I laid there, my hands laced behind my head, and stared up at the ceiling of the cave. The howl of the wind echoed through the cave as if it was taunting me. I sighed and closed my eyes. I had to use this time to my advantage. I hadn't been following her for no reason. No, I had been learning the way she fought. Her strengths and her weaknesses. All for the day that we faced each other. For the day where one of us would be the victim of the other's blade. She had to sleep sometime and it seemed she had no suspicion of me. I had this chance now I needed to make sure I used it.
" Staring at me isn't going to help the time pass." I commented calmly. She didn't seem phased by my comment in the slightest.

" I wasn't expecting it to."

I let out a slight groan then finally looked over at her. She sat across the fire with her knees pulled to her chest, her eyes locked on me.

" You look so different compared to when we first met." She continued. I crossed my feet and looked back up to the ceiling.

" I could say the same to you. Then again that happens when someone doesn't have their hands bound."

She didn't respond. The silence gave me the moment to contemplate on if I regretted saving her. I couldn't even remember why I had. I could have left her to die, then I'd have no worries left and I could live on with my life as planned. Perhaps it was because I preferred to have her die by my own hands instead of a dragons or a soldier's.

" Thank you."
Her voice was soft, so soft I could barely hear it.
" Hm?"

" I said thank you. For saving me." She repeated this time with more confidence. I blinked at her in shock. That was the last thing I was expecting from her.
" There's no reason to thank me."

" You saved my life! That's more than enough of a reason. That's why I've been searching for you all these years." Kara pushed. I smirked slightly.

" In that case, don't mention it."

" And I'm sorry for getting us into this situation. "

" It's fine. We are in a cave aren't we?"

She frowned. " You're freezing. I can see the goosebumps on your skin."

I tensed at her words. I had been trying to ignore the fact just how cold I had become during our time in this damn cave. But it seemed that inch by inch it began to swallow me whole. I slowly moved my fingers to get more feeling into them.
" I'll be fine."
That was a flat out lie. If I didn't get warmer soon . . . well that was something I didn't want to think about. If I was to die it would be by a blade not by the cold.

I jumped slightly as I felt something slip under my head. My eyes flew open and I saw Akara hovering above me, one hand holding my head up the other undoing the scarf around her neck.

" What are you-"
" You need it more than I do." She interrupted. I subconsciously used my arm to prop myself up and sat frozen as she began to wrap the fabric around my neck, tugging it up over my nose. The warmth from her still radiated on the scarf and sunk against my skin, my nose filled with a lovely scent.

" There, it should help some." She gave a soft smile. My hand drifted up and I grasped it.

" Why? You don't even know me." I mumbled, my voice being muffled slightly.
" In this world you can't survive alone."

I let her words sink into my mind. Then I slowly nodded in agreement.
" I suppose you're right."

Akara lowered herself until she sat beside me. I allowed myself to take in a good glance at her. Her hair was long despite being in a ponytail. Something I suspect would get dangerously tangled in wind like what was happening now. Her lashes were thick and her eyes sparkled from the fire. I was most definitely right on one thing. Seeing someone without their wrists bound changes them completely. More than I wanted to admit.

" So now that you've found me and done what you've searched to do, what are you going to once we get out of here?" I asked hesitantly in attempt to make small talk. She gave a 'hm' as she thought.
" To be honest I have so much to do. That I just don't know where to start."

Here was my chance.
" Did I hear right when I heard someone say you were the dragonborn?"

" Yea, you did. Not what you were expecting huh?" She let out a light hearted laugh." It's hard but I have to keep going. For the people."

It was a risk but I had to take it.
" What about Alduin?" I asked. I watched her chest raise and lower as she took a deep breath.
" I'll have to slay him one day, as expected."
I raised a brow. " You don't sound too confident."

" To be honest, I'm terrified. That I'll die, that I'll fail skyrim, that I won't make everyone happy. In a way I want to be selfish. I just want to run and settle down for once. Have the chance to wake up knowing that I'll be alive to see the next sunset. To have friends, maybe even find someone to love."
I watched her eyes warm at the thought. Then it was like she remembered it was all a dream and pushed it aside.
" But I've waited this long. I can wait a little longer." She reassured happily. " What about you?"

" I have somewhere to go."

" Oh? Where is that?"
I bit the inside of my lip, happy her scarf hid the hesitation on my face. " The throat of the world."

Shock washed over her face.
" That's going to be a hell of a trip."

" Yea it will be." I spoke as I hid my face further in the scarf. I could feel her think hard in concentration. She opened her mouth then shut it as if she was going to say something. Then she finally blurted it out.

" I"ll go with you."

" No."

What was I doing? Saying no like that. This was my perfect chance to lure her in. All I had to do was say yes.
" Alun I'm not going to leave you to travel that by yourself. Not to be rude but have you seen yourself since that storm has settled in? You're as weak as a flower. I won't be able to live with myself knowing you're traveling half way across skyrim with winter settling in. So you can either accept that I'm coming or try stopping me from following you."

Her face was stern with no room for laughter. I was given a second chance. I could easily turn our meeting into a blessing rather than a curse. I just had to say it.

" Fine." My voice was weak and ridiculous but she didn't seemed to notice. I should have been happy now that things were all falling back into place. Yet I found me arguing back and forth with myself. When I saw her face light up with happiness the guilt stabbed me straight through my heart. Suddenly I didn't want to wear her scarf any more but I forced myself to do it anyways.