Chapter Eleven
Rowen and Serana were halfway through the road that connected Dawnstar and Winterhold when it began to storm. Lightening streaked across the sky and the clap of thunder echoed through the mountains. Rowen guided Shadowmere into the entrance of a cave and lit a torch once shielded from the pelting rain.
Serana dismounted Shadowmere as Rowen circled the cave entrance. "This seems familiar," Rowen mumbled. She grabbed a map of the area from Shadowmere's saddlebag. Before unfolding the map, she grabbed Shadowmere's reigns and whispered, "I'm not tying you up in Frost Troll country, but don't make me regret it."
"Where are we?" Serana asked as she lit her own torch.
"I have been here before. This is Hob's Fall Cave, if my map is correct," Rowen shoved the map into her pants pocket.
"What did you find here?"
"A nice comfortable bed, a pint of mead, and a busty maiden beckoning me into her bed." Rowen's voice trailed off as she met Serana's indignant stare. "Actually, it was completely iced over on the inside and full of necromancers, but it was close to what I was fantasizing it would be."
Serana shined the torch over the cave walls, "No busty maiden beckoning you into her bed?"
"No mead," Rowen shrugged.
"Are you deliberately trying to make me jealous?" Serana turned towards Rowen and raised her eyebrow.
"Why? Is it working?" Rowen smiled. Serana had seemed distant ever since they left Dawnstar. Her bleak assessment of Rowen's past and home-life had Rowen fearing that maybe she was having second thoughts about spending their lives together.
"Not even in the slightest," Serana teased. "Did you at least clear out the necromancers?"
"That's usually the idea," Rowen tilted her head towards the entrance of the cave, "Should we go check?"
The frozen walls of the cave reflected the light from the torches. After several feet, the two appeared to be in a large room of the cave. The scuffing of Rowen's boots echoed as she proceeded to light several torches that lined the walls of the great room.
"Looks like we have the place to ourselves," Rowen kicked at a bucket harboring rotten tomatoes. Serana pulled an arrow out of a long decayed corpse, "I take it that you met this person on your last visit?" Rowen walked towards the corpse with an odd look on her face. "I didn't want you to find out like this," her tone very serious. Serana's eye grew wide, "You didn't want me to find out what?" Rowen looked down at the corpse, "Well, remember that maiden I was talking about before we entered the cave?" Serana nodded slowly. "Well, she was into some seriously strange sex," Rowen's words cracked into a laugh. Serana frowned and punched Rowen in the shoulder, "You are sick."
Rowen silenced as the sound of footsteps echoed from a connecting cave tunnel. Light from the connecting tunnel spilled into the great room as a voice boomed, "Is someone there?" Rowen pulled Serana behind a barrel.
"Shit! Bandits must have moved into this place," Rowen's voice was barely above a whisper. She grabbed an arrow from her quiver and readied her bow.
"How do you know he's a bandit? Maybe he's also escaping the storm," Serana insisted.
"I know they're bandits, because they're always bandits," Rowen mumbled.
"Hello? Show yourself!" The voice commanded.
Rowen raised an eyebrow at Serana and whispered, "He's pushy…that's very bandit-like of him."
Rowen peeked from behind the barrel. The voice belonged to a stout Orc carrying an iron sword. The Orc sheathed his sword and murmured, "I guess it was just my imagination." Two male Nords suddenly emerged from the tunnel leading a Khajit that was bound at the hands. The Orc turned and placed a dagger to the Khajit's throat, "This is the end of the line, Omir. Either take us to the chest, or I will use this knife to gut you before I throw you on a spit."
A great whooshing sound filled the air as a large spike of ice hit the Orc in the throat. The Khajit dropped flat to the floor in alarm. Before the Nords could locate the spell caster, the Orc rose from the dead and drew his iron sword. One Nord fumbled for his sword, his eyes wide with fear as the Orc sliced into the chest of his accomplice. The Nord was finally able to draw his sword with shaking hands and swung with all of his might into the side of the undead Orc.
With the sword still in hand, the Nord turned to run for the tunnel before falling flatly over the Khajit. The Khajit was sawing madly at his bindings with a dagger that he had plucked off the dead Orc. The Khajit turned wildly with the dagger in his newly freed paw, just in time to see an arrow fly straight into the back of the Nord's skull. The Nord's body slumped to the ground with a thud.
