Destiny

(A/N): Now this is a plot idea that I was interested in trying out for quite some time!

I've been debating with myself as to how to continue the TES fic series for quite some time from my widespread selection of ideas, yet following the crappy ending of "The Daily Round" it almost seems perfect to lead into this one!

The concept of the story is inspired by an episode of the show "Red Dwarf", more specifically the episode "Camille" from the fourth series. If you've seen it you'll probably understand what I'm getting at here - and why I couldn't help but try it out xD

Let's see how this goes. My first attempt at a somewhat more complex story than usual, so... Good luck me ._.

WARNING: Spelling errors, plot holes, OCs only, inaccurate portrayals of the Daedric princes, some language, a hell of a lot of ellipsis's, purposeful cringe worthy corniness, and a racist Argonian!

Chapter One: Everybody Lies

"I assure you, Redguard." Wonders insisted, peeking around a rock formation like a timid young child spying on a stranger at the doorstep. The desert man in question remained at his six, his fists buried into the deep pockets of his ragged robes. Continuing on-point, the Argonian mage glanced back as his tongue stabbed at the air. "It's pronounced 'Raid-Dough-Ran'"

"Raid-Dough-Ran?" the wanderer repeated in a mocking tone, replicating his companion's accent with all the compassion that a butcher shows to a leg of lamb. The magician was talking bollocks as usual, or his name wasn't Stradlater. The catacombs of Redoran's Retreat seemed just as twisty and turny as they had been before, the now uninhabited cavern resembling the extensive intestinal track of a Forsworn sacrifice. "Sounds like one of those dragon words the Dovahkiin uses." Stradlater pointed out, nudging his comrade's back to help him scale a sudden steep incline.

That got the Argonian to grin - the sort of feral, predatory grin that made all but the bravest of men shudder from natural instinct. "Exactly, see?" he pointed out, hoping that the Redguard saw his point of view. Of course, relying on the meat-headed warrior to think with the same creativity as him was like expecting a Khajit merchant to hold up on a trade deal. "Supports my other theory - tenfold, yes?"

All his words deserved was a half-arsed shrug. "You mean your 'theory' that he's actually Tiber Septim from a time warp?" he reflected, recalling Wonder's words after he'd had twenty pints too many. The Argonian usually started trying to eat people when he was drunk, so he was more than willing to sit down and listen to his rambling to stop them getting shunned from another hold. The Redguard pointed at the mage's satchel, prodding at it with a hammy finger. "Because I swear, you ripped that right out of one of your books."

"No I didn't." Wonders hissed, swinging his satchel to his front. Like a shy schoolgirl with her head bowed, he tugged at its strap. "... I thought of it before I read that one..."

"Come on." Stradlater beckoned, shuffling ahead. At last they'd reached the expansive clearing of the main chamber, where the objective of their trip was located - a collection of chests. Wonders, in his greed, was adamant in returning to the Retreat to pick it clean of loot and plunder, having missed out on the opportunity the day before. The desert warrior folded his arms, glancing left and right across the room - no werebears or the sort making a nest, thank the pantheon. "Let's get this over with already; I'd prefer to be back at the Mare."

Peering across the room, Wonder's inquisitive eye caught sight of the goldmine within moments. "What for?" he asked, pacing towards the set of containers and grabbing a knee. Turning to face his colleague, he teasingly hovered his hands over his chest, puffing out his robes to resemble the bosom of your average Imperial lap dancer. Of course he was thinking about a certain barmaid, "... The tankards, hmmm?"

Stradlater leant over to the deserted bedrolls, reaching for an unlit lantern and striking it alight. While the Argonian had downed enough tonics and cateyed potions in the past to cut through the darkness with unblinking eyes, he wasn't so magically inclined. "The tankards." he grumbled in response, holding the flickering light source aloft. "You sick lizard, you." he scoffed. Watching the magician cup at his baggy-clothed chest would've gotten him all hot and bothered, if only he was into smelly reptilian racists with all the charm and social grace of a pubic louse.

