DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of the Elder Scrolls games, Skyrim, or otherwise. All rights belong to Bethesda. The only things I claim are my OCs.
Please read and Review, helpful critics are always welcome.
Chapter 2: Days of Trade
We stayed in Whiterun hold for a few weeks. Earning our fair share of honest gold. We even had a regular visitor named Ysolda who was learning to be a merchant herself. Every so often, even the guards would come by to do a bit of trading. Perhaps it was just my imagination, but it seemed that a few even dipped their heads in respect towards us.
Around the fifth day, to my surprise, I ran into the same Imperial woman, Riara. I almost hadn't recognized her if she hadn't approached me first. With her wounds treated and the soot and dirt washed away, her hair was a brilliant fire red against pale skin. Her eyes were the most fixating though. Not because of their mahogany color, but due to the sheer determination and focus that reflected in them. Showing that, despite her obvious young age, she was a strong warrior.
At the time however, her smile as she approached, made her eyes light up with a happiness I wished I'd be able to feel. I returned her smile and accepted her hand that she offered. What surprised me even more was that she pulled me into an embrace. With a quick pat on my back she released me and took a step back. My expression must've amused her because her smile brightened.
"I see that you're feeling better Lady Ancildor," I said to break the slight tension. Afew of the surrounding Nords didn't seem fond of the way an Imperial embraced a Khajiit. Taking note of my sudden formal tone, Riara's eyes skimmed over the few faces.
"Yes, the healers might've been a bit strict but they did make sure that I recovered. Which wouldn't have been possible without you Ashni," she said, not bothering with the honorific as I had asked when we first met. It was clear that she didn't care what the stubborn Nords thought of her, but she had the right to do that.
"Were you able to deliver your message? You almost ran yourself to death to deliver it," I half laughed as the tension finally ebbed away.
"Yes, and now I've been sent to fetch some ancient stone that will supposedly help with the dragons. In Bleakfalls Barrow of all places," she begrudgingly mumbled the location, clearly not happy about going off on this errand.
"Dragons? I thought they had been hunted to extinction," I said perplexed.
"They seem to be making a comeback. If you're heading towards Helgen, that's where the first of them showed. A massive dragon, blacker than the night sky with eyes that burned like coals," she described the beast with almost awe in her voice. I couldn't deny my own curiosity as she spoke of the beasts of lore.
"You'll have to tell me about it when you get back," I said as my smile grew.
"Of course, I just hope whatever is in Bleakfalls actually can help, or the Stormcloaks will be the least of my problems. Oh, but before I leave. Lady Ancildor is my mother. Call me Riara," with that she left the city, a smile still plastered on her face. A smile, that I surprisingly mimicked the rest of the day.
After about ten days, the trading had slowed and it was almost time for us to move on.
"Ashni!" Dro' Jo called. I had been helping pack up our tents, before his voice reached my ears. The old cat had been using my birth name more and more these last few days, and it hadn't gone unnoticed by the others. When I looked up he had a rather large bag of gold in his paw. I was slightly confused as I approached the elder who only seemed to smirk.
"What is it Dro' Jo?"
"Here," he handed me the bag. "Take this, and S' Rava, and go buy us some more supplies. If there is anything left over, it's yours." My eyes grew wide, an expression that only seemed to amuse him. "Go on, we'll finish up here," Dro' Jo said with an unwavering smile on his face. S' Rava had only been a few feet away and his ears had perked at the mention of his name. I tried not to think anything of Dro' Jo's words, but the look he had in his eye along with the smirk on his face. It reminded me of when he was trying to sweet talk a customer out of ten more septims. Shaking my head, I turned away and motioned for S' Rava to follow me. We were able to enter the city easily enough since the guards recognized us.
We didn't really talk, more like just enjoyed each other's company as we gathered some more food. However, we did split up for a few moments. S' Rava saying that he had an errand to run while I went to the apothecary. There, I was able to resupply on a few cure disease and healing potions. You never knew when a bear or a skeever was going to show up to ruin your day.
As I left the apothecary, I paused to look around the city. All of these people who enjoyed their normal lives of repetition and safety. Even the civil war didn't seem to touch most of them, as if it were something that were far away, rather than on their doorstep. Most, but not all. My eyes rested on Lady Falia Greymane, the jeweler.
