An Act of Kindness

 

Muscles tensed as before the blow came, a whimper letting out before contact was ever made. Constance Michel cringed, biting her lower lip as the smack was heard.

“What do you say, Hroar?” the wrinkled mouth of Grelod the Kind sneered. The small boy swallowed a sob, his face red from effort.

“I love you, Grelod.” He whimpered as a other smack landed.

“Without sniveling!”

“I love you, Grelod!”

“And?”

“Thank you for your kindness!”

“Better. Now go get your blanket and finish washing the lavatory buckets.”

“Surely that isn’t necessary?” Constance spoke up. She visibly cringed when the elderly Nord woman whirled to face her.

“What was that, girl?”

“I mean, you don’t have to-” Constance’s gut dropped as Grelod grabbed her wrist, yanking her hard enough to make her shoulder pop. The old woman’s grip was like steel, and Constance already knew she would have another bruise tomorrow, one to match both of Samuel’s. Grelod’s face was hard and cold.

“Go ahead. Finish your sentence.” Pain shot through Constance’s wrist and into her fingers. Grelod was digging her nails into the soft underside of Constance’s wrist. The younger woman clenched her teeth, a tactic she had developed over the past few years.

“I just meant that you don’t have to punish him! If you would let me-”

The pain receded in her wrist, still throbbing a little as Grelod let go. The Nord gave her a withering look.

“See to it, then. And I don’t want to hear any whining!” she turned around, muttering about how silly the boy’s name was. Constance waited until she was around the corner before dropping to her knees in front of Hroar and gently inspecting his face.

“Are you alright?” she asked in a hushed voice. The young boy rubbed his cheek, eyes stuck on the floor. He nodded. Constance sighed.

“Chin up, alright? She’s very old. She’ll have to go sometime.” she smiled weakly at him. “I’ll get you a scrub brush. I won’t let you sleep in filthy sheets tonight.”

Grelod dumped the contents of the lavatory bucket on Constance’s bed that evening.

* * * * * * * * *

A chill woke Constance up a few weeks later. She blinked in the darkness, squinting until her eyes adjusted. She slid out from between the thin blanket and moldy hay mattress and softly crept to check on the children. Seeing that they slept soundly, she shivered, the fire gone out from their room. She rekindled it, slowly adding larger sticks until she could add a log. When she left the room, she noticed the door to Grelod’s room was ajar. She reached out to close it, knowing Grelod would be furious if she knew Constance had “wasted” logs by warming the children at night. That was when she saw the figure looming over Grelod.

“You-”

A hand was over her mouth before she could utter another word. The man had her pinned against the wall, out of view of the children if one of them woke. Grelod’s door was slowly swinging open the old hinges creaking as it reached as far as it could swing. The fire danced across his face, his eyes obscured by his low hood. His mouth curled in a smirk, his free hand holding a finger to his lips.

“Shh.”

Constance breathed hard through her nose, her heart pounding in her head. It was all she could hear until he let go. He let her go, taking in her wild, panicked expression. He stepped back and disappeared into a dark room. She never heard a door open or close.

She gulped and gathered her wits, feeling weak with panic as she stumbled into Grelod’s room, reaching out to shake the woman awake.

“Grelod!” she recoiled when her hand touched the wet furs. The dim firelight from the children’s room illuminated a black liquid on her hands. She let out a small sound and stumbled backwards, hitting the chair behind her. It rattled as it fell over, and Constance fell against the table, her mind struggling to process what happened. She barely noticed that she was on the ground, the plates and goblets clattering around her as the table tipped over. After a moment, she realized the children were in the doorway. When the buzzing in her head cleared, she finally closed her mouth. She then noticed the children were laughing.

“Grelod is dead!”

   * * * * * * * *

Constance hated to say goodbye to the children, but she knew that they would have a much better home outside of the orphanage. Hroar had been lovingly adopted by a Dunmer couple, both of the women fussing over him, telling him how handsome he was. He blushed and asked quietly about possibly getting a dog. They were delighted.

Samuel clung to Constance, helping as often as he could. He did chores without being asked, and was the first to greet prospective parents. After a while, he took to calling Constance “Mama.” Constance never corrected him.

She heard Samuel greet someone while she was mending a shirt. Francois had gotten into a scuffle with Aventus, which resulted in a torn shirt. Two torn shirts, actually. The boys had hidden their hands behind their backs, no doubt remembering the shackles Grelod had used on them whenever she felt like it. Constance had thrown them out immediately.

“Mama?” Samuel’s voice caused her to look up.

“Yes, Samuel?”

“This man wants to adopt Runa.” Samuel jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the man behind him. He was an Imperial man, slight frame, with hair the color of decaying leaves. Before Constance could question why she would phrase it that way, Runa ran in with her bag.

“I’m ready to go!”

“Hold on, I need to ask him a few questions.” she looked up at the man again, locking onto his brown eyes. She couldn’t help but think how unremarkable he was.

“Where do you live?”

“Near Dawnstar. I’ve purchased a very large house.”

“And what is your occupation? How will you provide for Runa?”

“I own a very successful caravan business.”

“Oh, well, that’s wonderful.” She looked at his clothing. He had a rich, velvety cloth trimmed with gold. His shoes were expensive looking, and had made no sound when he approached.

