Fiaera has come to Skyrim quite unexpectedly and it's a good thing too! Being the Dragonborn is difficult and there will be lots of trials and tribulations along the way. At least she isn't alone. *Please note, this Fic contains characters from the Skyrim Romance Mod.*
Chapter 1 – A New Land
The jarring motions of the carriage slowly became apparent as I found myself slowly waking from a slumber I don't remember beginning. The air was crisp and cold and it was clear I was not dressed for such weather. Well, I was hardly dressed at all. The roughspun tunic was all that stood between myself and the harsh climate around me. I shivered, never before had I experienced such cold. It chilled me to the bone and made me realize that I was nowhere near home.
Then I remembered. I had been taken prisoner by some Imperials as I escaped Cyrodiil. I had not been thinking about what direction I was going at the time, I had just run. My feet still felt battered and painful from the journey but I did not care at the moment. Gone were the evil roughians I had been captured by, replaced now by a platoon of imperial soldiers. I had been relieved to see them at first, these people, perhaps, would help me.
That had not happened however. Instead of concerned faces and comforting words she had been harshly grabbed and bound. The soldier shouting at her to reveal why she was an enemy of the legion before he had hit her, hard.
Now she was here, in the back of a horse drawn carriage surrounded by other unlucky individuals. She was the only woman so far as she could tell.
"Hey you, you're finally awake." The man sitting across from her spoke in a soft yet stern manner. "You tried to cross the border right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush same as us and that thief over there." I surveyed the other two men in the cart and frowned as I noticed one of them was gagged.
"Damn Stormcloaks, Skyrim was fine until you came along, Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you I could have stolen that horse and been half way to Hammerfeld." A man in a worn tunic lamented at the fellow who had just spoken a moment ago. "You there, you and me shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants." The thief then addressed me. I didn't respond. I was still reeling from the realization of where I was. Skyrim, the land of the Nords, a frozen tundra of death and suffering. No, that couldn't be right.
I felt tears behind my eyes but held them in. I would not show weakness in front of these men. They were criminals, and now I was caught with them. I was innocent! The only crime I had committed were that of survival.
"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now." The first man remarked and was promptly barked at by the driver of the carriage.
Conversation ensued despite the warning of the driver and I learned a few things while on that ride. The first was that there was a civil war happening in Skyrim. Not unlike the Five Year War in her lands. The second was that the leader of the rebellious Stormcloak movement was sitting beside her, gagged and ultimately heading for his death. That lead to the final thing she learned. Today would be the day she would die.
The carriage finally stopped and one by one the prisoners were unloaded. She stood among them as their names were called out by a man with a ledger of some sort. As the prisoners were shoved into a line a little ways away the man with the ledger finished his readings and looked at her in surprise. His eyes fell again to the item then rose once more to meet mine. "Wait, you there, step forward." He was speaking to me now. This was it, my chance to free myself from this misery. My name hadn't been called, proof that I didn't belong here. I had so much hope in me I felt tears strain against me once more.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"Fiaera Tyrneatear, of Greenheart." My voice was much stronger than I had thought it would be.
"You picked a bad time to come to skyrim. Captain, what should we do? She's not on the list." He clarified and turned to the armored woman next to him.
"Forget the list, she goes to the block." She spoke with a shrug. Was that to be it? My life was worth but a shrug to this woman? How could she pass judgement on me so easily? Without listening to me?
The solder with the ledger sighed a slight bit. "By your orders captain. I'm sorry, we'll be sure your body is sent back to Valenwood. Follow the captain prisoner."
I could do nothing but obey. This was it, the moment of reckoning. I could hardly believe my bad fortune. There was no call for it. I had always abided by the laws of my people and of Jephre. I had never been wasteful, never been vicious. I was seventeen in age, I had an entire life ahead of me and here I was to perish today.
I was in my own mind as they drug me to the block, I looked up at the headsman, my eyes angry and defiant. If he was to part my head from my body I would look him in the eyes to seal his guilt. To Oblivion with him, with all of them.
As I stared up at him, he readied his axe when a large dragon suddenly landed on the tower behind him. It roared with a fearsome voice and rained fire from the sky. Thank Auri-El for this bit of fortune as the dragon had now captured the attention of all of the soldiers.
With a newfound strength I stood and began to run from the block. The man in the cart who had spoken to me upon my awakening beckoned me to him, he was a beacon in the sea of chaos around me. I ran after him, he leading the way through the fire, and the bodies. At some point we were separated and I was then ushered to safety by the soldier who had been reading the prisoner list. Unbinding me he led me through the keep of this forsaken hold and out into nature. I followed him to Riverwood where his uncle gave me some supplies for my journey.
