Disclaimer: Bethesda belongs to Skyrim, and Capcom belongs to Dragon's Dogma.

Note:

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Chapter 8: A Fair Exchange

The tantalizing scent of supper cooking over the fire made their mouths water. Gerdur stirred calmly, as if unaware of how greedily the guests eyed the stew.

"You folks are in luck." Ralof smiled to his friends. "There's nothing more satisfying than enjoying a delicious bowl of hot pot stew, and some nord mead after a long day."

"Shut up." Kriger grumbled. "You're making me even more hungry." His arms were wrapped tightly around his rumbling stomach. "I'll starve at this rate." He half joked.

"Calm down no one's starving." Said Gerdur. She placed a large plate on the table. "This should tide you over until the stew is done." Their hands shot to the plate eager to fill their empty bellies. "Goodness. You really were hungry." She said, amazement in her voice as she watched them scarf down the loaves of bread. "When was the last time you ate?"

Kriger brushed off the crumbs from the beard he was beginning to grow. "Sorry, I've had a pretty rough week."

Ralof gave him a slap on the back. "I hear you brother!" He took a swig from one of the thin orange bottles that Silva guessed was alcohol. "Times are hard enough without imperials, and dragon's making things worse."

"A dragon?!" Frodnar jumped up in excitement. "Did you really see a dragon?! How big was it?! What did it look like?!" His eyes lit up as if a fire danced behind them. "That's so cool! I want to see a dragon!"

Images of ruined buildings, burnt bodies, and a terrifying beast flashed through the minds of the Helgen survivors. Ralof paled in worry for his sister, and her family. Kriger sadly remembered the screams of the boy who watched his father burn in front of his eyes. Silva held a hand over her chest with a darkened look, and Arliss gave her a worried glance. The looks on their faces didn't escape the boy's parents.

"Frodnar!" Gerdur scolded. "Why would you wish such a thing?!"

Hod laughed nervously. "Where does he get these crazy ideas?" His attempt to lighten the mood was unsuccessful, luckily Ralof intervened.

"It's alright Gerdur." He soothed. "He's only a boy. It's natural for him to be curious." He turned to Frodnar, who was shaken by his mother's sudden outburst, and ruffled his hair. "Hey scout, i'll tell you all about it okay?" He said in a faux excited tone. Frodnar just nodded, still worried about his mother.

The wait for supper passed like a breeze. Ralof told of their story in Helgen as if it was a sweeping epic. He kept it going even during dinner, and had everyone on the edge of their seat. He even told of his days in the Rebellion, and what it was like to fight alongside Ulfric Stormcloak.

Silvana listened intently to the stories he told. Any information she could glean on this world would be useful to her, even if they were exaggerated tales. Which she assumed they were considering his exaggeration of their escape from Helgen. Not to mention the effect the mead had on him, and the amount he was drinking. She especially found it hard to believe that Ulfric shouted a man apart. Unfortunately she made her skepticism clear. "For true?" She asked. "Tis hard to believe a shout could truly tear a man asunder."

"It's true!" Ralof slammed his fist on the table. "I've seen it with my own eyes! Ulfric has the power to shout apart his enemies with the power of the voice!" He was clearly insulted that she would dare claim his words to be lies.

"Haven't you heard?!" Hod was astounded to find someone who was unaware of the tale. "He challenged High King Torygg to a match for the throne, and shouted him apart!"

"He learned the way of the voice from the Graybeards. It's a power that any true nord can learn." Said Gerdur.

"Yeah!" Frodnar joined. "It's also the power of the Dragonborn from the legends!" He nodded. "Everyone knows that."

Arliss looked around the table confused at the situation. 'How did it come to this?' He wondered. Lost as he was he simply partook in another spoonful, and turned to the Arisen to see what she would do.

Silva stared at the nords speechless. She didn't expect that they would be so upset with just that amount of scrutiny. Inwardly she sighed, regretting that she ever voiced her thoughts.

Before things could escalate further Kriger stepped in to smooth things over. "Give her a break. She's not a nord, and she's never even heard of Tamriel before." He said. "How do you expect her to know these things?" The others who were so indignant before instantly calmed down. Silva gave him a grateful look.

