Inevitable separation and the uncertainties of finding a place of acceptance lead Santana and Quinn to make difficult decisions regarding each other and themselves. Every path leads to more unforeseeable consequences as they struggle to find their way.

She Who Bears the Shield Part II

Stripped Bear

The light of an early Summer morning graced the ramparts of Fort Morvunskar and welcomed the sound of soft footfalls over broken stone and planks. Recent signs of battle still lingered like soot over the old stones and painted a tale of frantic conflict. The occasional dark stain on the pathways or on the hallway walls could have been spilled oil set aflame, magicka, or even the remnant of blood. Recruits had spilt their time for the past two weeks between training sessions and making repairs to the fort.

But despite the early morning, the ramparts were alive with the sound of heavy breathing and rapidly moving bodies.

Boot heels filled with caution and toes tipped in daring made quick steps over Morvunskar's high walls. Santana shuffled backways over the plank of lumber the recruits had fashioned as a makeshift walkway to cross the broken rampart of the east wall. It was getting harder to find her footing and keep an eye on the sword swinging toward her face.

She made a solid step back and was rewarded without falling to her death. The young teen took a second to glance down. The courtyard was just starting to show signs of life as recruits hurried around the fort to fulfill their chores before they were summoned for morning practice. The guard shifts, which had increased dramatically since the attack, were changing and a few merchants and traders were making their way into the fort to meet with the quartermaster.

It all seemed so different; so small from high above. It would have been peaceful to spend the morning watching the fort life with no responsibilities or demands. Santana wondered if this was what life was like for the merchants haggling prices with the quartermaster below. A young girl, probably the same age as Santana, with long golden blonde hair stood near one of the traders. Her bright blue eyes peered curiously up and met Santana's gaze. The blonde haired teen tilted her head but didn't look confused to see Santana teetering dangerously on a plank, instead she looked amused. Her mouth quirked in a secret smile meant only for Santana's eyes. For a second, Santana felt as if time suspended at that exact moment so they could see each other. She had never put much stock in the Divines or Talos, but their eyes seemed fated and drawn to meet.

But Santana couldn't linger in the girl's gaze.

Her footing unexpectedly shifted as a second body leapt onto the plank. Santana inhaled sharply as she felt the world beneath her tilt. She instantly readjusted and tightened her abdomen to find balance. She whipped her head up just in time to raise her shield against Quinn's sword. The officer's blade bit into the wood frame.

The plank slowly started to break away from the one side of the wall, but Quinn seemed completely unconcerned that they could fall to their death. Santana raised her shield once more, but Quinn dropped low on the beam and aimed to take Santana's legs.

Santana gritted her teeth and jumped to avoid the swipe, but Quinn was fast, faster than she showed in the training circles below. Her blonde braid looked like a whip, the way her body dipped and jolted forward with such sure footing that Santana doubted what she was seeing. It was as if Quinn moved like she were on a completely different plank, as if she couldn't feel the board shifting and ready to give out. Santana tried to risk a glance down to make sure she had the right footing, but Quinn stomped on the plank. The entire board wobbled and Santana threw her hands out to regain balance.

It wasn't enough. Quinn sent a swift kick to Santana's midsection. Santana lost whatever balance she had and tipped over the plank. As she fell, Santana frantically tried to grab onto anything that would stop herself from falling. The shield strap wound round her right arm slipped and the shield dangled and jerked as her left hand found the edge of the plank. A rush of wind and adrenaline pumped through her as she searched for Quinn. She tried to stop kicking her feet and to center her weight, but it was hard to concentrate when she could feel the wind whipping around her exposed body just waiting to carry her down to her death.

"Quinn!" Santana cried out and tried to readjust her hold, but her fingers started to slip.

Quinn's hand shot out and wrapped around Santana's dangling arm. Santana sighed in relief to feel her friend's hold. Together they lifted and pulled up until Santana was safely back standing on the plank. Santana panted hard and held a hand to her chest to try and calm herself.

