Disclaimer: I do not own rights to the Elder Scrolls Series.

Author's Note: You will notice in this chapter that the geographical layout has been greatly exaggerated. This is where the free form comes in. I have made the journey to Whiterun seem more realistic rather than a bounce and a skip away from Riverwood. The winding trail down from the canyon to the plains of Whiterun are now described in a much more dramatic way. This adds realism and a hint of danger. This will also provide a more lengthy journey through skyrim once they begin their adventures. It doesn't make sense that they would be able to say make a trip from Windhelm, on the far East side of Skyrim to Markarth, on the far west of Skyrim, in one day. In my version the world is much larger and the scaling is vast. Thank you for your support.

Chapter 4: Storm Bound Journey

Gareth

"160 gold and the lot is yours." Lucan leaned against the counter taking in the inventory that would soon exchange hands. I realized I had forgotten my bag back in the inn that contained my gold pouch. The realization soon fell over Lucan too as his gaze began to search for the coin that should have been presented.

"I'll be back shortly." With that I turned and started making my way to the door. I hadn't made it three steps when the door creaked open and Mahrig peeked in. I seen a shadow disrupt the light from behind her as Camilla opened the door wider. They both entered the shop as if on queue. Mahrig had my bag in her clutches. She hurriedly, as I painfully realized, limped over to me and held the bag out for me to take. Her eyes found a position on the floor and stayed as she spoke.

"I thought you might need this, Camilla mentioned you were here gathering supplies. I didn't recall you having anything on your persons when you left." I accepted the outstretched bag. Mahrig seemed to struggle a little with the uneven weight it posed for her outstretched arms.

"Thank you My Lady." I turned back towards Lucan who seemingly searched the outside of my fur bag, waiting for the coin to magically appear. I placed my bag on the counter and rummaged through until I produced my pouch. I counted out the 160 gold pieces, my pouch becoming noticeably lighter.

"Ah very well, here you are." Lucan smiled as he accepted the Gold. I could hear Camilla behind me scoff and hurry up the stairs. Mahrig stayed where she had been, but I noticed her attention had been caught by the various items that littered the store. Her eyes scanned over most things but eventually centered on an armored robe that was worn by one of the shop's mannequins. It was a thick light blue robe that looked well insulated. The cuirass that hugged the mannequin above the robe was dyed a dark gray to accent the light blue robe. It had numerous buckles that fastened it to the mannequin in the front. The bottom part of the cuirass had pockets and small pouches sewn into the belted area. It wouldn't provide much protection, but it was definitely better suited for a journey through Skyrim's cold and unforgiving environment than the simple unarmored cotton dress Mahrig wore.

I turned back to Lucan who was greedily counting his coin. He hadn't even noticed the opportunity to make another sale. It was obvious that Mahrig was interested in the robe, but I knew by the way she skeptically accepted my offer to pay for her food back in the inn that she would never ask for it.

"How much for the armored robe?" This brought Lucan out of his repetitive motion of sliding coin from one pile to another. He eyed the robe and then eyed me. I could tell he was debating something. Mahrig stirred beside me, out of the corner of my eye I could see the shock sculpt her face. Her eyes were overly wide as my inquiry began to settle in. Lucan clicked the roof of his mouth with his tongue and spoke.

"Camilla seems to like the two of you, she is especially fond of the girl. She would no doubt have my head if I charged more than it was worth, and she might even scorn me if we embark in haggling." I could hear feet shuffling on the floorboards of the upstairs. I heard Camilla's voice chime from the stairs.

"That's exactly right dear brother." Lucan scoffed at Camilla's reply. He leaned down as if to look for something under the counter. After moving a few things around he brought up a pair of hardly worn mage boots. I could see from the Aura around them that they had been enchanted. By the blue hint that slightly glistened over the surface in pulses I guessed it to be a Magicka enchantment. Lucan narrowed his eyes slightly.