“And you’re alright with this?” she asked Runa, who nodded emphatically.

“Oh yes!” she bounced a bit. Constance nodded.

“Well, alright then.”

Runa gave Constance a tight hug around her neck, the force causing Constance to lean back a bit. She smiled and hugged the girl back.

“Be good, and you can always come back if he doesn’t treat you well,” she murmured into the little girl’s ear. Runa made a face, but nodded anyways.

Constance watched them walk to the door, her heart aching a bit. The man allowed Runa to walk out of the building first. Before he closed the door, he turned to the young caretaker and smirked. Her heart clenched as he held a finger to his lips.

“Shhh.”

They were gone before she even got outside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At My Feet: Chapter Twelve

Samara’s sleep was interrupted so much the following evening by excited children’s voices and angered tones that she decided to get up as soon as the sun was fully over the horizon. She slid her armor on over her clothes and grabbed her bag. Despite having a place to stay, even if it weren’t her own home, she didn’t feel like being around Alda as much. So much had changed since she left, and Samara wasn’t sure if the world was right enough for her to rekindle a friendship.

At My Feet: Chapter Eleven

Dawn came, and Jakben hadn’t returned. She thought he would ask for news, then come back, but there was no such luck. She kept herself busy by  foraging for food, eating the berries that were in season and catching fish in the stream. It wasn’t the first time she was faced with living in the woods or death.

At My Feet: Chapter Ten

Samara didn’t have to take too much convincing to get Jakben out of the ruins. The two of them weren’t exactly close, and didn’t have much in common, as far as she could tell.Anyone would get stir-crazy sitting in the dark of a ruin.

Petrus opened the door, dressed in pressed, crisp fabrics with a modern style to them. He nodded his head a bit at Jakben, then bowed low at Samara, who raised a brow.

“Petrus, this is my father, Jakben Imbel.”

“A pleasure,” Jakben said, shaking the young man’s hand. Petra rubbed the hand Jakben shook.

“It must be colder than I thought, your hand are absolutely freezing! Come, come, inside.” He ushered them in. “I’ve had Shaahni make us some thick stew.”

“Stew?” Jakben seemed to perk up. “I haven’t had stew in quite some time.”

“We got very fortunate,” Petrus led them from the entrance of the cabin, which was actually two stories and neatly even with the treeline, through a doorway that led to a small sitting room. “Cooking is a valued skill in survival. Not many nobles know it, since we can afford to go out, eh Jakben?”

At My Feet: Chapter Nine

The fires crackled in the old fort as Jakben turned the small deer he had killed on the spit. Samara sighed heavily, lying on her belly as she flipped the pages of her book too quickly to be considered reading. The scratchy sheets of the bedroll made her reach down and relieve an itch on her bare calf.

“We’ll head back soon,” Jakben said as he settled onto his own bedroll.

“Is there anything to return to?” Samara shut her book, the worn pages snapping shut. A single page shot out as the binding creaked with the force. She sighed again and crawled over to retrieve it.

“If there isn’t, there’s plenty of cities to make your home in.”

“No, there’s plenty of cities for YOU to make your home in. Anywhere I go, I am starting over completely.”

“You weren’t exactly well-known in the city.”

“Not yet,” she countered before slipping the page back into the book. She looked at the deer.

“How do you drain the blood so completely?”

Jakben’s face was expressionless. “Old trick I learned before you were born. What were you reading?”

“Tales and Legends of Springheel Jak.”

His brow shot up. “May I see?”

Samara handed him the book, and Jakben opened it, his face becoming increasingly amused as he read. Samara stood up.

“I’m going to check the buckets,” she said as she walked out of the room. Jakben settled onto his bedroll in a more comfortable position and waved her away. She walked through the halls, casting a night eye spell after rolling her eyes and walked the stony hallways. Neither of them had brought torches, though unlit sconces lined the walls of the fort. Both she and Jakben agreed that staying in darkness was preferable to bringing too much attention to themselves. It had been two days since the city fell, and some of the fires still burned. Samara knew that, if Blanche had survived and still been on her trip, she wouldn’t go searching for anyone. The fires would be enough to keep her away.

Alda would be different. She had always had a slightly heroic streak, using her sheer height to ward off insistent men from terrified women, picking up children away from the fists of larger children and carrying them to safety. Alda had even given their food away a few times, which Samara would respond to by stealing more food. Alda would be helping search for survivors, and when she wouldn’t find Samara’s body among the living, she would begin to look among the dead.

Out of everything, Samara was grateful her armor had been spared. It rested near her bedside atop a crate she used for the clothes she had brought here. Hunting gear, spare arrows, and a few emergency rations littered the fort in a lackadaisical fashion. Jakben had quickly tidied the area before collapsing from exhaustion shortly afterwards. Neither had been hungry the first night, but as the dawn crept up, both were nearly ravenous. Jakben had kept himself grumpily isolated, insisting he clear the fort of rats and possible bandits. He returned in better spirits, his soot-covered shirt now wet with blood.

“There were quite a few rats,” he had said happily. Samara had resolved to keep her distance from him as often as possible.

