Chapter Seventeen: Dreaming in a Downpour

The road before Hulgar seemed vast and empty, his iron boots clinking against the cobblestones. He had searched the riverbanks for hours, not finding a trace of where Anjaarra had gone. His eyes were glazed over in an almost dream-like gaze, staring ever forward. She had fought for him and saved his life, for the second time, and now she was gone. The Nord couldn't find her.

Despite the fact that he didn't want to give up on her, there was no way that he could find her. Hulgar thought for sure that she might have washed up down river if she had fallen into it. But she wasn't along any of the banks and he knew that if she had floated along the current, the rapids would have killed her. And that was all his mind could think about: Anjaarra was dead and it was all his fault. It was his fault that she had risked her life for him and that it was his fault that she had died.

And I didn't even try to fight, Hulgar thought pathetically, his hands balling up in anger. I didn't even try to fight with her and it was my fight in the first place. If I had only known she was going to do that, she'd still be here… The Nord's slow shuffle came to a halt, his eyes lowered and staring down at his feet. His heart felt heavy and his shoulders sagged from the weight of the guilt upon them.

"Everyone I meet dies… Everyone I loved died before me… Why shouldn't I do the same?" Hulgar muttered to himself as he slowly dropped to his knees. Thunder rumbled above his head and rain began to patter against the stone road and against his iron armor. But it didn't make the Nord look up. His body seemed weighed down and he didn't feel like he could move on any longer…

He couldn't remember when the Thalmor had left his home but he did remember how long the paraylsis had lasted. A full hour. It lasted a full hour and all he could do was lay on the cold ground staring at his sister's frozen face of horror. The Nord remembered how his eyes burned with angry tears but he couldn't move. And when he finally could, it burned his muscles to the point where he could only move a few inches at a time.

It took almost another hour before he finally reached his sister, the blood that had gushed from her stomach wound had dried and crusted long ago. Tears dripped down the Nord's pale face as he stared down at the girl's dead face, his fingers numbly tracing her face. Sobs shook his body as he clenched his eyes shut, his tears falling onto her pale face.

"Sotte… I'm sorry... I-I wasn't strong enough…" Hulgar stammered, holding his sister's face in his hands. His vision was blurred from his tears and the searing pain in his muscles but he didn't care. His last family member died and he couldn't help her.

He sat stooped over his sister for what seemed like years, stammering apologies and cleaning her face with his tears. When it felt like no more tears would fall, Hulgar slowly cradled his sister into his arms and shakily got to his feet. The posion had finally worn off and only sparks of pain nipped at his muscles. The Nord carried his sister outside and gently laid her down a few feet away from the house.

Returning to the house, Hulgar gathered up a few food supplies and some spare clothes, stuffing them into a knapsack. He grabbed some blankets and linen cloths, bringing them outside and kneeling down beside his sister. His eyes wouldn't produce anymore tears but his heart was still heavy as he wrapped the sheets around her body, folding her arms in front of her stomach. He slowly wrapped her body tightly in the sheets and blankets, keeping on her head uncovered.

"May we meet again in Sovngarde…" Hulgar said quietly, his throat hoarse and tight as he closed his sister's eyes. A single tear slid out of his plum eyes and fell onto his sister's cheek, tearing at his heart.

The Nord shakily got to his feet and walked into the house one last time. This time he gathered all of the furniture in the house and piled onto the hearth. It took a few minutes but he finally got all the chairs and tables in the center of the house. And with a few sparks, it was quickly eaten by bright orange flames. Hulgar stood outside beside his sister's corpse, holding her stuffed cat as the house burned in front of them. It took about twenty minutes for the house to burn down, leaving only a few smoldering boards and coals.

With a final glance at the corpse, Hulgar stepped forward and grabbed a shovel that was laying in the yard, standing where the heart once was and starting to dig a hole. It was his sister's favorite place to be. It was where she laughed, sang, and was even born. And now, it was her final resting place…

"Get out of the road, milk-drinker!" A man shouted as he steered his horse around the kneeling Nord. Hulgar glanced up only to see the thundering hooves pass by him, splashing up rain water and drenching him. Hulgar winced and wiped the muddy water off his face, looking ahead of him. The rain was falling much harder now and it was making it hard to see. But he could just barely make out the outline of a building ahead.