I had witnessed the argument between her and the Battleborns a few days prior, and my heart ached for her and her family. It was bad enough knowing that a loved one had been killed, but, perhaps it was even worse not knowing at all. Making my way towards her I gave her my best smile which she returned.
"Good morning Lady Greymane, how goes the market today?" I greeted.
"Good morning to you too Dar' Ashni, the market is slow today but I did have a visitor just a few moments ago. A very strapping young man if I am to be any judge." She greeted back, a playful glimmer in her eyes at her last statement. She is a kind old woman, and I find that in the short time of knowing her, I feel a warmth that I've missed. The warmth of a mother's love.
"I trust that the Battleborns have been keeping to themselves," I say before giving the square a glance over.
"For now, your performance a few days ago should keep them away from tormenting me for a while longer. But, I with that my Thorald was home and not in their clutches," her voice started to shake, and I reached a paw out to hold her frail hand. She smiled a sad smile and patted my paw nonetheless. She accepted my comfort, even if there was nothing more I could do to ease the pain in her heart. At least for now.
Releasing my paw she took a deep breath and smiled again. "I hear that your caravan is about to be leaving Whiterun, will you be alright out there?" She asked and I couldn't stop the smile.
"Yes we'll be alright."
"I know that dear. What I mean is, will you be alright?" I didn't understand why she emphasized about my well being, and it must've showed on my face as her expression went to that of a serious mother. "Every time I see you walking around the city. your eyes are always sad and distant. Even when you spoke to that red haired Imperial a few days ago. I don't mean to pry but, we women know when someone has been hurt."
Her statement shocked me. Was I truly that easy to read? Or was it just her being observant? "I don't understand what you mean ma'am," I'm surprised by how even my voice is despite my nerves. She just smiles, lightly rubbing one frail hand over my paw while the other gives it a gentle squeeze.
"Never mind dear, just be sure to take care of yourself," she says before raising a finger. "But remember that you don't need to do it alone," she finishes while gently wagging her finger at me. I almost feel like a cub about to get a talking to, rather than a grown woman getting advise. Lady Greyman smile wider before releasing my paw. Then a sound makes my ear twitch and she turns to face something behind me.
"Well well, it seems that the stray hasn't yet left town. How fortunate for us," a young man's voice says, perhaps a bit slurred. The stink of mead reaches my nose as I turn to face the eldest son of the Battleborn Clan. Idolaf is backed by his father, Olfrid, and younger brother, Jon. Although, the younger Battleborn doesn't seem too interested in his brother's antics.
"And if it isn't the Nord who wants to be an Imperial. How cute. Didn't you learn from the last time not to let the drink get to your head, or are you really just a milk drinker after all?" I say, putting myself between them and Lady Greymane. If they want to go to the Bannered Mare fine, but it seems they've stopped by the Drunken Huntsman first, and now they're looking for a fight.
"How dare you talk to us like that cat!" Idolaf screamed and balled his fists as he took a step forward.
"Oh, I wasn't talking about Olfrid and Jon, I was talking about you, Idolaf. My apologies for the confusion," I said with perhaps a bit too much sarcasm, the Nord's face continued to grow in shades of crimson. His father wasn't pleased either, but seemed to have enough self respect as to not say anything. The younger brother though, he reached out a hand to rest on his brother's shoulder.
"Let it go Idolaf, she is trying to get a rise out of you. Don't let the mead speak for you," Jon said to try and calm his brother.
"I will not back down from this wench. This cat has no right to speak to me, to us, like that," he stammered, trying to make it seem like a family insult instead of a personal one. By now, the other citizens in the square have started to take notice as well as a few guards. What happened next though surprised me. The drunken Nord made to rush the few feet between us. However, before I was able to brace, another figure stepped in front and pushed Idolaf back to his father and brother. The low growl that escaped from Rava was new to my ears.
He had never made that sound in the two years I've known him. Nor did he have the utter rage that seemed to come off him in waves. He stood in front of me and Lady Greymane, an unmovable object between us and the others. By no there was a sizable crowd. As the guards approached, I felt my world start to spin and my heart was a stone in my chest.
"What's going on here?!" A guard yelled. I reached out to find something to anchor to, to focus on, and my paw met with the cool plate metal of Rava's armor. His ear flicked and he half turned to me with concern in his eyes, and the rigidity in his stance softened slightly.