"I'll throw in the robes for half price if you purchase these boots at full." Lucan glanced over at Mahrig who now displayed a bright stain of pink across her cheeks. She was embarrassed. I almost immediately felt guilty for not asking her first. She had figured out the reason behind my pricing of the robes. It would seem she was not accustomed to such offers of kindness. I turned back towards Lucan.

"What would the total cost be?" Lucan smiled squinting his beady black eyes and brows until his skin bunched above his nose.

"That'll be-" Loud stomping came from behind us. Camilla came into view descending the stairs with an even more mischievous grin than her brother. When she reached the bottom she patted the robed mannequin and pointed towards the boots that sat in front of her brother.

"That'll be 100 gold." Camilla stated. Lucan's jaw dropped well beyond possible comfort. The boots alone would have probably cost me 300 gold. The armored robe was well worth 75 gold pieces. Lucan huffed but fell silent. Camilla began undressing the mannequin. I became quite uncomfortable in the thick atmosphere of sibling rivalry. Lucan was obviously not enthused by his sister's interjection.

Mahrig had began fidgeting with her sleeves. She was now a bright red. I wanted to offer to pay full cost for the robes and boots, but I knew this would only make Mahrig feel more uncomfortable. Camilla brought the robes and cuirass over to the counter. Lucan had retreated to his seat in the corner and was now sipping on what I assumed to be wine. She neatly folded the robes and placed the cuirass on top adding all the items to my already purchased miscellaneous stuff. She beamed up at me and then looked over to Mahrig.

"Don't fret girl, you will find these things useful out on the roads of Skyrim." Camilla had already discovered my intentions for the robes. She then looked over to her brother who sat sulking in the corner.

"You know these people aren't just some random visitors that came into town for entertainment. They are trying to help us, the least we could do would be to return the favor." Lucan sighed.

"I know, but travel is harder for people in Skyrim now that the war is gaining haste. The town used to be abuzz with visitors and adventurers who would pass through. Now we are lucky to even sell our merchandise to the citizens of Riverwood." He paused looking to an empty spot on the counter.

"If that isn't bad enough we have thieves breaking into our shop and stealing stuff." Lucan took another sip of his wine. Camilla raised her hands in exasperation.

"Are we really on the Golden claw subject again? I told you we should hire a mercenary to hunt the thief down." Lucan laughed as he stood setting his wine down on the table.

"What good would that do sister? The thief is long gone by now. Besides, he probably already melted it down and done away with the evidence." Camilla became flustered at her brother's words.

"Then why do you keep bringing it up? You say it's useless and then continue to wine about it." Camilla began tapping her foot, and placed her hand on her hip. I cleared my throat hoping to remind them that there were other people present to witness their quarrel. Lucan and Camilla gave each other one more cross glare before Camilla turned her attention back to me.

I counted out 100 gold and gave it to Camilla. I gathered all of my items. A few new waterskins, 6 Hawk feathers, and a few vials of minor healing potion to replace the ones I had utilized from my stock. Since Camilla had been so generous on pricing the clearly valuable mage boots and armored robes, I gave her a few things I could spare. I gave her a bottle of the distilled alcohol and a few potion recipes that I had come across in my journey. I had memorized the ingredients needed and had no use for the lists. Camilla beamed before offering the robes and boots to Mahrig. Mahrig quickly glanced up at me. Her eyes searched my features looking for some form of approval. I nodded in her direction. She sighed and sheepishly smiled as she took the apparel from Camilla.

