Chapter 11

Nightgate Inn was a tiny establishment nestled near the mountains in the Pale. It was a quaint little cottage that Malath had frequented many times before, but now it had been close to six years since he had last stepped foot inside. All of his memories at Nightgate involved alcohol to one degree or another and as he approached the Inn at dusk with Lenia walking silently beside him the Orc couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive about returning.

He still suffered from the withdrawal of his addiction. It tugged on the recesses of his mind whether he was awake or asleep and sometimes the cravings were so strong it made him lash out, which Malath regretted when it happened to be Lenia on the other side of his ill-treatment. However, the Elf had taken it all in stride and not once had she taken his rude behavior personally. She didn't excuse it, and would often not help with his physical ailments unless he apologized first. Malath both resented and respected her firmness as he struggled to deal with it all.

As they reached the wooden steps to the Inn Lenia couldn't help but stop Malath for a moment with one gloved hand to his arm. She also had some concern with going into the Inn.

"What is it?" Malath grumbled. "I'm cold."

"I know, but just listen to me for a second."

Malath sighed and bowed his head. Inside the Inn warm bright light spilled out the windows from a roaring fire in the middle of the main hall. A cold breeze blew around the travelers and the wind played with strands of Lenia's hair, whipping them around her face as she peered up at the tired Orc.

"I know what you're going to say. You don't have to worry, I'll behave."

"Malath-"

"Lenia," Malath growled and he began walking up the stairs towards the front doors. "I will be fine. Hurry up."

Malath ignored Lenia's protests as he wrenched open the door to the Inn and strode inside. Light chatter and soft music echoed all around them as the pair wandered down the middle of the dining hall and past a roaring fire. They both welcomed the warmth since they had spent the last few days in the chilling cold with nothing more than a fabric tarp to keep the wind at bay.

Malath reached the counter first but did not say anything and waited patiently for Lenia to catch up. His eyes glanced around the room, noticing that almost every patron inside the Inn was drinking alcohol, and he swallowed hard as he tried to ignore the ever-present craving that called out to him. A tall bearded Nord behind the counter greeted Lenia with a big smile, which the Elf returned.

"You've made it back in one piece," Hadring teased. "And you've got a friend."

"I sure do," Lenia smiled, and she glanced over at Malath. "We'd like two beds if you got em."

"Ay, it'll be twenty gold."

Malath was staring pointedly at the barrels of mead located just behind the counter and it didn't go unnoticed by Lenia as she quickly counted out the gold from a small coin purse and was given two keys in return.

"Come on," Lenia called out softly and she nudged the Orc's arm. "Let's go put our packs down and then we'll have something to eat."

"Okay..." Malath replied quietly and he wasn't really listening to Lenia but he allowed himself to be steered towards the sleeping quarters.

Lenia rented two bedrooms for a reason. She wanted to allow him some degree of privacy since he was used to being alone. A part of her was rethinking her decision as she knew that Malath was struggling inside the Inn with so much alcohol present.

Perhaps I should have rented one large bed so I could keep an eye on him...

Lenia handed Malath one of the keys and he finally looked down at her.

"My room is right beside yours," she explained firmly. "Meet me in the dining hall when you're ready."

"Okay."

Lenia waited until he was inside his bedroom before she let out a big sigh and walked over to the door to her room. When she was inside she briefly glanced around, completely uninterested in the sparse furniture, and then she quickly dumped her pack on the ground and sat on the single bed with another small sigh. Lenia was unused to traveling so much. When she visited her parents in Solitude she had taken a carriage for most of the way. When Malath agreed to go with her Lenia hadn't thought that being cooped up in a carriage with potentially other riders wouldn't be a good idea for an Orc recovering from addiction and so she had decided against it.

As she gingerly rubbed her aching calves Lenia couldn't help but wonder if it had been the best decision. The trek to Saarthal would be even more difficult now that they were navigating snowy terrain and neither she nor Malath was in the greatest condition to brave it. She was impressed with his stamina so far but he was also recovering from his addiction at the same time and so the young Elf couldn't help but wonder if traveling by foot was too cruel.

He's doing better than I was expecting but it's still far from being over.

Eventually, Lenia shook herself from her thoughts and quickly exited her room. She wanted to have a bath but was more interested in having a hot meal first and she wanted to ensure that Malath was going to be alright before they parted ways for the night.

