p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Serana unnerved him from the start. She'd whisked Mercy away into the shadows of the "Refuge" and had pointed him in another direction when he asked where he was supposed to sleep. The Wispmother who acted as caretaker had been more helpful, showing him to the bath-spring and to the bunk room, then showing him where the food and drink were kept. Once his belly was full and he was clean and trimmed, Ralof gratefully fell into one of the single beds./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"When he woke, he wasn't sure if it was morning or night. The humming of the machinery had dimmed to a faint whirring in the background, and it felt as if Ralof had slept for centuries. Serana was staring at him from across the room, though he found her to be less unsettling than she had been before./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""So, where did Hunter dredge you up? Clearly you are a Stormcloak, though why she would choose you as a companion I do not know." The amber-eyed woman smiled at him, pearly fangs glittering warningly./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""I met Mercy on the road to Helgen, when she first came to Skyrim. I suggested to her that she join the Stormcloaks, and her dragon-friend came and got me when she left for Sovngarde." Ralof answered truthfully, unnerved by the vampire's familiarity with Mercy./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Ah, so you are the one she mutters about in her sleep. I wondered who was giving her such conflicted dreams." Serana's smile gentled./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""What-.. You watch her sleep?" Ralof stuttered, paling./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""When we are on the road and need someone on watch, yes. She can be surprisingly vocal. But, that isn't mine to discuss. I do believe she is awake; she's in the forge, and if I heard Odahviing correctly you have messages from various individuals that need to be conveyed to her." She stood, and gestured for him to follow./p
hr style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;" /
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"They found Mercy carefully working a piece of glowing armor, shaping it to afford more protection without adding weight. Ralof turned to thank Serana, and found himself alone in the doorway./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Remind me to thank her later. Ralof, if you would come here for a few minutes, this one needs your help with something." Mercy purred, not looking up. Ralof sighed, and nodded. He stood where she asked him to, and watched as she held the armor up to his shoulders./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""What are you doing?" He asked after a moment./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Making this fit you instead of whoever it was originally intended for. Some nameless bandit had it locked away in a chest, and this one thought it would do you more good than it would me. Mercy has a battleaxe as well, if you want it." She took the armor back to the workbench, heating the metal and adjusting it to better fit Ralof's shoulders. He stared at her, stunned./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Why?" He whispered, after a few moments. Mercy actually looked up at him then, regarding him with ambivalent eyes./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Surely it's understood that Mercy doesn't want one of her few close friends dying in combat, that she doesn't want to lose one of the two people who still see her as Mercy the Khajiit, not Dovahkiin or Thane or thuri or any of that other nonsense," she replied, her voice as quiet as his had been. Ralof didn't reply, merely watching as she put the armor aside to work on a pair of gloves./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Some time later (she hadn't had to do much to the gloves, just replace the leather), he thought to relay the messages he'd been given."Odahviing asked me to tell you he would continue to hail you as his… therri?"/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Thuri." Mercy corrected./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Yes, that. Also, Paarthurnax asked that you return to him when you were well enough to climb to the Throat of the World on your own. I think he wished to speak solely to you, but I don't know."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Understood." Mercy responded, carefully comparing the boots she was working on to the boots he'd been wearing. "Mercy will go once she has finished this."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""May… May I see that axe you mentioned before?" Ralof asked./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Hesitation doesn't suit you, my friend. Of course you can." Mercy chuckled, setting down the boot she'd been working on. She reached down to the cooling-trough next to the forge, and lifted a gleaming ebony-handled axe. Mercy handed it to Ralof, silently going back to her work./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"He marvelled at the weapon for a few minutes, weighing it in his hands and tracing the runes carved in the haft. The head confused him a bit; it was made of a substance like no metal he'd ever seen before, and the blade was razor-sharp and translucent./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Dragonbone," Mercy muttered, before he could ask. "Came from a revered named Naaslaarum, up north in the ruins of an old Snow-elf temple."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""I didn't know dragonbone could be forged into weapons." Ralof commented quietly, keeping his expression neutral./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Normally it can't. One of the Skaal on Solstheim knows how to manipulate the bones and scales into weapons and armor." Mercy hummed. She carefully stitched another piece of leather into the sole of the second boot, before replacing its base and setting it next to its mate. She inspected both once more, then handed them and the other pieces of armor to Ralof. "Here. these should fit you properly, now. This one can enchant the axe if you wish, but she can't undo it if you change your mind."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Ralof shook his head. "No… no, you've already done enough work on it. Thank you."