Back at the inn Mahrig made her way in so that she could change into her new attire. I walked to where Arlow was tied. The big white horse grazed on some grass that stuck through the wooden fence posts. I securely tied my bag to the saddle straps and untied him from the post. I walked him over towards the river where I had hoped he would drink. The river was just a few paces away from the road on the opposite side of the Sleeping Giant Inn. Arlow took his time grazing some of the grass before he made his way to the water. I sat on a stump and closed my eyes. I really didn't want to think about the possibility of dragons, but there wasn't much else my mind could ponder. I watched the water rush by on the riverbanks. In the distance past the bridge to the East of town I could see water vapor rise above the surface as it fell in a downcast direction towards the rapids of the falls. The sun's rays illuminated the sky, but had not appeared into view over the large mountain that sat in the East. Rumors had it that a Monastery sat close to the top of the mountain. The mountain was said to be the most sacred mountain range in Skyrim, Kynareth's sacred mountain and Throat of the World. I could easily understand why the mountain had such a name. The peak of the mountain wasn't visible due to its ascension into the clouds. I closed my eyes taking in a deep breath smelling the many floral scents that covered the area. I heard light footsteps behind me. When I turned around I saw Mahrig. The robe was easily adjusted to fit her petite frame. She had pulled her long wavy hair back into a loose braid and tied it at the end with a piece of linen she had salvaged from the old rags I had found her in. The Cuirass fit well on her torso hugging her rounded- By the Divines No! Such thoughts are blasphemous!

I turned away trying to hide the heat that had risen to my face at having such impure thoughts. The poor woman behind me did not deserve to have such thoughts directed towards her, not that she wasn't beautiful. It had nothing to do with her attractiveness. I simply shouldn't have harbored such thoughts about her. It made me no better than the drunkards who had leered at her vulnerable body the night before. I had done my best to not pay much attention to her while Camilla and I had bathed her in the bathing room of the inn. Those thoughts didn't surface then, and they shouldn't have surfaced in this moment. It would be a lie to try and convince myself I had not tasted temptation before, because I had.

That had been so many years ago, before becoming a full fledged Paladin. I was still in my training. I had been smitten with a priestess from the priory back in Cyrodiil. Her name was Lhana. Her hair was as fiery as a Hearthfire sunset, and eyes as brown as the rich fertile soils of Cyrodiil. Lhana tested my will on many occasions with her honeyed words and slight sways of flirtation in her hips. She was the type of woman that could bring any man to his knees with her smile and alluringly innocent laugh. She was one of the three woman that lived on the grounds. She took care of donations and travelling to local settlements to help the needy and spread the word of the Nine Divines. She awakened many temptations that lay deep within my mind. Sometimes I wondered if the priests had intentionally planted her in the lives of the recruits to test their will.

Word spread as fast as a forest fire when she had been discovered practicing her Dibellan arts with some of the guards stationed in a watchtower not far from the priory. One of the jealous recruits had brought it to the attention of the High Priest, Argus. Argus had been furious with Lhana, claiming that the Dibellan art of fornification had been deemed taboo long ago. She had tried to plead her case with him, but she failed to sway Argus who was set in his way. I seen her one last time before she departed from the priory. She didn't even seem ashamed of the acts she had been accused of. I had long wondered why she had been so open with her flirtations. After finding out what secrets she hid behind those wild brown eyes it had opened my own eyes. I did not judge her for her ways. After all the Dibellan arts had once been deemed righteous in the eyes of the Goddess Dibella. With the changing of times and the rise of Mara, the handmaiden of Kyne, people had slowly began to migrate towards a less carnal affection.

Lore has it that Dibella was once under great influence of the Daedric Prince Sanguine. Lost scriptures in the archives of the priory tell of a time where Dibella had fallen to the sensual influence of Sanguine and the two had embraced as lovers. Sanguine had tricked Dibella into thinking it had been love. He defiled the goddess and made the other Divine's, except one, look down upon Dibella. Kynareth felt pity for the confused Goddess Dibella. Kynareth, the goddess of worldly creation sent her handmaiden, Mara, to embrace Dibella. Sanguine had humiliated Dibella in every way possible, the translations of the scriptures had been rough, but some details had suggested Sanguine's techniques had bordered domination over the Goddess. He had made these acts known to the divines. In these times Kynareth had seen the effect this unholy union had on the mortal world. Men would cheat on their wives, women would cheat on their husbands. Rape and slavery dominated most factions of the primitive world.

