Chapter 3

Froki's Shack

The following morning I woke to the sound of curious bustling as people scattered about the hall in wonder of who the two strange Nords were. I dressed myself into my leather armour then wrapped myself in the Mage robes before exiting the room to face the crowds. At my exit the warriors stared most likely wanting to ask why I was in an Elder's room but I ignored their impolite eyes and hurried into the recruit's chamber where I found Haming fast asleep but not Conan which wasn't a surprise. Haming stirred in his sleep then slowly woke stretching his arms until they cracked. I helped him out of bed and into different clothes then cleaned him up a little before taking him up for breakfast. Conan sat at the table eating some sort of salted meat with bread and, most likely, drinking mead. I sat Haming down beside me serving him fruits and a small stew before asking him about his sleep and any known relatives I could take him to.

"There is my Grandfather Froki, he lives far away though." Haming explained through chews of bread and stew he shoved into his mouth.

"I'll get you there." I promised tousling his hair then eating some stew. Kodlak walked over and pat Haming's shoulder before taking a seat beside me.

"Everyone asks: who does this elf think she is, sleeping in those quarters? Should we say something Kodlak? Apparently you and your guests caused quite a stir." He smiled taking some bread and gauging on it after dipping it in gravy.

"Thank you for your hospitality but Haming and I must leave soon, we have a decent journey ahead." While Haming finished off his meal I walked back downstairs to grabbing the leather bag and another for more food we'll need on the journey plus I grabbed more arrows and poison to dip them in should I need to.

I hired the carriage driver outside Whiterun stables to take us to Riften, the closest city to Froki's Shack. The journey would take hours maybe even days but even then you weren't completely safe especially with all the beasts along the roads. I assured Haming we'd be safe and I could promise his safety but not the carriage driver's since he was not under my Divine protection. As the carriage was about to take off some Nord came running after us...Conan?

"A ride to Riften," he assumed of the carriage driver before handing him the gold and leaping onto the back across from Haming and I.

"Why are you going to Riften? Didn't the Jarl give you any tasks?" I asked as the carriage shook slightly and we began to leave Whiterun.

"He did but I told him I'm needed somewhere else. Since I helped you protect Haming, I feel it's my duty to see him get home safely." This Nord was different unless of course he was sincerely here for Haming, who was also a Nord. But he seemed to be there when I needed help with something...this is strange. I watched as we left Whiterun Hold and welcomed the sun onto my face, I dared not reveal my skin covered in scars and tattoos all with meaning, all with stories. I smiled over at a suspicious staring Haming then handed him a slice of salted, pork jerky. He smiled back after that but most likely because I was good at making jerky maybe of my skills in Destruction magic with fire and all. I had been in the Mages Guild for only two years and mastered Destruction by then but my Illusion and Restoration weren't that bad either. I had been in the Dark Brotherhood since I was sixteen and the Thieves Guild for three months becoming the best pickpocket in all of Tamriel. Sound up-myself don't I? Just go off what others have told me.

"You two a couple?" The carriage driver asked disturbing my thoughts.

"No!" We replied in unison quickly looking away from each other and shutting up the driver who was most likely bored.

"I haven't seen grandpa in years, what if he doesn't remember me?" Haming questioned on the edge of scared and worried.

"If the Divines or Daedra, depends on your gods, will it he will remember you. Even a matter as small as this attracts the gods like a thief to gold." I assured as he relaxed more then starting to pray.

"Talos, Tiber Septim, is my god. I don't care what the Imperials say he is truly a Divine, answering the prayer of any loyal servant. I will worship him even in Sovngarde." I gave him a pat on the shoulder for his courage then lifted my hand to my throat and unlatched the leather necklace from...well...my neck. Haming stared at it curiously tracing every silver bead and tooth then he saw the symbol of Talos in the middle of the Divines' series where I had every one of their symbols marked into the beads.

"Even some of the Dunmer believe in the Nine Divines. Tiber Septim untied the kingdoms under one rule, if he wasn't accepted then there is no hope for any of the races." I explained as he was about to give it back. "It's yours now, I want you to have it, it'll give you strength when you need it and is enchanted to keep your body warm should your surroundings be cold." I smiled as we hit a bump along the road.

