Jane swung the two handed axe downward once again, listening to the following crack as wood split right in half. She felt her muscles pull against old scars, felt light friction against the bandage over her shoulder from... the Breton. She couldn't bear to think her name. A loud shuffle broke into her thoughts, and she shoved another log up onto the pedestal.

"Rizzoli, what are you doing out here?" He asked, voice nearly as gravelly as his steps. Jane lined up the axe, before lifting it up and swinging downward.

"Chopping wood. Obviously. Your eyes getting fuzzy in your old age, Korsak?" She bit at him, shrugging her shoulders.

"Looks more like you are taking out some serious aggression on that wood." She swung the axe again, cracking another piece in half.

"What would have ever given you that idea now, Korsak?" She laid the sarcasm on extra thickly, just in case he felt the need to ignore or completely pass over how right he was. The detective rested yet another log up on the platform, setting her axe.

"Funny, I thought Maura was heading down to the shops and then departing for Windhelm." The elder man whittled a carving of his, this one looking progressively like a dog. A very realistic dog, if wooden.

"She is." Crack. Another log down. And her frustration and disappointment still remained.

"Jane-"

"No, Korsak. We are not having this discussion." The she- warrior snapped, rolling her eyes. "Not now, not later, not ever."

"She's pretty."

"No, Korsak!" She dropped the axe, slamming her fists on the pedestal, tangling her own hands into tied up dark hair. "No. She's a Breton. I'm a Nord. I would never wish this curse upon her." The woman held a hand to her eyes, trying to stop the tears that had gathered there. "You know what it is like for us, Korsak. You've seen it, first hand."

"I've seen many things in my time. Many things." The old man sighed loudly. "Hope that girl'll be alright on her own. Dawnstar to Windhelm is quite a way."

"She'll be fine." Jane mumbled into her bare arms. When she said nothing more, the woman finally heard him rise, shuffling awkwardly towards the inn. He stopped.

"Oh, and I left something on your armor, Rizzoli." The door opened, and Jane rubbed at her eyes. She wished she could follow Maura, could be there to protect her, to hold her. To run fingers through that gorgeous hair of hers...

"Damn it!" She cursed, slamming her hands down again. She needed a distraction, needed something to keep her mind occupied until Maura would be far enough away. She reached for the parchment Korsak had left her. "Don't let this one slip away, stupid." She found herself whispering. They were his words. Her pack was filled completely with supplies. The warrior slammed a hand down, before running it through her hair. In a moment, she pulled on the chain mail, and then the iron pieces. If she hurried, she could catch the mage. She paused, briefly. "Damn you, Korsak. But thank you, for everything." Jane turned, and ran. Though her armor was heavy, she pushed on. Branches snagged on her, and many of them she tore off in her haste. "Hey!" She called.

"Hey, wait up, Breton!" The woman spun around, hand raised with a light mist around it.

"Oh! Jane!" Her face brightened with the recognition, with knowing who had come after her. "What brings you here?"

"Figured you could use some company. If you'll have an arrogant Nord for a companion, that is." The mage tilted her head to the side slightly.

"Will every imperial but Korsak be chasing us and trying to behead you?"

"You too, for being around me." Jane's eyes were hooded, worried. Maura only smiled.

"I would be honored." Then she shrugged. "Plus, someone has to treat the results of your severe lapses of judgement. I don't know another who would have enough patience."

"Did you just tell me that I don't think about what I do before I do it?"

"In a more sophisticated way of speaking, yes." Maura's cheeks reddened, and she looked away. Jane laughed, shaking her head as they walked quickly, side by side, arms brushing every now and then. Jane held out a hand, and the mage stopped dead, stepping behind her shoulder reflexively. The woman was like a brick wall; safe, protective. She crouched, and Maura followed, falling easily into a statue- like state, silent as the Earth itself. The people that Jane had seen passed, loud enough to be noticed no further away than the two of them waited.

"Imperials." Jane breathed. Maura slid forward, running her hands over the armored forearms. Her chest crushed into Jane's back, hair falling forward.

"No. Jane, don't." She whispered. She felt muscles tensing, even beneath layers of iron. She couldn't imagine what it was like, being hunted every moment of her life. But she didn't want Jane, the only kind person she had yet to meet, to be nothing more than a lowly murderer.

"Maura-"

"I know what they've been doing. What people do to one another here in Skyrim." Her voice shook slightly, and she felt her grip tighten into iron as if the hands did not belong to her. Beheadings. Women, children. Always Nords. "But Jane, there are seven of them. Our advantage is not ideal, and they'll catch you." She rested her lips against the break in the helmet made for Jane's ear. The bowstring quivered slightly. "Where would I be without you? I need help to get to Windhelm, Jane. I need your help." The warrior closed her eyes, exhaling quietly. Maura ducked her head against the armored shoulder, listening. Waiting for silence to fall around them once again.

"You should have let me try to kill them." They had yet to move, and birds were beginning to chirp again. "I... its all wrong, what's happening. I should have stayed-"

"I would have died in the cold." Silence. "Why did you save me, just to leave me out here?" Hazel eyes gleamed defiantly, daring Jane to lie.

"I... I don't know. I guess, I... wanted to be the hero. That everyone talks about, that everyone remembers." Maura slid the visor up, before reaching beneath and unlatching the helmet.

"Thank you. For not killing those people." She ran a thumb over a thin scar along Jane's jaw. "I..." she shook her head, turning to continue walking. "How long until we reach Windhelm?"

"Three to five days." Jane sighed out, shaking her head. Didn't this woman know what she did to people? What had she not said? Jane stepped quickly, stealing her helmet back before sliding the hand with the arrow around her companion's back. "Hey, I understand."

"What?" The woman's back tensed, and Jane softened her smile.

"That you don't like killing. Its why you won't use a destruction spell, isn't it." Maura raised her eyes, before looking out into the distance.

"They are people, Jane. People deserve second chances." She reached up, wiping away a few stray tears from her eyes. "You... you needed one too."

"I did." She let her voice drop to being barely audible. "And you... you gave it to me."