Mara found Dibella under Sanguine's spell. The love she was tricked into harboring for the Daedric prince was washed away by Mara's tears. Dibella regained her senses and embraced the maiden, where she ascended back to Aetherius and corrected her errors. The humiliation she had suffered under Sanguine carved the the way to her revelations. Beauty was meant to be admired not harnessed. The Dibellan symbol became a tear. The tear Mara had shed for her because of Kynareth's mercy. This is the reason the old Dibellan arts was outlawed by followers of the nine. Dibella ascended back to her rightful place and changed the vulgar way her influence had affected mortals. A balance was found on Nirn as the balance returned to Aetherius.

I could understand why Argus had been so upset with Lhana. Numerous other priests had been saddened to see her leave, along with a few of the other recruits who studied alongside me. She could have chosen to stay and find forgiveness, but she wouldn't part with her Dibellan practice. She left, and I never seen Lhana again.

Mahrig shifted slightly when she came to stand by where I sat on the stump. She cleared her throat.

"It seems I now have another debt to pay you." I glanced up at her, hiding my eyes underneath my lashes. She was slightly smiling as she stared at Arlow who had finally decided to drink from the river.

"You owe me no such thing my lady." Is all that I could muster.

Mahrig

Gareth seemed preoccupied as he pulled his horse away from the River. I was indeed grateful for the kind gesture of gifting me with the items of clothing and leather cuirass. The first physical gift I had ever received from anyone had been the offer to pay for my soup in the inn. Then he gifted me yet again with the armor. I was a complete stranger and yet he still offered so much to me. He had already given me the gift of walking when he restored my ankle from its mangled state. The most important gift he gave to me was another chance at life when he happened upon me in Helgen. I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed by everything he kept seemingly doing out of kindness. He never expected anything in return, and assured me that there was no need to repay him.

The town of Riverwood was abuzz with citizens. The day had progressed and clouds had begun to roll in from the South West. The clouds were dark and ominous, a storm was brewing. The wind had lightly picked up and the sun's rays from the East illuminated the dark clouds that made their approach. It was still morning time, but the early hours had progressed closer to noon. I looked back toward Gareth who had also taken notice of the storm approaching. He patted his white horse and then turned his attention to me.

"We probably won't be able to outrun the storm, but we can at least gain some distance before we will need to head for shelter." He paused looking back toward the citizens who crowded the road in haste. Everyone knew the storm was coming and hurried to finish chores and business they had outside of their homes. Children clung to their mother's dresses as they hurried from one place to another, men carried large sacks of grain over their shoulders and other's packed firewood. I paused before asking my next question.

"How...do you plan we make it to Whiterun with just one horse?" I motioned towards the white steed as he began to show signs that he was unsettled. The approaching storm had probably put him on edge as it had the other small signs of wildlife that I could see scurrying for cover at the other side of the river. Gareth smile slightly, the warm feeling his smile gave me returned.

"It would seem we will both be riding Arlow. It's the only way we'll make it to Whiterun as soon as possible." He glanced down at the ground, I could tell by the way his features changed that he was slightly uncomfortable with the idea.

"I did after all bring you from Helgen to Riverwood on my horse. This time you will be able to sit up by yourself so you can ride behind me." This seemed like an alright plan to me. I felt slightly embarrassed to find out that I had been such a burden before. I had been unconscious so there was nothing I could have done about it. Gareth nodded his head toward the approaching figure behind me. I turned around and caught sight of Camilla who hurriedly made her way through the bustling crowd. When she broke free of the trafficking crowd I could see she carried something folded in her arms.

"Hold up, don't leave just yet." Camilla glanced back towards the charging clouds that could clearly be seen climbing from the South West into the Canyon where Riverwood settled. She sat not one, but two items down on the stump where Gareth had been sitting earlier.

"One more gift for each of you before you leave." She started unfolding one of the items. It was a sleek hide cloak that she presented to me.

