Grey, miserable clouds rolled onto the sky above us when nature around covered in morning dew. Damp air filled with invisible water drops hung about, low and heavy. Bitter chill brought by the endless winds bit a way through my clothes but I didn't care anymore, it was the least of my worries. When I'd woken up the last time it rained for a while until we finally got ourselves ahead of the mountain range where our camp had been.

The constant dripping of water faded away soon enough as clouds stuck to the mountain peaks. Regardless I was able to feel the heavy moisture in my lungs, breathing in and out. Talking about moisture the most tragic side of the story here would be my shoes. They were wet all the way to my feet and I started to notice that basic sneakers weren't made for hiking in the terrain of wild nature. The fabric started to rip from the sides, resulting in every little stick and stone going in. Plus on notice, let's not even talk about the condition of the rubber bottoms.

Who in the world would have guessed that you could kill a new pair of shoes in four fucking days when it should take a year to get a proper worn out. It doesn't even mean they would be broken. This is insane!
The second bad was, well the smell. Have you ever been without a shower over a day or two? Me neither, except now and I was embarrassed to even take a look at myself. I mean seriously trash the other sensations, I can feel the layer of all the dirt, dust, mud and sweat on me. Disgusting.

For now, the sudden weather change made me think we'd be close to the city - this kind of pleasant condition could be nothing else. Try and tell me otherwise. My imagination painted pictures of lingering eyes behind the treeline. Lingering, creepy eyes, the ones that follow you as you go along your journey. Now what came to roads I did dislike wandering around in the middle of uncharted shrubbery. The opposite of what Gair wanted us to do during the last two hours.

I guess I had to only hope we weren't coming across any angry Spriggans, which wasn't likely anymore. Unless he gets the perfect idea to leave the path – I don't understand at all. Why is it so hard to walk in straight, neat lines? Wouldn't that be simple and a bit safer too? By the looks of it, could be so, but when I asked about this the only thing I got was a small sentence about shortcuts.

A mental sigh filled my brains. Yeah, when did you run around Skyrim using only the main roads? The answer is not ever, but trusting shortcuts? Shortcuts are always bad and end up using more time than intended. Up to this point though nothing proved to happen No major disaster yet. Overall my body got sore and my mind tired of being on my toes all the time.

While the menial task of walking had become numbing long ago, I had time to ramble around thoughts. One particular thought in fact. The fact consuming my head was a piece of information, one I'd gained last night. Deciding from now on, that would be the target of my focus, I realized having no idea what to do with it. The only certain thing I knew? Something had to be done before we'd reach Falkreath. Maybe I could…-

"Stop!" I snapped out of it, hearing Gair partly whispering, partly speaking to me. He had picked up sudden tense features, which made me instantly nervous. I saw him twitching a little bit.
"What? What is…-"

"Shush! Not a word, listen"

I frowned but did what he said. When we both stood there completely unmoving, I started making out weird noises from the forest side. Mumbling at first, slow and steady. Then there was a loud laugh, confirming a definite presence of people. I glanced at him.

"Bandits?" I lowered my voice with a questioning look but when he answered the man didn't return the eyes and instead kept them on the tree line.
"Might be. Or might be something else. Come on"

"What?! Are you crazy?"

"I said, come on"

After he finished his last line, I already saw him stride towards the location. I cursed with myself, as he gave me no other choice but to follow after. Reminding, the last thing I wanted now was to investigate mysterious people behind the bush! Like we didn't have problems already.
Why, why and why he had to be so damn stone-head about everything? Usually, I was specifically the one trying to stick my nose in everyone's business but not this time – this time I thought his idea was stupid. Idiocy. I didn't sign up for a suicide squad. But of course, nothing happened, because we have to disagree about everything.

I was starting to think it was some kind of law of the natur-...fine I really need to get going now.