The fort door, though creaking in protest, swung open easily. A light rain had started falling, according to Jakben, and Samara dumped the water from each bucket into a larger bucket, filling it nearly full. There was a stream a half mile from the fort, and the Rumare, but neither felt comfortable leaving the fort at that point. She sat on a wet stone before heading back inside, glad to breathe in fresh air.

The sun peeked out over the horizon and, for the first time in days, Samara felt a twinge of hope. The door swung shut behind her, and she put the bar in place to keep bandits out, thought the morning sun would keep most from traveling. She heard hysterical howls of laughter echoing down the hallways as she walked back. Jakben was lying on his back atop his bedroll, one arm slung across his eyes, the other grasping the book. High-pitched shrieks of laughter bounced off the walls.

“Oh…the countess of Leyawiin… I’d forgotten about her!”

“What, the story? Which one? There’s a few.”

“The one where…oh by the gods…” He sat up to catch his breath, still laughing. “The one where, you know, they nearly caught him because he was hanging off a flagpole by his undergarments!” He howled in laughter again, his mouth open wide. Samara snorted.

“It gets worse as you read on.”

“I’m sure it does! Does it talk about her stuffed wolf she kept by her bedside? She’d make awful puns with it!”

“Such as?”

He sat up and gave her a mock-sultry look, fluttering his lashes. “’You make me HOWL with pleasure!’” He erupted into laughter again. Samara snorted, then giggled hysterically.

“That’s horrible!”

“I know! How much water have we gotten?” He wiped his eyes, though Samara never saw the glistening of tears.

“Nearly one large bucketful. Enough for use to drink through the day and cook with. I do need to bathe.”

“Want me to accompany you to the stream?”

“That won’t be necessary. You rest. You’re nearly as strange as I am when it comes to daylight.”

“Like father like daughter,” he said, almost too casually. Samara ignored the remark and grabbed some clothes.

“I’ll return in two hours or less, Jakben.” She emphasized the name more than she meant to. Jakben showed no signs of recognizing her tone as he continued to read.

The walk was short, not nearly long enough for Samara to stretch her legs to her satisfaction. The rain from the walk to the fort had washed most of the soot away, but Samara wanted a scrubbing. She slid her filthy clothes off, glad to be rid of them. She reminded herself that her armor needed cleaning as she set her clothes underwater, held in place by a large rock lodged in the bed of the creek, letting the currents wash away the grime. She then sat in the creek bed, washing the dirt from her skin that sponge bathings didn’t get rid of. She heard a rustle in the bushes and turned around. She saw nothing, and shrugged.

She was in the middle of washing her hair when another rustle caught her attention. This time, she turned and got in a crouching position, eyes searching for any danger. She heard a low growl before a wolf burst through the bushes. A hand, resting on a rock as large as her fist, flew up, as if of its own accord, and brained the wolf. It fell without a whimper into the stream, leaving Samara panting heavily with fear. Her heart raced with unused adrenaline, speeding up even more as another rustle came from the bushes. Another smaller wolf growled at her, then promptly whimpered and fell as an arrow appeared in its gut. A horrified expression crossed her face as the wolf yowled in pain.

A large Imperial man with scarcely any clothes on had stepped out of the bushes, a satisfied grin on his handsome face. He looked over at Samara, barely giving her body a glance as he pulled her up. She looked at him, a shocked expression on her face. He smiled at her, the smug expression still on his face.

“Are you alright?” The concern in his voice did not match the expression on his face.

“I’m fine, you-”

“Do you need aid? A healing touch?”

“No! I’m fine, I even-” She was cut off by him placing his hands on her bare shoulders. She hunched her shoulders and laughed uneasily as she shrugged out of his grasp.

“Ha, I’d rather you not touch me right now.”

“Oh, I apologize. I was unaware that you weren’t decent.”

“I highly doubt that.” Samara crossed her arms over her chest and placed most of her weight on her right leg, jutting her hip out. To his credit, the man’s eyes never left her face.

“Truly. Should I fetch you some garments? Perhaps escort you back to the city?”

“No, I’m fine. I have my own clothes.”

“Surely you don’t wish to travel these perilous roads alone!”

“I’m fine, really. And don’t call me Shirley.”

The man looked confused, his blue eyes crinkling at the edges. He opened his mouth and began to speak, halting when Samara held her hand up.

“I’m fine. I’d much rather bathe in peace, please. And can you please put that wolf out of its misery?!”

The man looked over, a startled look on his face. “The beast isn’t dead? Strange, I never miss the heart!” Samara rolled her eyes as the man walked to the wolf and cut its throat.

“I wonder what caught the eye of the Beastmaster,” she muttered as she gathered her wet clothes from the stream. She laid her clothes out to dry after wringing them as much as she could. The man still lingered, a doubtful look on his face.

“May I have your name, fair maiden?”

“Samara, and I’m the furthest you can get from being a maiden without being paid for it.”

She delighted in the man’s blush as the expression dawned on him. She laid on the bank, her wet skin glistening in the sun. She closed her eyes briefly, then opened one, looking at him.

“Go away.”

“I’d rather not leave a woman such as yourself helpless.”

‘Why are you speaking like that? You sound like the snooty nobles in the Imperial City.”