Fortunately he wasn't so inclined.

Unlike a few of the pub regulars.

Swiveling from his position, Wonders began the arduous process of picking at the lock of the largest chest. He'd made sure to purchase a surplus from the general store at Whiterun - two-hundred individual picks to be exact. "I'm not sick." he hissed in reply to the Redguard, who stood by his side with his lantern-light casting shadows. "I visited that shrine in Whiterun, I'm perfectly fine. Got a note."

At times like this it was best to ignore the magician, and so Stradlater did just that. With a grunt of effort the desert nomad slipped onto the floor, leaning his achy back against the curve of the cavern walls. They almost seemed naturally designed for comfort - they meshed into his shape like the cushion of a sofa. "Are we carrying this," he pointed at the chest "or are you just going to have a rummage?"

"Please, my friend." Wonders snickered in mock offence, placing the side of his head against the lock. He must've been using his ears, yet the Redguard couldn't spot anything that remotely resembled the hearing implements on his person. "I thought you knew me." The Argonian flinched as there was a click, and after an awkward moment of silence he popped the container's lid wide open. "... You're carrying it. Now let me check what's in it first."

Stradlater rolled his eye - a feat that looked rather silly with just the one. "Of course." he agreed, making no effort to even protest. Laying back in place, he let the magician dig through the box like a child at the Hearthfire on his birthday, his teeth bent in a manner that almost resembled a joyful smile. The air was heavy with dampness, and Stradlater couldn't help but be bothered by it. "You know, there's one thing that's off about this place."

"Hmmm?" Wonders mumbled absently, sounding like a housewife appeasing her child as he buried his head into his loot. His voice almost seemed to echo within the confines of the container "What's that?"

Why, the mammoth in the room of course.

The Redguard pointed to the middle of the clearing. "The corpse." he said calmly, gesturing at the smouldering remains of the bandit chief that Wonders had fried to death merely hours ago. No doubt his two followers had fled in the early hours of the morning, meeting up with other bandits, or meeting their end by other bandits. "It's moist in here. He's starting to smell up the joint."

Wonders exhaled irritably. "I was raised in a marsh, you were raised in a dung heap." he pointed out, his nostrils flaring in ignorance to the stench. He was certain the hard-arsed Redguard could tolerate a bit of stink, what with how much sweat he produced by the gallon. "What are you, a mer? Want your blankie? Some warm milk? Walk it off."

Stradlater couldn't help but settle on a word, bouncing the lantern haphazardly on his knee. "... I thought you called the marsh a lake."

Caught off guard, Wonders quickly went for a stock response. "... Needs must."

Pow, right in the patriotism.

The rattle of picks in locks continued for minutes to come, the green-skinned humanoid digging through chest after chest to check for riches. Of course the Argonian was quite the hoarder - so far he hadn't discarded a single bit of loot, be it a lump of charcoal or the ten-billionth set of leather boots three sizes too small for the both of them.

Stradlater busied himself with thoughts of what he could do with his share of the gold - 10% if he were lucky, 2% if he were realistic. He'd likely buy some premium smithing tools from the old Skyforge at Jorrvaskr. He wouldn't dare let Eorlund Graymane be the one who tended to his aged Orcish plate armour.

It was his gear, and his to preen.

A gust of wind whooshed through the catacombs, the rattle of skipping stones and settling dust echoing down the walls and brushing by his hooded ears. Stradlater leant his head back, letting the sounds of nature surround him in ignorance to the rustling of his companion.

In time, he heard a whimper.

Within moments it grew louder, accompanied by gentle sniffles that would fit the face of a crying young girl. The Redguard sat up in confusion, wondering if his sleep-deprived brain was finally beginning to lose it. Tugging at his head wrappings he lowered his scarf, ruffling his muddy-brown hair and listening intently. Placing his palms against the dirtied walls, he held his breath and focused.