"You oka-"

"What do you think? I almost fel-" Santana swatted Quinn's arm away, but the sudden movement caused the board to shift once more.

"Let's get back on the stone before you try and send me off the ramparts too." Quinn said and gave Santana a slight nudge to move across the gap. They quickly and carefully crossed the last part of the plank and hopped back to the ramparts.

Santana unstrapped the loose bindings to the shield on her arm and tossed it across the stones as she set foot on solid ground. She wasted no time as she appreciated not falling to her death. She collapsed in an exhausted heap and turned on her back to stare up at the morning sky above. Not even a second later, Quinn joined her. For a few minutes, the two teenage girls rested side by side and gazed wordlessly at the clouds passing above them.

"You need to work on your footwork." Quinn finally said.

Santana huffed and turned her head. "I don't need to work on my footwork. You need to stop being an ass. You almost killed me."

"I wouldn't have almost killed you if you worked on your footing." Quinn met Santana's stare with her own. "And-" Quinn didn't smile, but her eyes lit with pleasure. " – and you need to use your shield better."

"What!?" Now Santana was offended. They had been working on the shield for two weeks. She should have mastered the thing by now. "What do you mean I need to do better? You didn't even hit me! I blocked all of your attacks except that last one which was dirty and indefensible."

Quinn sighed in mock exasperation. They had been working at the shield for two weeks together either in the dead of night when everyone except the guard was sleeping or in the early morning. However, this was the first time Quinn had dragged Santana up to the ramparts to practice. Yet, it was the same song and dance with Santana – she expected to master the shield after one day and didn't understand why Quinn hadn't given her absolute mastery yet.

"It was defensible, Santana, if you wouldn't have gotten yourself into a bad situation."

"You put me in that situation!" Santana quickly defended herself. "You're the one who backed me onto the plank."

"I didn't anything to you." Quinn said with measured patience. Sometimes it took Santana longer to process concepts because she was always looking for the quickest way out of any situation – including fighting. "You are the one who is supposed to be in control. You let me take control. If I am the one dictating the flow of combat, then I am in control, and it's only a matter of time until I kill you."

"Ugh." Santana lazily punched Quinn's arm. "The shield is so hard."

"That's because you're still only using it like a shield." Quinn said shield in Santana's voice to mock her friend. "If you used the shield as your ally or even as part of your arm like you do with your swords, it wouldn't be so difficult."

Santana sighed. "Or maybe if you didn't pick such a dangerous place to practice, I might have a chance of beating you. You were probably out here practicing by yourself so you would have an advantage this morning."

"You always have to complain about something. I chose up here because I know you, Santana, and you would have resented exchanging traditional swings and blocks in the courtyard especially with everyone watching."

Santana opened her mouth to argue, but she couldn't deny Quinn's assessment. Still, it felt strange to just agree with Quinn.

Quinn dipped her head, stray wisps of unbound long blonde hair hid parts of her face, but not her smirk. "Please, Santana, I know I have to keep you entertained and challenged or you'll get bored and unruly."

"I am never unruly."

Quinn didn't even bother to argue with Santana's statement. "But were you at least challenged?"

"Whatever, Quinn." Santana rolled her eyes with a smile before glancing down to the courtyard from where they were laying. The angle was different, but she could still see most of the field. The merchant and the blonde haired girl were gone; their business with the quartermaster must have concluded. Santana didn't know why she felt the urge to look for the girl for a second time. It was an odd tug something akin to a desire that pulled at her stomach, but she was gone. Santana tried not to dwell on what felt like a loss. She turned back to her self-satisfied friend. "Don't you have some recruits to crack over the head or some commander's ass to kiss this morning?"

Quinn had learned Santana didn't like to admit defeat of any kind – verbal or physical – so she accepted that her companion would change the subject when she couldn't see a way to win whatever they were arguing. It didn't make Quinn's victory any less satisfying.

"I actually kissed the commander's ass enough last night. I think he relieved me of ass kissing duty and put me strictly on ass kicking duty this morning. I got a head start with you –" Quinn's eyes sparkled. "- but I've got both morning patrols with the recruits."