"Can't have you and Gareth catching your death out there." She motioned towards the clouds that had begun growing darker and closer by the minute.

"They won't provide much warmth, but they will keep you dry." She smiled towards Gareth and handed him one as well. Gareth unbuckled his own fur cloak from his armor and tied the hide cloak around his neck in its place.

"Thank you Madame Camilla." He gave her a smile.

"Oh don't thank me, Lucan and I aren't as bad off as he would have you believe." She chuckled

"He secretly hikes the prices up on certain items and claims that our supplies are low. I've seen him do it multiple times. I would step in but there is only so much I can do as his sister. It was his idea to start the shop so who am I to question his ways? I'm simply the people person. It has its advantages but also the drawbacks." Camilla stepped toward me and extended her arms. At first I paused, not sure what she was doing, but she initiated the hug first. She gently squeezed me and I awkwardly patted her back. Hugs were not something I was comfortable with or ever experienced. The closest thing I had ever had to a hug that I had initiated was holding the poor boy Hammond to my chest back in Helgen. Hammond… Camilla pulled back and beamed her infectious smile. I couldn't help but to smile back.

Camilla waved goodbye to us as we set out toward the East side of town. I was snuggled closely to the back of Gareth on his horse. He had instructed me to hold on because the trail down the Canyon by the falls would be steep and dangerous. We needed to gain some distance from the storm and hopefully reach the bottom into the plains before the storm caught up. Our efforts would be futile though.

The rain began pelting us and the wind became too dangerous for us to continue our descent. The trail leading down through the Canyon that was nestled by mountains on either side became dangerous as unpredictable bouts of wind threatened to send us over the side into the waterfall of rapids. I held on tightly to Gareth over his cloak trying my best to link my hands in the front of his Plate armor. The armor proved to be too bulky for my actions though. My hands settled on the slick steel not giving me much of a grip.

Gareth slowed Arlow from his trot to a walk. His eyes searched the walls of the Canyon. The lightning was bright and thunder echoed through the Canyon making it seem to last longer. Arlow was beginning to spook easily. I knew Gareth was most likely searching for a place for us to rest. The rain was almost blinding by that point. I couldn't make out anything more than the few stones that littered the area around us and the billowing mountain side that lay to the left of our position.

"We are going to have to get off and walk!" Gareth had to yell over the sound of the howling wind and cracks of thunder. He guided Arlow to the molded rocks and stone of the mountain side. I released my grasp on him allowing him to slide down from Arlow's saddle. He patted Arlow's neck and grabbed the reins tightly with his left hand, extending his right hand up to me.

I saw the bright flash reflect in his steel armor that stretched across his torso, the loud crack of thunder was almost instantaneous. It sounded as if some kind of explosion had been set off behind me. The ground quaked and Arlow reared back away from the wall. I held on as tightly as I could to the saddle. Gareth immediately pulled down on Arlow's rein. He grabbed the horse by the mane calming him to a still. The horses back quarters still pranced shifting weight from one side to the other. I could feel the movement in his hind quarters under my body. Gareth didn't waste time. His left arm slipped around my waist and pulled me down effortlessly from the saddle. My feet made contact with the rumbling ground. The echoes of thunder danced beneath my feet as it traveled through the Canyon.

"Hold on to my cloak!" Gareth yelled over the wind. I instantly grabbed his cloak, bunching the hide between my fingers in a tight grasp. Here we were, stuck between a frightened horse and a rumbling mountain. I looked up to see if I could make out the debris that I could feel grazing my hand every so often. Little rocks and pebbles were falling down the length of the stone that I had in my view. No doubt the vibration was causing these rocks to tumble down the mountain side. I kept my left hand on the wall and trailed against it as I continued to hold onto Gareth's cloak with my right hand. We had begun walking again. Another clack of thunder made me and Arlow both jump. The skittish horse was reaching his limits as was I. As far as storms were concerned I had never been out in the bouts of a raging storm. I had always hid safely away in a shelter somewhere.