"Thank you, Dunmer." Haming turned around as I fastened the leather around his neck loosely. He lifted it to his eyes and studied it intently. "I can feel the warmth already and I can feel the eyes of the Divines set on me." He went on about how powerful he felt with it but I tried to hide my sadness and regret for giving my necklace to a Nordic boy. It was the last thing my father gave me when I was simply a child. After he gave me the necklace he left and his crimson eyes were the last thing I remember of him. My mother was a Nord and always said how she had loved him and never remarried again. It was my father who worshipped the Divines unlike most Dunmer who worshipped the Daedric gods. I have his legacy to carry on as well as the ambition to find out who he was.

"Anyone in need of rest?" The driver asked as we left Whiterun Hold and entered Eastmarch.

"Yes. A break and stretch so our body doesn't shrivel into dust." I jumped off the carriage and walked about then helped Haming off. I washed my face and hands briefly in the Darkwater River then Haming did the same. While he tried to catch fish under Conan's watchful eye I made him a sandwich, some salted pork, tomato, cheese and, finally and most importantly, crispy bacon. I made the same for the driver, Conan and myself. Haming ate it letting the juices drip down his wrists and chin as if he was bleeding. At the end of the midday meal we climbed back onto the carriage and began to clear away the scales of the three salmon Haming had caught with his dagger and a piece of string, curious actually.

By nightfall we had made it Ivarstead and north-east of Riften. That was where we camped for the night. I killed my first Nord here when I was sixteen, he had raped a fellow elf and paid with his life and I made sure his soul didn't make it to Sovngarde. That was my initiation into the Dark Brotherhood and it all happened right here.

I looked over at Haming as he slept like a baby; Stendarr had shown his mercy upon the child. The driver slept as did Conan. I was on first watch outside Ivarstead since they didn't have enough room at the inn. I stared up at the glistening stars and wondered what it would be like to enter Sovngarde, to meet the dead...although I wouldn't make it there. When I was ten I wanted immortality, to stay twenty one forever, I prayed naively to Clavicus Vile but he did actually meet me in my sleep that night.

"For your soul I'll grant you this wish," he had said and I had accepted, now I was a soulless husk free to run around the world until someone or something kills me. Lucky me.

"Ready to swap?" Conan asked taking a seat beside me in front of the fire.

"I still have a few hours of wake in me." I replied continuing to clean my dwarven dagger and polish my ebony sword.

"Those are very sharp and rare, where did you get them?" I told him the story about how I got them. I was simply going after a target for the Brotherhood but he found out who I was and ran off. I chased him to a tomb full of the undead, he had been bitten by a vampire and decided he didn't want to die. Little did I know was that he had made a pact with some ancient and Volkihar vampires telling them that I was the best vampire hunter of all time. When I had killed them all I left him to bleed out with his foot in the sunlight, chained to a tree stump that I had enchanted with fire- which all vampires had a resistance to. When I went back into the tomb I found every weapon ever made in Tamriel hovering before me, Meridia the Daedric Prince, told me to pick two as a gift for killing the undead she hated so. I picked the dwarven dagger and the ebony sword. "Well, seems the gods of every sought have you in their sight." He shrugged as I finished cleaning my blades and sheathed them in my belt.

"Haming told me that we don't need to go to Riften, the carriage driver will go back to Whiterun while we press on to his grandfather's shack hours walk from here. I could use the extra body to protect my back while I protect the kid." I offered having a sip of wine from my canteen.

"Well, after a story like that I wouldn't think you'd need any help but I could use the lesson and the exercise since we're taking a carriage everywhere. What time do we leave?" He considered throwing some more wood onto the fire.

"Dawn, we leave when Azura wakes." I simply said curling up in my swag of fur and leather beside Haming. "Good night." I added closing my eyes and falling asleep.

At dawn Haming was the first to wake. He was already packed up and had sent the carriage driver on his way waiting for Conan and me to get up. Once we had packed up camp we were well on our way to his grandfather's. We all chewed on the cooked fish more breakfast then took a path up the mountain to where Froki's Shack situated. Haming gripped my wrist as I walked up the steps to the door.

"You promise to keep me if he doesn't remember me?" He asked with fear on alert in his eyes. I lowered myself until I met his eyes.

"I swear on the grave of Lokir of Rorikstead that, should Froki not remember you, I'll adopt you as my own. As the Nordic character, Conan and Azura are the witnesses of this oath." I tousled his hair and knocked on the door before waiting. An Elder Nord answered the door with a hunting bow and quiver strapped to his back.

"Oh Haming, you look so much like Torolf." And so Haming was reunited with his family and I didn't need to worry about my oath. We ate the midday meal there then Conan and I made our way back to Whiterun to get this task with the Jarl over and done with.