Love and Madness
Autumn trudged through the streets towards Breezehome. It was nearly eleven in the morning, and the air was crisp with the beginning of Frostfall. She was a little apprehensive about coming home; she had told Lydia, her wife, that she would be home on the last day of Heathfire. It was now the second of Frostfall; she may not hear the end of it. Or Lydia would greet her as always, knowing that her guild duties kept her very busy. The current mystery of who bought Honningbrew Meadery buzzed in the back of her brain. From the sounds of things, Maven Black-Briar was not a woman to cross; who would have had the gall to do so?
Autumn pulled herself out of her thoughts when she arrived at her front door. Oblivion hath no fury on a woman scorned. The Wood Elf took off her hood and smoothed her hair; it liked to frizz under the leather. Hoping she wasn't too much of a sight, Autumn opened the doors to Breezehome, a warm gush of air embraced her.
It was the first time Autumn was seeing her new home furnished. Before she left to do a bedlam job in Solitude, among other things, she had ordered everything she needed for her new home. Proventus Avenicci had assured her that Lydia would get workers to help her set up if required and that it would be completed within a week. Having been gone for almost a month, Lydia had turned the battered old house into a lovely home. The fire was roaring, the kitchen full of food, and a delightful smell of one of Lyd's homemade meals filled the house.
"You're back!" Lydia cried. She had been sitting by the fire with a tankard of mead, but abandoned it quickly to greet her wife. "It's been two days since you were to be home, I was beginning to worry." Autumn smiled at gave Lydia a soft kiss.
"I know, and I am sorry." The elf fought back a yawn, but failed. Prompting Lydia to smile warmly and gently push her towards the stairs.
"Go have a nap, my love. We can talk later." Autumn smiled back, but she knew that Lydia was unhappy. She didn't sign up to be a house wife, and yet that was how Autumn had left her. She sighed.
"Yes, we can talk after a nap." She really wanted to get out of her leathers and put away some of the random items she had collected over the last month. "I love you." Autumn pushed some hair out of Lydia's face, making the woman blush.
"I love you, as well." The elf gave her human a chaste kiss and went up the stairs to their bedroom. Her mind wavered from depositing her extra supplies, but she persevered and pushed herself toward the large wooden chest near her bed. Before rooting through her bags, Autumn shed off her armour and pulled on a simple green cotton dress. She would need to bathe later that night, after dinner. A smile crept across her lips. Maybe Lydia would give her a hand.
Autumn knelt onto the hardwood floor, and opened up the chest as well as her bags. They were filled to the bring with potions, books, smithing gear, and alchemical ingredients. She gave a quiet sigh and started lifting several ingots out first and put them on the bottom of the large, empty chest. She hadn't realized that she had been carrying so many; she must have gotten stronger than she originally thought.
"Maybe I should go to Jorrvaskr and speak to Eorlund." She murmured to herself. It would be good to have some smithing skills in her repertoire; it would be handy when she wandered far from a city. Autumn yawned and quickly put away her ingredients and books so she could go to sleep. The last item she deposited was the Amulet of Mara. She smiled at it; she hadn't had it on long when Lydia approached her.
"Is that an Amulet of Mara?"
Autumn was jerked out of her thoughts by the voice of her new Housecarl, Lydia, who had been living with her since became Thane of Whiterun. The woman had been staring all night since she came back home from a trip in Riften. As far as Lydia knew, it was to run an errand for the Eorlund Grey-Mane to an old friend of his in Solitude. But truly, she had gone to Windhelm in search of the boy praying for the Night Mother. She hadn't heard the prayer for the Dark Brotherhood since she was a small child and her mother sang it to her back in Valenwood. It was one of the few memories she had of her family, and investigated anything referring to the Assassin's Guild. His request sent her straight to Riften, where she had stalked the old hag Grelod for a couple of days to learn her schedule. It turned out that the woman stayed at Honorhall and made her assistant Constance do all the shopping. Grelod had liked to spend a lot of her time 'bonding' with the children.
While in Riften, she had visited the Temple of Mara to pray. The woman who raised her was an acolyte here in Riften for many years until she sent Autumn to the Great Chapel in Bravil in Cyrodiil. After her prayers, she ran into Marmal, who had been an altar boy around the time Autumn had been sent to Cyrodiil. He didn't recognize her, but struck up a conversation about marriage with her. Before she knew it, she had purchased and put on an Amulet of Mara to get him to stop talking.
She had been so busy with the aftermath of Grelod's death that she had completely forgotten she had put on the amulet. Being kidnapped by the Dark Brotherhood, and then being accepted into their ranks, had happened so fast the elf's head was still spinning.
"I'm surprised that someone like you isn't spoken for." The young warrior showed courage by looking at Autumn in the eyes, but there was a soft blush creeping along her cheeks. Autumn gave a flirty smile.
"Interested in me, are you?" She asked.
"Well, yes. Why wouldn't I be?" Autumn could hear the woman's voice become uncertain. "Are you... interested in me?" Autumn grinned, and found herself very interested. When she had put on the amulet, it had been done to shut up Marmal, but now she found herself liking the idea of marriage. This woman, she seemed perfect.
"Yes. Yes I am."
Autumn felt a warmness at the memory, and then wrapped the amulet in a scarf an put it into the chest for safe keeping. She and Lydia had been newlyweds when she travelled to Windhelm, after courting only four months. They hadn't spent much time together since their marriage, making Autumn feel guilty. She promised to devote herself to the woman downstairs, and here she was, ignoring her. Didn't even take her on a honeyed moon. Lydia had expressed that she had always wanted to visit Solitude.
Her mind made up, Autumn finished putting her items away into the chest and finished stripping off the rest of her clothes. The house was fairly warm, and the fur blanket on the be would keep her plenty warm. It was going to be nice to not have to sleep in her leathers.