"Fun." Santana didn't even bother to hide her lack of enthusiasm. "It should be a great time marching around the woods scaring up the animals."

Quinn gave Santana a moment for her reactionary distain to ebb before speaking. Softly, as if she knew what dangerous waters she was wading, Quinn suggested. "You could always join us. You know you're welcome to scare the wildlife with us."

"Oh sure! You might welcome me, but you'll be the only one." Santana stopped upon seeing the way Quinn's eyes softened at Santana's immediate reaction to the suggestion. She dipped her head in some shame for taking her frustration out on the only person she considered a friend at the fort. Her voice changed tone as she silently implored Quinn to forgive her rash words. "Thanks anyway, Quinn, but I prefer waiting out the rest of my term here without joining the recruits. Yrsarald made it very clear that my time here is temporary and unwelcome."

"Santana, you would be welcomed here if you just submitted even a little to authority. That's how it works, you have to bend sometimes to stand tall. That's how an army functions; that's what creates discipline."

Santana's eyes darkened and she turned from Quinn to look over the courtyard once more. The banner of Windhelm should have felt like home, but since Yrsarald's arrival and news of her dismissal to train with a tutor spread through the ranks, the fort felt hostile. It was as if a brand on her skin announced not one of us.

She whispered fierce and low as if she didn't want to say her words aloud. "If I submit even a little to him or any of them, they will see me as less. They will think they can cow me with their words, with their distain, with their doubts. I know what they say about me. I know what they think about me. I know my father wants me to take the Bear to fit in and solidify my place, but even if I were the perfect warrior, would that stop their words? They would still question if I belonged – do I try too hard? Could I ever be enough? They would whisper the same distrust, but with different words."

Quinn's cheeks lit with shame for Santana and the hard path she saw herself on. They never talked about this – not openly. Sure, Quinn heard whispers and the looks, but neither of them had voiced it. Her throat constricted and she lost any words because what words would salve the wounds Santana bore? Cautiously, but knowing her touch wouldn't be rejected, Quinn reached out and lightly brushed Santana's forearm.

Even if Quinn couldn't see Santana's face, she felt small tremors through their connection. It pained Quinn more than any weapon ever did to see her friend so defeated. She leaned over and whispered next to Santana's head.

"You were enough when you saved me – more than enough, Santana. You know you always have a place with me." When Santana said nothing, Quinn continued. "What is it you like to say? To Talos with them."

Even without seeing Santana, Quinn felt her companion's smirk and eyes brighten to hear Quinn – Officer Quinn who never took Talos's name – cuss so brazenly. Santana finally turned back to face Quinn. She couldn't hide the passion that burned in her eyes as she repeated Quinn's words with conviction. "To Talos with them."

They shared a small, secret smile. It harbored promises of friendship and the future of perhaps something better for both of them. They stayed on the ramparts, high above the rest of the fort and waited for the large white cloud to pass over their resting area before they finally stood up and made their way back down to join the morning routine of the fort. Neither of them mentioned their discussion, but when they parted for the day, their eyes held memories and gratitude that couldn't quite be verbalized.

A deep voice warned from a short distance away. "Careful, Santana!"

Santana responded with a snort. "I've got it. Don't worry about it. I know what I'm doing."

Kenneth Tanaka lifted a large box from the back of a wagon and placed it on the ground. He didn't bother to hide his frown as Santana struggled to carry a crate twice her weight toward the smithy. Somehow the young girl managed to maneuver the crate just enough to not seriously injure herself or damage his material.

Santana straightened out with a satisfied smirk on her face. "I'm not the little girl who used to run around your forge anymore."

"Of course you're not, but you're still a rascal." He wiped sweat dripping down his face and gave Santana a big smile. "I do have to thank you for the help. I didn't know if they would have all of the recruits out. I was lucky you came along. I hate sweating unless I'm at my forge."

"You picked a bad time to move forges." Santana nodded to the sun already high in the sky.

"I picked nothing. I am subject to my Jarl's will."

"That doesn't seem right."