Rowen stepped from behind the barrel and clicked her tongue at Serana, "Ice spike to the throat, you truly are a cold-hearted woman."
The Khajit scrambled to his feet and went bounding into the tunnel, never to be seen again.
"Well, that was rude," Serana called after the Khajit. "He didn't even bother to thank us."
Rowen placed her foot on the dead Nord's shoulder and pushed the arrow through his skull, "I wonder why not?" The free arrow now glistened with blood. Rowen paused and then began wiping the bloodied arrow quickly on the leg of her pants. "Ugh!" Serana gasped with a disgusted look on her face.
"What? I can't have it all coated in blood, it slows the arrow down."
"Well, don't wipe it on your pants! You're going to smell like death if you keep doing that!"
"Smelling like death might save me on arrows," Rowen pointed.
Serana began searching inside of her bag. "Wipe them on this cloth," she insisted and tossed a small lambskin rag to Rowen.
Rowen began cleaning her arrow with the cloth and muttered, "Now, I'll just be carrying a cloth around that smells like death."
"Well, hopefully, we can make our way back to Lakeview without having to kill everything in our path," Serana pointed.
"So, you still want to go back to Lakeview?" Rowen questioned. She should have assumed that returning to Lakeview would still be the plan. Even if Serana had changed her mind about the two of them, Rowen was still madly in love with her. It wasn't fair to keep Ysolda isolated in Lakeview, and Rowen knew it.
Chapter Twelve
As Rowen had feared, the fight lasted the entire trip to Falkreath. They had been walking for hours, but it felt like days. The two entered Dead Man's Drink for a pint and Rowen began asking Valga about renting a room for the night.
Valga pushed a pint of mead across the counter to Rowen, "Haven't you set up house not too far from here?" Valga glanced back and forth suspiciously between Serana and Rowen. Rowen took a long drink from the glass, "Aye, not too far from here." Valga polished an empty glass, "And, your wife…is she well?"
A Nordic man by the name of Bolund rapped his fist on the bar. Valga began filling the empty glass with mead, and pushed it across the counter while avoiding eye contact with the Nord. Rowen cringed and murmured into her glass, "I really hate that man." Bolund sipped his mead and stared down the bar at Serana, "It is nice to see a woman who enjoys a good pint of mead." Bolund smiled lamely and tipped his pint towards Serana. Rowen beamed back sarcastically at Bolund, "Oh, I just love mead, Bolund. You can buy me another round, if you'd like." Bolund frowned and looked from Rowen back to Serana, "My brother and I actually run a shop…" Rowen slapped the counter, interrupting Bolund, "She isn't interested." Bolund straightened, "Are you telling me that this beautiful, Nordic woman is settling with a filthy Bosmer?" Rowen took note of the regal, yet incredibly sloppy way "Nordic" seemed to roll off of Bolund's tongue
Valga watched with an intrigued expression. A bard walked up to the bar, unaware of the building confrontation. The bard scratched his chin and began to speak his order to Valga when she quickly waived a dismissive hand at him. The bard balked at Valga.
Serana turned a questioning gaze to Rowen. "Yes, Bolund, she's with me," Rowen glanced atValga who quickly averted her eyes and pretended to polish an empty glass. The bard had decided that he didn't want a drink bad enough to endure this maltreatment, so he gave up and walked away. "She's with a Bosmer woman," Rowen added as she gestured to Valga that they'd like another round. Bolund slapped a few pieces of gold on the bar and walked away dismissively, "This whole town has gone to Oblivion anyway."
"Well, I hope you weren't trying to remain discreet," Serana whispered to Rowen. Rowen was already well aware that Valga was the town gossip. "All the more incentive to tell Ysolda sooner rather than later," Rowen added as she retrieved several gold pieces from her coin purse. Valga was holding a pint in the air and gesturing to the bard she had dismissed earlier. Rowen placed the gold on the counter and regained Valga's attention, "So, how's about that room for tonight?" Valga began dispensing the gold into the cash register, "Would you like two beds, or just the one?" Rowen thought back to the last bed she shared with Serana, "I think just the one, Valga."
