"So." Barbas said, looking around Anise's small cabin from the doorway. "This is your...house. It is very nice."
Anise gave him a tired glare, shoving past him to put her satchel down on the dresser by the bed. They'd made it back to her cabin just as night was falling, and the long day coupled with the thought of traveling all the way to Solitude was too much for one little Breton to handle. Anise fell into bed with no thought of the grime on her face or clothes, and soon she was asleep, leaving Barbas to himself. The dog, not particularly pleased with being ignored, jumped up onto the bed and curled up beside her, making sure to get his dirty paws on as much of the bed as he could before settling in.
Neither moved until morning.
...
Anise spent the entire morning preparing for the journey ahead. She washed her body and clothes thoroughly in the nearby river, hanging the wet robes to dry in the sun once she was through. While those dried she mixed potions, particularly once for healing. She packed all the food and potions she could easily carry, as well as some extra to sell in Riverwood before they left. Barbas followed behind her the entire time, barking occasionally to hurry her up. Finally Anise donned her cleaned mage robes and the two headed to the Riverwood Trader.
"Anise, you're back!" Camilla exclaimed, moving to greet her friend that stood in the doorway. She paused upon noticing the wolfhound that had followed Anise inside. "You got a dog? That's certainly better than any spell for protection if you ask me."
"I agree," Lucian chimed in from the back of the shop. "Provided he's a loyal hound."
Anise glanced down at Barbas before giving her friends a chagrined look.
"Actually..."
...
Anise was surprised when, instead of berating her, Camilla offered to help Anise come up with the best possible plan for her journey. Though Camilla and Lucian both expressed great concern for the news Anise had gotten herself caught up in, both siblings seemed to agree that it would not be wise to say too much with the Daedric Prince's companion present. Instead the two siblings speed compliments upon the dog, offering him choice meats to eat while he waited for them to come up with a plan. It was decided that the safest route would be to head first to Whiterun, and then to Rorikstead from there. Anise would spend the night there and head to Solitude the next day. It would have been faster to cut through Morthal, but that town lay deep in the marshes, and Lucian had heard from some other merchants that vampires were known to live in the mists there. Once the planning was done, Anise sold Lucian a few potions and said her goodbyes. Hugs were given, as well as promises to return soon. Anise and Barbas made their way to the edge of Riverwood, on the path that would lead them to Whiterun. Anise turned back for one last look at the town she called home, feeling that this moment was far too familiar.
It's like when I left High Rock. She thought. Except this time, I have something to come back to.
Anise turned back around and hurried to catch up with Barbas, who had not waited for her. Behind her, the town of Riverwood continued it's quiet flow. Dorthe and Frodnar played tag, while Embry the drunk watched them from the steps of the inn. Sven's old mother sat on the bench before her home, glaring down the path at Faendal as he carried wood from the mill. The trees cast their shade as the sun rose slowly over the town, and in the background the river could be heard quietly babbling. Anise and Barbas followed the path that would lead them for the beginning of their journey, until the town could see them no more.
...
I am so so so sorry! I'm sorry this chapter is so short, and I'm sorry I didn't get something up sooner. I started this project because I had a lot of free time and didn't see that changing any time soon. Of course, now I have a whole bunch of things going on, and work has been crazier than ever before. I'm only posting this chapter because I want to put something up, but I feel guilty that it isn't more. Things should be picking up soon in this story though, and we're getting close to the parts that I already have roughly written down, so it will be easier to update. With the free time that I have I'm going to try and edit some of the chapters I've already posted, as I think the first chapter is especially horrible. Again, I'm very very sorry. Next month should be less busy, so hopefully I'll have more time to write. Thank you so much for reading, and feel free to review!