Always Lost, Always Hopeful (173) Sneaking Around for Trifling Reasons

———————————————
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.
———————————————




previous day






4-202-02-07 07:00
Sleeping Giant Inn, Riverwood, Whiterun, Skyrim


I cast a glance at Lucia and Lydia's beds. They're both still sleeping. I hurriedly get up and wake Lydia. I feel I have to tell her about my dream right away.

I saw my family. My mother and father are alive. They live in the city of Camlorn. It's somewhere in the western High Rock. My father works as a weapons trainer and he is also a valued consultant on low-scale stealthy military operations. My mother has been learning handicraft over the years and her works are widely admired, but it's more a hobby than a serious source of income – which they actually don't need because of my father's fortune which he has invested in businesses all over High Rock. My brother is married and lives in Shornhelm. That's a city in the northwest, but away from the ocean. He is basically the one to watch over the family's business interests. My sister is to be married soon to someone powerful, so we'll have aristocratic relatives. How happy she is about it, I don't know yet. Neither do I know any of their names.

Oh... but I do know for sure my mother is a Nord. However, me and my siblings were all brought up among Bretons as Bretons.

Lucia wakes up and is a bit offended that we have been whispering about something behind her back. I have to promise her I'll tell her everything later. To bring her mind onto something else, I ask her if she knows about Jordis and Erik. Just a shot in the dark. Well, I'm glad I asked. Lucia knows all about Erik. He seems to have slept with half of the single women in the city. Lucia doesn't understand why he would do that and she doesn't even care all that much, she just senses it's the kind of information women somehow find intriguing. Further, she knows that Erik and Mikael hate each other. Lydia and I are greatly amused. And we think we know now the reason why Erik wanted so badly to become a warrior. That was the only way to get his father allow him to leave Roriksted where his, um, choices were very limited. I can imagine Erik will be very happy to stay in Hviterun permanently and forget all about adventures apart from occasional guard duty.

Today we're returning to the city for Vera's birthday party.

Halfway to Hviterun, I spot thalmors ahead. They seem to be escorting a prisoner and therefore unlikely to attack us, but it's still safer to keep away. So I lead Lydia and Lucia off the road towards Pelagio's farm.

It begins to rain just as we arrive in the southwestern suburb. Lucia endures it bravely while I shop with the market traders. I'm so grateful we had such luck with the weather yesterday.

Soon we are in our home, sitting in front of our nice fireplace. Jordis and Jenassa are already waiting for us there. Obviously I have no tasks for them today, but they had thought they'd take a little break from people. (And, I guess, appreciated having a private place to discuss their relationships and such.) We the travelers get into dry clothes and then we just chill. I fulfill my promise and tell Lucia (as well as all the others) what I learned about my family tonight.

After lunch, I take some time for shopping. I notice I'm beginning to like the cynical Breton shopkeeper Belethor more with each time. I also drop by the temple to say hello to the priestess Danica. Without Lucia who got fed up with the rain, I take a stroll in the eastern suburb and step into one of the two barracks. There's only one man there and he's sleeping naked. I use the opportunity to look him over from every angle.

I feel I really want to have sex with him and I don't care if Farengar might be offended. I strip naked and wake him up.

Wow. He has barely gotten out of bed. I'm flattered.
And it rises higher still even as I watch.

He makes me very happy I did. When I introduce myself afterwards, he says he knows my name already, but his is Harek.

After almost three hours, I leave and stroll through the eastern suburb towards the magic shop of Cyrelas. It's such an awesome place. It's got a cool magical feel to it unlike any other magic shop I've seen. They have succeeded in laying out simple things in an aesthetical way one rarely sees in Skyrim.

That must be the special skill of Cyrelas's wife Sinya whose acquaintance I get to make today.

The rain has ceased. I decide to return to the city through the western gate, passing by the Honningbrew Meadery. Maybe there's someone there who knows anything about Bronwen.

