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This chapter contains smut, so it's NSFW. Considered yourselves warned!
Lyrium does play an important part in this fic, but we're also changing some of the story line and tweaking and twisting the plot, haha! :D
Our disclaimer as usual…BIOWARE AND BETHESDA ROCK! :D
Chapter 7
The sun had been close to setting when they exited the tomb and it was long past dark when they entered Solitude. Alessia led Anders to the Winking Skeever, Solitude's inn, which was just inside the gates. As they entered, the sounds and smells of people talking jovially and eating their dinner washed over them. She turned to Anders and asked, "Food first, yeah?"
Anders smiled. "I'm starving! If you hear a groan, it's my stomach!"
Why are we still here in this place? We have to get back to help the mages!
Anders shook his head, and Alessia lifted an eyebrow. "So...you're not hungry, then?"
"Sorry about that!" Anders muttered. "Of course I am!" He gave her an apologetic smile and squeezed his eyes shut for a few moments, then followed her to a table. She laid her pack on the chair, then left the table to order their food, speaking briefly with an Argonian in passing. He nodded at something she said, and she continued over to the innkeeper. After speaking with him, she brought two tankards of ale back to the table and plunked one in front of Anders.
"I think we deserve a drink! I'm not going to get sloshed like the last time," she smiled.
Anders grinned. "Oh, but I love it when you do get 'sloshed'. You roll your r's and your voice turns into a purr. Very seductive!"
Alessia smiled coyly at him. "Perhaps that's what I was going for. That night did end with you in my bed!"
"Shock and scandal, my lady! If I was in your bed, it's because I was going for it, not you!" he teased.
She snorted and took a drink of her ale. The bard in the corner of the room finished tuning her lute and began to sing, making all the Nords in the room yell out joyfully, and Alessia clap her hands.
"Oh, there once was a hero named Ragnar the Red, who came riding to Whiterun from ole Rorikstead!
And the braggart did swagger and brandish his blade as he told of bold battles and gold he had made!"
The girl took two steps forward, swinging her lute to the right, as she strummed. The people of the inn were all clapping; some of them had stood up, with their tankards in their hands and were swaying to the music.
"But then he went quiet, did Ragnar the Red, when he met the shieldmaiden Matilda who said..." The bard now gestured at the Nords sitting closest to her, and smiled, inviting them to sing. Everyone in the room raised their tankards and yelled out the next verses with her.
"'Oh you talk and you lie and you drink all our mead! Now I think it's high time that you lie down and bleed!" Some of the people in the inn burst out laughing and sat back down again but a few of them remained standing, waving their tankards to and fro.
"And so came the clashing and slashing of steel, as the brave lass Matilda charged in full of zeal!
And the braggart named Ragnar was boastful no moooooore...when his ugly red head rolled around on the floor!"
Alessia clapped her hands along with the crowd as the song ended and their meal arrived. "That's always been one of my favorites!" she said, then dug into her baked potatoes.
Anders, who had been watching her quietly with a stupid grin on his face, chuckled. He could not believe his luck. Here was a woman who liked to drink and have fun, had a fantastic sense of humor, could cook, was a passionate lover and had a compassionate soul. He drank some of his ale, then leaned over to her.
"I don't care much for the name Ragnar, though! And Matilda...well...it's ugly," he said between bites, pausing only to chew his food and swallow. "But your name...is downright beautiful..."
Alessia smiled. "Well, that depends on how you look at it. Alessia was a woman in the First Era, who they later made a saint for her acts to free the human slaves from the ancient Ayleids. They called her 'the Slave Queen'. Thing is, the Ayleids were elves. Now it's as if it's come back around again. The Aldmeri Dominion wants the dominance of elves and magic, and in places like Windhelm, the Nords treat the elves and Argonians like second-class citizens. Everyone wants power over each other for any reason possible…I really don't know what Mother was thinking naming me Alessia." She chuckled. "She had a sense of humor, that's for sure!"
Anders smiled. "I like your name more than before now." He suddenly grew serious. "In Thedas, the elves are treated badly also. Many of them live in Alienages which are places set aside for them in the cities or are sold as slaves to the Tevinter Imperium. They are also considered second-class citizens, but treated worse than animals." His countenance darkened, and Alessia caught a glimpse of a flash of blue in his eyes. But then he locked his eyes on hers and smiled, and then turned his attention back to the plate of food in front of him.
"What about your name? I like it, so I'm wondering if it has any significance." Alessia asked, stealing a glance at Anders.
His brow furrowed as the memories he had buried deep inside suddenly invaded his brain: the fearful look in his father's eyes – the cry and desperate look on his mother's face as she tried to hide him from the templars…His eyes locked on hers and she saw the familiar flash of blue as he struggled to maintain his self-control.
After a few moments, he seemed to have gotten a grip on himself and began to talk, keeping his eyes on his plate.
