.

I stand still as she comes in, closing the door behind her. Slowly tracing her soft, small hands across my chest before walking behind me and making a tearful gasp as she sees the rest of the scars on my back, "Fluffy... Is like her..."

I turn back to her in confusion, seeing her hold back tears as she gently placed her hand on my scars and a memory of another time and place takes over.

I see that same Breton woman as before that looked just the same as M'rissi. Though this time, she's applying a stinging salve to my wounded back and she's wearing tattered clothing and is covered in dirt and grim. I become a passenger to the memory, the same as before.

"Ow! Easy! I'm tender!" My body exclaims in pain.

"It's your own damned fault! I don't know why I keep patching you up since you go and ruin my efforts every time you fight back against the masters!" The woman rails while applying the salve.

"Because you find my scars sexy, nakazz regaa. You kno- Ouch!" The body says before I feel a sharp digging sensation in my back.

"What was that? Did you say something?" The woman says with a chilly smile as fresh blood covers her fingers.

"No, nothing." The body says getting scared stiff.

"One day I'm going to get someone to tell me what that means and you're going to be in big trouble, Taruuk." The woman glares finishing the treatment by applying some bandages across my back.

I feel myself sweat in slight concern at the prospect, "Don't worry, Pheele. It is nothing bad. I promise."

"Hmmm, like your promises to not get in trouble?" The woman named Pheele says with a knowing glare.

"You two, stop slacking and get back to work!" A golden Altmer male says snapping a whip in the air driving my body and Pheele back into a field where they begin working on a farm alongside several dozen other slaves of various races.

And with each snap of the whip, a memory flashes quickly through my mind like a slide show. Pheele and I kissing for the first time, our tender moments in a shed at the edge of the property, our slave revolt, our journey to freedom, life in a foreign city… The moments flash quicker and quicker until I can barely process them as they flow out of my head and I'm brought back to the current moment in which I find myself seated on the bed. Coated in a chilly sweat as M'rissi is holding me closely keeping me from falling over.