Three days passed in relative peace. Eriah spent most of her time holed up in Severin Manor, painstakingly creating her Daedric Armor. Talvas ended up staying there the entire time, sending a message with Neloth's new steward when the wizard finally noticed he was missing. The apprentice didn't want to miss a single moment with the Dragonborn. He knew that once she left Solstheim, she never planned to return. When she wasn't forging her armor, she was packing things into a chest for Glover Mallory, the town blacksmith she had befriended, to help take to the docks when the Northern Maiden returned. She repaired her Blades Armor before packing it away but left Miraak's robes on the mannequin and his weapons on the one-weapon racks on either side of it, wanting them to be the last things packed away for her to take home to Skyrim. She moved with a sense of finality that wasn't lost on Talvas, who had spent the better part of two days trying to come up with a way to convince her to stay. He knew she had a commitment to continue fighting the civil war that plagued Skyrim but that didn't stop him from wishing. In the end, he didn't have a single clue and he was starting to feel desperate.
"Finally done." Eriah said, straightening up to admire her handwork. The Daedric helmet was the last piece made and she felt accomplished. Even though she had also forged a Daedric warhammer, it was for the intent of making it a part of Hjerim's decor someday. She was still partial to her Elvish warhammer, which had been her faithful companion through many adventures. She also forged a Daedric shield for the same purpose. Talvas followed her to the master bedroom where she had the armor, boots, and bracers on a mannequin and watched her set the helmet on the thing's head. A complete set. The Daedric warhammer was on the rack next to it. The eerie red glow in certain parts of the armor set were the result of the Daedric hearts. "Are you seriously considering wearing this armor now? It's rather dark for you." Talvas said, crossing his arms. "It's stronger than my Blades armor and I want to send a stronger message to the Thalmor and the Empire. See how brave their soldiers are when they're faced with a warrior wearing this armor." she replied.
She felt the Dunmer close the gap and gasped when his arms came around her from behind, one going around her waist and the other around her shoulders. Her back met his chest and she felt him bury his face in her hair. Her hands instinctively came up to the arm around her shoulders but his grip tightened a little. "You don't have to prove anything to them. You don't even have to leave. You can stay here, away from it all." he said in a low voice. Swallowing hard, Eriah just kept still. Seemed her hunch, which she had ignored all this time due to more urgent matters, was correct. No man would've dared do this if he didn't have something bubbling under the surface, knowing the kind of power she had. "You know I can't do that, Talvas. It's painful being here anymore and I can't abandon Skyrim to the Thalmor. I must do as destiny wills." she said. Talvas responded by tightening his grip further. "You're so...contradictory. You have certainly shown that you don't like being yanked around but you willingly accepted a destiny you didn't choose for yourself." he said. "You're right. I didn't choose this but I did choose to follow this path laid out to me by Akatosh. It's one thing to willingly follow another's command and another thing entirely to be forced into it." she said. Silence fell for a moment. The Dunmer made no move to let her go so Eriah made no move to get away. She knew the conversation wasn't over and decided this was the best way she could help him out.
"Who do you think about when silence falls between us, Eriah? I know there's a man you think fondly of." Talvas then said. The Dragonborn felt her face heat up as he dipped his face into the crook of her neck. Given her existential crisis, courtesy of Miraak, and her growing feelings for Ulfric Stormcloak, Eriah was caught between a rock and a hard place. She had had sweethearts when she was younger. What girl didn't? This was just out of the blue, even though she had had her suspicions for a while. Eriah's desire to go unnoticed as she traveled around Skyrim was part of the reason most people didn't know her by her true name. All most people knew was that the Dragonborn had come to save them just as the prophecy had foretold. Talvas's behavior made her question just how many men really took notice of her, something she tended to avoid because of her desire to help the people of Skyrim with whatever ailed them. "If I tell you...what will you do?" she asked instead. "If I thought it would change your mind about leaving, I'd find that man and kill him." he replied simply. Eriah jerked involuntarily but she was kept from getting away by Talvas's embrace. "I would never allow that." she said. "That's why I won't do anything. His name. I want the name of the man who has your heart." the conjurer said.
Eriah shut her eyes tightly as she felt his lips ghost over her neck. "Who it is...is my business. He doesn't know...how I feel. Ironically, I only just started having these feelings and now, you're just forcing me to confront them. Whether or not I tell him anything remains to be seen." she replied. Her hands balled into fists as she dipped her head. "Then I have a chance, then." Talvas said. Eriah managed to get out of his arms and she turned to face him, her expression one of sad anger. Not directed at him but at the situation. "Turn off this road you're on, friend. There's only one way this is going to end and I'd rather not be the bad guy." she said. The Dunmer's face twisted a bit in anger. "Dammit, woman! I'm bearing my heart and soul to you! Why won't you notice me!?" he all but demanded, taking her by the upper arm. Before she could do anything to stop him, Talvas kissed her. It wasn't rough, per say, but it was passionate. It was enough to make even the Dragonborn pause because it had been a long time since a man had ever kissed her. Her last relationship ended five years before she left home. However, her thoughts sped up to the present and she knew she could not let this continue. Eyes screwing up tightly, Eriah's fist connected with his face. The force behind the blow was incredible. The Dunmer crashed to the ground. Without even thinking about it, the Dragonborn Shouted, activating Dragon Aspect. Her warhammer was in her hand and she shoved Talvas back down with the head of it as he was slowly sitting up. The glowing aspects of her dragon heritage hummed.