They asked me to travel to Whiterun, a city in the center of Skyrim and for once in my life I struggled with the request. It wasn't unheard of for me to help others, it was selfless in that manner, however, I was far from home and the prospect of voluntarily going even further frightened me. This was a strange land with strange people and customs.
Hadvar, the soldier, pulled me aside, his eyes hopeful. "I would go, but I have another mission to attend to. Please do this for me, for this town." He was pleading and I found myself agreeing to his request. "Good. If you need assistance, I think there is someone in town who may help. I don't know anything about him but he arrived a week or so ago and has been waiting for a contract. I am sure he would help you in your travels Fiaera."
"Where might I find this man?" I asked as best I could manage. This was all so overwhelming and yet, it felt right.
"You can find him just over there at the Sleeping Giant Inn. Can't miss him." Hadvar spoke with a smile then bid me farewell.
With a deep sigh I turned towards the inn and walked to it with purpose avoiding the two men on the road who called to me in a very forward manner. I had always been told I was beautiful but I didn't expect Nords to agree. I thought they were far more attracted to fair women with golden locks and bright blue eyes.
What a disappointment I must be to these men, perhaps they were drunk. I looked nothing like a Nord woman and I never would. The only similarity was that I had pale skin, that was where it ended. I noticed also I was much smaller in stature than the women in the town, their harsh landscape had made them tall and strong. I looked like a child compared to them. I was strong, deceivingly so but I was much shorter. My eyes were black, my Bosmer blood ensured it, my ears were pointed and my hair a reddish brown, the color of redwood. Indeed, nothing like the women of Skyrim.
Taking inventory of myself I approached the man casually leaning against the wall of the inn. He was handsome for a nord. He stood there, looking at me with piercing golden eyes, his arms folded over his broad chest as if to say he cared not for the world around him. He had short copper hair and stubble on his face. As I studied him my eyes caught on the many scars that marred his handsome features. This was a man who had seen battle.
Confident he was the one I sought I approached him only for him to smirk. "Ah, and who's this? I swear the villagers treat you like nobility, if you're looking for someone to kiss your boots I suggest asking elsewhere." His voice was rough and sent a shiver down my spine. Stendarr bless me for this man moved me somewhere deep inside.
"Nobility? I just got here. I haven't even interacted with most of them yet." I found my sharp tongue forming the words of their own accord. By the gods I had gotten into trouble for that before. "Look, I heard you might be able to help me. I need a travelling partner. Someone who knows the land and isn't afraid of adventure and the hunt. Is that you?" She found herself balling her fists in frustration. She had expected a man looking for a contract to be a little more agreeable.
"Depends who's asking." He stated simply.
"Are you for hire? I could use someone like you." I replied back. I would not cater to this man's sense of ego, and he clearly had one.
"What does a wench like you need a tracker for, anyway? I'm not going out there to fetch your long lost lover, that just couldn't stand around you anymore because he got bored." His tone was biting and rude. I had never met anyone with such manners; and I had spent plenty of time with Orcs and Imgas.
As I reeled my mouth opened to form another involuntary rebuke. "Yeah… about your dad…"
His eyes widened a bit and his lips pursed. "Well, at least you have a sense of humor. So what do you need a ranger for?" He asked once more as his eyes moved over me a little more carefully.
I was suddenly aware of the fact that I was still shabbily dressed. It would be my first priority to make some proper armor and bow. If this man didn't agree to come with me I may use him for the materials. "I could use someone with your skills." I shot with a little more fervor than was necessary.
"Whoa! Hold your horses, lady; I never said you could hire me." He protested with haughty disdain.
"Well, I can tell you're a busy man, you know, holding up that wall and all!" I shot again. My comment seemed to hit its mark as he smiled and broke into a chuckle.
"Alright, let's say, you do me a favor, and after that I will decide if your company suits me." He had an amused gleam in his eyes as he spoke the words. At least I was getting somewhere now.
"What kind of favor are we speaking of?" I asked slowly and with purpose. I was not going to subject myself to the whims of a man, especially a human man.
"Don't flatter yourself. Not that king of favor. Besides…" His eyes moved over me. "You're not my type. I just need some help in retrieving something of mine."
"What? Did someone steal your sweet roll?" I grinned. This verbal banter was refreshing. It had been ages since someone had spoken to me like this. Partially because I was well known throughout Greenshade as a woman not to be trifled with. I am the most skilled archer in the region despite my young age.
The man shook his head back and forth and simply regarded me for a moment. "I can help you. What is it that you need assistance with?"
