Chapter 4: Distant Horizons
Note: I'm really excited about this chapter, I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!
The trek to Whiterun was a day and a half from Riverwood. I had left the blacksmith's shop at a little before sundown, and knew I would have to make camp for the night somewhere. Alvor had offered to pay for a room at the local inn, insisting almost, but I wanted to get to Whiterun. The sooner I arrived, the sooner I could leave.
Night started to cast its blanket over the land, the sun quickly disappearing behind the mountains not long after I left the quiet village behind. Although I loved the daylight, with its warmth and beauty, the dark intrigued me.
I never really felt afraid at night. I knew enough to keep me safe, stay near the path, don't interact with strangers, watch for wolves. I didn't fear wolves. I had always been quick and quiet, usually I avoided them easily. They had bigger kills to make anyway. Fireflies glittered along the road, illuminating my path like they were guiding me. I liked to imagine they were the glowing plants and animals Ra'jhera had told in his stories, when I would lay back against the fur spreads and looked up at the stars.
"I got lost once, Khajiit are not used to these cold winds. I stumbled into a cave, frozen and disoriented…I walked for so long I feared I would never find my way out..but that was when I saw them. Biggest mushrooms, bigger than regular. They glowed, like blue moon dust or glacier ice. There were deer, they glowed in spots on their bellies, they did. This one, I had never seen anything like it in all my life."
Thinking of his soothing voice and Ahkari's hands braiding my hair made my heart sore. I missed the caravan. I missed my family.
Diverting off the cobblestone path, I started up the side of the mountain. Slipping one of my daggers into my hands, I launched myself up onto the rock. My gloved hand snared a place to hold while my dagger dug into the side of the cliff, helping to keep me steady as I adjusted my footing and started to boulder to the side, shimming my body until I was up far enough I could climb with ease.
I didn't want to scale the entire mountain, I just wanted to cut some time off my journey by going OVER, not all the way around. The Khajiit were excellent climbers, with balance and grace they easily ascended rocks in their way. I had learned mainly by observation, but that I also had had quite a bit of help. Now I was a natural, climbing with some degree of confidence. I started leaping from ledge to ledge, always taking care to make sure I was safe.
After several hours, I had built up a sweat. Worried I may not even be close, I hoisted myself up further so I could try to see the lay of the land. Whiterun, in its magnificence could be seen at night from a distance. And to my delight, I could see the outskirts of the walled city. It was a great hulking figure in the distance, solely its own entity on the open, grassy meadow. I could faintly see smoke rising from houses and taverns, candles winking at travelers from the windows.
Giving a little huff of satisfaction, I brushed some stray hair from my face, grinning proudly at myself. I had shortened the time, at least I could start the the walk through the meadow before dawn. Little did I know.
I had started my descent, jumping down with two daggers in hand so that I could try to slow my fall by dragging and digging them against the rock. I leapt graceful down each lower ledge, the grassy earth in sight. As I got ready to make my final jump, knees bent and daggers poised, a huge dark shape dashed in front of the cliff and a bit below me.
Startled, I misinterpreted the jump. I started to fall, missing the ledge before the grass and plummeting. Whipping around, I drove the daggers against the rock. The noise was unbearable, the scrape of metal on stone, but it gave enough friction to slow me down, and I tumbled onto the ground, breathing heavily.
I lay there, started and confused, sitting up slowly and running my hands into my hair to cradle my head. Underneath me, I could feel the pounding of something running. Jumping up unsteadily, I dropped the daggers and pulled out the iron sword the Imperial had given me.
Charging up to me, I saw the same dark figure that had spooked me off the cliff. It was a horse, large and strong and beautiful. But also galloping straight at me, no doubt with a rider on back. Stumbling backward till I made contact with the cliff, I held the sword in position, ready to swing. Then I heard a voice.
"Whoa whoa whoa, wait!" In the dark of night, I could make two hands held up in a sign of good-nature. Not that I let my guard down for an instant.
"What are you doing? You could have killed me! I hissed, keeping my sword pointed and my body tensed for the attack. The figure on horse back pulled on the reigns so the horse walked backwards from me, then called out;
"What am I doing? What is a woman doing jumping from cliffs like a ram?" he sounded like he was laughing, and my face flushed with heat.
"I was trying to get down, until YOU ran by on your horse like a madman!" I took a brave step forward, brandishing a fresh dagger in the hand not clutching a weapon. "What do you want from me?"
Over by the horse, I heard the thud of the a dismount. Grass and dirt crunched underfoot as the stranger approached, and I held up my sword. Stepping closer, I could get a better look, the moonlight illuminated the figure.
It was a man, a Nord. Gray and red fabric covered him while armor, so well polished it glinted, covered his chest and waist. He looked well built, but not as burly as most Nord men were from tough winters and hard labor. A dark mess of curls were windblown and tussled around his face, which was plastered with concern. For what, I wasn't sure.
"I heard you fall, I realized what I did and I came over to make sure you weren't injured. Are you?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. He took another step, and I flinched.
"That's close enough." I snapped, blowing stray blonde hair out of my eyes. He looked at me like his horse had just kicked him in the head.