Ralof scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry about that lass." He said. "In the heat of the moment I forgot how new you are to Skyrim."

She just gave him a smile, glad that things have calmed down. "Tis quite all right." She said. "Since we are unfamiliar with these lands I hope you will teach us more about this place."

Frodnar was quick to answer, speaking up before anyone else could. "Of course since you're new around here I'll help you out." He puffed his chest in pride. "You can ask me anything on one condition."

The Arisen tilted her head at that. "Oh?" She asked. "What's the condition?"

"In return you have to tell us about the place you come from!" He slammed his hands on the table in excitement. The action caused bowls and tankards to rattle, earning him a stern look from his mother; he either ignored her or didn't notice. "It's what you'd call a fair trade! Right Papa?" He turned to his father who gave him a proud nod.

Silva let out a soft chuckle. "Sure." She gave a soft smile. "We'll exchange information."

This answer seemed to please the boy, and he practically jumped onto his seat and leaned forward over the table. "It's a deal!" He stretched out his hand, and the two shook. "Now that we shook on it you can't go back on your word."

"Of course." Silva couldn't help smiling. This boy's curious, and energetic nature reminded her of Lewes who was like a younger brother to her back in Cassardis. 'He must get into a lot of trouble as well.' She mused.

"I'll go first, okay?" He asked, but it felt more like a statement than a question. "You're foreigners from some unknown place right? Where are you from?"

"Arliss, and I hail from a land called Gransys." Arliss nodded as she went on. "My hometown was a fishing village along it's shore named Cassardis."

Kriger listened intently. He had to find out more about the two strangers. He had suspicions that wouldn't leave his mind, and he needed answers. The last time didn't give him nearly enough information to ease his mind. 'Maybe this time.' He hoped.

"Gransys? Cassardis?" Hod thought aloud. "Never heard of em'."

"I've never heard of them either." Said Gerdur. "You must be a long way from home." She offered a sympathetic look which went unnoticed by the Arisen; who's mind slowly began to drift away.

"Yes, tis very far away." Silva nodded. "I've never heard of these lands afore now. Tamriel, and Skyrim are names that are strange to my tongue." She looked down at her bowl, but she saw not it's contents. Her lidded eyes seemed to be gazing into a distance that was not there. "I know not where I am, nor do I know how to return. If it even be possible." Unlike her previous emotional display there were no tears to betray her, even so her words and demeanor told them that she was indeed very far from home, and that return would be difficult if not impossible.

Kriger knew that there was more to it than that, but his knowledge was limited. The number of questions he had grew, and he was beginning to feel frustrated by the lack of any answers. He had the urge to get up and start demanding that they tell him everything, but he knew that wouldn't go over well. It wasn't that he didn't feel pity for the stranger's predicament. In truth he wanted to trust them, but his suspicions would not allow him to lower his guard. He couldn't help thinking that their arrival, and that of the dragon attack were too close to be mere coincidence. For now though he would have to bide his time and wait for a good opportunity to confront the strangers, for them to slip a clue, or to reveal the truth. He sighed wondering how long he'd have to wait, or how long he could restrain himself.

The others at the table were unaware of the thoughts what plagued the Arisen's mind, but Arliss knew more than most. His gaze lingered sadly upon her; observing the familiar expression she wore. His mouth opened briefly before he stopped himself. His lips tightened, and he turned away, lowering his gaze to the floor. He found he had naught the words to say.

There was a heavy moment drawn by silence, until Hod coughed into his fist breaking the Arisen from her stupor, and everyone else from their thoughts. "Sorry to hear that lass." He said awkwardly.

The others were quick to offer their condolences, much to the Arisen's chagrin. "My thanks for the support, but tis' fine." She gave an apologetic smile. "Forgive me, I had no intention of souring the mood with my petty troubles." She picked up her spoon, and continued eating the stew. What tasted like savory goodness a few minutes ago now seemed tasteless on her tongue; which was now numb from the heavy air.

Kriger narrowed his eyes. 'Petty?' It didn't seem right to him that such a thing should be taken so lightly. It certainly didn't help that he lacked the details as to why the strangers couldn't return. The worst possible scenarios played in his mind, and the Arisen's nonchalant bearing seemed much too calm for his liking.

