Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Elder Scroll series.

Chapter 5: Bleak

Mahrig

He's a Paladin? He was at Kvatch? My mind began reeling with possibilities. The fear clenched my body in its tight grasp. He was a Paladin, a Knight of the Nine. Did he know all this time who I was? I tried to keep my dawning expression at bay. The look on my face must have been quite a sight. Gareth sat across from me not moving. His confusion set in the moment my shock had taken over. The people who had kept me locked away were associated with the Knights of the Nine. The Knights of the Nine were a group of wandering Clerics, Priests, and Holy Warriors that had been battle hardened. They maintained a Priory outside of the walls to Kvatch. The Knights of the Nine had rebuilt Kvatch after the Oblivion Crisis, and turned it over to high ranking priests from all over the provinces. They maintained the town as a Holy place where all could come to visit the temple. It was a reminder to everyone of faith that the Divine's prevailed over the Daedra, a standing stone to prove that what comes to pass can be overcome.

What most failed to realize was that Kvatch was also a prison and held many mysteries that the Priests and Templars kept under supervision and locked away from the world. I had read many books about the Oblivion Crisis. Kvatch had been completely destroyed as the first Oblivion gate opened. Many lives had been lost and the town had laid in ruin. Being imprisoned for such a long time in secret dungeons under the newly constructed Keep aided in my recovery of rumors passed down by guards. I would over hear them talking of something that had been left behind after the Oblivion Crisis. Priests, clerics, even Shaman's were brought to interrogate me. They gave me books and tested my knowledge from a young age. They would teach me small spells and observe as I used them. They never gave me anything useful. No knowledge of destruction magic, nothing that could prove to be useful in an escape attempt. The little destruction magic I did know I had learned after my escape.

There were many tests they had conducted on me. Some were even cruel. There had been one week where they had stopped serving meals. A whole week of nothing to eat. The man who had requested the test claimed that they wanted to see my ability to function under hunger's influence. Then there were the tests of pain. How much pain I could endure without passing out seemed to be important to them. They were always disappointed in their results. In turn this meant tempers would flare and I was always the one that got the sore end of the deal. I had lived in that turmoil and poor conditions my whole life. I didn't know how else to live. It seemed normal to me as a child, but the older I became, and the more books I read made me realize that my situation wasn't normal. I wanted out, I wanted to escape. I wanted to journey the world and find my place like so many adventurers had in so many books and journals I had been allowed to read.

Gareth couldn't know about me… He was nothing like the cruel people who had imprisoned me, claiming it the will of the Divines. Surely if he had known, he wouldn't have brought me to Riverwood. He would have taken me back to Cyrodiil. I watched him. His Green eyes searched my own. The fear in my body started to subside as my mind reasoned with my fears. I needed to give him a reason for my demeanor. I searched my thoughts and found one.

"I'm sorry, I've just heard rumors about Kvatch being haunted by those lost in the Oblivion Crisis." It wasn't a complete lie. I had heard many false rumors spread by the Priest's and Templars. This kept nosy people from wandering into area's of the town that were forbidden. This made Gareth seem to relax a little.

"I wouldn't have guessed you to be the type to scare so easily of ghostly tales." He chuckled.

"I never spent much time within the walls of Kvatch. Most of my duties were in the Priory outside of the town. I would visit the Temple for weekly prayers, and my ceremony had been held at the temple. I heard rumors of the hauntings as well, but never experienced anything weird." He smiled.

I faked a sigh of relief. No, I wouldn't be sharing any more of my past with him than I already had. If I did, I would have to make something up. The thought of lying to Gareth made my stomach turn slightly. He was too good natured to be lied to. No, I would just give him little details that gave nothing away. He didn't seem to have much knowledge of Kvatch. He had mentioned spending most of his time in the county of Chorrol before coming to Kvatch. Maybe he had no clue as to what went on in the underground. The Templars and Priests had been very secretive about their work. I had only made my escape about two years ago. It had caused quite the commotion inside the walls of Kvatch.

Gareth and I sat in silence now watching the fire. The fire had started to die down. I watched as Gareth stood up from his sitting position across the fire from me. He grabbed his axe and headed back over to where the dead log sat. My mind drifted into my thoughts. The storm still raged outside of the enclave.

My escape from Kvatch had become imperative to me after a near death experience. I had been thirteen when my preparations of escape had begun. One of the strange Scholars they had brought in performed some "unorthodox" tests on me. The priests, as cruel as they were, even agreed that his tactics were lacking integrity. The strange man would sometimes talk in riddles and I could never understand or comprehend him. His tests always involved using my blood. He would mix them with powders, and herbs, collect my blood in vials and store them away. His eyes were unreadable. He would easily become angry but bounce back to laughter in an instant as if nothing had happened. The last series of "tests" consisted of him draining my body of my blood. He was stopped before he could finish. The Priests had banned him from Kvatch. They forcibly removed him leaving all of his belongings behind. The healers spent hours as I slipped in and out of consciousness. I'm not sure if they felt guilty or had just simply ran out of things to keep me occupied, but after going through his belongings and disposing of most things, they left me his books. Most of the books centered around the Dwemer, an ancient race of mer that mysteriously disappeared leaving only their underground cities and mechanical contraptions as proof that they had existed. It took me four years to finally gain an advantage that would lead to my escape.

