Chapter 3

Bo was the first to wake and was greeted with the sight of Jane's head. Her hair was slightly tousled, and she still slept deeply, her chest rising and falling with each breath. Bo studied her for a while. He enjoyed the fact that she was laying in his arms. He almost felt he had dreamt it last night. But here she was.

The fire had died again, but the sun was just beginning to rise and the wind had grown softer as well. Jane's hands were clenched together against her chest and her head rested against the small pillow. He liked the way she smelled and studied her face for a moment. He noted how long her eyelashes were as they brushed against her cheek, and how pale her skin was. It looked so soft.

Bo nearly reached up and touched her smooth cheek, to see if it felt as soft as it looked but fought against it. Her nose was small and slim, a perfect fit for her face, and a small scar could be seen just beside her left ear. He wondered how she had gotten it. His eyes landed on her soft, full pink lips, and he swallowed hard, feeling his heart skip a beat. It was almost too much for him to bear, laying in a bedroll in the middle of Eastmarch with a beautiful human girl.

Jane started to move, and she slowly opened her eyes. She blinked a few times and reached up to push away a few strands of hair before looking up at Bo with a smile.

"Good morning," she whispered softly, and Bo's cheeks flushed.

"G-Good morning," he replied gruffly, and he began to move away from her. "I'll be right back."

"Okay."

Jane's voice was cheerful; she had had a wonderful sleep. She never imagined in a thousand years she'd sleep with an Orc, but it was a wonderful experience.

They're like a personalized heater, she thought to herself with a chuckle as she sat up in the bedroll and stretched.

Bo returned to their camp after he had relieved himself, to find Jane had rolled up both of the bedrolls and had already spread out their cold breakfast meal.

"You didn't have to do that," Bo started to say, and he was cut off.

"I wanted to."

Bo sat down opposite of Jane, and they ate in silence. Jane couldn't decide if the air between them was comfortable or awkward, but it was starting to bother her so she couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer.

"Was last night uncomfortable for you?"

Bo blinked and looked up at her in surprise, still chewing on his bread.

"No...do I come across like that?"

"I just… just wanted to make sure. I don't want you to feel like you have to do things for me. I don't want to be a burden... or something."

Jane looked down at her hands, suddenly feeling very guilty. He barely knew her, and yet he let Jane sleep in his bedroll. At the moment she had been desperate to get warm but now remorse washed over her. They were barely more than strangers.

"Jane, it was my fault for assuming you could handle the harsh winter conditions. I said I would keep us safe, that includes not freezing to death."

Jane let out a sigh of relief and smiled slightly.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I'm not used to traveling with someone, but you didn't make me feel uncomfortable."

Bo bit back the desire to spill his guts to her. He didn't want her to know he was a loser who never really interacted with females unless it was related to his work. He knew she was a kind person but the last thing he wanted was for Jane to take pity on him.

She'd probably think I'm pathetic.

"Okay, I'm glad. I guess we should get going?"

"Yeah," Bo looked around at the clearing and stood up. "If we make good on time today we'll be there before sundown."

They gathered their belongings and stuffed them into the packs, before taking off back towards the main road. The pair walked non-stop until mid-day again, when they took a break for lunch. Jane was getting comfortable with traveling and was even beginning to enjoy it despite how exhausted it made her feel. More than anything she really enjoyed Bo's presence. He was quiet, but if prompted to talk he always had something interesting to say. Jane liked to hear the sound of his voice, which was deep and filled with a warmth she couldn't quite describe. More than once she found herself just listening to his voice, and not so much what he was saying.

"Jane?" Bo's voice brought her back to reality. "Did you hear me?"

"Oh sorry, I got distracted."

Jane gave an embarrassed laugh and ran her fingers through her hair.

"It's okay, I just wanted to show you Windhelm."

They traveled up the hill and came to a very small slope. Jane could see the outline of buildings in the distance. They were great slabs of grey stone, and Jane couldn't believe her eyes.

Windhelm, she thought, completely awestruck. It's even more impressive from this far away.

"Wow, it's massive."

"We made good time, it's just growing dark now. Let's go."

It had started snowing a few hours back, and it swirled around them in a flurry, making it hard to see clearly. But it was beautiful and the snowflakes fell so softly against her face that she paid no mind to it. Daylight was beginning to fade, and they finally crossed the last stretch of land before reaching the bridge leading into Windhelm. The wind was also beginning to pick up and Jane was glad that tonight they could sleep in a warm bed.

Once they had gotten through the massive iron doors that led into the city, Bo told her that he needed to go to the Palace of the Kings for a short while to speak with his officer and possibly Ulfric.