"The Anderfels is a nation in the north in Thedas. It's cold and harsh, and it's where Weisshaupt Fortress is, which happens to be the Grey Wardens' headquarters. The whole nation was nearly devastated by one of the Blights there a long time ago. They called me 'Anders' when I arrived at the circle because my family comes from the Anderfels." Anders paused, and raised his eyes to her. Alessia saw the pain in them and immediately regretted having mentioned his name at all. "They call the mages what they want in the tower. Family names are non-existent. It doesn't matter to them who you are or what your name is."
"I'm sorry, Anders. I didn't mean to bring about painful memories," Alessia said in an undertone. She turned back to her plate as the bard in the corner started in on a new song.
"Our hero, our hero, claims a warrior's heart," the bard began, and Alessia blanched visibly. "I tell you, I tell you, the Dragonborn comes."
Alessia looked around the room and saw that the Nords were listening with rapt attention, then dropped her spoon and turned to Anders. "I'm not hungry anymore. I'll go get us a room."
The lyrics of the song followed her as she made her way through the patrons to the innkeeper. "With a Voice wielding power of the ancient Nord art. Believe, believe the Dragonborn comes."
Anders quickly shoved the rest of his food in his mouth and stood up to follow her. He could see that she was visibly upset, but said nothing as she asked for a room. He grabbed hold of her hand and squeezed it gently as the innkeeper led them to a room on the second floor.
The room itself was large and comfortable. The innkeeper frowned when Anders asked for a tub to wash, but said he would return shortly with it. Anders surveyed his surroundings with interest. There was a bookshelf in the room full of books and he itched to walk over and read the titles, but Alessia had sat down on one of the chairs looking very dejected and troubled. He quickly crossed the room over to where she was, and knelt in front of her.
"Look at me," he said quietly, lifting her chin up gently with his thumb and forefinger. Alessia dragged her eyes up and sighed. "You are a wonderful person, and you aren't alone. I want you to understand that..."
"I will do what I must, Anders. I will. It's just that…looking around and seeing the expressions on their faces…What I am, or will be, is a legend. I just – I don't want to – fail. People will surely die if I fail," Alessia said in a whisper.
"You won't."
She fixed her icy blue eyes on his. "How do you know?"
"I know you were born to do this. And I know you won't let people die. You won't fail."
The words were said firmly, and Alessia felt the conviction behind them strengthen her resolve a little and she gave Anders another small smile. Anders's hands went to her face and gently smoothed away a lock of hair that was in her eyes.
There was a knock on the door, and the innkeeper opened it. He dragged a large tub to the center of the room. Anders thanked him and he left, closing the door behind him.
He focused on the tub, and in moments had it full of large chunks of ice, which he then proceeded to melt using a simple fire spell. The steam coming from the water told him it was hot and he turned to Alessia with a smile.
"I know what will cheer you up. I'll give you a nice hot bath, and massage your back. How does that sound?"
Alessia gave him a small smile and began unbuckling her armor. "You mean you'll actually let me bathe first?"
Anders laughed. "I mean," he said as he reached for her hand to stop her, then started unbuckling her armor himself. "...I'll treat you like a precious goddess. I am your slave for the night..." he whispered, his hands deftly stripping her of her chest piece and then the shirt she wore underneath. She still had her breast band on, but he smiled and took her hands to pull her up. "Next come your breeches..." he said quietly as he unlaced them and they slithered to the floor. Alessia continued to look into his eyes. Her pupils were so dilated that they were black, and her breath was coming in short rasps now. He trailed a hand up her exposed thigh and very slowly brought it back down to her boots then started unlacing them. Once he was done, she stepped out of them and gasped when he brought his hands up to her smalls. He unlaced them and watched them slide to the floor to join the rest of her clothing then started to kiss her thighs.
Alessia shivered with pleasure. Anders stood up, and embraced her, deftly reaching for the laces of her breast band and untying them. His hands ran up and down her back and his lips descended on hers.
He pulled away from the kiss first, and suddenly carried her over to the tub, where he lay her gently in the warm water.
"There's soap in my pack," Alessia said, shutting her eyes, a smile playing on the corners of her mouth.
Anders grinned and quickly retrieved the soap, then knelt down behind her. He gently began to work the soap to a lather and proceeded to wash her arms first of all, then his hands went up to her shoulders and neck. Alessia hummed, and a sigh escaped her lips when he reached her breasts. He carefully washed one first and then the other, then sat her up and moved down to her back and stomach. His touch was gentle and thorough, and by the time he reached below her belly button she was arching her back in the water.
But Anders did not say a word until his right hand reached her curly auburn hair. "Stand up, sweetheart," he murmured.
Alessia stood up and he washed her softly parting her folds while she gasped. He then sat her back down and took one leg in his hands and washed it, then washed the other leg. Alessia was looking at him with a hunger he had not seen in a woman before and his erection throbbed painfully.
"Stay right there. Close your eyes. I'm going to get a towel."
She closed her eyes and could hear him opening her pack and smiled. He came back to her and kissed her softly on the lips.
"Don't you want to bathe as well?" Alessia asked, opening her eyes and locking them to his.
