Wow such a nice reception already, I have taken on board some advice and I promise to change the spacings, also Im glad everyone likes the general idea of the story but believe me you haven't read anything yet….
As Sweet As Her Mead
Chapter 2 - Trolls, Cave Bears & Chaurus oh my!
I kept a sharp eye out as I took note that I was no longer in the safe zone of mortal, the first item on Ingun's list of deadly ingredients was mainly found in the swamps near Solitude, I mentally kicked myself, then remembered the fiery peck on the cheek I received from her and sucked up everything, I motioned to Faendal to follow suit as we started to trudge the mirky swamp waters of imminent danger and foulness. "Argh Melendil couldn't our journey have led us elsewhere?" Faendal asked as he stepped on a mushroom.
I shook my head. "No friend, the items listed are found mainly here, the deathbell and nightshade will be in large supply here." I looked over my shoulder the wood elf still didn't look too happy, but I couldn't blame him, we weren't exactly on friendly land here, the swamps had claimed many a traveller in the past years but I felt lucky enough to survive, I then heard Faendal speak up again.
"But seriously brother elf, all of this for a girl, why bother?" I chocked on my own laugh as I turned annoyed.
"You talos forsaken hypocrite, do you forget the little stunt I pulled so you could court the fair camilla, do not try to undo me with words, you still owe me for that letter I gave to her, it was embarrassing I felt like I was the one who wrote it, the way she looked at me." I noticed Faendal said nothing more until we came across a large contingent of deathbell and nightshade on a small island.
"Come on Melendil lets collect them and get out of here, Im getting the shivers." I started to collect twenty of each, during I tossed a calming potion to Faendal to calm his nerves while I took one myself. "Are you finished yet?"
I packed away the ingredients in my satchel and stood up. "All set lets g…" A sharp clicking made my ears prick up, I drew my bow with Faendal quickly drawing his, we both crouched down.
"What was that?" Faendal quickly asked as we got closer so we were back to back, I looked around as the clicking sound resounded again.
"Chaurus… Probably a reaper." I felt glad to have taken the calm potion, I had quite a strong fear of the creatures, they were my worst nightmare, even Alduin didn't scare me as much.
"Melendil over there! An abandoned cabin, we can make it if we run." Faendal whispered frantically.
I cocked an arrow and began to draw it back. "No we cant….Were being hunted." I noticed a black, bug shaped figure crawl out beneath the bush, I then noticed a stream of jet black liquid make its way toward Faendal, I pushed him out of the way to avoid the toxic liquid, Faendal and myself began to fire arrows at the Chaurus Reaper that spewed the poison, It scuttled closer as great speed. "Faendal continue to fire arrows I will have to penetrate its hide!" With this I drew my Steel dagger and jumped onto the creatures back, I had no real strategy so I began to madly jab and stab at the creature until its black blood had stained every inch of my leather armour, soon enough the reaper lay dead, and me and Faendal were quickly jogging back to Morthal.
"You know even the letter to Camilla didn't involve a fight with a…."
I lost my patience as we ran. "Faendal I pray you for the love of all divines shut up!".
(-Black Briar Manor-)
Ingun sat in her room tampering with some alchemy agents mixed with falmer ears when she heard a quiet knock at the door to her room, she got up and opened the door to find her mother Maven stood quite patiently.
"Ingun may I speak to you for a moment?"
"Er of course mother come in." Maven slowly walked inside and sat down in one of the spare chairs in the corner of the room.
"What did you need mother?"
"Well its regarding that stranger that came to Riften not but a few days ago." Inguns heart skipped a few beats when she realised who her mother was talking about.
"Oh you mean Melendil the high elf, he's finding some ingredients for me."
Maven raised her left hand. "I am well aware of the task he is undertaking on your behalf, but I have just found out some rather intriguing news regarding our new friend."
Ingun raised an eyebrow. "What news?"
Maven sat back and crossed one leg over the other. "He is the fabled dragonborn."
Inguns eyes went wide with shock. "No he cant be, thats surprising and amazing, the great dragonborn flirted with me." Ingun said happily.
"Yes Ingun I heard about that, but I hope to recruit him into the thieves guild, I can seem him being of much use to us and especially yourself in the far future."
"What has this got to do with me?" Ingun asked confused.
"Well you have taken a liking to him, win him over, make him return the affection and then he will be part of our family and we will be one step further to expanding the name of Black-Briar throughout Tamriel."
Ingun shook her head and laughed. "You know mother I did hear about the friendly talk you had with him in the bee and barb."
It was Mavens turn to look confused. "Are implying I might have a liking to him? Of course I don't, but I was rather amazed at how he wasn't intimidated by me, it was almost like he never heard of Black-Briar before then, it disconcerted me and interested me at the same time."
Ingun stood up and collected her things. "Well I need to go and help Elgrim with his potions I will be back for dinner." Ingun then noticed Maven thinking to herself.
