PROLOGUE – Lost in the Storm
Skingrad, Cyrodiil:
"Come on, Aish'ja! We're going to miss the gathering!" A young and beautiful blonde haired Solstheimian woman said as she pulled the hand of a fox-like female.
"Vilja! Slow down! I can't run in these shoes!" The fox-woman said. This woman was a MaTera. More specifically, she was a Battle MaTera. The strength behind Materan society. Little has been known about the MaTera at this point, but it didn't matter to either of the women. Aish'ja came to Cyrodiil as a pup, growing up with her mother and father who were city guards. Aish'ja, even at a young age, relished helping her parents fight and protect the city. But her parents told her that her time would come. When the Thalmore showed up, her parents were killed in the fighting. Aish'ja was only thirteen at the time. It was during this time of her life that she met Vilja. The two girls grew up together and…when both came of age…had fallen in love with one another. Both had tossed around ideas of marriage, but no time ever seemed to be the right one. But Vilja told Aish'ja that she was happy just to have her love at her side. Things would come in time.
Vilja slowed down and smiled at Aish'ja. "For a woman use to battle, those shoes are doing you in."
Aish'ja only laughed, but panted. "Just give me a moment to catch my breath. I don't sing like someone I know and who's used to going without breath for a minute due to a song."
The two rested a few minutes. Vilja took Aish'ja's hand and looked at the stars. "When we are together, I feel like there is nothing I can't do. You've brought so much into my life."
Aish'ja looked at Vilja. "And you into mine." Aish'ja took Vilja's face into her hands and kissed her deeply. Gods if this moment could last.
The two were shaken from their kiss by the squeal of a little girl. "Auntie Vilja!" the girl squealed as she leapt into Vilja's arms. "Come on! Everyone's waiting!" The girl pulled Vilja and Vilja pulled Aish'ja along.
The festivities had already been going on for an hour and everyone was singing birthday songs to the girl who just turned seven. Vilja and her friends sang and danced and it had become contagious. But Aish'ja stood back by the refreshment tables. She wasn't much into high strung fun and her tall ears twitched as she took in every sound around her. Her smile had faded and her face had become like every warrior's, alert and ready for anything. It was no secret that the Thalmore enjoyed breaking up parties especially when they had reason to suspect Talos worship.
Out of the corner of her eye, Aish'ja caught sight of another MaTeran. A male. She narrowed her eyes to focus on the face but by the time someone passed in front of her view, he was gone. Her mind started to work on this new bit of information. She became lost in her thoughts as her tail stopped swishing from side to side as it was prone to do when she began to feel a call to protect people. She was looking towards a group of people but at the same time, didn't see them at all. She was looking beyond them, to somewhere…well…not in her present place.
Vilja was laughing and from where she was dancing looked over to where Aish'ja was standing. Vilja's mirth faded quickly as she saw how her love was looking. Stiff, focused. Her body frozen in place and her mind now far from here. Something was wrong and Vilja excused herself, moving quickly to Aish'ja. She started to reach for her but remembered to be gentle. When Aish'ja was like this, any harsh or sudden grabbing of her person caused her to react as any warrior would in battle. The body always reacted before the mind could process what was happening. She gently placed her hand on Aish'ja lower back and whispered. "Love? Love, is everything alright? Please, come back to me."
Aish'ja slowly started to blink. Her tail again starting to move slowly as she came back to her senses. "Hmm? Oh…yes. Everything is fine I just thought I saw something." Her ears started to twitch again. She also tried to smile.
Vilja nodded but knew everything was not fine. There were very few times she had to be concerned with Aish'ja. But when she got so focused that it took Vilja to bring her back, something was going to go wrong.
-Tavern in the Imperial City, days later-
Two Dark Elf Males, a Wood Elf Female, and two MaTeran, one male one female, all sat at a table. The Wood Elf female looked at the MaTeran. "Was she the one we were looking for?" The Wood Elf's hair draped over her left shoulder.
"She is. But like her parents, she is stubborn and not prone to just up and leaving. If we need her help in Skyrim to defeat the Aldermari Dominion, she will need a pressing reason to go there." The MaTeran female said.
"Oh is that all?" One of the Dark Elf males snickered.
