Chapter 10- The Horned Creature
"Jo'Rak hopes to see you again one day, Raene," the Khajit extended his arm to the Dragonborn and Raene returned the gesture.
It was dawn and the hunters were packed and ready to move on. Jo'Rak had a heavy-looking traveler's pack on his back and rolls of fur under an arm. Suleen hefted a backpack on one shoulder as she said her farewells to Raene's followers.
"Hunt well, young one," Aela placed a hand on the Redguard's shoulder.
The young huntress stepped up to the Dragonborn, her posture awkward and her cheeks pink. "Goodbye, Raene."
Raene gave a laugh and pulled the huntress into an embrace. When they finally pulled away, a wide smile played on Suleen's lips. Slipping her hand into a small pouch on her belt, the Dragonborn produced a flawless amethyst. She placed the gem into the younger Redguard's palm and closed her fingers over it.
"A small token of my thanks." Raene flashed a grin at the younger woman.
Clutching the stone to her heart, Suleen stammered her thanks to the Redguard. Jo'Rak stood a short distance away, shaking his head exasperatedly at his student.
"If Suleen is done simpering at Raene, perhaps we can leave." He called.
Suleen flushed as she turned to her mentor. With a final look of gratitude at Raene, she rushed after the departing Khajit. Lydia chortled and Aela's had on an amused smile.
"That young girl has a soft spot for you, Raene." Lydia turned to disassemble the tent.
"Redguards always seem to have a thing to me," Raene joked good-naturedly as she took her saddle and headed to her dark bay stallion, grazing a short distance away.
Saddling Alduin, she turned to see Aela approaching her with her ebony sword. With a small cry of relief, Raene closed the distance to the woman and took the sword gratefully.
"I thought I lost it," she pulled the prized sword out of its finely carved sheath and studied the blade.
"I took it while Lydia was striding up and down the bridge screaming at the top of her voice," the huntress gave a small chuckle as she checked the reins on Frost.
"Thank you, Aela," Raene placed a hand on the huntress' tanned arm.
The woman turned and flashed a gorgeous smile at the Dragonborn. "Anything to keep my Redguard happy,"
Raene's stomach did somersaults at the mention of 'my Redguard' and she felt heat creep up her face. Aela slowly turned to face her Harbinger with her arms crossed and an amused look on her face.
"Are you blushing, my Harbinger?" her auburn hair blew gently in the wind and her green eyes were bright as she tilted her head up to look at Raene.
"What? No!" Raene abruptly turned her back to the woman as she fumbled to attach her sword to her belt before striding back to Lydia, Aela's throaty laugh accompanying her.
"Well, well…" Lydia folded the tent neatly and stored it into a sack. "The woman actually has a sense of humor."
The three warriors had been riding on the road for quite a while. Lydia held her pipe in her hand, her face relaxed. Aela studied the terrain before her, her body gently swaying with the motion of Frost. Astride Alduin, Raene rested a hand on her knee and held her stallion's reins in a loose grasp.
"So, Lydia…" Raene glanced slyly at the Nord woman. "You never told me what happened between you and that young lord."
Lydia coughed mid-smoke. Laughing, the Dragonborn waited for the housecarl to catch her breath. She could sense the huntress' mild interest beside her though the woman paid no visible attention.
"The lord?"
"Yes, my housecarl….the lord with the neat beard."
"Well, we walked a bit and talked. Mostly about the building in Whiterun," Lydia blushed. "He studied Nord architecture."
"I see," Raene felt her grin widening. "And what happened after all the talking and walking?"
"N-nothing happened!" the housecarl took a hurried puff from her pipe. "We just talked. That's all."
"Well..." Raene bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. "I'll hold you to your word. A housecarl never lies to her Thane."
She heard Aela chuckling beside her as Lydia darted a guilty look at her the Redguard. A thrush flew overhead, chirping cheerfully. The huntress tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she raised her face to the breeze, eyes closed and a relaxed smile on her perfect lips. Stopping herself from ogling the woman, Raene turned her attention to the road before her. Apart from a traveler or two, the road to Ivarstead was generally quiet.
The small party rode until the sky turned dimmer and Raene called a halt for the night. She stood beside her horse and watched at her two followers went about her tasks with hardly a word to each other. Something is wrong here, she frowned. She have not heard Lydia and Aela exchange more than a few words of greeting during her time in Whiterun but now it seems like the two are actively avoiding each other.