Tiptoeing in his trail, I rushed close behind and steeled my ears for further talking. The closer we came, the louder they got. My lack of information about his proper intentions made me unsure of my steps, adding the fear of snapping branches. Still, even if Gair's attention remained on the scene in front, he guided my movements by showing where to step. The much-needed help on avoiding type of spots got a feeling out of me. A positive one, this little tiny awesome sense of caring?

Too abstract for me to understand and when he finally stopped we bent ourselves behind a bunch of high plants, which you may also call trees if you like. Nothing too big hadn't even happened yet, but a certain rush of energy shot through me. It caused my muscles ready themselves for anything sudden, or so it felt like. The warming tension hit the pressure spots, created by the hiding. I forced myself to keep still and take a peek at the men ahead.

"…Do you have it Lygmir?"

"Have what?"

"The key! We gave it to you don't ya remember?"

"Oh that key, I'm sure I had it somewhere"

Basically what we saw were a couple of – as I had predicted – bandits sitting around a put up camp. with nothing more than few rolled bedrolls on the grass but something different caught my eye. The only time I had seen one of these guys was two days ago, only being a poor single person trying to rob Gair's money. He might've thought that I wouldn't be any thread at that.

Those two again arguing themselves about some key were better armored, the one called Lygmir wore a sturdy iron armor with, a what? A leather helmet? Oh no no, this is so wrong. More voices reached our ears but this time a major change of tone turned up and I assumed Gair wanted to see what was happening here.

"…son of a...?! How could you dim-wit lose it again? fuck, you better find the key before Mynard comes back!"

I peeked at Gair and saw him smirking by himself before I touched his arm to get attention to myself. When he turned his head I formed the combination of what now with my lips, barely audible whisper.
He nodded towards the opposite way, telling me to wait and I soon learned a reason for that when the third man appeared. Once again it left me wondering how on earth he saw such things before hearing them. Is there an X-ray vision included with the Dragonborn powers? Because this is supernatural.

The scene continued with the two guys jumping up to greet this arrived person, who looked a more important man in their ranks. He had full steel armor on him and a battle axe but no helmet whatsoever.
"Ease mates. Have you seen Tolfring around?" Someone coughed.

"No, 'e left somewhere, babbling some nonsense about investigating a flashing light or somethin'. If I knew otherwise I'd say he'd finally lost it"

"So did you happen to see this, what a light you say?"

"I saw nothin'. Probably stared at the sun too long" they laughed a little again and the next sentences were too quiet to be heard. I raised my brows to their talking about a light, whatever that meant? Too bad I could not know when this happened.
Could it be possible that their missing friend had been the one we encountered before? "Wait here" I heard another whisper coming from my side and I glanced at him to see, that Gair rather boldly searched a way somewhere. I shifted towards him.

"What are you doing?"

"Watch and find out. But don't you dare to move, not an inch" he said and with that disappeared to another side. I figured he wanted to circle the camp but otherwise, I looked like a big question mark. Without dropping the suspension that those bandits wouldn't even know what struck them.

Now the one I thought would be Mynard did something with the chest laid next to the others, perhaps tried to get it open. I heard him muttering something.
"Where's that key Lygmir?" few curses came out of the iron armored bandit and the nameless made an angry face towards the others. I had covered view, but managed to make out enough, even if a couple of them were out of line.

"Lygmir?"

I heard the leader ask, now a bit more impatiently, but he didn't get an answer - holy crap - because well, Lygmir couldn't answer to anyone anything with a dagger sticking out of his neck. I saw it when the man just fell to the ground with a moan.

I should have turned my eyes away but that wasn't an option anymore. This could be a chance to actually see him being challenged. To know how good Gair was with his weapons, that was my plan at first.

"Morning to you friends! How's business today?" the man yelled to them stepping out into sight behind the dead body and the two left drew their weapons on hand.
"What the…? Shit! Who the hell are you?! You're goin' to pay for that you little milk-drinker!"