When she entered the dining hall she found her quiet companion sitting alone at one of the tables. He held a mug in his hand and Lenia's heart skipped a beat as she drew closer. She silently prayed to the Gods that it was water as she plopped down on the wooden bench beside Malath. He glanced down at her with a quizzical expression and then took a sip of his drink.

"What are you drinking?" Lenia asked quietly.

"What do you think," Malath grumbled, feeling annoyed.

"I don't know, Malath. That's why I'm asking."

"It's water, taste it if you don't believe me."

Before Lenia could say anything Malath shoved the mug into her hands. She frowned for a moment and then took a sip. It was indeed just water.

"Alright, I'm sorry for asking."

"It's fine," Malath mumbled, and then he shrugged. "I'm hungry. I already ordered our dinner."

"Excellent, I'm hungry too."

The pair lapsed into a comfortable silence. A little while later a servant girl came by with their meals and she also placed a cup of water down on the table for Lenia along with a silver pitcher. They thanked the girl and began tucking into their dinner with great enthusiasm. As usual, the food was good and Lenia was grateful for the hot meal as she happily shoveled a forkful of mashed potatoes into her mouth. Beside her, Malath was almost completely finished his meal, and she wondered to herself if it had been enough.

"Do you need something more?" She inquired.

"No, I'm fine."

"Okay."

Malath placed his fork down and pushed it away with a small grumble and he rubbed his cheek, looking rather tired. A few minutes later Lenia finished eating as well and she leaned back in her seat with a content sigh, feeling properly full and sleepy. She watched Malath studying his profile as he also leaned back in his chair and silently stared at the fire roaring in the hearth before them. He looked like he had a lot on his mind as his eyes sometimes drifted to the other tables where different patrons of all races were drinking to their heart's content. He felt a tightness in his chest and after staring at one Nord in particular as he knocked back a bottle of ale he couldn't help but feel too many things all at once.

"You look tired."

Malath blinked as he was suddenly brought back to Lenia's presence and he turned his head towards her and shrugged.

"Guess so."

"Are you going to bathe tonight?"

"Probably just deal with it in the morning," Malath replied gruffly, and he yawned.

"Okay."

Lenia looked like she wanted to say no but she stared quietly down at her lap for a long moment and eventually she also yawned and rubbed at her tired eyes. Malath could tell that she was staying seated because he wasn't moving as well, and eventually he grew tired of just sitting without a drink in his hand so he started to stand up from the bench. Lenia got up as well and they quietly walked back to their rooms.

"Well, goodnight Malath. I'll wake you up in the morning. Oh yeah..."

Malath paused with his hand on the door handle and watched as the tiny Elf slipped her hands into the pockets of her robes and produced two tiny vials.

"One for pain, one for sleep, if you want them."

"Thanks," Malath grunted as Lenia placed the vials in the palm of his hand. "Night."

"Sleep well," Lenia replied softly and she smiled at him before they both entered into their respective rooms.

Instead of going to bed Lenia sought out a servant and requested a bath. When it was ready she stripped off her robe and armor, grimacing as she realized just how much she needed to get clean. Traveling was by no means easy, for many reasons, and Lenia was an Elf who highly regarded personal hygiene. It pained her that she could not bathe every day that she was on the road and she was grateful as she finished undressing and sank into the hot water of her little wooden tub with a smile. She quickly sank down into the soapy bath until she was almost completely submerged and she soaked there for a long while as she thought about her upcoming excavation in Saarthal.

I don't know what we'll find there, if anything, Lenia mused quietly to herself as she leaned back in the tub and rested her arms along the rim. But I'm excited to find out. Perhaps we'll find something interesting and it'll spark a flame in Malath.

Lenia couldn't help but smile at the thought of the Dragonborn becoming passionate about adventure again. She knew she had a big challenge ahead of her but she was more than up for it.

How do you entertain a person who has already experienced the adventure of a lifetime? She mused quietly to herself as she dipped her head back so her hair could soak.

I've admired him for a long time. I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that he's the Dragonborn and he's traveling with me. I know the official story written in the textbooks but I'm dying to know everything that happened from his own mouth.

