Welcome to Gaia! ::

Eliya was pleased when Mora shared her name with the group, though she was a little put off by Salihn’s attitude and immature behavior. Sure the mage had hardly been welcoming or nice to the other elf, but it wasn’t as if she was being outright rude. She had after all, obliged to the other woman in offering up her name. The same could not be said for the blonde. Instead she’d became upset that the two other women did not ‘enjoy her company’ and had walked a few feet away to pout. The woman’s obvious lack of professionalism had Eliya all the more happy to distract herself with the newest member of their team.

The redheaded mage was, how to put this? A nice word would be amused, at the way the blonde elf enthusiastically greeted the newcomer. It was as if Salihn was intentionally being over friendly to the mage so that her rudeness to Eliya and Mora would be emphasized. And as if that wasn’t enough, she felt the need to extend her prestigious title, probably to make him take her seriously given her attire. Eliya didn’t care what the blonde woman said, bare legs were bare legs and it was hardly summer. The red head was only too pleased when the other woman moved back to her ever so vigilant post. Eliya found the other woman’s behavior immature and she only hoped that once their task began Salihn would be more professional. After all, it wasn’t as if they were there to make friends.

As the newcomer introduced himself Eliya nodded, the smile on her face giving no indication of her prior thoughts. Shinji, as he called himself, seemed cute in the way he spoke quickly, saying that the women had pretty names. Eliya thanked him and waited for him to speak, enjoying herself immensely as she watched him awkwardly attempt to cover his blush and change the subject. Casually she listened to him speak, surprised even by the total openness in which he spoke. When he finished and asked about the women, Eliya decided to go ahead instead of waiting for Salihn to speak up again. The blonde elf had decided to join them again, even offering up drinks, to which Eliya had simply gestured to her own half full glass and shook her head.

“I live in the Imperial City and study at the Arcane University. I am affiliated with the Mage’s Guild and have select excursions several times a year in which this happens to be one of them.” A smile was on the mage assassin’s face as she responded. Her words had been simple and held no specific detail. Though some people chose to live their lives like open books, she was not one of them. Her job often called for stealth and secrecy; this harmless conversation was no exception.

Eliya was slightly surprised when Mora mentioned that she too, like the Altmer, lived in the Imperial City and studied at the Arcane University. That was an interesting similarity between the two women. Eliya had never seen the other woman before today, but that was hardly surprising given the considerable number of citizens who attended the University of the Magi. Not to mention Mora was studying Restoration, a school that Eliya herself was not familiar with. The redhead chewed some thoughts around in her head as she listened to the others speak. As far as she could tell, Mora hadn’t seemed to have any particular response to the fact they both studied at the Arcane University, and the way the brunette Bosmer had explained that she did scouting missions for them had Eliya’s interest piqued. It seemed she had more of an arrangement with some of the staff, rather then simply attending as a regular student.

Apparently Saelihhn was attempting to re-establish her position within the group, and with a slight feeling of irritation Eliya mentally acknowledged that being at odds with anyone in her group wouldn’t be beneficial to the upcoming job at hand. She had already risen her half full glass to the blond woman in response to her offer but decided to finish her drink and take the other elf up on her offer. “Another frostdew blanc please.” The bartender nodded and a minute later another fresh glass of the cool minty liquid was in her hand.

There was a lull at the group’s table as they sat drinking their beverages. Shinji broke the silence with a question, something that Eliya herself couldn’t refrain from answering. “All the time. In a few hours Jasaiim will have talked to us and I will find myself subconsciously asleep. Tomorrow we take care of business. A few days from now….” Unintentionally Eliya’s thoughts drifted. “Well, in a few days from now I will likely be back at the University.” The mage could have stopped talking with her first sentence. Instead she had continued, however the words that followed were hardly open.

Her words were closed, blanketing her in a self protective bubble.

“Excuse me, I think some fresh air would do me good.”

Eliya left her drink on the table, along with her new found comrades and quickly made her way the short distance to the door that led outside. Once outside she stood against the wooden building, her eyes unfocused as she lost herself in the labyrinth of her mind.