I almost expected a you picked a bad time to get lost friend- line to come up but I guess milk-drinker is fine as well. We should count though, that I can't yet link that to be an insult. Gets me laughing every time. Now it happened to be only a brief smile because of the situation.

Gair drew his steel sword as well but it looked like he'd be more amused with their offending tries rather than taking it. Kind of made me mark the rule number one: never let your feelings get over in a fight. He was cool as ever but still no Thu'um? Somehow I itched to witness that.
"You really should reconsider that one"

Processing the event occurring afterward didn't prove to be a challenge. First, my attention flew to the way Gair moved with them even if I didn't see everything. His speed surprised me for an unknown reason. The two bandits attacked quite at the same time. The first one prepared his strike, he got a kick in the gut. Gair blocked the axe and turned his position. The man with the iron armor regained balance, charging forward but his trip ended to the blade. The target dodged, spun around and sliced first his arm, then the head.

Details disappeared from me for a while when wounded human fell his back towards me. The finish came soon enough and the gurgling scream filled the air before it vanished with his throat ripped open. My lips parted to release the squeal which never came out. The ground soaked.
I was still close enough to see another open gash under his hair. Thought it might've gone all the way to the skull, noticing the unnatural position the bandit's head now laid.

It hit me straight to the face. I had never seen a dead body once in my life. Sure you think wasn't there the one from earlier? Well yes, but I didn't...I didn't really look at it. It was dark. Now, this was in front of me and I called back the moment his limbs had still moved before the final blow until it all ended, for him at least. I found my hands freezing cold. All the blood circulation from my fingers and feet withdrew somewhere in the center and the sight shook me. Made me feel sick. Not good, but it was too late now.

I did realize killing people would be necessary in Skyrim, how couldn't I know. A convincing voice said this was normal. Kill or be killed. But they were people too, even if bad ones and the reality of it all was hard.

Mynard was the only one left now and he appeared to be the most challenging – or wisest. They exchanged few hits but it was clear Gair had the advantage here. He managed to damage the bandit's wrist by pure impact force, which caused the leader to withdraw a couple of steps back. Apparently, the axe swung slower than the one handed sword so the bandit may have tried to get himself more time. Indeed he got what he wanted - Gair gave it to him. He enjoyed the deal. Like a cat and his pray, when it's obvious the cat is only toying with it.

The Dragonborn wasn't a nice guy, not in this state. He took what he wanted when he had to. A subtle shine of brutality came over as dominant against his enemies. What would one expect? If he ever weighed the lives of these men, he'd already made a decision.
We could have gone forward in the first place or be on our way, which didn't happen. Maybe there was something important he wanted. Or then this was just about having fun, whatever the answer was I put too much thought into it.

In the midst of battle, the man in steel armor grimaced with blood trail falling out from his mouth. The damage caused by the strikes through his defenses. Mynard circled around, stepping closer and closer to me, the place where I had been sitting on my knees. The first nervous thought was a question: should I move? I didn't think so, he was too occupied to even look this way.

"You can still quit Mynard and tell the others I said hello. Don't mind, they are going to end up like those idiots there" I heard Gair taunting him while he approached.
"You dream of it!"

He snorted. "I wouldn't have let you do that anyway"

The bandit started to charge for the other side, reaching for the high ground. He was going to do it straight past me. I had no proper idea what I thought back there, but I got really stupid – or genius – idea popping. Depends where are you looking at it.
I waited, standing halfway to my feet and when the time came I pushed my other foot in front of his. Pull swept me off balance, when the man stumbled down with a surprised yelp. I could swear I saw the dumb look on his face in the midair before I caught hold. With all the fuss around, Gair took his advantage in a matter of seconds.

I had no time to turn my head when he came up and pushed the blade through the man's side in the weak spot of his armor, both hands gripping the handle.

