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SPOILER INFO
This fanfic novel is largely based on the events that occurred in an actual game of Skyrim I played. Therefore, it's inevitably a spoiler.
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previous day
4-202-05-08 05:30
Vlindrel Hall, Markarth, The Reach, Skyrim
We hug Jenassa goodbye and head east, towards Granite Hall, Hviterun and Windhelm. It's raining moderately, but the scenery is quite beautiful.
At the Shrine of Dibella, I tell my followers to run ahead to Granite Hall. I don't have anything really important to remember anymore, but I feel like sitting here for an hour or two. The rain doesn't bother me at all this morning. On the contrary, it feels kind of cooling and refreshing.
While I absent-mindedly eye all those ritual objects and the offerings passersby have left on the altar, something I've been thinking about for some time now becomes crystal clear to me.
I'm going to make up with Lorm.
I have been thinking I would write him a letter when I leave for High Rock. I want to apologize to him for having ruined our relationship. I mean, I still believe I did everything right. Lorm and I didn't really have a future whereas I have excellent prospects with Yrsarald. The only mistake I made with Lorm was to hire him as my follower. Other than that, I wouldn't do anything differently. Nevertheless, it breaks my heart to imagine how Lorm must be feeling. The remorse has been eating me up, especially since his birthday that was seven days ago. I know men don't care all that much about birthdays, but I've been fighting back tears much of the time during the last days. I have to do something to make Lorm feel better. In fact, I realize now that I'm no longer afraid of being alone with him. I can trust him not to abuse me. Whether or not he still wants me is not at all clear, but I have to at least find out. Clear the air – is that the right expression?
Well, to cut the long story short, I'm going to hire Lorm as my third follower on the Hammerfell trip. Should he get killed, I won't be too sad. It'll be a lesser evil than going on like this.
We'll travel to Windhelm as planned where I'm going to let Jordis go and hire that sellsword Stenvar at the inn, and then we'll return to Aurora. I'm planning on approaching one of the women –Anja the shopkeeper or Skarla the alchemist or Ursula the blacksmith or maybe even Kaldred the witch, and we'll discuss how to approach Lorm.
I feel much better, having made up my mind. The rain has ceased, too.
I run to Granite Hall where I find my followers enjoying the sights at one of the highest spots. I ask Vorstag to walk around and then I tell the girls about my plan. Jenassa the Mature and Sensible is not with us today, and Lydia and Jordis are utterly unable to talk me out of it. I think Lydia is not even seriously trying.
This important matter taken care of, we go shopping. I discover that the bow Zephyr is on sale, the one I found in Arkngthamz and sold a long time ago when I found myself a better one.
I buy it back, just out of nostalgia. It reminds me of Katria and it looks cool and I can easily afford it by now.
A servant approaches me and says I'm asked to pay a visit to Thane Hrol.
The thane informs me thatas a sign of appreciation for my remarkable services to the people of The Reach, he gives me a house in this town as a present.
Why, thank you.
The house is big and it has all the facilities one can think of, short of an iron mine of its own. And it's an appalling maze. Did I expect anything else in a city like Granite Hall, the girls ask me amusedly. To be honest, yes, I did. But never mind that. We should head for Windhelm now to get that second sellsword and then pass by Aurora on our way back towards the Gate to Hammerfell.
There's a sellsword looking for work in Dushnikh Yal, says Vorstag. (Dushnikh Yal is in the same direction as the Gate to Hammerfell.)
Really?
Yes, really. His name is Ghorbash. Vorstag talked to him just a few days ago when he was in Markarth accompanying the regular trade caravan from Dushnikh Yal. Unless something extraordinary has happened, he'll be in the village right now.
Now, this is excellent news! We won't have to travel all the way to Windhelm. We can go to Aurora now and Dushnikh Yal will be conveniently on our route to the Gate to Hammerfell. I even believe I vaguely remember Ghorbash. A really big guy, isn't he? Yes, confirms Vorstag. He's very strong and loyal, a great warrior to work with.
Awesome. We head for Aurora right now then.
I'm very happy to meet Ri'saad's caravan on the road.
I greet cordially his companions Ma'randru-jo, Atahbah and Khayla, and remind them they mustn't be found in possession of skooma, ever, or they'll be in extreme trouble.
