Chapter 2: Flying Dinnerware
Eutrepe fiddled with the straps of her satchel as she took in the large gates of Whiterun. It signified hope, a community, and livelihood to her just then. After the living hell of the past few days had shaped up to be, she was almost ecstatic to be near people once more, but her father's words still rang in her mind. Her father had been wrong.
Mother had died a couple days ago, and it seemed her father's heart with her as well. The doctor, bless him, had given her mother medicine to help her passing. It was more than she could have hoped for at least. However, her father was a different person afterward. There was no more laughter or jokes in her childhood home; only a man wasting away from grief. Eutrepe had tried to talk to him, to get him to open up to his only child. It was all for naught, however. That next morning her father had coldly told her to leave, and like a coward she had. She had run from her problems, run from her sorrows. Now all she had left in the world was her father's bow, which he had pushed her out the door with, some arrows and enough provisions to last her three days at the most.
She needed to find work. That was what she had to concentrate on for now.
Eutrepe nodded to the guards as they let her in. Whiterun was the same as she remembered it. The blacksmith's to the right was already open, one of the apprentices making a small blade on the forge. Ahead, next to a historical home named Breezehome, stood a large statue. She didn't need to read the plaque to know that it was a monument to the great Dragonborn, who had saved Skyrim a hundred years ago.
When she had been a child, she had often fantasized about how it would be like to be the Dragonborn. To go on so many wonderful adventures... Then again, most likely every child had wanted to become the Dragonborn at some point in their lives, but none had been found.
The market was already lively with people trying to sell their wares. One man stood on the closed well and claimed he had the magic potion for immortality! She actually laughed aloud at that one as she opened the door to the Bannered Mare. Ridiculous.
The inside of the inn was bathed in a warm glow from the fire in the middle of the room. A bard played a song of a love found and of a lovely maiden and she could not stop herself from humming along. On benches sat a few weary travelers and a couple seasoned warriors as they drank away their troubles with mead. A cloaked man sat in the corner staring down his drink and a dark elf with messy short hair danced merrily to a tune only he could hear. By Sovengarde, were all towns so full of...characters...such as this?
Eutrepe tried not to stare too much at any one person as she made her way to the counter. A pretty barmaid sat behind it, cleaning one of her many glasses. The light colored woman raised a blonde eyebrow as she took in Eutrepe's ragged appearance. "We serve the finest mead. Five septims per cup, ten for a whole bottle of wine. A room for the night will be twenty-five and a bath is fifteen septims."
Gods, a bath did sound heavenly. Her journey had been a dirty one, and she barely resisted rubbing a grime covered cheek just thinking about it. "A bath then, please. Also, any work for an archer?"
The woman scrutinized her, but Eutrepe did not back down. Her hunger more than made up for the female Nord trying to intimidate her. After a minute, the woman smiled. Had she passed the test?
"Well, there is a bounty for a hagraven near Hollow's rock. You deal with that, then we can talk about bigger jobs. Aye?" Eutrepe nodded, happy for anything. The only thought that slightly upset her was the fact that she had never even seen a hagraven in person. She gratefully took the paper, ignoring any of her discomfort about the impending work. "I'll also get one of the bar girls to run your bath. It's toward the back of the inn, next to the store room," the Nord added. The woman nodded towards the direction she meant while holding her hand out for her pay. Eutrepe deposited some septims in her hand, plus a few extra for a tip. Her father had always assured her it was best to make friends early, and innkeepers always heard the best gossip.
She followed a young wood elf to the backroom to bathe, all the while rubbing her stiff neck.
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Segreid stared into his cup of mead. Damn it, delayed once more. And not even for anything near as important as his research! No doubt the other students at the college were already pestering the professors, lobbying for them to take his coveted room. A bed on the first floor was always envied.
Liquid iciness splashed across the back of his neck and most of his cloak. What in the hell? As if he wasn't already pissed off enough...