"But it is and I am happy to be in his service. Plus…" Tanaka puffed himself up. "I think he's making renovations to my forge in Windhelm. So I am not too upset with making a temporary move."

"You're not here to watch me or anything?"

"Ha!" Tanaka laughed and clutched at the crate next to him. "Watch you!? I hope not. I don't have time to go hopping around the fort and the countryside. I am a blacksmith! I have soldiers to armor." He peered at her closely. "Is there a reason I should be watching you?"

Santana shook her head fiercely and regretted saying anything. "No. I was just wondering."

"Well keep yourself out of trouble." Tanaka stated before he glanced behind Santana to some approaching officers. "Or at least don't get caught."

Santana appreciated that Tanaka never pried or asked why she wasn't with the other recruits on a patrol. He just merely accepted her assistance.

"I like the second option more." Santana turned to the two officers, but she didn't straighten or incline her head like a recruit. She met their authority with an attempt at indifference. "Can I or the good smith help either of you two?"

"Commander Yrsarald has requested your presence in the main hall."

"Tell him I'm coming." Tanaka stated and waved his hand.

"Not you, smithy, the Jarl's daughter."

Santana almost looked to Tanaka guiltily before she remembered his words. She wasn't in trouble and even if she were, what could the commander do with her except send her away? Which had been his plan from the beginning.

"Lead on." Santana fell in step behind the two officers – they were Bone-Breakers like the lackey her father had sent to be her nursemaid.

It wasn't long before they made their way into what amounted to a command room for strategy and what had been used as the fort's base of operations since they had reclaimed the fort for the purpose of training a better army for Windhelm. Perhaps Santana had just grown used to the look of her father's war room to be intimidated to a summons from a commander. The maps on Yrsarald's table were quaint and local. They showed hunting trails, trade routes, and small outposts whereas her father's table held armies and lines of allegiance; points of entry and positions of attack. What she didn't expect were the circles and obvious additions to the fort's map. There were creases and worn edges where the commander's belt rubbed against the map. Clearly, Yrsarald had not forgotten about the swift and well executed invasion to the fort and he spent long hours trying to pinpoint its origin.

Santana was used to entering her father's war room from a side door, not from the main entrance. She didn't expect the sudden and unwelcomed attention of multiple sets of eyes turned in her direction when the officers opened the doors. She was grateful when they quickly moved to the far side of the room. A lone figure sat bound to a chair. Even from this distance, Santana would have recognized his face anywhere. It was the man with the flail who had almost killed her and Quinn. A shiver went straight through her body as his eyes met hers.

Yrsarald didn't turn to welcome Santana; he stayed completely focused on the man. "If you give me nothing, I have no use for you." The commander's fully armored hand balled into a fist and he delivered a punch straight to the man's gut.

The attacker only grunted despite the obvious pain he was in. He raised his eyes, but looked straight past Yrsarald to Santana. The same malicious intent he bore for the Jarl's daughter in the sleeping quarters seemed to magnify here. Santana tilted her chin up as she had seen Quinn do under difficult circumstances to meet his stare. Even if she didn't balk, her entire body felt on the verge of quaking under the man's heavy resolve. Santana reminded herself over and over again that she had bested him, she had almost killed him, he could do nothing to her or Quinn now. It was over.

"Take him back to the hold. I will execute him in the morning."

Two soldiers unbound the man and half dragged him through the chamber. Santana took a step back to give them room.

As he went past her, the man turned his head and spoke directly to Santana. "My death means nothing, but your death, Stormcloak, will bring freedom."

It was the second time he had called her by her surname and it was no less threatening. Santana swallowed hard, but didn't give him the satisfaction of a reaction. The door to the chamber slammed shut. Even if it was over, Santana couldn't help feeling as if the man threatened troubles that had yet to begin.