"Petty? What do you mean by that Lass?" Ralof asked in shock, and confusion. "Don't you miss them sandy beaches of Cassardis?" He looked at her, his deep blue eyes glossed over in sympathy. "You seemed pretty upset about it earlier. Did something happen?"

She had to force herself to tear her gaze away from those clear eyes of his. The warmth they held made her want to trust them; to confide the truth to them, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Listening to the words of those around her she had become aware that in this world dragons were something that many people believed to be mere legends until only a short time ago. The timing of her arrival and that of the dragon's attack were too close to be brushed aside, and the implications alone could be disastrous. The sting of betrayal would be too painful, and too dangerous to risk. "Naught I wish to talk about." She answered tersely. The once savory stew had quickly gone from tasteless to bitter as her heavy heart threatened to pound out of her chest.

Ralof let out a downtrodden sigh. "All right, if that's what you want." He began sifting his spoon around his bowl, churning the soup to and fro, but not eating, after a moment he spoke again. "I know it's not my business, and I won't force you to tell me what happened, but-" He paused. "I want you to know that I'll always be there for a friend." He offered another gentle smile, which the Arisen didn't return.

"Thanks." She said. "Mayhaps one day." Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Frodnar looking down. The boy was awfully quiet, not at all like the boisterous youngster he was before. She immediately felt guilty for ruining the lively atmosphere. She ruffled his hair, and gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I was meant to tell you aught was I not?" She brought up a hand as she began to think aloud. "What would interest a young minnow like you, I wonder?"

The boy pulled away from her touch, and for a moment his brows raised in confusion at the odd words she used. "That's okay." He said. "You can tell me some other time."

"Oh?" For a moment the Arisen wondered if his reaction was because she had upset him, or if he was trying to be thoughtful. She hoped it was the latter, but before she could say anything the boy beamed and practically jumped out of his seat.

"Hey!!" The sudden increase of volume caused everyone to wince. "You must still have tons of questions being new here and all! We can answer them for you!" He crossed his arms and puffed out his chest. "Of course the deal is still on, so you'll owe a tale for every answer you get." There were several nods of agreement.

Silva smiled. "Certainly, though I must warn you there is much I wish to ask."

"That's fine by me." Said Frodnar. "Because I want to hear a lot too."

Silva let out a soft chuckle, glad to have the air lighten up again. "Then-" Pausing; she pursed her lip a moment as she thought. She had many questions but she decided it would be best to focus on gathering essential information rather than waste time on trivial things. Weighing the thoughts on an invisible scale she finally decided on her words. "Would you tell me aught of this land's currency?"

Frodnar furrowed his brow in confusion. "What?" He asked.

"Currency is another word for money." Gerdur explained to her son.

"Oh." He said quietly before adding on indignantly. "I already knew that."

"What about it?" Kriger asked curiously, wondering where the question was headed.

"Tis' just that ere I had found some gold, and it appears to be of imperial make." Silva began. "It may seem foolish a question, but I understand that you are in the midst of war."

Kriger nodded beginning to see her logic. "So you want to know if the Stormcloaks have a separate currency, and if it would be safe to use either in areas controlled by Stormcloaks or Imperials?"

"That's the gist of it, yes." Said Silva.

"Well, we Stormcloaks don't have a currency of our own." Said Ralof. Silva was relieved to hear that. It meant things would be much easier. He continued. "At least not yet, but that's not a bad idea." He rubbed his beard thoughtfully before a grin stretched out on his face. "Once this war's over then we'll melt down them Imperial coins into a new currency. It'll have Talos on it, and instead of Tiber Septim it'll have Ulfric's face."

Hod laughed heartily. "I imagine that would piss off a lot of thalmor and imperials."

Gerdur frowned. "If the thalmor caught wind of that it would be dangerous." Her words quieted down her husband's laughter to a halt. "They would drag away any that carried such coins the same way they would any that wore an amulet of Talos."

"The thalmor-" Arliss paused. "Were they those golden skinned, people with the pointed ears?" He asked. "Why would they do that?"

