"Hadring, there was a vampire attack in the cellar." Gerda started without preamble. "You might wish to go sweep it up."
"What?" Hadring's mouth fell open. "Vampire? When? What was it doing here?"
Gerda gave him a look, "Maybe it was attracted to the name and went to check it out. Nightgate? Must sound good to Vampires, right?"
Hadring stared at her, "You know, you may be right. I guess I'll have to change the name…"
"Hadring," Gerda didn't know if whether she should laugh or cry. That's what she got for trying to joke with Nords. "It tried to kill us. Suck our blood. You know, the things Vampires usually do when they attack people?" She refused to mention anything about the Dark Brotherhood. Hadring probably wouldn't be able to stop himself and would tell it to everyone who passed through Nightgate.
"Gods, Vampires attacked here?" Hadring exclaimed.
Gerda had no idea if he was acting, or if he really was so slow. "Yes, one did." When she saw Hadring gear himself for a panic attack, she added. "I killed it. You may wish to sweep the dust away."
Fultheim started cackling in his corner. "So? Did you get infected?" He asked uncaringly and took a long drink from his tankard.
Hadring's eyes widened. "Oh, Gods, did you?" He looked wildly about, "How does one recognize a vampire? What if the Orc already is one?"
'Hmm, this… might actually be useful' Gerda thought and loudly exclaimed, "You know what, Hadring? You are right. We cannot be sure. I'll have to bring him to a temple." She gave Hadring a charming smile. "So we better start packing, right? No sense wasting time."
"Yes, yes, of course." Hadring agreed readily enough.
Gerda sighed to herself and went to her room. If this is what Balagog faced for several months before she arrived, she wondered how he was still sane. Most probably by keeping to himself. Well, at least no one figured out his little secret.
She looked around the room. Funny, she spent a week here yet almost all her things were still in her bags. The only thing 'out' was her armor, which she'll soon put on and some books. Compared to this, Balagog's room was almost a home away from home. She wondered what his room will look like once he packs all his things up.
Gerda dressed back in her Ebony Armor. She felt strangely energetic, even after a dragon fight and a night of amazing sex. Or maybe because of it? Absorbing that dragon soul definitely helped.
Once she was ready, she checked her map for the best route to Solitude.
Hmm. They could either take the long 'scenic' road through Whiterun, Rorikstead and Dragonbridge, or the shorter but deadlier route through Dawnstar and the Marsh. She'll either deal with the Dark Brotherhood or with the Contractor.
So, Whiterun or Dawnstar?
She sighed. Usually, she took the shortest possible way to her goal, no matter how dangerous. This time, however, she will have to take Balagog into consideration. He was an amazingly talented man, but he was no warrior.
Whiterun it was then. They will arrest the turncoat Elder Council member… and they can also hand him over to the Penitus Oculatus on the way.
Hah, perhaps Balagog will not need to hide at all. Once the Dark Brotherhood learns that their 'customer' was arrested and there is no one left to pay them, they might give up on this contract. Assassins they might be, but from what Gerda saw and read when she destroyed their Falkreath Sanctuary, they were also businessmen.
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'It sure looks empty now.' Gerda thought as she entered Balagog's room to check on his progress.
Balagog startled and stared at her in shock. At first, Gerda did not understand what the deal was… then she took off her helmet.
Balagog laughed, relieved. "Hello, love. I did not expect to see you in… that."
"Ah… I… er," Gerda stuttered. Usually, she'd say something flirty or flippant. But… Balagog called her love. For some reason, it shocked her to the core. He didn't seem to be aware of what he said, either. He said it as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
He raised his eyebrow at her, when she failed to answer. He stepped up to her and gently kissed her. "You are still beautiful, even in Heavy Armor." He smiled gently.
Gerda grabbed him around the waist and kissed him passionately. If she didn't have this armor on and if they didn't need to leave as soon as possible…
With a sigh of regret, she ended the kiss and stepped away.
