There was something utterly disrespectful about creeping through the halls of Saarthal like a thief in the night. Aya had her bow drawn and an arrow knocked, her sneaking improving ever so slowly.
She had never been inside a Nordic tomb, her grandmother had been adamant that she never enter one under threat of unimaginable horrors. Aya swallowed nervously as she rounded another deep, dark corner.
Please...please… No Draugr… she could handle skeevers, frostbite spiders, and bears… she had never seen Draugr and never wanted to. She visualized Ancano walking behind her, watching her back. Fuck! She jumped startled as a flame danced shadows along a wall, spooking her. Gods be damned! She could face down a full grown sabrecat without flinching but shadows had her jumping like a skittish foal.
Aya rolled her shoulders and inhaled a deep breath. She was acting ridi— something clamped down on her ankle.
"Aaaaaaarghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" She howled at the top of her lungs, alerting everything in Saarthal of her presence. Her muscles tensed and she had girdled herself for potential death, her eyes clenched closed, her teeth gritted. She held her breath and it dawned on her slowly that she wasn't going to die. She finally glanced down and gasped as she dropped to her knees.
It was Estormo! The Thalmor robes were unmistakable. He was laid out on his front, a trail of blood was clearly visible at his feet, he'd dragged himself this far unaided. Her eyes widened as she rolled him to his back. Half his face was swollen, his nose was broken with dried, crusted blood all over his mouth and chin. His eyes were closed, and she could just make out the shifting of his chest.
"Oh no!" Her hands shook as she undid the buttons of his Thalmor robes expertly and flung them open. She felt the blood drain from her face. He was sliced all to shit… the trembling did not abate as she unleashed her Restoration magic into his mangled body. He arched beneath her hands and screamed. The bleeding was staunched, his wounds were closing slowly.
She grabbed a mana potion from her pack and downed it quickly as soon as she felt her mana reach a critical low. Fuck… some of his bones were broken… fuck fuck fuck fuck ! She didn't think she'd brought enough potions to do a full body heal. A film of sweat covered her body as she stopped just short of empty. She was panting heavily. It took four mana potions to mend him completely.
A stamina potion (the only one she'd brought) helped with dragging him out of Saarthal. She found a small cave in the ice, not far from Saarthal and deposited the unconscious mer on the ground, inside. She built a fire and barely managed to unroll her bedroll before she practically collapsed on it, exhaustion finally taking over.
She awoke a couple hours later in the exact same place as before. She blinked and continued to arrange her bedroll next to the fire. Aya grunted as she moved the mer to her sleeping bag. Her wolf pelts came out next and she arranged them on the other side of the fire. She needed sleep…
Aya had a nightmare. She did not remember what it was she had dreamt about, but it had scared her. Horribly. Her adrenaline was pumping, her body was cold sweating. She had sat up and gasped loudly as she fought tears. And made eye contact with steady green eyes over the fire.
Estormo was awake, sitting on her bedroll on the other side of the fire, staring at her. Her eyes widened and then she smiled in relief. "You're alive!" She wasn't scared of him… she had saved his life… he wouldn't kill her…
His eyes narrowed as he focused on her, she swallowed (He wasn't scary. He wasn't scary. He wasn't scary). He was silent for a long time before he finally parted his lips and spoke. "I am," he nodded towards her, "I owe you my thanks." His eyes flicked down to the fire before coming back to her face.
She beamed at him (not scary at all…) and stretched before she got to her feet and made her way towards him cautiously. "Do you mind if i look you over?"
Estormo stood to his feet in front of her and held his arms away from his body. She smiled at him and without asking reached out towards him, her magic at the ready. She gave him a heal over before she stepped away from him and returned to her pelts and pack on the other side of the fire. It hadn't occurred to her that his restoration magic was much better than hers.
She was rummaging for some dried meat and cheese when Estormo came to stand over her. His green eyes were narrowed.
"What were you doing in Saarthal?" His voice was deceptively quiet. She raised her head to look up at him and blinked.
