Teldryn heaved the stack of chitin into the nearly overflowing carapace, situating it into the space he'd arranged for it then turned toward the tiny dunmer herder, Nathala, beckoning her to approach. Her arms were full of the wrapped netch jelly glands that he'd handed off to her while he loaded the carapace with the plate and meat he'd gathered from the group of ash-hopper that had just tried to ambush them. It would not do to crush the one ingredient he'd been sent to fetch. Her movements were stiff as she approached, her bright red eyes blazing with fury since he'd wait until she had the jelly in her arms to inform her what she was carrying. He smirked as he removed the glands from her arms, placing them carefully in a secure spot.
She huffed as she picked up her staff, flipping long black hair over her shoulder. "I'm not doing that again."
"We're quite close, I don't think you'll have to," he said as he picked up the lead to the guar pulling the carapace once more and continued. She tutted the other guar, tapping the lazy ones with the crook of her staff to get them moving. She was a very competent herder and had taken down two of the ash-hopper herself, her staff doubling as a weapon with the small enchanted welkynd stone that was affixed to an elegantly designed malachite setting near the base of the crook.
A short while later they rounded the rocks that designated the beginning of the cliffside that ran behind Raven Rock.
"So that's the Bulwark," Nathala breathed as its outline came into view. Teldryn made no reply to her observation, perplexed that the sight of it made him feel as if he'd swallowed an angry moth. "That means that we should be nearing the old imperial farm where I'm meant to settle my guar."
"Attius Farm?" Teldryn asked incredulously. "I think you may find it less than suitable."
"I wouldn't expect an imperial farm to be suited to guar," the young mer scoffed haughtily.
"That's not what I mean," he drawled. He should not have been surprised at how out of touch the Redoran Council was with the state of decay Raven Rock had fallen into, yet he found that he managed.
As they approached the dilapidated farmhouse he glanced back and pitied the girl as she gaped.
"But...I was told there'd be a place for me," she said quietly. "There is not even a fence, where will my guar stay? What will I do?"
"Those are not questions that I can answer." Though he sympathized greatly with her situation, he smiled. "I believe you will need to speak with the captain of the guard."
Modyn was going to be furious.
"Curse them to all the bloody realms of Oblivion," Modyn hissed as Nathala herded her guar up the temple steps and toward the gate of training yard. Teldryn followed him as he stomped up the stairs. "Lleril requested guar over a decade ago, did they not think to send a little notice?"
"Ah, actually..." the girl fished into a fold of her robe. "They sent me with this missive."
"You don't say," Modyn sneered as he snatched it from her hand. "And they sent a child, no less."
"I'll have you know I'm forty-three years old! And I'm a Falen, you won't find a better guar herder than I, you great- "
"Watch it," the captain warned.
Nathala huffed and corralled the final guar into the yard then closed the gate behind her. Teldryn had not stopped grinning under his cowl.
"And you," The captain rounded on him. "Wipe that smirk off your face. I can feel it."
Teldryn bit back a laugh and Modyn narrowed his eyes before closing them and sighing loudly. "Dreyla is going to have my hide. We're going to have to pull builders off the house to construct a farm for her." He slapped the back of his hand against the missive. "Not to mention my training yard already smells of guar dung, the priests are going to reopen the Oblivion gates-"
"Captain Veleth!"
Modyn clenched his teeth and grimaced before smoothing his face as he turned to greet Second Councilor Arano as he approached.
"Adril," he said evenly. No one would question either man's loyalty to the First Councilor, the intensity of which seemed to foster an ongoing rivalry between them.
Arano rocked on his feet, his hands behind his back as he eyed the guar. His eyes slid up to the captain. "Why are there guar in the training yard?"
"I believe you will find all your questions answered here," the captain answered calmly as he held out the missive. Teldryn admired his restraint.