Balagog coughed a bit, then with a small blush went to check one last time if he had everything.
He picked his bags.
Gerda thought about their upcoming journey. There will be time for… that, later. If there won't be, she'll make some. Definitely. She said to Balagog matter-of-factly, "Oh, and, if anyone asks, we're headed for the temple."
Balagog stumbled and looked at her incredulously.
Gerda realized what she just said and blushed so hard she swore her very hair turned red. She quickly added, "Of Kynareth. To heal Vampire bites."
"Oh," Balagog looked away. "Yes, of course. As you wish."
Gerda was glad he let it go. Yet now that she thought about it, she couldn't get the thought out of her head.
Marriage.
To Balagog.
Damn, it was too soon. Way too soon. They only knew each other for a week!
She remembered her earlier thoughts about sex without marriage. She definitely could have her Balagog and keep her freedom, too.
Only… as she looked at him, she was not so certain that freedom was what she really wanted.
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The road was long, cold and dangerous. Bitter-cold wind howled around them and wolves tried to take bites out of them.
So. Business as usual.
Gerda was used to Skyrim and it's crazy weather, but it seemed Balagog was not so well equipped to handle wilderness as she was. As she looked at his half-frozen state, she wanted to offer her Forsworn armor to him, so he can put it under his clothes and keep himself warm. Then she had to bite a lip, as she imagined Balagog dressed in that crazy bit of fur.
They left Nightgate quickly. Despite the fact that he lost his only long-term tenants, Hadring seemed happy to see them go. Probably still scared of them turning into Vampires and feeding on him rather than his awful cooking.
Fultheim was passed away drunk in a corner. Just as well.
They both breathed a sigh of relief when the weather turned warmer. Balagog stayed quiet beside her, even after the cold stopped beating him down. So did Gerda, as she was still thinking about possibly marrying Balagog.
Soon enough, they passed guards on the road, who merrily greeted her as their Thane and the Harbinger. They also cast suspicious looks at Balagog.
It only made Gerda want to give Balagog a claiming kiss right in front of them. She never noticed before how the guards treated other races. Now she understood Balagog's cautiousness and disbelief about their relationship a bit better, if this was what he faced every time he stepped into a city.
She couldn't wait to get inside Breezehome and... hmm… welcome Balagog properly. She grinned.
Once they arrived in Whiterun, Gerda all but dragged Balagog to her house.
"Honored to see you again, my… Thane," Lydia greeted them as soon as they stepped inside Breezehome. She looked as if she considered asking Balagog if he was lost, if it were not for the fact that Gerda held his hand. Now it seemed she had no idea how to react.
Gerda gestured at him, "This is Balagog, my lover."
Lydia's eyes almost fell out of her head.
Gerda only lifted her eyebrows at her, then continued, "We will stay here for the night. Please treat him as an honored guest." Then she added with a little frown, "I have some matters I must take care of. I'll return in a few hours."
"Of… of course, my Thane," Lydia still stared at Balagog as if she never saw a man before.
Balagog himself looked ready to run. He wouldn't meet their eyes and kept staring at the floor.
Gerda turned to him and gently lifted his chin. She heard Lydia gasp behind her, but ignored it. "I need to… follow the clues from the letter. The sooner the better, before someone warns him and he flees. But I promise, I'll be back as soon as that business is dealt with. Please, make yourself at home… my love."
Balagog gave her a trembling smile. "I will wait for you here."
Gerda leaned in and gave him a kiss. When she withdrew from him, she saw Lydia's flabbergasted face out of the corner of her eyes. She did not have the time to deal with this right now. As long as Balagog was safe and sound, she needed to deal with the Emperor's true assassin first.
Gerda turned to Lydia, "Will this be a problem?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
Lydia shook herself, "N…no, of course not, my Thane." She swallowed heavily. "I am your sword and your shield," she said with a small bow. But she still cast Balagog furtive glances as if she had no idea what to do in a situation like this.
