Morning came early the next day. Too early. Jerien had to force her eyes to open and then quickly shut them due to it causing a headache to instantly tear across her skull. She tried to pull the covers over her head but they were stuck under a heavy figure lying in the bed next to her. She tugged harder and the figure grunted. After a few minutes more of fighting with the fabric, she was able to free enough to cover her nakedness. The figure rolled over and smiled at her. It was the Jarls giant bodyguard.
"Mmmm … Good morning Dragonborn." He was smiling from ear to ear.
"Morning … uh…." Jerien realized she couldn't remember his name. She also couldn't remember even meeting him last night. Or actually, anything that happened after her seventh ale.
"Gorm." He said. "Even though you kept calling me Grom all night." His laugh was deep and low like thunder, and Jerien remembered why she invited him into her room last night.
"Oh, I'm sorry Gorm. I … uh, I might have celebrated a little … a little too much last night." A red face Jerien said.
He laughed again, "That's ok. You can call me whatever you'd like Dragonborn." He reached over and caressed her cheek with his huge hand. "And you are more than welcome to call on me whenever you'd like. I know you have an important quest to finish for the Greybeards, but, once that's completed … I hope that you will visit Morthal, and me, again." Gorm rose out of the bed and began to put on his dark leather armor. Jerien realized that her first impression of him was correct. Even naked, she wouldn't have been able to wrap her arms around him. He turned and caught her watching him dress and her blush deepened. She pulled the sheet over her head. "Bashful now are we?" He asked. He laughed again as he opened the door and left.
By midday, Jerien was finally able to rouse herself and dress, her headache finally subsiding to a dull roar. The inn was fairly busy for an afternoon. News of the dragon attack was spreading and people were coming from nearby settlements to see the creatures' remains. She could see Erik over in the far corner of the inn. He had several young men and women gathered around him and he appeared to be retelling the previous night's events. He definitely seemed to be enjoying his new found fame. Jerien quietly made her way over to the innkeeper and ordered a meal of two salmon steaks, a baked potato, bread with butter and a sweetroll for dessert. After she'd finished, and was contemplating ordering the entire meal over again, Erik had made his way over and sat down beside her.
"How was your night?" He asked with a huge grin on his face.
Jerien had been preparing for this kind of questioning and was able to keep the blood from rushing to her face. "Best night I've had in quite a while. How was yours?" She could faintly remember the petite Nord girl that had given Eric the healing potions being here in the tavern last night. She recalled him finally getting up the nerve to go and speak with her and then her memory went fuzzy.
Now it was his turn to blush. "It was pleasant. Jorla and I talked almost until dawn. We have a lot in common. She has lived here all her life and has never ventured out either. She comes from a long line of alchemists but she has no interest in it anymore. She's their only child though and she feels pressured to continue the family business. I told her that I too had been expected to run my fathers' inn, but that I had chosen a different life for myself. I tried to convince her that she can do the same, but I'm not sure I got through to her."
"Does she want to become an adventurer too?" Jerien teased him.
"No, she's not quite sure what she wants yet, but she said that mixing potions doesn't fascinate her like it used to. I suggested to her that she needs to break out on her own and find that passion again, but couldn't persuade her." He shrugged his shoulders and sighed.
"Erik, not everyone needs to run away from their family. Some might just be confused at the moment." Jerien said as she ordered a bottle of mead. She figured that the hair of the dog might help her headache.
"Is that what you think I did? Run away?" He puffed his chest up and gave her a hard look.
"No, of course not, that's not what I meant. It's just that, I'm guessing that a lot of people question the path that is in front of them. It doesn't mean that they should break all ties with their family and…."
"So you're saying that I should've just stayed home, is that it?" Erik's face was turning a brighter red, but it wasn't from blushing now. "That I should go back to being Erik the hoe pusher?"
"That's not what I'm saying Erik. Where is this coming from?" She looked at her companion; she had never seen him so mad.