Valga passed a key across the counter to Rowen. "This room should be nice and cozy," Valga added with a wink. Rowen grabbed the key and lifted her bag to her shoulder, "I appreciate it." Serana took the last sip of her mead and followed Rowen to their room for the night.
Chapter Thirteen
Ysolda frowned as she remembered the last words her wife spoke to her before leaving Lakeview Manor. Rowen had stood on the doorstep of the manor with her back turned to Ysolda, "I'll be back when I find Serana, but not until then." Ysolda had no reason to believe that her wife was being unfaithful to her, but she also felt that something was not entirely right. She rested by the fire pit, hardly tasting the stew she had just cooked as she stared at one of her wife's traveling bags that had been left behind in the rush to find Serana.
Before Ysolda would allow herself to change her mind, she crossed the room and grabbed the travel bag. She tipped the bag over and spilled its contents onto the dining room table.
The bag dropped several pieces of gold, a small Elven dagger, rope, several gems, a receipt, and a bloodied cleaning cloth. Ysolda wrinkled her nose at the cloth and pushed it quickly off the table. Ysolda settled into a chair and unfolded the receipt. It was from Belethor's General Goods Store.
Receipt of Sale
33 Ebony Arrows: 260 Gold
Legendary Wedding Bands of Bound Souls: 2,000 Gold
Ysolda blinked and reread the receipt. Wedding Bands of Bound Souls? She knew that her wife regularly found valuable items on her adventures, but why would she buy a 2,000 gold wedding band? Furthermore, why would Rowen buy the ring the day of their anniversary and not give it to her?
Ysolda could almost hear her heart pounding in her ears. She dashed upstairs to their bedroom, and began tearing through drawers searching for more information. She frantically checked the pockets of her wife's clothes, but found nothing.
Ysolda sat at the edge of her bed with her head in her hands. She felt paranoid for not trusting her wife. What was she going to say if Rowen suddenly returned home to find all of her items in disarray? But, then, an idea came to Ysolda like a torch in the dark. She slowly made her way downstairs and opened the door to the guest bedroom.
The room was clean and the bed was made. It seemed completely void of Serana's presence from the night before. But, just as Ysolda turned to leave, she spotted a brown book on the nightstand. Ysolda grabbed the book from the nightstand and flipped it to its opening title. The Lusty Argonian Maid. Ysolda quickly flipped through the pages and a small note fell to the floor.
It appeared to be another receipt from Belethor's General Store, but a small note was quickly scrawled beneath the items of sale list.
Receipt of Sale
One Copy of the Lusty Argonian Maiden: 15 Gold
The secret to the band is that it's two for the price of one. Let Rowen know I'll be expecting a wedding invitation from the pair of 'ye this time around. –B.
Chapter Fourteen
Rowen kicked off her boots and settled onto the bed with her hands behind her neck, "How does this speech go again? Oh yes, 'Can we both admit that we're just both very, very tired… and, can we just admit that we both want a warm bed and some sleep?'" Serana smirked, "I think I'm just fine with all of that." Rowen watched as Serana untied the clasp of her cloak and let it drop, revealing her décolletage. Rowen swallowed, "There's really one problem that I have." Serana placed one knee on either side of Rowen on the bed, "What's that?" Rowen let her hands run up Serana's thighs to her waistline, "I'm not actually tired at all." Serana leaned forward and breathed, "I'm just fine with that too." Rowen pulled Serana into a kiss and moaned. She let her palms roam up Serana's waist to her bust where she expected to meet softness, but was blocked by Serana's corset. Serana's lips hungrily made their way to her neck as Rowen circled her hands around Serana's back as she began to pull on the ties of the corset.
"How does this thing work!" She continued to tug as chills chased up and down her spine with nibble that Serana took at her neck. Rowen let out a loud groan as Serana's fingers started slipping below her pants belt. Rowen abandoned the ties and began frantically pulling at the sides of the corset, hoping she could just rip the damned thing off. Serana paused and met Rowen's eyes, "You have never worn a corset before?" Rowen blinked at Serana, "Is that a serious question?" Before Serana could answer, Rowen flipped her on her stomach and began loosening the ties. The corset finally gave and Rowen began sliding it up and over Serana's head. Rowen tossed the corset to the floor and quickly clasped Serana's breasts, "For the love of the Nines, I thought I'd never get here." Serana snickered and slapped the side of Rowen's leg. Her hand hit a small box in Rowen's pocket. She turned quizzically to Rowen, "Is that the ring box from Belethor's?" Rowen nodded and pulled the golden box from her pocket, "I would say that I forgot about it, but that would be a lie. I feel like I have been carrying the entire weight of Tamriel in my pocket for the past two days." Serana leaned back against the headboard, "I thought you were going to have it as your big surprise to Ysolda on your anniversary night."