"Good. I'll be back soon." Gerda squeezed Balagog's hand one last time and left Breezehome.
Hopefully they'll both still be alive when she returns. She believed that Lydia will behave, no matter what she might think about them. She was too… professional to do anything else.
Gerda breathed in the city's evening air. It smelled of stale ale and vomit. She was reminded once again why she preferred the wilderness. She missed that lake by Nightagate Inn already.
No matter, she had business to attend to. Maybe she'll involve the Companions, to give her mission a more official appearance…
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When she stepped back into Breezehome a few hours later, the first thing she noticed was the delightful smell.
Balagog cooked again. She only hoped they left something for her as well.
She found Balagog and Lydia seated by the fire, chatting. The flash of jealousy she felt was unexpected. After all, this was exactly what she was hoping for – for Balagog to find acceptance in her home.
Yet all she wanted was to pull off his clothes and kiss her teeth marks on his shoulder.
Gerda shook herself and went to join them. Balagog lifted his head with a smile as soon as he saw her approach. "We were waiting for you, love." He gestured towards a bowl of stew. "I… made something for you to eat."
"Thank you, Balagog," she stepped up to him with a grateful smile, then sat by the fire to eat her dinner.
"You'll be pleased to learn that everything went well." Gerda said after a few delicious spoonfuls. She cast a quick look at Lydia and decided to open up about their quest, since it will surely be known all across Tamriel by the next day. "Amaund Motierre was arrested for ordering the assassination of our Emperor. He will be escorted to Dragon Bridge, then to Solitude for his execution."
Lydia gasped, "Assassination of the Emperor? Why…? How…?"
She shrugged. What did she care about the reasons of a traitor? Killing one's leader was wrong. But to order an assassination instead of facing them openly was even downright heinous.
"How did you learn about this plot, my Thane?" Lydia asked her in astonishment.
Gerda smirked at her, "He chose the wrong target." She looked over at Balagog possessively.
He gave her a warm smile.
After several hours, Gerda stood up. It was time to sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day.
As she stretched, she noticed that Balagog looked unsure and almost embarrassed. Gerda didn't see why. What could he be embarrassed about? It was such a normal evening. They ate delicious dinner, he made friends with her Housecarl, now it was time to… oh.
Gerda smiled a bit. Of course he will sleep with her, in her bed. Not only was it the only free bed-space, he was also her lover; something she refused to hide. She extended her hand towards him.
He threw a quick glance over at Lydia, then hesitantly accepted.
Lydia pretended very hard that she did not see them.
This attitude towards Balagog was really starting to annoy Gerda. But Lydia at least made no comment.
As they laid down to sleep, Gerda gently took Balagog's hand in her own. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"
"To escort Motierre to Dragonbridge?" he asked quietly. "Are you certain I should join you? The Penitus Oculatus will trust you even if I am not there."
"True, but I do not wish to leave you alone here." She frowned a bit. "Commander Maro at least should learn of your identity. It will definitely close all possible attempts to steal your identity, if Maro knows who you are."
Balagog sighed, "He probably already knows and is only using my anonymity to draw out potential assassins. He will not be pleased to learn we spoiled his plans."
Gerda snuggled closer to him, "I would not be pleased to have my lover murdered to gain some advantage over assassins. Maro will just have to deal." She leaned in and kissed him. She meant it to be a simple good night kiss, but Balagog laid his hand on her cheek and deepened their contact.
"Gerda, I…" Balagog started breathlessly once they parted. He swallowed, "I wish to… mark you."
Gerda lifted her eyebrows in surprise. Then she smiled sardonically, "Like I marked you?" She touched his cheek gently. Balagog closed his eyes.
"Only… when I… do it with my… teeth," he tried to explain. He need not have bothered. Gerda understood. Both his spoken and unspoken request.
This will be permanent. Binding.
They only knew each other for a week or so. Yet she felt more than ready. She never felt as connected to another being as she did with Balagog. She would not give it up. Somehow, she felt that a bond with Balagog will not tie her down, rather it will set her free to be herself.