Eventually, the water grew too tepid for her liking and so Lenia quickly finished washing and then dried herself off. She slipped into a long cotton nightgown and considered going next door to make sure Malath was alright but she decided against it. She knew she was being a bit overwhelming with watching over him and so Lenia fought against the temptation to go to him. Instead, she forced herself to go to bed and tried to get a good night's sleep.

It was sometime in the middle of the night. Lenia knew it wasn't the morning when she peered up at the single window in her room and saw nothing but pitch black. A little voice inside Lenia's head urged her to go check on Malath but she resisted. However, after struggling to fall asleep for what seemed like forever the Elf finally gave in to her urges and silently got up from the bed. She quietly left her room and walked the couple feet over to Malath's room and she carefully opened the door so it wouldn't disturb the sleeping Orc.

Inside, it was completely dark. Lenia waited a few moments for her eyesight to adjust as she peered into the room, her eyes glued to the bed. As the image became clearer she could see that there was nobody occupying it and so she strode forward with a sigh. Malath was not sleeping. It didn't even look like he had attempted to go to sleep since the blankets were not disturbed. Lenia quickly spun back around and made her way towards the main hall where she knew she'd probably find the Dragonborn.

As predicted, Lenia spotted Malath's tall frame slumped over a table near the back of the room. She could see several empty bottles of ale strewn haphazardly across the table and as she got closer she could see that he had fallen asleep. His head rested on his arms and he snored loudly. Lenia paused, and she stared down at Malath with a sad expression.

I knew he'd have some setbacks but I wasn't expecting him to drink this much.

Lenia partially blamed herself as she mused over what to do with the drunk Orc.

If I had only rented one room then perhaps he would have been more willing to go to bed with me there...

There was no use in placing blame and so Lenia shook her head and knelt down beside Malath as she placed a hand on his arm.

"Malath, wake up."

It was going to take a little more than calling out to him to wake him. Lenia gently shook his arm for a few moments as she continued to call his name.

"Malath," Lenia called again, and she began to tug his arm towards her. "Wake up!"

Finally, the Orc stirred. He slowly raised his head up but he swayed slightly as he struggled to comprehend what was going on. When he realized that Lenia was there he groaned and slumped back down on the table, wishing he was dead.

"Leave me alone," he growled.

"Malath you can't sleep here," Lenia replied firmly. "Get up."

"What's the point? I'm a piece of shit."

Lenia ignored Malath as she continued to tug on his arm. Eventually, he grew tired of her insistent pulling and he finally stumbled to an unsteady standing position. Then Lenia slipped her small frame under one of his arms and began steering him back towards his bedroom.

"Why... do you bother with... me," Malath grumbled as he moved slower than a snail down the hallway.

"Because I care," Lenia grunted as she struggled under Malath's weight. "You could try to walk a little bit you know."

Somehow, they reached the bed. Lenia tried her hardest to pull the covers back before the intoxicated Orc collapsed on top of it but she only managed to get it partway back as Malath flopped down. She was forced to tug the blanket out from under his legs and when it was finally free she shoved his body so he was laying properly on the bed and then she tucked the covers around his tall frame and sat down on the edge of the bed with a small sigh.

Malath laid on his stomach and his eyes were closed but he wasn't asleep. He knew he shouldn't have drunk the alcohol but he had felt helpless against the urges. With Lenia not hovering over him every five seconds he had let himself slip, not that he blamed her for what he did. He only blamed himself and he could barely face Lenia since he knew she was disappointed.

But as he laid on the bed with his thought swirling around his skull in a drunken haze he didn't want her to leave him alone. So, when Lenia made to stand up and leave him to sleep Malath couldn't stop himself from reaching out for her.

Lenia felt Malath grab her nightgown as she turned to leave. She paused and looked down at him but his eyes were still squeezed shut.

"Please stay."

It was for that exact reason that Lenia knew she had made the right choice back in Whiterun to help Malath. As she slipped under the covers without a single second of hesitation and she once against held the Dragonborn in her arms Lenia couldn't help but silently thanked any Gods that were listening that they had met that day at the marketplace. Underneath his addiction was an Orc that was hurting deeply and desperate for someone to love and care for him. He didn't need to say it for her to know. His actions spoke louder than words.

Malath buried his face into Lenia's chest and he clutched at her for a long while as the Elf gently rubbed his back until he fell asleep.

