Disclaimer. Elder Scrolls V Skyrim, is the property of Bethesda.
Chapter 2 Bleak Falls Barrow.
Jango and Jacelyn made it to Riverwood late in the evening. When they reaźched the small town they heard tell of a great treasure said to be hidden in the nearby ruin of Bleak Falls Barrow. Jacelyn had wanted to go explore the barrow right away, Jango however cautioned her, "Before we go running off to explore any ruin, we should take the time to ensure that we are properly equipped." Jacelyn saw the wisdom in her friends words and they decided to look at the wares a local merchant had for sale.
Now stocked up on healing potions Jango had paid for, the two friends decided on first exploring Embershard mine. Skyrim's vast open wilderness had many cliffs and forests and the area around Riverwood was no exception. Finding the entrance to the mine amid overgrown underbrush a lone bandit stood gaurd, Jango quickly dispatched the nuisance with a well aimed Dwarven arrow. retrieving a few arrow from the body the friends entered the mine together.
Inside the mine they came across several bandits, Jango's keen night vision allowed him to make some truly skillful shots in the semi-darkness of the mines interior. Jacelyn using her talents as a natural Rogue flanked a pair of bandits and took them out almost simultaneously. A strong thrust from one of her scimitars impaled the heart of one, followed up with a double impaling strike made quick work of the other.
Jango recovered a key from one of the bodies and used to unlock the cell door in the area they'd just entered, in the cell they found a number of apples in a sack, and laying on a beat-up dirty wooden table was a solid looking banded iron shield. Jacelyn took a liking to the shield and placed it in her magic satchel (all adventurers have one, it is merely a small bag that somehow can store impossibly large items.)
The pair walked into a fairly large dark cavern, where the only light was coming from a forge, and they could hear a couple of bandits working on something at the forge. Jacelyn snuck in close and executed one bandit while Jango fired off a lethal shot from his dwarven bow slaying the other bandit. Looking around the forge, Jacelyn found a book titled "Beginners Guide To Forging. Jacelyn gave the book to Jango, and reading it, found that it helped him better understand the process of smithing.
They made their way to the back of the mine, killing more bandits as they went. Jango found some rare plants, glowing mushrooms growing low on the wall. Jango remembered that they grew best in dark moist environments like caves and had useful alchemical properties so he picked several. At last they reached the mines exit, seeing it was now late at night so they decided to return to Riverwood. Jacelyn paid for a room that had a big bed they could share and the two went to their room, changed out of their armor into their sleeping attire.
Jango merely wore a pair of long cotton trousers, while Jacelyn wore a silk nightdress. Sharing a bed made each realize that they were comfortable with one another, and as each fell asleep they wondered if their relationship was more than just a fast friendship. They slept a solid 8 hours, waking up around 7 am, they had a quick breakfast of apples and sweetbread that Jacelyn had baked. Strapping their armor back on, they tipped the Innkeeper 10 septims and left the Inn.
Jango and Jacelyn headed out to explore Bleak Falls Barrow along the way talking about their relationship. Jango broke the ice, "So last night you paid for a room that we shared a bed in. I wonder, do you have an interest in this one?" Jacelyn took in his words and grinning to him replied "I think I do, I've been adventuring mostly alone for a few years now, you're someone that understands what I've been through. We are also of the beastblood, thats something I never thought I'd find in a person. Understanding my affliction and not running away from me in fear, because you share my fate and know how it feels to transform."
Jango smiled at her spoken thoughts, "That is exactly what this one feels. I have been looking for a companion that understands me for too long now. It seems our minds are one and the same in this. Jacelyn smiled back at the big Khajiit, "Right so are we close friends or lovers?" Jango winked at her, "only one way to find out." Wrapping Jacelyn in a hug as he lifted her off her feet, he placed his lips against hers and she responded in kind. A sudden wave of raw emotion flooded through them both intensifying their senses and further heating the passion of the kiss. When the finally separated they found themselves breathing heavily. Jacelyn stared into Jango's deep blue eyes and saw the happiness behind the darkness in his soul. Jango watched her well-endowed chest rise and fall in time to her breaths, struggling to get his own labored breathing under control.
"I believe we have found ourselves to be much more than simple friends." Jango finally managed to say. Jacelyn could only nod her head in agreement. Suddenly both were on the alert, their peaceful moment now threatened by an unwelcome presence. An Argonian thief approached the pair swaggering up to them "Hand over your valuables or I'll gut the pair of you." Jango rolled his eyes and unsheathed his massive dwarven greatsword. At the sight of the colossal golden blade, the would be thief turned tail and ran as fast as he could. Jacelyn watched the Argonian beat a hasty retreat laughing as he ran.
It wasn't long before the couple had climbed to the entrance of the ruin. Laying waste to a small group of bandits that had been left behind to keep watch, Jango and Jacelyn entered the ruin together. Immediately they heard more voices further up, and smelled a cooking fire. Taking notice of their surroundings Jacelyn crept up to a naturally formed stone pillar getting into her battle-stance. Jango drew his Dwarven Bow, and notched a golden arrow to it.
Jango crept up alongside her, and signaled his intentions, loosing the shaft, he watched it as it found its mark burying itself deep into the chest of a Nord man. Who moments before had been arguing with his companion in their small camp and turning a largr charred rat on a spitroast. The woman took out her own hunting Bow and notched an iron arrow to it. As she was sneaking up to find where the arrow that slew her companion had been fired from, she failed to see Jacelyn come up from behind her. Too late the bandit woman turned around only to be impaled upon the scimitars wielded by the pretty Redgaurd.
Strapping his bow onto his back again, Jango drew his Dwarven Greatsword while Jacelyn quickly picked the lock on a small wooden crate and retrieved a quiver of steel arrows and a couple of healing potions. The two then walked down a flight of stairs and made their way deeper into the ruin. Soon they came across a room with a lever in the middle of the floor and 3 small stone pillars with animals carved into the sides. A lone bandit carrying a torch approached the lever and pulled it. The poor sod never knew what killed him. "Clever death trap triggerd by pulling the lever, I'd guess changing the animals displayed on the pillars may raise the gate without getting us shot at."
Jacelyn looked over to the pillars, then looked at the carvings on the wall, and the one that had fallen to the floor. Suddenly she had an idea as to what the correct animals to display on the pillars. Walking over to them, she spun the first two to display snakes and spun the last one to display a whale. Jango gave the lever a pull and the gate opened. The friends drew their weapons and proceeded with caution down the hallway killing a few skeevers as they went.
Jacelyn spotted a book on an old wooden table and picked it up, reading it she found helped her better understand the concept of lockpicking. Jango and Jacelyn found themselves standing on a spiral stairwell, and proceeded down it. Walking along the dimly lit corridor ignoring the spiderwebs in the corners, they heard a frantic voice, calling for help.