"It's my wolf Karnwyr. He disappeared while hunting, a week ago. When I went looking for him, I found that some trappers had captured him. I've been tracking them ever since and their trail continues east of here." He paused. "No, I wouldn't need your help if these were just simple trappers, but from the looks of their trail now they've grown into a small army of bandits." He was seething as he said it. Clearly he cared for this animal of his. "I'm not about to go stumbling into any ambushes."
"Okay, I'll help you if you help me." I offered him.
"Great, we set out now!" He pushed off from the wall. "Well, after you get some proper gear princess." He paused for a moment. "But I'm warning you, if you try and treat me like one of your lackeys you're going to regret it. And gods help you if you try and order me around! I'm my own man! Got it!"
I reeled at that. How dare he address me in such a manner! I was a warrior, not a princess, and I would never treat him poorly. Not unless he deserved it. "Don't worry about it. We'll find Karnwyr."
"By the Hells! When I see those bastards I'll make sure they suffer!" He growled angrily and almost grit his teeth.
"I'm sorry, I know Karnwyr must mean a lot to you…" I sympathized. I thought back to Kialia, my fox friend when I was young. She had been my joy until she had left my company to set out for a mate. She had been the most adorable red fox, with a white ended tail.
"What gives you an idea you can actually understand the bond between a ranger and his wolf?" He glared at me, eyes blazing with his misplaced rage towards the bandits.
"I'm a Bosmer, we are one with animals in nature. I even had a fox when I was young!" I shouted at him. He had forsaken my sympathy. Why I didn't just refuse to help him I'm not sure.
"Ah, she had a fox she says!" He called out to the road as if to announce my silly comment to the world.
"Hey! My father gave me that fox as a pup for my day of birth! She was my closest friend!" I cried out feeling the ache of her absence.
"Oh really? And what happened to your so called "closest friend?" He bit back.
I reddened which made his eyes sparkle a little. Was he enjoying this? I should be working on some armor so we can set out to get his damn dog. "She ran away to look for a mate. That is what most animals do when they are of age. You'd know…"
"I hate to break it to you darling, but I think that is just an excuse." Now he was being intentionally hurtful. And it DID hurt.
"I'm going to go fasten some armor if you don't mind." I said darkly and went to turn from him.
"What? No way princess! We don't have time for that." He clarified and smirked at me. "You'll have to forego a custom fit and buy some."
I paled a little and looked at the coin purse I had picked up in Helgen. There was no way I had enough coin to purchase decent armor from Alvor. The ranger must have noticed my glance because his eyes softened a little bit. Then they hardened again. "Wait, don't tell me you don't have any coin." He almost seemed outraged at the possibility. "How were you going to pay me woman?"
"I figured I could come across some coin somehow. Maybe looting the bandits we kill on your little mission for which I'm not being paid." I added the last bit to show him I was putting some equity into this. He hung his head in a defeated manner and pinched his nose a bit. "I'll be back." I insisted and went back to Alvor. "I need some armor." I stated plainly and emptied my coin purse. Damn, 250 gold was all I had. It was more than I thought I had collected but still.
"Well that will get you a set of leather armor. Better than nothing though right?" He smiled and began to gather together a set. You'll need some arrows too I take it. That quiver looks a bit light." He then gathered several arrows for me. "Here you are dear. Hey, good luck on your journey to Whiterun. Hopefully the Jarl will hear you out and send some troops to help protect us from that dragon.
I smiled and nodded at him. I had seen the devastation a dragon could cause. The soldiers in Helgen had done little to slow that dragon down, if anything at all. There was nothing for any soldier to do. Dragons had been gone for centuries, no one had knowledge of how to fight them, not first hand.
With my gear in my arms I walked back to the inn and regarded the ranger. He half smirked at me as I walked past him into the main hall. "You must need a place to change into that new armor of yours. Here." The barkeep opened a door for me and allowed me to change in private. I didn't really care if anyone saw me. Us Bosmer were a simple people, an open people. Nakedness was simply a part of nature, especially in the hot and humid climates of Valenwood. Some who visited my village were surprised to see the natural state of many an inhabitant, myself included.
The armor fit surprisingly well for being made without my body as a reference. I was pleased overall and walked confidently back to the ranger. "Let's be off then ranger." I offered and motioned for him to lead. He smiled and walked to the end of the road where a horse stood waiting.
"Where is your horse princess?" He looked around as he mounted his. I didn't move and tried my damnedest not to show any emotions. "Let me get this straight, you came here, without clothes, money, or a horse. What were you at the chopping block in Helgen or something?" He laughed a bit then immediately quieted as I remained silent. He dismounted suddenly and stepped close to me. "I am not going to travel with a wanted woman. Are you on the run?"
