Hey everyone, thanks for reading and if you read the previous chapters I hope you're enjoying the story so far.
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NYL
"Listen, all I'm saying is if you want Camilla to notice you as more than her token elf friend you need to make the tiniest bit of effort to show her how you feel."
Nyl leaned back in her chair, studying the wood elf that sat across from her. She had only met Faendal a couple of weeks ago, and they quickly became close friends, but his meekness regarding the whiny imperial girl he fancied annoyed her.
"You don't understand," Faendal implored dramatically, "Camilla is such an intelligent and beautiful woman, why would she go for a Bosmer who is nothing more than a simple mill worker?"
Nyl rolled her eyes, not for the first time, since they had sat down in the inn.
"Look, see Sven singing over there?" She gestured toward a sullen looking bard, plucking at the strings of his lute. "That was your only competition, in the entire village of Riverwood. The only person who was after the same girl as you turned out to be a lying piece of troll shit, who you have yours truly to thank for figuring that out. If that's not a sign to bone her directly from the Divines themselves, I don't know what is."
Seeing the elf's face go red at the crude comment only brought her the tiniest bit of satisfaction since the conversation began.
"Nyl, please keep it down," his voice dropping to a whisper. "If that gets back to Camilla in the wrong context, she'll never speak to me again.
Nyl huffed; it was too easy to get under Faendal's skin when it came to that girl.
"Fine, I'll stop talking about a certain Imperial girl who will not be named but happens to put the wood in your elf. Still want to go hunting later?"
Faendal gave her an exasperated look before shaking his head. "Can't, have to get back to the mill soon. I should actually be getting back now so I'm not late."
"Always so punctual," Nyl sighed. "Fine, I wanted to go hunt in that direction anyway, I'll walk with you."
"Before we go," Faendal paused as he looked hesitantly at Nyl, "are you going to head back to Whiterun soon?"
Nyl chuckled dryly, "So soon to get rid of me Faendal?"
"You know it's not that but aren't your friends going to worry about you?"
Nyl hated her big mouth sometimes. She had told Faendal about her present situation a few days ago after moping about what had happened to her companions. She had just wanted to talk about what to do, to get advice from someone rather then running circles in her head. So she had explained to Faendal what had happened. She had left nothing off the table; even her own conflicting emotions on whether to go back or leave Skyrim for good. The last person she had opened up to like that had been Amir, when she joined the band of mercenaries six years ago. Still, even though she had only been here a few weeks she had gotten rather close to Faendal and, as she been taking advantage of his hospitality for most of it, he deserved an explanation. She just wished she could think rationally for half a second without feeling so lost.
"I don't know. At this point I'm sure Rogvir is convinced I split, He probably came to that conclusion the second I left. Amir, well I don't really know. He wasn't acting himself when I left, might have something to do with the missing limb." Nyl's voice dripped with sarcasm but her face fell as she continued.
"I honestly don't know what to do Faendal, I want to go back but what would I say to them? And Lywel might be dead and-" Nyl stopped, her face suddenly hardening.
"And I'm prattling on like a fool while you need to go back to the mill. We should go."
Nyl stood and started to leave before she felt a hand rest lightly on her shoulder and turned to see Faendal's concerned face.
"It doesn't make you a fool to care about others Nyl. No matter your decision, I'll be here for you." With that, he gave her a smile and the two walked out of the tavern in silence before resuming their earlier manner.
They chatted amicably about nothing in particular while making their way to the mill. Faendal even cracked a few jokes once or twice, and took all of Nyl's bantering in good stride. That was the nice thing about Faendal; not only did he know how to say the right thing to someone but he also knew how to have a laugh, as long as the butt of the joke wasn't directed toward Camilla. A sense of humor was important in a world where mauling and/or death were always right around the corner.
Approaching the mill, Nyl waved bye to Faendal and sat on the steps to the blacksmith's forge to string her bow. As she pulled the taut cord she caught sight of two figures in the distance, walking rapidly toward the town's southern entrance. The movements of the larger one were decisive and had an urgent look, the smaller one looked like it was barely stumbling along.
Although Nyl didn't particularly care for the small village she was currently staying in, she certainly didn't want two suspicious looking characters staying without checking them out first. She'd prefer to not have her throat slit in the night by a complete stranger at the least. Keeping her bow loose but leaving her other hand on her dagger she strolled amicably toward them down the road.
"Hello fellow travelers, new to Riverwood?" Nyl called out to them, keeping her tone friendly and light.
They gave no answer, which sent Nyl on edge. However, as they came closer her suspicion turned to shock. The two, one a Stormcloak soldier and the other a young girl, were covered head to toe in soot and blood. The man had a nasty looking burn covering his left arm, while the girl looked battered and bruised.
Although Nyl was concerned for the pair, especially the girl who looked like she was about to faint, they were covered in what looked like the remains of a hundred men. For all she knew they could be bandits, or worse. She released her grip on the dagger, opting instead for nocking an arrow. While she didn't direct her aim toward them, the threat was clear. The soldier halted and threw an arm up in front of the girl.
"I mean you no harm elf, my family lives in Riverwood. I'm only here to see them"
It was a half-truth. Nyl always had a sense of weaseling out people's intentions and this man clearly had other agenda's than just a friendly visit. Then again, you didn't need to be a genius to figure out the man who is wounded and covered in blood might be hiding something.
"Who's your family Stormcloak? And what happened to you and the girl?"
"My sister Gerdur runs the mill here, go and ask her if you want."
Nyl's voice hardened, "You still didn't say what happened."
The rebel soldier's face fell into grief at her prodding. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
Nyl wasn't in the mood for this, but she couldn't let an armed man covered in gore walk through the village unattended. She also wasn't sure at this point if his companion was with him willingly.
