It had certainly been an exciting welcome for the new people in town. Every table Vanya served was talking about the scandal, asking her if she knew any more details. She played dumb on the advice of Captain Veleth, more than willing to let him take all the credit in case there was some form of retaliation. 'Though I don't intend to leave room for that eventuality,' he had said darkly.
At the moment, he was off somewhere taking out the patriarch of the Severin family, Vendil. When guards had gone to the family manor to arrest the three conspirators, Tilisu and Mirri had resisted at the cost of their lives and Vendil had somehow gotten away. Likely with the help of a little bit of Bittergreen.
Vanya was just glad her part in it was over. Well, it was mostly over. Currently at the bar, a very distraught Dreyla was nursing a mug of Sujamma.
"Oh Azura!" she cried, leaning her head in her hands. "I'll die. I'll die if he doesn't come back."
Bralsa buried her face in her mug, not wanting to get involved. Niyya, who had started venturing out now that she was feeling better, tried to be encouraging, "Have faith. He'll make it." Dreyla did not react so the redguard's lavender eyes slid toward Vanya as she shrugged as if to say, "I tried."
Vanya grabbed Dreyla's hands, commanding, "Hey, look at me." The dunmer woman obeyed. "He's going to be fine. He is the best of the best and he took his top men with him. They'll be back soon and we can put this all behind us."
"I just have a terrible feeling, Vanya. Going up against the Morag Tong? What if he's killed and I've wasted so much time worrying about what my father thinks? I love him so much!" Dreyla pulled her hands away, covering her face again.
"And Capta- Modyn," Vanya corrected herself. "knows that. He'll come back to you."
Geldis tapped her on the shoulder to remind her to get back to work. The tavern was more full than she'd ever seen it and the two of them were barely keeping up. All the rooms were taken and she hardly had time between serving meals to launder bedding; which consisted of a washboard, two buckets, and breaking her back.
Later in the evening, after most of the patrons were gone or in bed, she went out to collect any stray dishes and was surprised to see Niyya stacking cups and plates she'd collected on the bar.
"Oh, thanks," Vanya said. "I didn't know you were still here."
Niyya shrugged, "It's good to be doing something, instead of just laying about at Milore's. Bless her, but she fusses over me as if I'm a child."
"We are children to elves," Vanya replied. "Besides, you did almost die."
"Yeah, I suppose." The redguard's eyes glazed over. "Everyday when I wake up I think I'm in that tower. I never thought I'd make it out."
"I know," Vanya said somberly. Niyya nodded in understanding. While Niyya was still recovering, they had shared their stories with one another. After hearing the redguard's tale, Vanya felt she'd gotten off easy- and that was saying something. Niyya had watched her brother and four of her friends get tortured to death for months as an insane necromancer performed horrible experiments on them. Her brother had died first, trying to protect them. The last of her friends had died only the day before her rescue.
Vanya yawned, "I'm exhausted. I'm going to finish washing these and pass out." She started gathering the dishes on the bar.
Niyya picked up a stack."Let me help you."
Vanya was not going to deny her so she led her to the kitchen as she joked, "Perhaps I can get Geldis to put you on the payroll."
"Do you think he would?"
"Oh, really? Would you want to? I figured you would go back to mining now that you are feeling better."
"I wasn't exactly a powerhouse with a pickaxe to begin with and look at me now, I'm soft like a bowl of netch jelly," she said bitterly. It was true. Whatever muscle tone the woman had possessed in the past was long gone, wasted away by months of captivity and sickness.
"Niyya, you're as good as hired. I'll pay you myself if I have to."
Fortunately, Geldis was happy to have another pair of hands and the next morning Vanya walked Niyya through the tasks of the day. After the morning meal, they were outside dragging buckets of water toward the back of the building to do the laundry when they heard a woman scream. Vanya looked up see Dreyla taking off toward the Bulwark at a full sprint. She and Niyya left the buckets and, along with everyone else in the market, tried to get a look at what the dunmer woman was doing.
Walking slowly down the path was a single Redoran guard, spatters of blood visible all over his armor. He was still wearing his helmet but Vanya was quite sure it was Captain Veleth judging by his gait. Where are the others? She covered her mouth in horror at the realization that they must be dead.
Whispers and murmurs traveled around her but no one spoke aloud, everyone too enthralled by the scene. Dreyla was nearly to him, crying, "Modyn! Modyn!" He pulled off his helmet and she flew into his arms, not caring about the filth that would cover her clothes. She kissed him roughly, her hands exploring his shoulders and face as if to verify he was really there. His arms tightened around her, lifting her off the ground as he buried his head into the crook of her neck. The lovers stood entwined, oblivious to the crowd that was watching.
Vanya wiped warm tears from her cheek and looked at Fethis, who was standing next to her wearing an unreadable expression. "I have not seen her so affected since her mother passed," he said softly. "I suppose I've been selfish."
"She will still be here," Vanya assured. No matter how much Dreyla talked of leaving the island, the captain was very loyal to the First Councilor and it seemed unlikely he would ever abandon him.
"I know," he sighed, his eyes not leaving his daughter. "But it won't be the same."
A few members of the guard had reached the couple and were speaking with the captain, Dreyla still glued to his side. Another guard began shooing the crowd, "Move along now. Go on. Go on."
Vanya turned to where Niyya had been only to see her walking toward the forge with Glover. She smirked, muttering, "Oh, great." She approached them as he pulled up a sword to show Niyya something about it, which conveniently put his well-muscled arm on full display.
"Hello, Glover," Vanya greeted with a smile, noticing the deepened color in Niyya's cheeks.
"Good day, Vanya. What can I do for ya? Need a sword?" he joked, turning the weapon so it glinted in the light.
"I just need my apprentice back." She linked her arm with Niyya's. "You should come by for a drink later, hmm?" She raised her eyebrows at him before pulling the redguard woman along with her back toward their work.
"Apprentice?" he repeated as they walked away.
Niyya threw a quick glance back at the blacksmith then nudged Vanya's ribs, "I didn't need saving, you know."
Vanya looked at her friend, a slight flush still visible. "Oh," she laughed. "Yes, you did."