I felt rage boil within me at his question. He was doing a lot of assuming for someone of his profession. "My story is my own. You are in no danger in my company if that is your worry. You know, you are beginning to be more trouble than you are worth ranger!"
"Hah! You don't know how much I'm worth then Princess." He laughed heartily at my outburst which sent me into even more of a rage.
"For your information I was taken prisoner after escaping from some slave traders in Cyrodiil!" I screamed at him, making sure to enunciate every word.
"I don't believe you. You Bosmer are sneaky. I bet you're a common thief and you just got caught." He retaliated cooly.
"You don't believe me?" I laughed a bit and stared him in the eyes. I pulled off my cuirass, exposing my breasts to the cool air. He remained stoic as he gazed upon my body and the still fresh brand mark on my left breast. I then reaffixed my armor. "Happy now ranger?" I asked him plainly as he simply stood there.
"I suppose you'll have to ride with me then." His tone was flat, as if he didn't care about the injustices I had recently suffered. I quietly accepted the reality that this man was not going to be a true companion in any sense of the word. He was simply going to be a guide and extra battle hand.
I felt my stomach drop as she screamed her admonition at me. Slave traders? Who would… no, I knew the answer to that. Once upon a time I had been a part of a band of bandits and they had sold a few women into slavery. Hell, the bandit leader had kept a few slaves himself. They served their purposed until the boss had gotten tired of them and finally ended their miseries by killing them. He had pretended he hadn't heard their screams in the middle of the night as the band leader had his way with them. It was something he had learned to live with.
This woman however, she seemed strong and independent. I didn't believe her story. She didn't look like or behave like a slave. Telling her this made her laugh and remove her new leather chest piece. I don't know how I managed, but I didn't let my face register the surprise I felt. I knew that mark. That was Thorn's mark. He was the one who had purchased this woman? Had he seen her yet or was she on her way to him? It was hard to tell but in that moment I felt sympathy for her. She had escaped a horrible death sentence only to be thrust into another at the hands of the Imperial Legion. Here she was, so far from her homelands. No wonder she needed my help. "I suppose you'll have to ride with me then." I stated and mounted my horse once more. She followed me up, her short legs swinging almost unnaturally to fit around the girth of his back.
We rode in silence and I could tell she was taking in the natural beauty of Skyrim. It was, after all, what had drawn me to this place. Being a Wood Elf she could appreciate the land in its entirety and I had no doubt she was at home in the comforts of its bounty.
It was ironic really, I had always heard talks of how Wood Elves lived on the land and that intrigued me. In many ways they were similar to the forsworn, they were known to be wild and uncivilized. Carnivores by religion and cannibalistic per the requirements of their forest god Y'ffre in the Kajiit tongue. Many thought the practices of the Wood Elves were deplorable but they didn't understand. Wood Elves used everything available to them in order to live. They weren't allowed to consume any part of the plant life in Valenwood for any reason. As such, they could only use imported plant life and animal products. The whole way of life inspires me.
After some time we neared the end of the trail I had previously tracked. The group of bandits had left a trail so obvious I didn't even need to dismount to follow them to the cave those damned bandits had taken Karnwyr to. He was in there, I could feel it. I felt her stiffen behind me, a clear sign something had her on edge. "This is…" She gasp. "Stay here ranger." She jumped down from my horse and went into sneak mode. It was a marvel to watch her move, her feet moving without sound over the land. She moves like I do.
"Fiaera." I whisper yelled to her as she disappeared over the incline towards the cave. Damn that woman, I told her I wasn't going to be her lackey.
Following her lead I stealthily crept up behind her as she released an arrow into a caged wolf. It was that moment I realized why she had told me to stay put. This was a fighting cave where low-life bastards would force two wolves to battle for a meal that had been denied them for too long. It was barbaric and I was going to make them pay for mistreating Karnwyr.
I looked at the woman in front of me as she walked, her rear end bobbing slightly as she snuck up to the mouth of the cave. Her bow was drawn, ready to fly another deadly arrow in a moment's notice. This woman, who I knew nothing of, had tried to protect me from seeing my friend possibly being tortured. Though we had just met, she was willing to bear my burden.
I decided to help her on her quest that very moment. Free of charge. If she was willing to do such a thing for me, I had to return the favor in kind. Her journey was likely much simpler than mine was, that's what I hoped at least.
It didn't take long to clear the cave. Each arrow I loosed I hit their mark perfectly as always. The bow I had picked off of one of those Stormcloaks in Helgen wasn't a bad bow, it just wasn't one of mine. The arrows, though decently made, could not compare to one I could fletch.