As she slid under the furs, she gave a pleased sigh as the caressed over her tired and sore body. They were soft and kept in her body heat. The elf just wished her wife was there to share it with her. Autumn stretched her hand out to Lydia's pillow, and fell asleep with her hand clutching it.
Sometime later, Autumn was gently awoken by Lydia stroking her hair.
"Wake up, my love. I have made us some supper." Autumn groaned and rubbed her face. She was not a morning (although in this case, evening) person. But the sweet sound of Lydia's voice roused her with less of a barbed tongue than usual. She sat up, and was delighted to see that not only had Lydia brought her dinner in bed, she had brought it naked. The elf girl grinned.
"Mmm, is that a meat pie?" Lydia grinned back and nodded.
"Your favourite, love." Autumn took the pie and put it on the night stand and kissed Lydia full on the lips. The meat pie was quickly forgotten as the two women became tangled together beneath the warm furs.
The two women didn't emerge from their room until late the next morning, having feasted on the meat pie in bed between other activities. Lydia was in the middle of cutting some fruit for lunch when Autumn came down the stairs in her armour and two packs. The woman's face fell when she saw the bags.
"Leaving so soon, my love?" Autumn blushed and picked up one of the bags.
"One is for you. I want you to come with me to Solitude. I never took you away for a honeyed moon, like I promised. I want to fulfil that promise now." Lydia didn't answer her. Instead, the Nord warrior put down her knife and strode up to the elf, and gave her a deep, breathless kiss. Autumn dropped the bag and wrapped one arm around the girl's waist and fisted her other hand in the brunette hair. Lydia moaned and started unlacing the back of Autumn's dress, her nimble fingers making quick work of the loose knot. The dress slipped quietly to the floor, revealing nothing but the elf's delicate skin underneath.
"I like it when you make it easier for me." She purred. "I don't like to be kept waiting." Autumn smiled and grabbed the Nord's hand, pulling her gently towards the stairs.
"Let's get upstairs then, love."
Later that afternoon the two lovers dressed and gathered their things. Autumn pulled back on her Thieves Guild armour, and Lydia dressed in her steel armour. Autumn marvelled at how her seemingly soft Nord moved so lithely in her heavy apparel. She had similar thoughts about Autumn's beloved Warhammer.
"Before I met you, I had the impression Wood Elves generally preferred archery." She said as she strapped on her sword. Autumn laughed.
"My sisters all did, and my brother. I didn't have the patience for it." Lydia grinned.
"I can believe that. And, before I forget, here is your share of our stores profit." She walked over to a small lock box and took out a bag of coin and handed it to her wife.
"Wow, I guess it is doing well, then. Is that little Dark Elf girl running it for us?" Autumn didn't inherit her race's dislike of High and Dark elves, despite having grown up in the heart of Valenwood.
"Tadali? Yes, I sent her a note while you were changing upstairs that we would be gone for a time. She will be fine by herself." The two finished gathering their things and then finally left Breezehome.
They were greeted by an icy wind blowing through the streets; it smelled of snow and smoke. Autumn gave a gentle sigh and smiled at Lydia, who looked eager to move on to outside the city. As much as she loved Whiterun, the Nord had grown up here, she itched to travel. That made this trip perfect; neither of them had been to Solitude before.
They ventured down the street towards the towering gates that lead outside the city. Autumn began to feel giddy as the gates swung open with a long, deep groan. The smell of pine and dirt and the stables was in the air, and Autumn could barely contain her excitement, and Lydia knew it.
"Let's run." She bolted before Autumn could answer. The elf gave a laugh of surprise and sprinted after her.
They ran together through the field, turning it into a race with no finish line. Autumn soon caught up to Lydia who was slowed down by her heavy steel armour. She grabbed the Nord woman by the hand and pulled her close. The snap movement sent them tumbling down a small grassy hill. Lydia yelped and Autumn laughed as they finally came to a stop by a creek. Lydia joined her wife's breathless laughter as they laid there in the soft glare of the Frost Fall sun.
When Autumn finally caught her breath, she stood up and stretched. As she did, she spied some Red Mountain flowers. Lydia's favourite. Autumn pulled out a knife from her hip and cut two of them to give to her. When stood up and turned around, Lydia was already standing and smiling at her.
"Ready to go, love?" She asked.
"Yes. But first," Autumn held out the red flowers. "Beautiful flowers for my beautiful wife." Lydia took the flowers and smelled them, her delicate eyes closed as she inhaled and smiled.
"What has gotten into you lately?" She asked. "I am not objecting to your affections, but what caused them?" Autumn blushed and shrugged.
"The way you greeted me yesterday. You looked like a housewife, something you had once told me you never wanted to become." Lydia's eyes narrowed, and Autumn knew that that was what she had been feeling like.
"I was indeed. A mired housewife, just like my mother." Lydia tucked the flowers away. "But, we are correcting that. Let's continue, I think we can make Rorikstead before dark." They hadn't walked very far before they saw a fire in the distance. Mammoths. And Giants.
"We need to avoid them." Said Autumn. "There's three giants and two mammoths." She heard Lydia give a light shiver. She feared giants ever since she was a child. Her father, a housecarl like her at the time, had taken her out with his Thane and Thane's son for some hunting practice. They were being groomed to become like their fathers, in time. But that fateful day two giants had wandered close by looking for a lost mammoth that would be found later, slain by the Companions. The two men and their children were in their path. Lydia's father died fending them off in time for the Companions to arrive. He saved Lydia, and the Thane's son, taking his last breath in her small arms.
"Come, let's cut across the creak and get back onto the road." Autumn took Lydia's hand and gently pulled her away from the giant's camp. They crept as quickly and as quietly as they could towards the creek and the road on the other side.