"Because everyone wanted to hear from you last night! The Great Dragonborn!" He slammed his fist down on the bar. "I'M the one that killed it! It was my sword that did the most damage and I took its life. Me!"
Jerien realized that though he had the potential to be a mighty warrior, she was reminded that he was still that young man that stomped his foot and put his hands on his hips when told no by his father. "I didn't realize that you were fighting it all by yourself, or did you forget that there were others putting their life at risk too? Do you even remember the guards that were frozen solid? Or how about the poor man that was picked up and thrown over the town by the beast?" She looked him straight in the eye as he deflated. "I met with their widows last night. I tried my best to comfort them because they didn't really feel like celebrating. So yes, Eric, you dealt the killing blow, but you were only able to do so because everyone else was there fighting, giving their all in order to save their town." The Nord female let her words sink in before she added, "Think about that before you go and expect them to build a statue in your honor." She picked up her mead and left him sitting alone at the counter.
She sat in her room for over an hour cleaning her armor before she heard a soft knock. When she opened the door, a much subdued and quieter Erik asked to come in. She stepped back as he walked over to the table and two chairs that were squeezed up against the far wall. He placed a jug of alto wine and two tankards on the table and sat down. Jerien took the hint and sat in the opposite chair.
"I spoke with the town's guards." He said as he poured them each a healthy amount. "I set up a plan with the innkeeper so that Dominic and Ralm's widows will be given food for the next two months. Marco's wife is a month away from delivering their first … well, only, child and I have made preparations to help with that since she won't be able to work for a while after the baby comes." He sipped his wine and stared at the candle that was burning in a metal bowl on the little table.
"That's a very kind gesture Erik. I'm sure it will be greatly appreciated." Jerien wiped the condensation from the side of her cup. "I apologize for being so harsh with you earlier. It was a great victory and you fought with a zeal that I've never seen. It's just..." Jerien searched for the right words. "If you want to go off and be a famous adventurer, so be it. If you want the bards to write epic ballads in your honor so people will remember you, I wish you much luck. But I will not stand idly by while you throw a fit like a petulant child and demand to be given the key to the city."
"That's easy for you so say. Songs are already being written about you, you're the…"
Jerien held up her hand. "I know who I am. But I also know that I'm not immortal. Or infallible. And I know that even I need help sometimes. You have been a valued companion and, dare I say friend, on my journey so far. But I can guarantee that the record of you slaying the dragon will be forgotten sooner than your kindness to Morthals' people. I know that you will return to this village and visit its people again. And they will remember Erik the dragon slayer, but they will come to respect Erik the kind hearted."
The Nord man sat there and emptied his cup. He nodded and poured the last of the bottle, refilling both their tankards. He sighed. "I think I understand. I do want so badly to be a great hero. To have my name fill bandits and outlaws with terror. But I see what you mean." He raised his cup and smiled. "Tales of arrogant champions don't have a very good ring to them do they?"
"No." Jerien clinked her cup against Erik's and they finished the wine.
"Ready for another?" He asked as he stood and picked up the empty bottle.
"Ok, but only one more. We should be off bright and early tomorrow. I don't know how long my 'friend' has been waiting at Riverwood for me." She opened the door and led the way to the bar.
"Uh, you can cover this, right? Philanthropy may have filled my heart, but it emptied my pockets." Erik said apologetically as he sat down.
Jerien laughed quietly and put her hand on her companions shoulder as she settled into the seat beside him. "I believe I have enough for another bottle and some dinner. Don't worry, I'm sure there will be more escapades that will fill your coin purse back up soon enough."
Their conversation was lighthearted as they ate their dinner of vegetable stew and bread. Various residents came over and spoke with Jerien, thanking her again for saving their town. She noticed that several more came over to Erik and shook his hand for his part and to let him know that several other guards and townspeople have added to his donation for the widows, almost doubling his original amount. Jerien began to see a different look to her friend. It was obvious that he enjoyed the accolades from defeating the dragon, but she started to see some humbleness when someone thanked him for his generosity.