Once the camp was ready, Raene sat on a low boulder and ran a whetstone over her ebony sword. She tried as subtly as she could to observe the two women before her. Aela fiddled with a bowstring that she was tightening and Lydia sat, whittling away at a piece of wood with a small knife. The awkward silence stretched.
"Okay," the Dragonborn stopped her sword-sharpening abruptly as both women looked up from their respective task. "I'm detecting a hint of animosity between the two of you."
"Animosity?" the huntress raised her eyebrows in mock surprise. "However did you figure that out?" at the same time Lydia said brusquely. "We're fine."
The silence stretched for a moment in the camp as both warriors turned to regard each other.
"Are we fine, Lydia?" Aela's voice was calm but that only seemed to infuriate the housecarl further.
"I said we are, didn't I?" she snapped as she threw the knife to the ground before her, the blade sticking point down in the soil. "And we will remain fine as long as you don't do something stupid again."
"Something stupid?" the redhead woman's voice was dangerously low. "Stupid sounds like something Farkas does and I'm telling you…" Aela's eyes glinted dangerously. "…with you steel armor and greatsword, you do look like a female counterpart of that wool-headed lummox. Maybe you're his long lost sister."
"Why, you…" Lydia jumped to her feet and advanced aggressively on the huntress, Aela stood to meet her, her arms clenched at her hips. "Say that again, woman. To my face."
With a mirthless smile, Aela opened her mouth to repeat her words and Raene darted in to separate the two women. "Stop it, you two!" she snapped at the two warriors.
Aela's penetrating gaze fell onto the Dragonborn and Raene's words almost faltered but she continued strongly. "I don't know what conspired between the two of you while I was gone, but you will settle it tonight….and that's an order."
Both women stared at the Redguard and it took all Raene's willpower not to step away from their combined hostility. Lydia radiated open fury while Aela's flashing eyes and deep frown was the only indication of the huntress' state of emotion.
"Now, I'm going to take a bath at the stream nearby and when I return I expect all grudges to be well behind you two," with those parting words, Raene turned on her heels and strode in the direction of the water, feeling the gaze of the two women boring into her back.
The Dragonborn bent over the creek, her tunic slung over a nearby branch, as she splashed the cool, refreshing water onto her shoulders and back. Water droplets dribbled down her sides to dampen her trousers but she hardy took notice. Large ferns surrounded the small stream, providing the woman with some privacy that was not really required out in the woods. Cupping, the cooling liquid in her palms, she rubbed her face and ran her damp fingers through her black locks, patiently combing out the tangles that had gathered over the days.
Reaching down again, she gathered more water and was about to bring it up to her face when she caught the reflection of a horned creature right behind her. Quick as lightning, the Redguard grabbed her sword and drew the blade, rising to her feet to confront the intruder. The forest was silent before her as if holding its breath. The Redguard's chest rose and fell heavily as she cast around the creek, disregarding her half-nakedness.
Whatever she saw was real, she knew; a slender human-like creature with twisted ram horns. Narrowing her eyes to peer into the darkness, Raene sniffed the air. The smell of burnt meat lingered in the night air. Her skin prickled as she hurriedly pulled on her tunic without waiting for the water on her skin to dry off. Stumbling in her haste to leave, the Dragonborn headed back to camp.
Both Nords were seated facing one another, as if at the end of an unwanted conversation, when Raene returned. Her mind still on the occurrence at the creek, the Redguard sat by the fire and placed her ebony sword on her knees. She ignored her two followers as she studied the flames.
"We've settled out disagreement," Lydia announced sheepishly and the Dragonborn nodded distractedly.
"Are you okay, Raene?" Aela was quick to pick up Raene's unease.
Forcing the uncomfortable feeling away, Raene looked at the huntress. Aela's eyes betrayed her concern for the dark-skinned woman. She smiled and hoped it convinced the Nord.
"I'm fine, Aela."
Lydia stood up and stretched. "I'm tired," she bent into the tent. "Goodnight, you two."
"Goodnight, Lydia," Aela responded awkwardly.
Raene did not respond as she gazed into flames. What was that creature? Was it friendly or hostile? She did not register the huntress until the woman sat cross-legged next to her.
"You look…pale. As if you've seen a ghost," The huntress studied the woman's form. "And your clothes are wet. You'll catch a chill out here."
She disappeared into the tent and emerged with Raene's new fur cloak.
"Here," she threw the heavy material at the Redguard. "Take that off."