Wonders blinked audibly, watching the scarred man as he shimmied against the wall like a window-licker in a bakery. "... You contacting your home planet again?"

Stradlater snarled, glancing back for a fraction of a moment before returning to his bizarre ritual. "Can't you hear that?"

After a brief stare off, the Argonian's eyes spun back to his work. "I can hear you talking, the sound of wind, my talons clicking, my temper rising..." he pulled out another boot, bit on its toe-cap testingly, then tossed it back in with a disgusted 'bleugh'. "Be a bit more specific, Redguard."

"Whimpers." He frowned, backing away from the wall. The sounds became quieter as he backpedalled - as if they were coming from an opening behind it. "I can hear whimpering."

The Argonian clearly couldn't care less, continuing to fork through his goods. "Hmph." he sneered, uncorking a vial and hovering its neck by his nostrils. His tongue peeked from his maw dubiously, stabbing at the air in consideration. "I hear nothing of the sort."

What a load of chitins.

Stradlater glared at him irritably, hunting for the glint of lies that frequented his eye sockets. So imagine his surprise when no such glow appeared. He'd known the Argonian for quite some time, and with that he tended to know whether he was lying or not. Silent-He-Wonders honestly couldn't hear anything, yet the noises continued to grow. Growling in frustration he hobbled back to the wall, his charred hand clutched tightly to his scabbard. "Keep talking. I'll find you." he said to the air, resting his head against the wall.

"I'm right here." the magician pointed out dismissively, sneakily slipping a pink-coloured tonic of dubious function under his robes before diving back into his supplies.

"Not you." the Redguard grumbled, continuing his determined, misled hunt for wisps and echoes.

Wonders took this moment to consider the actions of his comrade in arms. True, if he were a common dog such hallucinations would be a signal that he needed to be put down, yet the Redguard did show decent intuition every now and then. A secret opening probably meant more gold, and if his experience with tomb raiding was anything to go by then a pile of chests out in the open would be nothing more than a decoy to convince the common adventurer that a dungeon was clear. The real loot could be something grand - a slightly larger potion, or boots with a low level enchantment or two. Affectionately patting his snout for such an ingenious deduction, he swung to his feet and sauntered over to Stradlater. "Check for straight cracks." he recommended, moving to his side and tapping at a stony outcrop with the tip of his claws. "Not in your skull, in the wall."

"Thanks for the tip." The warrior groaned, side-stepping to give his colleague some room. With an outstretched arm he gestured to the opposite end of the space, "You take that side, I'll take-"

"Or I could just find it." Wonders suggested, kneeling down and digging his long, scaly fingers under a small overhang. He glanced back at his foolish companion, who responded with an eyebrow raised higher than a skooma addict in the Cloud District. "You know, here."

After tugging at the ground for a moment, the wall suddenly began to turn as if it sat on hinges. In a moment's time it opened like an inverted drawbridge, revealing a pitch-black cavern before them. Wonders folded his arms arrogantly, licking at his itching nostrils much to the Redguard's chagrin. Stradlater tilted his head to peer under the door, briefly glancing back at his companion. "... What do you want, a sweet roll?"

"I want a lot of things, Redguard." Wonders said dramatically, tilting his own head to gaze into the shadows. Awkwardly he patted his friend on the shoulder, before backstepping away cautiously. "If you, uhh... Find any gold in there, you know who to call."

That was expected.

Reaching for the lantern that sat nestled on the floor, Stradlater tied it loosely to an open loop on his belt. Grasping onto his blade once more for comfort and inspiration, he tentatively entered the darkness surrounded by his glowing aura. He fingered at the ribbons of his blade hilt, widening his eyes to take in whatever light he could find. "... Hello?"

"Me, you call me." Wonders called from the pile of chests, watching with mild interest from the relative safety of the main chamber. "... You know that, right?"