The blade sank like a knife into butter and something nasty cracked. This started to be way over the head, so my first startled reaction was to scramble further from the body. Wishing he'd die quick so I wouldn't have to see the blood pouring out, my legs got strangled together. As I fell backward on the ground, a piece of wood stuck my thigh. While feeling the sting I couldn't help but cover the sight as the sword retracted. Mushed noise, the last cry of its victim following close behind.

Then it was silent.

I noticed later on how shaky I was and I refused to turn my gaze forward. Knowing Gair looked right at me, I hardened my facial expressions even if he'd still figure out my state of mind. Any try on my part to look tough were diminished by my pitiful appearance, but I had some dignity left. Did not want to give him another reason to say something stupid about me.

"Didn't I tell you to stay there? What were you thinking?! How come you are never doing anything as I tell you to?" He scolded me, not by yelling though, he was plain with a slight annoyance. Again. I rubbed my cheek with a straight face and let deep breath come out of my mouth - the one I had held in for a while.

"Nah" I took a breath. "Technically, you told me to only wait so I waited" I huffed, which led me to push myself so that my voice wouldn't take any unexpected turns. He stepped forward over the dead man but didn't say anything back to me. "Besides you can't deny that I did help you, didn't I?"

When I started to move in a way that preceded myself getting up, I found instead the Dragonborn giving me his hand. This sudden gesture made my face turn up the confusion for a moment. I froze without knowing how I should react and looked up to him with a frown, only to see that he wasn't mad at me at all. At least didn't look like it and it was hard to believe that this was the man who minutes ago slaughtered a bunch of people.

"On that, we can agree of course. You did help. Come on there, I'm not going to flip you over" Gair said with a hint of softness in his voice. I grabbed his hand, letting him pull me up from the wet forest bottom. Now a casual statement at this point: he does have much strength as he looks like, no disappointment in that matter.
"Uh, thanks. I guess"

The man nodded to me with a tiny – if not so completely happy smile across his lips and waved at me to come forth. I didn't comprehend this fair enough: I know I told him to be something else than an idiot but I never expected this. Was that an actual friendly action? Wow, it had me good. I'd already sunk the fact in, that Gair would be the basic himself, then this happens and I have no clue how to answer. Besides going along anyway, when he headed towards the empty camp. It felt like my social skills died and without warning, I'd have to perform CPR at them.

Avoiding the dead I stopped in the middle, noticing how Gair bent down to pick something from the ground and I watched him curiously.
"How did you find that? Don't tell me the key just happened to lay there. What's in that chest anyway?" He rose and walked up to it across the old fireplace.

"It did and that's what we're about to find out. These guys aren't always the best safe keepers you know and it seems Lygmir dropped it. Sometimes you do get lucky"

"I would have broken the lock or something. Anyways, now that we're here I'm checking if there's anything else around" I might as well do so. Though I was still a little staggered with the corpses lying around, I thought it would be stupid not to take everything you can. Once again I had to admit regardless of the violence, (it wasn't you who killed them anyway) that looting a campsite was quite fun.

There was a lot of stuff, most of them not useful to us. When wandering further I found a leather bag thrown between few rocks. Glancing back to the man who remained busy with his own things, I kneeled beside my newly discovered item and took it in my hands before opening the ledge.
"Hmm, what's this..." muttering to myself I put my hand in there and started to clear out the piled stuff. It looked like I sacked someone's personal stash.

The biggest and the most notable thing in the bag was a small book. It brought journals into my mind, or those ruined books except it wasn't ruined. No writing on the pages made me think that it had to be new and while putting that aside I went on through.
Found charcoal, an iron dagger with a sheath and a mug. Exactly this I didn't need but somehow I decided to stuff the book and the charcoal into my pockets. Those barely fit but I managed.

Viewing the worn dagger in my fingers, I opened another one of the zippers and stuck that with me too. Who knows I may yet need it.