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Then at least let me enchant the armor so it doesn't weigh you down as much." She smiled at him (and it was an honest smile, not one of her 'I wish I could slap you without leaving scars' smiles), and snatched the chestpiece of the armor away, darting out of the forge and across the hall. Ralof sat still, amused a bit by the childish manner she'd suddenly adopted. He heard metal sliding across wood, then a deep humming./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"She came back several minutes later, holding the now-glowing armor out to him./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Here. You should find it lighter than before, and it'll protect you better from spells."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Ralof took the armor, weighing it in his hands. "Do you want me to try it on now?"/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""That would help. It's a little harder to manipulate enchanted metal, but Mercy can do it." Mercy nodded./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Ralof sighed and stood. Carefully, he unbuckled the various straps holding the different pieces of metal together, then pulled on the leather padding. The metal followed after, and Mercy helped him secure it into place. Next came the boots, then the gloves, then the bear-head helm. Once he had everything on, Ralof stepped back to let Mercy inspect the various fittings./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Looks like it fits perfectly. Does anything pinch?" She asked./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""It's a bit tight in places, but nothing wear won't help." Ralof responded honestly. The boots felt a bit tight, but they were essentially new; the leather would wear and stretch after a while./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Give the axe a few swings, then. See how it feels, if it needs any adjustments. There's a training dummy there behind you." Mercy gestured to something behind him. Ralof nodded; turning, he brought the axe across the air; it collided with the dummy with a satisfying "thunk", and straw flew out of the dummy./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""It's a bit unbalanced; the head is heavier than the haft." He commented./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Give it here, then." Mercy took the axe back, weighing it in her hands before walking back over to the workbench. She walked over to one chest, pulled out a glowing ruby, then returned to the workbench. Ralof watched, curious, as the Khajiit carefully heated a piece of ebony, pulling it into a fine wire. She took the thin strips of metal and wove them around the blood-red gem, binding it to the butt of the axe. She wove the wire up the haft of the axe, up to the last of the runes./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""What do they mean?" Ralof asked, trying to read the ancient script./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""It's a selection from a word wall Mercy had found a while ago, that can be seen as a blessing of sorts on its Lahney voth ahkrin ahrk zin/em. Live with courage and honor. Mercy asked that they be carved into the haft." She replied. The ancient dragon-language rolled from her tongue like she'd been born speaking it./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Where did you learn to read the language, if I may ask?" He pressed. She smiled at him./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""A Khajiit must have some secrets, my friend. A trustworthy source taught me. Leave it there."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Very well." He nodded. She handed the axe back to him, then turned and walked out of the forge./p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"After a moment, he followed./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"When he woke, he wasn't sure if it was morning or night. The humming of the machinery had dimmed to a faint whirring in the background, and it felt as if Ralof had slept for centuries. Serana was staring at him from across the room, though he found her to be less unsettling than she had been before./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""So, where did Hunter dredge you up? Clearly you are a Stormcloak, though why she would choose you as a companion I do not know." The amber-eyed woman smiled at him, pearly fangs glittering warningly./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""I met Mercy on the road to Helgen, when she first came to Skyrim. I suggested to her that she join the Stormcloaks, and her dragon-friend came and got me when she left for Sovngarde." Ralof answered truthfully, unnerved by the vampire's familiarity with Mercy./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Ah, so you are the one she mutters about in her sleep. I wondered who was giving her such conflicted dreams." Serana's smile gentled./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""What-.. You watch her sleep?" Ralof stuttered, paling./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""When we are on the road and need someone on watch, yes. She can be surprisingly vocal. But, that isn't mine to discuss. I do believe she is awake; she's in the forge, and if I heard Odahviing correctly you have messages from various individuals that need to be conveyed to her." She stood, and gestured for him to follow./p
hr style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;" /
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"They found Mercy carefully working a piece of glowing armor, shaping it to afford more protection without adding weight. Ralof turned to thank Serana, and found himself alone in the doorway./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Remind me to thank her later. Ralof, if you would come here for a few minutes, this one needs your help with something." Mercy purred, not looking up. Ralof sighed, and nodded. He stood where she asked him to, and watched as she held the armor up to his shoulders./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""What are you doing?" He asked after a moment./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Making this fit you instead of whoever it was originally intended for. Some nameless bandit had it locked away in a chest, and this one thought it would do you more good than it would me. Mercy has a battleaxe as well, if you want it." She took the armor back to the workbench, heating the metal and adjusting it to better fit Ralof's shoulders. He stared at her, stunned./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Why?" He whispered, after a few moments. Mercy actually looked up at him then, regarding him with ambivalent eyes./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Surely it's understood that Mercy doesn't want one of her few close friends dying in combat, that she doesn't want to lose one of the two people who still see her as Mercy the Khajiit, not Dovahkiin or Thane or thuri or any of that other nonsense," she replied, her voice as quiet as his had been. Ralof didn't reply, merely watching as she put the armor aside to work on a pair of gloves./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Some time later (she hadn't had to do much to the gloves, just replace the leather), he thought to relay the messages he'd been given."Odahviing asked me to tell you he would continue to hail you as his… therri?"