Yrsarald stepped forward into the room and waved his hand to dismiss the nonessentials in the room. Ten lower ranked soldiers and the few Bone-Breakers who had been lingering on the outside ring exited the room. It left most of the officers and – Santana tried not to show any more expression, but she hadn't noticed Quinn on the far side of the room. Quinn was also trying hard not to react, but Santana could see the way her friend's eyes held the man's words. Perhaps she too remembered how close to death they had been and couldn't shake how imminent his threat felt.

"Santana, Daughter of Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak, step forward." Yrsarald commanded.

Santana knew the difference between a mere Bone-Breaker and the order of one of her father's commanders so she did not hesitate to step forward. While she knew, Yrsarald would never bring her harm or humiliate her publically like a soldier; her humiliation of being sent packing back to Windhelm would be far worse. It wouldn't do her any favors to piss off the commander.

"You summoned me, commander." Santana did as beckoned, but since she wasn't a soldier under oath, she only inclined her head in respect rather than salute.

"Your time here in the fort with the recruits has come to an end. You have a great deal to learn and a tutor chosen specifically by the Jarl to train you. I have received word of your tutor's arrival in the Jarl's territory and that you are expected to travel. Your deeds during the bandit attack have not been lost upon myself or the rest of the fort, therefore, I have elected to not spare any of the guard to accompany you to the meeting point with your new tutor. You have shown the ability to protect yourself."

Quinn swallowed hard. She didn't know whether Yrsarald's decision was what he stated or if he didn't want to spare any soldiers from the fort because he still feared an attack or perhaps he wished to use Santana as bait. If there was a spy in the fort and they were truly trying to kidnap the Jarl's daughter, she would be ambushed on her way to the rendezvous point. Quinn kept her thoughts silent, but a sharp fear gripped her stomach. Despite their training, Quinn couldn't imagine Santana leaving the fort by herself. However, she saw the look in her friend's eyes. This was the kind of freedom Santana desired. She wasn't thinking of the dangers or the motives behind Yrsarald's decision.

"Thank you, Commander Yrsarald – " Santana started and dared a half glance in Quinn's direction. She could see lines of worry around her companion's eyes and something else. Santana continued speaking in order to please Quinn. She wanted to prove that she could be respectful and responsible when she was treated with the same curtesy. " – my time here has been invaluable and I take with me all that I learned and experienced under the direction of your officers. I will not forget my summer or your lessons especially in command."

Yrsarald could be a hard man to read, most of Ulfric's commanders were, with the exception of Galmar, but Yrsarald's mouth quirked hard to the side as if he were amused by Santana's compliance. "It's encouraging to hear. I expect when you return that perhaps you will be the one leading and teaching by example here."

Santana recognized that he was trying to goad her into committing to her father's army so she chose her reply carefully. "If Talos wills it." She bowed her head to dismiss herself.

"Hold on. I was not finished. You may not have a guard to escort you, but Officer Fabray will accompany you to the rendezvous point at which time you will begin your training."

Santana glanced to Quinn and furrowed her brow in confusion. Quinn shared the same expression. Clearly, she hadn't expected to accompany Santana. At first, Santana thought Quinn would have been disappointed to be temporarily reassigned from her commission at the fort, but her friend's eyes softened and she pushed back a strand piece of blonde hair from her face as she met Santana's stare. There was nothing but happiness for Santana in Quinn's eyes. Quinn knew how much she wanted to find a sense of autonomy away from her father's army; perhaps this was the first step toward that separation.

Quinn stepped forward. "I would be honored to escort the Jarl's daughter until I am certain of her safety, commander."

"Very good. We will discuss your next assignment when you return, officer."

"Thank you, commander." Quinn saluted and turned on her heels at his dismissal.

Santana hesitated for a moment to make sure that Yrsarald did not require her further, but the commander was already pointing furiously to a section of his map and demanding to know which officer had been in charge of a certain patrol yesterday.

"It's just odd that the commander would send us by ourselves." Santana whacked at a low hanging branch on the old hunting path.

"It's not our place to question the commander."

Santana stuck her tongue out. They were three days out from the fort and finally nearing the rendezvous point. "Yeah, but I saw your face. You questioned his decision too."

"I did not." Quinn immediately rejected Santana's observation.

