The walls surrounding Cloud ruler temple always made Alani feel like she was back in that tiny cell in the Imperial city. Came with being a bosmer, she assumed. Sometimes she would sit on top of one of the walls and she would try to guess how many broken bones she'd get if she'd jump off and how far she'd get before the Blades found her and dragged her back. She guessed it wasn't worth the pain or the humiliation.
But tonight she was up there because she couldn't sleep and packing her bag and running of into the wilderness wasn't an option anymore. She didn't want to think about what was going to happen tomorrow, she didn't want to think about what might have to be done to finish this.
She tilted her head up to the stars and ignored the harsh wind and snow nipping at her cheeks. But most of all, she didn't want to think about what would happen after all this was finished. If everyone was still alive, where would that leave her? Sure, she was the famed Hero of Kvatch. But underneath that she was just a bosmer thief who had been unlucky enough to get thrown into the wrong cell at the wrong time.
The dark-haired woman curled up and hid her face against her knees. That was the problem, she was just a thief and he was going to be the emperor. She couldn't even muster the guts to tell the man that she'd been half in love with him when they'd reached Weynon Prior. Never mind telling him that four months later she would follow him to Oblivion and beyond, not to save Cyrodiil or even all of Tamriel. She will do it because she loved him and he asked her to.
"How could you be so stupid, Alani?" She whispered heatedly to the stars, to fall in love with someone so unobtainable would just end in heartbreak, more importantly it would be her heart break.
"I might not have known you for long, my friend, but stupid is not a word I would use to describe you" Martin's soothing voice pierced the sound of the wind and she turned her head to look at him.
He was breathtaking in his own way and that crooked smile of his made her heart skip a beat. That's when she knew that if he didn't make it tomorrow, she'd die for sure.
"Can't sleep?" He asked knowingly and walked up to where she sat and placed his hand chastely on her shoulder. It was only when she felt the heat of his hand on her that she realized how cold she actually was, go figures. "By the divine woman, you are like ice!"
She got to her feet at his behest and he pulled her inside to the dining hall quickly. His hands flew over her arms to rub some heat back into her chilly limbs. Maybe sitting outside in the snow, in nothing but her linens and a woolen cloak, wasn't such a good idea after all.
"I'm fine, really "She insisted through clattering teeth and tried to pull away from his insistent mothering.
"You'll be lucky if you don't catch your death like this" He said firmly and wrapped his own fur cloak around her shoulders "What were you thinking?"
She couldn't meet those eyes, those perfect brown orbs, so she settled for staring at the fireplace and shrugging in response to his accusation.
"Alani" He sighed and pulled her along to the table closest to the fire. "Stay here until I return, can you do that?"
"I'm not going to run away, your majesty" She spat but instantly regretted her tone. But it was easier if he's upset with her, that way she can be mad at him too.
-.-.-.-.-
"Your majesty" Those two words but him deeper than any blade ever could. His hand came to cup her cold cheek and raise her face to look into his, but she still avoided his eyes. His heart clenched and he let her go.
"I will fetch you something warm to drink than" With that, he fled into the kitchens.
His mind was racing as he scurried the cupboards for something, anything to get some warmth back into her. Had he been mistaken all this time or had he just been fooling himself?
For months he'd hated himself every time he had to send her out to find odd trinkets or clues. He would lay awake picturing the day when she wouldn't return, when some faceless messenger would bring the news of her death to his gates.
And now, now they were going into battle and something in his heart told him that he needed to tell her. It was now or never because there would be no tomorrow for them. He was so sure she felt something for him, but now he began to doubt himself. He knew she desired him, he'd seen it in her eyes on more than one occasion. But did she love him?
Plucking a bottle of spiced wine and a cup he stormed back into the dining hall before he could change his mind. But she was no longer in her seat and he felt himself deplete, his feet moved him to where she'd sat only moments ago and he sank down in the same spot on the bench.
But something on the caught his eye, was that the corner of his cloak peeking out between his shoes? He lifted his robe to peer between his legs and in under the table and met her blinking olive eyes.
He turned to look down at her where she had built a little nest of fabric under the table.
"I thought you left" He breathed in sheer relief.
"Said I wasn't going to run" She said and shrugged one shoulder "I Just…moved"
For the longest time, he just stared at her. She looked so tiny and frail, and nothing like the powerful hero that she really was. But if he told her that than he'd most likely receive a demonstration of how strong she actually was. So he settled for a small quirk of his lips.
"Is there room for me down there?" He asked "I wish to talk to you and I will end up having terrible back pains tomorrow if I stay like this."
He saw her jaw clench and her eyes dart before she made room for him to squeeze in under the table with her. It was more spacious then he first thought, with only a little shifting he was able to sit next to her and still peer at her face.
"You've stopped shivering" He observed and uncorked the bottle of wine and poured her a healthy cup. "But still, this should warm your insides further"
She didn't drink from it immediately and he had to nudge her to take the first sip.
"You wanted to talk?" She asked.
"I did, didn't I?" He said and sighed deeply "You must understand that this isn't easy for me, my friend"
"That's what I do" she chimed with fake cheeriness "I make things harder than they have to be"
In more ways than one, my dear. He thought and smiled at her.
"Mhm. You must know that you've been a good friend and know that without you, there would no chance of victory tomorrow." Those brown globes of his burned into hers.
This is it, she thought grimly, he's going to tell me that after the battle he wants nothing to do with me. Pack your bags, Alani! Soon you'll be back in the gutters you came from!
"I would be more than glad if you considered me a good friend and not simply the man who will be your emperor" Reaching forward he tucked a wet strand of hair behind her pointed ear. "But I find that having simply your friendship might not be enough for me anymore."
She couldn't breathe as he leaned in closer to her, those soft lips moving as he spoke but she could barely make out what he was saying anymore.
"Alani, what I'm trying to say is that I've fallen in love with you" She jerked back in shock and her head hit the underside of the table with a loud bang.
"Fetcher! " she cried!
"Are you alright?" He asked hastily and moved in closer to take a hold of her squirming head to feel the back of it. "You'll most likely have a mighty bump-"
"Ouch! That hurts" She cried as he prodded her.
"I'm sorry" He murmured and began to heal the clumsy injury, but when he finished he wouldn't let her go and he gently stroked her neck.
"I'm sorry Alani, I didn't mean to startle you" He vowed solemnly "and I would understand if you-"
"No. no!" the elf stumbled over her words "I mean…just no. Gods." she swore silently and crushed her lips to his in a desperate attempt to show him what she couldn't say.
The kiss they shared was chaste and short but so full of emotions and promise that it almost brought tears to his eyes. When it ended she still cradled his face in her hands and her eyes danced with emotions.
But it wasn't enough for Martin, he needed to hear her say the words.
"So I take it" he murmured gently "You feel something for me?"
She laughed a loud boisterous laugh and threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck.
"Yes Martin, I love you" She said against his Adam's apple and felt it bob in response" I thought that was obvious"
That night he took her to his bed for the first time –the last time- and he refused to rush their lovemaking because finally he had her in his bed. He took time to kiss, stroke and nibble every single scars she had acquired because he knew, he knew that most of them were for him. But because they belonged to her, they made her all the more breathtaking and beautiful.
When it was all over they slept in each other's arms blissfully unaware of what tomorrow would bring, and even more importantly unaware of the miracle that they had created that night.