The story so far:
Eldaline has been betrayed by a vengeful former lover and delivered to Ulfric Stormcloak. If it was not bad enough that Eldaline is a senior Thalmor dignitary, she was also carrying the magical Book of Fate, which claims that she will somehow replace Ulfric as Jarl. The Jarl has responded by sending her to die in Windhelm's locally-infamous wrestling pit, even though she has mentioned that it is nearly her birthday.
Skavild, her library assistant and once a loyal Stormcloak, is pretending to be a Windhelm guard, and after stealing the court wizard's key to her collar of silence, tricking the real guards into going away, and accidentally learning a spell to stop time, has managed to walk Eldaline safely out of the dungeon. But the real guards have just returned.
"How are you, Ingrys the Fox?" Said Skavild.
"Hello Skavild." Said Ingrys the Fox. "I'm fine. I've got a bit of a headache but otherwise I'm very well. Looking forward to the fight?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well, because you're walking the prisoner the wrong way. The pit is that way."
"Well," Skavild said. "I know that. I was on my way there. I saw you all standing out here and thought something was wrong."
"No, nothing wrong. Just leave her with the battle matron. Then you can come and and join us."
"Damn suspicious harpy. I find her a boy friend to buy her drinks and she still doesn't trust me." Grumbled Skavild.
"Not down here. We're eating." The battle matron snapped. "Leave her upstairs."
"You really are... very clever, Skavild. And I believe I was right to admire you." Eldaline wheezed. "But I was unforgivably stupid to have trusted you. From the moment that faithless Jarl drugged my wine, I understood why you sent me up there to see him."
"I sent you up there? Can't you see what I'm doing now?"
"I see it perfectly. I thought you had more dignity than to gloat. I forgot you... were only a human. In the circumstances, I can understand why you sent that woman to... teach me a lesson. But I congratulate you on your patience and cunning. Born to a different mother you would have made a brilliant Justiciar. Now that you have the compliment you came for, leave me and allow me to forget you in my last minutes."
"Eldaline, you bloody turnip, I had to tell 'em you were torturing me, or else I'd have to tell 'em I'm your library assistant and have my head cut off. And I'm actually damned impatient, so stand up and let me get you out of the collar before the court wizard notices I swiped his key."
Eldaline said, "Key."
"Yes, the pointy thing that opens locky things. And I've got you a big green potion. We've no choice now but to fight our way out."
"I am very ashamed of myself, Skavild." She said.
"Don't be like that. You weren't thinking properly. Are you crying?"
"I'm a decorated military commander and officer of the Thalmor." Sobbed Eldaline. "Of course I'm not crying."
"Err."
"What is it?"
"This key doesn't unlock the collar, is all. That wizard's a stupid old fool."
"No he isn't. He tricked you." Said Eldaline. "They've worked you out, Skavild. You have to leave."
"Rubbish. He's just losing his marbles. Anyway, not leaving you." Said Skavild. "Not now."
"Get out of my sight, return to your pathetic pursuits. I never liked you and always knew you would fail me in the end."
"And trying to make me dislike you won't work either. Stop scheming and let me plot."
"I don't understand why it didn't work. We have special training." Said Eldaline.
"Now, here's the plan. You go and start the fight and hang on as long as possible while I set something on fire. That'll cause a distraction and they'll clear the arena. Prisoners probably won't be the first people they try and save."
"I am starved and my ribs hurt when I stand up straight, but I will do my best." Said Eldaline. "Go and get me a better outfit. Since apparently I have to wear clothes for this sort of wrestling, as well as my bottle of cooking oil, I will need fifteen leather strips, and a needle and thread."
"Are you sure you only need fifteen leather strips?" Said Skavild.
"Fat, am I? Hurry up, Skavild. I need them in five minutes."
"Too much?" She said, five minutes later.
"Nope." Said Skavild. "Look at that. You even had a couple of leather strips to spare."
"Now, here's your green potion. You should probably drink it a couple of minutes before the fight."
Eldaline hid the potion somewhere. "Getting out of this damned collar would be preferable. Good luck, Skavild."
"I'm just doing some arson. It's you that needs the luck. Imagine Wuunferth forgetting where he's left an important key like that."
"In my pocket." Said Wuunferth. "I thought I'd find you here."
"But I don't understand." Said Ulfric Stormcloak. "You say now that she didn't torture you. She isn't holding your mother hostage. You aren't sleeping with her. She didn't even give you any money. Why did you do this?"
"You know, Jarl Ulfric, I'm not entirely sure what happened myself." Said Skavild. "But I tried my best to rescue her without bloodshed."
"You wore Stormcloak colours and did the work of the Thalmor in my city. You'll watch her die, then you'll go down there and face ravening wolves."
"This place has everything." Skavild grumbled.
"Oh, Skavild, why?" Said Ingrys the Fox. But he didn't answer her.
Eldaline felt rather shy. She was more used to public speaking and it had been nearly a hundred years since she had last wrestled. In public. It was obvious that the spectators in Windhelm did not approve of her, and since she felt it would not be worth her time to try winning them over, she taunted them instead.
"Yes, yes. Not bad for a little elf."
"You can whistle all you like. The Jarl says I have to keep it on."
"Well." Said Eldaline, to herself. "Nothing I can do but make the best of it. Best drink my big green potion."
"Don't worry, Skavild, I'll save you."
"I wonder if my opponent is already out there."
"Oh, fine." Said Eldaline. "It's like that, is it?"
to be continued