It was over. Miraak was gone.

Teldryn felt that a weight had been lifted from his mind that he had not realized was there. It made him shudder to think what might have happened if Roggir had failed, though he now felt that was an impossibility. The man had actually departed for Skyrim on the back of a great red dragon, his beaming young companion in tow. He might have gone with them if Roggir did not live in Windhelm. His lips curled in distaste as he remembered his years in the Gray Quarter.

As it was, he had made a comfortable profit in his adventures with the Dragonborn and would be quite content to rest on his laurels in the Retching Netch for a while. The outline of the Bulwark came into view through the haze of ash, illuminated by the setting sun, and he picked up his pace thinking of a big mug of Sujamma and a real bed.


He scowled as he leaned against the wall near the stairwell, his pack at his feet. There were far too many people in this tavern. Hardly a place to stand, let alone sit. He was positive that his usual room- or all the rooms- would be rented out as well. Modyn would let him sleep in the guard barracks, Teldryn knew, but a room with a door was highly preferable. His dark mood lessened slightly when he saw Vanya flitting around the room, a tray covered in full mugs and bottles balanced on one arm as she set the drinks in front of various patrons. He watched her freely behind the cover of his helmet and did not miss the momentary pause when she spotted him. Something looked different about her but he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. She disappeared into the kitchen so he gazed around the room, observing all manner of man and mer, even a few argonians. Before the mines dried up the workers had mostly been dunmer so it was was a rather strange sight. Teldryn suspected word had spread of Roggir's involvement in its reopening and if the reception the man had received when visiting last was any indication it was really no wonder he chose to leave as he did.

He was about to approach the bar to talk to Geldis, who was deep in animated conversation with an imperial woman, when Vanya came out from the kitchen with three mugs, bringing two of them to the nearest table. She then walked straight to him with a smile, offering him the final mug. "Take off that helmet and stay awhile, why don't you?"

It was her hair. She had cut it to a length that grazed her shoulders, the body of it framing the fine features of her face. It really wasn't fair how pretty she was. He pulled off his helmet and pushed his cowl under his chin then took the offered mug with a grin. "I had planned to, but it would seem the place is already full." He tipped his head back slightly as he took a drink.

Her smile faltered as her eyes went round. "That scar on your chin! You didn't have that last time."

"This?" He grazed the scar that cut across his jaw with his thumb. "A dwarven sphere gave me that. Cut a hole in my cowl, too," he said irritably as he poked his fingers through the gash in the fabric.

"Looks like it bled a lot." She winced, then the corner of her mouth twitched. "But at least your cowl is already red."

He shook his head, chuckling. "I suppose that's one way of looking at it." Her dark eyes glittered with good humor and he had to take another drink to hide a ridiculous grin that was threatening to stretch across his lips.

Her expression turned thoughtful and she glanced around. "Where are Roggir and Erik?"

He squashed the flicker of resentment at their names on her lips the moment it flared, contented further by the answer he could give. "They've gone back to Skyrim."

"Oh," she said lightly. "I'm surprised they made it to the port without a crowd seeing them off."

"That's because they did not go to the port." She knit her brow and he smirked. He was going to enjoy this. "They rode a dragon."

He was rewarded when she stared at him, her mouth dropping open.


She collected herself as she realized she was gaping. "Did you say dragon? As in, an actual dragon?" She knew Roggir was called the Dragonborn but she wasn't sure what that meant and had been skeptical about there being true, living dragons. She really needed to stop being surprised by things that existed in this world.

Judging by the amused look on his face she wasn't sure if she should believe him. She put a hand on her hip, "Are you pulling my leg?"

He tilted his head in confusion as he glanced at her legs and back up. "What?"

"Oh, sorry. I meant- are you joking with me?"

The corner of his mouth curled back up. "No, they truly did ride a dragon."

She was about to ask if he'd ever ridden one when she heard Geldis' voice. "Teldryn Sero! Welcome back, my friend." The two men briefly clasped arms in greeting.

"I see that business is very good for you, Geldis."

