Chapter 26: Ice's Secret

Nightshade sighed in contentment as the past few days replayed in her head. All the cities were now safe from Oblivion—for the moment. She was walking into the fine, and rather late, morning from the Silverhome-on-the-water with the fine clothes she had from her first trip to Skingrad with Martin and Baurus. Behind her Ice came out, still half-asleep, and then Richu, bouncing and barking with the delight of another adventure. Elyon was coming from outside the gate of Leyawiin where she was getting Silver ready. Crow came out while rummaging through his backpack, Martin was looking at his notes, and finally Baurus followed while looking around for potential enemies.

Black Night was waiting for them with a grin Nightshade had never seen on her before. "Is everyone okay?"

"Uh, yeah," the dunmer answered.

She nodded. "Good. You and your friend did a good job yesterday and I'm proud to say that I worked with the Heroes of Kvatch."

Ice beamed with a sleepy smile. "Thanks."

"In thanks for your work I've decided to give you some new armor, seeing as yours was left behind in the Blackwood Company Hall. I see you got a new robe," the Redguard noticed Ice's attire, "and you still have the chainmail armor I gave you yesterday. So, Nightshade, I give you this. You like light armor, right?"

She nodded.

"Then this one will be perfect for you. Here's a complete suit of mithril armor. It's light, shiny, and should fit you like a glove. And as a greater token of my gratitude to all of your help you are now welcome in any Fighter's Guild Hall as a member. You can sleep, eat, and train there as much as you like—for free."

"Thank you," Elyon slightly bowed her head. "We're honored."

Black Night was about to bid them farewell when Nightshade was aware that the girl she saw yesterday was coming out of the inn. She turned to look at her while she came down the steps, and she seemed to look up at her. A big smile came on her face, and she suddenly broke out into a run. Nightshade thought she was running at her and recoiled a little, but Takura ran straight past her and immediately wrapped her arms around the rather stiff and paling young Dark Elf behind her.

"Repice! By Azura I thought I'd never find you! Your family is so worried! Your cousin said—"

At the sudden exclamation Richu growled and jumped back. Elyon and Crow were frozen in the spot. Nightshade looked utterly bewildered. And as Takura let go, Ice fainted.

"Ice… Ice… ICE!"

He opened his eyes to Nightshade, sitting next to him on their bed back in Silverhome-on-the-Water. She had slapped him awake, causing a large handprint to turn red on his cheek, and her blood-red eyes were angry and cold. "Ice, is there something you want to tell us?"

The Dark Elf sat up, rubbing his face where she had hit him, a major headache growing in his temples. "What happened?"

"Some girl hugged you and you fainted," Crow, although his hood hid his eyes and his arms were folded, was smiling amusingly while sitting in an old, wooden chair near the foot of the bed. "What was her name?"

"Takura," Nightshade was slightly pleased to see Ice sink back down onto his pillow and groan. "I was hoping that was a dream."

Elyon came into the room, interrupting the interrogation, with a wet cloth and placed it on Ice's forehead. Martin and Baurus followed. "You must be in shock."

He nodded. "Where is she now?"

"She left to pack to go back to Vvardenfell," Nightshade's voice began to have a sharp edge. "When she said she was looking for a guy, I never imagined it was you."

The young dunmer's eyes grew distant, his face in clear disbelief. "But… how?"

"How what?"

"How in Oblivion did she find me?"

"Why is she looking for you?" Elyon's brow was furrowed, her eyes firm. "I'm confused."

There was a silent pause. Ice continuing to look into the distance, until Nightshade sneered, "Well, Ice, tell us why Takura is looking for you."

The pause continued for a few seconds before Ice sat up reluctantly and sighed heavily. "It's a long story."

"We've got all day," Baurus said.

He glared at the Redguard before looking at Nightshade. "I haven't lied to you, if that's what you're thinking. I just… never told the whole story." He gazed at his thumbs absently. "You see, my mom's the Enangui. My dad's the Hlaalu. He lived in Vivec with my grandmother and father his whole life until he met her, the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, which is why my cold-hearted bitch of a grandmother allowed them to marry."

"Ice," Elyon disapproved of the provocative language.

"What? It's true."

"She was the woman in your dream in Oblivion, wasn't she?" Nightshade made the connection.

"Yeah, but I'm not there yet. Anyway, they had me in the same year of their marriage, but they wanted to study Daedric ruins, so they left me in Vivec with them most of the time."