"Quinn…"

No response.

"Quinn…you can't ignore me." Santana didn't want to let the subject go. "You think you're so good at hiding your thoughts, but I can see you thinking about it. Just like you couldn't hide the way you questioned the commander's decision."

"Quinn!"

"What?!" Quinn finally turned around in her saddle to look at Santana.

"Didn't you think it was weird that Yrsarald sent us alone? And don't lie to me."

Quinn didn't bother to hide her frown. "It is not our pla-"

"By Talos, Quinn! You sound like a town crier announcing the same sentence all day." Santana drew abreast of her friend. "Tell me the truth."

"You're intolerable."

"That's not what you said to the commander. The same commander who sent us off by ourselves."

"Do you miss the fort already, Santana?" Quinn teased trying to change the subject. It was unnerving that despite Santana's feigned indifference toward everything, she always seemed to pick up all of Quinn's moods, even the ones she tried to hide. "Because we can always go back and ask the commander himself if you want."

"No." Santana snapped. "Of course not, it just seems strange that he would send us alone when we haven't travelled this far into The Pale without an escort or part of a company. And you have to admit that it's strange, Quinn."

Quinn muttered a few words under her breath before she finally turned to Santana. "It is strange and I don't know what his motivations were. He's still trying to determine the source of the attack on the fort and sending more than the two of us could make us easy targets for an ambush. And since we haven't been attacked, we have to assume that the commander made the right choice."

"You place too much trust in him." Santana puffed out in exasperation. She remembered the look Yrsarald gave her after the attack.

"He is a commander for a reason, Santana. We are supposed to trust him."

"Whatever." Santana shrugged. "And I'm sure this next tutor is going to be the same as him. All listen, trust, orders, and whatever my father told him to do."

"At least this one is bound to be better than the Bone-Breaker."

"Yeah, different doesn't mean better."

"But he's from Solitude, the seat of Skyrim, and where the High King presides. Clearly, your father wants only the best for you. I'm sure it wasn't easy finding someone to take an assignment across the country."

"Gold seems to make anything easy."

"I'm sure your tutor will be a warrior of honor first before gold."

Santana almost said that not every warrior was like Quinn, but she bit her tongue. It was a compliment that would have embarrassed and shamed both of them to say out loud because it would mean that not every warrior was honorable and that Quinn was somehow an exception. It would be an insult to the very company Quinn belonged.

"Sure. Whatever you say, Quinn." Santana rolled her eyes again and pulled out the parchment that Yrsarald had handed to her.

I have been delayed outside of the Tumble Arch Pass. The delay will set back the Jarl's daughter's training and our journey West through Skyrim. Send the girl to the scout's peak near the Pass.

-D.R.

BM

[Three Strikes]

It wasn't the first time Santana ran her thumb along the lines of the crudely, but carefully drawn lines at the bottom of the parchment. Santana had never seen a signature that ended in such a brash symbol. Santana had expected something of a Bear or perhaps a Wolf's head as that was the symbol of Solitude.

The note wouldn't have meant much except that it came with a Bear's head ring. Santana knew the ring very well – it was one her father wore on his right pinky finger and it was an heirloom. He would have never parted with the ring unless he was sending a message to Santana.

"We should be getting close." Quinn stated the obvious. The trees thinned and the ground was stonier, harder than before with less green grass. "There's an over look ledge around the next ridge."

"How do you know that?"

Quinn dismounted from her horse at the edge of the tree line and tied the reins to an overhanging limb. "My father brought me here once – before he left – do you see smoke over there? Leave your horse. It gets steep."

"Maybe it's the tutor." Santana suggested and followed Quinn's instructions. She purposely didn't pursue Quinn's mention of her father.

The two girls started to ascend the next ridge of the pass. Quinn took the lead with care of the change in altitude and elevation. The path winded around the north side of the pass and over some narrow pathways carved into the rock. Quinn rounded the final bend and paused curiously at the scene. A recently extinguished fire was the source of the smoke. There was a bedroll opened for one person and a few piles of kindling. Half-eaten food was smoking in the fire as if it had been thrown haphazardly in the flames.