"Do you want to come with me or would you like to wait in the Inn? I don't think any of the shops are open now..."

"I'll go with you," Jane replied enthusiastically. "I'm really curious to see Ulfric Stormcloak, you talk so much about him."

"Okay, then let's go this way."

Bo gently touched her arm, and they started to walk to the left of Candlehearth Inn when they heard raised voices. A man's voice called out, his voice slurred.

"Why don't you go back to your fucking ash land, whore."

"I was born in Skyrim you stupid Nord, I have every right to be here as you."

"Oh yeah? Why don't you get down on your fucking knees and I'll show you your rights."

"Bo..."

Jane tugged on his arm, and the Orc turned around, a scowl written across his face. He marched right over to the band of men, a good couple of feet taller than all of them. Jane stood back and watched with a worried expression. He was bigger but outnumbered.

"Do we have a problem over here?" Bo asked, and the man who had been talking turned to him.

He seemed to recognize Bo, and his tune immediately changed.

"Uh no... we were just leaving..."

"That's what I thought."

Bo crossed his arms and stood patiently, waiting for the intoxicated men to leave. The female Dunmer stood a few paces behind him, and she watched them leave with a frown on her face.

"Thanks," the woman mumbled, rubbing her arm, "Usually they're all talk."

"Don't worry about it, keep safe."

Bo turned back towards Jane and they made their way to the middle of the city where the Palace of Kings resided.

"That was very nice of you," Jane whispered quietly as they passed several city guards.

Bo nodded but did not respond, instead his expression was quite somber, and she knew he was going into serious Stormcloak soldier mode. She hastily smoothed her face into a somber expression and tried to remain quiet.

The inside of the Palace was warm, but the dark granite stone made it feel much colder than Jane liked. It was still an amazing sight to see, and Jane looked around with curiosity as they walked to the end of the great hall. Their footsteps were muffled on the carpet floor, and Jane felt a few butterflies in her stomach as they reached the throne.

Ulfric Stormcloak himself lounged on it like a big lazy cat, his thick hide and fur cloak spilled over the sides. His hair was as bright orange as it was portrayed in the game, but his beard was much fuller. Ulfric looked a bit older in person, but she could see why people thought him handsome, in a rough and rugged sort of way. He looked quite at home there on the throne. As soon as he spotted Bo, Ulfric stood up and came down the few steps to greet him.

"Bo Gro Graul."

Ulfric greeted the Orc and clapped him warmly on the back as they both grasped hands.

"You have returned with good news?"

"I hope it is good enough for you," Bo replied with a serious tone, but Ulfric wasn't even paying attention to him.

He had spotted Jane standing shyly just behind the Orc.

"And who might your companion be?"

Ulfric's eyes pierced into hers, and Jane felt a tad uncomfortable from the attention.

"Oh, this is Jane. She's traveling with me for a while."

"Jane."

Ulfric took her hand and raised it up to his lips, placing a scratchy kiss upon it. His beard tickled her skin.

"What is a beautiful woman such as yourself doing traveling with an Orc?"

Bo looked thoroughly unimpressed, and Ulfric simply laughed and clapped Bo's back again. Jane frowned and did not respond. She knew he was a racist bastard but didn't think he'd show her so quickly. They hadn't even known each other for five minutes.

He thinks he's the funniest shit around, Jane thought to herself, mentally rolling her eyes.

"I jest, friend. Come, let us go and speak with Galmar. He's been waiting for you to get back."

"I won't be long," Bo murmured to Jane, and she nodded.

"I'll wait out here."

Jane took her pack off and placed it on the ground next to a nearby bench before she sat down and let out a small groan. She was feeling pretty hungry, and a lot more tired, but she was glad to be out from the cold more than anything.

I don't know how long I'm gonna last in this place, she thought bitterly, massaging her sore neck. It's been nearly three days and I already feel like one big bruise.

She idly chewed on her fingernails while she waited for Bo, half wishing she could have listened to the conversation. She had an idea of what they were talking about but wasn't really sure how far Bo had gotten through the Stormcloak ranks.

After what seemed like forever, Bo returned to the Dining hall. It only took one look at his face to see that he was clearly distressed, and she scrambled to catch up with him as he wordlessly headed towards the doors.

"Hey, are you okay?" Jane huffed, struggling to put her pack back on while half jogging after him. "What happened?"

"It's nothing, come on I want to be away from them. I'm sure you're tired."

"You know you're really bad at lying," Jane teased, but he wasn't in the mood for jokes.

They walked quickly down the ice-slicked steps away from the palace. The snowfall had picked up, along with the wind, and it was almost too hard to see where they were going. Bo led her around a building located directly in the middle of the city, which Jane knew to be Candlehearth Inn. They slowly made their way through the slush and ice up the stairs.