Silva was a bit surprised when he joined in the conversation. He had been so unusually quiet this whole time she almost forgot he was there. She worried for him, wondering why he had been so quiet. She hoped he wasn't forcing himself to hold back to appear normal. Feeling a bit guilty, but not wanting to draw attention she decided to talk to him later. As for his question; it turned out to be a very good one. It lead them to learn a bit of the politics of Skyrim. Specifically of the civil war that now plagued the land, as well as a brief explanation of the white-gold concordat.

"So, the signing of a peace treaty is what lead to the current war?" Arliss asked. "Intriguing." He quietly mused to himself.

"It was more than a simple peace treaty." Said Ralof angrily. "It was the empire selling out the belief of nords to the thalmor."

"I see." Said Silva. "Thanks for telling us this." A satisfied smile had formed on her lips, she had gained a lot of useful seeming information. At the very least it would be enough to keep them from looking completely ignorant, although there was still much to learn.

"It must be very late now." Said Gerdur, realising how long they had spent talking. Dinner had ended awhile ago, and what little was left had already gone cold. "It's about time everyone prepared for bed." She looked at her son who frowned at her words and crossed his arms grumpily. "And we should decide the sleeping arrangements." She sighed turning to their guests. "I hate to say it, but I'm afraid we don't have enough room for everyone to stay here."

Ralof shifted uncomfortably, his cheeks flushed red, and he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "I'm sorry for imposing so suddenly onto you, and your family like this."

Hod muttered something under his breath, which earned him a cold look from his wife before she turned back to her brother tenderly. "Don't worry about it, I've already come to a decision that should work for everyone." The others watched on curiously, hoping whatever she decided wasn't unreasonable. "Ralof you can stay here and use Frodnar's bed, and in the meantime Frodnar will sleep with us." She gestured to Hod who nodded, it seemed agreeable enough so far.

Ralof glanced at Frodnar's bed. Although the cot belonged to a child it was still large enough for him to use, most likely because it was built with the intention that the boy would grow into it. It wasn't the roomiest of beds, but it would serve it's purpose well enough. "Thanks Gerdur." Ralof smiled gratefully.

Kriger coughed into his fist, getting the other's attention. "Don't worry. I haven't forgotten about you." Said Gerdur. "I'm afraid we don't have any more beds, but I'll lend you enough money to stay the night at the inn." She pulled out her coin purse and gave the three strangers some gold. "It should cost ten septims. If it's not enough tell Delphine to put it on my tab." They quickly counted the gold, each were given exactly ten coins.

The three thanked her and were about to head out when Silva stopped. "Hold a moment." She said, turning to the generous woman. "Forgive me, I've still aught to ask. Tis' important, and twill be but brief." Realising she was imposing even more on their time she quickly added to her statement. "If it please you." She said with a humble bow.

Gerdur saw the imploring look in her eyes, and sighed. "Alright, but only briefly." She glanced at a still awake Frodnar. "I'd like for us to sleep soon." She said pointedly.

Frodnar huffed in annoyance. It wasn't fair! Not only did he not get to hear much earlier, but the foreigners only asked about complicated things that he couldn't answer. Leaving the adults to talk while he quietly sulked about the table, listening to things he couldn't completely understand. Why couldn't they ask about things he knew about so he could show how smart he was? Why couldn't they ask about more interesting things like the tale of how Talos went from man to divine by his mighty strength, or the legend of the Dragonborn? And now he would have to go to sleep soon, but he wasn't even tired! He sighed wondering what the foreign woman would ask before she left. He hoped it would be something exciting for once, but he had a feeling it would just be more boring grown up stuff.

"Tis' another question about gold I'm afraid." Said Silva. "I still have money from Gransys, and was wondering if it might be accepted here."

At this the young boy immediately perked up from his sour mood. "Money from Gransys? What does it look like? Can I see? I want to see!" He tugged on her sleeve excitedly.

Silva laughed. "Of course you may." She pulled out some coins and handed one to the boy who curiously turned it about in his hand as he admired the unique carvings which were so different from the ones he was used to seeing. She also gave a coin to the other nords who examined them closely, noting the differences and similarities between Tamriel's gold septims, and the coins of Gransys.