The Thalmor had sent a representative to Kvatch about two years ago. He was to make sure the worship of Talos had been banned from Kvatch as well as many other locations in Cyrodiil. No one had known prior to his arrival that he would be investigating. I remember hearing shuffled footsteps and the ruffle of papers as priests, guards and templars were all instructed to hide anything that would hint to their work here in Kvatch. The cells across from me had always been empty, but now contained trinkets, scrolls, books and many other things. I was the only prisoner that had ever been down in the dungeons. I had been raised from a babe and placed into the cell at a very young age.

One of the priests had stumbled and dropped his arm load of scrolls, one of them rolling within my reach. He turned his back away from me and began picking up the mess. Another priest had burst into the dungeon and demanded he leave them until later. They both rushed out of the dungeon, presumably going to gather more things they did not wish for the Thalmor to get their hands on. I grabbed the scroll in curiosity rather than need. I opened the scroll. There were two parchments rolled up. One was in a language I could not decipher, and the other appeared to be a rough translation. My mind raced as I read the words in my mind. It had been a scroll of teleportation. The God's had finally tired of the injustice that was being committed in their names and had given me an escape. It was the only possible explanation. I invoked the words from the scroll. An orb of of light spread from the scroll and engulfed me. The farther in the invocation I got the brighter it began to glow. I halted, the words before me stumped me. " I implore my essence to the windows of Nirn, grant me haste to invoke the place I yearn." Where was I supposed to go? I had never been anywhere. All I wanted was to be free of the walls that surrounded me. As if I had spoken the words aloud, the vision of my cell began to blur into the bright light the orb consumed me in. I could feel my legs lift from the cold stone floor that had begun to shake.

Shouting was the last thing I had heard before my body felt as if it was being thrust through some kind of veil. I landed in a heap outside of the walls of Kvatch. My first thoughts were that the priests had put me into a dream state and were giving me illusions of escape. The longer I sat on the ground the more everything began to feel real. I could smell foreign scents I had never experienced, I seen the heavens I had read about in so many books. The late evening sky danced with sparkling holes into Aetherius. I began to weep at the sights and smells that overwhelmed my senses. The sounds of shouting became apparent to my ears. I heard a loud sound and from my position below the hill I seen the city gates open. I could see a light orange glow as torches started to come into sight. Groups of men and women began descending the hillside. I had to move quick so that I wouldn't be noticed. I remember passing the Priory when I reached the bottom of the hill. No one had been outside to see me, and I had disappeared into the thick forests. I began my life on the run.

My thoughts had left my body in tired state. My half lidded gaze had not registered the wood that Gareth had placed onto the fire. I hadn't registered any of his movements. He was sitting down across from me once more. He noticed my attention had returned to him and smiled.

"Would you like something to eat before we set out?" I glanced over quickly to the outside. The storm was starting to settle down. I could now see the path we had been on before we had to seek shelter here. It was still raining, but it was nothing like it had been before. The wind had died down greatly as well. I smirked, realizing I had been lost in my thoughts longer than anticipated. Poor Gareth probably thought I simply didn't wish to converse with him. How I wished I could convince him otherwise. I was afraid though to admit being lost in thought. He might have inquired as to where my mind had wandered.

I took the dried meat that was offered to me. Gareth had presented the meat after unfolding a makeshift cloth bag that had contained his food stores. There were a few berries among the many things that lay before him in the unfolded sack. A few slices of goat cheese, another darker dried meat, a few potatoes, some carrots, and… Oh my goodness it can't be… My stomach jumped for joy at the sight of the fluffy sweetroll that teased me with it's promise of sweetly glazed sugariness. My mouth halted as I was about to take a bite of the now seemingly bland meat. Gareth chuckled at my pause. He followed my gaze down to where the sweetroll rested.

"Would you like to split this sweetroll with me my lady?" There were no awkward pauses as my head seemed to nod vigorously without my consent. In that instant my body took control of itself and my senses ran mad with the need to taste the sweetroll. Gareth tore the sweet roll into half and leaned to the side so that he could hand me my piece around the fire. I didn't take the time to even admire the sweet in which I had longed to taste. I took a bite. The sweetness hit my tongue and and involuntary hum of satisfaction escaped my throat. I finished eating the rest before Gareth had even had time to place his piece to his mouth.

Gareth's expression had changed to one of amusement. I'm not sure what kind of sight he may have witnessed, but I was all of a sudden very self conscious. I cleared my throat and managed a small grin. Gareth looked down to where he had stopped the advance of his sweetroll to his mouth after my bad manners had no doubt caught his attention.

"Would you like this piece as well?" I will admit that every fiber of my being wanted to say yes. I wanted the other half to the sweetroll that had just brought me such pleasure. I however, with great difficulty, declined. He had been nice enough to offer me a piece of his sweetroll. I wouldn't rob him of his half too.