"Laugh all you want." The male MaTeran snarled. "But she won't just leave the female she's with just because we ask her." He sat back. "If you want her to leave, and leave without looking back, you better have damning proof that she is needed elsewhere."
The tension between the group members was high. The two MaTeran were not fond of betraying one of their own. The other Dark Elf male leaned back as well. "What do we know about the human female?"
The female MaTeran spoke up. "Young, beautiful, educated. From Solstheim in Morrowind. Rumor had it that a person there wanted to marry her but she refused his hand. He was less than pleased about it. Especially after she slapped him because of her love for Aish'ja."
The Wood Elf female grinned. "Ahhh so we do have something to use as leverage against her then?"
"You'd be running a risk of her not being so willing to leave if you use it. Battle MaTera are not known for backing down from fights when what they care about is threatened." The male MaTeran replied.
"A chance we are willing to take. Confront her. Tell her that…"
"No." The female MaTeran said flatly.
"No?" The Wood Elf female narrowed her eyes.
"Leave this to us. We will convince her." The two MaTeran stood and left.
After a few minutes. "Should we follow them?" The older Dark Elf male asked.
"No. We'll let them have their chance. For now."
-Skingrad, two months later-
Aish'ja sat in her home at a writing desk, quill in hand. She looked at the ring in her hand and smiled. Today she was going to ask Vilja to marry her. But she was lost for words and hoped writing them down would help. So far, the only thing she had on the parchment was 'I…' She wrinkled her nose and sighed. She lowered her head for a moment when her ears picked up something that had just walked into her home. The footsteps were both heavy and light. She grabbed her sword and swung it to the target behind her but her blade was caught by another blade. She looked to see to MaTera staring back at her. "Who are you and what in the name of Oblivion are you doing in my home?"
The female MaTeran held up her hand. "We have come searching for you, Aish'ja of the Battle MaTera." She removed her helmet. "I am Hathra, this is my brother, Kalir."
Aish'ja shifted her weight. "You still have not answered as to the why you are here."
Kalir lowered his weapon. "We know you have allies in Skyrim, Lady Aish'ja. More specifically, a young woman named Gurder who lives in Riverwood and her brother Raelof."
Aish'ja froze. "What about them? Are they alright?"
"For now. But with the Imperials starting to move into Skyrim and the help of the Thalmore…" Kalir started to continue.
Hathra held up her hand. "It is more than just your allies. Our people…our clan need you. Many things are going wrong in Skyrim. And we do not have the warriors there to help protect our people."
Aish'ja was in stunned silence. "But….I cannot just leave Vilja….I…"
"I'm sorry, Lady Aish'ja. But you know that when our people are in need of help, we cannot ignore our own. All MaTera must answer the call to arms."
With this, Aish'ja was defeated. She knew Hathra was right. The MaTera were a secular people. Few strayed from the clans. Those that did, when called, HAD to return. "When must I…"
"Now." Kalir interrupted.
Pain gripped Aish'ja's heart. Tears stung the back of her eyes as she looked down. She couldn't even tell Vilja she had to leave. But she quietly answered, "I will answer the call of our people. I'll leave immediately for Skyrim." Within fifteen minutes, Aish'ja was on a carriage headed for the cold lands of Skyrim.
Several hours passed and Vilja returned to Aish'ja home to find it dark and empty. A cold wind caused Vilja to shiver as she walked in. "Aish'ja? Aish'ja where are you?!" She lit a latern and walked over to the desk where Aish'ja usually sat only to find the chair lying on its side on the floor and a parchment with only a few words on it. 'Vilja, I…' She gripped the parchment and held it to her heart. Tears started to stream down Vilja's cheeks as she ran out into the rainy night. She ran to her home and threw herself onto the bed, crying loudly into her pillow. "Why did you leave me?!" Vilja screamed. Her mother, hearing her daughter's cries ran up to find Vilja lost to her sorrow. The storm outside of their home signifying every bit of the sorrow Vilja felt. When the thunder sounded, it was as if Vilja was hearing her own heart being torn apart.
A/N: First, I want to give credit to Bethesda for making such a great game. Second, I want to credit to the modders who made "Vilja in Skyrim" (Emma) and for the Battle MaTera/MaTera race. You guys rock for making such great mods. This story is based on MY Skyrim. The character I play. and the life she leads with Vilja.