Rowen turned to Serana with a truly puzzled expression, "You are telling me that you really thought I was buying this for Ysolda?"
Serana shrugged, "That's what you told her on the road to Lakeview."
Rowen shook her head, "I said I had something too special to give away in the middle of Bandit County—I did end up giving her a gold and emerald circlet that I had enchanted some time ago. I initially enchanted it with you in mind, but you quickly demonstrated to me that you can hold your own just fine in a battle." Rowen's eyes searched Serana's face, "I could make you another one though, if you really want it."
Serana shook her head dismissively, "Why did you buy the ring then?"
"I bought it for you," Rowen put gently.
"Forgive me if I'm wrong, but your actions last night weren't a great display of someone hoping to propose to me," Serana added flatly.
Nothing went as Rowen had planned. When they had made the trip from Dawnstar to Lakeview, Rowen had tried to end things with Ysolda. She tried to explain that she felt as though they had gotten married before true feelings could have developed, and that she wished that she could have done things differently. The words that she wanted to say seemed stuck in the back of her throat. Rowen knew that Ysolda was going to be devastated, and she was almost positive that Ysolda already knew something was amiss. Before Rowen and Serana had admitted their feelings to one another, Rowen would return to Lakeview and ravage Ysolda with the lust that she had suppressed for weeks on the road with Serana. But, after the Dawnstar incident, Rowen could only offer to hold Ysolda by the fire and search for the right words to end their marriage. In the end, Rowen could not do it. She woke the next morning and asked Serana to go on a hunting trip with her. Serana remained somewhat detached during the trip. It was beginning to be obvious to Rowen that Serana had decided against their romantic relationship, but Rowen was still happy to have her friendship.
"I don't know what I was thinking. I think some part of me still hoped you wanted to be with me, but another part of me wasn't ready to end things with Ysolda. I think that's why I ended up with a wedding band and a mammoth tusk," Rowen finally admitted.
"Why didn't you think that I wanted to be with you?" Serana asked.
"It was just something you said on our way out of Dawnstar," Rowen admitted lamely, "And, you began acting differently towards me."
"You were the one that said you wanted to officially end things with Ysolda before you could allow yourself to be with me," Serana pointed, "I was allowing you to do that on your own terms."
Rowen nodded, feeling ashamed of her actions, "It wasn't right either way. I needed to let Ysolda go whether or not you would have me."
Serana ran her fingers over the top of the ring box, "You know, I got this very strange note…"
Serana was interrupted by a sharp rapping at the door.
Rowen sighed, "Go away!"
Tap, Tap, Tap.
Rowen slid off the side of the bed and stomped across the room. Serana began shrugging on her cloak as Rowen flung open the door.
Ysolda stood at the doorway with her arms folded.
Chapter Fifteen
Ysolda's cold stare hit Rowen like the force of 100 carriages. Ysolda's eyes moved from Rowen's disheveled appearance to Serana who was now pulling on her boots. Rowen began to stammer as she smoothed the stray hairs from her braid. Ysolda's eyes narrowed, "Do you take me for a complete fool?"
Serana brushed Rowen's hand as she moved through the doorway, "I'm going to take a walk, Rowen." Rowen locked her fingers with Serana's and gave her a pleading gaze. Serana squeezed Rowen's hand, then released it, "I'll be back. No trees this time." The corner of Rowen's mouth twitched into a smile, but it was quickly replaced with a frown as she once again met Ysolda's incredulous gaze.
Rowen walked away from the door and sat on the bed, she looked back to Ysolda's figure in the doorway and motioned to a chair. Ysolda let out a sigh as she entered the room.
"I didn't want you to find out this way," Rowen began.