Gareth

We made it to the plains of Whiterun just before sunset. The sky was still overcast, but the light reflecting through the clouds had dimmed. In the distance I could see the huge City of Whiterun illuminate the darkening plains that surrounded it. Mahrig had tried her hardest not to fall asleep, but I could feel her weight behind me begin to sway back and forth. I made her exchange places with me. In her drowsy state she had simply agreed. I didn't need her falling off the back of Arlow. I was hoping to pick up Arlow's pace and try and reach Whiterun at a decent hour. Her body sat securely between my arms that held Arlow's reins. She leaned into me and her head had tilted in a downward position as she fell asleep. I could at least use my arms to brace her body and keep her from falling off as we raced across the plains of Whiterun.

Torches lined the weathered stonework that surrounded Whiterun reminding me of a beacon in the darkness. We arrived at the Whiterun stables in the late evening hours before midnight. A young man sat outside the stable in a chair. He had fallen asleep in an upright position with loud snores escaping from his upward craned neck. I took out my coin pouch and shook it. His eyes almost instantly opened at the familiar sound. Mahrig was lightly petting Arlow's mane. She giggled when he released a content snort into her hair causing stray strands to escape her from her braid. We walked up the winding path and crossed the mote style gate to the town's gates. A guard approached.

"Halt, the city is closed with the rumors of dragons about." This caught me off guard. The rumors of Dragons had already begun to circulate before Mahrig and I could even reach the city. Mahrig stepped forward.

"Please, Riverwood calls for Aid. I was at Helgen, I saw what happened. I need to inform your Jarl." Mahrig's urgency was clear, the guard could tell this as well.

"Fine, but go straight to Dragon's Reach. You will find the Jarl and his council in the main hall." The guard stepped away from the wall and looked up to the tower over the city gates.

"Open the gates!" The guard, just barely visible with his torch, waved from the tower in response. The doors made a loud creaking sound as they opened. They stopped just wide enough for Mahrig and I to gain passage. Once we were in the city I heard the gates begin to close. This wasn't my first time in Whiterun. I had been here many times before. Mahrig didn't seem interested in all the shops and inn's that lined the streets of the Plains district. We didn't slow our pace as I guided us through the streets and alleys. I could tell Mahrig had been struggling to keep up with her slight limp. I took us to a shortcut through the Plains district to a staircase that lead to the Wind district. The Wind district of Skyrim was mostly residential. It also contained the Hall of the Dead, a Temple of Kynareth, and The famous Mead hall of Jorrvaskr which was home to the Companions guild. Up above the Mead hall sat the legendary Skyforge. Legend had it that the forge's fire was as old as Skyrim itself. We made our way past the sacred Eldergleam heading towards the stairs that would take us to the Cloud District which was home to Dragon's Reach.

Mahrig stopped for the first time. At first I had thought her exertion on her ankle had been too much, but her attention was turned upward. At the top of the tree was a scorched scar that still smoldered. The leaves had already began to fall to the ground leaving pink blooms to lay at our feet. The tree was dying. It would seem something had struck the tree and sent it into a spiraling decline towards death. The last time I had seen the tree was about a fortnight prior to mine and Mahrig's journey here. The tree had been healthy and showed Kynareth's blessings upon the town of Whiterun. It was a sad sight to see the tree in such poor condition. Mahrig sighed and turned her attention back towards the flight of steps we needed to climb to reach the Cloud district.

I knew Jarl Balgruuf well. I had done all that was in my power to help the Jarl rid his hold of Banditry and the dark cults. He had recognized me as a great asset to the city of Whiterun and even offered me a position among his council. I had declined the offer due to my adventurous nature. Dragon's Reach seemed bigger each time I visited. I didn't know how that was possible, but my mind sure gave me the sense of feeling small within its walls. I made my way towards the dining hall that conjoined with the throne room. I could hear Jarl Balgruuf's voice echoing off the vast halls. After ascending the steps from the visitors area, the crowd of people came into my view. Jarl Ulfric was debating with many people from his council that, from overhearing, seemed to be trying to dissuade him from the rumor of dragons. Ireleth spotted me almost immediately and approached pushing her way through the riot of council members. She eyed Mahrig cautiously and then turned her attention to me.

"It's nice to see you in one piece Gareth, I gave strict orders for my men to not let anyone in, you must be here for a good reason." She motioned towards Mahrig who was slightly hid behind me.

"I see you brought company." I nodded in response to Ireleth.

"This is Mahrig, she is a survivor of Helgen and has much to discuss with the Jarl." I stepped out of the way presenting Mahrig to Ireleth. Ireleth eyed Mahrig suspiciously.

"Hmph, Helgen huh? Well, we've had reports that Helgen was attacked and lay in ruin. If you can tell us what really happened there that would be great. So far all we have are rumors of citizens who swear they have seen a dragon." She smirked slightly and turned giving us permission to approach the Jarl. Mahrig's face turned grim at Ireleth's sarcastic tone. I knew what must have crossed her mind. She was afraid no one would believe her. The doubt on her face made my heart sink. Mahrig...