“Aye, I am such.”

“Why are you out here, half naked, wandering the woods?”

“The fires of Mehrunes Dagon burned my home, and I sought refuge in my cabin in the woods.”

She sat up. “Cabin? With…fresh food?”

“Aye.”

“And beds?”

“Aye.”

“Mind if we stop bye sometime?”

“A- we?”

“My father and I. We’ve been in an old fort ever since our homes were destroyed.” Samara suddenly realized Jakben had never actually SAID his home was destroyed. “He’s the earl of Imbel, and does not do well without the luxuries of his home.”

The man nodded slowly. “Aye. The day is young, and you are both welcome in my home. My name is Petrus Vanin.”

“Samara Sage…Imbel. Expect us at nightfall. My father spends his days resting and his nights-”

“Roaming the gardens behind the houses? Yes, he’s well-known for that. My father speculated the man was a hermit. Forgive me for saying so.”

“I don’t mind. He’s definitely strange.” She bobbed her head once and smiled slightly. “I appreciate letting us stop by. Where is this place located?”

“Follow the stream away from the water. It will be on the left. You will see a large white pillar marking the path leading up to it.”

She nodded again and thanked him before closing her eyes and lying back down. She watching through her lashes as the man walked away, a prideful look on his face.

‘Gods, I hope Jakben doesn’t get any ideas about him.’

At My Feet: Chapter Eight

Thunder rolled in the distance, the sound resonating in Samara’s chest. She sighed and woke up, her red hair curled in a few places from sweat. Blanche had been gone for nearly two weeks, a time frame Samara could do without. Sliding from bed, she laid on the dirt floor for a moment before suddenly sitting up.

A loud explosion shook her house, and Samara threw her door open in time to see the sky was as red as blood, boiling angrily with molten lava. Flecks of star bursts winked in and out from behind the tumultuous waves of reddened clouds.

It was horrifyingly beautiful.

The beauty was soon forgotten as she realized the sounds of screams were piercing the air. The air was hot and thick with sulfur and blood. Members of the Waterfront, people she had known her whole life, were running from armored monstrosities and creatures from nightmares. Horned, humanoid creatures with blackened teeth and faces wielding hateful-looking swords cut down people she had cared for over the years. Blood splattered on the ground, and sizzled on the molten armor of the horrific creatures.

She closed her door.

Inside the darkness of her house, lit slightly by deceptively rosy light, she slid her armor on, the soft leather shimmering with enchantment. Out of everything she did, this armor was the one selfish thing she did for herself. It hid her identifiable curves, giving her slimmer, smaller look. She tied her hair back and slid her mask on, her vision sharper and clearer. She sighed as she slid her greaves on, feeling the rejuvenating effects of the spell strengthening her limbs, opening the valve of her magicka more, letting it flow easier. Her boots strengthened her legs and made her limbs more flexible, and her steps quieter.

She threw open the door, her steely resolve dissolving when the figure of a man stood in her doorway. She took in a breath to scream, and nearly instantly a hand covered her mouth.

“Quiet,” he hissed. “Don’t draw attention to yourself!”

She struggled, pushing away. She seethed in anger when she saw his face.

“What are you doing here, Imbel?” She spat.

“No time,” his elven armor gleamed in the roiling red light. “Can you fight?”

She looked at the dagger with disgust, but took it anyways. “Not with this, not very well. I only use my hands and a bow.”

“Just like your mother,” he muttered before checking behind him. The monsters were still occupied with other victims. “That won’t do well with them. They’re from Oblivion itself, and their armor will burn you, and the arrows will bounce off. Follow me, and keep out of sight.”

She obeyed, grabbing her bow. “But-”

There was a roar as a large, dark-furred beast began tearing its way through the dremora. Jakben grabbed her arm and pulled her along. Samara swore she heard him say “Westley,” but before she could really absorb the situation, they were running past the chaos and into the shadows.

“Where are we going?” The volume of Samara’s voice didn’t matter over the screaming and odd, pulsating, humming noise.

“The Temple! We’ll be safe there.”

“We should stay out of the city, make a break for an old fort I’ve got cleaned out.”

“You mean Fort Homestead?”

“How’d you know?!”

A dremora saw them in its peripherals and turned towards them. It pulled out a sword that seemed to be made from hot coals and blackened steel and walked towards them.

“Jakben-” Panic was in Samara’s voice as she reached behind her to grab an arrow as Jakben’s elven shield blocked a blow meant for her head.

“I forgot my arrows!”

“Just stay back!” He grunted as the dremora pushed him back with sheer strength, sending him a few steps backwards. A strangled laugh, almost gurgling, came from the monster’s throat as it advanced on Jakben.

“Why don’t you stab it?” Samara offered.

“What a wonderful idea! I should have thought of that!” Jakben spared an eye roll before the dremora attacked again, mercilessly beating on Jakben’s shield. He cried out through gritted teeth as a crack was heard. The dremora gurgled in laughter once again.

“Foolish mortal! I have wounded you.” The voice grated in Samara’s ears like steel in a dying man’s throat. “Prepare to-”

There was a small, unprotected area at the base of the neck that Samara had noticed. Once the dremora turned its back, she plunged the dagger into its throat. She hissed in pain as the armor burned her skin, causing her wrist to blister up nearly immediately. It fell to its knees, then fell over. Jakben looked relieved.

