Katia: Woo Quill-Weave
It wasn't easy coming to the realization that I was in love with Quill-Weave. I pushed the feelings away at first. I told myself it was nothing, just the reactions of my animal body, and that it was best to ignore it and not risk our friendship. But when I got a lucky break from the Mages Guild and took on a job that meant I had to spend a long period of time out of town, I found myself thinking of her as I lay in bed each night, and I fantasized about the moment I would get back to Anvil, about telling her I loved her and throwing my arms around her and kissing her.
Eventually I couldn't deny it anymore. I was in love with her, and I didn't want things to go on as they were. I decided I was going to do it. I was going to ask her to be my lover.
Are you sure that's a good idea, Katia? Didn't Quill-Weave say she was already with someone?
She had told me about a kiss in Chorrol, but she insisted it was nothing special. It was a one-time trip to exchange writing tips.
Good on you, Katia! But if you're going to do this, you're going to do it right. Don't forget that you were living on Quill-Weave's charity until recently. You need to impress her; show her that you're different now, that you're a competent, independent individual, and that you're a good choice for a mate.
When I arrived back in Anvil, rather than go see Quill-Weave right away, I went to the guild hall and started unpacking. I received my payment for the job I did, and I was already getting excited thinking about ways to spend it on Quill-Weave.
Why don't you take her out to dinner, Katia? That would show her that you can provide for her now.
I liked that idea. But where to take her?
Katia, you should take Quill-Weave to Un Bel Endroit Pour Manger. It's the nicest place in town!
I'd heard about that place, but I'd never had an occasion to consider eating there. It had always been outside my budget, but since I now had money to spend, I decided to check it out.
I went up to the proprietor and asked to look at the menu. The food looked delicious, but the prices were sobering. I came to the unfortunate realization that, even with a wallet full of my latest paycheck, I still couldn't afford to eat at a place like this.
If you don't want to spend too much, why not The Flowing Bowl?
The thought occurred to me, but I was trying to impress Quill-Weave, not get her drunk and date-rape her.
Isn't there a steak place? Sejanus' Steakhouse, I think it was called?
Now that sounded like a good idea. More in my price range, and if Quill-Weave had shown me anything in the time that I'd known her, it was that she loved a good steak.
I went to the restaurant and made a reservation for two. As the server wrote them down, I found myself grinning ear to ear in delight. I was going to eat dinner with Quill-Weave. On me. This was going to be great.
Katia, a fancy dinner requires fancy clothes. You should buy new clothes for yourself and Quill-Weave.
Sejanus' Steakhouse wasn't really a fancy place, but new clothes did sound like fun. Quill-Weave had been impressed by my fashion sense before, and I knew all her clothing sizes, so I was confident I could get her an outfit she would like.
I went to the clothier. I had some fancy outfits in mind—fancier than I was used to, anyway, but that I still thought would look good. Over the next few hours, the tailor crafted the outfits with my guidance. They came out well—I couldn't wait to see how Quill-Weave looked in hers.
Katia, you should get Quill-Weave a gift to top this all off. How about a ring?
A ring sounded lovely. I went to the jeweler and took a look at their selection.
Make it an enchanted ring! That would make it extra-special.
That sounded good, too. But what kind of enchantment?
How about Fortify Personality? That could help with her writing.
"Here Quill-Weave, I got you this enchanted ring to make your writing better. Not that I think your writing is bad or anything, or that you need any magical enchantments to write well, but, um …"
That wasn't going to happen.
Resist Frost? Argonians might have trouble in the cold.
By this point, I was ready to go with it. I got the sense that it didn't matter so much exactly what the enchantment was, just that there was an enchantment to make the ring more valuable.
Fold the clothes nicely and put them in a package along with the ring and reservations, then give the package to Quill-Weave and tell her to open it.
That idea seemed appropriate, for some reason. I packaged it all, then spent half an hour wrapping it and making it look pretty. When I saw how it came out, I could hardly keep my tail still in my excitement.
Be Quill-Weave. I mean, be Katia pretending to be Quill-Weave, and imagine how she'll react to your gifts.
I was way ahead of 'em there. I had already pictured that moment—of me knocking on her door, and her coming out and seeing me dressed all fancy, and me presenting the package to her—about fifty different ways, and it made my heart race and my tail wag like crazy. When it was finally time to go, I had to sit and take a few deep breaths before I set out.
The sun had just started to set. I chanced to look at a greensward and saw Quill-Weave, sitting on a bunch with an Imperial woman with their backs to me. Quill-Weave was laughing and smiling. She looked happier than I'd ever seen her before. The Imperial put her arm around Quill-Weave, and Quill-Weave looked into her eyes, and after a moment they came together for a gentle kiss.
I threw the package in the trash on my way out.
I was so stupid. Stupid for thinking Quill-Weave would love me. Stupid for convincing myself she didn't already have someone. Why shouldn't she? Quill-Weave is smart, funny, compassionate, altruistic and talented. She deserves someone at least as good as she is. Someone who can make her as happy as she was at that greensward.
Not some damned stray animal who showed up at her door one day and wouldn't go away.