A funny snort escaped me when I thought what I was doing here: collecting useless junk and for a moment I felt ridiculous. I mean think about it, it's like I got brainwashed to take everything because why not. Just wait for the moment when I start throwing things away to get some super-mega-ultra- enchanted armor with me. Maybe I should get me some strength potion? Oh, wait potions do exist that's incredible, they would come handy yes?

Leaving that behind I twaddled back, seeing Gair attaching something to his belt and when I came up to him, he looked up at me with a satisfied grin.
"Knew it would be worth it. They've been tracking me since I left from Whiterun so I thought they'd have quite the price by now"

"What?! Tracking you? So you didn't happen to tell me of that by some innocent accident? Is that even all of them?"

"You didn't need to know. And of course not, that was just a small scout faction send ahead since I successfully lost them in the Brittleshin pass. Stubborn lads for sure, I'd really like them scrawling back into the skeeverhole they came from… " So maybe there was a bright side on this? Was there?

I put on my best bandit impression.
"Hey, you know that guy who absorbed a dragon soul? Let's rob him!- Great idea!"

Gair gave a brief stare with a straight face and I took a slow wonder on did I happen to say something wrong.
"Chill, I threw a joke. No need to be that grim" I said and noticed him walking forward.

"How much you have exactly read those stories of yours?" Didn't know why, but he seemed way too determined. I wasn't completely sure what this case was about. I did have a guess though, afraid I'd be right. There was a pause in action.

"Eh, I know your special abilities well enough. Doesn't everybody?" I cleared my throat. "I mean at least the Nords, but I think you have to get used to that. I may know some things I...shouldn't. It's complicated. Really"

This was getting awkward for me and I wondered where he tried to lead the conversation. Gair tilted his head but didn't speak.
"What do you know about the light?"

I took a step back. "Huh? What light?"

"The bandits weren't talking complete nonsense there, I saw it too. A flash in the sky that took maybe a second, but I let it be, although it seemed strange"
"...So?"

"Happened four days ago, right before you ran into me. An odd coincidence isn't it?"
Now I knew he thought I was the one who might have created it or had something to do with it, but then again he could be right. This left me hanging. I didn't see anything like that myself when I landed so, it was me? Or the portal to be sure. I ruffled my hair while raising my brows at him. Please don't lose words now.

"Speaking the truth, It- it might have been me. Or at least the reason I dropped to Skyrim" His twisting glance told me everything he wanted to ask so I continued. I had no reason to hide this from him, believe it or not.

"Yea, It might have been me because, um I'm not from Tamriel at all- I mean Nírn"

"What?!"

"I said dropped. Because I literally fell down. I'm not from Nírn. You know, the- this universe" Silence again.

"I promise I am not crazy. And no I have nothing to do with the action itself. The things I'm telling you are way beyond reason for sure"

"I've got no clue what happened. It was the middle of a night, I was out with my dog. The next thing I came across was this- this glowing white thing like…" I was almost about to say like the sky of Sovngarde but I remembered he doesn't know what it looks like. I tried to find a replacement.

"…like white mist and light moving in circles. I didn't know what to do with it other than investigate, I put my hand through and fell here. In the forest. I know things because we have, well books about this whole world. The rest of the story you already know, I came across a troll and I ran. That's the only explanation I have: the flash you saw came from the portal that closed behind me. I think I did tell you that I got lost? Well, that is true. I wasn't born here, in this reality"

Gair watched me as confused as ever before, he implied clear disbelief but after a while seemed to somehow take it back. He locked his eyes with me. There it was, I felt like drowning again but this time the reason was far more understandable. Stop looking at me like that!

"Is this- even true? Are you telling me the truth?"

"Yes. I swear. The only truth I know. I haven't got any more knowledge of this than you do, I'm out" The man weighed my words, narrowing his eyes. I guess he tried to decide how to respond to all of this.