“Thank the gods! I thought I was done for!” He groaned as Samara helped him up, looking around cautiously.

“Do you feel that?”

He nodded. “The air changed. We need to get to the Temple.”

The air rumbled with an energy that Samara had never felt before. She rushed on with Jakben, the energy pushing and pulling at what seemed to be their very souls. She felt her very essence jump as a bright, fiery explosion littered the sky with embers, two gargantuan figures, one shaped as a bedazzling dragon, and the other as fear incarnate, swung and bit, clawed, and lunged, crushing the districts beneath them.

Everything stopped as the two battled, and Samara suddenly had an instinctual feeling that they should be nowhere near the city. She grabbed Jakben’s hand, ignoring the startled look on his face as she pulled him away from the city. Bodies littered the districts as they sprinted between alleys, dodging swinging axes of Mythic Dawn agents and dremora alike. Suddenly Jakben slowed.

“Where’s your lover?” The raging battle was near-deafening, but Samara heard him, just barely.

“Not in the city!” They reached the gate, which was ajar after the guardsmen abandoned their posts. Once they were out, the air seemed thinner, more calm as a final burst of light blinded everyone in the city momentarily. Both Jakben and Samara covered their eyes as the entirety of Nirn filled with deafening silence.

At my Feet: Chapter Seven

The weeks passed by in a blur after they got back from Hrotunda Vale. Blanche spent whatever time she had free with Samara, who spent her free time in bed with Blanche. The time between afternoon and dusk was bliss for the two women, who spent their time exploring new things and enjoying their discoveries. One such pleasing discovery for Blanche was that Samara was actually talented at Illusion and Destruction magic. Blanche was determined to expand Samara’s skill, and gave her lessons whenever the two of them came up for air.

NOIS chapter two

The dull thud of her body as it fell next to mine, her feline eyes staring into my own as blood leaked from her mouth. Her ebony armor shone with the light of the moons, flickering in and out of sight as my conscious thought ebbed away. I felt a hand slip under my shirt and grope my small, mostly undeveloped breast and squeeze urgently.

“We’re going to have a wonderful time, little elf,” a low voice hissed. My efforts to crawl away were halted by strong hands gripping my wrists tightly, pinning them above my head. I closed my eyes and grit my teeth as my trousers were slid over my rear, my belly scraping against the dirt of the desolate Skyrim road. I felt another hand on my rear, gentler, then my legs being spread apart.

I cried out in pain…
I jerked awake, momentarily disoriented in the darkness. I kicked the covers off my body, sliding out of bed and onto my knees on the floor. I felt for the solidness of my sword and let out a relieved sigh when I felt its warmth. I pulled it out from under the bed and partially unsheathed it, taking comfort in the soft glow. Dawnbreaker quietly hummed with energy, a sound I had gotten used to in the years I had it. I slid the sword back under the bed and checked behind the curtains of the inn, peeking out the window.

Dusk. The nightmares always woke me up by dusk. It never mattered what they were, whether they had happened or not, but they never failed to wake me up by dusk. Outside my door, the revelries of a party suddenly swelled as laughter leaked under my door, as well as light. I smiled slightly. It was always nice to hear someone having a good time, even in a place called “The Winking Skeever.”

The jarl had commissioned me to clear out a small nest of vampires near Solitude. Between the woes of her husband dying and the tenacity of the Stormcloaks trying to take the holds in her land, Jarl Elisef had passed all “minor” responsibilities to Falk Firebeard, a man I was well accustomed to dealing with.

I stood up and stretched, then dressed. I brushed my auburn hair to my satisfaction and held it back with a thin length of rope. I then opened the curtain a bit, letting the failing light stream in, then sat on my bed. I crossed my legs, tucking each foot under my knee, and straightened my back, staring forward. I placed my hands on my knees and began breathing a bit slower, listening to my breaths.

I sat like this until the light was nearly gone. I slid on my armor, a dark leather fit for night-stalking, then slid a cowl on, then decided against it. The strange Altmer that only came out at night made the locals uneasy enough, but add in dark armor and a cowl? I would be lynched for being a vampire, or necromancer. Or perhaps just because it was Tirdas.

I arranged my ingredients, my eyes accustomed nicely to the darkness. I slipped what I needed into the slots on a harness across my chest. Two healing potions, a stamina potion, two magic potions, and a cure disease potion. I slid a brown cloak on to offset the black leather armor, to startle the patrons less. Dawnbreaker was strapped to my hip last, and the cowl tucked into my pouch on my right hip.

The conversations lulled as I walked out. I expected it, yet still nodded at anyone willing to make eye contact with me. I smiled at a small child, who only blinked back up. He smiled back before I turned my head and shut the door behind me.