The heavy rainfall continued to fall over the surface of my hide cloak, but my soaked hair held water to my skin. The water began to drip down my neck and into the collar of the cloak, dampening the robe underneath. The rain was cold unlike most of the rain in Cyrodiil. Thinking back to my knowledge of Geography it would only make sense. The storm system was coming from the south west. It had come from the frozen mountain ranges separating Skyrim from her neighboring countries. In the mountain range the storm probably raged as a blizzard, but as the storm approached warmer climates, the snow would turn to water as it fell from the sky. Trying to keep my mind off the shivers that were forming from the now damp chest and back of my robe, I reflected back on some of the books I had been given to read during my less than hospitable imprisonment. These type of things had been explained among some of the pages in books I read. I would be given books from a variety of scholars to keep me preoccupied. Oh how I wished I could find something to stay preoccupied in that moment.

Gareth

I had no other choice but to put myself and Mahrig between the mountain and Arlow. If I lost control of Arlow it could result in either Mahrig or I to stumble into the falls. The rain was coming down hard making it hard to see anything at a distance. Trailing the mountain side would help us stay on track and hopefully locate somewhere to rest until the storm let up. We had been traveling for at least 2 hours and had made quite a bit of progress down the trail when the storm hit. I should have focused on finding shelter sooner, but all my concerns lay in the urgency to make it to Whiterun. I had foolishly put mine and Mahrig's life at risk just to gain some ground. Now I deeply regretted the decision.

Mahrig was already shivering from the cold rain that pelted down. I feared that if the vibration from the thunder kept at this intensity for much longer, we could very well be caught in a landslide of rocks from the mountain side. I pushed forward. Mahrig's grip on my cloak grew tighter with every flash of lightning and crack of thunder that followed. We continued down at a slower pace, but eventually came to a small landing. I knew we were still far from reaching the plains. Before the storm hit we had only traversed halfway down the descending canyon. We were now reduced to a much slower travel which meant we still had a ways to go. I did not have the luxury of view due to the blanket of rain that surrounded us. I couldn't make out the Plains of Whiterun that should have been coming into view by now. The place where we stood was still against the mountain side, but much wider and even provided some foliage and trees. The limbs of the trees swayed wildly against the force of the constantly changing wind. The tall Pines were sturdy no doubt, but the ferocity of this storm put the tree's strength to the test.

There was a rather large enclave to the mountain here. The Divine's must have felt pity for us, because the odds of stumbling upon this discovery seemed to lack in our favor. This would have to do. I motioned towards the enclave and watched as Mahrig's squinted eyes found the location. A look of relief filled her features as we began making our way over. I pulled Arlow inside out of the rain as well. The enclave could have easily fit a few small huts, or a hunting party. From the evidence in the center I convened that travelling parties before us had already utilized the convenient formation of nature. A small fire pit sat in the middle made by the formation of stones that had been gathered. A cold pile of ash was evidence enough that someone had built a fire here. Mahrig's attention was on the fire pit as well. Her eyes started searching the area for anything dry that we could burn. The only source of kindling we had was a dead log that had been pulled into the enclave to likely be used as seating. It was dry wood, and that's what we needed.

I dug through my bag that was still strapped to Arlow's saddle. Being out of the elements had slightly calmed the horses mind, but his hindquarters still jolted whenever the thunder would echo off of the walls. I retrieved some tundra cotton I had gathered a few days prior to my journey to Falkreath. I normally used the cotton to start a small flame, it would definitely come in handy. Mahrig was already gathering pine needles from the ground that had fallen from the Pine tree overtime that sat beside the entrance. Smart girl, I thought to myself.I placed the cotton in the middle of the ash that lay in the fire pit. Mahrig kept bringing hand fulls of pine needles and laying them beside the pit. When she was satisfied she started piling the pine needles around the cotton. I searched for some stones, we would need a spark. It would seem though I didn't need need to worry. A small flame erupted from Mahrig's fingertips. It wasn't a very strong flame, but it was enough to ignite the flammable cotton. After the flame caught, Mahrig slowly began feeding the fire more pine needles and small twigs she had gathered from the ground within the enclave. I didn't waste time. We would need wood soon. I walked over to Arlow, took my axe from it's buckle and walked towards the dried log.