I walk past the farms where people are still working. Of course, it stands to reason that Vera didn't invite the entire population of Hviterun to her party. As I reach the meadery, I find a strange-looking man there. He's wearing a hood, but he's very skinny and looks generally pathetic. I ask him if he knows anything about Juvenal and/or the girl who went missing from this city. He says I'm sticking my nose into something that is not my business. I'm not sure what makes me reply I'm making this my business and the opinion of a puny little rat like him is of no importance. He jumps up and attacks me. Dammit, he turns out an excellent fighter. I'm in real trouble here. Get your act together, Laura, you can't die because of nonsense like this! What would people think?

I take a health potion and then I succeed in killing the man after all. He has a letter on him with instructions to kill people who are too curious about Juvenal's affairs. As to the whereabouts of Bronwen, I'm none the wiser. It now occurs to me that I didn't see her father anywhere in the city either.

It's beginning to get dark.

I return to the city by the main gate, say hello to Adrianne and step into the shop. I always like it there. Ulfberth has such cool wares on display. I love to look at them, especially the weapons, even though I'm buying only some ingots this time.

Back on the street, I encounter Ysolda. She's cordial as always, but I'm having the feeling something is bothering her. We walk along the street that runs next to the city wall towards her home, and she eventually confesses that she's in love with Mikael. Now, that is quite appalling news, but I'm afraid there's little point for me to try and say anything – after all, Ysolda, a native of this city, knows Mikael's character and lifestyle even better than I do. Sooner or later, she'll snap out of it, and I hope she won't suffer too much in the process. So I limit myself to saying to Ysolda she knows what I think of Mikael, and she replies "Yes, I do. That's why I didn't want to tell you about it in the first place." Well, good luck. We hug in front of her house and I walk to the marketplace. Carlotta is still there. I ask her if she has slept with Erik. She smiles and says: no, he doesn't want someone that old. I'm about to say that Mikael doesn't seem to mind, but then think better of it. I decide to ask her about Mikael and Ysolda instead, but then Lucia and Mila come running and urge us to come to the party that's just begun. Yes, absolutely. Let's go.

The children refuse to run ahead because, as Lucia puts it, they have to make sure we don't disappear along the way. Fine.  :D

I'm not in a too festive mood, but I'm glad to observe my friends having a good time and everyone being amazed with our present, the pahmar statuette. Nevertheless, shortly after we've tossed Vera in the air, I catch a moment when no one is looking at me and escape.

Having given the guards a strict order not to tell anyone I've left the palace, I run down the stairs to the temple. I have remembered that the priestess Danica is a healer. Maybe she knows something about people who have lost their memory.

She doesn't, but she recommends I go and talk to the priest Rorlund at the Temple of the Divines in Solitud. They worship all the gods there, so if anybody can help me, he'll be the most likely one.

Well, that's better than nothing. Much better than nothing. I thank her and hurry back to the party. Mikki and Heidi have noticed I was away and ask teasingly if I got too drunk and had to go out and vomit. I say "no, of course not" with such an intonation as if I was lying. The last thing I want them to do is to start asking questions.

Looks like they're believing I'm lying. I look around. Fortunately, Lucia wasn't here to hear this. I go and find her, just to show myself to her and ask if she's enjoying herself. Then I leave the children to their games. Walking around in the palace, I wonder if I could just find a spare bed somewhere away from the noise and go to sleep. Yeah, good idea. But before that, I'll have to go and ask Vera in front of as many people as possible when she's going to get married – of course, choosing a moment when she has nothing at hand she could throw at me.

Well, suprise – Vera's reaction shows she may indeed be getting married soon. But I'm realizing now that all that will hardly interest you. So I'll spare you the rest of our female banter. Suffice to say I'm feeling increasingly better.

Eventually I notice Valdimar and Erik absorbed in a conversation and I go and join them. We talk about masculine things and I actually do get drunk – but only a little. Nothing like on the New Year's Eve, I assure you.

