Tugging the helmet off my head with some effort, I let out a sigh I felt like I'd been holding in all day. I peered at the inside of the helmet. I made a mental note to get it reshaped. The thing was way too tight.

I pulled open the heavy door in front of me. "The Retching Netch", read the sign just above it. Colourful name. The blacksmith, Glover, had insisted the drinks were good though. I frowned slightly and entered.

Inside the layout was exactly like the majority of the houses I had seen in Raven Rock, despite it being a bar: A horseshoe-shaped upper level with a hearth at the far end, and a staircase descending into a basement level. I heard the sounds of clinking glass and conversation below, so I assumed the main part of the bar was there. A few patrons were seated at tables on the upper level. I didn't want to waste any time in getting a drink into me. It had been a long day. I started down the stairs.

"Doing a bit of adventuring, are you?" Inquired a male, slightly raspy voice to my right. I looked over to see a man dressed head to toe in chitin armor, seated alone at one of the tables.

"Yes," I replied passively, and continued down the stairs.

The man stood up. "May I offer my services? Teldryn Sero, spellsword for hire." He gave a little bow. "Best swordsman in Solstheim."

I stopped again and looked back at him. I was partly annoyed at him bothering me when I just wanted a drink, but this was a new and unfamiliar land, and the idea of an experienced companion was worth thinking about. Still, I arched my eyebrow at his claim. "The best?" I asked, a hint of sarcasm in my voice.

Teldryn put his hands on his hips. "My skills will speak for themselves," he answered with conviction.

"And how much would the services of the best swordsman in Solstheim cost me?" I inquired.

"A mere 500 gold."

"Five hundred-?!"

"A reasonable sum for what I can provide. Besides my skills with a blade, I'm also an expert in destruction magic, particularly flame-based spells. And adept at restoration as well- er, though, mostly on myself for that."

I crossed my arms and scrutinized him. Was I actually considering hiring him? Maybe I was tired. Or crazy. Possibly both. But something in this stranger's demeanor drew me to him.

"All right, Mr. Sero-"

"Teldryn, please."

"-Teldryn. If I DID decide to hire you, can I decline further service at any time?"

"Of course. In fact, if you wish me gone before I engage in any battle with you, I offer a full money-back guarantee."

I was silent, ruminating over his offer. Should I hire him?

"I can also make good tea," he added somewhat sheepishly.

I couldn't help but grin. I peered in my coin pouch - I had more than enough gold. "Well...all right."

I couldn't see his face under the mask he wore, but he stood up straighter, puffing his chest out a bit, suggesting to me that he was happy to hear the news. He strode over to me, his hand extended. I shook it, then went to sit at a table to count out my gold for him. He sat down opposite me.

"And what is your name?" He asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"Sheena," I answered, sorting my coins into stacks of 20 so it would be easier to count.

"Just Sheena?"

"Deer-Caller."

"Deer-Caller...can't say I recognize that name. But then I don't know a lot of Bosmer, either. Er - you are Bosmer, aren't you?"

"Yes - well, I'm half Nord. My mother was Bosmer."

"I thought you were a bit too tall for a Bosmer," he grinned.

I smirked at him and pushed the stacks of coins across the table to him. "Feel free to double-count it."

He shook his head. "Looks about right to me," he assessed, opening the coin pouch at his side and scooping the coins into it.

"Great. Now, please excuse me for a minute. I really need a drink."

"Oh, well, I'll join you. I've only had a couple so far. Have you been here before?"

"Nope, just set foot in Solstheim a few hours ago. I haven't even got a room yet."

"Oh, well, I know the bartender. Perhaps I can arrange a discounted room, maybe a free glass of sujamma being you're a first-time customer."

I smiled. "I won't complain. What's sujamma?"

"A traditional Dunmer drink. You'll love it, I promise."

"Listen, I'll drink horker piss if it's free, cold, and will help relax me." I exclaimed. It wasn't far from the truth at this point. Teldryn laughed. "Fair enough. Let's get you set up."

I wasted no time in starting back down the stairs, Teldryn following behind. There were a few customers milling about, and a small bar just off the center of the room with a bartender waiting patiently for business behind it. He noticed us enter the room.

"Welcome to the Retching Netch, milady! Home of Sadri's famous...oh, is this gentleman with you?"

"So it would seem," I replied.

"Finally got yourself hired, Teldryn? Took awhile."

"Bah," Teldryn dismissed the bartender, slightly irritated that the bartender had betrayed his not-so-spectacular success as of late to his new boss. "The lady's all the way from Skyrim, Geldis, I'm sure she's thirsty and tired."

"Ah! Well, have a drink on the house. Sadri's Sujamma. Famous, you know." Geldis slopped some liquid out of a jug on the counter into a stone mug and handed it to me. I gratefully took a sip only to have my throat squirm at the awful bitter undertone of it. Still, it was cold and free, and I was thirsty. I drank.

"We have a couple rooms free, miss...?"

"Sheena," I replied into the mug.

"Sheena. I'll give you 10 percent off for you first night, seeing as you're a newcomer."

"Much appreciated," I answered, smiling at him.

Teldryn sat down on one of the stools in front of the bar and looked at me, motioning towards the empty one beside him. I followed suit, gingerly sipping the sujamma which now wasn't as bad as the first few sips were.