Jane only slipped once before Bo grabbed her hand and helped her the rest of the way up. He quickly let go once they reached the landing. Bo pushed the iron door open and they entered into the Inn's front hall. It was toasty warm inside, and Jane sighed in relief. Her fingers had started to feel numb without a pair of gloves covering them.

"Oh, it's so nice and warm in here," Jane commented, rubbing her hands together.

"Let's hope they have some rooms available."

The Inn was quite packed, and they could hear many voices drifting down from the main hall upstairs.

"The inns always fill up when there's a blizzard."

Bo walked up to the counter and greeted the Nord woman standing behind it.

"Are there any rooms left for tonight?"

"Yes dearie, but I'm afraid your options are limited." Elda glanced over at Jane and then back at Bo. "I've got one single bed left, or the suite, which holds one double bed."

"Oh."

Bo thought about it for a moment, his stomach tying into knots again.

"If money's not a problem you can have them both."

Elda smiled warmly at Jane, and Jane shook her head.

"No... that's not right. What if there's some other traveler that comes through and they need a bed too? It wouldn't feel right taking both rooms."

Bo felt his face growing hotter, Elda stared at him with an amused expression, but Jane was right.

"We'll take the suite," he finally spoke after a long silence.

"Alright dearie, that'll be twenty-two septim for the night, and your meals are included. I'll show you to your room."

Bo avoided looking at Jane while they followed Elda to up the stairs and through a door on the right into what was to be their bedroom. Inside lay a rather spacious looking bed with dark burgundy blankets and pillows. Directly along the right wall sat a tall wooden wardrobe and a smaller dresser. To their left was a bookshelf. Only a handful of old looking books rested on it, and a decent sized table with chairs occupied the rest of the space. For a few minutes, nobody spoke, and Jane had a small nagging feeling that she had caused Bo some discomfort by making them share another bed. But once their packs were placed on the floor and Bo had sat down for a few moments, he looked in better spirits.

"Are you hungry?" Jane asked, breaking the silence. "You seemed pretty upset earlier... maybe you'll feel better with a hot meal."

"It's not hunger..."

Bo sighed and dragged his hand across his face. He leaned back in the chair and looked over at her.

"It's what Ulfric is asking me to do."

"What is he asking you to do?"

Jane wracked her brain for the Stormcloak questline, unsure of where in the timeline he had reached.

"He wants me to take an axe to Whiterun, and present it to the Jarl."

"Oh."

Jane wasn't sure what the problem was exactly, other than the fact that he was very close to the brink of an all-out war depending on how Balgruuf would respond. She was dying to know why he was so hesitant.

"I've...been avoiding Whiterun. I really don't want to go back there but..." Bo rubbed his temples, frowning. "Now I don't have much of a choice."

"Avoiding Whiterun? What is in Whiterun you're avoiding?"

Bo looked down at the floor and was quiet for a moment. His eyes had a faraway look to them, and Jane's curiosity practically burned a hole into the back of his head.

"Something happened to me a few months back. I... I was traveling just outside of Falkreath when a band of Imperial soldiers arrested me. It's when I first met Ulfric."

Jane's stomach dropped.

No, her thoughts whirled. It can't be...

"They mistook me for a Stormcloak rebel," Bo continued. "Even though I hadn't even thought about joining anyone's side at the time. I was set to have my head chopped off..."

Bo sighed and closed his eyes briefly.

"I was kneeling in front of the chopping block, preparing to die for something I didn't do...and then a creature in the sky roared."

"W-what was it?" Jane squeaked, already fully aware of how it went.

What am I even doing here if not to be the Dragonborn? She frowned slightly, feeling completely confused.

"A Dragon. It all happened so fast. After we escaped I was told to go to Whiterun and speak with the Jarl's wizard. I did, and he asked me to retrieve some sort of tablet."

Bo opened his eyes and looked up her, his expression one of confusion as well.

"I got it for him, nearly died down in that ruin, and then another dragon came. Attacked the watchtower just outside of the city. I helped to kill it and then... and then... I absorbed something from it."

"Absorbed. its... soul?"

"That's what they said. Everyone started talking about a 'Dragonborn' and 'shouting'. On my way back to Whiterun these voices sounded from the sky. Their voice shook the ground, and they said 'Dovahkin'. It freaked me out. I panicked and left there. I haven't been back. I was supposed to return to the Jarl."

"Do you have any idea who called out to you?"

"No."

Bo stood up and began unbuckling the straps on his armor.

"I don't have a clue. I don't want to know. The guards were talking about legends and Dragonslayers. It's not for me, I just want to live a simple life."

He paused and looked over at her.