"In the name of the Divines, what are you doing?" he asked, again sounding like he might laugh. Infuriated, I shoved my sword back in its sheath, but kept my dagger raised. Stomping towards him, I slammed my shoulder against his and started walking out into the meadow. Whiterun was waiting, and I wasn't going to let myself be an amusement.
"Wait," I heard him say again, and I felt his fingers brush my arm. "Do you not know who I-" I spun around, dagger at the ready and sliced his hand, leaving a shallow, but long cut. He yelped and drew back.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to encroach upon you! You're right, I almost hit you. Next time I will make sure to look up for women who decide to scale cliffs." even if he was taking a jab, there was real sincerity in his voice. It wasn't something I was used to hearing, and I paused, looking him over once again. He hadn't once reached for a weapon, or made any moment to get closer than I allowed.
Realizing he was making some headway when I didn't slice him with metal or words, he said again, more softly; "I apologize."
Sighing quietly, I held my tongue of any other jests. "As do I. You didn't know I was climbing down." he grinned, wide and warm. I was surprised at how it lite up the night, kindness radiating from him. I looked at his hand and winced.
"And I'm sorry for that." I muttered with a flick of my eyes. He shrugged.
"A lady needs her boundaries." I stifled a smirk, raising a hand to cover my lips. And for a moment we stood there in silence, with only the sounds of wind in trees and mammoth calls.
"I can..fix that. And I have some apples," I wasn't quite sure what I was trying to say, but I hated being in-debted to someone, and I owed him for slicing his hand. I didn't say anything else, feeling heat rise into my cheeks. He smiled again, holding up his hand.
"I could use some wrappings."
He was silent as I worked, carefully encircling his rough hand with pieces of cloth I had torn from the rags I had awoken in a day earlier. Beside us, a fire I'd started crackled loudly, making me jump. I wasn't sure why I was suddenly so on edge, even after dried venison and half an apple soothed my stomach. He watched my every move, making me all thumbs and tense. He had the darkest blue eyes I had ever seen, like the water that collected in glacier run-off lakes.
"I can assume you won't damage me further, will you?" he asked with a hint of a smile. I bite back a giggle, coughing as a muttered;
"Your safe from me for the evening. Unless you touch my venison again." I teased and he laughed, the sound bouncing off the mountains behind us. Peaceful quiet followed as I finished his wrap with a tight tug. Withdrawing his hand, he grinned at me.
"I'll be healed in no time at all. The priestesses of Mara would be jealous." that time I did giggle, and quickly raised a hand to hide it. His expression grew serious, and he sat back against the earth. I moved a short distance away, settling by the fire and reaching my hands towards it for warmth.
"May I ask where you were going?" he asked, having sat up and was leaning his chin into his good hand. "You aren't just wandering out here for pleasure, are you?" I gave a tiny, impish grin, but moved my hands to my knees.
"I'm..on my way to Whiterun, I have business there." I didn't say anything else and tried not to think about it. The dragon was still burned into my mind, and the effect its power had had on me. Then there was the image of being inside the city again that made me shudder. He looked at me sideways, and I almost wanted to tease him about it.
"Whiterun is one of the strongest and most comfortable cities in Skyrim," he said, matter-of-factly, as if he had been trained to do so. I rolled my eyes.
"Big cities never held much appeal for me, unless it was to make some coin." he chuckled, reclining back to watch the embers sore up into the cloudless sky. I stayed huddled, my knees drawn up against my chest. How this evening had taken a turn. I could have been halfway to Whiterun, or at the very least, sleeping. Yet here I sat, with a stranger by a fire like we were old tavern friends.
"Why so reluctant to go to Whiteun, milady?" he called, and I looked over at him with my mouth set in a defensive line. He was gazing at me with earnest curiosity, those dark blue eyes gentle as they met mine.
"I have…a history there I would rather not repeat." just talking about it make me shiver again. He sat up, moving a touch closer to me. I immediately moved away, on instinct. Pausing, he leaned back to his original position.
"Tell me." he asked, that same kindness I was so unaccustomed to in his tone. "Everyone has their own reasons to run," he murmured, looking over to the horse that was tied against a nearby oak. So he had been fleeing something. From what, I did not know.
I hadn't felt this curious about anyone in years, at least, anyone outside of the caravan. Nor had anyone ever asked ME what I hid beneath my armor and eyes. Huffing out a little sigh, I decided to bargain, like with the merchants in markets.
"If I tell you, would you take me to Whiterun?" I gestured my head to his resting horse. "It would save me time..and I could get it over with more quickly." his mouth turned up in a smile that lit all the way up to his eyes, that crinkled in the corners.
"That I can do."
Pausing, I settled back against the base of a tree, and pulled out one of the daggers, tracing the handle in my hands.
"It isn't a happy story," I whispered.
"No one's life is entirely happy, little ram." he murmured, and I raised an eyebrow at his teasing. But it helped, lightened the mood. So I breathed deeply several times, and began.
Note: Cliffhanger! I'm sorry! ;) But I really wanted to dedicate a whole chapter to Marina's backstory in flashback form. Wonder who this stranger is? What happens when she drags up the past? Find out next time! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review, I hope you all continue to like the story. Any feedback really means a lot!