"This cat attacked me!" Idolaf yelled accusingly. "His wench insulted me and then he attacked me!" I could feel the soft rumble of a growl in Rava's chest at the accusations. He turned his head to address the gurads.
"That's not true!" I heard a small voice scream, cutting Rava short. The crowd suddenly parted, and there stood a little girl, no older than nine or ten winters. Her face was dirty, as was her green dress. I had seen her around the wind district a few times, always by herself. Lucia was the name she told me when I stopped to speak to her. The guard turned to her, motiong her forward.
"What do you say happened child?" The guard asked, his voice gruffer than most that I've heard. Perhaps he was a veteran from the Great War?
"Miss Ashni was just talking to Lady Greymane when the Battleborns approached. He called her a stray and other mean things," Lucia started as she pointed out Idolaf. "She only called him a milk drinker. His brother tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen. The he started running towards Miss Ashni. I thought he was going to hurt her, but then Sir Rava jumped between them and pushed Idolaf away. He didn't attack anyone, he protected Miss Ashni," Lucia said her recount, in such a brave voice, despite the obvious glare from my would-be attacker.
"Sounds about right to me," I heard Lady Greymane say.
"You're going to listen to this urchin! Do you know who I am!?" The older brother yelled.
"Honestly boy, what did you think was going to happen if you attacked Ashni, with her bond mate so close no less? It wasn't bad enough of a lesson the last time you tried to fight her?" The older woman chastised the now fuming Nord. It wasn't bad enough that he was already further disgracing himself, but now he was reminded of how I kicked his tail not four days ago.
'Wait, my what...!' My mind suddenly snapped to what she had called Rava. 'My bond mate! How does she even know what that is?!' My mind was still reeling with her statement that I didn't hear the guard send the Battleborns on their way before telling the rest of the crowd no lolly gagging.
"Ashni, are you alright?" Rava's voice shocked me out of my thoughts. His silver eyes meeting my burnt golden ones, and I felt my cheeks start to grow warm.
"Y... Yes S' Rava, I'm alright. Thank you for stepping in," even to my ears my voice sounded stiff and mechanical. Like one of those dwarven machines. I needed to move, to get back to the others and away from all of these eyes. The lightest touch on my hand made me snap my head away from the eyes of silver. When I didn't see anyone at my eye level, I slowly looked down, into the dirty face of a little girl with bright green eyes. I smiled at Lucia and crouched onto my haunches.
"Thank you Lucia, that was very brave of you, and very noble too." I said, gently resting my paw on her shoulder.
"I just told the truth," she said meekly.
"And that is something that even kings fail to do sometimes,"
"Miss Ashni is right child," Lady Greymane said. "Telling the truth is sometimes a very hard thing to do. Especially when you have others who would try to spin the truth to fit them." I almost felt as if Fralia was talking to me. That she knew about the secrets I held close to my heart, but that was impossible.
"I'm glad that you're alright Miss Ashni. I don't care what other people say about khajiits, you're nice. Sir Rava too," the child said, sending a beaming smile towards the object of her praise. I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me at the child's clear admiration for my companion.
"Seems you have an admirer S' Rava," I said warmly as I stood back to my full height. Now that the crowd had dispersed I could feel the weight in my chest lifting and air return to my lungs. Rava smiled back at me, and just like that, the air was gone again and I felt my face become warm.
"Miss Ashni, are you ok? You look feverish," I heard Lucia ask.
"Y... Yes child, I'm alright. Although we must really be going. I'm sure the others are waiting for us." I say as I lean down to the child, lightly touching my nose to her hair, in my people's form of a kiss. Of course it would normally include a gentle lick, but that didn't seem to be such a good idea with a furless cub. Let alone one that wasn't mine.
That thought left a small pain in my chest.
"Will we see you again soon Miss Ashni?" Lucia asked with sad eyes.
"Now Lucia," Fralia said in that gentle tone a mother uses when her child is starting to be unnecessarily curious.
I just smiled again and nodded my head at the girl. "Of course you will. We will be back in a few weeks don't worry. Now be good for Lady Greymane and stay out of trouble alright." I said before slipping a bag of well over a hundred gold into the older woman's stall as we left. She would know what it was that I asked of her, and I felt in my heart that she would take care of the child. So that at least Lucia would have someplace to be warm when the nights grew colder.