"Alit..." The dunmer boy patted the top of Vanya's head as she sat on the ground. "Alit..." He patted the black hair of the smaller dunmer boy next to her, then the imperial boy, a bosmer girl, then he was back to Vanya, tapping her head for the third time. The little one next to her whipped around before he could be patted again. "Pick already, Tiram!"

Tiram paused momentarily before a cheeky grin spread on his face and he slapped the heel of his hand against the other boy's forehead. "Kagouti!" he cried as he broke into a run. Vanya laughed as the boy recovered and got to his feet hastily, trying to catch up to the older one around the circle. Tiram slid into the spot next to her. "You're it, Llero!"

Llero huffed then readied himself to begin, casting a glance toward Vanya. She pretended not to notice, stealthily preparing to get up as he made his way around. So far he'd picked her every time and up to this point, she'd let him get away. She grinned, looking to where Teldryn sat near Glover's forge watching the game with amusement as he smoked. His brow quirked up when their eyes met.

She felt a tap on her head. "Kagouti!" She hopped up in a flash, letting him gain a few steps on her before darting forward to catch him around the chest. He squealed as she hefted him up into her arms. "Got you this time!" she cried, swaying him back and forth a couple of times before setting his feet back on the ground, his infectious giggling making her laugh. He hopped away like a kangaroo as the older boy stood up, pointing at him. "You have to be it again, Llero!" The little one only continued hopping around, yelling, "Alit! Alit! Alit!"

Just then, she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked over to see Teldryn. He glanced briefly at the children than gestured his head toward the forge. "Glover is ready for you."

"Alright, kiddos, I have to go."

Tiram was trying to corral Llero back to the group and the imperial boy jumped up, grabbing her hand. "Can you play with us tomorrow?"

"Oh..." she began as he looked up at her hopefully through green eyes that were framed with wild, sandy-colored hair. Before she could say anything the girl interrupted, holding up a cloth doll with a bow and arrow made of twigs tied to one arm.

"This is Karwin, she's a huntress like my ma!" she said proudly, rising to her toes to show Teldryn, her turquoise eyes sparkling brightly against bronze skin that nearly matched the color of her tight ponytail. Vanya bit back a smile at his blank expression as he looked down at the girl, waiting to see what he would do.

"Antony! Beniel!" Tiram yelled from across the market. "Last one over is a blighted scrib!" The kids forgot all about them as they took off, shoving each other to get ahead and avoid the horrible fate that Tiram had decreed.

Vanya gave an exaggerated sigh of relief as she turned toward the forge, casting a sidelong glance at Teldryn. "That was close."

"What do you mean?" he asked as he followed her.

"You almost had to be sweet."

He snorted and rolled his eyes, nudging her forward under the awning.

"Alright, Vanya. Let's see if this fits ya," Glover said, holding up the netch leather chest armor to which he'd made a few contour adjustments. She took it, putting her head through the opening, then pressed the sides together, searching for the straps.

"It already feels better," she said, rolling her shoulders around, no longer feeling the edges digging into her skin. She tightened the belt around her waist and looked down appraisingly, then glance between Glover and Teldryn. "So?"

Glover nodded toward Teldryn, who stepped forward and tugged at the straps. She smirked as she watched his brow knit, feeling his fingers poking around the edges to check the fit. His eyes slid to hers, the corner of his mouth twitching ever so slightly.

"Is it acceptable, Sensei?" she asked under her breath. A wicked gleam twinkled in his eyes for a moment before he blinked it away, turning to Glover.

"It's good."

"Aye, I can see that," the blacksmith said, a hint of amusement in his voice. He turned and gathered up the rest of her armor and Vanya started undoing the buckles of the chest piece while he handed the bundle off to Teldryn. "After you wear it for a bit, let me know if it needs any more adjustments."

"What do I owe you?" Vanya asked as she pulled the armor off, tucking it under her arm.


"Eighty septims," Glover said, a bit too quickly in Teldryn's opinion. The actual price was one-hundred and forty, the difference of which he'd promised to pay later when she busy in the tavern. He would have gladly paid the total, seeing as this was all his idea, but he had recognized a storm brewing in trying to convince her of that and so he'd come up with an alternative that could satisfy them both. If he could pull it off.

Her eyes narrowed shrewdly. "That seems a little cheap, Glover."

Gods damn it. They should have gone with ninety-five.