When Malath woke up he wasn't sure where he was. His body ached and there was a pounding in his temple that refused to go away. He groaned as he rolled onto his back and struggled to open his eyes. He could feel Lenia stirring as well. What he didn't know was that she had been awake for a few hours and had been unable to get up from the bed without disturbing the slumbering Orc and so she had stayed, drifting in and out of sleep while waiting for Malath to wake up.

Her hand had been resting on his arm and she'd been rubbing it gently as she stared up at the ceiling. Malath moved away from her and slowly tried to sit up but it was difficult. Lenia silently watched as the Orc struggled with what she knew was the ill feelings he felt after drinking so much alcohol the night before but she made no move to help him.

"What... What time is it?"

Malath squinted at the window with bloodshot eyes but he was unable to tell what time of the day it was.

"I'm not sure," Lenia shrugged and she sat up. "My guess is noon or later."

"Oh."

Malath let out a deep breath and reached up to gently rub his aching temple. He was well aware of what he had done and he could imagine how disappointed Lenia was.

"I'm sorry."

Lenia was silent for a moment as she slid towards the edge of the bed and stood up. She stretched her arms above her head until she heard a satisfying crack and then she finally turned back to the Orc as he slowly rose up to a sitting position. Malath placed both feet on the cold wooden floor and his head was bowed as he apologized.

"Why are you sorry?"

"I disappointed you."

"You didn't disappoint me, Malath."

The Orc lifted his head and he peered up at Lenia with a confused expression.

"I'm proud of how far you've come in such a short amount of time. I expect slip-ups, and you shouldn't beat yourself up over it."

"Why are you so nice?" Malath growled and he squeezed his eyes shut as a wave of nausea washed over him.

"Because I care," Lenia replied smoothly. "I know you find that difficult to believe but it's the honest truth."

"I..." Malath paused and then he groaned again.

"I'll get you a potion, and have someone draw up a bath."

"I've put you back a day."

"It's fine," Lenia replied as she walked over to the door and opened it. "It's not a big deal if they start without me."

Even though her smile was reassuring Malath couldn't help but continue to feel guilty as he waited for her to return. His head still ached something fierce and another wave of nausea passed through him. Just as Lenia returned the Orc lurched forward and snatched at the wooden bucket sitting on top of the dresser. She winced as the sounds of Matlath getting sick reached her ears but she went over to him anyways with an uncorked vial in her hand and gently rubbed his back.

When he was feeling a bit better Malath drank the vial and a servant entered a few minutes later and drew up some hot water for the tub. When she was gone Lenia turned towards the Orc, who was sitting on the edge of the bed with his head bowed.

"Come on, you should wash up. It'll help with the aches."

Lenia waited patiently for Malath to stop moving but he didn't she crossed her arms for a moment and sighed. A few minutes passed and he still didn't move and so she strode forward and began tugging on his tunic.

"Stop it," Malath growled.

"Let's go."

Malath swatted at Lenia's arms but she continued to try and remove his tunic.

"Knock it off."

"I've seen your torso before silly," she teased lightly. "No need to be shy."

"I said stop!"

A loud growl ripped from his throat as Malath shoved Lenia hard. She was unable to catch herself and she fell hard onto her butt on the floor and she was too shocked to say anything for a long moment as they stared at one another. Lenia could see that she had upset him greatly as he quickly turned his head away and glared down at the floor.

"Okay..." Lenia started quietly as she slowly rose to her feet. "Point taken. I'll leave you alone. If you need me I'll be out front."

Malath opened his mouth to respond but before he could get a word out Lenia slipped out from the room and firmly shut the door behind her. As she walked down the hall and found herself a free table to sit at she couldn't help but feel bad that she had gone too far.

I was trying to be helpful but it's not what Malath needed at that time and I only succeeded in pissing him off.

Back in the bedroom, Malath was a mess of emotions as he struggled to undress with shaking hands. He was too embarrassed to admit even to himself that he was ashamed of the state of his physical being. He was painfully aware of how much he had let himself waste away and he was no longer the perfect male specimen he had once been back in the day. Lenia had only seen him without a tunic very briefly the day they encountered the Necromancers and he had been embarrassed back then but having Lenia try to undress him was too much.

It's bad enough she deals with everything else I throw at her. The last thing she needs is to be traumatized by my ugly hide.

