As soon as Ysolda is fully informed of the listeners wounds she turns and leads me toward one of the shops. Following I realize how small this city is compared to others. We quickly reach the store, which Ysolda enters without any hesitation. As I walk in the sound of humming reaches my ears, and the smell of plants overcomes me.
The herbalist raises her head when her front door is opened, no surprise her store is one of the less visited. When she sees me she tenses, but visibly relaxes when she notices Ysolda. "Greetings friends, how may I help you?" After she's done greeting us I gently push Ysolda aside and take the lead. "What can I do for you?" As I approach she straightens and pushes a piece of paper aside. I make sure she doesn't see my face or hands.
"I'm assuming you know who the Dovahkiin is. From what Ysolda told me you have quite a way with wounds. And she told me the Dovahkiin and you have at least a semi-close relationship. She and I went on a hunting trip, during which a diseased wolf managed to maul her face, shoulder, and thigh. Her eye suffered minimal damage, mostly just a few scratches. Her shoulder will manage, although a few salves and herbs will assist greatly. The main problem is her thigh, it's no longer bleeding however the area around it's taunt, purple, and a rather disgusting puss is coming out."
At the mention of the Listener her eyes brightened to attention and about halfway through my speech she began writing on another piece of paper. After my speech she remains silent, however she begins moving around and gathering supplies. She spends a few minutes at the alchemy table and another few getting new supplies.
She places around twenty five small tin cans in a box and tightly seals it. "From the sound of it the infection has just started, but untreated it's a very serious threat. Have her rub a full tin in the wound and around the area each day. Not all at once but gradually over the period of the day. Keep the fur around the wound clean and trimmed. Here." She places the box into my arms, "On the house.".
"Are you sure?" I silently pray she says yes. "Of course, it's a small fortune and if she didn't use this on her wound she'd be dead by the end of the month." With a quick thank you I rush out of the store. As I near the gate I slow and wait for a pursuing Ysolda.
"I can't go all the way out there with you, but if for some reason you two need any sort of assistance you know where to find me." And with that she turns and trots away. I grasp the box harder and think of how lucky I am I know have one more ally. I set out and pray I get back before the Listener awakens.
As I slide into the den I sigh with relief when I see my friend fast asleep. I quickly unbind her face and gently apply a thin layer of herbal cream I'd made a few days earlier. I repeat the process with her shoulder, however I leave the wounds unbound to get air. I unbind her thigh wound, considering it hasn't changed I simply leave it alone and decided to start treating it when she's awake. After getting rid of her dirty cloths I crawl in bed beside her and prepare for sleep.
Knowing how cold it's going to get I wrap my arms around her and think about getting more pelts. As the night cools and darkness falls I snuggle closer and think of tonight. I can't help but wonder if the Listener would approve of this, or if she would want more space. When I first took her to the abandoned shack I was aware she preferred the fairer sex, it was a naked Aelas arms I had to pry her from.
And after she joined the family it was clear to most of the sanctuary she was a rising star and murdered in the name of Sithis. She followed orders better than anyone else, if anything more like a dog. However most of my fellow family members seemed to change their opinion later, I remember once Nazir told Babette that the Listener killed in my name and not in the name of Sithis.
At the time I'd brushed it off unconcerned, but it became apparent to me later that what he said was true. I'd simply hoped her puppy crush would fade with time, it soon became apparent it was doing the opposite. A few young murderers have convinced themselves they were in love with me, but never to her extent. It's only recently I discovered something.
Everyone of those murderers had gotten over me after a few contracts. However the listener never faltered, and she even felt so strongly about me she went to such lengths as to bring me back from the void. No, not only did she do that. By bringing me back she defied the Night Mother, no Sithis himself. And I remember she told me about how she continued to respect me. Oh, what our family members would think of us.
My thoughts are then turned towards my dearly departed family. The pain it causes me to think of them is almost physical. My mind lingers on Arnbjorn, a thousand thoughts come to mind. After the Listener brought me back I swore I'd never love another. It's only after seeing the Listener use mead as I crutch I realized it was to late.
I remember when I abducted the Listener I'd been disappointed when I'd discovered a small shrine to Hircine in her bedroom, while worshiping Hircine didn't mean she had beast blood it was almost a given. I recall when Arnjorn first got it he didn't change a bit. And suddenly one day I awoke to fine the man I loved replaced by a drooling dog in human form. Always having him go on about meat and hunting got old after a few years. Or minutes.
I suddenly realize what it must have been like for the Listener after she married Aela. Only unlike Arnbjorn and I they went through countless trials before they wed. My active mind had successfully managed to tangle itself up. Thoughts of Arnbjorn and the Listener always manage to knot together.
Opening my eyes I see it's pitch black, it must be around midnight. I manage to make out the outline of my friends face. With her face in mind I make a silent vow. The past should stay on the past, and I shouldn't allow the dead to interfere with my relationships with the living. And with that I press my face into the Listeners neck and fall asleep.
I open my eyes to see my friends eyes starring back. I bite my tongue to keep from screaming in surprise. I suddenly realize her eyes are glassy and her breathing is even, sure enough she's fast asleep with her eyes open. Covering her eyes I get up and make my way over to the cooking spit. I slowly prepare two meals of venison, horker stew, and as a treat Elsweyr Fondue. As I place the fondue beside the plates I can't help but think that it must have been my friend who packed the Moon Sugar.
As I finish putting two jugs of milk out I hear my companion stir. Turning towards her I pick up her meal and rush over. Before she can get up I gently grab her upper body and prop her up against a rock. Mumbling her thanks she looks down at her meal. Her ears straighten and eyes brighten when she sees the fondue. As she wolfs down her venison, stew, and milk I tell her, "I ran to Whiterun and got some supplies, we're suppose to rub a can of this," I show her the tin. "on your thigh each day over a period of time."
She considers this for a moment before saying, "Okay. Wait, you went and got all of those tins in one night?" Ah what I feared most happened. "Well, no. You blacked out and I've been gone for a few days." Thankfully she leaves the matter. "Anything else?" "You should keep your fur clean."
She grunts and turns her attention to the Elsweyr Fondue, unlike the other foods she seems to restrain herself and attempt to enjoy the food. I'd only had Elsweyr cuisine once and that was enough for me. Eating it was like trying to chew an entire block of sugar, not to mention I couldn't get around the fact it had Moon Sugar in it.
As she places the bowl away I open the tin and pass it to her. She gingerly dabs her finger into it and begins moving her legs apart to reach her wound. At once I grab her empty bowl and turn away, no need to creep her out by starring at her. I hear the tin click against stone and turn around, my companion is now laying against the rock with her eyes closed.
I crawl over to her and put my hand on her shoulder. She mumbles and opens her eyes. "Can you do me a favor?" At once I nod and she continues "Keep this," She hands me a small silver ring."safe". And with that she drags her bow over to her and begins polishing it. I can't help but examine the ring. It looks like plain silver, although a carved wolf head protrudes from it. I don't need to ask to know this is a Daedric artifact, although the last time I saw it was when I was reading up on werewolves when Arnbjorn became one. I pocket the ring as I pull my own bow over to me.
The day ends up being a total waste, all we do is sit around and polish our weapons or play children games. Slowly the Listener applies the cream to her thigh and eats more food to make up for the days of not eating. I polish the weapons and manage to shoot a rabbit that wanders to close to our den. It's only until night falls anything interesting happens. As I snuggle into our makeshift bed I wrap my arms around the Listener. After I'm sure she's asleep I quietly whisper, "I think I love you..." And as I drift into sleep I swear I hear "I know I love you.." It's only as my dreams take over I pray it wasn't a tired hallucination.