Karnwyr had been rescued and the ranger seemed pleased. I hoped he was pleased enough to help me travel to Whiterun. I could use a man of his skill and knowledge. It was clear he knew the land well and that was a significant advantage to me.
"Alright Princess. What is this quest you are on and how can I help you?" He had one hand buried in Karnwyr's thick fur as the beast happily enjoyed the contact. I felt myself smiling at the pair then wiped my face clean of emotion. This ranger was… I didn't really know what to think honestly. I did know that I wanted to keep my vulnerabilities from him until I could trust him. His wolf went a long way to convincing me he was someone I could work with but his mouth…
I glanced at his lips then immediately to his golden eyes. "I promised Alvor and Hadvar that I would go to Whiterun to speak with the Jarl about sending troops to Riverwood." I shrugged to make it seem like I was asking a small thing of him. I didn't really know how long it would take to get there, how far it was, or what we might encounter along the way so I hoped it was a simple task.
He chuckled a bit, his reaction to my quest muted at best. "Is that all Ladyship? Here I thought we were going to be trekking across Cyrodiil to return you to Valenwood." I stood there, simply thinking of what he had said. Would he do such a thing for someone he just met? Perhaps I had misjudged this ranger.
"A simple job for you then ranger. You should feel relieved." I crossed my arms and stared at him pointedly.
"Bishop." He offered the word while looking at Karnwyr.
"I'm sorry?" I asked him not sure if I had heard him correctly.
"My name. It's Bishop, Ladyship. Please use it from now on." He then locked eyes with me, a gleam behind them I didn't quite understand. "So… it's going to be dark soon, and we have this nice cave to ourselves, plenty of wolf meat and mead here. I say we make camp." He proposed and began to walk towards the bar to gather some drink.
I walked to the fallen wolves and grabbed the honed iron dagger I had made in Riverwood. They were a bit lean but they would make a good meal for tonight and could make some very good dried meat for future travels.
I got to work skinning and carving out the meat for our meal. I was known for being meticulous about harvesting my animals to get every little bit of usable meat. Bishop stepped over to the wolf I hadn't yet started on and grabbed the dagger from his belt with a flourish. He began to process the carcass similarly to how I did mine.
We were silent as we worked and I couldn't help but glance at him every now and then. A few times I caught him looking at me a few times with a slight smirk gracing his lips. "You're skilled with that knife ranger." I used his title rather than his name which drew his eyes immediately.
"I believe I told you my name Princess." He was smirking as he said it, his voice rather serious.
"And you have mine ranger." I finished my wolf and ripped a piece of cloth off of one of the bandit's bodies. Bishop watched me carefully as I wiped the bloodied dagger off with the cloth being sure it was clean.
"Fiaera feels too foreign to my tongue Ladyship." He paused as he continued to work on the carcass. "I believe I shall call you what I like. If you insist on calling me ranger you may."
I frowned a slight bit. Calling him ranger when he was accepting of it was not appealing. I liked getting under his skin, it was fun. The way those golden eyes would flare as he attempted to veil his feelings was attractive. He was attractive. Though she loathed to admit that fact, it was indeed a fact.
"Well Fi (pronounced Fee). I've finished my handiwork. Care to take a look?" He stood and wiped his knife off as I approached. Looking at what was left of the carcass made me smile. "You approve?"
"Very much so Bishop. You have done a beautiful job. Might you be part Bosmer?" I had to ask him. It was a rare day when I appreciated someone else's work on a carcass.
"Afraid not Princess. I just don't like wasting meat." He began to break down some of the fencing from the fighting pit and built a fire. We managed to fashion a proper spit to cook the wolf meat and set to work airing the pelts. "I saw a bed behind the bar if you would like to sleep in that rather than a bedroll on the ground here."
I watched him carefully and laughed a bit. Did he really think I would prefer to sleep in a cold corner on a bed rather than near the fire? He had another thing coming if that is what he thought. "No, I think I will take that bedroll from the other room and park it right here." Another jab began to form on my troublesome tongue. "Unless you are uneasy sleeping so near a woman."
He smiled at that showing his teeth for the first time since they had met. He had lovely teeth to compliment his handsome face. "Ladyship! I assure you, I do not shy away from female company." His tone sent heat to my cheeks.
"My, my, ranger. I thought you said I wasn't your type." I fluttered my eyelashes at him. My actions made him chuckle some more.
"You're not, but I do think we get along well don't you?" She found herself agreeing to his statement and marched into the other room to retrieve the bedroll she had seen.
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