HER FOOTSTEPS WERE LOUD as she walked towards the elf, her sword unsheathed and her lip curled into a devilish smile. The others surrounded the hooded woman, readying their various weapons and whooping and hollering in a frenzy.
Eritna dragged her sword along the gravel and snow, her eyes focused on the shakiness in the woman's hands. "You should know better than to flash those jewels around here, elf." She growled, her aggressive tone startling the noble. Eritna then looked to the amulets adorning the skin on the elf's neck, licking her lips almost hungrily.
"Staying quiet?" Eritna hummed. "That's new. Isn't it, boys?" She heard more yelling in response, and the brunette smirked to herself. She kept an eye trained on the bow strapped to the merchant's back, instantly recognizing the elven detailing around the grip.
"Thalmor, huh?" She guessed, expecting any sort of reaction from the hooded elf. She didn't get one, much to her dismay. "Why in Nirn would a Thalmor be in Eastmarch?"
"I have my reasons." the woman finally spoke. Eritna bit down a scowl.
"Is that so?" Eritna teased, stepping forward. She felt along the bright fabric of the woman's hood, hesitating for a moment before she ripped it from her head.
Fiery red hair matched the color of the hood as the woman's face was finally revealed. Her pointed ears shone with golden jewelry, her darkened hazel eyes narrowed in anger. Eritna paused for a moment, her breath getting caught in her throat as she took in the woman's beauty. Braids decorated the elf's long hair, golden rings tangled throughout her long tresses.
A sharp jawline, high cheekbones, and a narrow nose adorned the woman's complexion — no scar or imperfection was visible on her skin. "I—" Eritna started, but a firm hand was placed on her chest before she was shoved roughly. The bandit staggered back, disoriented, but she quickly regained her composure.
By the time Eritna has finally looked back at the elf, a golden tinted arrow was aimed in between her unkept brows. "I won't hesitate to kill you, bandit," the elf hissed. "Let. Me. Pass."
Eritna's pride overrode her common sense and she stood her ground, not moving an inch. "You're hesitating now."
The brunette expected the woman to falter and smirked in victory, but as she saw the fingers loosen around the bowstring in slow motion, her smug smile was wiped from her lips. She dived the the side, narrowly escaping the razor sharp arrow. It cut along the cartilaginous lining of her ear, tearing a hole through it as it whizzed past.
Blood warmed the bandit's neck as it trickled from her ear. Eritna brought her hand to her wound, wincing as she felt pain prick her skin from the contact. She took one look at the elf to see another arrow pointed directly at her. A calloused hand reached out in an attempt to surrender, and the red-headed woman let a scoff tumble from her lips.
"Asking for mercy, now?" Her tone was condescending. "I'm afraid you won't be granted anything but death, my dear—" The redhead felt a scratchy cloth fall over her face, and then a brute kick to her spine. She groaned against the sack, scraping her knees along the pebbles littering the ground as she fell. Her arms were tugged roughly behind her, then tied in a thick rope to restrain her.
Eritna growled lowly as she stood, her hand still pressed against her wound. She felt her feet carry her towards the elf, a smirk on her face.
Her plan had worked.
"I thought you elves were supposed to be smart." Eritna taunted, wrapping a bloody hand around the jewelry around the woman's neck. She ripped them from her skin, and the woman thrashed against her binds.
"We'll take her back to Vessa." Eritna snarled to the man holding the elf. He nodded silently, pulling the prisoner to her feet and hauling her towards the trees. Eritna watched, through her war-painted eyes, as the elf continued to struggle and scream and curse them all to the gods.
She wiped the blood from her neck again before she bent down to retrieve the elven bow by her feet, inspecting the intricate detailing around the metal. And as she ran a finger along the bow string, Eritna felt her heart beat just a little harder as she thought about the fierceness in the elf's eyes as she pointed the bow in her face. She looked up towards the elf again, her cheeks blistering with heat as she found herself picturing what lay underneath the hood now adorning her neck.
