It was well after dark by the time Alduin dragged the makeshift blanket-stretcher across the threshold of her little cabin. Sliding the bar lock into place she collapsed onto her arse with a huff of exertion and allowed herself a well deserved rest. Her patient had ceased bleeding for the moment, though she'd had to stop several times over the hours it took to get him home to apply pressure to the haphazard stitches. She'd never been much good at that part and he had thrashed around quite violently from the additional pain. His breathing had settled into a more normal pattern, instead of the ragged breaths he'd been drawing when she'd first found him.

After a short break she used the very last of her strength to drag the giant orc over to the hearth. Too tired to stand up again Alduin crawled over to the pile of wood and threw a few logs into the dying blaze. As the flames began licking at the wood she turned back to the orc. Gods his green skin was so pale it looked almost white and was covered in a fine layer of sweat. The knife wound had just missed the mark, any closer to his heart and he would have died instantly. Mustering up a little bit of oomph the elf pushed herself to her feet and fetched a cloth, and her basket of healing salves, taking them and the water basin with her back to his side. Alduin wet the cloth and tenderly began wiping his fevered skin. The orc groaned, body shifting slightly beneath her ministrations. Once the wound was cleaned of the dried blood and sweat she applied the rust colored healing paste generously to it. The orc groaned again, body jerking, and face contorting in pain.

"I'm sorry." she whispered, tenderly stroking his black hair. This seemed to calm him and the pained creases on his face smoothed out.

When she'd done all she could do for the injured man, Alduin curled up in front of the hearth and fell into an exhausted sleep.

Death was much more painful than Agromba had ever realized, he'd assumed the pain would disappear once he left the mortal world. When he opened his eyes the place that he found himself was most definitely not what he'd imagined the afterlife to be like. There was log ceiling above him, a soft blanket beneath him and a hearth to his left with a dwindling fire. With a great deal of difficulty and pain Agromba sat up to have a better look around. Something clicked when he saw the woman curled up in front the hearth and he realized he wasn't deceased. Between them was a basket full of healing supplies and a water basin, and holding his wound together, ten stitches.

Fuck!

Immediately his blood began boiling, she'd ruined it. Single handedly destroyed his good death. Watching her in peaceful sleep Agromba began to feel completely and utterly enraged. How could she just sleep when she'd ruined everything? With an angry growl he scooted a bit closer and began relentless shaking the small offender.

"Wake up!" he hissed through clenched teeth.

Alduin woke with a start, two large hands shaking her roughly and an angry voice growling down at her. She bolted upright with a shriek of surprise to find the orc staring at her with a murderous glare.

"What are you doing?" the elf cried out, scrambling out of his long reach.

"You ruined it!" Agro accused.

Nothing could have been worse, nothing. He had wanted to die with dignity rather than live on as an old failure of an orc. He could see by the point of her ears and the petiteness of her stature that she was a wood elf and realized that she likely knew nothing about orc culture. Knowing nothing however she should have minded her own bloody business and left him where he lay. He'd picked out the most scenic and serene place on a small rock ledge overlooking the sea of ghosts, it would have been the perfect resting place.

"Ruined what?" Alduin asked dubiously.

She couldn't begin to fathom why the orc was so angry after she'd worked her arse off to save his life. She'd put her all into it, death would have unquestionably claimed him without her help. The orc climbed to his feet, hissing in pain, and rose to his full intimidating height. Gods he was so much larger than she'd realized and her heart skipped a little beat.

"My good death!" he bellowed, swiping his arms in fury. It was an embarrassment of the worst kind.

Alduin stared at the irate orc, his face turning an unnatural crimson color, utterly shocked. He'd done that to himself, had wanted to die? It didn't make any sense, killing oneself signified weakness of character. A "good death" was achieved via battle or old age.

"I...I thought someone had attacked you." she told him defensively, anger ruddying her cheeks. How dare he scream at her after all she'd done?

"There was a dagger in my hand, didn't you fucking see it?" the orc demanded, fists clenching and unclenching.

"I didn't see anything in your hand, you bloody arse." Alduin snapped back, crossing her arms over her chest indignantly.

The orc growled, a low rumbling sound from deep in his once again bleeding chest. The healer fought the urge to tend to his wound, it was second nature to her, healing was all she'd ever wanted to do.

"Are you always so nosy? You should have minded yourself and not I." as a dying breed one would think a wood elf would be smarter than to draw such attention to herself.

"You know, if what I've done is such an atrocity you can just walk out of here and go try again." she was slightly horrified that those words had come from her own mouth but he was hands down the most awful man she'd ever met. "I promise I've learned my lesson."

Agro sighed deeply and covered his face with his large, calloused hands, the right one crusty with blood.

"I can't just try it again."

Not happy this one, not ever. Honestly the orc was insane, Alduin thought as she observed him. The redness of his skin had calmed down a little and was returning to the pale green near death had pressed upon him.

"I really don't care what you do because I'm done with you. Get out."

Get out? Get out?! She'd ruined everything. He couldn't go back to his stronghold because he was supposed to be dead and he couldn't try again, that was shameful. He had nowhere to go. And now she just wanted to boot him out? He didn't think so, he was going to be just as much pain in the arse to her as she'd become to him. Agro crossed his arms over his chest, mocking the little elf, and smirked.

"No."

Insane had been an understatement. Alduin stared at the orc in shock, at a complete loss. First he'd screamed at her because he didn't want to live and now he wanted to live and didn't want to leave? He grinned at the cross between anger and shock written over the elf's face, nostrils slightly flared, emerald green eyes narrowed on him. She was small and pale yet there was a fierceness about her that defied everything she was supposed to be. Agro was going to enjoy this revenge.

"Very well, I'll make the trek to White Run and have the guards escort you out." Alduin threatened haughtily.

The orc snorted contemptuously.

"Is that so?" he took several menacing steps closer but the elf held her ground. "You really think they're going to come out here to help an elf?" she looked intelligent, if her eyes were anything to go by, which clearly they weren't because no one gave a shit about elves or orcs. That was the way of the world.

She stared up at the mammoth orc, heart racing with fear, but refused to give in to the impulse to retreat. She wasn't going to let him see how he affected her.

Good deeds never went unpunished it would seem, Alduin thought to herself, eyes rolling back into her head. He'd called her bluff, of course he had because he was insane. And he was thoroughly correct, the guards would laugh their arses off. How was she going to get rid of him? She'd barely been able to drag him home, there was no way she'd be able to overpower him. The orc leaned in close, sending shivers up her spine, breath hot against her ear.

"You and I are going to be closer than kissing kin from this moment forth."