Beneath the Surface VII

(Warning: This chapter alludes to child abuse.)

I vaguely hear Inigo continue to speak to the old soldier as I head to the impressive steel door.

I come up to the door, pausing a moment before make a fist and knocking heavily on it before faintly hearing a stumbling noise on the other side before Esbern slides the view slot open slightly to shout, "Go away!"

"Come on, Esbern. Is that any way to treat your saviors?" I say leaning againt the door.

"E-esbern?! I don't know who that is! Now, l-leave!" Esbern shouts in denial.

"Well, that's a shame, especially since the Thalmor are looking to hunt him down and I specifically came down here to save him from them... Looks like I'll have to get going then." I say with a non-commital shrug as I prepare to turn around and walk away.

"W-wait, I... It seems... I may be trapped like a rat, and I could use your help to get out of this... Predicament... But, how can I know I can trust you, what if you are an agent of the Thalmor?" Esbern calls out to me in a panic, afraid to be left behind but equally afraid of leaving the safety of his hiding hole.

"Now, Esbern, as the Dragonborn, how could I possibly want any harm to come to a member of the Blades?" I tell him as I turn around, my charming smile hidden behind my face covering.

"W-what did you just say? D-dragonborn? Then there is still hope! Quickly, you better hurry inside, there could still be more Thalmor agents about these sewers! Just give me a moment." Esbern says excitedly as he hurridly begins to undue all the locks and bracers keeping the door secured.

"Almost there." Esbern says after a couple more locks.

"Just one more... There we go, come, come. Make yourself at home." Esbern says, ushering me inside his little abode. While M'rissi, Inigo, and the old Imperial remain outside. With M'rissi moving to the upper level for a better vantage point.

"That's better, now we can really talk." Esbern says as he begins to prepare what looks to be tea, motioning to a small table and chairs.

I take a seat, noticing the stark difference between the interior of this cozy panic room and the damp, dark sewer it's located in.

After a couple moments Esbern returns with the tea in hand, giving me one as he takes a seat looking to me with awe and trepidation as he asks, "Are you truly the Dragonborn?"

"Well, unless the Greybeards, the Jarl of Whiterun, and several dozen guards are wrong, I'm the Dragonborn." I tell him with a slight chuckle as I sniff the tea. It smells of lavender and juniper berries.

"Then, there is still hope for all of us yet. I felt so useless, waiting for our approaching doom." Esbern says as he sips his tea with a sigh of relief.

"Our doom? I'm sure you're not just refering to the dragons?" I question him as I sip the tea, savoring the sweet calming flavor.

"Pah! Dragons can be killed like any beast, we Blades killed countless dragons in the early days of our order. But it is their return that is a sign for the End of Days." Esbern explains after deriding the threat of the returning dragons.

"You mean the return of Alduin, yes? The dragon from the dawn of time who is said to devour the souls of the dead and whose hunger will consume the world?" I say, rehashing a bit of what I remember Esbern saying during this quest.

Esbern looks at me in surprise with wide eyes, "It seems all is not lost if you already know of the prophecy... So, you must know that it is only the Dragonborn who can stop Alduin. But, we should hurry out of here and to another safe place to continue planning. Give me a moment to gather my things, and I'll be ready to go." Esbern says, finishing his tea before running around the small room sifting through several piles of books and other junk.

I quickly finish my tea, leaving the room, curious if another group of Thalmor will return or if we had killed them all.

I see Inigo helping the old imperial into a spare set of leather armor he had been carrying, confusing me slightly.

"What did I miss?" I ask, looking between the two.

"My friend, after speaking with Silvanius here, I thought he could be of great help to us back at home. I hope you do not mind my inviting him to join us?" Inigo explains to me somewhat sheepishly.

"Of course, so long as we aren't kidnapping him." I say with a laugh before I catch a glimpse of movement on the lower level.

I hold my hand up, silencing everyone before motioning towards the lower level.

M'rissi and Inigo pull out their bows and I form an ice spike as I look at the entrance I had seen the motion earlier.

"Come out, and I'll only shoot the one leg!" I threaten causing a small figure to be launched out of the darkness tumbling down in a small heap.

"You can have her! Just leave me be, I don't want any trouble!" A sleazy voice calls out from the darkness of the tunnel.

It's then I recognize the unconscious bloody heap as the little girl who had scammed Inigo and M'rissi earlier and I can already feel my blood go cold as I look at the barely breathing figure.

I jump over the short railing before landing below with a Thump...

I walk over to the little girl, see several large bruises on her face and a deep gash across her forehead. Her breathing, a raspy wheeze as she's barely able to drink the health potion I give her.

Her eyes flutter open slightly, as she looks up at me in fear, "P-please, I gave him the money so don't send me to the Thieves Guild... P-please... Don't..." The young girl begs before passing out once more and I'm left with several questions, but all of which are taking a back seat to the growing rage building in my chest.

"Inigo... Please take her..." I tell him as I gently cradle the girl and hand her over to him, before turning my attention to the tunnel and the figure barely hiding within its shadows.