She got off her horse and walked into camp, sounds of people talking and laughing filled the air.
"Nerosi! There you are," a voice called out to her left. She turned to see Ro'Zoaraksa, the leader of the gang. He was a Khajiit, the catfolk that hailed from Elsweyr.
He walked towards her until he was practically staring her down, a scowl across his face. "So," he said, "you leave camp without telling anyone", his tone carrying disappointment, "and then you pick a fight and start a fire in the middle of Windhelm?"
"He started it", she protested, sounding like a child, "I was just trying to enjoy my drink, how was I supposed to know some frail old man had the memory of Akatosh?"
A puzzled look appeared on his face. "Memory of Akatosh? What are you talking about?"
She sighed and looked towards the ground, realizing she shouldn't have said that. "He recognized me. He remembered me from when we raided his village, whichever one that was. He practically shouted it into the heavens."
"What?!" he hissed. "Did anyone see you leave town? Did they see which way you went?"
Her voice was practically a whimper, "I don't know, some guard tried to stop me but I think I killed him. I sorta… spaced out on the ride here."
"BY THE NINE!" he screamed, throwing his hands in the air. "So there could be Stormcloaks raining down on us at any moment!?
"I… guess?", the words barely leaving her lips.
"Nerosi," he sounded like he was only a few minutes from drawing his sword and killing her right there. "I took you in because you were a scared little girl whose entire world had just come crashing down, and I took pity on you." His tone turned to disappointment, "I made you my second in command because even as a little cub, you were practically the best destruction caster I'd ever seen." He brightened slightly "I know you can amount to great things, but you need to stop this one woman army shit, we're a family, and families only work when everyone is on board." He stopped and took a deep breath. "Don't make me regret my decision." He poked her in the chest, hard.
"I won't, I promise." she said weakly, feeling like she'd just been scolded by her father.
He was right. He took her in when she had nowhere else to go and nothing to live for, and this is how she repaid him? She walked over to a nearby tree stump, taking off her hood and cloak she plopped down, staring deeply into the campfire before her.
In the fire she saw it, the thing that still kept her up at night. The thing that had ruined any chance at a normal life and had led her here.
She was taken out of her trance by Umurrg, who sat down next to her on an adjacent stump.
"He loves you like a daughter. You know that right?" He said warmly, the fire illuminating his face. "He worries about you, he fears one of these days you're gonna steal the wrong person's sweetroll, and then we'll find you hanging in the town square for all to see."
She sighed deeply, "I know, but he expects all of us to just wait around twiddling our thumbs in camp until he gets information on somewhere valuable." She unconsciously took the locket out of one of the pouches on her belt and began fiddling with it. She often did that when she was nervous.
Umurrg knew where this was going, "Nerosi, you know how particular he is. The Stormcloaks already know of our gang, it wouldn't take them much to find our camp. We can't risk raiding locations he hasn't already scouted."
"But I know of a place" she whispered, still holding onto the locket."I've ridden by it a few times, the people there are loaded!"
"How do you know?" he questioned. "Because", she said matter of factly, "the clothes they leave out to dry are nothing like what normal people wear, you should see them!" Her eyes brightened, "they must be sitting on treasure chests worth of Septims."
"The answer is no." A sharp voice spoke behind them. She turned out to find Ro'Zoaraksa leaning against a nearby tree, arms crossed. Damnit, I forgot he has catlike hearing, she thought to herself. "You nearly led the entire Windhelm city guard right to our camp, you actually might have for all I know".
She cringed at his accusation, knowing full well it could be true. He continued, "if I can't even trust you to keep the location of our camp a secret, how can I trust you to not lead us into a trap set by the Stormcloaks. You know what they do to nonhumans," his last sentence carrying dark implications.
"But…" she started, "The. Answer. Is. No", he thundered. She gave up protest, knowing his decision was final.
She sighed, putting her head in her hands and resting her elbows on her legs.
"Heh", Umurrg chuckled, still sitting beside her. "Lighten up girlie, you may not see it, but he might've actually done you a favor." She looked at him bewildered, not believing he wouldn't side with her.
His face went serious, "you really think a bunch of rich folk would leave expensive clothes out to dry in the middle of the day?"
She sputtered, realizing she hadn't fully thought it through. "Well… It's… Possible" her last word sounding more like a question.
He started hysterically laughing, nearly falling off his stump, her head sunk further into her palms.