"Do you think he left the camp?"

"If he did – " Quinn's brows furrowed at the dirt near the fire. " – he must have done so in a hurry. I've never seen a soldier leave a camp site so ill attended. An officer would be punished for such a poor example of discipline."

"Maybe my tutor isn't a soldier." Santana kicked at the burnt food resting on the fire. "He's supposed to be from Solitude and your father and mine have only recently started to truly train a military. Perhaps he's a traditional."

Quinn frowned at the idea. Santana needed more discipline – not less. She was already loose and reckless and "traditionals" had a habit of disregarding safety in the pursuit of glory and for a place at Sovngard. They were the vanguard – the old way and could still be effective in certain situations, but they were weak when separated or caught in an open battlefield. Quinn felt her stomach turn at the thought of leaving Santana's training with one. She prayed to Talos that Santana was wrong and there was a better reason the tutor had left his camp in disarray.

"Quinn…" Santana crouched at the far side of the camp and pushed aside some furs. "I think he must have taken off this way. Do you think we should follow?"

"If he left his camp in a hurry, this D.R. –" Quinn referenced the initials left on the note. " – could be in trouble."

"Then we should pursue." Santana immediately took off after what she thought were his tracks. Quinn followed and peered further along the path.

An hour later and the two teens were on the other side of the ridge. Trees surrounded them on all sides and there were a few sparsely used paths through the wood line where either hunter or animal frequented enough to break branches, but the tracks from the tutor were harder to follow here. Santana paused and heistated before she bent down and touched the imprint of a heel.

"Did he go this way?" Quinn questioned. "Does it look like he was running from something?"

"Um –" Santana touched the heel print and looked further down the path there were three other heel prints and all of them split in directions.

"Santana?"

"Um -

"Which way did he go?"

Santana's cheeks flushed in frustration and anger under Quinn's impatience. She wasn't a tracker and she had no clue which way the tutor went or if he was in danger or running from something. She could feel Quinn waiting for an answer. Santana stood up and took the furthest heel print from her. It had to be the right direction. "Um – this way."

She broke into the tree line to follow the heel. They pushed at branches and followed what they deemed were trails in pursuit of the tutor. It felt like hours that they circled around through the trees on the pass, but whenever Santana thought they were getting closer, another boot imprint would reveal itself and take them in a different direction.

"Santana, do you know where we are going?"

"Of course I don't know where we are going!" Santana violently whacked down some low hanging brush. "I'm not a tracker! I have no idea where this guy went!"

"That's not what you said before!"

"Well I wasn't sure before! And now I know I have no clue."

"Great." Quinn groaned and looked around the wooded area. "We should just return to the camp and hope he returns."

"Fine, but I have no clue where th-"

"Shhh!" Quinn quieted her companion and glanced past Santana's head. "I think I saw something up there. It looks like a clearing."

The two girls cautiously approached the clearing, but as they stepped into the ring, there was no one in sight or any wildlife. They both peered closely at the tree line.

"There's nothing here, Quinn. We should start making our way ba-"

An arrow shaft sped through the air at a dazzling speed right between Quinn and Santana's noses. Santana's eyes widened as she watched the deadly projectile miss them by a mere inch. Quinn gave her a hard shove to separate them and in the same motion withdrew her blade. Santana followed suit, but a second arrow and third arrow sped through the air. Each arrow missed Quinn and Santana by a fraction and imbedded into the trees next to their heads.

Both girls froze. Their bodies tensed and their hearts hammered uncontrollably as they recognized they were beat. If the archer wanted to kill them, they would have already. Santana's left hand gripped her sword painfully hard, but it was the only thing she could do.

Quinn's voice cracked. "Show yourself!"

This is what she feared – an ambush from whoever wanted to kidnap Santana and once again she had led her friend straight into danger. Her shield was still strapped to her back, if she could get it, perhaps she could cover Santana long enough to make a break for the woods. She twitched her left hand slowly behind her back as to not draw attention to her plans.