Slowly, he turned his head, his silver eyes stormy as he scanned the room for the culprit. Now, he stank like alcohol! The inn was silent except for a few hushed whispers from the shocked patrons. He rose from his chair before turning around. And there. There was the culprit. The Dark Elf stood behind him, crimson eyes wide with apprehension. His hands were up, fingers open as if trying to defuse the situation before anything became violent. Too fucking late for that.
Segreid took a threatening step forward, ignoring the other Nords as they bent their heads together and began to make bets about who would win.
"Um...," the dark elf floundered as he backed up, kicking the cup he had dropped along the way. "Listen, I didn't mean to. Honestly, you have to believe me. I just..."
Segreid scowled, fisting his hands before forming a small flame in his right palm. That would be all he needed to take care of this bastard. "Why, of all the people in this room, did you think it was a smart idea to spill your drink on me?" he asked, his threatening voice promising all sorts of violence.
If dark elves could go a few shades paler, he just had. "By the gods, I had not meant to! I was just...," the elf smirked sheepishly, one hand moving to run the back of his head. "I was just having a good time, just blowing off some steam."
Segreid stalked the dark elf across the room, his eyes promising retribution. The elf's eyes themselves were wide, only growing more concerned with each step they took. "Come on, it was just a little accident. A teeny, tiny accident."
"An accident...," he growled. His hand shot out beside the elf's head when they finally backed up all the way towards the wall. The flame that had been in his palm went through the old wood and into the next room. A girly squeal accompanied the sound of breaking wood, but he did not pay it any attention. "Well, pardon be if I accidentally break your face."
An ominous black glow alarmed the dark elf even more and he threw pitiful looks at anyone who would catch his eyes, begging them to help him stop the mad wizard.
Segreid drew his hand dangerously close to the other man's face, but before he could do any damage something slammed into the back of his head. At first, he was dazed, and even the dark elf in front of him was slack-jawed with surprise. "Okay, I did not do that!"
"No," a musical voice answered from behind Segreid, "I did, you big louts!"
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The big wizard let fo of him and Sanlin barely resisted the urge to dust himself off. So, he had not been able to talk himself out of that confrontation. What in the seven hells was the college feeding their initiates to let them grow that large?! Well, at least he had a savior; the other patrons had been too busy betting against him to help. No doubt it had been that muscular barmaid he had seen before. Even though she was a little on the manly side for his taste, he would give her a good tumble on a bed roll for getting him out of this mess.
However, what his eyes came to rest on was no barmaid of masculine stock. Instead, there stood a woman with all the right curves in the right places. Her long fiery hair flowed down her back in a long curtain of damp curls and her forest green eyes sparked with passion. Even though she was of petite stature, her presence seemed to take up the whole room. Even the wizard stared at the maiden, dumbstruck by her appearance. Damn, it wouldn't be a chore to take his savior to bed knowing she looked like that. But what in the world was she holding?
"You lousy assholes! Both of you ruined my bath!" Another cup flew from her hand, this one hitting the wall to the left of his head. Damn! Maybe she wasn't his savior then, but she sure was a little firecracker! "The two of you owe me twenty septims!" Once more, another cup. Sanlin winced as it shattered near the wizard. Where was she getting all the ammunition from?
He took a step forward, trying to keep his face serene and his aura calm. He could talk down a Nordic Firecracker. "Now, now, fair maiden. Just calm down," her eyes shifted fully to him, but he didn't realize his mistake until a cup flew at his head. Thanks to his superior reflexes, he ducked in a timely manner.
"Do not tell me to calm down! I'm bathing, and a chunk of flaming wood is suddenly sailing above my damned head!" This time, a plate hit Segreid in the chest and the male groaned from the force of the impact. Well, that would explain her state of undress.
The large Nord beside of him growled as if just realizing the woman before them was nearly naked. Weren't wizards supposed to be smarter than this? Or maybe he was just preoccupied with the flying dinnerware. The other patrons, mostly male but a few female, also stared at the maiden with renewed interest. Like hell! He saw her first! Well, thought about taking her first so he should at least get to tumble her first.