"Ah," Arano's eyes lit up at the sight of the Redoran crest and he took the missive, returning his hand behind his back. He glanced briefly at Teldryn. "I shall take this to the First Councilor immediately and we will begin discussing a plan of action."
"As you wish."
"Right, carry on," the Second Councilor said with a curt nod, then spun on his heel to leave
Modyn turned to face the training yard with another sigh that ended in a growl.
"Well," Teldryn said cheerily as he slapped Modyn on the back. "Don't know about you but I have things to do."
"Fuck off."
"Surely you jest."
"It's the truth! You should have seen Captain Veleth's face. Livid."
Vanya listened idly to the women at the table behind her as she filled a tray with dirty dishes. She had no idea what a guar was but apparently, there was now a herd of them in the training yard.
"And the herding girl is a tiny thing, hardly taller than the beasts! I must say, it was quite a sight seeing her walking next to Teldryn."
A cup went tumbling to the floor as her hand spasmed upon hearing his name and the girls stopped talking. She bent down to retrieve it and shoved the remaining dishes onto the tray, making a hasty retreat to the kitchen. She dumped the contents of the tray into the wash bucket and dropped the tray on the counter as she turned to lean her back against it.
He'd left without a word to gather netch jelly and had come back with a herd of beasts and a girl? Who was this girl, where had he found her, why had he brought her? She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead. Stop it, you're being irrational.
When she brought her hand down and opened her eyes Niyya was standing in front of her with a plate in each hand, her expression impassive. "I'm not even going to ask," she said coolly. Vanya took the plates with a sigh as Niyya turned away to continue cooking.
She'd finally stonewalled enough that the redguard had given up and she hated the defeated look in her lavender eyes. Still, she kept her silence and turned to deliver the meals. As much as it hurt to allow the wedge to be driven between them, she would not entertain the subject that Niyya insisted on pressing. Just because she found Teldryn appealing did not mean that she was entitled to him in any way.
He was free to do as he pleased, go where he pleased, with whomever he pleased.
Teldryn trotted down the stairs of the Netch lightly, the sack of ash-hopper meat over his shoulder. Glover had paid well for the chitin and netch hide and Milore was greatly pleased with her ingredients, though it was a little unusual how she had hurried him along. She would normally have him unload the carapace but today she'd enlisted Garyn, shooing him away as if he had somewhere to be. It suited him fine as he was starved after days of dried guar and whatever it was that had passed for food at the fort.
He approached Geldis at the bar and hefted the sack onto the counter as he sat down, pulling off his helmet.
"Welcome back, Teldryn," Geldis greeted as he peeked into the sack. "Ah, ash-hopper. Very good." He pulled a key from his pocket and leaned down to the lockbox under the bar to begin counting out gold.
As Teldryn waited, Vanya appeared from behind an archway as she headed for the kitchen, empty plates in hand. His heart quickened upon seeing her but the way she faltered with a guarded look wiped the smile from his face, his brow furrowing in concern. Before he could say a word she turned away and went into the kitchen. What was that about?
He narrowed his eyes in confusion and looked at the stack of coins that Geldis was sliding across the counter. "I assume you want something to eat? Your usual?" the barkeep asked.
He had forgotten he was hungry. "Yes," he replied absently.
Geldis nodded and picked a few coins off the top of the stack. "If I may," he said as he leaned on the counter. Teldryn met his eyes and was taken aback by the hardness in his gaze. "Now, I would never presume to tell you what to do, Teldryn, but the next time you go somewhere," he said as he straightened back up and slid the sack of ash-hopper off the counter. "Tell her you're leaving."
The realization washed over him like a bucket of ice water and he stared at the barkeep's back as he disappeared into the kitchen. He slapped his hand onto his face as he grimaced. Teldryn, you s'wit.
He had not even considered saying something, he'd been so wrapped up in his own head. Though he was not accountable to her regarding his whereabouts, with their training routine as of late she certainly deserved the courtesy of some notice. He'd vanished like a ghost and she knew not whether he'd be gone for hours or months. Her reaction and that look in Geldis' eye made it very clear that she had been upset.
