"Another day, another septim" crossed Thana's mind as she got up that morning. The favorite saying of her argonian friend Stands-in-Shallows did little to ease the pain of skooma withdrawal. She had been hoping some of the sailors would try stashing another bottle in the Inn like they had a few months ago but since she swiped it they probably found a new spot. At least she and Stands were able to get a little relief from the bottle while it lasted.

Some days she forgot just how long she had been here in Windhelm. The other Dunmer had jobs and homes... poorly paying and ramshackle perhaps, but she was little more than a beggar. When life is as bad as it was for her, any distraction or cause for forgetfulness were clung to like a warm blanket. Shaking herself and stretching, she left the stairway storage area and entered the main area of the Cornerclub. Waving tiredly to Ambarys, the club owner, landlord of her sleeping corner and sometime pimp, she headed out to find out what work might be available that day.

Late in the afternoon but finding very little to do, Thana headed back to the cornerclub. Without any extra money she knew she was going to be working that night and wanted to warm up a little first. Handing what coins she was able to earn to Ambarys, she took the food he gave her and headed for an unused corner to eat. The half stale bread and souring wine were neither filling nor healthy but at least it was more than she could buy at the market stalls. As the crowd started coming in she made her way over to her usual area and started to dance.

Soon the chairs would be taken by people wanting a closer look, or a touch in exchange for a coin.

While she didn't mind dancing too much, Thana knew tonight was going to be a long night. Some of the men were drinking more than their usual and that meant they had coin. When they had coin, and after they had drink, they usually wanted her. She hoped one might even have a little skooma, or even just some moon sugar from one of the cat caravans she could have instead of the gold. It was an open secret that someone could get a lot farther with her for something sweet and illegal.

Soon enough, two of the men gave Ambarys an extra handful of coins and he signaled to her.

Two men usually were not so bad, though she preferred one at a time. These two were rougher than usual, grabbing her hair and slapping her ass. Eventually they finished and she waited for them to head down the stairs before descending for either another dance and fondle or a return trip.

Three men at a time was the worst.

Sometimes they would take turns or egg on the man with her while they watched but these three saw no need to wait and all took her at the same time, and roughly. Pounding into her with little finesse and no rhythm she was crushed by the guy on top and nearly choked by the one filling her mouth.

One last group, out celebrating something, wanted to take her upstairs.

Fortunately the whole group did not want her services. One of their number pushed to the ground and the others sat her on him. Encouraging the pair, they suggested several things she, or he, were supposed to do while they stood around and watched. After their friend got into the act they all undressed and had her provide what attention to them she could while taking care of their friend underneath her.

Eventually the crowd left and Ambarys sent the rest out. Thana helped clean up some of the mugs and plates from the tables before staggering back to her bedroll under the stairs. Another day, another septim. Maybe tomorrow would be two.

In which another day brings more than just another septim
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The first several chapters of this story will be darker than my last. Telethana is pretty much your "in the bottle" tragic figure at this point, so much so that she doesn't even have a bottle to be in. Hooked on skooma and stuck in a town that hates her and her kind, she has few options. Things get better, then bumpy, then they'll seem worse, until the sun rises in glory.