The air was brisk, as nearly always in Solitude. Spring was coming, though, and the air was a bit warmer than usual. Growing up near the border between Cyrodiil and Skyrim, the warmer months were always appreciated by me. Though light on my feet, my heels clacked against the cobblestoned pavement on my way to the gates. The guard opened it up, and I was out. I slid the hood and cowl on, adjusting it so I could breathe with better ease. There was no need to check my map, as the same cave had been cleared out by me a year before. I walked the familiar road, passing a Khajiit caravan. They averted their eyes, afraid I was a thief wanting their goods. . I kept my pace up, disappearing down the hill.

When I got close, I slid into the brush across from the entrance. The spot was already ripe with the carcasses of animals and humans alike, and any would-be hero would be easily baited in. “The folly of the inexperienced is their inexperience.”

My old mentor’s words rang true in my head as my elven ears pricked at the sound of footfalls. A Nordic woman with bright blonde hair stood at the entrance, her hand on the hilt of her steel sword. I could tell she was contemplating entering. She looked at the bloodied bones and the bloody handprints on the ground, black with age. A pained howl suddenly burst from the cave, and she jumped and drew her sword.

I moved to stand up, but the warning on my lips was stayed by her form dropping quickly with a dull metallic thud, her armor hitting the rocks. She scooted forward, the steel scraping loudly, forcing me to cringe as my long ears tingled at the sound. I stood up and silently followed the adventurer down the tunnel, until it became too dark to see.

I held my breath and waited. I heard rustling, then the sound of a torch being lit, then the suddenly blinding light as the torch caught fire. I could hear the heavy breathing of the adventurer as she ventured forward. I let out a silent breath as I followed her though the dark cavern. The sounds of activity were heard as the vampires began to awaken fully. The sound of steel leaving its sheath rang out as she pulled her sword out and stepped into the lit part of the cavern. I readied my bow as she began to speak in a loud, authoritative voice.

“Foul creatures!” Her voice wavered slightly, but remained somewhat strong. “Tonight you will meet your death!”

Hissing laughter filled the cavern as they slowly advanced on the woman. She swung as one, and it easily dodged her and shocked her with a spell. Her sword clanged loudly as it hit the ground. Strangled groans from her clenched jaw made me shiver, as I knew that pain. I loosed an arrow from the bow I conjured, and it planted in the unprotected chest of one of the vampires. It fell back from the force of the impact, and the other vampires looked into the darkened tunnel.

“Elf!” One hissed. “Kill the elf!”

The lunged at me, and I pulled out Dawnbreaker, the light from its blade blinding them. It pulsed hungrily, a low hum emitting from the ringing sound as I held it out without a word.

At My Feet: Chapter Six

“Well, this was a good idea.” Samara said to Blanche, whom of which was behind her. Blanche sighed.

“I told you I should worry.” Blanche said with another sigh. Samara rolled her eyes and lightly shook her head.

“This is simple and easy. Just let me grab a few stones, and then we head out. No one gets hurt, no one dies.”

“Then my pay will be for nothing.” Rumbled the Orc, named Shakh, in disappointment. “You didn’t hire me to sit back and not do anything. It wouldn’t feel right taking your money. Let me go in and kill them so they won’t kill us first.”

“Nonsense. I can use my magick against them.” Blanche whispered. The bandits in question were milling about the previously abandoned ruin, sleeping on worn, weathered mats or leaning against the white walls, conversing. In total, there were eight of them, wearing mismatched armor. Some wore furs, some studded leathers, and one had steel armor. Blanche peered out from behind the wall they were hiding, most likely meant as a latrine, judging from the stench emanating fro the buckets and stools.

“Use your what?” Samara said, waving a glowing blue stone in front of Blanche’s face. The blonde Breton sputtered uncharacteristically.

“How did you-”

“I’m THAT good.” Samara boasted, a grin on her face. The Orc wheezed a laugh. “That was good, for a thief.”

“Hey!”

“Shhh!” Blanche shushed. One of the bandits perked up, pushing himself off the ground and putting a hand on his steel sword.

“Did you hear something?” He asked softly. The rest looked startled, but shook their heads, murmuring no’s as they peered into the darkness.

Samara waved another stone in her hand, grinning. Blanche frowned and shoved the other woman lightly, making the orc wheeze another laugh. Samara stuck out her tongue and turned around, shaking her rear at Blanche. Shakh wheezed louder, and Blanche’s frown deepened before slapping Samara’s rear lightly. Samara grinned and leaned close to the two.

“That’s two out of the four that are up there. I wonder why they left them there and didn’t sell them?”

“The trek to the city is long,” Blanche murmured softly. “And merchants often won’t buy from the dirty or those who are obviously bandits. Especially not those who reside in Skingrad. They assume the stones are stolen.” She frowned at Samara. “I want to see how you’re getting them without them noticing.”

“I as well,” Shakh declared quietly. Samara cracked her knuckles and disappeared momentarily. The orc looked around, then pointed up towards the wall.

“There.”

Samara inched along the wall quickly, her back against the ledge several yards above the heads of the bandits.

“How is she doing that?” Blanche breathed. “There can’t be enough footing!”

“Thieves.” Shakh said quietly, no audible contempt in his voice. He breathed in sharply when Samara leapt from the thin ledge to the square pillar holding the welkynd stone. She shoved the stone into the small bag she had, hiding its glow, then backtracking across the ledge, gripping holes in the wall to keep herself from falling. She lightly balanced on the ledge of the wall where they were hiding, and dropped, rolling forward, and springing up onto her toes.