"Yes, it's very busy indeed." Geldis turned his eyes on Vanya and she smiled sheepishly. "I wondered where my barmaid had gone but now..." His eyes slid back to Teldryn with a sly grin. "I see."

Vanya felt the mother of all blushes rising in her cheeks and without a word turned on her heel and escaped to the kitchen. She leaned her back against the counter where Niyya was arranging two plates of very rare-looking horker steaks and placed her hands on her warm cheeks in an attempt to cool off.

"What happened to you?" Niyya asked, quirking her brow up.

"Teldryn is back."

"Oh, 'the sellsword'?" she drawled, referring to Bralsa's little rumor.

"He can't know about that!" Vanya tried not to shout as the blush returned with a vengeance.

"I never did get a look at him," Niyya remarked as she peeked through the archway into the tavern. "Is he the one speaking with Geldis?" Her eyes were round as she looked at Vanya. "That is one handsome dunmer."

"Yeah, that's him." Vanya shook her hands to steady her nerves. "I was doing fine until Geldis came up and completely embarrassed me."

Niyya scoffed, "By the Eight, he would." She finished dressing the plates and held them out to Vanya. "Take these to the two bosmer by the hallway, would you please?"

As she set the plates in front of the two elves, Geldis emerged from the hall. "Ah, Vanya, once you have gone around would you change the linens in room two? I've put Teldryn in there but we've not had a chance to clean it."

Vanya narrowed her eyes at him but said nothing, nodding at his request. She thought all the rooms were taken, but perhaps the merchant that had rented that room had checked out early. She had hoped busying her hands would help alleviate the tension she felt, but now it only grew as she nearly finished making her rounds. It wasn't like she was even infatuated with Teldryn- though one would have to be blind to not find him attractive- but the fact that everyone was insinuating things about them made her feel very awkward. She was not looking for any kind of relationship. Her eyes flicked to her bare ring finger and her heart ached for only a moment before she willed the feeling back into the vault.

She was starting to feel a bit frayed and thought perhaps she should ask Niyya to change the linens for her when she remembered- she still needed to pay Teldryn back. The privacy of the room provided the perfect opportunity for such a thing. Before grabbing the linens from the storeroom, she went to her chest and pulled out the little bag that Teldryn had given her, filling it with one hundred septims. With a goal in mind, she was feeling much more confident as she headed to his room.


Sitting at the small table in his bedroom, Teldryn set his pipe on its stand and blew smoke out of the side of his mouth as he picked up an amethyst and magnifying glass. He had amassed a small fortune in jewels and wanted to sort them by quality before setting them in front of a merchant for appraisal. Not to mention he needed something to do while he waited for the linens to be changed on the bed, since Geldis said the previous renter had left unexpectedly only hours before. He was eternally grateful to whatever forces had pulled them away. Though his armor was like a second skin, he was relieved to be out of it and was greatly looking forward to sleeping comfortably for the first time in months.

A few scratches on that one. He set the amethyst aside and picked up an emerald, holding it up to the candlelight while taking another pull from the pipe. There was a knock at the door. He exhaled the smoke and set the emerald down, throwing a cloth over the pile of gems as he got up.

"Who is it?" he called through the door before turning the lock.

"It's me," came the slightly muffled reply. "Vanya."

His luck just kept getting better. He had certainly not expected her after her hasty retreat due to Geldis' teasing. She had flushed very prettily. He turned the key and pulled the door open.

"Housekeeping!" she said brightly as she walked in with a stack of linens. He smiled and closed the door, walking over to the table sit against the edge while he smoked.

She set the stack down on the chest at the foot of the bed and looked at him for a moment, then at their surroundings. "You know, this is the room I stayed in," she commented, turning to strip the furs and linens from the bed.

"Oh? My room- or I suppose it used to mine- is the one across the hall."

She pursed her lips as she stuffed the pillow into its new casing. "You might not get that one back, that's where the bard stays. Unless you can convince him to trade, that is." She tossed the pillow onto the chest and went for the clean bed linen.

