Corpus Tamrielicum - The Imperial Library

110 2. THE ELDER SCROLLS CHAPTER 2: DAGGERFALL
Mith strolled into the firelight, taking mincing steps, picking pantomime berries and eating
them noisily. Moraelyn put his head down and groaned. Mith pantomimed finding something
then skipped along in delight. Mats' head and shoulders lurched into the firelight. Mith
reached a hand to pat him, then leapt back with a squeal as Mats tried to rip him with a tusk.
Huge tusks and a pig nose adorned his face. Mith crouched, hands to his face in exaggerated
horror. And Silk, clad in black, leaped between Mith and Mats with a shower of sparks, jerkin
backwards, hose about its knees, shoeless. It reached for its sword, but Mats charged and
knocked it flying; it spun out of sight. Mats, scrambling on all fours, missed Mith, but tore his
hose. Mith scampered around the fire with Mats after him. Silk, sword in one hand, the other
tugging at the hose chased after Mats, beating him with the sword.
Another figure appeared, clad in Aliera's blue gown with Beech's head sticking out above
wearing a long dark wig. Mith cowered behind her skirts. She glared at Mats and he froze.
Silk tripped and sprawled behind him. Beech tossed his hair back, patted Mith reassuringly on
the head, wet one finger and smoothed an eyebrow, then leisurely picked up his bow, aimed
and twanged.
Mats leaped backwards, collapsing on top of Silk with a very realistic death rattle. Beech and
Mith embraced, ignoring Silk, still flat beneath Mats.
Moraelyn had begun laughing when Silk first leaped out. Aliera had waited for Beech's
appearance. Now tears were running down her cheeks. Moraelyn was doubled over, pounding
his fist against a tree. Ripples and giggles of silvery laughter sounded all around and showers
of gold coins fell into the circle. The Companions gathered themselves together and bowed, as
humans did.
"Again, do it again!"
"Nooooo!" Moraelyn gasped, still laughing. "Ah, you came nearer killing me than the sow
did! I beg mercy!"
"Another night, gentle persons...our king has had a very long day. We thank you all."
"Gods, had the entire town seen?" Edward stared behind him, but they were all melting away
into the dark. "That's not what happened." he yelled. "You were a hero. They made fun of
you."
"Yes, yes and yes. Especially the last. By Jephre himself, that was funny!"
"They all saw that! And you're going to let them do it again?" Edward was scandalized. They
had all looked ridiculous.
"Let them? It'll be done all over Tamriel for centuries to come, I doubt not. But never again so
well."
"But it didn't happen like that at all."
"It would have if Mats...I mean the sow had charged again. Ariana's bow would have been far
more effective than my poor blade. And she'd have seen Moraelyn leap like a khajiit!" His
finger smoothed an eyebrow in a gesture typical of Aliera and he went off again into a long