Chapter 5: Goodbye Filnjar
The next morning the sun was shining and the birds were singing. There was a chill in the air when I went to check up on Riske outside, but the mountain air was clean and light. I was brushing his hair and wrapping up the blanket that I had draped over him last night.
"You're leaving?" I heard a woman say behind me.
"Carys…" I said turning my head towards her. She had a basket filled with bread rolls fixated against her waist with her arms. Her hair was now done in a loose braid, and she was wearing a light blue dress. Beside her was Hida, Carys' mother, who had come home last night and had not recognized me. Carys asked me not to tell Filnjar and Hida of who I was. She said that our relationship would not sit well with them. I was going to leave anyways, so I guess it didn't really matter.
"At least stay for breakfast" Hida said as she walked past me into the house with a smile. She didn't give me a chance to reply as she shut the door behind her. Now I was face to face with Carys. She looked at me in a pleading manner, with a pout on her face.
"How can you leave so quickly?!" she yelled too loudly. The heads of other villagers turned towards us. I quickly grabbed her sleeve and pulled her behind Riske. If she wanted to keep our relationship a secret, then we had to do it well.
"Can you lower your voice a little?" I whispered tensely. Carys' eyebrows furrowed. She raised her hand and hit my arm.
"How could you!?' she whispered furiously. "You come after so many years and now you're just going to leave? Just like that?"
"Carys, I made a promise to someone that I would meet them in Riften. I have to go."
"Riften?"
"Yes, in Riften. The Thieves' Guild to be exact.
"I'll go with you then."
"What?"
"I said I'll go with you."
"How Carys? How in oblivion can you go with me?"
"I have to go there to meet a khajit for new trade opportunities. Our meeting was supposed to be next week, but it can happen this week."
"I can't. The path is too dangerous for you. We'll have to pass Greenwall."
"Then you can be my bodyguard, right? I mean I can't go alone like that."
Carys was smart, always smart. That was one thing that hadn't changed about her. She always got her way. As children we would always end up arguing and competing, but eventually I became used to the headstrong attitude of hers that I did not possess. It was for this reason why I didn't want to leave Carys, but after what happened to Lydia, it was still too soon for someone following me. I guess I could handle it for few days though.
"You can come."
"Really?!" Her dimples appeared on her face again.
"Yes, but you have to follow what I say until we get to Riften. No arguing. No begging."
"Deal." We shook hands and she walked past Riske and I towards the door. "Let me pack."
"Wait!" I stopped her. "What are you going to tell Filnjar?" Ruining my friendship with the man could not happen. This village was the only way to Riften from the North. It was a perfect stopover.
'Don't worry about it." She waved her hand at me and ran inside laughing.
After about an hour, I led Riske down Filnjar's steps onto the grass. He grunted as I tied the saddle to his body and positioned my pack onto his back. The door squeaked open behind me. Filnjar and Carys walked outside together. Carys had changed into a light beige dress, which was better for travel than the other one from this morning. She had her own pack on her back and was trying to close it as she walked towards me. "I'm ready."
"Don't forget this." Filnjar said handing her a small pack.
'What is that?"
"Boar meat!" he laughed. "You take care of her Rayner. I would have gone with her myself, but now that the mine's up, I've been busy."
"I'll take care of her" I reassured him. "You can trust me."
"You earned my trust a long time, Dovahkiin." He closed his eyes and let out a breath.
"Wait! Doavhkiin?!" Carys yelled. Oh right. I never told Carys, well she knows now.
"You're kidding right?!"
I didn't answer her as I took her pack from her and fastened it next to my pack.
"Hey!" she yelled. "Are you really?!"
I climbed on top of Riske, and lifted Carys up so she sat behind me.
"You're not answering me!" she yelled.
"Hold on." I said quietly with a smile on my face.
"What?"
And with that, I pulled the reigns and Riske galloped as fast as he could out of Shor's Stone, with a screaming Carys wrapping her arms around anything she could to hold on. A smile came on my face when I heard a faint laughter in the distance, and I saw Filnjar waving goodbye to us.