Before reaching Northkeep, we run across a robbed horsecart with a dead Khajiit and a dead horse lying next to it, a gruesome reminder that this spectacular scenery can be dangerous. Indeed, we get attacked a little later too, but the bandits are no match to the four of us. In fact, this was a welcome opportunity to see what Vorstag is made of. You'll be glad to hear he seems skilful and reliable.
We spend an hour shopping in Northkeep and then run to Mixwater Mill where we won't stay for a chat, not with a man with us.
At a quarter past 2 we are on the outskirts of Aurora.
The witch Kaldred is not there. Sneaking about in the western part of the village, I see Hilfa the huntress, but I don't know her too well. So I approach Ursula who is working at her usual place next to her husband's shop.
I ask her if Lorm is in Aurora right now and does she have any idea what he thinks of me. Ursula says he should be, and the break-up with me was very hard on him. Apparently the women in the village know all about it and have discussed it back and forth. I have to admit it's a little embarrassing, but it saves me a lot of explaining. I ask if Ursula would go and tell Lorm that I'm sorry and I'd really like to make up with him but I'm afraid to approach him because I feel very guilty and I fear he's still angry.
Ursula is only too happy to drop everything and become a key participant in an amazing event such as this. I ask her not to make Lorm believe I want to spend the rest of my life with him or something. That's definitely not going to happen, but I want to apologize for having hurt his feelings, and we can certainly make love like we used to, and I would like him to be by my side on a difficult and dangerous mission. Ursula agrees that those things combined should certainly melt the ice in his heart in case he is still angry. He probably isn't, though. She knows that Lorm has been confessing to other men during their occasional drinking bouts that he has actually seen his mistakes and regrets having bossed me around in combat and planning situations.
Of course, Ursula knows she mustn't tell Lorm everything I said so directly, but rather suggest it subtly as her own impression of my state of mind and intentions.
She leaves and I remain with my heart fluttering like a girl getting ready for her very first date. This is quite awful. I tell my followers to get out of sight and I beg them to really go somewhere where they won't see or hear what's going to happen. I'll be safe enough with Ursula right beside us.
As I had hoped, Ursula returns together with Lorm. Our reunion is very sentimental and Ursula is discreet enough to withdraw when I look at her meaningfully. Lorm and I more float then walk to his house oblivious of everything around us, and then he grabs me and lifts me onto his hard penis and takes me quite gently. (Yeah, we got naked before that, too.)
This went really well. I hire Lorm as my follower instead of Jordis. I make it very clear to Lorm that after we've returned from Hammerfell, I'm going to dismiss him again, because running with an all-female party is the kind of fun I just can't give up, but I'll be visiting him as often as I can. We agree upon the same rule I'm having with Gregor: with clothes on, I am the boss and with no clothes on, he is. And I make it clear that we can't make any plans for future, because I am going to return to High Rock for several months at the very least.
There is certain awkwardness between us, but that was only to be expected after all that's happened. Generally, our mutual understanding is a lot better now. We have learned from our mistakes.
But enough of the chatter. It's eight in the evening by now, but we can still easily reach Granite Hall or even Markarth tonight. Then we'll be able to travel to the Gate of Hammerfall the first thing tomorrow morning. Yeah, second thing, probably, with Lorm sharing my bed. But I don't think that is going to take too long.
Someone's birthday party has started in Northkeep. The central square is full of people. We politely decline their invitation to participate, and move on. We see a cute fox and a little later we're attacked by a large group of thalmor justiciars. It's a really exciting battle. The enemies move and hide well, attacking us time and again from unexpected angles, but they're in the range of my Sense of Smell most of the time and we get them all eventually. They were carrying orders to kill me.
Soon we reach Granite Hall.
I decide going to Markarth is not worth the trouble. From here, the route to Dushnikh Yal will be a little longer and much less comfortable, but it's not that bad.
I wonder if Lorm has recovered enough during the past hours. Yes, he looks like he totally has. Before I can figure out what to do about Lydia and Vorstag, Lydia asks if I mind when they take a room at the inn. Why, go ahead! I'm only happy for you.
Some time after entering my house, I find myself envying Vorstag and Lydia – they are shown into their bedroom by the innkeeper rather that have to find it in this crazy labyrinth. When we end up in the kitchen for the third time, Lorm undresses me and takes me right there leaning against the kitchen table. From behind. In the butthole. Well, can't be helped. He's the man here.
Strangely enough, it doesn't hurt as much as usual. Afterwards, Lorm carries me to the bedroom. How he knows where it is is beyond me.
next awakening