Stradlater offered his companion the universal signal for "Shut up, you daft Argonian bastard." with an extended middle finger, before continuing his treacherous advance. The whimpering had strangely remained at the same level of volume for the past few minutes, no matter where he stood. He pressed his back against yet another dusty wall for balance, feeling along the path. The adventurer raised his voice to pierce the blackness, "Anyone?"

It stopped.

The sudden silence was deafening, in its own contradictory way. If it wasn't for the rustle of Wonders digging through his containers barely metres away, the feeling of isolation would've been overwhelming. With his lantern's light so limited in its reach, the small room almost seemed infinite in its size - and for all he knew, that could've been the truth.

It was only then that he noticed breathing. The timid sort of breathing you'd expect from someone who'd been whimpering for a good ten minutes and had finally lost their enthusiasm. Stradlater was no inspector, but with his own deductive skills this was certainly a sign. As was the fact that this breathing was in front of him. Right in front of him.

Without warning a pair of frail white arms wrapped around his leg weakly. It was an embrace; one of a lost soul begging for comfort and protection. Stradlater unhooked the lantern from his hip and brandished it, a gentle voice but a mere whisper by his knee. "... H-Hello?" it spoke.

His voice escaped him for moment, his usual gravel losing its hostility. "Hello." he uttered to the darkness below him, prompting a withdrawn gasp from the feminine tone below. He shook his head in confusion, glancing back to see a that his colleague was once again nose-deep in his plunder. "It's fine, don't be scared. I'm..." he began with a restrained whisper, brandishing his lantern between them,"... I'm not one of them bandits". Rest assured, he didn't expect what he saw.

Shining in the light, angelic features.

She was beautiful.

We're talking bee-you-tee-full.

The Girl-Next-Door type, her eyes tinted a perfect sapphire.

With curves that would make a Dwemer architect blush.

Sparkling with innocence, she shyly hid her eyes against the baggy cloth of his trouser leg. "Y-You're not..." she stuttered, an adorable lisp tugging at the tip of her tongue. Behind her smooth, flowing white hair sat the distinctive points of elvish ears. She must've been a Bosmeri - she had the figure and stature of one, even the faint accent of a native to Valenwood. Gradually she peeked from behind her cover, glancing up at the dirtied face of the desert nomad. "You're... N-Not a baddie...?"

"I'm one of the goodies." he assured, crouching before the woman and placing the lantern by his side. Her grip on his leg severed, she stared at her toes timidly. The woman appeared to be restrained, with bonds locking her ankles and wrists to their counterparts. Furthermore, a collection of ropes appeared to be coiled around her chest and stomach. What purpose did they serve? They didn't lock her down at all, they simply made her look... Uncomfortable. "... Let's get you out of those bonds, okay?" he smiled, offering his hand. The Bosmeri gripped onto his large index finger like a dependent child for a moment, before realising what he intended and offering her arms.

"M-Mmph..." she squeaked weakly, fidgeting awkwardly as he firmly freed her extremities. Stradlater flushed a bright red at the suggestive sounds she seemed to be involuntarily making, her movements accentuating her ample bust. On the topic of busts, he tugged at the tight ropes that accentuated her breasts, trying his best to release them from their confines. "H-Hey..."

"Sorry, they're..." he fiddled with the ropes more, feeling very much like a teenager trying to remove a girl's training bra on a first date. "... T-They're very tight."

"Be rougher with me..." she advised, leaning against the Redguard hotly. She gazed up at him sheepishly, her gentle hands gripping onto the rags of his robes as she offered her vulnerability to him. Stradlater obeyed her recommendations, prompting her to breathe deeply - in that sort of way "...T-There..."

"There we go." Stradlater chuckled warmly, eager to get his hands away from her before he did something cheeky. The bundle of ropes fell to the floor, leaving the woman free to move - and rather cold looking. The warrior fiddled with the handle of his lantern, offering his hand to the young Bosmeri. "... Can you walk?"