After what seemed like an eternity of trying to quiet the room full of opinionated council members, Ireleth presented Mahrig to the Jarl. Mahrig had been hesitant at first to speak due to all the critical stares she received from some of the spectating council members. In the amount of time that I had known Jarl Balgruuf it had become apparent that he was good at reading people. He dismissed his council members and told them he would send a summons when he was ready for them to convene. Mahrig become noticeably relaxed. She told the Jarl what she had experienced. Ireleth's Skepticism vanished as Mahrig confirmed the rumors of a dragon. I noticed Mahrig's frame become tense and her words began to waver as she described the beast and the destruction it had brought.

Jarl Balgruuf considered her words, nodding in contemplation. Ireleth's normal gruff expression had melted away into one of sympathy for the shaking girl that stood before her. Before I realized what I had done, I walked up behind Mahrig and placed my hand on her shoulder as a gesture of support. Tears were now streaming down her face, cascading into pools of dampness on the fabric of her robe that was exposed under her chin.

"Well Ireleth, it would seem the reports of a dragon we have received were not simply cries for attention." Balgruuf pointed out matter of factly. Ireleth nodded her head in agreement.

"Ireleth, I need you to send a detachment to Riverwood. I'm not sure how much it will help if a dragon were to attack, but it will put the mind's of Riverwoods citizens at ease." I heard the chair from behind us scoot away from table. I turned to see Proventus, the Jarl's steward, hastily climb the steps. His face was etched with worry.

"My Jarl if we send troops to Riverwood the Jarl of Falkreath will think that we have sided with Ulfric and his stormcloak rebellion, he will take that as a provocation and-"

"Enough!" Proventus did not have time to continue as Balgruuf cut him off.

"I will not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people." Proventus cowered at the newly found vigor that Balgruuf seemed to weild. He nodded his head in understanding.

"Now Proventus, please gather my council, I wish to speak with them." Proventus bowed and hurriedly descended the steps. Mahrig was now leaning against me. Her eyes were tracing the warn floor board that sat under our feet. Balgruuf turned his attention back to us.

"I want to thank the both of you for bringing us this unfortunate news. I will make sure Riverwood gets the troops they desire. As for you two I have something in mind, follow me." Balgruuf motioned for Ireleth to leave and then rose.

He took us into a room that was conjoined with the dining hall. Inside the room was Farengar, the court wizard as he had pointed out to me matter of factly in a previous visit. He looked up from the book he seemed to have been lost in, completely oblivious to all of the events that had just been voiced in the open hall next to him.

"Farengar," Balgruuf began. "I have some people that may prove useful. These two individuals have proved most resourceful. I think that they can help you on your… little project." Farengar recognized me immediately but his gaze lingered on the now calm Mahrig who shifted uncomfortably under his stare. Farengar smiled a devilish grin as he spoke.

"Resourceful and beautiful?" Balgruuf grunted. "Keep it professional wizard, you have a lot of work to do." Balgruuf left the room. Farengar dismissed Balgruuf's comment with a wave of his hand.

"Work work work, all work and no play makes Farengar a lonely boy." He edged around his desk and approached Mahrig who was still clearly uncomfortable. He grabbed her hand and placed a light kiss on the top side.

"Do forgive me…" Farengar paused waiting for the gap to be filled. "Mahrig." Her hesitant answer made me want to intervene but Farengar continued.

"Mahrig, what a lovely name. Do forgive me Mahrig. The female company around here is rather lacking in a certain area of softness. Ireleth can be kind of a prude at times and I find that trait rather distasteful." He winked. Mahrig shifted her weight once again and slowly withdrew her hand from Farengar's.

"Well now that all the introductions and pleasantries are out of the way I have a little task for the both of you." Farengar playfully poked Mahrig's nose with his index finger causing her to flinch. I stepped forward and spoke.

"Well then, let's hear it."

Mahrig

Now that the difficult part was over I could finally rest, or so I thought. Gareth had rented a room for us at the Bannered Mare in Whiterun. After the events of the evening I had felt rather tired and Gareth had insisted we stay the night. Farengar had informed us that we would be traveling back to Riverwood. From there we would make our way to a place called Bleak Falls Barrow. He said that it rested on the mountain to the North of Riverwood. His contact, that he left unnamed, had told him this is where we would locate the Dragonstone. When I asked what the dragonstone was he had just simply replied with "don't worry your pretty little head with such trivial things." I take it that he didn't know anything about it either. Gareth told me that Bleak Falls Barrow was a crypt and resting place for the Nord's Ancestors. The thought of robbing someone's grave made me feel ill.