"If it wasn't for our friendship holding me back, I'd do a lot worse and not feel guilty. You had no right. No right at all. I had known for a long time how you feel. I chose not to acknowledge it because it would just give you false hope and I'll be damned if I ever did. Sorry, Talvas. I can't give you what you want because my heart is no longer mine to give." she said. Talvas's red eyes just looked up at her, his cheek bruising from her hard right. He looked down first. "I won't apologize." he said, mutinously. "I don't expect you to. I won't apologize for punching you, either. You needed to be brought down a peg." she replied. She slowly brought her weapon back and stepped away. "Look at me, Talvas." she said. When he did, she looked at the ethereal energy that wreathed her body. "This is what I am. A dragon who made it her mission to save Skyrim from the elves that seek to dictate to my people, the Nords, who we can worship. I...I can't be the woman you want, not with this heavy burden I bear and with my heart in another man's hands." she said, letting her warhammer come to rest on the floor as she stood it on its head. The conjurer slowly sat up.
Talvas watched as she knelt down in front of him, listening to the hum of Dragon Aspect. "I never had a chance, did I?" he asked simply. Eriah just bowed her head and shook it, the Shout finally dissipating. "Even if it weren't for me having feelings for someone else, it's likely I'd only see you as a friend." she said. She let healing magic pool in her hand as she raised her eyes to the bruise on his cheek. She raised it and started to heal the wound. "You've been a good friend to me, Talvas. This incident changes nothing. I know it's frustrating not to have your feelings answered. Even though I know now where my heart lies...something tells me that it will remain unrequited. Whether or not I take the plunge and tell him anyway really depends on how much I'm willing to sacrifice my own happiness for." she said. She finished healing but Talvas grasped her wrist to keep it nearby and he kissed the pulse there. "That's what I want you to know, Eriah. Why take the chance he'll reject you when you have a man right here who loves you and would do anything to keep you happy?" he asked. The Dragonborn sighed before pulling her wrist back and standing up. "Because I swore to serve him and fight for him first and foremost. My feelings can wait. Besides...another reason I have to leave is right there." she said, pointing at the mannequin bearing Miraak's robes.
Talvas looked up at it before looking back at her. "As long as I'm here, his memory will haunt me. I need to get off this island. Perhaps then, I can come to grips with everything that's happened. I may return someday to visit. But for now...it's too painful." she explained further. Reaching out a hand, Eriah pulled Talvas to his feet. She went around him to the chest at the foot of her bed. She pulled something from it. "Here." she said, holding out two objects. One was a key and the other was an ebony dagger. "This is the key to the manor. Anytime you need some space from Neloth, you're free to use this house however you see fit. I made the dagger for you out of some ebony I had leftover from forging my armor. Consider it a thank-you for being a friend and helping me out while I was here in Solstheim." she said. Talvas took the proffered objects, his red eyes looking over the exquisite craftsmanship of the dagger. "You are...too kind." he said finally. "So I've been told. You're a good man, Talvas. I only hope Neloth gets off his high horse and teaches you something." she said, with a smile.
A knock was heard up at the door and the Dragonborn went to answer it. Talvas remained in the bedroom, looking at the dagger before attaching it to his belt and putting the key in a pouch. Eriah soon returned with Glover Mallory. "Ship's here. Better get this packed away." the woman said as she began to pull Miraak's robes off the mannequin and fetched his weapons from the plaques. The last thing to go in the chest was his mask. "Thanks for your help, Glover." she said. "It's been a real pleasure knowing you, Eriah. I'll handle this." the blacksmith said, taking the chest and heading upstairs to the door. Eriah turned back to the Dunmer. "I guess this is it." she said. Talvas just nodded before reaching out, grasping her wrist, and pulling her against him. "Don't stay away forever. And thank you." he said. Eriah sighed as she hugged him back. When they pulled away, she started pulling on the pieces of her new Daedric Armor. When she was done, she took the helmet off the mannequin, hooking it under her arm, and the two departed the manor.
Reaching the docks, Eriah smiled in greeting at Captain Gjalund Salt-Sage. "Ready to go whenever you are." he said. She nodded and turned to look at Talvas. "Akatosh preserve you, friend." she said. Talvas just nodded and she smiled at him fondly. She got onto the ship and within the hour, they set sail. Eriah watched as Solstheim got farther and farther away before going to stand at the bow. Gjalund came up to stand with her. "You seem quiet, Dragonborn." he noted. "I'm just looking forward to going home. Feels like I've been gone a lifetime. I hope Ulfric's been doing okay without me there to fight." she said. "Knowing the Jarl, he's managed just fine. I've been getting news from Windhelm whenever I docked and it seems the war's been running smoothly." the captain replied. Eriah looked up at the sky before heading to the chest she had Glover bring to the ship. She opened it and looked at Miraak's mask."I sure hope I don't regret bringing you back with me. I wonder if I could store this chest in the Palace of the Kings until I'm able to secure the funds to buy Hjerim." she thought.
She closed the lid and stood up. She was heading back to the rail when she paused. She thought she heard a voice on the wind. "You will never escape me." it said. It sounded like Miraak's voice and it was almost a whisper. Eriah's brown eyes widened as she whirled around to face the chest. "Is something wrong, Dragonborn?" one of the deckhands asked. No longer hearing the voice of her defeated foe, Eriah shook her head to clear it. Was she imagining things? "Nothing. Nothing at all. Thought I heard something..." she trailed off, her eyes still on her chest. Shaking her head, she placed her Daedric helmet on and went to the railing. Crossing her arms, the Dragonborn decided to just focus on getting home and back to Ulfric's service. She wondered if things would get awkward between them, knowing what she did now. Talvas did, indeed, force her to confront the simple fact that she had fallen in love with the Jarl. She had more or less made up her mind that she couldn't tell him. Deep down, she had a feeling it was one-sided and she didn't want to hear him reject her. Best to let it lie and focus on the war. Matters of the heart could wait when they finally had a breather.