He was consumed with regret for causing her distress and he dragged the hand on his face down to his chin as an uncomfortable truth made itself evident.
He needed to apologize.
Vanya looked over the prepared ash yams for the one with the fewest blemishes before picking one and setting it on his plate, a phrase her father had used when she'd been a willful teenager surfacing in her mind. I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed.
She wasn't going to scold him or guilt him for the way he'd taken off. It was how he lived his life and while she had hoped their friendship would warrant her the opportunity to say goodbye, what she'd said to Milore was the truth. He didn't need to tell her about his plans.
She ran her free hand over her hair and headed out to deliver Teldryn his meal.
He'd moved to his table and was sipping his drink as she approached. The corner of his mouth curled up but his eyes showed none of their usual amusement.
"So," she said as she set his plate in front of him. "Your expedition was a success? Milore told me you were fetching netch jelly?" She inwardly cringed at the sharpness in her voice. If she was trying not to guilt him, she wasn't doing a very good job.
He tilted his head as he scrutinized her. "Yes."
"Good, I'm glad to hear it," she said lightly as she turned to leave.
"Vanya."
She turned to face him, arms crossed. Maybe I am a little bit mad.
He pushed her chair out with his foot. "Sit down."
She drew herself up, bristling. Of all the arrogant, selfish, inconsiderate men! He had the nerve to leave her hanging then waltz back in and command her attention in the middle of her shift?
"You may not have noticed, Teldryn, but I'm a little busy." She spun on her heel and stalked away to check on other tables. If he wanted to talk he could wait until she was available.
Somehow he'd just made it worse. He hardly tasted his meal as he ate, watching her work.
He certainly didn't want to make his apology in the middle of the tavern but he would if it meant removing the coldness in her voice as she addressed him. Except his attempt had failed rather spectacularly.
He downed his sujamma, gritting his teeth in frustration as he swallowed, then reached for his pipe. He had a feeling she was going to continue to act as if he didn't exist for the remainder of the evening so...
He lit the pipe and took a draw.
He would wait.
The tavern was nearly cleared out, only a few drinkers left in various places around the room. And Teldryn.
By this time of night, he would normally have retired to his room or sometimes gone to play dice with Modyn. Instead, he'd sat at his table the entire evening amusing himself smoking, sharpening his dagger, twirling said dagger in his hand, using the tip of the dagger to clean his fingernails, then -to her astonishment- removing one of his boots and digging rocks out of the tread. With his dagger. At least he had the good sense to spread a cloth out on the floor to catch the filth.
He was working on the second boot, his brow furrowed in concentration as he used his fingernails to pick out a rock he'd dislodged. The clasps of the boot he'd already worked on were still undone on his right foot, his left clad only in a tan sock. Despite her irritation, she could not deny that she was positively charmed. His empty plate was still on the table so she decided perhaps she should finally collect it.
He sighed dramatically as she approached, not looking up. "And here I thought I'd become invisible." He dusted ash away from the spot he'd been working on and dug the tip of the dagger under another rock.
"Funny," she replied with a smirk. "I nearly thought the same thing."
"Damn," he said emphatically, pausing his work. He looked up at her with a lopsided grin. "Have mercy."
Her stomach fluttered and she picked up his empty plate. He gestured toward the room with the dagger. "Are you done here? There is something I want to show you."
"At this hour?" she asked, suspecting it had something to do with the guar in the training yard.
He shrugged. "Yeah."
She was tired but she felt that he did not wait for her all night just to show her a herd of animals. "Alright, I'll have to help wash." She waved the dirty plate. "But I'll try to be quick."
He nodded and lifted the boot in his hand to indicate he was well occupied.
"I'll be out soon." She turned toward the kitchen. Then, because she couldn't resist, she said over her shoulder, "Don't go anywhere."