Eliya rested against the building as she looked out over the water. Absently she wondered if the others thought her rude for leaving them, but as quickly as that thought surfaced it was pushed away as she realized she didn’t care much for what they thought. A job was a job. But oh…. How long had it been since she actually cared what others thought. Apathy was a double edged sword. Who have I become? What would my father think? Her father’s face surfaced in her mind’s eye as she remembered the last time she saw him, at his burial. As for funerals go it had been quite grand and many had attended…. He had after all been an Arch Mage at the University in the Imperial City. She’d had her revenge of course, against those monsters that had killed him. The evil necromancers had taken the only joy in her now joyless life. And now what was her life’s purpose? She’d spent years training to get back at those who had taken her father’s life, and now that she’d killed them what was she doing? What was her purpose? Dutifully she continued her studies at the University but other then the occasional excursions for the Mages Guild and Dark Brotherhood…..The Dark Brotherhood. What would father think of that? I’m part of a brotherhood who kill for a living. And many are innocent. I have the blood of innocents on my hands.

The door to the inn opened and with a side glance she saw it was Shinji. Internally she sighed to herself. Conversation was something she should avoid right now, that was actually part of the reason she’d left the others; she wanted to be alone to her thoughts. Usually she was fine with who she was, but recently she’d been feeling rather lonely and reminiscent. Eliya wanted to pretend she didn’t know the reason but she couldn’t lie to herself. Not when the reason was because the death of her father’s anniversary was coming up later in the week. Surprisingly Shinji did not say a word. He too seemed to have come outside to clear his thoughts, though perhaps there was simply too much estrogen inside. They stood, their backs against the small building, in silence. The wind picked up and surprised Eliya realized that the silence between them was not awkward. It was comfortable in some inexplicable way that she could not define.

The afternoon had turned to evening while they had been inside and now, outside, Eliya’s thoughts of the past were pushed back, deep down, far away into the tresses of dark memories, safely hidden away. She glanced at the man beside her only to see in the lantern light of the front door that his eyes were closed. I wonder what he’s thinking. As if in response to her thoughts he spoke. “Time surely flies…” Unsure as to whether he was speaking to her or simply vocalizing internal musings out loud Eliya refrained from speaking, however a few moments later she spoke softly. “Yes it does…..” She looked away into the night as she said this, her eyes resting on a figure as he approached the duo.

“Jasaiin.” She greeted the lizard politely. “We are ready for your instructions, the others are gathered inside.” Eliya opened the door for the reptile and followed him inside the Inn. Once they stood at the table where the others were sitting the lizard man spoke. “Ssssso good thatss you all made itss. There are sssome banditsss north of here, wessst of the orange road. They have been causssing lotsss of problemsss. Their hideout isss an Ayleid Ruin they call Hrotanda Vale. From whatss I have found out it isss a two level lair with a fair amount of banditsss. You mussst eliminate all of them, but whateversss you find on them or there issss yoursss to take. I will pay you two hundred and fifty goldsss each when you return. I ssuggessst thatsss you sstart first thing in the morning. Any quessstionss?”

[ooc- in the first post of this thread I have added a link to a webpage where you click on the location to see a map of the internal structure. Please use this to your advantage. NOTE: There ARE some bandits outside the structure]

Jasaiin nodded at the two women. "Yesss there are sssome magesss and my informant tellssss me there are at leassst ten, maybe fifteen banditssss all together." The lizard looked the group over a little dubiously and gave a curt nod at the newest member, a Khajiit. Hopefully some of these ones would survive. "I jussst want the banditsss gone. Return to me when it isss ssso." Dismissing the group, the Argonian left and took a seat at the bar and began to converse with the bartender.

Eliya had been fairly silent during the entire time, doing her best to ignore the glances that their newest member kept shooting her way. The mage wasn't the best at reading Khajiit facial expressions so she wasn't sure of his intentions, but either way she wasn't interested. She was on a job and now that job called for bed. Granted she could stay up a little longer and enjoy the enthralling company of her comrades....who was she kidding. She'd had enough awkward social interaction for one evening. She offered a small wave to the group and headed upstairs to bed.

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Everyone had eventually gone to bed at some time and bright and early, Eliya found herself the first one up. Not a surprise really. The inn keeper had graciously put out some food for the early risers and Eliya helped herself to some fruit. Perhaps this was how the poor inn remained in business. Good customer service. The Altmer checked her things to make sure she was ready to depart, and then proceeded to sit by herself eating as she waited for the others.