If she was fascinated or angry walking around with me, I couldn't tell. There was definitely a hint of annoyance there as I stopped, stared, and openly gawked at different plants, the buildings, and, people. There were a couple things we found out for certain. The first was that I absolutely loved Nightshade and it was quickly becoming my favorite flower. Another was that Elves were extremely lovely to look at with prominate dark eyes, sharp features and seemingly blemish free skin from dark charcoal greys with a slight sapphire undertone of Dark Elves to the faintly shimmering golden hue of High Elves. The last thing being that I'm very clumsy and uncoordinated in glass armor. I kept running into things, or bouncing off of door ways or even people. A few, mostly warriors, found it amusing. Others would glare at me and mutter curses under their breath. It was with a huff on her part and slur of curses on mine after getting stuck in the door at Angeline's Aromatics that she vowed to find or make me leather armor. I was going to thank her profusely but we were interrupted but a stuck up and near nasally sounding voice.

"Welcome, my name is Gisli, but you can just call me-"

"Gisli?" I interrupted, sharper than I meant to. It kind of just slipped out of my mouth, so I forced my features to soften and put on the brightest smile I could manage. "I've heard so much about you! I really wanted to meet you." She looked taken aback but a delicate yet nasty sneer hadn't yet left her face.

"I'm sorry, but I think you have me mistaken for Erikur. It wouldn't be the first time." My smile turned sheepish and there was no lie in my voice when I spoke again.

"No, I've actually never met Erikur and I haven't heard anything about him. I'm new in Solitude and only heard that if I ever needed help you were the one to go." A flurry of emotions flitted across her face from suspicious, to angry, and ended up settling on disbelief. It took her a moment to gather herself but when she did, she nearly sprinted from behind the counter and took my hand in her own. I had to crane my neck to look up at her face because she so much taller than me, but when I did I saw little tears in her pretty High Elf hues. She told me I was the first person to actually notice her, and not who she was related to. It wasn't hard for me to make a vow to be her friend and the beaming smile that answered me was well worth it. It was more than gratitude that had brought forth a contented sigh as I was going to have to learn very quickly that living in Skyrim, and playing Skyrim were going to be two entirely different things.

Looking around for my companion, I spotted her standing next to an older woman whose name was currently escaping me. I only knew for sure that she had lost her daughter in the war. They slowly walked towards us with Kari standing just behind the woman, a hand placed lightly on the back of her upper arm.

"Hello, dear," murmured the softest and most grandmotherly voice I could ever have imagined. "Ri'Akari has suggested you stay here for the moment while she finds you some different armor. I'm sure Gisli could use some help with shop, if you wouldn't mind?" I shook my head in agreement and she gave me the smallest of smiles that didn't reach her eyes at all, which were deep set and steel grey, emphasized by ancient pain that resided there of which I knew I would never understand. I could only assume it was from loosing her only child but knew better than to ask her about it. With a quick goodbye stating she would return shortly I sat behind the counter at a small wooden table with Gisli and sorted through different flowers. Eventually she removed the gaudy glass gauntlets for me so that my hands were free. She picked up Dragons Tongue and held it gently in her fingers.

"Is that your favorite?"

"Yes," she smiled at me, "I love the way it looks. The colors are so vibrant." I made a soft humming sound in comment.

"You should get a dress made like those colors, it would be beautiful on you." There was a soft flush to her cheeks as she stammered out she would look into it. I was still smiling to myself about it when A'Kari returned, black leather armor in hand. Her and Gisli led me upstairs and hand the bulky glass of me in considerably less time than it took to put it on. The leather was well fitted and very soft on the inside. Small runic symbols were stitched on the inside of the leather to keep it heated and warm. It was very light and fit like regular clothing. The sleaves of the top stopped just before my elbows and I was fitted with bracers on both arms to keep the bow string from snapping my fore arms while also keeping my hands free. Black straight leather boots that were inlined with soft fur covered most of the pants and stopped about mid thigh where knife holders were stitched into the leather; two on both sides. Kari slipped daggers in them, followed by what had become my glass bow and arrows across my back. Gisli pursed her lips and eyed me up and down with a small nod of her head.

"It will keep her safe but... Do both of you truly have to go to Riften? The thieves guild..."

"Will be taken care of", Kari murmured. "I can't leave things unfinished and I owe Maven a knife in the back." Gisli huffed a sigh and shook her head. She stared us down hard.

"Come back", she all but growled and I found myself with a face full of her chest as she hugged me. I couldn't help but frown a little as I returned her hug, wondering if I was always going to be so much shorter than every one. With a promise we would come back as soon as possible, Kari ushered us both out the door. I gritted my teeth as she fast traveled us right outside the Riften gates. With her hand on my shoulder and my back rimrod straight from both tension and false confidence, we walked forward, pushing the our way inside together.

Authors Note: There will be filler chapters like this through out the fanfiction as Kate encounters charecters that I thought would be far more pleasant if some one had bother to be nicer to them. Without knowing what it will do, or how it will affect them both, Kate will unwittingly touch the lives of quite a few people on her long journey.

Song: Little Light Of Love by Eric Serra