The creek was slippery, and the water smelled crisp and fresh from the mountain. She had filled her water skin in this creek often, but there was no time for it now. The giants would come after them if they lingered or made too much noise. The great creatures were violently protective of their charges.
They had been so busy trying to keep quiet that once they crossed the creek they didn't notice two Mudcrabs coming at them. Not until one snapped it's claw at Autumn's boot.
"What in the Void!" She cried and ripped her foot away from the crap. Immediately Lydia drew her sword and killed it. Autumn was only seconds behind with drawing her warhammer and bringing it down full force on the second one that was coming up behind Lydia. In the distance, Autumn heard a giant call out.
"Run!" She didn't need to tell Lydia twice. They both sprinted away from the creek towards the road, not stopping until the large camp fire was no longer in sight. They slowed, and started giggling as they were bent over panting.
"Not even our first day out and we are running for our lives from giants." Autumn panted. "I get into the most trouble with you, it seems. I love it." Lydia laughed breathlessly.
"You just attract trouble, love." Lydia stood, and gave a small gasp of delight. "Look! A herd of deer." She pointed South, and as Autumn stood she saw a small herd of six deer thundering across the plains.
"Pretty things, but skittish. We should keep moving." They continued on, the wind of the plains whipping at their faces. In the distance, they could see some standing stones.
"Is that one of the old ruins?" Asked Lydia.
"Yes. Dustman's Cairn. I have gone through it before, Hamvier's Rest is just beyond it." Autumn's lips turned up into a mischievous grin.
"I know what you are thinking, and I would love to." The two women pulled out their weapons, and headed straight around the Cairn. The smell of the living dead was in the air, the static of the magic animating them raced across her skin. The two women exchanged looks. Lydia had travelled with her enough that she knew the smell of the living dead as well. She was ready for them.
They entered the resting place, and a skeleton with a sword was on them in seconds. Lydia blocked it's downward slice with her shield.
"I've got this one, get the archers!" She called. Nimbly, Autumn darted around them and jumped at the nearest archer that was by a standing coffin. It creaked as it turned to shoot her with it's ancient, rusty arrow, but she brought her hammer down on it's arms. One of the arms broke, and the arrow was set off, just narrowly missing her face. Without giving it a second thought, Autumn brought her hammer up into another swing and crashed it down onto the creatures skull. It screeched, and fell to the ground, lifeless.
Autumn wasn't given any time to breath. While Lydia was fighting off the other archer the standing coffin behind Autumn burst open, and a Restless Drougur dragged it's decaying body out. Autumn's skin crawled, she hated Drougurs. The undead creature turned it's lifeless eyes upon her, and before it could step closer to the young elf, she swung her warhammer down onto it's skull, caving it's face in. The creature fell to the ground, lifeless.
"By the Void, this place is vile." She panted to Lydia. Her wife gave her a soft smile and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Come, let's take a rest by the road. I have some salmon that we can eat." The mention of the salmon perked the elf up.
"You always know what to say." Lydia laughed, and they made their way out of the stinking burial site. Autumn plopped herself down onto the dead grass, ignoring the icy coldness of it when she took off her gloves. When they finally caught their breath they went into their packs. Lydia to get the salmon, and Autumn to get a cloth to get the rotted bits of skin and congealed bonemeal off of her warhammer. The elf grimaced as she started wiping it off. It reeked of decaying flesh.
"This cloth is done for." She said with her nose wrinkled. "Drougurs are absolutely ivile/i." Lydia just chuckled to herself quietly as she handed Autumn a clean cloth to clean her hands before she ate. The elf tossed the sullied cloth aside and thanked the Nord for the clean cloth. They ate in comfortable silence, the tang of the lemon flavoured salmon along with the decent fight they had had her in a good mood. In just a few hours they would be in Rorikstead drinking ale by the fire and having a proper rest for the night. And then tomorrow, they would be in Solitude on their honeyed moon. Life was perfect.
"Lookit what we have here boys. A couple of sittin' duckies." Autumn turned and saw three very large Nord men walking towards them. The man who spoke looked to be the leader and carried a battle axe. His two companions just stood there and sniggered; one had a great sword and the other carried a sword and shield. Autumn stood up, she took up her warhammer and gripped it tightly.
"I am sure you will not want to find out what we are capable of." She warned. "Be gone, if you like your limbs attached and your hearts beating." Great sword snorted.
"Let us take these two, boss. Won't even break a sweat." Their boss smirked.
"Go righ' ahead." Lydia snapped up to her feet, sword drawn and shield in hand.
"Last chance to walk away." She said. The one with the sword and shield answered her by attacking, and the Nord with the great sword followed suit against Autumn.
The man with the great sword gave a heavy swing towards Autumn's legs, she jumped backwards and used the momentum to give a heavy swing downwards. The hammer connected with the back of the Nord's knee, breaking it with a satisfying crack. He howled in pain and Autumn wasted no time caving in the back of his unprotected skull. Beside her, Lydia had already dispatched her own thug with a well placed stab at his gut and was fighting the leader. He swung his axe down, Lydia was fast, she moved to the but the leader followed with a strike from the handle, slamming her down onto the dusty road, her sword and shield tumbling to the ground out of reach.
"Lydia!" Autumn screamed. The thug did not pause, he raised his axe. Autumn screamed again, summoning her Thu'um.
"FUS!" The force of the Shout at such a close range sent the thug flying, killed him instantly. His mangled body lay several feet away, his neck twisted at a grotesque angle. Autumn dropped her hammer and ran over to Lydia, who was slowly sitting up on the dirt road.
"Lydia." Autumn dropped to her knees and looked Lydia over. "Did he hurt you? Are you alright? Are-" Lydia put her hand on her lovers mouth.