"In other words, this has been going on for quite some time." Ysolda seemed to state, rather than ask.
Rowen looked down at her calloused hands, hardened from years of wielding an arsenal of weapons. Just moments ago, they had been against Serana's soft flesh. The night could have gone so much differently. Rowen's eyes quickly found Ysolda's expectant gaze once again. "I fell in love with her a long time ago," Rowen started. Ysolda looked pained at these words, "You love her?" Rowen nodded slowly, "I do. But, I only recently found myself acting upon that feeling." Ysolda had tears forming in her eyes, "How long? How long have you been sleeping with her?" Rowen dropped her gaze to the floor, "Well, I…we…haven't…yet." Ysolda raised one eyebrow at this string of words, "Yet?" Rowen looked around the room, "This was as close as we've come to it." Ysolda stood up from the chair abruptly and turned from Rowen, "If I hadn't showed up, you would be having sex with her right now." Rowen couldn't help but find the appeal in this proposed alternative universe, but Rowen sighed and began to rub her temples with the tips of her fingers.
Rowen slowly reached for Ysolda's wrist. Ysolda pulled her hand away and hissed, "Don't touch me!" Rowen wondered how many times today she would have these words spat at her.
"I fell in love with her over 7 months ago," Rowen began, "The more time I spent with her, the more I loved her. I tried my best to be faithful to you." Rowen didn't expect Ysolda to have much sympathy for her emotional battle with adhering to their marital vows. "I didn't want to turn Serana into my mistress…I wanted to do right by both of you. The night before I left for my hunting trip, I tried to tell you. But, I just couldn't get the words to come out right."
Ysolda blinked, "I had interpreted your words that night very differently."
"I know," Rowen's voice now low with guilt. "I am a coward. I know this."
Ysolda's voice was steady, "Now, what? What am I supposed to do now?"
Rowen turned and clasped Ysolda's hand. Ysolda flinched and began to pull away as Rowen began, "I am so sorry, Ysolda, I really am. None of this is fair to you. You deserve someone who will be there for you, someone who will run a shop with you, someone who isn't gone most days out of the year…"
Ysolda let her hand relax into Rowen's as her tears began to run down her cheeks.
"You always wanted to run your own shop, and you can't do that stationed out in the middle of the woods. I put you out there to protect you from the darkness that follows me. It isn't fair to you," Rowen too was now beginning to cry. Ysolda sat beside Rowen on the bed. "Are you going to marry her?" Ysolda asked solemnly. Rowen stood and turned to the bed, still not meeting Ysolda's eyes, "I had planned on it." If I don't chase her away first. Rowen frowned as she realized Serana had been gone on her walk for what felt like a long time now. Rowen shook off the urgency she felt to find Serana. If Rowen was going to be married to this woman, she was going to have to start realizing that Serana is perfectly capable of caring for herself. After all, with her skills in necromancy, Serana could probably summon an entire army of undead to fight for her will. At times, Rowen's mastery of archery and stealth seemed like child's play in comparison to the magical power Serana wielded.
Rowen's attention turned back to Ysolda. Ysolda sat silent on the bed, staring at the floor. Night had long passed fallen on Skyrim, and though the Manor was only a day's travel away it would still not be wise to begin at this hour. "It's way too late now to make your way back to the manor." Ysolda gazed up at Rowen through furrowed eyebrows, "Are still trying to tell me what to do?" Rowen squeezed the bridge of her nose. "No," Rowen began with irritation. This was also the second time today that a woman told her to stop telling her what to do. Rowen, calmed her tone, "I just think that you should stay the night in Falkreath." Ysolda relaxed her shoulders, and with a defeated gazed out on Skyrim's woods. "It's probably best just to get a good night's rest," Ysolda finally admitted. Rowen nodded, "I will request another room from Valga." Ysolda was still staring out the window with her back partially turned to Rowen. Rowen knew that Ysolda was done talking. What more was there to say that couldn't wait for the morning? "Right, I'm going to go and…" she let her voice trail off as she shut the door.
That went horribly. Rowen turned to a bar full of patrons. It seemed like every eye was on her as she crossed the threshold to the tavern door. Valga's word spreads quickly, Rowen noted as she opened the tavern door to the crisp night air.