"Get to the point."

He decided not to glare. "Well, she's a tyrant of the Hlaalu house. So, I ran away to my parents, and I saw them die, right in front of me, and I didn't know what to do. I escaped, I suppose lucky to have my life. I sort of… wandered around for a few days before my cousin found me and sent me back. That was three years ago.

"When I got back, I was basically put under house arrest. I eventually would sneak out at night, at first just to see the city, until one day a group of thieves let me into their gang. Those were fun nights… anyway, a few months ago, Grandfather wanted to have an alliance with the Redorans in this stupid House war. So, Grandmother arranged a marriage… with me… and her.

"I didn't know who she was. I'd never met her until a few weeks before the wedding. I was fucking nervous."

Elyon frowned. "She seems fine to me."

"Dude, I'm not going to marry someone I hardly know! I found… I found I didn't like her. I mean, she's nice and all, but… I don't know. It's almost like she's too nice, too sweet, like she hasn't grown up past five years old."

"There's something you two have in common," Nightshade's scoff went unnoticed.

"I know it's fucked up to leave someone on the altar like I did, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her. I thought running away would drop some sort of hint, but her head seems as thick as a watermelon."

There was silence for a while, all six of them absorbing Ice's story, until Crow spoke up. "I think you should tell her."

"How? I'm no good at serious stuff like this."

"You have to tell her what you just told us."

Ice slid nervously into Takura's room, biting his lip, with a stealthy Nightshade behind him to eavesdrop on their conversation. The Dark Elf girl had just finished packing all four of her backpacks and was sitting on the bed, looking at her hands. She jumped up and instantly beamed when she saw him. "Ice, you're better! Does your head hurt? Do you need anything?"

He said nothing and gently pushed her so she sat on the bed again. He sat next to her and looked at the scared impression on her face, mixed with worry and anticipation.

"Takura," he began, knowing he would have to be gentle and tactful with the bubbly girl, "why do you like me?"

"Why? Because you're smart, funny, kind—"

"You hardly know me!" he jumped up, abandoning his gentleness and tactfulness with a wild look in his eyes. "I hardly talked to you! Whenever you were around I would just sit there, listening to you talk about what mother said or what cousin did! Did you know I'm a thief? Did you know I've been bullied and harassed all of my life? Did you know I've been to the deepest, darkest pits of hell and survived? I'm not a very good person! Takura," he calmed and sat back down, "you're too nice for me. You're only here because of your family."

They stared at each other for a moment, Ice expecting her to light up, smile, and say, "Yes, you're absolutely right," but instead Takura broke down and began to cry, startling him. "But they told me that if I didn't find you I might as well not go home."

"Don't listen to them. Look at me! I'm way happier without my family. I get to do whatever I want now! I… I have a new family."

She rubbed her eyes and tears. "But I love my family."

"Then… then go back and say no! Be brave! Find someone new in Morrowind. Travel. Live, by the Nine! Then go home and say, 'This is me and there's nothing you can do about it.'"

She stared at the bed, her tears gone. "Well, I… I have been enjoying Cyrodiil probably more than I should have. And-and I did meet new people."

"See! You don't need me and can survive without your family. Let's just be friends and nothing more."

She hugged him heartily and compassionately. "I'll try."

He stood up. "I'm glad we understand each other now."

"So am I. And Ice," she called before he stepped out of the door, "you really are a good person, and I think you'll find whatever it is you're looking for here."

He blushed a little, muttered, "Thanks," and walked out without noticing Nightshade in the hall.

The sun was a little lower than midday point when the group said good-bye for the second time, this time to Takura. She planned on returning to the Imperial City the next day and get a job. "I'll look for a job in textiles to pay rent and I'll save up and lead my own life before I go back to Vvardenfell." She hugged Ice who kept blushing. "I'll see all of you around I'm sure."

As they walked northward back towards the could Jerall Mountains Martin looked downcast and worried. Nightshade looked at him. "What's the matter?"

"While Ice's little drama was playing out I was looking over my notes about reaching paradise. We have the blood of a Daedra, the blood of a Nine (from Sancre Tor), and the Great Welkynd Stone. We're missing the final ingredient: a great Sigil Stone, the opposite of the Welkynd Stone."

"Uh-oh," Crow could see where this was going.

Martin looked at their worried and anxious faces. "We're going to need to open a Great Oblivion Gate, just like the one in Kvatch."