"I'm fine, my armour protected me. Like it's isupposed/i to. My head is just a bit sore from when I hit the ground." Lydia rubbed her slightly dinted armour where the handle had struck. Autumn sighed in relief and kissed her until she was breathless.
"By the Void, I thought I was about to loose you." She rested her forehead against Lydia's. The housecarl smiled sheepishly.
"You worry too much." The two got to their feet and Autumn retrieved her warhammer.
"I will always worry about you, even though you can take care of yourself." Lydia handed Autumn her pack.
"I am just glad that you know that I can take care of myself. And I love that you worry about me anyway." She gave Autumn a soft kiss. "Now come on. We are about four hours away from Rorikstead and I am getting tired." The two searched the bodies. They found a Dwarven Bow of Soul Snare, six Orcish arrows and a Staff of Chain Lightning. All of which she gave to Lydia, who was delighted at having a new bow.
"I am no archer, and I don't like using my spells that much." She told her.
"I am sure I will enjoy the staff." Lydia replied, but kept the bow strung and over her shoulder and put the staff away. Altogether on the three thugs they found a modest sum of 320 gold, and on the leader Autumn found a contract. Signed by a Breton named Belethor.
"The shop owner down the way from us?" Asked Lydia. "Why would he want to kill you?" Autumn shrugged.
"I have no idea. I was only in his shop once." She crumpled up the note and threw it down onto the thug. "I will have a chat with him when we come home. Until then, let's get going. Something hungry is bound to smell the blood and come looking. Off the road." Lydia nodded in agreement and they began to head west, away from the road. They walked in silence for a time, they were partially hunting as they went, but had seen nothing so far.
The air grew colder as the sun started drifting down onto the horizon. As they travelled, they saw two giants herding a stray mammoth off to a distant camp near by. They kept their distance, and stayed very quiet. Lydia's face became troubled, and Autumn did the best she could to push her along as quickly as possible. Finally the loud footsteps of the three creatures slowly died away, and the Nord finally began to relax. Autumn was awed by Lydia's control of her worst fear, how she was able to stand by Autumn and not become consumed by it. If Autumn chose to go into battle against one, she would not hesitate.
Lydia was the most loyal person she had ever met.
"Did you want to stop for dinner?" She asked when they reached a quiet pool of water that had a miniature waterfall. It was one of Autumn's favourite camping spots and had often chosen in the past to extend her trip just to spend a night there. It was peaceful, and the water was wonderful to bathe in on a hot day during Last Seed. Hopefully it would calm Lydia as it did her.
"Yes, I would love to. That salmon wasn't enough after that fight, and then that trek." She smiled. "And I'm fine, still. Honestly. Don't suggest stopping just because you are worried about me." Autumn gave her wife an innocent look.
"Me worry?" Lydia snorted and started rummaging through their packs for a light dinner. As she put dinner together Autumn made sure to scout around for any dangers. It was quiet, but some creatures liked to hunt in the twilight.
As if on cue, a wolf howled near by. She drew her warhammer and stood at the ready. Behind her, Lydia didn't stand, but had her hand on her sword, just in case Autumn called for her. A lone wolf with jet black fur and glowing eyes lunged at Autumn, it's slobbering teeth bared. The elf swung down her hammed and broke it's neck in a single blow. It fell to the ground with a hard 'thump'. Dead. She shook her head. It had been reckless out of starvation. It's fur was matted, eyes yellowed around the iris, and it's ribs jutted out. Packless. The elf returned to Lydia who had a couple cooked rabbit legs and some slices of potato bread out for dinner. They said nothing about the wolf, and ate quickly in silence.
Eager to be back on the move they quickly packed their things and strode up the hill around the waterfall, heading west towards Rorikstead once more. It didn't take long for trouble to find them once again. They came across a swindlers den with two bedrolls just outside the den's door.
"Keep an eye out for the lookout." Whispered Lydia. Autumn nodded, and they both drew their weapons and crept by the den. They didn't want to end up in another fight that night; they were borderline exhausted and another fight with several opponents would do them no good.
The lookout found them, a one handed axe in his hand. He came barrelling at them, determined to win the fight. Reckless. Lydia used her shield to bash him backwards and then stabbed him through his rough-spun tunic. He fell dead to the ground, the elf quickly looted him of 7 gold, a ruby, and a goat cheese wedge. She rolled him back over and closed his lifeless eyes.
"Let's go." Lydia nodded and they ran the last league to Rorikstead.
No one was outside their homes when they entered the small village. It was growing dark, and everyone was either at the inn, where they were heading, or in their own homes.
Autumn smiled in relief when they finally arrived at the Frostfruit Inn. She pulled the door open and the smell of mead and cooking food greeted her nose, the heat from the large fire in the middle of the inn warmed up her icy bones.
"If you need a room or a meal, I have both." Greeted an aged Nord man.
"Then I will take both." Autumn pulled out her coin purse and picked out a meal of baked potatoes, a roasted goat leg, and a bottle of Nord Mead.
"With the cost of the room it will be 36 gold." Autumn handed him 40, and he graciously lead them to their room.
"Don't have children!" Cried out a drunk man by the fire. "They will turn out selfish and whiny like my two daughters!" Lydia sniggered and entered their room first. Autumn looked at the man, her brown raised in amusement.
"Thanks for the advice." She said, and thanked the inn owner, Miraki, once more before closing the door behind her. They quickly ate their dinner, undressed, and slipped straight into bed. Too exhausted for extra-curricular activities that night.
"I had fun today." Whispered Lydia as they cuddled close under the heavy furs. Hummed happily, already half asleep.
"I did as well." Lydia lightly kissed her nose.
"Good night, love." She whispered. But Autumn was already asleep.