/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Thuri." Mercy corrected./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Yes, that. Also, Paarthurnax asked that you return to him when you were well enough to climb to the Throat of the World on your own. I think he wished to speak solely to you, but I don't know."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Understood." Mercy responded, carefully comparing the boots she was working on to the boots he'd been wearing. "Mercy will go once she has finished this."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""May… May I see that axe you mentioned before?" Ralof asked./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Hesitation doesn't suit you, my friend. Of course you can." Mercy chuckled, setting down the boot she'd been working on. She reached down to the cooling-trough next to the forge, and lifted a gleaming ebony-handled axe. Mercy handed it to Ralof, silently going back to her work./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"He marvelled at the weapon for a few minutes, weighing it in his hands and tracing the runes carved in the haft. The head confused him a bit; it was made of a substance like no metal he'd ever seen before, and the blade was razor-sharp and translucent./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Dragonbone," Mercy muttered, before he could ask. "Came from a revered named Naaslaarum, up north in the ruins of an old Snow-elf temple."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""I didn't know dragonbone could be forged into weapons." Ralof commented quietly, keeping his expression neutral./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Normally it can't. One of the Skaal on Solstheim knows how to manipulate the bones and scales into weapons and armor." Mercy hummed. She carefully stitched another piece of leather into the sole of the second boot, before replacing its base and setting it next to its mate. She inspected both once more, then handed them and the other pieces of armor to Ralof. "Here. these should fit you properly, now. This one can enchant the axe if you wish, but she can't undo it if you change your mind."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Ralof shook his head. "No… no, you've already done enough work on it. Thank you."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Then at least let me enchant the armor so it doesn't weigh you down as much." She smiled at him (and it was an honest smile, not one of her 'I wish I could slap you without leaving scars' smiles), and snatched the chestpiece of the armor away, darting out of the forge and across the hall. Ralof sat still, amused a bit by the childish manner she'd suddenly adopted. He heard metal sliding across wood, then a deep humming./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"She came back several minutes later, holding the now-glowing armor out to him./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Here. You should find it lighter than before, and it'll protect you better from spells."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Ralof took the armor, weighing it in his hands. "Do you want me to try it on now?"/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""That would help. It's a little harder to manipulate enchanted metal, but Mercy can do it." Mercy nodded./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"Ralof sighed and stood. Carefully, he unbuckled the various straps holding the different pieces of metal together, then pulled on the leather padding. The metal followed after, and Mercy helped him secure it into place. Next came the boots, then the gloves, then the bear-head helm. Once he had everything on, Ralof stepped back to let Mercy inspect the various fittings./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Looks like it fits perfectly. Does anything pinch?" She asked./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""It's a bit tight in places, but nothing wear won't help." Ralof responded honestly. The boots felt a bit tight, but they were essentially new; the leather would wear and stretch after a while./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Give the axe a few swings, then. See how it feels, if it needs any adjustments. There's a training dummy there behind you." Mercy gestured to something behind him. Ralof nodded; turning, he brought the axe across the air; it collided with the dummy with a satisfying "thunk", and straw flew out of the dummy./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""It's a bit unbalanced; the head is heavier than the haft." He commented./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Give it here, then." Mercy took the axe back, weighing it in her hands before walking back over to the workbench. She walked over to one chest, pulled out a glowing ruby, then returned to the workbench. Ralof watched, curious, as the Khajiit carefully heated a piece of ebony, pulling it into a fine wire. She took the thin strips of metal and wove them around the blood-red gem, binding it to the butt of the axe. She wove the wire up the haft of the axe, up to the last of the runes./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""What do they mean?" Ralof asked, trying to read the ancient script./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""It's a selection from a word wall Mercy had found a while ago, that can be seen as a blessing of sorts on its Lahney voth ahkrin ahrk zin/em. Live with courage and honor. Mercy asked that they be carved into the haft." She replied. The ancient dragon-language rolled from her tongue like she'd been born speaking it./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Where did you learn to read the language, if I may ask?" He pressed. She smiled at him./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""A Khajiit must have some secrets, my friend. A trustworthy source taught me. Leave it there."/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;""Very well." He nodded. She handed the axe back to him, then turned and walked out of the forge./p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.8003997802734px;"After a moment, he followed./p