Yew dodged a swing from the bandit's greatsword, then another. Then another. On the bandit leaders third strike he was able to create a nasty gash on Yew's cheek that hurt like a bitch.

"Piercing Thorn." Yew said and sent a thorn into the chestplate of the attacking bandit. It penetrated the armor and hit the bandit shallowly in the chest, causing him to bleed but causing no severe damage.

"You stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Son of a bitch!" The man yelled and hit Yew hard in the face with the pommel of his sword. Yew's nose was broken and bleeding. The bandit followed this up with a swing and was able to get a shallow wound on Yew's abdomen before Yew backed off. Yew was hurting badly.

He had five uses of Piercing Thorn left. 1 use of vile thorns. Several other first level spells. One use of acid spray. 3 uses of spark. 2 uses of Nature's Curse

"Piercing Thorn." Yew said this time the thorn hit the man's breastplate further up on his chest, though on the wrong side to get his heart. It penetrated the armor and hit him with another shallow wound.

"Fucking bastard!" He yelled and ran towards Yew again attempting another great cleave with his sword. This time Yew kept his cool.

"Piercing Thorn." Yew said and the thorn hit the man in his unprotected head. The thorn went right through his skull and stuck lodged itself so that either end of it could be seen through his head. The man fell down with hardly a death rattle.

Greta had to deal with the Breton female. Who was much more agile than the bandit leader, partly because she was wielding a knife and was wearing much lighter armor, and partially because she seemed to be a trained rogue. This would have been difficult enough to contend with as Greta wasn't nearly as fast and dextrous, however, she was also using magic against here. Casting flames as she slashed and weaved past Greta's pitiful defenses. It would have been beautiful to watch if it wasn't bringing Greta nearer and nearer to death.

She was getting cut and slashed all up, and only her wards and oakflesh spell were keeping her from death at this point. Greta couldn't even land a hit on her.

"Ha ha. You know priestess, you actually are quite the beauty under those robes. It's a shame really that I have to kill you." The Breton girl, who Greta believed was called Yvette, said. She was wearing an arrogant smirk on her face as she kept moving from foot to foot, dancing her way around Greta.

"And you are quite a skilled fighter. If you were a servant of good, you could achieve much." Greta said.

"Sorry. Good is boring and it doesn't pay that well." Yvete said.

"Finish me then. My only regret in this life was that I wasn't able to help Yew more. Once he gets down with your companion, he'll kill you." Greta said.

"I see. So you have trust in your pretty boy huh? As well as your divines. Fool. You can't trust anyone in this life." Yvette said and she bolted straight at Greta, while she had been talking she had switched her knife for a dagger and was now charging to plunge it into Greta's heart.

Greta timed her block perfectly rising her mace at the last second so that it would knock the blade from Yvette's hands. Then Greta lifted the mace and hit Yvette hard in the chest knocking her back and over, though her leather armor was able to hold. Yvette was on her knees and gasping. The blow had knocked the wind out of her. It was no matter though. Greta was wounded. She just needed to take stock of the situation and adjust her strategy.

Then she heard the distinctive sound of a corpse falling to the ground. Her leader was dead and Greta was healing her wounds while staring at her with a determined expression.

She had to withdraw.

Yvette turned and ran. She had a place she could go to lick her wounds and think of a new plan. South, she had to get south to Falkreath. She'd avoid Riverwood and stay in the wilds. She could hunt for a while. Then she could hole up with a few cutpurses she knew down there. It would be fine. Everything would be fine.

Yew stepped forward and nocked an Arrow, he held his breath and traced the movements of the fleeing bandit. Shame about having to kill her. She was an attractive girl and had a great bum, but she couldn't be allowed to escape. He didn't want any innocent deaths on his conscience. He was just about to loose when suddenly a flash appeared in his mind. A memory. He could see that woman's face, illuminated by torchlight, smiling at him.

His arrow loosed and it went arching into the distance. It struck a tree that Yvette had passed about 6 seconds earlier. Yvette escaped.

"Yew...Yew what's wrong?" Greta said. Yew's face was pale, like he had seen a ghost.

"That woman...I think I know her." Yew said.

"H-How?" Greta asked. What were the chances that someone he knew was in a bandit gang that waylaid them. Hadn't he just been on a trip to Helgen? Yew had told her that he really lived in a Druid's den leagues away from Riverwood, and that he hadn't been in Skyrim for too long.

"I-I'm not sure. From High Rock, I think." Yew said. He seemed distressed and in deep thought.

"You can't recall?" Greta said.

"No...I can not." Yew said.

"It's fine if you can't remember." Greta said.

"No. It's not." Yew said. Had she been important to him? Had she been an enemy? A friend? A lover? A relative? Yew just couldn't tell.

"Here. Let me heal your wounds." Greta said.

"No. It's a waste of magicka. I've got it." Yew said, uncorking one of his health potions and drinking it. Greta thought it might be wiser to save potions then her magicka but he seemed still distressed so she didn't want to get on his case.

Health potions tasted pretty good actually, and the process of healing felt just as good as by any other magical method. He gulped it all down and wiped the stray drops from his face.

"Let's get going. That put us back a bit." Yew said and marched on. Greta nodded and followed.

The journey to Whiterun continued. Only now Yew was brooding. He had an entire life that he could not recall, and another life that was missing a name. He had to shake it off though. He'd like to tame a familiar before he arrived in Whiterun, and the last thing he wanted was to alienate Greta. So he'd have to work to break the ice that had formed between them after their battle with the bandits. And he was damn horny. He'd need to relieve that once they got to Whiterun. There was a brothel there that Lucan frequented, if he couldn't seduce someone fast enough.

Then he'd have to begin his investigation, and frankly, he was scared of going down that rabbit hole. But he'd be likely doomed regardless if he did nothing.

So, plenty of thoughts to burden him with as he made his mostly silent march to Whiterun.