Still, I wouldn't mind sleeping somewhere in the palace, but when I notice Carlotta going home with Mila and Lucia, I join them. I want to be at home with my stepdaughter. I know it's important to her. I wasn't doing anything meaningful anyway, and if I go to sleep soon, I'll be able to have a good laugh at my dog-tired and hung-over followers in the morning.

Thank you! It feels good to be protected.  ;-)

next awakening






return to the table of contents

Always Lost, Always Hopeful (172) Home, Almost

———————————————
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.
———————————————




previous day






4-202-02-06 07:11
Windpeak Inn, Dånstar, The Pale, Skyrim


Gregor wants to get out of the bed, but before he can put his foot onto the floor, I grab his wrist and he lies back down. The girls get the hint and leave. While they're putting their clothes on, I'm holding Gregor's head so he can't see them. In principle, I wouldn't forbid him to have even sex with them some other time, but while he's with me, mine is the only naked body he's supposed to look at.

After the door has closed, Gregor signals me to turn to my side. Then he asks: "May I fuck your asshole?" I say no and he does it in the right hole.

Afterwards, I turn around, climb onto him and say: "If you hadn't asked, I wouldn't have said no." I hurry to close his mouth with a kiss before he can say anything.
Then I begin to get out of bed, but he takes my wrist into an iron grip. "Do you mean to say that if I had just stuck it into your asshole, you wouldn't have objected?"
I bend forward, kiss his penis, then look him in the eye and say: "Yes, that's what I mean."
He shakes his head in disbelief and lets go of my wrist. "You're hard to read, Laura."
I am? Well, maybe. I keep forgetting how stupid men are in some respects.

When we're ready to leave the room, I recall something. "Gregor, can you do me a favor?"
"Of course. What is it?"
"Next time, please call it "butthole". I mean, if you absolutely have to talk about it."
He smiles. "No problem. Can I have a bath together with you?"
I shrug. "Sure." I wonder if this is about me or my followers. We go to the taproom and I can't help grinning widely, seeing the girls are already out of the bath. Lydia's smile suggests they had anticipated precisely this.

Getting dressed after the bath, I say to Gregor: "If it makes things easier for you, then we can agree upon a rule: with our clothes on, I am the boss; when we're naked, you are the boss." Having put my second boot on, I stand up.
He nods and asks: "How about when we're partially dressed?" He sits down to get into his boots.
I throw a glance at my armor to make sure it's orderly, and reply: "You can try to undress me before I change my mind." Then I quickly run out the door.

It's past 8 o'clock, meaning some shops are already open and the rest will open soon. The alchemist Frida asks me to retrieve an alchemy-enchanting ring called Ring of Pure Mixtures  her late husband had been looking for, shortly before he died. It's supposed to be in a cave east of Laintar Dale, meaning very close to where we intend to go today anyway.

In spite of many clouds in the sky, the weather is generally nice and the snowy road south of Dånstar is so beautiful I'm having tears in my eyes looking at it.

I feel ecstatic during the entire trip to the crossing where we would have to turn south towards Hviterun. The cave Frida mentioned should be nearby.

Indeed it is, and we have to fight a couple of spriggans and poison spiders and snowbears. The Ring of Pure Mixtures is surprisingly weak. I could have enchanted for Frida a ring exactly like this one.

Normally, spriggans live in warm and beautiful places with lush vegetation (even in Haafingar). This cave, however, is all snow and ice.

That poor draugr doesn't even have a shelf to lie on, let alone a coffin. This is not right.

Now we cross the north-south highway and head west towards the small village of Laintar Dale.

Halfway there, we discover a shrine of Talos. Lydia knows that thalmors spy on the storks here frequently, but right now there's nobody there except two icewraiths. I'd much rather fight thalmors, but my opinion is not asked.

In Laintar Dale, we trade with the Orc smithess Murzush and then talk a little with a middle-aged woman Margarte, the only villager who doesn't seem to be awfully busy. Then we run to Hviterun, making a brief stop at the Loreius Farm.

They're not very friendly people (in fact, our arrival interrupts an argument they're having), but I'm still happy to see they're alive and well. I wish I could do something to help them sort out their differences.