"Vanya, you know I'll give you a discount," the man said with a slight grin. A good save. "And besides..." No, no, no. Stop while you're ahead."It's made with netch hides that he brought me."

"But you paid him for that right?"

Teldryn could only nod as she turned her keen gaze upon him. Glover gave an apologetic look before smoothing his face as she turned back.

The blacksmith shrugged. "You're certainly welcome to pay me more if you like."

You fucker.

She rolled her eyes and turned toward his worktable, opening the satchel on her belt to pull out coins, slapping them loudly on the surface as she counted. Teldryn pinned Glover with an accusing glare, the man responding by putting his hands out as if to say "What do you want me to do?". Teldryn had many answers for that, the principal one to not be as transparent as a fucking albino spider.

She turned back around and Glover gave another attempt at poorly feigned innocence while Teldryn did not even try as she approached him until she was right under his nose. Her passive expression was carved from stone as she dropped the cuirass on top of the pieces he was carrying. She took a breath and he thought she might speak, preparing himself for some scathing comment. Instead, her lips pressed together as she exhaled loudly through her nose then brushed past him toward the Netch.

Teldryn sighed as he watched Glover slide the stacks of septims into a coin purse. "I have to say, I expected better from you, Glover. No wonder you're stuck on this gods-forsaken rock."

"I'm stuck on this rock because I know a bad idea when I see one," the blacksmith retorted, cinching the pouch as he chuckled. "I tried to tell ya."

Teldryn pursed his lips, deciding not to argue with the man. It wouldn't change the fact that he was already mired in shit.


Pressing the corners of the sheet together, she ran the fingers of one hand along the edge, giving the fabric a good shake to smooth out the wrinkles before folding it over once more on the table. Perfect. She grabbed another sheet from the drying rack by the hearth.

She'd stormed into the Netch meaning to find something to do in the kitchen but upon seeing the linens, she decided she'd leave some on the bed for Teldryn to change first. The snake. Earlier this morning, she had told him in no uncertain terms that she wanted to pay for her armor and he'd gone behind her back. Did he think she was stupid and wouldn't know?

The door to the netch opened and the man himself walked in, still carrying her armor. She raised her chin, focusing on folding the sheet as if it were her purpose in life. He said nothing, only descended the steps down toward the tavern. Before he could go through the archway at the bottom, she snatched her crisply folded sheet from the table and flung it down onto his head, then turned back to continue with the one in her hand.

So what if it was all his idea for her to get armor? She had her own money, she didn't need him to buy things for her. She didn't want him to. Not to mention he refused to tell her what she needed it so badly for anyway. It had been amusing at first but the joke was really beginning to wear thin. Finished with the linens, she gathered them up in her arms and headed for the stairs. Before she reached the first step, the doors swung open again, a cacophony of excited voices reaching her ears as she blinked in the light for a moment.

"Just think when the kahjiit come back around-" The familiar raspy voice was interrupted by another more hearty one.

"Oh, we could get some of that-"

The door closed as Bralsa's sharper tone overpowered the other two. "You two are dumber than I thought if you think I'm going to let you pick out tobacco. You'll have us climbing the walls in naught but our smalls."

"Hey, that's pretty good," Scouts-Many-Marshes said, his feathers twitching. "Climbing the walls in naught but our smalls..." he repeated, nodding his head a little with the rhythm.

Rodane cut in, "But you don't wear-"

Bralsa slapped her hand over the breton's mouth then pinched his lips together, pulling his face closer to hers. The breton met her hard stare with merrily squinted eyes and made kissing sounds between her fingers. Bralsa scoffed as she released him, turning away.

"Oh, Vanya!" the dunmer stopped short upon noticing her. "You need to come to my room tonight. I finally got the molghelu I sent for."

At her confused look, Rodane added helpfully, "You know, a Shijah." Vanya shook her head and he put his hands out to draw in the air. "It's a vase you smoke out of. You know, you put the tobacco in the top and it's got some hoses..."

"Like a hookah?" she blurted, then regretted it as he paused, his face mirroring her confusion.

"A-whatta?"

She snorted a laugh. "Nevermind. I know what you're talking about."

"So you're coming?" Bralsa said as she started down the stairs and Vanya followed.

"It would be late, you know I'm working."

"Then get off early for once," she said flatly and Vanya stopped, staring at the back of her head as if she'd just told her to jump off the side of the Bulwark. The other two passed her by in her stupor, Rodane saying over his shoulder, "And bring your kagouti."