Kriger observed his coin closely, hoping for it to reveal something. On one side was the image of a man with a short beard, long hair, a rather serious expression, and a crown upon his head. Words were etched clearly around him. 'Honor and Glory to the Duke Edmun Dragonsbane!' He guessed that was referring to the man who's image was carved into the gold, but there was something that caught his attention. 'Dragonsbane' He rubbed his finger over the word pondering it's meaning. 'A bane of dragons?' He let out a bemused grunt before turning the coin over to see the other side. What he saw made him stop. The other side had a carving of a dragon much like a septim, but unlike a septim he guessed that this dragon wasn't meant to portray Akatosh. Unlike the benevolent divine, this dragon seemed much more malevolent. The horrid beast was depicted eating what looked like a human heart. Kriger pondered the meaning of the carving. 'Why would anyone choose this kind of image?' He wondered.

"Woah, this is cool!" Said Frodnar. "It's similar to ours, but totally different!"

"I'm glad you like it." Silva smiled at him. "You can keep it if you like."

The boy's eyes glistened brightly, and his whole face lit up even more. "Really?! You mean it?!" He asked happily in a rather loud voice.

"Certainly." She said. "You as well, if it please you." She said to the other nords. "Think of it as a token of my friendship."

"Thank you!" Frodnar said happily, already looking forward to the next time he saw Dorthe so he could show off his new foreign token. This more than made up for all the boring grown up talk that he had to sit through. His parents smiled gratefully at Silva, they were glad to see their son so happy. Kriger was also very pleased because this ensured that he wouldn't forget the details which might just help him learn something he wanted to know. He knew there likely wasn't much he could learn from a coin, but when you know nothing even the smallest most insignificant crumbs of information could offer some much needed insight.

"Thanks, it's a nice token." Said Ralof with a smile, but his smile faded away quickly. "About your question-" He paused. "Sorry, I'm afraid I don't know. I wish I could tell you."

"Is that so?" Silva said, clearly disappointed. "Tis' fine. I suppose I'll have to find out myself."

"It might be best to stick with septims." Said Hod. "While some may be fine with it, others won't." Silva nodded at him, and he continued. "You should also be careful how people perceive you. If they know how lost you are they might try to take advantage of you, and swindle you out of all you own."

Silva nodded gratefully, but was also a bit shaken hearing this. She was aware of the risks, but hearing someone say it made them feel even more real. In this world she knew next to nothing, and knew only a few people. She had no family, and the few friends she had she didn't truly trust. She was all alone, save for Arliss who was just as clueless in this world as she. Survival would depend on the sharpness of her wits, and skill, and that was all she could truly count on. She swallowed her doubts, and steeled herself. "Thank you Sir. I'll keep it in mind."

There were a few goodbyes, and a few goodnights shared before the guests finally stepped out of the warm home and into the dark, cold night. The frigid air was an unwelcome change to the once cozy warmth of the fireplace. "Tis quite cold." Arliss noted aloud. Just as he said it a gust of wind blew through them.

Silva shivered regretting that her clothes did little to protect her from the frosty air. She rubbed her exposed arms in the hope of warming them.

"Are you alright Master?" Arliss asked with great concern. "Here." Despite himself he began removing his coat, but she stopped him.

"Leave it be." She said. "I'll be fine soon as we find the inn." Arliss nodded. Turning to their nord companion she noticed that Kriger didn't even seem fazed by the cold. Unlike the two shivering strangers the only movement that could be seen from him was the steady breathing of his chest. She was most unnerved by his stare that couldn't be read. His frosty blue eyes were glued to the two of them, his brow creased ever so slightly. "Are you not cold Sir?"

Kriger let out a bemused grunt that would've made the strangers sweat were it not so cold. Silva's hands instinctively took their place over her daggers, threatening to unsheathe them at the first hint of aggression. Arliss also reacted in kind, his hand lowered discreetly into his pocket clutching a small concealed knife. Their movements didn't escape his notice. "Not so much." He finally answered. "We nords handle the cold well."

"Is that so?" Said Silva releasing her grip from her blades. She almost felt guilty for doubting him, but the look in his eyes was one she wouldn't soon forget. Her mind raced to find the meaning behind that expression that was so hard to read. 'Have we done aught to rouse his anger? Has our cover been blown?' She mentally shook her head berating herself for jumping to conclusions. She decided she really was much too jumpy. 'Mayhaps he was only lost in thought.' She hoped, but she felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her to be wary. That's when a realization hit her. "My apologies Sir."

