Cyréne had no idea what time it was when she awoke, but Kalv was shaking her gently.
"Sweetroll," he whispered. "Get up, or you're not going to make it to Winterhold by tonight."
She smiled up at him and raised her arms. He lifted her up and sat down on the bed with her in his lap.
"Do you want me to get your things together while you get dressed?"
She nodded sleepily, but didn't let go of him. She was warm and relaxed from sleep and he held her close and inhaled the scent of her hair.
"Come on, Sweetheart; wake up," he said, kissing her eyelids.
"No, hold me," she mumbled.
"We're still in Jorrvaskr, Sweet, I don't think that's going to go over well."
Her eyes flew open and she stood up with a pout. He grinned and began gathering her bags. She pulled off her tunic and pulled a dress over her head before lacing up her boots and heading to the wash basin to wash her face and brush her teeth. Kalv handed her satchel to her and picked up her other two bags and they headed out the door.
She shivered in the cool air. "Where are we going on our outing?"
"We don't have time, Sweet. You have to leave now or you'll be on the road at night."
She stopped in her tracks and her eyes welled up.
He chuckled lowly and gave her a sympathetic look, and then put down her bags and hugged her.
"You really don't want to go do you?"
"It's not just that," she said looking up at him, "I want to stay with you."
He gave her a surprised look, "You do?"
She suddenly wished she hadn't said anything, but it was too late.
"You don't want me to stay?"
"Of course I do," he said quickly. "It's just . . . since you were leaving, I planned to go to High Hrothgar. I've actually been putting it off so I could be with you for the last few days. I should have gone already."
She nodded. "I understand. I guess this is goodbye then."
They walked in silence to the carriage, and Kalv put her bags in. Lydia was waiting there and embraced Cyréne.
"Watch yourself out there," she said. "The road to Winterhold is a dangerous one."
Cyréne squeezed her tight.
"I will. You two take care of each other, please. I know we just met, but . . ."
"We will." Lydia assured her. "It's not like I have a choice," she whispered loudly.
"Hey Lydia," Kalv smirked, "Keep it up and you'll be carrying this stuff so Frost doesn't have to."
She shot him a dirty look. "I am sworn to carry your burdens," she said with a roll of her eyes.
"Oh, wait! I have something for both of you." Cyréne said.
She dug in one of her bags and pulled out two red bottles.
"I made this the other day. It's very powerful. It will restore your health completely, very quickly, so save it for when you need it."
Kalv grinned, "You're the sweetest Sweetroll I know." He hugged her again and then swung up onto Frost and they departed with Cyréne watching after them feeling strangely sad.
"We're waiting for one more traveler and then we'll be off," the carriage driver said.
Cyréne wandered over to the stables and stroked the nose of the black mare that was standing in the last stall.
Skulvar yawned, "You've had your eye on her for a month, Cyréne. When are you going to give in and buy her?"
"I wish I could, but I'm headed to Winterhold and they don't have a good stable for her. I'm not going to leave her out in the cold."
"Aren't you a thane up there or some such thing?" he said, scratching his chin.
Cyréne looked at him in surprise. "Yes, how did you know that?"
He shrugged, "Got a cousin up there. Maybe the Jarl would have a stable built. They need start rebuilding that place."
"I think it's a money issue," Cyréne said.
"Hmmm. I've been looking to expand . . ."
"To Winterhold? There are never any travelers up that way, and the country side is extremely dangerous – you wouldn't have any business. You just really want me to buy this horse don't you?" she grinned.
He shrugged. "Maybe you're right. But if you want to, put in a few words with the Jarl . . . I'm sure he could use a horse or two. It's not fitting really, for a man of his station not to have his own horses."
"Jarl Balgruff doesn't have his own horses."
"Course he does – or, he did. He's just too busy to ride them, and Whiterun always has carriage service. Put in a word with the jarl and I'll see if we can't work out a deal on the Queen here," he said. "You rent her enough to have bought her by now."
"You should be paying me," Cyréne complained. "Horses need to be exercised and, no offense meant, but Jervar isn't exactly thorough about it."
Skulvar frowned and nodded. "Tell me about it," he muttered. "I tell you what. You at least get the Jarl to send an inquiry and no more rental fees."
Cyréne sighed, "I'm probably going to be gone for months, but deal. Just make sure Jervar gives her a warm up before he goes running her in circles – and easy on her mouth. He pulls those reins like he's harvesting potatoes."
Skulvar grinned at her. "If you ever decide to quit this life of adventure, you should buy my stables when I retire."
"You'll never retire, but I'll think about it."
"Alright, let's go!" called the carriage driver.
"I'm coming, Bjorlam!" Cyrene called. She gave the mare a final pat and waved goodbye to Skulvar.
"Take care, Cyréne. I don't want to lose my best customer!" he called.
Cyréne climbed up in the carriage and sat across from the woman already seated. She had a cloak pulled around her and the hood was low over her face. Cyréne pulled a cloak out of one of her bags and secured it around her shoulders as the carriage jerked forward.
"Gotta love this Skyrim weather," she said to the woman. "Good morning, by the way. I'm Cyréne."
The other woman looked up at her with a slightly chilling smile. "Good morning," Shaye replied. "I'm Tina."