"In the normal cases, I would say you are out of your mind. Completely and incurable"
"But you are no normal case, that much is clear to me. So another world then? I hope you know that sounds like a bad joke. But I don't think I have any other choice but to believe you- you are not that good of a liar" He turned to kick a chest shut.

"It would explain a lot. Like whatever you're wearing. Or the fact that you're gawking weapons like you've never seen any of them before. Against the common knowledge I am aware there are many unknown things in existence. If the plane of Oblivion itself is out there, then I will go with that"

I blinked my eyes as I dragged along with the Dragonborn who started leaving the camp and headed back to the way we came. Is this happening? Did he believe me? A fine start. At the same time, I got a thought in my mind which could help me forward, so I wanted to continue this conversation in a way or another.

"You, you believe me then? Are you-" He finished my thoughts with a couple of low words, speaking a tone that brought back his usual hardness.
"For now"

I jumped over a large rock and landed on the open ground again. How can he be this neutral about that? Like many times before this would otherwise go as always: we'd keep going with a decent amount of silence, but this time I had something to say. It swelled in me as a little mess of tension. Never got used to having conversations this long and I reached the man with few quick steps, slowing him down.

"Gair, I have something I want to ask from you. It's important this time" I didn't give him a chance to answer when I knew how easily he judged everything without hearing the whole thing.

"It came to my mind sometime after you mentioned, you were going to High Hrothgar. I know what we agreed to and I know I should be on my way when we reach Falkreath. The catch is, I don't know how to get back home but I know about the Greybeards. I also know that if there's anyone who knows something about mystic forces and all that, it would be them. But they wouldn't listen to me on my own anyway" I tried to keep my tone as much down as I could in order to establish the topic.

"So I need you. I would like to take any chance there is to get back where I came from. If you don't care think it this way: if they are able to help me, you can finally get rid of me for good. Win-win situation. I swear I'd never be on your way if I didn't have to"

When I finally held my talking, he stopped back towards me and turned around. Perhaps troubled by the request and no doubt he could get rid of me right now if he wanted to. "For Talos' sake. I've had enough of you for a while, so can you just cut the blabber! I certainly can get rid of you, so stop pushing it"

Now he sounded angry, but I had learned a thing or two about it while traveling with him. I continued because I knew this wasn't the end. He had gotten mad at me for talking, not exactly at what I said.

"You didn't answer to me, that was a question. Will you help me, one last time?"
"If I say I will think about it, will you stop bothering me with your problems?"

"Sure" yes Sir, mister Dovahkiin Sir how would you like your face stuffed with a pile of crap.

He let out a heavy grunt and kept going. I shook my head and eyed him with few depressing looks, all the while trailing along. How on earth I am surviving with him. There are those little moments when it looks like he has an actual life inside his head. First, it seems we're getting along for a while, then it snaps back to this and we're on each-others faces again. I started to put much less effort into these so-called fights.


As we traveled forward I made out how everything around us started to get dry. The rain never reached so far. All the shades of dark green surrounded us in the spruce forest. No fog but the clouds still rolled on the sky as before. The non-existent wind made our moving easier and while turning my head I saw a small spring between the rocks. The sight reminded me of my impending thirst.

Ignoring the gloomy feeling, I otherwise liked this place some, the soil underneath was dark and fresh.

We had been walking about a couple of hours and I couldn't help but think, this area became more familiar than usual. A hope we'd be arriving on the destination? After all the exhaustion had gotten on, it already made me experience a darker mood than usual. I found myself wishing we'd at least stop somewhere, gods my legs hurt! Please make a stop for this.

That was the last thought I had time to think before raising my eyes from the ground and seeing the most incredible sight in a long time. Hope was the right word to describe it: Wooden gates of the city and two guards standing in front of it. I hadn't seen anything else in Skyrim up to this point except for a few outlaws and Gair, so watching the people of Falkreath was exciting.