Kriger's brow furrowed in a mixture of confusion, and suspicion. "What for?" He asked hoping for answers, but mentally preparing to defend himself.

"Like us, you are also foreign to this land are you not?" She asked. "Forgive me for not realising it afore. Twas not my intention to-" She paused searching for the right words. "Surely you must have had a desire to ask aught of them as well, but I didn't even think that-" She paused again, biting her lip. "It must surely have been vexing for you." She finally managed to say with an exasperated huff.

'Hmph so that's what it was.' Kriger thought. A laugh threatened to escape his throat, but he managed to hold it back. "Don't worry about it." He said. "You need it more than me. After all-" He paused. "You're more foreign than I am." His words held a double meaning, and he was sure she would pick up on it. He watched as the shock revealed itself on her face. It was incredibly slight, and it vanished as soon as it appeared. It wouldn't have been noticed by most, but he had been observing her very closely. Beside her he noticed that the mage was watching him with eerily blank eyes, and had not removed his hand from his pocket.

She wasn't sure if the sudden chill that ran up her spine was caused by his words or the frigid air. She was shaken a moment, but quickly regained her composure. "Thank you Sir.Kri- I mean Kriger."

"Don't mention it." He kept up his calm and friendly facade. It wasn't his intention to confront the strangers, at least not yet. The thought had crossed his mind, but he quickly thought better of it. He knew that if he confronted them and they resorted to violence things would get very ugly very quickly. While he was confident in his abilities he knew it was dangerous to underestimate an opponent, and these two showed enough skill to warrant caution. Unbeknownst to even himself, his mind began covering what little he knew of the strangers as if trying to gauge them.

"Mayhaps next time you could share aught of your past?" Her words interrupted his thoughts and for a moment he wondered how much he missed. "I'd most like to learn aught of your home~" There was a moment of silence as she tried to recall his words. "Cyrodil was it?" She sounded out the syllables slowly, hoping to get it right. She stopped when she noticed the look on his face. "Is something amiss Sir?" She asked nervously.

"It's nothing." His gruff voice cut tersely. "And you're right it was Cyrodil." Flashes of painful, blood soaked memories stopped him cold. The past he wanted desperately to forget hung over him like a dark cloud. Gritting his teeth he turned away. "Aren't you cold?" His tone came out sounding harsher than intended. "Let's just get to the inn." The odd pair quickly agreed and followed him without so much as another word. 'Hypocrite!' A voice in his head accused. As much as he wanted to uncover every secret hidden from him, he knew full well that he wasn't willing to share even the most trivial bit of his past with anyone. He knew he was being hypocritical, but he didn't really care. That's just the way he was, and while he would atone for his past there were parts of himself that wouldn't change.

The inn was closer than expected, but there weren't any complaints to be had there. They were grateful to let the heat of the fire welcome them from the cold of the outside. A few heads turned towards them as they entered. It was a small town, and new faces presumably weren't seen often. "Come on in." A dark haired man welcomed. They eagerly approached him, stopping at the counter. Arliss sat on one of the stools, and turned to watch a blonde man strum a stringed instrument with great interest.

Before they could talk to the man a woman beat them to it. "Orgnar. Orgnar! Are you listening?" She asked irritably. Kriger recognized her as the nosy woman sweeping the front who eyed their arrival suspiciously.

"Hard not to." The dark haired man now known as Orgnar replied.

"The ale's going bad. We need to get a new batch." She said. "Did you hear me?"

"Yep." He said. "Ale's going bad."

"I guess you don't have potatoes in your ears after all." She said. "Just make sure we get a fresh batch in soon." Upon finishing the order she gave the guests a quick look up and down before stepping up to the alchemy table and mixing various ingredients together.

Orgnar sighed turning to the guests. "What do you want?" He asked. "We've got rooms, and food. Drink too. I cook. Ain't much else to tell."

"We'd like to rent some beds." Said Kriger.

