The note mentioned a ship in Winterhold, Alrek never liked the cold, which was strange because he was a Nord. Him and Serana walked up to the docks and look around, most of the boats were fishing boats but one boat seemed to stick out to him, he approached the crew and talked to who he assumed was man in charge.

"Excuse me, are you the captain of this ship?" He asked, the man looked at him and nodded

"Yeah I am, what of it?" He said, Serana was hugging Alrek's arm, she was always weak to the cold.

"I was seeking voyage to Solstheim, I'd be willing to pay" He said, The captain shook his head.

"No can do, I told myself I would never go back there, place is cursed I tell you" He said. Alrek sighed, he pulled out 5 bags of gold out of his knapsack and showed the captain.

"I'll offer you 5000 Septims if you bring me and my wife there" Alrek said, Serana blushed when he called her his wife, she was still getting used to that.

"Thats a good deal, but sorry. I won't do it, now can you please leave?" The captain said, Alrek clenched his teeth but Serana stepped in before he could do anything.

"Please, We'll do anything. We need to get there." She pleaded, hoping her charms would assist them.

They did, but not in the way she had hoped.

"Anything you say?" The captain said, with a lustful look in his eye. Serana cringed and backed away towards Alrek, grabbing his arm again.

"No...Not anything..." She said, Alrek sighed and approached the Captain aggressively.

"Listen you give us a ride to Solesthiem and I won't bloody your nose" Alrek said growling, The Captain backed up and sighed.

"Alright fine, but your giving me those Septims either way." He said, Alrek nodded and pushed the bag of gold against the Captain's chest, who backed away and ordered his men to prepare to set sail.

They were out on the ocean, Red mountain was large that they could see it across the Ocean.

Serana was cuddled up next to Alrek out on the deck, sitting on a crate.

Serana scooted closer to him, wanting to feel his warmth more. Alrek wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey Alrek, what did you do before you joined the companions?" She asked, Alrek thought.

"Not sure, I spent most of my live in the companions..." He thought for a bit longer.

"Well...Believe it or not I was a bandit in my younger days..." He said, Serana wasn't as surprised as he thought she would be.

"That explains your thuggish attitude when I first met you" She said, smirking. Alrek shurgged.

"Old habits die hard I guess..." He said.

"Do you have any stories from your time as a bandit?" She asked, Alrek nodded.

"Not a lot, but I have some that are quite interesting."

"I was taken into a bandit group a couple years after my parents killed, they first used me for petty theving, no one would expect a child. But as I got older they started using me as a common bandit..."

"Hey!"

He woke up from a kick to the stomach, he coughed and sat up.

"What?" He stretched and stood up and stared at Vargo. The man who kicked him awake.

"The boss want's to talk to you, and don't say anything stupid like last time, or this time he'll really cut off your tounge" He said, walking away. Alrek growled, standing up and grabbing his iron sword, putting the sheath on his back.

He walked out of the cave, the sunlight blinding him for a second as he squinted his eyes, someone bumped into him as he was adjusting the the sunlight.

"Watch where your going, rookie" The man who bumped into him said, Alrek muttered an apology then walked towards the Boss's hut.

This bandit group took him in when he attempted to steal food from them, he was only 9 and now here is 7 years later, being trained to kill and loot.

"On your way to the boss, Rookie?" A voice called, he turned towards who spoke. It was one of his few "friends" Lera.

"Yeah..." He responded, not sure what else to say.

Lera was one of the commanders, people respected her, which was strange. Respect wasn't a thing found in most bandit groups.

She was also the only person that seemed to care for him. She was older than him. Much older. She often teased him and it was quite often that she would molest him. Everyone seemed to treat him like an object, punching bag. Sex toy. The list went on. But he was fed, and there were moments where Lera would protect him from others.

He walked into the hut.

"You wanted to see me?" He asked. Suddenly, he was bashed on the head but a blunt object he fell to the ground and a big burly man stepped in front of him.

"I know you've been taking gold from the chest. Did you not think we wouldn't notice?" He had his men stand Alrek up.

"Because Lera cares so much for you we won't kick you out. But don't think we're not gonna teach you your place."

The following hours were full of nothing but beatings.

They threw him into the mud outside of the fort, where he would spend the night. He did not cry. He did not know how to. Lera came to visit him, but they barely talked before she forced herself on him again. Once she was done she left him in the mud.

The following morning they came and dragged him back in, where he would be forced to work in the mines. Never resting.

They continued to treat him like shit for the next 2 years.

"That doesn't sound fun at all...You poor thing..." Serana said, pulling his hood down and kissing his cheek. "Doesn't this story have a happy ending?"

"It does, Would you like to hear it?" He asked, Serana nodded eagerly.

"Then get comfortable..."