"Huh?" She was confused. What did her being in Saarthal matter?
"Did Ancano send you?" He asked. Ancano's name made her blush beneath Estormo's piercing gaze. Fuck ! Why would he say that?!
"Why would that elf send me anywhere?" She guffawed after a long silence, "we're not friends." She hoped she sounded convincing.
He accepted the food she handed him, his stare never wavered. "I know," he finally murmured. There was a heavy silence that followed his words.
She was chewing on a piece of venison slowly. She could feel the blood draining from her face. He was bluffing. He knew nothing . They had been too careful, he was chasing her because she had thrown a snowball at his head. That was it. He probably hated Ancano, or wanted his position. Who knew with the Thalmor anyways…
"You know what?" She asked, genuinely curious to what he was going to say. He was bluffing.
"That you are Ancano's lover," he said simply. She blushed and forced herself to laugh out loud as she mocked their relationship. It hurt, but their lives mattered more.
"That's a good one," she smiled at him, her eyes crinkled at the corners, as she looked at him as though he were a child, "A Thalmor would never debase himself with a lowly Nord hunter."
His eyes remained on her face before he blushed and looked away from her. "You haven't spoken to Ancano…" he murmured suddenly, running a hand over his face. Her stomach clenched uncomfortably. Yes… she had spoken to Ancano… just before she had left… he'd been silent the entire time…
"Who attacked you?" She tried to change the subject, she didn't want to discuss Ancano with Estormo, "Was it the Dragonborn?"
His green eyes narrowed and he was silent for a moment before he nodded. "Big Nord, heavy armour?"
"Iron?" She supplied. He nodded.
"Yes."
"The Last Dragonborn," she sighed heavily, "I led him to Saarthal…"
Estormo's eyes widened momentarily before he schooled his features and peered at her intently. "He was the reason you were here then?"
"Actually I came back to make sure you were all right," she muttered, "I forgot you lived in there."
"I don't live there," he looked down his nose at her. She giggled at his face expression.
"I know, I was making a jest…" she trailed off lamely and then shook her head as she slowly got to her feet, "I'll head back to the College…" her eyes moved over the Thalmor's facial features. She'd almost told him she would speak to Ancano but she'd clamped her teeth shut on her tongue. He was bluffing.
"I will come with you," he also stood to his feet. She blinked at him. What…
"But… Saarthal…?" She frowned at him, a little uncomfortable traveling with Estormo.
"I must report to Ancano."
She bit her lower lip and nodded. "All right then…" she swallowed nervously and started packing her things. She didn't want to imagine Ancano's face when he found out she'd been escorted back to the College by Estormo, not to mention he'd almost been killed because she had brought the Dragonborn to Saarthal. She winced inwardly, Ancano would have some choice words for her, she could already feel him seething.
Gods be damned why couldn't she fucking stay away from the College for more than a day? Was she seriously asking for too much?
"How would you know I am always stationed at Saarthal? And why would you come back for me, Nord?" She stiffened as his question broke the uncomfortable silence. She tensed and turned to glance over her shoulder.
"I took a chance you were in there," she blushed. Why was he insisting on this?
"To rescue a Thalmor?"
"Where are you going with this?" She sighed exasperatedly.
"You've no reasons to care for my survival," he explained, "Except where Ancano was concerned."
"We're not lovers," Aya deadpanned and rolled her eyes at him, "I think the Dragonborn has addled your thoughts."
"It was me," he finally spoke quietly. She frowned at him. What…? "You ordered me to rune the door…" he trailed off, his face darkened and she felt her mouth drop open in absolute shock as he stared at her. "And you told me that you were going to kneel on the floor…" he licked his lips and her stomach clenched tightly… No…
"Stop!" She hissed, her eyes wide and terrified, "Please stop!" She repeated urgently, raising her hands towards him as though she had the power to silence him.
Oh my gods… she was staring at him horrified, the colour leeched completely from her face. She was going to be sick…
She'd fucked Estormo…
No...