"Need a room. Talk to Delphine." He pointed to the blonde woman at the alchemy table. Without another word Kriger walked up to her. Silva thanked the man before pulling Arliss away from the blonde man who was now beating a drum.

Delphine spoke before the others got the chance. "You're an odd group of visitors."

Kriger let out a bemused chuckle. "You been checking us out?"

"We don't get a lot of travelers here in Riverwood." She said. "Besides-" She paused. "I'm the innkeeper. It's my business to keep track of strangers."

"Is that so?" Kriger rubbed his chin.

Something about the way she spoke made Silva nervous, and she quickly interrupted them. "We were told by your cook to speak to you about renting rooms."

A glint of interest sparked in the eyes of the innkeeper. "That's a nice accent you have." Her gaze slid up and down the other woman analytically. She had noticed the odd pair before, but the accent she couldn't place made her even more curious. "Where do you strangers come from?" She asked, now giving Arliss a good look over.

Silva stepped between her pawn and the woman defensively. "Gransys." She said. "We hail from Gransys."

"Interesting." Said Delphine. There was something about the woman that made Silva uneasy.

"We heard the price for a bed would be ten septims." Said Kriger. "That true or what?" He wasn't sure why he was becoming so irritable, but if he had to guess he would chalk it up to weariness.

Delphine turned back to him with a sly smile. "Yeah, that's about right." Hearing this he pulled out the coins and paid her price. She pointed out his room, and turned back to the other two. "You too?" She asked, finally focusing on business.

Silva glanced at Arliss who's attention was back on the blonde man who was now playing a flute. She sighed. 'He should really pay attention more.' She thought. "Yes. Do you have any rooms for two?"

"So you two are an item then?" Asked Kriger teasingly.

"No, not at all!" A very flustered Silva defended. "Tis' just that-" She stopped realising that there wasn't a way to defend herself. 'How do you tell someone that you wish to speak privately with another without coming off as suspicious?' What might be inferred wasn't proper, but it would garner less suspicion than the truth. She sighed in defeat.

"We only have single rooms." Delphine informed. "But, we have enough room for you and your companion if you have the gold." The transaction was quick, and the three each had their own key and room shortly after.

As soon as she got the chance Silva quietly pulled Arliss aside. "You don't have to do this right away, but I'd like for you to take inventory afore you sleep. Tomorrow I should like to go over it together."

He answered simply with a smile and nod. "Yes, Arisen."

She was going to say more when she caught Kriger's gaze. The mysterious nordic man was sitting a ways away, but the suspicious look he gave made her uneasy. She also noticed the innkeeper watching them out of the corner of her eyes. With a heavy heart she decided that she would have to continue this conversation at a later time. She bid Arliss goodnight, and excused herself.

Silva was the first to retire to her room. It was small and somewhat barren, but it had what she needed. She also felt grateful to see that there was a small table and chair beside the bed, as well as a dresser and an empty chest. It felt good to unload her gear and change into a more comfortable set of clothes. She would have to remember to thank Gerdur for letting her borrow them. She looked longingly at the bed which looked irresistibly welcoming, but turned away with a sigh. Sleep would have to wait. Pulling out a blank scroll, she quickly got to work. A flickering flame illuminating the words as she listed the items in her inventory. The smooth sound of the quill's strokes along the page echoed into the night.

Chapter 8: A Fair Exchange End

Author's Notes: Sorry for the wait. I could go off on a tangent explaining the wait but I don't want to do that, and I doubt you'd want it either.

I made some edits to the previous chapters. I know they're not perfect, but they should be better at least. If you notice any mistakes or think of something that can be improved please let me know so I can fix it. I'll definitely end up going back and editing the previous chapters again so it's no bother.

Announcement: Don't worry it's nothing bad. I just wanted to say that I recently made an ao3 account, and will be posting on both sites. I thought it would be a good idea to make an ao3 in case something ever happened with . There was a scare before so this is like insurance. The way this will work is I'll continue as I am, and once I finish and post a chapter here I'll copy, paste, and move it over there as well.

Special thanks: I also want to thank annjames for always giving me such nice comments. When I feel unmotivated and I remember your words it makes me want to continue writing. You're awesome.

Thanks everyone for reading, I hope you enjoyed!