Staring at his hand briefly like a native of Sentinel admiring their first snowfall, she made it half-way through a nod. "... I-I think so." the girl whispered with not a single drop of confidence in her words. Her legs shaking with effort and the chill, she began to stand with her hand supported by the large Redguard. "A-Ah!" she yelped, stumbling into his arms in mere moments in that rom-com kind of way.

The girl felt lighter than the brushes of a feather, and Stradlater was easily able to support her. "I've got you, just..." he draped his arm over her shoulders, clutching onto her tightly and letting the light clatter to the floor. He'd never been that good at the whole 'support-walk' thing all the war heroes seemed to do in plays and novels - it was harder than it looked. Patting her arm reassuringly, he led her forward. "Let's take it slow..."

Bosmeri or not, all beauties seemed to make the cutest of noises at times. Mewling gently, she rested her head under the cover of his arm. The height difference was just adorable. "You're touching my..." she sniffled lightly, her lips curling innocently as her large saviour awkwardly pulled his hand away from her bosom. "... I-It's okay, I... Don't mind."

Why was her giggle so brief?

Why couldn't it be longer?

Slowly but surely they emerged from the darkness, their shadows cast ahead by the glimmering flame of the abandoned lantern. Wonders was sitting lazily on the shut lid of his treasure chest, no doubt having stuffed everything he could get his mitts on into the singular box. His refusal to stand up only supported this inference - it'd probably burst without his weight. He opened his gob to speak, yet was taken aback by the presence of the newcomer at Stradlater's side. Scanning her from tits to bottom - as he often did with women - he raised a questioning talon.

The Redguard was having none of that. "Save it." he muttered, shuffling past the man. The young lady nuzzled against his shoulder, hiding her eyes from view. The Bosmeri were an isolated bunch; what if Wonders was the first Argonian she'd ever seen? He didn't want to frighten her any more than she already was. He clenched onto her shoulder reassuringly, glaring at the confused magician. "We should get her back to Whiterun. The Temple of Kynareth'll know what to do, they deal with this sort of thing all of the time."

Wonders raised his hands defensively, his tail wagging like a confused dog's. "What, people falsely accused of insanity?"

Stradlater snickered, putting his free hand on his hip with sass. "It wasn't an accusation, the Jarl was just pointing it out". The Argonian crossed his legs like a lap dancer, leaning forward questioningly. A pair of charred, armoured shins dangled from the half-opened chest lid; flinching with his movements.

That explained where their old bandit friend went off to.

All it took was a less-than subtle pat on his makeshift seat punctuated by two kicks of the rotting corpse's inanimate feet to convey the message to the Redguard, who kissed his teeth in frustration. "... Oh for the love of..."

X

With his scaly fists buried into his deep pockets, Silent-He-Wonders led the procession through the setting sun of Skyrim's expansive fields. They were in the most awkward position possible - just close enough to see the city walls, yet just far enough for it to be unsafe to continue the journey through the night; especially with the woman in tow. The Argonian made certain to point this out to his companion, who reacted with a spiteful venom that rarely cursed his tongue.

"There, in the treeline." Stradlater gestured with a prod of his angular nose, bearing a chest-full of vendor trash and a carcass wearing vendor trash on one shoulder and a clingy woman on his other. Shrugging his shoulders neutrally, the Argonian obeyed his 'wisdom' and followed his suggestion. The treeline was surprisingly thick up close - more than enough to shroud them from onlookers. "I'd rather not camp in the open. Set up here."

Without a care in the world the desert wanderer tossed the chest onto the floor, much to his companion's frustration "Oi, careful!" he growled, quickly slipping to his knees to check the state of his haul. The magician caressed it like the frail body of a newborn, brushing his fingers along the grooves of the rotten chest. "There might be enough gold in there to get me two draughts!"

For a brief moment Stradlater glanced at the twinkling jewels of his own treasure's eyes, before turning back to the irritating reptile. "Wow, two?" he repeated sarcastically, not even paying attention to the Argonian's lacklustre response. Gently he lowered the girl onto the chest, helping her take a seat and examining the red marks left by the bonds on her wrists. "Here, this should do for now. Are you okay?"