Come on, Hulgar thought. I must keep going… I must. He staggered to his feet, his body shivering beneath his armor as he walked down the cobblestone road. Thunder rumbled and lightning etched across the sky, making Hulgar pick up his pace as he got closer to the structure.

With each step, he saw that the building was a wood mill, but he couldn't remember which one it was. His feet began to slip as puddles began to connect on the road and it looked as if a stream had swallowed the stone road. The Nord gritted his teeth as he quickly crossed over a stone bridge and stumbled up to the front door of the cottage. He banged hard on the door, trying to get out of the rain.

"Hullo? Please, someone open the door." Hulgar shouted over the rain and thunder. He raised his hand to knock again but the door opened and revealed…

"Anjaarra…?" The Nord said in surprise, staring at the Khajiit in the doorway. She stared back at him, shock present in both of their faces. Hulgar took a step forward into the doorway to get the rain out of his eyes. And it truly was her.

"Oh, Anjaarra…" He said, looking at the Khajiit. He stepped forward and opened his arms and puased before he quickly embraced her, his armor soaking her dress. She yelped quietly at the surprised embrace but he held her close against him. "I looked everywhere for you but I couldn't find you… I thought I lost you…" He said quietly against her neck. Anjaarra smiled softly and wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm sorry I worried you, Hulgar…" Anjaarra slowly slipped out of the Nord's arms, gesturing towards the Nord woman in the room. "This is Hert, she saved me and brought me here." Hert smiled and shook Hulgar's hand. "She told me you'd probably pass by here so I thought it would be best if I waited here." Anjaarra explained to the Nord man. Hulgar nodded his head slowly.

"I understand, don't worry. Thank you for your help, Hert." He said, taking off his boots.

"Oh, it wasn't a problem. But let me get you some dry clothes." Hert said as she scuttled over to her wardrobe. She opened the wooden doors and looked through it before pulling out a plain shirt and some burlap pants.

"Here you go. Feel free to change down in the cellar." Hert told him as she handed him the clothes. He nodded and took them greatfully. He thanked her before heading towards the cellar door and climbing down the ladder.

Anjaarra smiled widely as she watched the Nord leave, walking back over to her seat at the table and sitting down. Hert saw the smile and sat down across from her. She picked up her tankard and sipped from it, waiting for the Khajiit to talk to her.

"Well? What are you so giddy about?" The Nord woman asked, her curiousity getting the better of her. Anjaarra's ears flicked back slightly in embarrassment but she still had the smile plastered on her face and her eyes gleamed with joy. She opened her mouth to speak but Hulgar pushed open the cellar door and climbed back through the hatch.

"I left my armor down there to dry if
that's alright." The Nord man said as he closed the trap door. He looked over at the two women and his cheeks flushed slightly at their stares. "Um, did I interrupt something?" He asked uneasily. Hert laughed and shook her head.

"No, of course not." She stood up from her chair and stretched, yawning quietly. "But, I think it would be best for you two stay here till the storm passes. It'll be too dangerous, especailly if the lake floods. Damn slaughterfish can come right up and bite your leg off." The Nord woman said as she turned and walked towards a closet door.

"But I have spare pillows and blankets that you both can use." She opened up the closet door and pulled out a few sheets and two pillows, tossing them towards Hulgar and Anjaarra. "Feel free to sleep wherever." The Nord woman said as she walked over to her bed and sat down on the edge of it. Anjaarra and Hulgar glanced at each other before laying down beside the low lying fire, their makeshift beds about an arm's length apart.

Hulgar watched as Anjaarra sat down near him and pulled a pendant over her head. He hadn't realized she was wearing one until she placed it next to her pillow nearest him. His eyes grew wide when he saw that it was an amulet of Mara. Anjaarra laid back and relaxed under her blankets, closing her bright orange eyes. Hulgar looked at her face before back at the amulet, grinning as he laid back as well.

"Good night everyone," Hert said as she laid down on her bed.

"Good night," Hulgar and Anjaarra said back, sleep quickly overtaking everyone.