Placing the cloak on her knees, the Dragonbon grasped the hem of her tunic and looked at the huntress. Aela looked back, her face carefully blank. Giving an earnest look at her, Raene gestured at her to turn around. Instead the Nord placed her hands on her hips and took on a patronizing tone.
"I saw you naked after your first transformation, Raene. I'm your blood sister, aren't I?"
Raene blushed at the memory as she took a deep breath and pulled the tunic off her back. Immediately the cold night breeze hit her damp skin and she threw the cloak over her form, shivering. Aela resumed her seat beside the Redguard hardly seeming to feel the cold. But she was a Nord after all and Nords have a higher tolerance of the cold.
"The sky is beautiful, Raene." She commented after a while.
Raene studied the clear night sky with thousands of stars spread over it. It was a glorious sight and the Dragonborn sighed as the wind gently ruffled her hair. For a moment, her troubled thoughts left her mind.
"Just like in Whiterun," she said softly.
Aela did not respond as she continued staring at the sky, her toned arms crossed over her knees. Raene's eyes were drawn instantaneously to the woman's sultry lips, remembering the feel of them on her cheek. She still felt hesitant to make any moves on the huntress and she berated herself for that. She wondered what Aela felt for her. Did she see her as the Dragonborn, a Harbinger, a friend and ally…or a woman? And why was Raene so afraid to ask? The Dragonborn shook her head to dispel the thoughts. She could do with some mead in her belly.
"It is a little cold tonight," the huntress sighed after a bit, rubbing her exposed arms. Raene looked at her, expecting her to retire to the tent but instead the woman focused her intense green eyes on the Redguard expectantly.
"Oh…" very much aware of the state of undress she was in but not wanting to disappoint the Nord beauty, Raene opened one side of her cloak invitingly.
Smiling, Aela slid quickly into the warmth of the fur cloak. She rested against the Dragonborn's shoulder, red hair brushing against the taller woman's collarbone. Raene realized that she was holding her breath and she let it out as softly as she could. It felt like her head was filled with wool and she was suddenly unable to think of anything to say.
"I like you, Raene." The huntress voice was sensually soft. "I feel drawn to you."
Raene hummed in acknowledgment not trusting herself her to talk. She was aware of the current position she was in, one arm around the huntress to keep her in the folds of the cloak and the Nord woman leaning against her body. Aela snuggled deeper into the dip of the Dragonborn's neck as her breathing started to even out. After a while, Raene realized that the woman was asleep. Stretching her legs into a more comfortable position carefully, so as to not wake the huntress, Raene closed her eyes and surrendered herself to the realm of dreams.
The Dragonborn stood alone in a pitch black world. She looked down and gave a start at her nakedness. But somehow, right now that did not seem important to her.
"Dovahkiin…" A disembodied voice rumbled from the depths of the darkness.
She whirled in the direction of the voice, feeling vulnerable and exposed.
"Ysmir…" the dark and sinister voice sounded close enough to be a whisper in her ear.
Rounding on the darkness, Raene clenched her fists and shouted. "Show yourself!" As if summoned, her orcish greatsword materialized in her hands, the blade shimmering blue.
"Beware what you ask for, mortal…" the voice growled. "When the time comes, you will see me for what I am; eternal darkness… and power."
Black slimy tendrils reached for Raene and she leapt back to evade them but they came from every direction, wrapping her in a strangling, revolting embrace….
With a sharp cry, Raene jerked awake. Sweat trickled down her face. A hand gingerly gripped her arm and she barely stopped herself from shoving Aela off her side. The huntress's eyes were alert in the moonlight as she reached up to wipe the sweat off Raene's brow.
"Just a nightmare, my warrior." her voice cooed and lulled the agitated Redguard as a warm palm cupped Raene's sweaty cheek.
Raene ran her fingers through her hair. It was a dream and yet it felt so real. Suddenly, she felt exposed in the clearing. "We should get inside, Aela."
The huntress got to her feet smoothly with no sign of sluggishness from her sleep. Raene followed her more slowly, her limbs feeling heavy and tired as if she was still fighting off the bloody tentacles. Taking the Dragonborn's hand, the Nord led her troubled leader into the tent to sleep off the remainder of the night. Raene allowed herself to be led, her mind filled with images of dark tentacles and the ominous voice. She shivered and it was not from the cold.
Wonder who's that sinister presence? Will Raene be plagued with more dreams such as this one? Review, peeps! Hope you guys enjoyed that tiny bit of fluff between our Dragonborn and Aela. And please be back next week for more!
~Ayden