Chapter One
Alinja strapped on the new iron armour Mralki, the owner of Frostfruit Inn and the father of her best friend Erik, had bought her. She'd known them since her parents dropped her into Mralki's care when she was six years of age. For the past thirteen years she and Erik tended the farm with Lemkil and his two ten year old bickering daughters, Sissel and Britte.
Stepping out of the inn, Alinja fastened the sheath of the iron sword at her waist. Scratching her nose, she looked around for her friend. Passing Lemkil on her way down the wooden steps she asked, "Hey, Lemkil, do you know where Erik is?"
The greying nord scowled. "Do I look like an errand boy to you? I have enough problems dealing with my good for nothing daughters, don't go adding to them!"
"Don't get your breeches in a twist." Alinja snapped. "I just wanted to know…"
"Humph…so disrespectful." He muttered and made his way to the farm to begin work for the day.
Sighing Alinja walked around to the back of the inn and stopped. She could hear something. She closed her eyes she strained her ears. Breathing out a sharp breath she quickly drew her sword, whirling around and blocked a striking attack from Erik.
"You heard me, didn't you?" Erik said pushing against Alinja's counter.
"Yup," Alinja grinned and shoved him back a few steps and sheathed her weapon, "you need to work on your sneak skills."
"Why?" Erik imitated his friend's action. "We're going to be warriors not assassins."
"Sometimes warriors need to be able to sneak to gain an advantage on a foe that is stronger than they are."
"I see you're the over-achiever…again."
Alinja playfully punched him on his iron chest plate. "You know we're in this together. We are the same level. We're equal."
A small smile wiped across Erik's lips. "Yeah, I know. So are we heading out today?"
The small nord nodded. "What do you think?"
"Let's pack."
It was mid-afternoon when the two nords set out on the road. They decided to be adventures like they promised each other as children. Now walking side by side they were finally fulfilling their dreams.
"It just feels right, somehow," Erik commented, "having this new life as adventurers. It's what we're meant to do."
"You got that right." Alinja replied. "I thought I'd be stuck farming for the rest of my life and marry some low life and squeeze out twenty babies."
"You want twenty babies?" Erik's eyebrows shot up.
"Don't be an idiot, you idiot," Alinja growled, "of course not. I wouldn't marry some low life either."
"Heh." Erik smirked and looked at his boots as they made their way into the wild plains of Whiterun Hold. "I think the farming life would suit you just fine."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"What?" Erik's grin grew. "The sight of your pushing a hoe when you're old and wrinkly—"
Alinja shoved him into a shrub and kept walking, smiling to herself. "At least I'd still be better at it that you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Erik mimicked, flailing his arms and struggling to get out of the thorns. "I thought we were equals. Remember that speech?"
"Oh, you know I'm just teasing." Alinja laughed glancing over her shoulder at her friend dusting thistles out of his hair.
"Personally, I think I have more upper body strength." Erik said, jogging to catch up to her.
"Huh?" Alinja turned to face him. "I have just as much upper body strength as any brute of a nord!"
"Not at that height." Erik replied, towering over her. It was true that Alinja was born shorter than the average nord. She was about half a head shorter than Erik.
"I'm not that much shorter than you, you sexist fiend!" Alinja's nord blood boiled as she shoved him away.
"You certainly get worked up like any other 'brute' of a nord."
Alinja pushed him again, hard enough for him to almost fall off his feet. "I can show you how strong I can be."
"Please, princess, you wouldn't stand a chance against Erik the Slayer." He felt satisfied with his new name and used one hand to push Alinja off her feet.
"Hey! I wasn't ready!"
"A warrior should always be ready." Erik chuckled and offered a hand to help her up.
She took it and pulled him down as she got to her feet, but just as she regained her footing, Erik pulled her down, losing her balance she fell on top of him. Erik misjudged his own balance and they both rolled down a hill and crashed in head at the bottom. Erik groaned and looked down at Alinja who was buried beneath him.
"Well this isn't hard on the eyes." He smirked.
"You flirt." Alinja retorted and pushed him off of her. "Get off." But she said it lightly.
"Grrrrg!"
Alinja and Erik looked up. The smaller nord let out a short yelp and her friend cried out in unison. Scrambling to their feet they unprofessionally drew their swords and faced their first foe as warriors. A large brown, stripped Sabre Cat glared at them from underneath the shelter of a cave. Its snarling jaws dripped with saliva. All Alinja could think of was its enormous teeth. Giant forearm sized canines jutting out of its mouth like two great daggers—made for mauling human flesh.