The fire was burning good now, the heat was welcomed by both Mahrig and I. She sat close to the flame extending her hands and warming them. I just silently watched. I was curious about this woman. She appeared young, but her eyes held volumes. She was the shy type and seemed out of touch with the world. Her survival skills suggested she was no stranger to the outdoors though. It was people she had a hard time adjusting to. I didn't want to startle Mahrig by being nosy. Sitting in silence though was starting to work on my nerves.

"So," I began. She looked up from the flames, the flicker danced in her wide blue eyes.

"Other than just being from Cyrodiil, what settlement did you call home?" She looked back at the fire. She sat in silence for a moment before answering.

"I travelled around a lot, I spent most of my time in Eastern Cyrodiil." She paused to stoke the fire with a stick she had begun to use.

"I especially enjoyed my time in the Blackwood area, I had a few acquaintances I visited in Leyawiin. It was a dreary city, but it was definitely a change from the fast paced lives of other settlements. People were secretive and didn't pry. I've never really been a trusting person so the place suited me."

No friends or family, not even a home, and yet she seemed so well kept. Her skin was pale, but not a sickly pale. Her full figured petite frame didn't show any signs of starvation or malnutrition. My curiosity soared, but I wasn't able to ask any further questions due to her sudden interest in me.

"What is your story Gareth?" I ran my hand through my short locks of damp hair. It had already begun to dry from the heat the fire offered. Sharing my story is not something anyone had ever been interested in. My conversation skills were proving to be as lacking as Mahrig's had. The thought crossed my mind before I answered. Maybe if I were to share a little more about me, she would feel inclined to share more about herself. I imagined the details that were about to be revealed about myself could fill a book. I started with my childhood.

"Well my lady, I'll start with my childhood." She smiled slightly and pulled her knees to her chest embracing them. She was ready to listen so I continued.

"My father was a Nord. I never knew my mother. I had guessed she had passed when I was too young to remember. My father had told me small details about her. I knew that she had been a Breton maiden. My father's parents had settled in High Rock in a small farming community located in a mountain range not so unlike the Reach here in Skyrim." I paused realising that Mahrig probably wouldn't understand my comparison. She still had her eyes on me.

"I had been born in High Rock. When I was seven years old my father had began preparations to move himself and I back to Skyrim. He made all the arrangements, sold our farm sold everything we didn't need and bought a wagon. Our last day on the farm a group of guards approached our home." I paused realizing the details about what I would soon reveal might scare the woman gazing across the fire at me. She noticed my hesitation and creased her brow. I didn't want to add any horror to her already fragile conscience.

"Well, events unfolded that left me fatherless. I was later sold to the slave market and smuggled into Hammerfell. I spent most of my childhood there. My ownership changed hands many times until I was about 14. I escaped by hiding myself amongst a trader's caravan. Him nor his guards had noticed me. I spent days in the back of that wagon amongst the strange smells of oil and slight stench of food that had began to spoil. When we finally came to a permanent stop, we were in Cyrodiil. We were in the city of Chorrol. I made my escape from the wagon before anyone could notice. I became an orphan on the streets. No one wanted to hire an urchin like me."

Mahrig's face had fallen from curiosity to a more sympathetic look. I had spared her all the gruesome details. I gave her a basic outline of my childhood. There was no reason she should feel such pain for me. The Divine's had already took pity on me and gave my life meaning.

"A travelling priest took pity on me. There were a few Priory's located in the county of Chorrol. I studied with them until I started my training to become a Paladin. I was later inducted into the Knights of the Nine at Kvatch." I had been staring into the crackling ember's of the fire, but noticed as Mahrig's body went rigid.