"I will in a moment. Time to dry you," he said in a low voice. His eyes burned into hers as he helped her up and out of the tub, then he wrapped the large towel around her body and gently began to dry her. Once he was done, he turned to the water and flicked his hands. The water disappeared, and he filled the tub with ice again and melted it. Once the water was hot enough, he turned to her, a soft smile playing on the corners of his lips.
"Let me do the same," she said, as she started unclasping the buckles of his feather-pauldroned coat. Anders kept his eyes on her as she undressed him. Soon he was in the tub, and she was washing him. He half-closed his eyes as he watched her, until she reached out for his erection. He lost control then and stood up, taking her in his arms and kissing her passionately. She kissed him back, pressing her body against his as he guided her towards the bed.
"You're all wet," she whispered huskily and Anders gave a short gasp and kissed her again, his hands roaming over her body. He reached below her navel and smiled between kisses as his fingers parted her folds.
"So are you."
…
Anders was the first to wake early the following morning and he smiled as he looked at her sleeping face on the pillow beside him. He had not had his nightmare, which put him in a very good mood. His eyes slowly traveled over her lovely face, and delicately pointed ears, then down to her half-covered body. The fire in the chimney had died down and it was chilly, so he gently covered her with the sheets and furs and got out to start another fire. Soon, the flames were dancing merrily in the fireplace and he shivered as he made his way back to the bed.
Alessia snuggled into him as he climbed back under the covers. "I don't want to get up yet," she mumbled into the pillow, then turned and met his eyes. "I suppose we have to though."
Anders smiled and nodded, his eyes dark with longing. "I suppose we do."
Alessia pouted, then gave Anders a quick kiss before crawling out from under the sheets and finding the pieces of her armor scattered about the room. She dressed quickly, then turned to Anders. "I've got to talk with someone downstairs before we leave," she said, grabbing her pack. "I saw you eyeing the books over there. Grab whatever you want and meet me downstairs when you're done."
Anders nodded and watched her leave. He slumped back into the bed his mind working furiously. He didn't want to acknowledge his feelings for her. Not just yet, anyway. There was still time, and he didn't want to rush things. They still had to get to know each other more. He did know one thing though, the more he knew her, the more smitten he became.
He smiled and got out of bed, and as he picked up his clothes thought about her face and her winning expressions that slowly, but surely were bringing her closer to his heart.
You must ask her where you fell. There may be a clue to leaving this place there.
He pushed Justice back, his face dark and broody as he finished dressing and tied his hair back, then arranged the things in his pack and left the room without a backwards glance. His heart was heavy as he realized he would have to ask her to take him to the place where he had fallen soon, before Justice lost what little patience he had.
…
Anders found Alessia haggling prices of some goods with the Argonian down in the common room. "I really don't think you understand the difficulty in getting these things, Gulum-Ei," she said. "You certainly couldn't."
Gulum-Ei smiled toothily. "Of course not, Guildmaster. But, I only have so much gold." He handed her a coin purse and slipped the items on the table into a bag. "This time, you get your price. Next time, no." With that, he got up and left the inn.
"I knew I should have killed him," Alessia grumbled and motioned Anders towards the door. "One more thing, then we'll be on our way, I promise."
Anders said nothing to this and Alessia noticed his brooding face and frowned slightly. She could not imagine what it was like to have another spirit inside you, but she could bet the coin purse she had just received that this spirit was probably to blame for Anders's expression.
Taking his hand in hers and squeezing it comfortingly, she led him further into the city, past a few merchants and towards the palace rising in the distance. The architecture of Solitude was different from most places in Skyrim, favoring solid stone and wood over the thatch in smaller villages. Children dodged around them playing tag, people walked to wherever they were going, unknowing of the dragon problem plaguing the land.
"We're heading towards that blue-domed building, aren't we?" Anders finally spoke. "It's lovely, but different from what I've seen of Skyrim so far."
Alessia nodded. "That's the Blue Palace, where the High King would live if there was one. His widow, Jarl Elisif, resides there now. Solitude seems to look the closest to cities in Cyrodiil, though not as intricately built as the Imperial City. The Ayleids built most of the Imperial City back in the First Era. It seems to me that the Nords don't like change of any kind." A longing look came into her eyes. "Cyrodiil is beautifully built. The big cities are all prolifically different in structure and beauty The Imperial City, in particular, is amazing. High arches were one of the Ayleids favorite things. Every city, every ruin, every magic well had high arches."
"You're homesick, aren't you?" Anders inquired softly.
Alessia turned a warm gaze on him and smiled. "It doesn't matter. There is nothing left for me there. And…I can't return now, anyway."
Anders nodded. "I would like to ask you a favor."
"Yes?"
Anders took a deep breath. "I'd like to visit the place where I fell. Maybe there's something there that will help me figure out how I got here."
Alessia nodded. "It was just outside Riften. We'll travel there as soon as we can."
They were now standing outside the Blue Palace, and Alessia took his hand. "Come on," she said cheerfully. "I'd like you to meet the Jarl and her steward. They are the only authoritative figures in Skyrim that I don't want to stab repeatedly all the time."
"Then they must be worth meeting," Anders chuckled, giving her a lopsided grin as he followed her into the palace.
…