The Sabre stalked forward, its claws retracting and reappearing as if it were exercising it for its next meal. Steadying her shaking blade, Alinja stood her ground. Erik did the same but took a step forward. The Sabre snapped its attention to him and crouched into a striking position.
"Erik!" Alinja hissed. "Don't move!"
"Come on, Alinja," he replied quietly, "we're warriors now. We can take a Sabre Cat."
As much as she wanted to believe him, she wasn't sure. They'd only just started their adventuring, their skills weren't even honed yet. Perhaps they should have stayed in Rorikstead for a few more months at least to practice their combat skills.
But they couldn't back out now. She glanced at Erik. "Hey," grabbing his attention, she continued, "keep it busy."
He nodded, brows knotted together in a serious concentrated look. Alinja was slightly distracted by this face. She'd never seen it before. She was impressed with his commitment. Supressing a grin, she waited until Erik slowly took a few steps around the beast, luring its gaze away from Alinja. Taking this advantage she silently stepped in the opposite direction of her friend, circling around the back of the Cat. Gripping her sword and putting her full concentration in the swing. Raising her sword high above her head she forced all her strength down and struck the Cat on its right hip. It roared and snapped it head around to face her. Her eyes widened. She was sure that blow would have done more damage, but it looked like it only made it angrier.
It bared its teeth and lunged for her. Gasping loudly, she barely had enough time to counter the attack. Moving her sword horizontally she was able to lessen the blow, but the sheer power of the beast flung her onto her back. Pushing the side of her sword against the Cat's muscular chest she turned her face away from it, just managing to keep its snapping jaws from ripping it off.
"Alinja!" Erik cried and swung his sword against the side of the Sabre. It turned to hiss at its new attacker, but in the process, one of its elongated teeth dragged across Alinja's face from the bottom of her nose to the top of her chin.
The Cat leapt off of her and lunged toward Erik this time, but he was ready. He spun and swung his sword into the gaping mouth of the Sabre before ripping it out and shoving its corpse to the ground. Sheathing his weapon quickly, he hurried to the aid of his friend who was wiping blood off her face with humility.
"I guess you do have stronger upper body strength…" she murmured.
"No worries about that now." He dismissed, helping her to her feet.
"I'm fine." Alinja said hastily, but then realised the sharpness of her words. "Sorry…"
That night they camped under the vast star-jewelled sky. Erik and Alinja sat next to each other on a fallen log. He poured droplets of a healing potion onto a cloth and cleaned the dry blood off of her face. Alinja hadn't said much since the incident with the Sabre Cat. She felt so embarrassed. She couldn't prove her strength by doing any significant damage to the beast and ended up being the damsel in distress. She reflected on previous incidents when the two were children. Erik and even Mralki had always been there when there was some sort of danger. Of course she was grateful for their protection, but she had never had a chance to protect herself and be her own hero. From snakes to the occasional bandit raid on Rorikstead, Erik and Mralki saved her from being bitten or kidnapped. And she was sick of it.
"Hey, hello." Erik's voice brought her back to reality.
She looked up at him. "Sorry, what?"
"Don't look to down." He repeated with a warm smile. "That was just our first challenge. We still have thousands more fights for us to be ready for. We were just…caught off guard this time. Let's just make sure something like that doesn't happen again, alright?" He tilted his head down to look at her face which was staring at her hands. "Hey, what's the matter?"
Alinja sighed. She felt stupid for getting so upset about something like this, but her pride wouldn't leave her alone. "I…no, it's nothing…"
Erik scoffed. "Come on, give me some credit, I've known you for thirteen years. You've been my best friend for thirteen years. I know when something's up."
She glanced up at him. "It's just…" she hesitated, averting his gaze, "I had to be saved…again."
"What do you mean again?"
"Well you and you're father have always been there for me—and I love that and am entirely grateful—but I feel like I'm unable to protect myself. I always end up being the one that's saved." She shook her head. "Sorry, it's stupid, I know."
"What's stupid?" Alinja looked at Erik. His head was cocked to one side. "There's no law to not have feelings. Sure you're a nord, but there's no need to refuse help now and then. Besides, we're in this together, remember? It doesn't matter who's stronger, we help each other. Come here." He stretched his arm out and Alinja supressed a smile but accepted his hug. He draped his arm around her shoulder and squeezed. She rested her head against the warmth of his neck.
"You always know what to say…" She whispered, contently.
"What was that?"
"No, nothing."
**Dedicated to S. Maina An outstanding singer, friend and brother. May you rest in peace, my second brother.**