The next morning Autumn woke up before Lydia and slipped out of bed to purchase breakfast for them. She pulled back on her armour and slipped out the door. Miraki was already up, looking exhausted. The life of an inn keeper was hard. Little money, and little sleep. He said nothing as she purchased some apples, tomatoes, and some cold roast chicken for 30 gold for breakfast. She slipped back into their room to find Lydia already getting dressed.
"Oh good, breakfast. I'm starving." She grinned and gave Autumn a kiss and grabbed an apple. She munched on it as she cleaned up her sword, making sure it was fit for their next stint towards Solitude. Autumn split up the chicken and mixed it up with the tomatoes she had purchased. Once again they made quick work of their meal and packed their things. They left without a word, having left a tip for whomever cleaned their room on the pillow.
They exited the town as two small children ran passed, playing tag. Their father and a local guard trailed behind them, talking. They walked in a comfortable silence for about half an hour before they came across trouble.
In the middle of the road was a dead bandit. Before they could approach to investigate, they were attacked by two Redguard bandits, probably the dead bandit's killers. They were a poorly equipped male and female, one badly taken care of sword each. They were desperate, and untrained. Their mistakes were many, and it cost them their lives. Lydia collected 7 gold from their bodies, and the two moved on.
"Is it just me, or are the people of Skyrim become more desperate these days?" Autumn asked Lydia. Autumn hadn't been in Skyrim for many years when she was caught by the Imperial guards crossing the border from Cyrodiil.
"The war has been hard on us. People starve as their homes are destroyed. Now there are dragons back in the world, and only one Dragonborn." Lydia turned to her wife. "I can't help but think that our honeyed moon is ill timed. You are needed elsewhere, I know. That's why you leave all the time. You are out slaying dragons." Autumn's gut twisted. Yes, she had slayed dragons in her time away from Lydia, but she had mostly invested her time into the Thieves Guild. And now the Dark Brotherhood. She could never tell Lydia, she was too lawful to understand the intoxication, the thrill of pinching something that some lay about didn't need. Or taking the life of Grelod the Kind. That part of her life would be hers alone.
"Trust me, if we run into any dragons I will slay them. If we hear of anyone needing help, we will help them. No matter how little, or seemingly trivial. I promise." That seemed to make Lydia feel better. But their moment was cut short; two bandit chiefs had taken them as easy prey.
"Autumn, move!" Cried Lydia, pushing her lover out of the way. A sword came down between them, giving Lydia a nasty gash on the arm as she barely got away. The male bandit growled in frustration and turned towards Lydia who had only her sword out to defend herself. She had dropped her shield, and it was behind the hulking bandit.
"Lydia!" Autumn dodged a heavy hit from the female bandit and clumsily pulled out her warhammer. The female bandit swung at her again, this time with both her sword and her shield, forcing Autumn to only block one with her hammer. The sword glanced off the hammer so harshly that it reverberated down her hands and her spine. When the shield connected with her, Autumn staggered and fell to the ground, her hammer out of her hands. An icy feeling went through her gut, and her her Thu'um came unbidden, without thought.
"FUS!" She screamed with all her might. The bandit was thrown back into her comrade and they fell to the ground. The female was dead, and the male threw her off of him. He stood up, but before he could gather himself, Lydia killed him.
Autumn staggered over to Lydia and gathered her up in a hug.
"I'm alright." She said breathlessly. Autumn didn't let go, and Lydia laughed and pulled away. "I really am alright, love. I just need to be patched up. Come on, I see a cliff-side retreat. We have lunch and bandage up there." She kissed Autumn on the cheek and then quickly checked the dead bandits, finding 259 gold between them.
"Let's hurry, then." Autumn grabbed Lydia's good arm when she stood back up and pulled her towards the retreat. "Those to bandits must have seen us from up there. There may be more. I know you're fine, but please let me take care of anyone else." Lydia snorted.
"I can't promise that, love." Autumn growled, but didn't say anything else. She was fixed on making sure they were not creeped up on again.
There were two bandits who were easily dispatched, carrying only 9 gold between them. They were young Imperial boys, farmers sons most likely. Autumn shook her head, and climbed with Lydia up onto the retreat. There, she administered a potion of healing to her lover.
"Bandages would be just fine, Autumn." Lydia had an aversion to potions. The previous Thane, the boy that her father had saved from giants when they were children, had been killed by a poison in a bottle that was supposed to be a potion of healing.
"But this potion is better." Autumn countered. "Trust me, Lydia. Please." It took some more gentle coaxing, but Lydia eventually took the potion and her wound healed neatly. Barely a scar was visible. Autumn sighed in relief and lay backwards with a groan. Her ribs were bruised from the blow from the bandit chiefs shield.
"Could you pass me the minor potion of healing from my belt, please?" She asked. "These bruised ribs are going to make me cranky if I don't fix them." Lydia gave a good natured sigh and unclipped a minor healing potion from the elf's belt.
"You rely on those things too much." She chided.
"And you don't rely on them enough." Autumn shot back, and drained the potion. She heard Lydia snort and then start rummaging through her pack. They had a quiet lunch of salmon steak and apples that Lydia purchased at Frostfruit inn earlier that morning. Autumn loved it when Lydia supplied salmon steak, it was one of her favourites.
They didn't rest long, Solitude was within sight, and left as soon as they finished eating their salmon and apples. Autumn was eager to get to Solitude and find the Winking Skeever, an inn that she was told would be good to sleep in by one of her thieving bretheren.
"This has been quite the trip." Lydia said when they got back onto the road. Autumn nodded in agreement.
"We need to travel together more often." The elf swelled with delight at the sight of Lydia's face when she suggested more time together. Yes, she could do this more often with her wife. It would be wonderful.
The two women walked with ease the last half of league to Solitude. Stopping only once when they found a poor Redguard woman and her horse dead on the side of the road. It looked like it could have been a robbery, but when Autumn checked a sack by the destroyed waggon, it contained a couple valuable items.
