A/N: Hello, here's chapter 4! Thanks to all who stop by to read, and hope you enjoy!


Chapter 4: Resentful

"Sit." Reiner demanded, ponting to a nearby chair, his face still laced with anger.

Astrid obeyed apprehensively, narrowing her eyes. "What was that all about?"

"I caught her trying to steal a very valuable weapon of mine. I should've known I couldn't trust a filthy harlot around my things..." he growled.

"Do you really think strangling her was necessary?" Astrid remarked, feeling that his intense attack on the pathetic woman was not entirely justified. "You could've threatened her, and she probably would have left all the same..."

"Oh, I see. You think that just because she is a woman and I'm a man, that she should be treated like some willowy flower petal, eh? Well, that's complete and utter tripe. She tried to steal from me, and I punished her the same as I would anyone. One thing you'll come to know about me, little girl, is that I take no pity or favor on those who cross me..." he spoke, his voice deep and intimidating.

Astrid grew quiet, feeling more unnerved than ever in his presence. She averted her eyes from his intense gaze, with only the churning of her empty stomach filling the thick silence that hung heavy in the room.

"You're still hungry..." Reiner muttered to himself. "Well, are you finished with sassing me? Or would you rather stay outside and go hungry for a few more hours?" he asked, his voice losing intensity.

"I-is there still food?" Astrid inquired, her mouth salivating from the very thought of eating.

"Yeah, the whore didn't eat her portion. You can have it. Her bowl is still on the table." he answered, now speaking casually, the anger depleted from his voice.

Astrid immediately walked into the dining area, more than happy to indulge in her stew. The broth was plain and simple, but filling and tasty enough. She devoured the stew in the same manner in which a saber cat would pounce on an unwilling victim.

Reiner sat beside her, leaning in close. "Maybe next time you won't be so damned mouthy." he smirked, instantly irritating her with his need to control and discipline her constantly.

Far too content from the food to argue, she simply remained silent.

"You're lucky I'm too tired to put you to work today." he snorted, with Astrid feeling secretly relieved by his comment. "Tomorrow you'll be tending to my garden. When you gather enough crops to suit me, you can take the carriage to Riften. There's a marketplace there where you can set up shop. It stays fairly busy, so you'll likely make us some coin if you put some effort into it." She felt Reiner's eyes scan over her briefly, causing her to cringe internally. "The menfolk will stop for you, anyway..." he muttered, looking away.

Astrid scowled. "I'd rather you not say things like that, uncle."

"Don't flatter yourself, niece. It's business. Men fancy young women, and that's a fact. It certainly won't hurt your sales." he remarked, smirking.

"Well, it just doesn't sound right coming out of your mouth..." she explained, feeling awkward as ever.

"Whatever. I see what I see, and that's that. Oh, that reminds me. I noticed the only things you ever wear are filthy old work clothes and ragged dresses. There's a basket I left in your bedroom with some decent clothes in it for you to wear to Riften. Nobody wants to buy food from someone who looks like a homeless beggar..." he stated bluntly.

"Oh? You bought clothes for me?" Astrid asked warily, tapping her fingers on the table.

"Yeah, I stopped by the general goods store in Riften. They had a few things you could use. Things that were certainly better than those ragged old things you call clothes, anyway. If they are too big, you'll have to adjust them." Reiner replied.


Astrid eyed herself in the small vanity, feeling a bit strange in such a nice, form-fitting dress. Her old dresses had been worse for wear, both stained and stretched out of their former shapes long ago. She ran her fingers over the soft, velvety fabric while she took it all in. Astrid noticed that it was such a lovely color - a deep, beautiful green. The other dresses were just as nice and somehow fit perfectly as well, but this was by far her favorite. She had to admit, it was rather nice to have something decent to wear for a change, even if her uncle's only motivations for her gifts were to make sure she was approachable enough to sell his wares.

She sighed gently through her nose, reaching into a drawer and pulling out the old amulet that once belonged to her mother. Perhaps she could wear it to town when she felt comfortable enough with the idea of marrying someone. It wasn't exactly something she'd dreamt of her whole life, like many young women her age were accustomed to do. In her eyes, it was more of a necessity. More than that, it would be an escape route from her revolting uncle. The sooner she got away from him, the better.