"He was rather handsome…." Maven trailed off, Ingun left in a hurry she didn't want to hear what her mother thought of the dragonborn, besides she liked him more, Ingun laughed to herself she felt like a young girl bickering with another over a cute boy even if this cute boy was older and more powerful than Maven…
(-Outskirts Of Whiterun-)
I still had several more nirnroot plants to collect before I had all of Inguns ingredients ready to bring back to Riften, he had just enjoyed watching Faendal comically try to pull a tough one out of the ground before it the soil loosened and he went toppling back, I couldn't stop a laugh from surfacing as Faendal tried to style out the fall in order to retain his dignity, it didn't work.
"Oh very funny, haha, laugh at the wood elf for falling over." I patted him on the back.
"Its fine friend, at least we have all the ingredients needed now, we can find an inn and rest up until the morning, we can get rooms at the bannered mare back in whiterun, it looked like it needed work but anything is better than sleeping outside."
Faendal smirked sarcastically. "So much for the all resistant dragon born." I could've hit him, but I really couldn't find the strength or will power to clobber him, besides I was hungry and was in dire need of sleep…
Myself and Faendal almost fell over each other tiredly clambering into the bannered mare, I perched myself onto a barstool, Faendal did the same, we ordered several bottles of mead and had some delectable horker meat and baked potatoes, then Faendal noticed the rear end of a barmaid that walked past.
"Melendil take a good look, you might like.." Faendal winked as he turned around to get another look.
I rolled my eyes. "Oh really, we are elves we are too good for the likes of a simple….." I turned around and my eyes went wide. "Wow, that is quite mesmerising." I shook myself out of my trance and returned to my mead. "But she's no Ingun." I swigged down another bottle and grimaced, now I had tried Black-Briar mead the other types of mead just didn't add up in terms of quality or in any case presentation, Faendal enjoyed the mead, the food and in his opinion the view, humph! Wood elves, always lusting after what their too afraid to talk to.
Me and Faendal decided to turn in for the night, I was slightly under the influence of the cheap mead, and I also noticed Faendal walking up to his room with the barmaid from earlier the redguard, Saadia I think her name was, I wasn't too shocked as I was too tired to care, I made my way carefully up the stairs counting them as I went, I found my room and dropped onto the bed, I felt relaxation wash over me as I kicked off my boots and removed my tunic and as a final touch snuggled underneath the linen blankets, I put my arms behind my head and looked at the ceiling. "Ahhhh bliss." I sighed to myself, this was perfect, I knew however what would make it better… Having little Ingun cuddled up next to me I smiled at the thought as I let sleep take me over…..
I woke the next morning feeling refreshed and radiant, It was times like those that made me proud to be a high elf, we had resistance to magic effects and effects of liquids so it was near impossible to suffer from hangovers as the nords and imperials often did on a daily basis in skyrim, I laughed to myself as I got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast, I then saw something I didn't expect to see Faendal and Saadia conversing and laughing, probably flirting, I felt my snooty alter stereotype tell me to say something smart, but I decided I was too hungry and instead sat down at the bar and enjoyed a breakfast of edam cheese and a sweet roll, washed down with a flagon of cows milk, who said being a milk drinker was so bad? I then sat down where Faendal and Saadia were.
"Morning Faendal sleep well, or not at all?"
Faendal laughed. "Oh better than well my friend, will you be heading to Riften today?"
I nodded. "Yes my friend and I trust you will head back to riverwood?"
The wood elf nodded. "I will although I will spend some time here with Saadia first." The redguard giggled as they continued to flirt, I said my good-byes, threw a bag of coin onto the counter and made my way to the skyforge near the mead hall.
"Morning Eorlund." I said slowly as he looked over his shoulder and nodded.
"You here for you armour? Its over there." He motioned to a new set of steel plate armour, I tried it on it fit like a glove, I felt invincible and almost flexible.
"This is flawless thanks very much Eorlund." The blacksmith simply scoffed.
"Don't get soft on me boy!" I rolled my eyes and then smiled evilly.
"Sorry all I heard was don't pay me for the new armour." Eorlund looked up and laughed.
"At least you haven't bored me yet, now my coin please."
I shrugged to myself he did say please, "Here you go." I tossed a large bag of coin to him, steel plate armour didn't always come cheap I was just lucky enough to be a part of the companions, I told them I was taking time off to tend to more important matters, which they believed, well all except Kodlak, I told him the truth be he promised to keep it to himself, a very honourable and intelligent man, had the mind skills that would put a Thalmor justiciar out of his job for good.
I walked happily out of whiterun with my new polished armour and began to make my way towards Riften, and the lovely Ingun Black-Briar was in my thoughts throughout the entire trip there….
There we go the second chapter with mistakes rectified for fellow readers, thanks for the current support but for now read, review give me some advice if needed bye for now :)