"Who would kill a woman, and her horse, like this? It surely wasn't for profit." Autumn held out a Potion of Healing, and a gold sapphire ring. A book called Ahzirr Traajijazeri was in the bag as well, and Lydia picked it up.
"And so close to the city." Lydia held the book close. "Please, let's just get to Solitude, love." Autumn nodded and they walked the rest of the way to Solitude in silence. At the gates, Lydia informed the guard of the dead woman down the road before entering the city. The guards thanked them, and the two entered Solitude.
The two women stopped and started in awe at the large, bustling city. It was amazing and it took Autumn's breath away. Lydia had to drag her towards the Winking Skeever, which was thankfully not that far from the entrance.
"Come, let us sleep for a bit before we explore the city." She said as they entered the inn. Autumn was about to protest, when she saw the twinkle in her lovers eye.
"Yes, I do believe I am quite tired after our journey." Autumn quickly paid the innkeeper for the week, a modest sum of 70 gold pieces and took the key he gave her. After listening to the directions, Autumn and Lydia quickly went to their room and 'rested'.
They woke up the next morning, excited for their first day in Solitude. They made quick work of some pears and apples before leaving the Winking Skeever to explore the city.
"Would you like to live here, someday?" Autumn asked. Lydia looked at her in surprise.
"Leave Whiterun?" She looked away from Autumn as they walked, thinking. "I have never lived anywhere else."
"We could still keep Breezehome, and live her part of the time." Autumn took her lovers hand, making their walk more intimate. "I would never completely take you away from Whiterun, my love." Lydia smiled thankfully.
"Please, let me think on it for a time?" Autumn nodded.
"Of course." They stopped to share a kiss. "I love you."
"Please! Take pity on an old madman!" The two women jumped apart as an elderly Dunmer man dressed in strange clothing intruded upon their intimate moment. Lydia gave him a pitying look, and Autumn sighed.
"What do you need?"
"My master has abandoned me! Abandoned his people. And nothing I can say can change his mind!" He cried. "Now he refuses to even see me. He says I interrupt his vacation! It's been so many years... Will you please help?" Autumn looked at him sadly.
"Why don't you leave your master?" She asked.
"Oh, you don't understand. Without him, I am not free! Without him, I am doomed! All of his empire shall fall into chaos..." Autumn sighed and looked at Lydia.
"You promised me." She whispered. Autumn sighed again.
"How can I find your master?"
"The Pelagius Wing of the Blue Palace. He is having tea with an old friend. You need the hip bone to enter!" The Dunmer pulled out something from his pack. It was a whole pelvis. Autumn grimaced, and Lydia took out a cloth from her pocket and wrapped up the hip bone.
"We will find your master." The elf promised, and the Dunmer walked away, spouting off nonsense about some cheese. Autumn turned to Lydia.
"Really? Do you really think that this is anything?" Lydia glared back at Autumn.
"You promised me. No matter how trivial, or crazy. You have to admit, it is interesting. The Pelagius Wing has been locked for the longest time, who know what could be in there."
"Dust? Rats?" Autumn groused. Lydia gave her another look and the elf relented. "Alright, alright. I am interested, okay?" She smiled and Lydia gave a noise of satisfaction.
"Come, let's go ask the castle steward." They walked up towards the Blue Palace, and Autumn found herself hoping that they would not be able to get into Pelagius Wing.
When they approached the steward, he denied them entry.
"Some things are better left buried." He said. This left Autumn optimistic, maybe now she and Lydia could spend some down time together instead of mucking about the Blue Palace.
But then her hopes were dashed when they ran into a castle maid near the servants quarters on their way out.
"Can you help us?" Lydia asked her kindly. The maid eyed them up, trying to decide if they were worth her time.
"My name is Una. Got lots of things to take care of. What do you need?" She asked.
"I need to get into the Pelagius Wing." The maid was taken aback.
"Not on your life! It's dangerous in there, and Falk doesn't even like me and Erdi going in every year to clean out the spiders."
"Falk asked us to check it out." Autumn said quickly. Una relented and pulled a key out of a pocket in her dress.
"If you really want to... Just be careful of the ghost! He snuck up on me once and scared me sick. It took a week for me to feel better..." Autumn nodded.
"Thank you." Una nodded and muttered directions to the wing in question and scurried away. "Shall we?"
With Una's directions they found the Pelagius Wing fairly quickly. There was no one near the wing, people in the palace seemed to steer clear of it.
"Do you think there will really be ghosts?" Asked Lydia when Autumn unlocked the door. The elf shrugged.
"The only ghosts I have heard of have tried to kill people, not just scare them. Falk or a servant could have just been playing tricks on Una when she was cleaning in here before." Lydia looked thoughtful as they entered the decrepit wing. Dead plants say in cracked pots along the walls, cob webs and dust covered every inch of the stone walls and floor. Autumn sneezed at the intruding dust in her nose. Oh, this was going to be ilovely/i.
The wing was in complete disarray. Chairs were upturned, empty bottles were strewn about. It was if there had been a great crisis here before they closed the wing. Autumn kicked an empty wine bottle down a long hallway with a red and gold carpet.
"See, I knew there would be nothing-" Autumn was cut off as something ghostly grabbed her. She cried out as she was flung away.
"Autumn!" Lydia's scream was far away. Her world blurred and suddenly she was in a field with dead grass. A few feet in front of her was a table with a man dressed in purple and a gaunt man dressed in blue.
"More tea, Pelly my dear?" Asked the man in purple.
"Oh, I couldn't. Goes right through me. Besides, I have so many things to do..." The blue man answered. Autumn took a step back, going for her warhammer, but found herself unarmed. And in different clothes. Strange ones like the Dunmer had been wearing.