At the northern watchtower of Hviterun, everything is peaceful. Borgakh is there and seems to be thoroughly enjoying her life. The sight of her reminds me of that handsome Orc blacksmith, Lerguk. I wonder if Borgakh has met him. So I ask her. She says she has and she likes him a lot. Okay, cool. I guess it's better that way.

The guards step closer to congratulate us on killing Alduin and ask what's up and such. I inform them we've come from Winterhold via Dånstar and nothing unusual is going on up north. Then we run to the city.

My followers seem to really enjoy the attention we're getting. I succeed in escaping the crowd with the pretext I have to go to the palace. In fact, I've been getting increasingly curious to know what "tahrodiis" means in the dragon language, and maybe Farengar knows. He knows a lot about the dragons.
"Traitorous," he tells me. "Where did you hear it?"
"I had a vision of distant past where Alduin said "Tahrodiis Paarthurnax!" What might he have meant?"
"That Paarthurnax taught Thu'um to the humans." (Thu'um is the art of doing dragon shouts which the Gaybores study.)
"Why would he do that?"
Farengar explains it was the goddess Kyne's gift to the Nords, but now he has to work and if I want to hear more, he'll tell me in the bed.
Okay. Maybe tomorrow. For tonight I have other plans.

I turn to go and suddenly I remember where I've seen the word before. It was in the book titled "Dragon Language: Myth no More" which I read a month or so ago:

Now I approach the throne where I have to listen to the jarl's speech to the effect of how the entire Skyrim will forever be in my debt and how happy he is our paths crossed half a year ago. Then I can excuse myself and leave with Lucia who has arrived at the palace in the meantime. When I inform her we're going traveling, she throws her arms around me and shrieks with joy. Never mind a silly dragon, this is something really exciting!

I grab Lydia from the celebrations and we leave. I instruct Lucia that should we get attacked, she's to keep behind Lydia and me. We can easily handle half a dozen bandits as long as she doesn't get in our way. The road between Hviterun and Riverwood is just about the safest in Skyrim, but it's always good to be careful.

In hindsight, maybe I shouldn't have set a bad example for Lucia, going into the wilderness without a helmet.
There is, of course, no armor small enough to fit a child.

The weather is perfect as we run to Riverwood, the three of us. We arrive at half past four, so there isn't much of a day left to be idled away, but it's still a great adventure for Lucia.

We visit Lucan and Camilla's shop,

and drop in the blacksmith Alvor's house where I gasp at the sight of my boyfriend Hadvar. He has come from Solitud to visit his relatives. Obviously this is an opportunity I can't let go by. He agrees to meet me later at the inn.

We spend some time on the street talking to Camilla and Sigrid, Alvor's wife, while Lucia makes friends with the local children. Every once in a while someone stops to thank me for killing Alduin, but overall the villagers are less euphoric about it compared to the townsfolk. Camilla explains me that the rural Nords have always had very strong faith in the ancient heritage of their people and therefore they never really doubted I would succeed. Apart from which, most people can't afford to stop working just because the slayer of Alduin is visiting the village.

That's Camilla Valerius on the left.

When it's getting dark, we go to Corianna's.

We gab about nothing in particular until her husband Tjorvi comes home from fishing and we all go out and exchange tales.

I'm more interested in the local gossip, even when it's about people I hardly know. By taking my mind off the global politics, it gives me a feeling of security and belonging. Unfortunately, the locals are a lot keener to know what's going on in the big wide world.

Finally, we take a little stroll and then return to the inn.

On the street, we meet Esja on her way home. You know, the one who likes to sit with her legs spread. She walks with us to the inn. I leave her chatting with Lydia and Lucia while I take Hadvar to the secret room in the basement. That's the most soundproof place to be found around here.

We do it on one of those soft animal skins spread out on the floor. We're not sleeping together, though. I share a room at the inn with Lucia and Lydia while Hadvar spends the night in his uncle's house across the street.



next awakening






return to the table of contents