“You’re like a godsdamned spider!” Shakh said, patting Samara on the back, sending the young woman forward and into Blanche. Blanche was suddenly very aware of the shampoo Samara used as she steadied the younger woman. Her face flushed a little as she looked up at Samara, who grinned down at her.

“You see me?” She said before stretching her arms. She saw Blanche nod, then turn around, her voice a little unsteady.

“There’s one more, then we can-”

“INTRUDERS!”

Blanche and Samara whirled to see a man and a woman, dressed in a similar fashion as the others, drawing their weapons. Shakh had already, with alarming speed, unsheathed his greatsword and was running towards the larger group of bandits. Samara disappeared, leaving Blanche alone with two bandits and their very sharp swords.

One smirked, the grime on his tanned, leathery cheek giving his blue eyes an insidious glint as he raised his sword. He dropped his sword when a bolt of lightening hit him, causing him to fall over and seize up. The other bandit, a Redguard woman with an unsure look, raised her sword at Blanche.

An arrow planted itself into her stomach and she stopped, dropping her sword. Blood spurted from the wound and she fell backwards like a tree with a thump. Blanche looked wildly around and saw Samara give her a little wave from a darkened corner, above the chaos. Blanche was glad that at least her redheaded friend was not an alien to tight situations.

She turned around as she heard a gasp from behind her to see the bandit woman she had shot gripping the shaft of the arrow. She made a pained sound as she tried to pull the arrow out. Blanche fell to her knees and grabbed the woman’s wrist.

“Stop. You’ll bleed to death faster than I can heal you. What’s your name?”

“Suleen,” The woman said weakly. Her breathing was labored, and Blanche saw that the arrow had gone right through her hide armor.

“Okay, Suleen, I’m gonna need you to slow your breathing a bit and stay calm.”

“There’s an arrow in my gut!” the woman cried out. Blanche put a hand over the woman’s forehead and slid is across, a calming spell in her hand.

“Shhh. I’ve got this. You’re not the first battle wound I’ve dealt with. What are you doing with bandits, Suleen?”

“My son-” She whimpered in pain, gripping Blanche’s wrist tightly. “Is very sick. He’s at the Temple, and they’re saying I can’t afford the treatment he needs to get better.”

“That doesn’t sound right. Tell me about his illness.” Blanche gripped the shaft of the arrow and conjured a pair of heavy-duty scissors and began cutting away at the armor.

“He’s three. Very smart, but has a cancerous sickness. If I could just get part of the cut of one job here-don’t pull it out!” Her voice rose several octaves when she realized Blanche was gripping the arrow.

“I’m not. Keep talking. I’m going to get this armor off of you, alright?”

“Okay.” Suleen gulped, sweat on her body. “His name is Malen.” Swords clanked in the background, and cries of pain rang out. Blanche turned Suleen on her side, making the Redguard woman groan in pain. She kept talking as her armor was pulled off.

“He flirts with any pretty woman, and really loves blondes.”

Blanche smiled a little, despite the sight she was seeing. The arrow hadn’t traveled all the way through Suleen’s body. A quick ,gentle twist of the shaft told Blanche that the arrowhead had loosened, the binding most likely coming off from the wetness of Suleen’s blood. The chaos quieted, and suddenly Shakh was next to Blanche.

“What are you doing? That’s a bandit! She’s the enemy!”

Samara appeared next to Shakh, peering down at Suleen. “She’s still alive? Are you gonna try to save her?”

“We should kill her.” The orc said plainly. Suleen’s breathing quickened as she began to panic.

“No, please! I’m all my son has left! He needs me!”

Shakh put his hand on a dagger on his belt, but Samara grabbed his arm.

“No. Don’t take a parent away from their child.” she said, the shadows hiding her expression. Had the orc or breton seen it, they would’ve seen the pain. She took a breath and knelt next to Blanche.

“What do you need me to do?”

Blanche’s heart swelled a little as she saw the resolve on Samara’s face. Blanche took a deep breath and bit her lower lip for a second.

“The arrowhead came loose in her body. I’ll need to get it out if we’re to save her. What I need you to do is grab some potions, some rags, and a piece of leather or wood, something for her to bite on. Shakh, you’ll need to hold her down.”

Both Samara and Shakh obliged as Blanche comforted Suleen. She gently stroked the redguard woman’s hair, holding a light above them.

“I’m going to tell you exactly what I’m going to do, and exactly what is going to happen, alright? The arrowhead is stuck in your body, but the good news is judging by the blood loss, it hasn’t struck an artery. That means you’re in no real danger because I’m here. Now, this is what’s going to happen now.”

Samara handed her a bunch of rags and a small piece of firewood as thick as her thumb and as long as her forearm. Blanche handed it back. “Strip off the bark first.” She turned back to Suleen. “It’s going to hurt, but I’m right here with you, okay? I’m going to pull the shaft out, and then I’m going to pull out the arrowhead and heal whatever damage it caused. ” She grabbed the newly naked wood and put it in Suleen’s mouth. “Shakh is going to hold you down, and keep you from thrashing. I’m an excellent healer. Are you ready? When I get to three, I’ll pull out the arrow, and begin to pull the arrowhead out. Ready?”