Rest seemed so inviting at the moment. I had to recall my experience at Helgen while explaining the events that had occurred to the Jarl. They had been more accepting of my story than I had originally thought. Gareth had extended his support to me in a moment that I thought I would lose myself to my emotions. I was truly grateful for that. After we received our mission details from Farengar I had turned around to leave but Gareth halted me. He asked Farengar if he had any Flame Spell tomes available. Farengar opened a drawer and found one in which Gareth immediately produced coin to pay for. I was curious as to why he would need such a tome. I had read a little about flames in the destruction arts beginner manual I had picked up in Bruma on my way to Skyrim. I hadn't learned a whole lot before the book was taken along with my other things that the Imperials confiscated. I had thought about the focus of heat in invocating a flame I had read about. I even tested my ability on building the fire we had made while descending the canyon. I had been surprised that it had even worked.

When we reached the inn Gareth had presented me with the Spell tome. My surprise made him chuckle.

"I noticed your display of flames on our journey here. I could tell the amount of effort you put into invoking such a small flame. I thought maybe this would help you if you wanted to broaden your understanding of fire." He handed me the book and walked away not giving me time to protest as I normally would have. Accepting the book from him gave me the bleak feeling I had felt so often as kid when accepting books from my captors. I instantly pushed the notion away, not wanting to ruin my evening. I would accept the book and utilize it to make myself useful in our upcoming journey. Where would I practice though? Gareth had already taken his seat in front of the center fireplace where a few guards had mustered on their break. The inn was rather empty compared to the inn we had stayed at in our time in Riverwood. The only other people, besides Gareth and I, who littered the tavern hall were the few guards, A redguard barmaid, and a female barkeep who kept drifting in and out of sleep as she leaned against the bar.

I decided to retire to the room Gareth had rented. It was a much larger room than the one we had occupied at the Sleeping Giant Inn. This room had a double bed whereas the Sleeping Giant inn had only furnished a single bed. I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks as I imagined having to share a bed with Gareth. Surely with him being a Paladin with vows and such this would be very improper. I instantly felt bad realizing the whole time I had been travelling with him I hadn't noticed him sleep once. I had involuntarily slept during our ride across the plains. I decided to retire in a chair that sat across the room from the bed. The little area was well lit by a platter of candles that rested on the dresser. I opened the spell tome that Gareth had given me and began to read.

Volume I: Invoking Flames

Table of Content

Magicka Requirements

Magicka Reserves

Magicka Control

Familiarity with Fire

Precautions

Envisioning the Flame

Summoning of Magicka Reserves

Invoking the Flame

Controlling the Flame

Uses for Flames in the Destruction Arts

Uses for Flames in Studies

Uses for Flames in Everyday Tasks

Credits to The College Of WInterhold

This would no doubt keep me busy for some time. Somewhere in my mind I had thought that a spell tome would just magically give me the ability to do whatever it was meant for. I had clearly been wrong. The spell of healing I had learned as a child, among a few other miscellaneous spells, had been verbally and visually taught to me. I suppose with as busy as mages and other who use the magic arts not all of them would have the time needed to teach people step by step the uses and process needed to use magic. It made sense that a good amount of effort and study would go into Spell Tomes.

I did notice the light shimmer that seemed to thread through the pages as I continued reading. No doubt the threads were pulses of an enchantment. I realized my focus, which had been lacking in the beginning, was now honed on the meaning and visualization of steps. This must have been the reasoning behind the enchantment on the book. A fast way to learn how to use the art described inside by enchanting the spell tome with some kind of Learning enhancement. No wonder the spell tomes were so popular and pricey.

Gareth came into the room as soon as I had finished the third chapter. Controlling the flow of magicka seemed easy enough to understand. It was something I had been aware of but unsure how to do properly. I closed the book, making a mental note of where I should begin later. Gareth caught sight of me in the chair and walked over setting his bag down on the dresser and his armor he sat against the wall on the floor. He now wore a white long sleeved cotton shirt. The collar surrounding his neck fell into a V shape on his chest that slightly revealed the Olive skin that lay underneath. He wore a simple pair of pants that were dark brown and presumably made from wool. Without all the armor I found myself instantly flustered. I could vaguely make out the shape of his well toned body. His muscles were now apparent. While he wasn't overly muscled like most Nords he had still inherited the races height and was clearly in good shape. His words brought me from my awkward averted gaze I had attempted after realizing I had been leering at him.

"I thought you would be asleep by now my lady." Gareth began unloosening the buckles on his bag. I looked down to the spell tome that sat in my lap.

"I wanted to get a head start on reading so that maybe I can lend you some assistance later if needed." Gareth's lips formed a tight line before he spoke.

"I want you to stay in Riverwood while I canvas Bleak Falls Barrow." My brow drew up in confusion as his words registered.

"Why?" I asked after contemplating his words. He pulled a tightly rolled bundle from his bag, a bedroll, and began unfolding it.

"The resting places of the Nords have become rather dangerous as of late. I'll spare you the details, but all kinds of dark cults have been drawn to these places due to these occurrences. It would be far too dangerous to bring you along." A bit of guilt creeped into my mind. He's probably right, I would just get in the way. I wanted to help though. He had already done so much for me in these past couple of days. It didn't seem fair that he would take on a task alone that had been assigned to both of us.