She looked him in the eyes. Nodded.
As she leaned down to kiss him again, Gerda felt…right.
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"Father, you worry too much. I'll be fine," came the bored sounding voice of a young imperial soldier.
Commander Maro frowned. "I know you will. But at the same time, remember everything I said. Stay alert, and…" He noticed the large group coming towards them.
They must have made a strange sight. The Dragonborn in Ebony Armor, an unknown Orc in Fine Clothes, two bulky Companions and several Nords in Whiterun guard armor dragging along a bound and seething Imperial Councilor.
Both the Imperials and the young girl with them stared.
"What is the meaning of this?" Maro asked sternly. "Why do you have an Imperial Councilor bound? Explain yourself!"
"Ex-Imperial Councilor," Gerda corrected him dryly. "One who ordered the Emperor's assassination."
"What?" Maro's eyes almost fell out of his head. "Do you have any proof of this?"
With a grin, Gerda handed him the Contract letter and a crumpled letter to the "Most Esteemed Overseer" in Motierre's own handwriting.
Maro took both documents with shaking hands.
Looked like the Dark Brotherhood's original plan was much longer and was only abandoned once Motierre heard about the destruction of their sanctuary. She especially liked the part where Motierre plotted the murder of Maro himself, or at least the murder of his people tasked with security. She glanced over at the young man. His son, perhaps?
Most of the steps outlined in the letter were not necessary, now that the Emperor's visit was assured. The only thing they needed was to impersonate the Gourmet…
Maro read the documents and his eyes widened even more. This letter, along with the Contract, was enough proof to earn Motierre his execution. When he reached the part where Motierre asked the assassins to 'meet with the high-ranking officer's people', he threw a hateful look at the traitor.
Once he read both the documents, he signaled his people to take the councilor away, then turned to Gerda, "How did you even learn about this plot? Where did you find these?" He waved the documents in this hands.
Gerda's eyes flicked towards Balagog, "The Dark Brotherhood tried to kill my lover." She gestured towards him. "The Contract letter was found in the assassins satchel. Motierre had the other one on his person."
"Your… your lover? But that would mean…" He stared at Balagog as if he never saw an Orc before. So did all the other men around them, including several Hjaalmarch guards standing around. The only one who didn't act as if Gerda was a champion of Sheogorath was the girl, Faida, who unsuccessfully tried to hide her grin behind her hand.
Gerda glanced over her shoulder. The Companions turned their eyes away. She had no idea about the guards' reactions - one could never tell when they wore those stupid helmets.
Balagog uncertainly approached Maro and handed over his Writ of Passage. Maro quickly got over his surprise and checked the document. He nodded to him.
Gerda nodded as well, then told Maro, "He will stay with me at Proudspire Manor, until the threat passes."
Maro lifted his eyebrows at her, "That could take years. The Dark Brotherhood doesn't give up easy, you know."
"I will deal with them, should the need arise." Gerda shrugged. "But you know what they say. 'The Dark Brotherhood never killed anyone.' Once the contractor is gone, the assassins have no reason to fulfill the contract."
Maro accepted her response, then crossed his hands behind his back, "Thank you once again, Dragonborn. You have done a great service for the Empire and will be appropriately rewarded." He watched as his officers finally dragged the Councilor away.
'Well, at least the traitor had enough dignity not to fight us once he was found out.' Gerda thought. 'The bandits could take some lessons from him on knowing when you've lost.'
Glad that this little drama was over with, Gerda thanked the Companions and the Whiterun Guards for their help. Or, their escort, at least. Now the only thing left for her and Balagog was to safely get to Solitude. Hopefully without any further interruptions, attempted robberies or assassinations.
Who knew, maybe they'll even get there in time for the wedding.
…
Vicci's wedding. Not hers. Not…
Dammit.
Gerda sighed to herself. She was doomed.