The sky was a perfect shade of aquamarine without the faintest shred of cloud in sight. The sun was shining, though the wind still bore it northern chill. From high up on the balcony of Dragonsreach, the two of them could see for miles. They stood there in companionable silence, staring out across the vast expanse before them - the grassy plains, the mountains, the craggy nooks at the edge of imagination.
Behind them, the servants were clearing away the last vestiges of the Jarl's breakfast. His children darted between their skirts, laughing and pulling faces at one another as they made the womans' lives a just little more difficult in the course of their play.
Rayya smiled at them and then turned back to the view.
It seemed so ludicrous, to spoil the beauty of the day with what they were about to do.
"I got a letter yesterday." she said, breaking the silence. "From Hammerfell."
"Huh..." Carolinne murmured in wonder. "Good on them for finding you. We're not exactly the easiest people to track, are we?"
Rayya chuckled.
"Indeed. But the letter...it was about Iman's trial."
Carolinne turned to her, listening with rapt attention.
"She lives, to be imprisoned for the rest of her life. Sentenced to sew a tapestry of all the names of those who fell on...that night."
"Hmm."
Carolinne's brow wrinkled. She leaned heavily on the railing, staring out into the distance. Rayya joined her, crossing her legs comfortably behind her as she leaned.
"Did I do the right thing?"
Carolinne looked at her, her grey eyes soft and knowing.
"You're the only one who can figure that out. But...what I think? You chose to see beyond yourself, your own problems, to...to the bigger picture."
Her gaze darkened and she seemed to not be looking at Rayya but at something inside herself.
"I don't know if I could do the same."
Rayya smiled gently and put a hand on her back.
"After this is over...I can feel it ending. Just like the Grandmaster said."
Carolinne snapped out of it and glanced up at her in shock.
"My Walkabout. I...I think I'm finally ready. I want to go home, take my title...speak to my father."
Her hands were shaking. She let go of the railing and stood up straighter.
"When you return…and you will return - promise me that? - will you be there to see me off?"
Carolinne stood up and hugged her tight around the chest.
"Oh, hells…I'll come with you, if it's...ah...fine by you. A-And you have to pass through Hammerfell to get to High Rock anyway, which is where Iwas headed anyway and uh…if you wanted to hop between them...every now and again..."
It was so funny and strange to see her silver tongue stumbling over the words quite so badly. Rayya laughed and scooped her off the ground mid-sentence, whirling her around in the air once before setting her back on her feet.
"Yes." she said, her face unable to quite contain the enormity of her grin. "I'd like that."
The Whiterun Guard were nearly in position. The table had been cleared of breakfast and the good tablecloth packed away to where it presumably wouldn't be in danger of getting lit on fire. The children were gone and the servants long hidden away behind sturdy doors. Irileth was waiting for the signal, her arms crossed over her chest.
Rayya drew her swords and Carolinne, her staff. The energy of all who waited for what was to happen next was nearly palpable in the air.
Somewhere across that horizon lay Satakal, in agony, his fangs nearly at his own heart. Once before they had fought him and once more, she knew they would triumph. This world was too precious for it to be ending just yet.
Rayya backed up a bit, leaving Carolinne alone at the railing and took up her battle position.
The words were like a shot fired from Carolinne's mouth.
"Od-ah-viing!"
There was a distant roar and a rush of wind. She braced herself, excitement thrumming in her veins, hope living in every chamber of her heart.