"So many undesirables to contend with. Naysayers. Buffons. Detractors. Why, my headsman hasn't slept in three days!" Continued the man in blue. Autumn slowly approached the table as the man in purple man chided his friend.
"You are far too hard on yourself, my dear, sweet, homicidally insane Pelagius. What would the people do without you? Dance? Sing? Smile? Grow old?
"You are the best Septim that's ever ruled. Well, except for that Martin fellow, but he turned into a dragon god, and that's hardly sporting... You know, I was there for the whole sordid affair. Marvellous time! Butterflies, blood, a Fox, a severed head... Oh, and the cheese! To die for."
"Yes, yes, as you've said, countless times before." Sighed Pelagius. Autumn just stood there, mouth agape. Pelagius was still alive? The man in purple did not like Pelagius' comment.
"Hafrumph! Well then, if you're going to be like that... Perhaps it's best I take my leave. A good day to you sir. I said good day!" The man in purple stood up, and Autumn saw that half of his shirt was red. Swallowing her fear, Autumn walked up to the strange man with with the two tone shirt and white hair and Pelagius disappeared in a swath of blue fire.
"How rude! Can't be bothered to host an old friend for a decade or two!"
"I'm here to deliver a message." She said.
"Reeeaaallllyyy?" Asked the strange man. "Ooh, ooh, what kind of message? A song? A summons? Wait, I know! A death threat written on the back of an Argonian concubine! Those are my favourite. Well? Spit it out, mortal. I haven't got an eternity! Actually... I do. Little joke. But seriously, what's the message?" Autumn was bewildered, but answered his question.
"I was asked to retrieve you from your vacation."
"Weeerree you now? By whom? WAIT! Don't tell me. I want to guess! Was it Molag? No, no... Little Tim, the toymaker's son? The ghost King of Lysandus? Or was it... Yes! Stanley, that talking grapefruit from Passwall. Hahah!
"Wrong on all accounts, aren't I? Ha! No matter. Honestly, I don't want to know. Why ruin the surprise? But more to the point. Do you – tiny, puny, expendable little mortal – actually think you can convince me to leave? Because that's... crazy. You do realize who you're dealing with here?" Autumn truly had no idea. His voice had gone from happy and crazy to dark and menacing. It sent her heart racing.
"All I know is that your people need you to return." The madman gave a loud obnoxious yawn.
"Oh, pardon me. Were you saying something? I do apologize, it's just that I find myself suddenly and irrevocably... BORED!" His scream made Autumn take a step back. She began to think she knew who she was dealing with.
"I mean, really. Here you stand, before Sheogorath himself, Daedric Prince of Madness, and all you deem fit to do is... deliver a message? How sad." Autumn latched onto her courage.
"So, does that mean you'll leave? Or not?" She asked.
"Now that's the real question, isn't it? Because honestly, how much time off could a demented Daedra really need? So here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to leave. That's right I'm done. Holiday... complete. Time to return to the hum drum day-to-day... On one condition! You have to find your way out first. Good luck with that." Autumn began to feel very irritated.
"Okay, what's the catch?" She asked with venom.
"Ha! I do love it when mortals know they're being manipulated. Makes things infinitely more interesting. Care to take a look around? This is not, I dare say, the Solitude botanical gardens. Have you any idea where you are? Where you truly are?
"Welcome to the deceptively verdant mind of the Emperor Pelagius III. That's right! You're in the head of a dead, homicidally insane monarch!
"Now, I know what you're thinking. Can I still rely on my swords and spells and sneaking and all that nonsense? Sure, sure. Or... you could use... THE WABBAJACK! Didn't see that coming, did ya?" Suddenly a staff with screaming faces appeared in her hands, and Sheogorath sat down on his chair. Autumn sighed. She might as well start exploring.
The elf headed towards the standing archways behind Sheogorath. After she passed under the first one, his voice came to her ears.
You've headed down the path of dreams. Unfortunately for you, Pelagius suffered night terrors from a young age. Autumn cursed, but continued down the path. All you need to do is find something to wake poor Pelagius up. You'll find his terrors easy to repel... but persistent.
Autumn came to a clearing with a younger Pelagius sleeping on a large luxury bed looking very vulnerable. She felt bad for the deranged Septim, and put Wabbajack at the ready. Nothing happened for a while, and Autumn wondered if she was missing something. Looking down at Wabbajack in her hands, and then at Pelagius, she shrugged. What harm could she do to a dead guy? She fired at Pelagius, and for a moment nothing happened. Autumn frowned, but then heard a wolf howl. She turned, and a large black wolf charged at the Septim's bed. She fired the staff, and the wolf squealed and disappeared. A red ring of magic burst out, and in it's place was... a goat?
"What the...?" Autumn hit to goat with Wabbajack, but nothing happened. It just kept grazing. Autumn turned to Pelagius and hit him with Wabbajack's attack. A cry of attack erupted behind Autumn, and she turned around to see a bandit chief running at the sleeping Pelagius. Autumn sighed, and hit her with Wabbajack. She turned into a small boy that looked like Pelagius.
The elf saw the pattern. She was turning Pelagius' nightmares into things he liked and trusted. Like goats, and his younger self. Autumn turned back to sleeping Pelagius and hit him with Wabbajack again. This time a Hagreeve appeared. The she-creature screeched into the sky, but Autumn hit it with Wabbajack before it could move a step. From the red mist emerged a beautiful Redguard maid. Autumn sighed. This was ridiculous. She turned and his Pelagius again with Wabbajack. Another wolf appeared and it jumped up to Pelagius. She hit it in mid-air and it disappeared. The pattern continued, and every time a new opponent appeared the goat, little Pelagius, and the maid attacked the invading entity and slowed it down, making it easier for Autumn to hit them with Wabbajack.