"I can stay behind you, it's not like I'll be running ahead with my limp." He flinched slightly at the mention of my limp. I wanted to kick myself for being so insensitive. He had done all that he could to help restore my ankle, it wasn't his fault that it had been too late for a complete recovery. I frowned down at my hands that were now fidgeting nervously on top of the spell tome.

"Nevermind, You are right, I would probably only make things worse if we did come across trouble." I stood up trying to ease the situation by agreeing with him. I placed the book on the dresser beside his bag.

"I'm going to bathe, I'll return shortly." I made my way to the door but was stopped by the sound of Gareth clearing his throat. I turned around to find him holding my white cotton dress toward me. He had stored it away among the other numerous things in his oversized traveller's bag.

"Uh, thanks." I grabbed the dress from him and turned swiftly.

The bathing room at the Bannered Mare was very spacious. A huge stone tub sat in the middle surrounded by a few tables that held baskets of soap and candle stands. There was a privacy divider to the far side of the room with a dresser that held a few clean wool towels. I quickly undressed throwing my robe up over the divider and hanging my leather cuirass on a hook above the dresser. The water was still warm and slightly foggy with a few suds dancing on the surface. The water was still fresh but at least one person had bathed before me. The realization dawned, and my cheeks became warmer than the water. Gareth's hair had been sleek compared to the normal disheveled look it had previously had. Gareth had bathed before me. Slight goosebumps started appearing on my skin. I wasn't cold, not with the warm water that caressed my skin. These new feelings that kept presenting themselves to me put me on edge.

I was clearly attracted to him and my body was responding.

I pushed the thought out of my mind as images of Gareth in the tub tried to surface and play through my head. I searched the Baskets of soap avoiding the freshly used bar of blue soap. At the bottom of the basket I found a yellow tinted bar that smelled very much like some kind of flora. I enjoyed the scent and began to lather up. The area of my stomach where the gash had been below my belly button was now smooth. The farther I moved down my leg I began to notice light pink indentions, and finally a pink scar that surrounded the entirety of my ankle bone. The limp was permanent and the scar was left as a reminder. The scars that bothered me most though weren't the physical ones. It was the emotional ones that threatened to surface at any moment. I squeezed my eyes closed and dunked myself into the water. I held my breath as visions of Helgen burst through. The Crimson eyes of the beast that had been moments away from claiming my life presented themselves. I surfaced taking a sharp intake of breath. The sobs began and I huddled myself in the center of the tub. I sat like that for a while, letting the emotions break free for a bit. Holding everything in for so long took a toll on me that I hadn't realized I had been paying. I finished soaping my hair after a while and rinsed.

I returned to the room expecting to see Gareth asleep in his bedroll. Instead he sat in the chair I had been in before reading the spell tome he had given me. He looked up as I entered. I sat my robe and cuirass on the dresser beside his bag. I wasn't really sure what to do. Did I lay in the bedroll, or lay on the bed? I kept glancing between the two awkwardly.

"You can take the bed. I will be up for a while before I am able to sleep." Gareth turned the page of the spell tome as he spoke. I walked over to the bedside and sat down staring across the room to where he sat. His eyes scanned the page he was on with such speed. Is that how I had looked while reading the book? He turned the page. Observing someone reading a spell tome was truly amazing. I had already discovered that some kind of learning enhancement enchantment had been placed on the pages within the book, but seeing its effects from observing another was truly astonishing. If he was still able to focus on events that were happening around him then I was willing to bet the enhancement included multitasking.

I sighed and laid back on the bed, deciding to leave Gareth to his sudden interest in the spell tome. I pulled the fur over my legs and let the top of the fur's edge rest at my waist. I placed my hands on my stomach and began staring at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come.

"Dragon's tongue, you should have gone with Lavender." My gaze found its way to where Gareth sat. He closed the spell tome and sat it on the table. I leaned up on my elbow and shifted my weight to my side facing him.

"What?" Gareth slightly smiled at my confused look.

"You chose Dragon's Tongue soap. I could smell it once you entered the room." I looked down, embarrassed that he had noticed. He continued after recognizing my discomfort.

"It's a very nice smell and suits you." It was his turn to veer his gaze toward the floor, I could see a slight reddening of his cheeks as he rushed to add to his statement. "I simply meant that Lavender would help you sleep. It's a very calming smell that aids in relaxing the body and mind." Gareth stood up, blowing out two of the candles nearby. Only one candle lit the dim room, the one on the nightstand beside the bed. Gareth moved toward the bedroll that lay by the far wall. He shuffled himself into the opening at the top and pulled the fur up to his mid torso, allowing his arms to rest on top. Silence filled the room for a bit. I leaned over to where the candle still flickered on the nightstand. With one quick blow, the room was dark. From the darkness I heard Gareth's low voice.

"Rest well my lady."

Gareth

The ride back to Riverwood was less treacherous than our journey had been coming to Whiterun. I left Mahrig at the Sleeping Giant Inn once we arrived. I could tell by the way her lip formed a small pout as I rented a room that she was not happy about being left behind. There was simply no reason for her to accompany me and put her life in danger. I was plenty capable of retrieving the dragonstone from Bleak Falls Barrow.