It was funny to understand that the guards do have an actual face beneath that helmet because that kind of thing never came into my mind. I took them always as more of a nuisance than a legit thing for preventing crimes and creating order, so I had to look at them a while longer than usual when we passed inside.

I took few steps ahead and examined the surroundings, hearing sounds of the people and their animals around. Chicken roamed across the muddy streets, I spotted an old lady walking towards the general store and heard birds chirping and a dog barking.
There was this calm and somewhat dreamy thing filling my head and it got me to realize, I've seen some of these people before. Besides all of this, the village seemed to be quiet now. It was always, right?

My gaze flew towards the famous - from here barely visible - graveyard trying to catch a glimpse of the old priest but didn't see anyone. Once again I had problems to handle everything but figured out it's not new anymore. I had absolutely no energy to run around wondering every person along the way and the most important thing: I'm still a stranger.

Clomping around to face Gair, I folded my arms, nodding to him as in frowning manner. I needed his answer now but otherwise didn't speak a word. His eyes went up and down for a moment in the silence, broken only by some far away cow.
Unable to do any kinds of conclusions about him I waited raising my brows a bit when the man stepped closer, to be only a few feet away. Before any other reaction, my reflexes caught up when he took something from his waist. The man threw me a thing that appeared to be a clinking pouch full of septims. Was this part of the stuff he got from the camp? Holding it on my hands I tilted my head, watching how Gair smirked at me before he started talking.

"Well, what are you looking at? Do hear this: you'll need a proper armor if you are going to keep with me any further. Might save your life someday, even if I'm going to be doing a lot of that anyway"

"Haha, keep telling this to yourself" A weak but a lot telling smile spread on to my face. "Knew it" I grimaced, chuckling at the same time.

"Do you know how to pick an armor?" he asked.
"I thought that a straight start with the full daedric one should be fine, why?" Gair nudged my side and a short hum came out of him.

"I'm suggesting you to get a weapon for yourself too. No choice but to teach you how to use one, that can't be avoided here. We'll see if there's anything worthwhile in you"

"Challenge accepted, I can take anything" I spat the words to his face with a hint of certain determination. Gair stuck with his stupid attitude and waved it away, though he still paid attention. Strong amusement glistened within those eyes. It made me ask, if he enjoyed after-all these half-serious bickering moments with me. Made my head swirl.

"...Don't try me. One warning here, you might come to regret your decision to ask this. There is no way I am going easy with anyone"

"Oh, yea? Like I haven't noticed that yet. Let's wait for that certain day when I'm kicking your sorry ass across all nine holds and wipe some dragon face with it. Then you go telling me about going easy!" Something world-changing happened in that second. He laughed.

For the first time forever I heard him actually, genuinely laugh. And it sounded wonderful, which got me snickering as well even though I was the one saying it. Didn't prepare for that kind but accidents happen. Gair took his helmet off, drifting past me. The man shook his head – I noticed in the corner of my eye that few patrolling guards were kind of interested what was going on here.

"You have some choice of words. And a very creative collection of curses in that matter, not bad. How are you ever doing that, it's a mystery. But I guess they say it's good to have impossible life goals. Those tend to drive you forward" with that he started walking still chuckling a bit and stopped in front of the Dead Man's drink.
"Now, I'm assuming you can manage your way around in the city without me babysitting you, hm? If not, you'll find me in the tavern, we are not leaving anywhere for a while" Rolling my eyes I agreed to that one. A piece of cake.

"Wow, what a surprise. I almost forgot about Nords and their mead, go ahead no one's stopping you. There's like zero ways one can get lost in here. I'll be making sure I fetch you if I happen to come by any fire or frost breathing lizards. Unless you're too drunk, then this place is getting wrecked"

"That's damn right. On your way then, try not to die"

What a smart ass. After that, I let him go with a final wave and turned on my heels. I knew where to head next. You know I have a feeling. Maybe Gair isn't that bad. If he'd let his other side to come up more often, but let's focus on that later. I have stuff to do.