A little glimpse of Marieka and Onmund before all that Dragonborn nonsense started.

The Patter of Rain

"I never much liked the rain."

She shrugged. "I have fond memories of the rains in High Rock," she said, a wistful smile settling upon her lips. "I suppose I should be thankful for that. We were close to the ocean, so it rained all the time."

"I would imagine the rains in High Rock were much different than those in Skyrim," Onmund offered.

She nodded. "Warmer, for one." She moved closer to him, allowing his body heat to permeate to her. "I just don't understand how rain can be so cold and not become snow."

He smiled at her. "You're just not used to the climate here yet," he said. "You'll get used to it. After all, you've only been in the province for a few months now."

"I don't mean to complain, Onmund," she apologized.

"Nonsense. Think nothing of it." He brought his palm to the side of her face and tilted her head gently to rest upon his shoulder. She quickly snuggled into him further when he draped his other arm around her. The sudden contact with him caused a shiver to run through her.

They sat for some moments without speaking under the small overhang, backs pressed as close to the rock wall behind them as possible. The rain in Skyrim was typically harsh; cold, rough and unforgiving. But this day, the drops falling were almost gentle. They provided a soothing background for their comfortable silence. The stresses of being on the road in a foreign land were certainly getting to Marieka, and this moment was serving to allow calm to wash over her.

Soon enough however, the two would be back on their feet, trudging down winding paths and finding more trouble. Still, she took pleasure in simply doing something. The years in High Rock were boring and insipid. It took crossing the border into the lands of the Nords to truly find the adventure she craved. Perhaps a little too much of it – though she limited her complaints.

Onmund shifted slightly and pointed towards the horizon. "Look," he said. "I can see the sun's rays breaking through the clouds. Soon we'll be on our way again and before you know it, we'll be in Whiterun."

"Yes," she replied. "Hope fully with enough coin to actually have a place to stay this time."

"But you love camping," he reminded her.

She smiled at him and continued to appreciate his warmth. "Oh yes," she snorted. "Our overnight at Saarthal was just lovely, wasn't it?"

He nudged her playfully. "Saarthal is the exception."

"Onmund," she began and he looked at her, waiting for her to continue. "Thank you for coming with me on this journey. You've been a really good friend to me."

"Think nothing of it, Marieka," he said with a smile. "Besides. I think I needed some adventure myself."

The quiet overtook them once more as they waited for the rains to subside. Marieka smiled to herself. She had a feeling the clear skies would bring good things their way. It was only a matter of time.