"Alright, keep your hands clasped in front of you. Don't twitch toward your sword or I'll let this arrow in your back. We'll stop by the mill and see Gerdur. If she says you are who you claim, I'll leave you be."
The man nodded and did as she asked. Nyl let him lead and walked beside the girl.
"What's your name?"
The girl stared at Nyl without answering her question, her eyes were expressionless and her face numb.
"Stormcloak, this girl here, who is she?"
The soldier answered without turning around, "Her name is Kira but she hasn't said much to me beside her name. I've been, uh, traveling with her for the last week or so."
Nyl didn't even need to see his face as he said it to know that he was hiding something. Nords and their intellect, she found herself surprised that some of them could speak and walk upright. Nyl lowered her voice to a quiet murmur and turned to the girl.
"Did this soldier here hurt you or make you do anything you didn't want to?" The girl looked up again and a flash of anger flitted across her face before resuming the dull expression. She shook her head no.
Well that was something at least. Although now Nyl wished she had made the girl walk ahead as well to keep an eye on both of them. However quiet and broken she may seem, those types were sometimes the ones you had to watch out for the most. They were nearing the mill now but Nyl still kept her bow drawn. Better to be safe than dead.
They made their way across the bridge to where Gerdur and her husband, Hod, where talking. Gerdur caught sight of them first and her face lit as they approached, followed by horror as she realized the state of the two wanderers.
"Ralof? What are you doing here? What happened?"
"Gerdur," the man who Nyl now knew as Ralof threw his good arm open and hugged his sister, who readily returned the gesture. Nyl decided this would be a good time to stealthily put the arrow in her bow back into the quiver. She doubted that Gerdur would be okay to the idea that her dear brother was being threatened on his way to visit.
The two siblings and Hod were now quickly speaking in hushed whispers.
"-would explain what I saw in the valley."
"Imperial ambush was-"
Although Nyl had told Ralof she would leave him be when his sister confirmed who he was, her curiosity was piqued at all the secrecy.
"Excuse me," the frantic whispering ceased as Nyl piped up, the three seemed surprised that she was still there. "Listen, I'm all for rebellion and secrets but only when I know about them. So mind telling me what exactly is going on? Because if not, I'm sure the Imperial Legion would love to hear about an escaped Stormcloak soldier who seems to be in on some good gossip." Nyl smirked as Gerdur looked at her with fury.
"You pointy-eared bitch! You dare threaten my family!" With her hand on her axe she started to move forward to a still smirking, but slightly more guarded Nyl. Turns out she had been right; Gerdur did not take kindly to threats toward her family. Also seemed to be a bit of racist when upset, Nyl wondered if Faendal had ever caught the brunt of that.
"Gerdur please," Ralof clasped his sister shoulder. "It will get out soon enough anyway and she can be useful." He raised his eyes to Nyl.
"I will tell you wood elf only if I can ask for a request. We need help from the Jarl in Whiterun. You give him a message, and I'll tell you everything."
Of course it would be Whiterun. That would mean her decision to leave Skyrim or go back to her companions would be made for her. Despite the burning curiosity at Ralof's secrecy, it wasn't worth it.
"Sorry can't help you, have fun with your treachery towards the Empire." Nyl gave Ralof a mocking salute and started to walk away.
"Elf! You don't understand, lives hang in the balance here. There is a great evil that has come back to Skyrim. We need someone to warn the Jarl."
Nyl didn't even bother to answer; the man was probably half-insane anyway. No doubt the dire message to the Jarl was nothing more than a lunatic's ramblings.
"I'll go."
Nyl turned at the new, wavering voice that rang out. The girl had finally spoken and she wore a determined look on her face.
"This Jarl needs to know what happened today. I'll go."
Nyl almost had to stifle a laugh, this little slip of a girl thinking she could make almost a day's journey where there were bandits, wolves, and all other forms of dangerous ilk roaming about. Her humor evaporated when Ralof nodded his thanks.
"If you need anything Kira, let me, Gerdur, or Hod know. We'll get you any supplies, within reason."
"Hey!" Nyl was stunned. "You're just going to let a girl who can hardly stand upright deliver this message that you say Skyrim depends on. Are you mad or just an idiot?"
Ralof looked indignant at her accusation. "Kira is capable of more than you know elf. She saved my life more than once in the short time I've known her."
"First, the name is Nyl, not elf. Color me surprised that the Stormcloak never asked. Second, even if she can take care of herself, she's a young girl who I'm sure never had any training on how to make a journey like she volunteered for. Kira, please correct me if I'm wrong." Kira simply stayed silent.
"I'm going to take that as a no so I'm going to repeat my question, are you mad or just an idiot?"
"Well elf," he growled, still refusing to call her by her name, "if you're so concerned about her well-being, why don't you go with her."
Nyl wanted to throttle the man and feed him bit-by-bit, starting at the most tender bit, to a mudcrab. Although what she wanted to do was walk away Nyl couldn't help but make comparisons about the fragile, lost girl to a younger version of herself.
Damn them all to Oblivion.
"It's sad when a complete stranger has to chip in because someone's so called friends won't even watch her back." No response from the Stormcloak on that one, probably too scared about Imperials catching him on the road.
Nyl sighed, looks like her decision was being made for her after all. "Fine, but you're paying for the supplies and we're staying the night so Kira can rest. She looks like she's about to fall over. Now what's this message that is so important for the Jarl to hear?"
Kira shuddered at some unseen memory at Nyl's question. Ralof looked at her gravely before answering.
"Dragons have returned to Skyrim."
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This was a much, much longer chapter than usual but I felt like Nyl hasn't gotten a lot of story time. Hope you enjoyed reading and, as always, constructive criticism is always welcome. Seriously, any little complaint makes me a better writer so lay it on me. Thanks again for reading!