Suleen whimpered, tears running down her face. Sobs wracked her body, and Samara hald her right hand as Shakh gripped her ankles.

“One…”

Suleen closed her eyes.

“Two…”

Samara held her breath and braced herself.

“Three!”

Suleen screamed in pain as the arrow was pulled out, the striped wood nearly breaking with the force of her jaw.

At My Feet: Chapter Five

Samara jumped when Blanche slammed a book down near her head. The redhead wobbled in her seat as she tried to keep herself from falling backwards in her seat. When she regained her balance without falling over, Blanche smiled.

“I knew you wouldn’t fall. You’re like a cat.” She slid into the seat next to Samara and opened her book. She pointed without looking at the passage.

“Read this.”

Samara leaned over. “I gasped softly as he caressed my inner thigh- Blanche, what in the hells?!”

Blanche turned red as she yanked the book back. “Wrong book! Stop laughing!”

Samara’s arm had quickly healed, much to Blanche’s surprise. The morning after, she examined the taller woman’s arm and exclaimed, “Gods, you’ve got amazing regenerating ability!” Followed by, “I’d love to do some tests.” Followed by Samara yanking her arm away and scolding the smaller Breton for thinking of such things.

In spite of Blanche’s hasty exit the night before, their friendship blossomed quickly. Samara would make a trip to the Temple nearly every day, squinting against the sun she rarely saw before. Blanche was generous with her wealth, especially towards Samara. Despite Jakben sending Samara replacement chairs and a new table, a soft bed with new spreading and ccovers, Samara spent more time in Blanche’s house in the safety of the city.

The older blonde Breton pulled out the correct book, shooting a scathing glance at the still-giggling redhead. She found the passage she had meant to show Samara and pointed.

“I can’t read.” Samara said.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Blanche began to read aloud before catching the jest, then shot Samara another dirty look.

“Fine, I’ll read.” She cleared her throat. “‘Welkynd stones are known to harness the power of magicka, though the supply is limited. They offer magicka regeneration without the aid of potions.’ Doesn’t that sound amazing?”

Samara nodded, looking at her fingernails. “Absolutely.”

“I mean, that means no potion sickness!”

“Yep.”

“I suck the marrow out of corpses.”

“What?” Samara looked confused.

“What?” Blanche kept an innocent look on her face. Samara lightly slapped Blanche’s arm and clucked her tongue.

“I’m sorry, I’m just bored.” Samara sighed. She looked at Blanche and frowned.

“What’s that look for?”

“We should get some Welkynd stones.”

“What for?”

“Because! All I would have to do is absord the stone’s power, and I wouldn’t get sick.”

“Yeah, but you’d be carrying a bunch of rocks around instead of a bunch of potions.”

“You’re completely missing the point.”

“I think you’re missing MY point.”

“So you won’t help me?”

“Help you what?”

Blanche let out a groan of irritation as Samara laughed.

——

“Tell me the plan again, Samara.”

Around mid-day they reached the old ruins of Hrotanda Vale, just above Chorrol. It had taken Blanche nearly a week to prepare, going over scrolls, prepping spells, and buying Samara armor. The trip to Chorrol had taken them a day by carriage, and another day to for Blanche to mentally prepare herself. Samara had held her hair several times as she vomited.

“We go in, I grab the stones beause I’m the thief, and you sit back and watch because mages are lazy.”

“Those weren’t my words, but yes, that’s the plan.”Blanche grumbled. “You’d think a Breton and Altmer mix would appreciate the arcane a bit more.”

“Nope.” Samara snorted. She shot a cheesy smile at Blanche. “You’re too tense, Blanche. Things will be fine.”

“No, several things could go wrong. The ruin could cave in, it could be infested with bandits or worse, vampires!”

Samara sighed as Blanche continued to tick off disasters.

“You could break your leg, I could break MY leg, the floor could-MMPH!”

“Shutup.” Samara said as she put her hand over Blanche’s mouth. Blanche flailed and pinched the spot under Samara’s arm, making her screech.

“OW!” She was held back by a large, dark green hand. The Orsimer easily separated the two young women, holding each by the collar of their shirts or robes.

“I’m supposed to be muscle, not a babysitter!” The tusked Orc grumbled. “Play nice!” He set them gently down on the ground, an arm’s length apart.

“I go in, I clear the place, and little miss nimble here scurries up and grabs the stones.”

“I’m glad you hired this ray of sunshine.” Samara told Blanche. “I’m sticking to the shadows.”

“Darling, the whole place is gonna be a shadow, unless there’s bandits inside.” The orc said, his words dripping with something Samara couldn’t identify. “The mage can stick by me. And when we’re getting back to Skingrad, I’m hiring a couple of funts to spend my time with.”

Blanche looked alarmed. “Treat them well. Just because you’re paying them doesn’t mean they’re not people too.”

Shakh the Orc snorted. “Yeah, yeah. You sound like my mother.”

“Your mother approves of prostitutes?”

“My mother approves of everything because she’s dead. Can we get inside already? You’re making me want to kill things.”

“Ugh.” Blanche shook her head. “Petit cul.”