"Same, Teldryn?" Geldis asked.

"Sure," Teldryn agreed. Geldis pulled out another mug identical to mine and filled it up. Teldryn pulled his helmet off and set it on the bar, and I saw his face for the first time. He was Dunmer like almost everyone else in Raven Rock. He had a narrower face than some, but with the same classic dark elf features – heavy sloping brow, straight nose, high, sharp cheekbones. His black hair was shaved into a mohawk, and he had tattoos on his face extending from below the corners of both eyes and down his cheeks, and on his lower lip and chin. His blood red eyes flicked over to me and his lips curled into a smile. "You look much better with this thing off. I think it's time to give the goggles a good cleaning. I could have sworn beforehand that you needed a bath."

I smiled and quickly broke away from his gaze and looked down into my mug. Like several of the Dunmer men I'd seen so far in Solstheim, I found him handsome. I felt a blush creep over my cheeks and brought the giant mug up to my face again to conceal it while downing some more of the drink. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Teldryn reach up and roughly shake out his hair with one hand, fluffing out where it had been flattened by his helmet. He let out a sigh and took a long swig out of his mug. "Excellent as always, Geldis."

"Only the best for you, my friend." Geldis replied. He retrieved a couple bottles from beneath the bar and went over to a table where some other patrons were seated.

Teldryn took a few more gulps from his mug and looked back at me. "So? Tell me more about yourself. You're as quiet as a mouse."

I smiled back at him. "Sorry, I'm just tired. It was a long boat ride. Well…I'm not sure what there is to tell, really? I'm not that exciting a person."

"Feh, come on now. By the look of the scuffs and scratches on that armor, you've seen some excitement in your time. Or you took a tumble down the Throat of the World."

I laughed. "Gods, that was a climb and a half."

"So you've been? I couldn't be bothered. I have enough trouble with the stairs in my house."

I laughed again. He was helping put me at ease with his wry sense of humor, and despite my exhaustion I wanted to spend more time talking to him. I tried to think of something interesting to tell him.

"So, did you meet those old Greybeards?" he spoke up.

"I did. Learned quite a bit from them."

"What could you learn? I heard they've taken a vow of silence."

"Some Words of Power."

Teldryn looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

I sighed. I didn't really like revealing this part of myself to people. "I – I have a thing I can do with my voice," I fumbled with my words.

Teldryn continued to stare at me, his eyebrows raised.

I felt my blush creeping back again. "It's…kinda like this…" I stammered.

"Look at that!" Teldryn exclaimed, still staring at me.

"Look at what?" I asked, confused.

"Your cheeks, just went a good three shades redder. How did you do that?"

I cringed inwardly. He had probably never seen anyone non-Dunmer blush before. I was now intensely self-conscious. "I….it's warm in here, my blood is heating up," I lied.

"It is rather stuffy," he exclaimed. I quietly let out a breath I'd been holding in.

"Anyway," he said after another swig of his drink, "What about your early life? You mentioned you were half Bosmer."

Relieved he decided to change the subject, I answered, "Yes – my mother was Bosmer and my father was a Nord. I grew up in Riverwood."

"Nice place. Were I to live in Skyrim again I'd probably choose there to settle in."

"Oh, you've lived in Skyrim?" I asked.

"Lived in the Grey Quarter in Windhelm for years…hated it. Not the most racially tolerant place, Windhelm."

"I know," I frowned.

"What made you decide to start adventuring? It was the prospect of sacks full of treasure, wasn't it?"

I grinned. "That's certainly a nice part of it. But the truth is I was bored. Felt like my life wasn't really going anywhere. My parents are both farmers and I'm the worst farmer that ever lived. I think they gave up on me following in their footsteps long ago. Just wasn't anything else there I was interested in doing. Plus there was a terribly annoying Altmer there who had his heart set on courting me."

Teldryn laughed. "Oh? Full time adventurer and part-time heartbreaker?"

I grimaced at him. "Hardly. I never gave him any impression that I was interested but he wouldn't leave me alone. Snobby as anything, that man was."

"I think all Altmer are," Teldryn grinned.

I set my now-empty mug on the bar and pushed it away from me. "What's your story, then?"

He ran his gloved fingers along the textured side of his mug, leaning back thoughtfully. "Well, I grew up in Blacklight. Rather unremarkable. Although I once met Saint Jiub."

"Never heard of him…or her."

"Him. Never mind. I wasn't especially bored there, I just like travelling, and I love the idea of finding great fortune."

"Ah," I replied through a yawn.

"Looks like we're losing you. Time to turn in?"

"I think I'd better," I admitted.

Telryn called Geldis over from where he was mopping the floor on the other side of the bar, and I paid my discounted price for my room, which he pointed me towards. I stood up and headed for the door.

"Not even so much as a good night?" Teldryn asked from behind me. I turned around. "Oh – I'm sorry! I really am exhausted," I apologized.

He chuckled. "No worries. Let's meet tomorrow and check out a little camp I've been hearing about from a couple people. Might find some goodies."

"Sounds good. When and where?"

"Make it 9am. Same place you met me when you came in. Rest well, Sheena."

"You as well," I smiled. I watched him as he turned and headed back up the stairs and out of the bar.