Mahrig had read most of the spell tome by the time I finally woke up in the Bannered Mare back in Whiterun. I presumed that the nightmares had eventually woke her up in the early hours and she had not fallen back to sleep. I had awoken numerous times to her small whimpers while she slept. Mahrig had given me a small wave as I left the Inn. Her attention immediately found its way to the spell tome in her hands. I decided in that moment to look into purchasing more spell tomes for her later. If she were to survive in these hard times, then she would need to be able to defend herself.

My trip up the mountain to the Barrow had taken almost 2 hours. A good portion of that time I had dedicated to ridding an abandoned watch tower of the bandit menace that had infested its weathered walls. Night time was approaching fast, and my light source became a torch I had found while searching the tower. Upon approaching the barrow I had also discovered that bandits had set up watch outside. There would no doubt be more bandits littering the halls of the barrow. I made my way inside after saying a prayer over the men and women I had been forced to kill. It would be simple for them to just walk away, but bandits are foolhardy and take pride in praying on others. It pained me to be forced into a situation of taking another's life. I know the lot of them just followed orders, but in the process they committed heinous acts against the Divines.

The burrow had been well lit in the beginning. That was probably due to the many bandits that previously walked the halls, but now lay lifeless among the Nord ancestors. The farther I progressed into the barrow the darker it became. I began to hear shouting. At first I had dismissed it as wind or some other element such as water echoing through the halls. The sounds began to form words, cries for help. I quickened my pace missing a few enclaves I had yet to search for the supposed Dragonstone. My torch began to flicker the closer I got to the end of the hall. There was a doorway, covered by a thick spider web that glistened in the torch light. The calls for help were coming from beyond the web. I began to burn the web with my torch, watching as the flame danced across the surface of the web and began to eat away at the layers.

Once the the fire reduced the web to nothing more than a memory, I stepped through. The corridor was littered with egg sacks and the bodies of the nasty rat like creatures known as Skeever. Gusts of wind poured into the open room, I looked up to find the source. In the peak of the ceiling to the corridor there was an opening that exposed the outside sky now glistening with stars, along with the silhouette of a huge eight legged creature. A Frostbite Spider. I instantly braced myself. I drew my sword as the oversized arachnid descended from its resting place. The beast spewed venom from a distance giving it an advantage. My reflexes were sharp and I continued to dodge the venom as I charged toward the spider. I maneuvered around the spider, trying to shield myself from its onslaught of attacks. Attacking the beast from behind was my best bet for success. I quickly sliced at one of the beasts hind legs, causing it to screech a high pitched noise that echoed off of the the walls. The once eight legged beast, now had seven. Seven legs or eight it did not matter, because the beast spun around with such ferocity my sword was knocked from my grasp. The beasts two front legs extended in an upright position, ready to strike. I stepped backwards, my foot catching awkwardly on the uneven surface I had stepped onto. Tripping backwards had thrown me out of the reach of the spider's attack, but at the expense of my torch slipping from my hand and falling through the slatted metal. I was now setting on what appeared to be a trap door. One of the many devices made by the ancient nords as a defense mechanism to keep looters from robbing graves. The torch landed at the bottom of the pit and rolled. The release mechanism to the door had not been triggered, yet. I rolled quickly off of the metal. The room was dark, I had no idea where the spider was. I would have to depend on my sense of hearing, which was greatly hindered by the man that kept yelling from the other side of the room.

The sense of dread washed over me. I couldn't see or hear the beast. I would have to still myself and hope that the beast couldn't hear or see me either. I needed to find my sword, but I couldn't risk making too much noise. I silently cursed myself for the Bulky armor I currently wore. Even the small act of moving my leg would give me away. I sat in silence for a while, letting the man at the other side of the room continue his wails of distress. Maybe I could use this to my advantage. I waited for the man to take a breath. As soon as another round of wails began I jumped to my feet. I heard the sound beside me before I felt the hard force land against my pauldron. The spider had been closer than I thought, and was blindly striking. I fell backwards again. I noticed in that moment as I looked up, that I could see a small glimmer of light through the door that had led me into this spider infested room. The spider was in front of me now. He knew my location, I could hear the jitter of his legs as he charged. I could now…see the spider's silhouette? A pale yellow orb burst into the room, and not long after a stream of fire lit up the beast that stood mere feet from me in a lunging position.

The screech that had echoed earlier in the corridor escaped from the Spider again, this time the noise was continuous. I didn't waste time. The spider was now on fire and illuminated the area around me. I searched the ground for my sword, praying to the divines that it had not suffered the same fate as my torch. The divines answered my prayer with a small gleam the fire made on my sword's blade. I picked up my blade and turned back toward the spider. Its movements were drastic, the pain fueled the spider causing its movements to be unpredictable. It no longer attacked, but instead scurried away in retreat. I ran up beside the beast that was now cornered. The stream of flames had stopped, but the spider's body was set ablaze. I drove my sword into the spider's center. I twisted the blade until the beast's screech silenced.