He shrugged, "It's a bit smaller but think I can get used to this one. I'll just have to remember to turn right instead of left."

She laughed as she tucked the cloth into the corners then the bed creaked as she crawled onto it to do the other side, seeing as it was against the wall. His eyes widened and he raised his brow in surprise, nearly choking on the smoke he'd just inhaled. He recovered himself quickly, inwardly cursing his sense of propriety as he blew smoke upward, watching it rise and fan out as it hit the ceiling.


She realized what she had just done and froze momentarily. She hadn't even been thinking, muscle memory just taking over as she was trying to work quickly. Things had just gone from awkward to the plot of a bad porno. A glance his direction revealed that he was looking up, which made her feel better- and worse. She ignored the feeling the sight of his adam's apple gave her and quickly shoved the sheet around the mattress searching her mind desperately for something to say.

"It's lucky you got this room at all," she forced out, trying to keep her tone light. "Especially with the New Life festival approaching."

"I had not even realized it was," he replied. "There's not been much celebration here for many years."

"I think that's all changed now," she huffed as she got back to her feet and turned to grab the furs to spread them out. "Geldis is taking 'New Life' literally and going all out." From the corner of her eye, she could see he was watching her again. She fluffed his pillow a few times as she placed it on the bed then stepped back with a tight grin. "There, all set."

"My thanks."

She met his eyes with her own and they immediately betrayed her by glancing over his form that was now uncovered by armor. Wow, he is incredibly fit. She forced them back to his face. He raised an eyebrow, the tip of his pipe resting between lips that were slightly curved upward.

She needed a distraction.

She cleared her throat and gathered up the old linens from the floor, wadding them under one arm. She nearly bid him goodnight before she remembered the other reason she'd come.

"Oh!" Her free hand shot into the pocket on her apron. "There is one more thing..." She pulled out the bag of gold holding it up to him as she crossed the room. He did not move, his eyes slid briefly to the bag and back to her face.

"I'm paying you back. I know I could never properly thank you for saving my life, but the least I can do is return your gold."

"My gold?" He knit his brow. "I did not expect it to be repaid, else I wouldn't have given it."

"But..."

"No."

She pursed her lips and sucked in through her nose. Why couldn't he just take it? "It's a lot of money, Teldryn." She lifted the bag higher between them.

"I am well aware, Vanya."

"So?" She extended her hand further, nearly pressing the bag to his chest.

"I'm not taking it." He crossed his arms, causing her to pull back a little, and tilted the tip of the pipe back into his mouth as if to end the conversation.

She glared at him for a few moments, before thinking perhaps she should try a different approach. She blinked and softened her gaze, relaxing her shoulders. "It would really make me feel better if you accepted it."

He tilted his head and blew smoke from the corner of his mouth, the red of his eyes darkening as he narrowed them. "And it will offend me if you continue to insist."

Okay, you win. She swallowed and put her hand down, feeling abashed. Still, for some insane reason, she wanted to exert some measure of control over the situation so she lifted her chin defiantly, feigning indifference, "Fine." She raised a finger at him. "But don't expect any special treatment." She whirled away from him but not before catching a twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he said as she reached for the door handle. "Hold on..." She stopped and he crossed the room until he was standing within arm's reach. He gestured to the bag still in her hand. "Put that back in your pocket before you leave. There are many strangers here."

She nodded and did as he said, recognizing the wisdom in his advice. "Goodnight," she said as she opened the door and stepped into the hall.


"Goodnight," he replied. She glanced over her shoulder once more before disappearing down the hallway.

He shut the door and crossed the room toward the table, chuckling as he remembered the way her nose flared and lips pressed together as she became frustrated. After tapping the ashes from his pipe into a pot he set it down then picked up the candle to move it to the side table. He pushed the furs aside and stretched out on the bed with a groan, reaching up to extinguish the flame of the candle between two fingers. He could all but hear his bones creaking in appreciation as he settled in for the night and the last thought that crossed his mind before he drifted off was that Drovas had never fluffed his pillow.