Once he was completely naked Malath stared down at himself with furrowed brows. He was terribly thin and riddled with scars and burns. It didn't help that he was still underweight and his muscles were only a ghost of his former self. After a few painful seconds spent studying himself in the dim afternoon light that spilled through the windows he quickly splashed into the wooden tub and sank down into the steaming liquid with a loud sigh. He soaked for a long time, enjoying the soothing feeling the bath brought him. He wasn't mad at Lenia in the slightest.

I'm just an ass and I'm incapable of not acting like one, Malath thought glumly as he tried to wash his hair.

When he was thoroughly clean and dressed in a clean set of clothes Malath forced himself to leave the bedroom and seek out Lenia so they could make amends. He found her sitting alone near the fire in the front hall and she idly sipped on a spoonful of soup as she listened to the bard singing nearby. Malath plopped down on the unoccupied chair beside her and she glanced up at him for a second before doing a double take.

"You... y-your hair," Lenia exclaimed quietly.

Malath rubbed his hand along his shaved head with a small shrug. Lenia lifted her hand towards him and, remembering what had happened earlier, she quickly retracted it and clasped her hands in her lap.

"It was bothering me."

"I could have brushed it for you..."

"It's fine, I like to shave it off every so often."

"Okay," Lenia replied. "If you're satisfied, so am I."

"I'm satisfied," Malath nodded, and he looked up at the servant that walked over to them.

After ordering himself something to eat the pair were silent for a few minutes as neither one really wanted to talk first. Eventually, they both gave in and spoke at the same time.

"You're going to-"

"Lenia, I'm-"

They paused, and a small smile graced Lenia's lips as she chuckled softly.

"You go first," she encouraged.

"I... I'm sorry I shoved you earlier," Malath mumbled quietly, and he nervously rubbed his neck as he stared at the wood grain of the table before him. "I was out of line."

"I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have pressured you."

"You forgive too easily."

"Perhaps," Lenia replied and she paused to take a sip of her tea. "But I know you find it incredibly endearing."

"Perhaps."

It was amusing to watch Malath struggle not to get flustered as the tips of his pointed green ears turned a couple of shades darker. He coughed quietly and thanked the servant when she came around with his meal. After taking a few bites he took a deep drink of water, surprised by how much his body enjoyed the cool liquid as it slid down his parched throat.

"What were you saying earlier?"

"Oh," Lenia replied and she turned her attention away from the bard. "I was going to say you're going to be even colder without any hair on your head now."

"I'm cold anyway."

"We'll ask my colleague if he'll enchant your armor when we get to Saarthal, okay?"

"Okay."

The pair lapsed into a comfortable silence for most of the afternoon. At some point, Malath returned to his room to take a nap since he was still feeling under the weather. Lenia hung around the main hall of the Inn, occasionally striking up a conversation with another patron or chatting with Hadring.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Malath took another potion afterward and it was still early in the night when he grew too tired to stay awake.

"I feel like I've been sleeping all day," He grumbled as they walked back to the sleeping quarters.

"That's not a bad thing, you need rest after starting to travel again so suddenly."

"I know..."

When they reached the door to Malath's bedroom he paused before going inside. Lenia could tell that he was thinking really hard by the furrow of his brow and he hesitated to leave.

"You feeling alright?"

"Yeah," Malath mumbled and he avoided looking directly at her as he spoke. "I uh... I don't think I should uh... be sleeping alone..."

Lenia resisted grinning too much as she nodded in agreement.

"You're probably right."

She refused to give into Malath so easily and so there was an awkward moment of silence as Lenia didn't say anything more and the Orc struggled to speak properly.

"Must I say it?" He finally growled with a small huff.

"Say what?" Lenia replied with an innocent expression.

"You're cruel," Malath shot back and he opened the door.

Before Lenia could respond Malath snatched her hand and dragged her inside the room. She laughed as she watched him hastily tug off his boots and then tossed the covers back so he could lay down.

"Would it kill you to admit you like my warm hugs?" Lenia teased as she slipped her boots off and joined Malath on the bed.

"It would, actually."

Lenia's soft laughter echoed in Malath's ear as he shuffled closer and she wrapped her arms around him. She could feel his body relax into hers and she continued to smile softly as the Orc became more comfortable and started to fall asleep. She gently rubbed his back in small circular motions and after a little while, she too drifted to sleep and did not stir until the next morning.