"I'm feeling hungry now, meet me in the dining hall?"

"Okay," Jane responded quietly, her mind filled with a thousand thoughts.

She tossed her coat down on the back of the chair and left Bo alone so he could get out of his armor. Jane wandered past the fireplace, with its single burning candle sitting on the hearth, and found a remote two-seater table in the corner. She felt it best to have more privacy so they could talk without being overheard. A young girl shuffled up to her and asked if she wanted anything to drink, so Jane ordered two bottles of mead.

A few minutes later Bo arrived, looking tired as ever in his brown breeches. This time he sported a dark grey tunic, and he had taken his hair out of its tie. Jane thought he looked great. His hair was a rich chestnut brown color that hung down to his mid-chest.

"I hope you don't mind, I ordered us drinks."

"Thanks."

Bo adjusted his position on the chair and leaned back, resting one arm on the backrest while his long legs stretched out in front of him. That was another thing Jane had noticed when they traveled. Bo was incredibly tall. He seemed to loom over her when they stood side by side. Bo stared thoughtfully at the fire for a while, and they sat in comfortable silence until their drinks came. The girl told them dinner would be ready shortly. After a few more minutes of sipping their mead, two steaming bowls of beef stew arrived complete with thick slices of bread slabbed with butter.

"Smells great," Jane commented, spooning some of the broth.

She gently blew on it and then took a sip. It tasted delicious. Across from her, Bo was already tucking into it like the stew was cold, and it put a smile on Jane's face. Orcs sure were interesting and hardy folk.

"What are you smiling about?"

Bo's voice drifted over to her, and Jane looked into his eyes. He held her gaze for much longer this time. His eyes were such an incredible shade of blue that Jane didn't know Orcs were capable of having. But eventually his shyness won over, and he looked back down at his bowl.

"Nothing really," Jane replied softly, twirling the stew around in her bowl. "I just find you really interesting."

"Oh."

Bo was quiet again.

"Are you often alone a lot?"

Bo scratched his chin, thinking for a moment. He nodded. There was no point in lying.

"Yeah, I'm not the best of company. I'm used to being by myself."

"You're great company." Jane frowned. "You don't need to put yourself down so much. I've really enjoyed my time here in Skyrim with you."

Bo simply blinked. Unable to think of a good response, he changed the subject.

"Have you thought about what you want to do?"

"Not yet. What are you going to do about going back to Whiterun?"

Bo's forehead furrowed, and he sat back in his seat with crossed arms. He inspected the stains and worn spots of the table, thinking hard. He took a big drink of his mead.

"I don't have much choice. I'll have to go there and deliver the axe for Ulfric."

"You should really look into the Dragonborn business."

Jane pushed her empty bowl to the side and tore off a piece of bread, popping it into her mouth.

"What if it's really important?"

"I... guess so," Bo sighed.

"I'll go with you," Jane continued, smiling at him. "I might not have any skills with a sword but I do pretty well with moral support. I know you barely know me but... if you'll allow me, I'd like to travel with you a bit more. If it's not too much of a nuisance," she added on hastily at the end.

A look of surprise crossed the Orc's face.

"You want to go with me?" He asked quietly.

"Of course."

Jane reached forward and patted his hand. He nearly shivered at the touch.

"You've been nothing but kind to me."

"Well..." Bo was beginning to feel hot around the collar again. "I would enjoy your company on my travels. It's nice having someone around. I'll make sure I track down a tent though..."

They both laughed, and soon both bottles of mead were empty. Other patrons were slowly making their way to their rooms for the night, and finally, Jane could no longer fight away the desire to sleep. Bo knew it would come eventually but it didn't make him any less nervous, even if it would be the second time sleeping in the same bed. Jane stifled a yawn.

"You're tired," Bo commented, and Jane nodded.

"Traveling in Skyrim is exhausting. I feel like I could sleep for a week."

Bo chuckled, and then they both made their way back to the suite. Jane walked over to the bed and sat down. She undid the strings on her boots and slowly pulled them off, feeling drowsy. Her boots fell to the floor with a soft thud, and Jane shuffled back on the bed and laid down.

"Wow," she mumbled, closing her eyes. "This bed is so soft."

Bo quietly walked over to the other side of the bed and sat down, repeating the process to take his boots off. He too laid down on the bed, as close to the edge as possible. He glanced over at Jane to find her already fast asleep, the blanket tucked up to her chin. Looking at her sleeping form made him feel something in his chest that he couldn't explain, and he knew the longer he stayed with this girl the more he'd feel.

Maybe it's not so bad, having company. Kinda nice actually.

Bo rolled over onto his left side, facing away from Jane, and closed his eyes.