Evidently, the brute beside of him had the same idea because they both started to approach the girl at the same time. The fire in her eyes started to diminish as the two men stalked towards her and she backed up a step. Maybe she realized that it had not been a bright idea to antagonize two males mid-fight.
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Eutrepe dropped the cup she had been holding, wincing as it hit the floor and then rolled away. Well, at least that one had been metal. This time, it was her turn to hold up her hands in a non-threatening gesture even though she had nearly decapitated the rough blonde with a cup. "I... I come in peace? Barter? Gods... Parley?" she asked in a last ditch effort, trying to get out of a sticky situation. Why in the world was n0o one helping a poor, sweet lass like her? She herself even inwardly snickered at that last thought.
A man near the back had the audacity to whistle at her and the elf with crimson eyes shot him a glare.
"Backwater assholes...," he whispered under his breath has he grabbed her roughly by the arm.
"What...?" she blurted out, shocked as the other man moved to cover her backside with his larger frame. Together, they herded her back towards the bathing area.
"What were you thinking, lass? Or were you not?" the one behind her gruffly inquired. She bristled at his question and turned her head to glare daggers at the Nord. Did he just call her an imbecile?
The elf squeezed her hand when they were both alone with her in the backroom. "He meant your clothes, love. Did you think it was a wise idea to confront an attacker nearly bare?"
It was only then that she finally looked down at herself in surprise. "Gods!" she choked out as she tried to cover her front where her breasts were trying to spill out of the flimsy linen. Thank Talos she had thought to at least knot the cloth around herself.
Both of the men's eyes were drawn to where she was holding. Their eyes darkened with desire, but the blonde had enough sense in mind to turn around and resist temptation. The dark elf, on the other hand, was in no hurry to interrupt his view of her assets. Eutrepe cleared her throat, "Can you turn around?" she asked, though it sounded more like an order than a question.
He obliged, but she could still feel herself burning with embarrassment. Gods, she had truly lost control of her temper this time. If only her father could see her he would most likely be laughing himself to death.
One thing that still confused her, however, was that she felt a warm sensation through her from just remembering how the two men had watched her. Was this what her mother had talked about when she said one day a man would catch her eye? It was just in that moment she hated that she had no true experience in dealing with the opposite sex.
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Segreid rubbed the back of his head as he watched the door. The maiden had gone deeper into the room to where her clothing lay, which she was presumably putting on. Talos, he hoped she was. Just knowing the other men had gotten such a sight almost made him enraged once more. However, his anger was what had gotten them into this predicament, to begin with.
The dark elf at his side readjusted himself and he smirked. Well, at least he was not the only one affected by the woman behind them.
Clothing rustled and he barely resisted the dark temptation to turn around and see all of her. Gods! He was acting like a love-struck lad with his first girl!
Slowly, the noise began to bleed back into the Bannered Mare. No doubt Esmerelda, the innkeeper, would want a word with them about the damages. Especially with how many cups and plates the little minx had broken. But, damn, did she look beautiful angry like that.
Soft footsteps echoed behind them and a feminine cough gave them permission to turn around.
Now, the young maiden was clothed in form fitting leather that had seen better days. Still, that did not take away from the lovely vision before him. The bottoms were tight against her long, shapely legs and her corset-like top was slightly undone at the top so he could see a peak of her full breasts. Segreid almost groaned, but managed to stifle the offending sound with a cough of his own. He watched her slender fingers as they pulled at the furred hood on her shoulders nervously.
All three of them were so focused on each other that they did not notice the older female behind them until she cleared her throat rather loudly. All eyes were now on the innkeeper as she smirked at the little group. "So, I guess we should talk about how you're going to pay me back for everything you did to my inn?"
Okay, this chapter is for BalakeC0! I was thinking about what to write next, and honestly this was pretty low on the list. I didn't think anyone had followed it or really even read it. However, since it has one fan I have to continue it!