He eventually composed himself, he patted her on the shoulder, "you'll have your time girlie." A mischievous smile crossed his face, "ya know, why don't you let me see how well ol Umurrg has taught you eh? Up for a spar?"
She looked up at him, her face beaming, she agreed instantly. He had taught her everything she knew about sword fighting, most of their sparring sessions ended in draws seeing as they were almost evenly matched.
They found an open spot, others gathered around eager to watch the show. Drawing their weapons they took fighting stances, Nerosi with her sword and Umurrg with his axe.
Nerosi made the first move, quickly sprinting towards Umurrg and slashing at his torso, knowing she couldn't hurt him. He jumped back narrowly avoiding the cut but giving her time to scoop up a handful of dirt and throw it in his face.
He growled, rubbing his eyes trying to get the dirt out but Nerosi shoulder checked him, knocking him to the ground.
Cheering could be heard all around although Nerosi could swear some of them were boos. It was the first time either of them had won a spar against each other. Umurrg lay on the ground, a proud look in his eyes, "best two out of three" he offered. She smirked, "you're on, old man."
They assumed their fighting stances once again, the crowd now roaring. "I'm not gonna go easy on you this time," he said while laughing. "Oh I hope not," she joked, "the great Umurrg gro-Lorgan, being bested by a twenty two year old Dunmer, and a woman no less, imagine your reputation."
His eyes lit up, the brightest she's ever seen, "I've really taught you well"
This time he charged first, slashing at her with lighting speed, she rolled to the left and used a fire spell to lightly burn his leg, not enough to cause serious damage. He bent over grabbing his leg in pain, looking like he was about to collapse. Fearing she hurt him she dropped her guard and put her hand on his back.
Suddenly he sprung to life and slashed her torso, not a deep cut, but enough to draw blood.
"Hmm", he said mockingly, "maybe I haven't taught you well enough."
She opened a pouch on her bandolier and pulled out a small red vial, she opened it and started chugging it.
"I've never understood why you rely so much on potions girl," he said just as she finished off the potion, "you Dunmer are naturals at restoration magic aren't ya"
She put the vial back in its pouch, intending to refill it after the spar. "Using a healing spell means I have to give up one of my hands," she said while panting, out of breath from drinking for so long, "I need these hands to kick your sorry ass."
"Hmm, pretty cocky for someone who's gonna be bleeding on the ground in a few seconds." he said in mock anger.
They clashed weapons once more, sparks flew in all directions from their weapons impacting. She finally locked her sword behind his axe blade, not letting him move it.
"Clever girl, limit my weapon's movement," he sounded proud. She smirked, figuring she won.
Suddenly he took one of his hands off his axe and punched her in the spot he previously slashed.
It having not fully healed yet caused extreme pain and she bent over, holding her stomach. This gave him ample time to drop down and sweep her legs, knocking her to the ground.
"You fight dirty," she said while laying on the ground coughing. He barked out a laugh, "and you don't?"
She looked at him for a moment, "fair point" she finally said and began to get up.
"This one's for all the Septims," he said as they positioned themselves for the last spar. After staring each other down they both charged at the same time.
They swung wildly at each other, neither of them landing any blows. This went on for what seemed like hours, neither one relenting their ferocious assault. Finally Umurrg could see Nerosi was beginning to tire, knowing her biggest weakness, he used this opportunity for one powerful swing at her sword.
It connected, her sword went flying from her hand and into a nearby keg, almost hitting another member of the gang.
Knowing she lost, she dropped to her knees panting, "you may be a good fighter," he said victoriously, "but you sure as shit ain't strong." She chuckled slightly, "why do you think I try to end fights so quickly? Eventually someone would overpower me."
He got in front of her and dropped down to one knee looking directly into her eyes, "your cockiness will do you in long before that, girl."
"Shut it old man," she playfully said, knowing full well he was right.
"Welp," he said while stretching, "it was fun kicking your ass," she glared at him in mock offense, "but I think I'm gonna turn in for the night." He patted her on the shoulder before walking away towards his tent.
Finally she got up and brushed herself off, retrieving her sword from the keg it had punctured, the fellow bandit still sitting there, eyes wide at the fact he could've died so easily. "Hey, blame Umurrg, not me," she told him, it didn't seem to help.
She crawled into her tent, wrapped up in her favorite deerskin blanket and drifted off to sleep.