Aaliyah sighed as she lowered gingerly onto her bed, her entire body aching. Ancano hadn't gone easy on her after Savos left him in charge of her punishment for attempting to run. He had beaten her to an inch of unconsciousness and healed her injuries to hide his deeds.
As she attempted to sleep, she wondered about the man she ran into. His eyes were so black, like a pool of darkness that threatened to suck her in. But there was a light in them, a light she had never seen before. The light of a thousand souls in one. It terrified her.
Frustrated, she stood and started for the door to the courtyard. If she wasn't going to sleep, she might as well go to class. But as she rounded the corner to leave the Hall of Attainment, she ran face first into a broad chest, and two unfamiliar, yet surprisingly gentle hands reached out and grabbed onto her arms, steadying her.
She froze. Those hands belonged to the man who had stopped her, and given her back to Ancano. She looked up, eyes wide, to meet the eyes of the Dragonborn.
'You...' he said shocked, his deep voice rumbling in his chest. 'You are Aaliyah, right?'
'D-Dovahkiin,' she bit out, pulling away from him. 'Why are you here?'
'To learn,' he said simply, and she scowled. 'More importantly, are you alright? Your friends are concerned-'
'Petr and Brenna are used to Ancano and Savos doing as they wish,' she scoffed, and a troubled look crossed the man's face. 'It's nothing new. Now if you'll excuse me-'
'Wait,' he said quickly, stepping in her way. He reached for her, and she flinched away from his hand, shocked, making him hesitate. '...You have blood in your hair.'
Her chest tightened, and she reached up to find the blood. It was near her left ear. Ancano had thrust a needle into her ear, and healed her before it could do too much damage. The memory made her shudder.
'...My name is Erik,' the Dragonborn continued, studying her with curious eyes. 'As you somehow already know, I am Dovahkiin. My question is; how did you know that?'
'Your eyes,' she said before she could stop herself. She stared up at him, intrigued. 'Your eyes are full of the souls of those you've killed.'
He tensed, a pained look crossing his face, and she felt herself smile. She had imagined the Dovahkiin as some mindless brute with a thirst for blood – and yet the man before her somehow seemed so kind, and gentle.
'You see that,' he finally said quietly, and she nodded. 'I'm sorry. I see why you were so frightened...'
'I am not afraid of you, Dovahkiin,' she said shocked, and his eyes widened. 'I am afraid of what this world will make you.'
He stared down at her, shocked, then smiled. The expression made Liyah's heart leap and her face warm, and she looked away from him, nervous.
'...Anyway, come,' she blurted, starting for the door that lead to the main courtyard. 'We have class.'
Erik stared after her, then smiled slightly, catching up to her in two long strides. He had expected her to be fearful towards him after what had happened, and yet she treated him like she would treat any stranger. Careful, but kind.
He studied her as they walked through the courtyard, suddenly struck by her beauty all over again. He noticed how she gazed at the statue of Shalidor with a vacant expression, as if she was lost in deep thought, and how as she walked, the softly falling snow never touched her – it fell around her, as if pushed away by the power she held in that small body. He thought about what made her run from the College in the first place. Everyone was kind and cheerful and excited to learn. But when she had attempted to run away, she had been so fearful. And her robe had been torn.
His chest tightened slightly, and he quickly banished the thought. She would have told Savos if somebody had been hurting her, surely. The man cared for her.
As she led him into the Hall of the Elements, he moved his gaze to the small group of apprentices surrounding the old instructor Tolfdir. Aaliyah was a curious creature, yes, and a mystery he ached to solve. But she would have to wait.
