They continued along their way and found that the barrow was an impressive structure. As much a castle as it was a crypt, with fairly elaborate stairs leading to the main hall.
It wasn't that long into the approach that Greta and Yew were under attack. A Nord man with a huge battleax came screaming at them, charging Greta immediately. Meanwhile, Yew suddenly had to dodge arrows and contend with a lithe woman armed with a dagger.
"Hail, Breton bitch, die quickly." The woman said swinging her dagger and managing to cut Yew's cheek.
"Fuck...you." Yew said, gathering up his energy and hitting her with a piercing thorn. She stumbled and was bleeding quite heavily but she didn't stop, managing to cut Yew in the side and slash him across the chest.
Yew summoned up another spell and a ball of acid went directly into the bandit woman's face. She let out a terrifying cry and sunk to the ground, dying in agony.
Yew, however, had gotten two arrows, one in his leg and one in his shoulder. Yew felt horrible, the world was growing fainter and he was unsteady on his feet. Quick as he could he grabbed a potion, pried the top off and drank it quickly. He felt the familiar sensation of his wounds healing a bit, and he looked up at the archer in question who had done the deed.
Yew sent a piercing thorn into the Argonian man's neck and he fell to the ground with a gurgle and a death rattle, an arrow half way to his bow.
While this all had been happening, Greta had been dodging the Nord bandits powerful attacks, getting in blows to his body with her mace when she could. Still, despite being poorly armored, the Nord warrior was shrugging off her strikes. This was most likely because Greta was unable to get the opportunity to deliver a full force attack. She needed to get him vulnerable.
She couldn't dodge forever though and a huge rake of the bandit's terrible axe went across her body. She fell to the ground with a cry and the bandit spat at her unmoving body. Then he turned around just in time to see Yew deal the death blow to his Argonian companion. The man began to walk over. The spellcaster was easy pickings, he thought, already severely wounded and distracted. It would be an easy matter to kill him and then leave this place for brighter pastures. Maybe he could sell his axe in Riften. The Blackbriars always needed a blade, he heard.
Then he felt the mace come down on his head. And again. He didn't feel it the third time or the fourth. And his head was unrecognizable by the fifth. Greta stopped to catch her breath at that point. That fight and the blood loss had taken a lot out of her.
She'd managed to cast barkskin before the fool even noticed and that was enough to keep her protected. She still lost a good amount of blood, but she could heal those wounds. She just needed to catch her breath first. Yew stumbled to her, a bloody mess.
"G-Greta, you did it." Yew said, clearly weak.
"Y-yes. I did. But your wounds are bad. They need healing." Greta said, her voice a bit breathless.
"Y-yeah. I'd appreciate that." Yew said, then he fall to his knees and Greta rushed over to him, preparing a spell to start the healing process.
"Greta?" Yew said as she began healing his wounds.
"What?" Greta asked.
"You do know your clothes have been shredded right?" Yew said. Greta looked down to realize that the brute she had just fought had basically cut away much of her clothing to the point she was essentially standing around in underwear. Greta began blushing and also took note of the chill of this Skyrim mountain.
After Greta healed Yew, she let him rest for a bit. The poor druid had passed out do to blood loss. Greta was thankful she had an extra change of clothing in her pack and changed into it. Then she proceeded to pray to Kyrneth and rest as her Magicka recharged.
Greta also looked over him. She didn't quite watch Yew sleep, but she did sneak peeks as he did so. It was amazing how feminine he looked. Very pretty, and more dainty then she was, that was for sure. Honestly, she could see him being able to pull off billowing dresses quite easily.
Greta shook her head. Really she shouldn't be thinking of such things. Men wearing women's clothing was strange. And besides, while he did act a little feminine, she suspected many Bretons did. It didn't mean he liked to dress up like that.
Finally, Yew began to stir.
"You've changed." Yew said. It took Greta a bit to realize he meant her clothes.
"Ah ha. Yes well, my clothes were in shreds." Greta said.
"How's mine?" Yew asked.
"Not great. Might want to change." Greta said. Yew nodded, got up and threw some robes on. He had the robe in his pack and when he put it on his mind felt oddly refreshed, he felt like he could cast a couple more spells. They got focused and ready and began entering Bleak Falls Barrow as quietly as they could.