The final creature was some sort of Necormancer. It glided off the ground with surprising agility, making it hard for Autumn to hit it with Wabbakjack.
"Die, you stupid thing!" She cried, and shot once more, and finally hit it.
Well now, that's something to crow about. With Pelagius up and about you're moving right along. We'll both be home in no time! Roared Sheogorath as Pelagius got up out of bed. Autumn sighed in relief, and ran back to the original clearing. She stopped, the table was empty. The elf groaned, and looked for another archway. There was one to the south and one north. Autumn sighed and made her way south.
Hah! This is a sad path. Pelagius feared and hated many things. Assassins, wild dogs, the undead, pumpernickle ... Bu the deepest, keenest hatred was for himself. The attacks he makes on himself can be seen here fully. They are always carried out on the weakest part of his fragile self. The self loathing enhances Pelagius' anger! But his self confidence will shrink with every hit. You must bring the two into balance. Sheogorath's words rumbled over her as she ran up to a very tiny Pelagius being attacked by a guard dressed in Imperial armour. She hit the man continuously with Wabbajack, shrinking him and letting Pelagius grow bigger. After three hits, the guard was reduced to regular size, but two ghosts joined the fray to attack the damaged Septim. Autumn growled in frustration and hit Pelagius with Wabbajack until he became the giant one.
Wonderfully done! Pelagius is finally ready to love himself... and continue hating everyone else. Autumn sighed in relief again, and ran back to the main clearing and then took the north exit. The final task. She hoped.
Oh, good choice! Well, good for me. I find everyone being out to get you so terribly entertaining. You might find it... less so. You see, Pelagius' mother was... well... let us say 'unique'. Although, I suppose in the grand scheme of things, she was a fairly average for a Septim. Sheogorath sounded thoughtful as he spoke.
Autumn ascended a large set of stone steps at the end of the path until she came to a high point over an arena with two fighting atronachs.
That woman wielded fear like a cleaver. Or did she wield a cleaver and make people afraid? I never that part right... Oh, but she taught her son well. Pelagius learned at a very early age that danger could come from anywhere. At any time. Delivered... by anyone. The thought made Autumn shiver. She couldn't imagine he mother being so crazy and cruel. It made her thankful what she had, even though she hadn't seen her mother since she was a child. Autumn raised the Wabbajack and started hitting the atronachs. They changed from storm to ice. Nothing happened. She frowned, and hit them again. They were now flame atronachs. No, that was not what she needed to do. Autumn looked over at the other side of the arena, and saw another throne and some statues. She hit them instead.
Oho! I thought you'd never figure it out! The statues turned into wolves and started fighting. What with the threat gone Pelagius is under the delusion that he is safe, which means you've helped him... sort of. And we're that much closer to home. Autumn put away Wabbajack and bolted back to the main clearing where Sheogorath was sitting back on his throne. She approached him eagerly, which irritated him.
"Do you mind? I am busy doing the fishstick. It's a very delicious state of mind!" Autumn, annoyed with her whole situation, ignored his rambling.
"I've done it. I've fixed Pelagius' mind." She said.
"Hmmm... 'fixed' is such a subjective term. I think 'treated' is more appropriate, don't you? Like one does to a rash, or an arrow in the face.
"Ah! But no matter. Heartless mortal that you are, you've actually succeeded! And survived! I am forced to honour my end of the bargain. Congratulation! You're free to go!
"I... have been known to change my mind. So... go. Really." Autumn didn't need to be told a second time. She backed away from the table, and looked around for her way out. Sheogorath continued to prattle on.
"Well, I supposed it's back to the Shivering Isles. The trouble Haskill can get into while I'm gone simply boggles the mind... Let's make sure I am not forgetting anything. Clothes? Check. Beard? Check! Luggage? Luggage! Now where did I leave my luggage?" A blue fire like the kind Pelagius disappeared by erupted, and the mad beggar from the city appeared.
"Master! You've taken me back!" He cried. "Does this mean we are going home?"
"Yes, yes that's quite enough celebration. Let's send you ahead, shall we?" The beggar was sent away by the blue flames again, and Sheogorath turned back to Autumn.
"As for you, my little mortal minion... Feel free to keep the Wabbajack. As a symbol of my... Oh, just take the damn thing. You take care of yourself now. And if you ever find yourself in New Sheoth, do look me up. We can share a strawberry tart! Ta ta!" The horrible feeling that had grabbed Autumn before gripped her around the middle again and threw her through darkness. She fell with a thump onto the ground where she was first taken, Lydia crouching beside her.
"Autumn! What happened! Are you alright?" Autumn sat up. She was still in the strange clothes Sheogorath had put her in. Her Thieves guild armour was nearby, folded up neatly by her pack with her warhammer. Wabbajack was digging into her back. It had all been real. So, very real.
"I... I am not entirely sure." She whispered. Lydia looked as rattled as she was. "But it's over. The ghost is gone."
"Gone? What happened, my love?" Lydia held Autumn's face close to hers. "I was so worried about you. I was trapped in here, your things were sitting against the wall. I couldn't get out, you had the key. Then suddenly, you just appear here. In these strange clothes!" She rested her forehead against Autumns.
"Shh, it's alright." The elf whispered. "Let's go to the Winking Skeever. I feel like I could sleep for days. Can we talk about it in the morning when I have had time to let it sink in?" Lydia nodded and helped her lover to her feet. They collected their things, and quietly left the Pelagius wing. Autumn left the key by the door on a table, and they left the palace.
When they arrived at the Winking Skeever, they undressed and held each other under the heavy fur blankets.
"I was so afraid that you were dead. That I was going to die back there." Whispered Lydia. "I am so happy that you have come back to me." Autumn kissed her wife softly.
"Lydia, I will always find my way back to you."
The End.