She tugged at her ragged clothing weakly, her slender arms floating within the Redguard's grip. "M-Mhmm..." she squeaked shyly, apologetically bowing her head. The young woman probably despised being vulnerable like this. Who'd want to be so helpless and fragile? "I'm s-so... Sorry."

"It's fine, it's fine." Stradlater reassured frantically, hesitantly brushing a hand through her beautiful head of hair. The girl flinched in surprise, yet quickly fell calm as he curled her twirling locks between his finger tips. If anything she almost seemed tranquil, like a kitten under the stroking hands of its owner. "Are you cold? Are you hungry?"

On the topic of cats...

Affectionately she nuzzled against his hand, her pulse and heart calming with his comforting touch. Wonders settled on a dry patch of the ground lazily, raising an eyebrow at the duo before turning to his talons, not a single word bursting from his slimy snout. "... A-A little bit cold..." she responded, which the Redguard listed in his mind's eye. Pressing her chest against the desert nomad's arm, her gentle breaths tickled like a quill at his neck. "But... You're warm..."

"A-All right." Stradlater sighed, taking a seat on the container's lid alongside her. Awkwardly he wrapped the cloak of his garb over the Bosmeri's nubile body, letting her snuggle ever so closer to him. A distinctive silence fell between them, the idle calls of nirnroot and torchbugs being all that filled the night air. The Redguard's chest rose and fell with that corny old feeling of love, the elf's presence being all that was needed to get his heart pumping. Their states of mind had practically reversed. He needed a topic, and Wonders wasn't an option. He rustled the girl's shoulder for her attention. "... What's your name?"

The Bosmeri grumbled cutely, having been enjoying the comfort Stradlater's shoulder provided. "... Destiny..." she chimed, rubbing at her eyes cutely. Blinking a few times, her glowing sapphires spun to meet his dull onyxes. "... I-I think..."

"Destiny." he repeated - a unique, beautiful, mysterious name for a lady demonstrating all of the above. "Destiny." he rolled on his tongue, adoring pronouncing the word. He'd never be able to say it again now without thinking of her - what a nuisance. Wonders raised his brow at his peculiar speech, yet his lack of eyebrows made it rather unnoticeable. "Do you know where you are, Destiny?"

Destiny, Destiny, Destiny.

You, my dear, are my Destiny.

Destiny's eyes dimmed, the glow in Destiny's outstanding ceruleans weakening with sadness. Destiny frowned with a sudden surge of depression, Destiny's curvy shoulders lowering. Destiny was sad. "No."

Destiny, Destiny, Destiny.

Never cry - never doubt - never fear.

"Shhh, don't cry." The Ra Gardan begged childishly, cuddling the Bosmeri and rubbing at her smooth back. She was beginning to tremble once more - and he'd have none of that. "I'll look after you... I promise."

Destiny pushed against his chest gently, and without question he loosened his grip. The young mer gazed upwards within the shield of his brawny arms, her eyes twinkling with emerging tears. If her sapphires became any brighter, they'd become perfect diamonds. She licked her lips, "You do...?"

I do, I do.

Two simple words he'd long to hear in echoes.

The air dripping with corniness, he reached for one of her timid hands and pressed it against his thumping chest. "Bottom of my heart." he smiled reassuringly, stroking her injured wrist with his thumb. "... Goodies never lie."

Her blush was all it took to fill him with satisfaction. What he'd give to see it again; her cute, adorable cheeks flushing with the reddened warmth of girly embarrassment. "Thank you... Sir..."

Stradlater tutted, having forgotten his introduction: "Stradlater, that's my name." he bowed his head, which she mimicked with a restrained giggle. Glancing to his side he spotted his forgotten colleague, who appeared to be staring at him as if he'd just grown a pair of rabbit ears and had started singing Ragnar the Red in a high pitched girl's voice. Their eyes briefly met, and a peculiar grin filled his bestial maw - it was unsettling, to say the least. "... And him, he's Wonders. Don't mind him."