Astrid stood, gently stepping over to the window, watching the last traces of sunlight fade in the horizon. As the dark veil of night crept over the sky, thoughts of her mother's gentle presence began to drift into Astrid's mind. She inhaled deeply, feeling herself grimace from the unpleasant, ever-constant flood of memories that reminded her that her mother was forever gone. She began to think of how strange it was to love the woman just as deeply as she resented her. Small, unwilling tears traced her eyes, as Astrid began to wipe at them furiously. Why did her mother set her up for such failure and misery? Astrid promised herself she'd never be so full of desperation as to marry an abusive bastard like her father. Of course, she cringed internally, realizing that desperation was still forcing her to live with another bastard. Reiner may not have been her father, but he was similar, and that was bad enough.

Perhaps what her mother had lacked was the basic need to fight for herself - to be sharp and cunning when necessary. Astrid knew deep within that she had always been different from her mother. Where Astrid had often seen opportunities, her mother saw the need to adhere to her own moral compass. Astrid had always wondered what good a moral compass truly served, if it condemned them both to die cold and hungry. Could it really have hurt to bend the truth a few times, in order to make a bit more coin? It certainly would have saved them some back-breaking labor, had she allowed Astrid to lie to her clients. They were elderly and impaired, and would have been none the wiser.

But no - mother never saw things her way. "No, Astrid. We can't allow ourselves to stoop so low. I know others have wronged us, but we cannot fall prey to that mentality. It would make us no different from our enemies..." she would lecture, her tone of conviction secretly making Astrid's skin crawl. Of course, Astrid couldn't help but brood over her mother's self-sacrificing moral attitude, now more than ever. It was her mother's martyr-like mentality of suffering and weepy "do-good" behavior that had landed Astrid in that sick pit of despair in the first place.

Of course, mother wasn't there anymore to keep the blinders on while she led Astrid by the reins on the straight and narrow. And, what mother wouldn't know, would certainly benefit Astrid. Even the wild beasts of Skyrim were cunning enough to keep themselves alive, so why not she? Did anyone ever accuse a wolf of being evil? No. They simply called it wild, feral, or simply a beast. Astrid decided she rather liked beasts, after all.

Perhaps, Astrid mused, she would begin to use her dormant, deeply-hidden ability sooner, rather than later...


"What do you mean I get to eat?" Astrid scowled, pointing to the Reiner's carriage, which had been loaded with baskets of his finest leeks, potatoes, and cabbages. "You mean to tell me, that I've been working in your fields since the break of dawn, only to be denied any profits?"

"Your good fortune is that I can and will provide food and shelter, dear niece. You work, you eat. That is your profit, young Astrid." Reiner barked, crossing his arms with authority. "Whatever you earn comes to me, and I'll provide. It's my land, my home, and my crop. Seeing as though I took your scrawny arse in out of pity, I don't see why you should be entitled to anything of mine. I did you a favor!" Reiner spat, pointing a grimy finger in Astrid's face.

Astrid suppressed the urge to reach out and strangle the slimy son of a bitch. "Very well, uncle. You've made your point. Now, how much do you expect me to sell your crop for?"

"Pffft..." Reiner waved a hand, as if to dismiss the hope of making a great deal of gold. "You'll be lucky if you get more than a solitary coin per piece for this. Just bring me whatever you earn, understand?"

"Of course, uncle..." Astrid remarked sarcastically, quickly turning to climb up on the carriage. Taking the reins in her hands, she paused, hearing her uncle's words.

"I see you're wearing the green one..." he spoke, his voice trailing off, as if in thought.

"Yeah. Why?" Astrid shot him a leary glance, wondering why he'd even care what dress she was wearing.

"That was Nona's favorite color, you know. For the life of me, you could be her twin, girl..." he stared into her eyes, causing her to feel both nauseous and uneasy.

"I'll be back tonight," Astrid promptly replied, alerting the old mare to gallop ahead. Astrid swallowed hard, following the trail to Riften as Reiner had instructed her to. She kept her eyes strictly to the dirt path, never once glancing back in Reiner's direction. She despised him more by the day, and his strange remarks weren't helping matters. She may have looked just like her mother, but she was an entirely different creature altogether. He would see that in time, whether he liked it or not.