I gave a small sigh of relief, withdrawing my sword. I turned towards the yellow orb that still lingered near the entrance where I had burned the web that sealed the doorway. A small figure stood underneath the orb. Mahrig stared at her hands in amazement. A hint of anger nipped at my mind at realizing she had openly defied my request for her to stay in Riverwood. It had been for her safety and yet there she stood. She looked up and walked over to where I stood in bewilderment.

"I can't believe I actually did it!" She beamed up at me, her expression faltering soon after as she realized I did not return the smile.

"Oh no, you're mad. Look I know you said to stay in Riverwood, but I'm not a child. This is our mission. It's time I start taking care of myself, you have already done so much for me and-" I cut her off before she could finish.

"I'm not going to chastise you, I'm not your guardian. I don't make your decisions for you. You chose to come here of your own free will and I accept that. I just wish that you hadn't disregarded my warning of this place being unsafe." She clicked her tongue and tilted her head slightly to the side gazing up at me through humor filled eyes.

"I wasn't the one who needed saving this time…" Her words had clearly chipped my pride as I shifted awkwardly under her stare. This side of her was new to me. She knew she had me like a bear caught in a trap, and she was enjoying my discomfort at realizing this. The normally quiet girl that I was familiar with was now standing before me mocking me in a teasing manner. She had greatly increased my odds against the spider with her fire, the fire I had helped her advance in by purchasing the spell tome. I returned my sword to its sheath and turned toward the man who continued to cry for help. Mahrig's humored look was still apparent on her face.

"Do as you wish." Mahrig made an exaggerated series of giddy clapping sounds with her hands after hearing my words. She followed me to where a hysterical man began blurting all sorts of promises of treasure in exchange for helping him to escape the web that he was trapped in. I took out my sword and made quick work of the web. Once the man was free he tried to stand. His legs were slightly wobbly in the beginning, but soon became steady.

"How long have you been in here?" Mahrig asked as she came to stand beside me. The Dunmer man looked us both over and then replied.

"I don't know, probably about a day or so. Me and one of my...companions were exploring the crypt when we were accosted by that huge spider thing." He spat in the spider's direction and then turned his attention back to us. So, this man was a part of the group of bandits that had holed up in the barrow. He began eyeing us cautiously.

"Who might you two be?" Mahrig glanced up at me. Her earlier humor had vanished and her expression was back to normal. She answered the Dunmer.

"Just two adventurers looking for an old stone of sorts." The dunmer laughed a croaked bellow.

"Look around you silly girl, if you haven't noticed the whole place is made of bloody stone." He rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to me. Mahrig gave a slight huff and crossed her arms. It was my turn to speak.

"Why are you here in the resting place of the ancient Nords?" The dunmer turned toward the doorway where he had been ensnared by the spider's web.

"My business here is none of your concern." He knelt by a web covered object. After ripping the threads away, he produced a small sack. He pulled out a small yellow vial and consumed it. With that he turned toward us and spoke.

"While I appreciate the help, you no longer have any use to me." He quickly slung the pack over his shoulder and summoned a ball of lightning in his right hand. Before I could react the ball of energy slammed into Mahrig. The room went dark. I heard Mahrig's body hit the ground. The only source of light left was the residual energy of the lightning that danced across Mahrig's skin. I knelt beside her cautious not to touch the area where the spell had hit. I heard her take in a deep breath. Her breathing was ragged, but I could tell her life wasn't in any danger. She was only stunned. Thankfully the Dunmer's Magicka stores were low from lack of sleep being caught in the web, otherwise Mahrig would have been in much worse shape. She finally came around and sat up.

"Wow, that was unexpected." Her observation didn't have time to settle in before we heard a loud strangled scream come from the direction the Dunmer had gone. I had to think quick. Mahrig had been hit with a ball of lightning that had probably drained the biggest part of her Magicka reserves.

"Can you recast your candlelight spell?" I asked.

I felt Mahrig's energy convene into one spot, with the snap of her fingers a dim light appeared above her head. The minimum lighting was all that I needed to dig around in my pouch. I Produced a small vial of potion that would restore some of her magicka. I handed it to her and she drank it without hesitation. The light above her head became noticeably brighter. I also produced another small vial that would help with her magicka regeneration. The lingering effects of the lightning ball that hit her would no doubt have hindered her ability to regenerate magicka for a short time. When that vial was consumed as well I helped her to her feet.

"What a nasty rude little man." She remarked. She brushed the back of her robe off and glanced up toward me. I didn't know whether to take comfort in this new side of Mahrig or be cautious. I had thought of her as the quiet shy type, or maybe this was a sign that she was becoming comfortable with me. Either way it was definitely an interesting side of her. I did prefer this Mahrig opposed to the ghost of a shell I had pulled from the debris of Helgen. My thoughts were interrupted by the all too familiar feeling of death that crept over my senses. The presence was coming closer. Draugr.