They returned to silence - his second favourite activity since they'd met, just behind conversation. Stradlater could feel Destiny's thumping heart pressed against his own, matching his rhythm affectionately. Such closeness was to be expected. If he were to protect such an innocent girl, it only seemed right they'd be connected in some way. They were one.

It must've been fate.

A sign from the sands?

Another nudge roused her from a snooze. He felt so cruel for doing so, but he needed to know. "... Still cold?"

"... M-Mmm..." the mer nodded hesitantly, the thin rags of Stradlater's robes having been designed for protection from the sun rather than the moon. The shadows grew closer, and the fabled snow of Skyrim's highlands no doubt tempted fate this day. What if this was her first time outside in the harsh climate of the province? He had so many questions left to ask - yet they had so much time ahead of them, together.

"It's getting darker." he said to no one in particular, Wonder's scaly tail perking up in response. He'd hoped that'd be a sign for the Argonian to get chopping, yet if experience told him anything it was that the poor, wretched excuse for a colleague wasn't to be relied on for such simple tasks. It pained him to let her go, but needs must; it was for her own good. "... I'll go get some fire wood."

She didn't like that, that's for certain.

Destiny, Destiny; she never wants to leave you.

The timid flower tugged on his beefy hands, begging him to stay by her side. "W-Wait."

Stradlater simply smiled, tearing off his cloak and draping it over her form. "Don't worry Destiny, Wonders'll look..." he was about to point out the slimy magician, yet such a perverted creature would be no help at all. He combed her hair back once more, embarrassed by her sniffling - she was smelling the rag; his smell brought her comfort. "... You'll be fine."

His assurance was all she needed, as she curled up shyly with the clingy maroon garment she'd been gifted. Rising from the treasure chest cum chair, Stradlater wandered over to the stationary Argonian and clicked to grab his attention. "Hmm?" he mumbled absently, his gaze darting from Destiny to the Redguard. "Could you grab me a cheese wedge while you're out, colleague? I'm feeling a bit peckish."

"No funny business." The Redguard growled lowly, his eye filling with a hostile anger that rarely featured on his limited list of expressions. The Argonian tilted his head in confusion, having been concerned about the brute's behaviour ever since he'd recovered the woman. He scratched his nose lazily, stepping over the seated lizard. "I'll be five minutes."

"Of course." he smiled, his jagged rows of teeth glistening in the moonlight to produce a peculiar rippling effect. "I'll keep it in... Uhh... My breeches." he joked, hauling himself to his feet. Stradlater didn't groan at the comment like he usually did - he simply glared at him judgingly, as if he was wondering how the Argonian would look as a suit of scale-hide armour, or an adornment on his wall. Wonders blinked, feeling like an exposed young girl being admired by a suitor "... Yes?"

Reluctantly the Redguard departed from the campsite, stumbling through the thick foliage of Skyrim's grasslands in hunt for grounded logs. At last alone with his colleague's catch, a perverse grin stretched at Wonder's teeth - an expression that was instantly mirrored by the seated Destiny with lusty precision.

The magician leant forward smugly, his lithe tongue wiggling at her suggestively as he paced towards the seated woman. "Well, well, well." he hissed, the musky pheromones unique to his race rising from his murky scales. He tapped at a canine with a sharpened talon, making sure to flash them both and their manicured quality to the woman before him. "Strange to see another Saxhleel so far from the homely spring lakes, my dear..."

Very strange indeed.

X

(A/N): Blast-my-eyes, it's so awkward to purposely write romance in a terrible, predictable, corny way. I only hope people could survive that terrible pacing to get to the ending of this chapter, so they can realise that things aren't quite as they seem! :O

After all: Everybody lies!

See you at the next chapter, have a good night/day/inbetween! :D