Ralof stood as a quiet sentry while Karys quickly washed the blood and soot from her face with water from the White River. He was still on edge, even though they had watched the dragon fly off down the valley after emerging from the bowels Helgen Keep relatively unscathed. He couldn't help but feel curious about the woman as he watched her. How did she know his leader, and why did they seem so on edge with each other?

"Alright." She sighed, standing up and slinging the water from her hands. "I'm done."

"We're not far from my home in Riverwood. My sister, Gurdur, runs the mill there." He informed her as they made their way back to the road. "She'll help us out. And maybe she'll know what to do about the dragon."

"I doubt anyone will know what to do about that big lizard. Has anyone alive ever even seen one?"

Ralof had to agree with her. Until a couple of hours previous, he had assumed dragons to be the stuff of legends. Stories that the elders told to their grandchildren at night.

"I hope Ulfric made it out alright." Karys said quietly after a few moments of walking in silence.

She had been furious to learn that Ralof had left him in the middle of a troupe of Imperials hell bent on executing him. But Ulfric was his leader, his commander. There was no way he could disobey a direct order. Karys decided that there was such a thing as too good of a soldier and that he was walking along beside her.

Ralof didn't try to reassure her, as he was just as concerned about the Jarl. Instead he asked the question that had been itching at him since they had entered the tower keep together some time previous.

"How do you know him?"

She sighed, fiddling with the stolen dagger she had strapped to her thigh. Her brows creased and Ralof thought he saw the flit of some deep emotion across her face, but it was gone before he could make any sense of it.

"We were…" She paused, chewing on her lip. "I knew him when I was younger."

He wasn't satisfied with the answer but let it slide, and decided not to press the matter. He hardly knew the woman after all, and they were both feeling stressed after the events at Helgen.

A whole village, gone in a matter of moments. Despite that it was an Imperial controlled village, Ralof felt pity for its residents. There had been children there, he had seen one on their way in while in back of that wagon.

The thought of their capture begged another question of the woman.

"What were you doing? When you were caught in our ambush?"

He glanced over and saw that her face had darkened, and he knew instantly that it would be another short answer. If not a lie, then at least not the whole truth.

"I was returning to Riften, I had been away on business."

He furrowed his brow thoughtfully. He would figure this woman out, one way or another.

Ralof's sister had not been pleased with their news of a dragon. She had even admitted to seeing the beast as it made its trek down the valley, though she hadn't known what to make of it at the time. Gurdur had even asked Karys to take the news to Jarl Balgruff in Whiterun, and to appeal for more hold guards to be send to the small village. Karys thought it strange that she would put such trust in a stranger, but just put it down to small town hospitality and trust.

She was sitting in Gurdur's small house, her stomach grumbling. Until they had reached Riverwood and actually taken a moment's pause, Karys hadn't realized just how sore and hungry she was. Who knew how long her hands had been tied behind her back before she had awoken? Her aching back told her that it had been some hours. And her stomach told her that if she didn't find something to eat soon, she might start retching right there at Gurdur's table.

She was unable to stifle her groan when her stomach panged again, and Ralof and Gurdur turned in time to see her clutching her stomach.

"Of course you two must be starved! Ralof, sit! Sit with your friend while I fetch some food."

She watched impatiently as Gurdur bustled about gathering bread, cheese, and cider before finally setting it down on the table between her and Ralof. She quickly snatched half a loaf of bread and a hunk of cheese, alternating bites between the two until her mouth was quite full. She noticed Ralof watching in amusement from across the table, his eyebrows somewhere near his hairline.

Well maybe he was used to going without, but she certainly wasn't. And she decided it wasn't something she wanted to make a habit out of.

"I'm sorry, Ralof forgets his manners. What was your name, dear?" Gurdur questioned, taking a seat next to her brother and helping herself to some cider.

"Karys Dvasia." She replied after taking a sip of her own cider.

"I was very sorry to hear of their deaths. Your mother was a very kind woman."

Karys' brows rose in surprise. It had been years since she had met anyone that knew her parents.

"You knew them?"

"I did." Gurdur nodded, smiling at Karys' obvious surprise. "Not well, of course. I met them on occasion when I travelled to Windhelm."

"It's refreshing to meet someone that knew them." Karys admitted, now playing with her bread rather than scarfing it.

"You must miss them." Gurdur replied, her smile now seeming sad as she reached across the table to still Karys' hands with her. "And Ulfric. We were surprised to hear the troths were discarded after your parents passed."

"Troths? But… you were to marry Ulfric?" Ralof sputtered, his jaw dropping as he looked between the two women.

Karys quickly stood from the table, knocking her chair back in her haste. She moved towards the door as quickly as she could without running, willing the burning in her eyes to stop.

"Thank you for your hospitality Gurdur, I will take a room at the inn." She said, turning to smile politely at the other woman once she had smoothed her face into one of calm. "I will leave for Whiterun at first light, I'll send a courier with what news I can." She promised before slipping out of the door and dashing across the dark street to the inn.

I am a horrible person! I'm sorry if I've kept anyone waiting with this! The only excuse I can give is a poor one, life has been rather hectic lately! Anyways, I'm going to try and breathe some life back into this little project! I hope you'll stick with me!

Reviews are always appreciated!