THUNK

A fourth arrow pierced the space between Quinn's middle and forefinger. The sharp arrowhead sliced the inside of her fingers and pinned her to the tree. She cried out in pain and looked down at her hand in disbelief. It was an impossible shot – right between her fingers, but it didn't pierce her hand – she would be scratched but no permanent damage. The shot was so good that it couldn't have been a mistake. Whoever was shooting at them had to be a master bowman.

"Quinn!" Santana jolted forward to help her friend but another arrow slammed into the tree behind Santana as a way to remind her of her vulnerable position.

"No." Quinn hissed. "I'm fine. Stay there, Santana."

"But-"

Quinn's eyes silenced her protest. "We are at your mercy. What do you want from us?"

Leaves on a tree from the other side of the clear rustled, but the voice that followed came from somewhere else. Was there more than one archer?

"You've been at my mercy since you started your ascent up the pass." It was a woman's voice, one full of authority, but she was not boastful or proud of her assertion that the two teenagers were under her mercy. It was just a statement of fact.

"Who are you?" Quinn demanded.

"I am the one with the power here, Officer Fabray, and I will be the one asking the questions." The woman stated from another place in the circle of trees around them. Quinn and Santana's eyes whipped around trying to find the new source of the woman's voice. Quinn didn't know how this mysterious woman knew her name. "Now, lay your weapons down on the ground, including your shield, and step into the center of the clearing."

Quinn reached around her waist with her good hand and undid her buckle. The scabbard fell to the ground followed by her sword.

"Quinn, what are you doing?"

"Drop your weapons, Santana." Quinn whispered. "Live to fight another day."

Santana growled and violently undid the belt around her waist. Together the two girls crossed into the clearing. The sense of unease between them mounted. Santana's fingers twitched toward her back where she had a small knife hiding. She knew Quinn had concealed weapons as well. No true Nord would travel from their bedroom to their kitchen without carrying at least three different weapons.

"Hands up." The voice ordered as if she could read Santana's mind. "And away from any other weapons you may possess."

"What do you want from us?!" Santana shouted in exasperation.

"Still demanding questions even when you are clearly under my mercy."

"By the authority of the Jarl, answer me!"

"I think I will be the only one here speaking on the Jarl's behalf."

"What?" Santana jerked at the way the woman so casually invoked her father's authority. "Show yourself."

The brush once more rustled but it came from behind them. Santana and Quinn turned to face the source of the noise. A very familiar face stepped from behind a tree with a drawn bow leveled and pointing at the small space between the teens' bodies. Her blonde hair was typical of Nords, but neither Santana nor Quinn forgot the woman's striking eyes from the tavern.

Quinn was the first to say her name in complete disbelief. "Dinrah?"

She was different than the last time they saw the "barmaid" at the tavern. Then she wore a dress that drew the eye to her chest and she wore her hair down to attract attention. She carried around trays of ale and a lute to play songs for the tavern's patrons. Now, she was dressed in hard fighting leathers and shoulder pads that would protect her from attacks. Her hands were gloved and she wore a bracer to protect herself from the string of her bow. She wore a sword on her hip and her belt was filled with traps, ropes, potions, and a variety of other essentials for a skilled and dangerous warrior on the road. Her blonde hair was tied in a high pony tail and Dinrah wore a leather thong around her forehead to prevent any fly-a-ways from blocking her vision. It was astounding that she could be the same woman from the tavern.

"At least you have the memory to recall my name, although I don't think at the time you were remembering it for a situation such as this."

"But-" Santana took a step forward, but checked the notched arrow still pointing at them. "What are you doing here? And why did you attack us?"

Dinrah smirked at the questions, but didn't lower her bow. "If I wanted to attack you, you'd both be dead or tied and already carted to the far side of Tamriel where you would never see Skyrim again."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I'm supposed to be taking over your training." Dinrah snorted and lowered her bow as she revealed her true intention. "And honestly, you couldn't have had much training since it took you long enough to follow my trail and I wasn't too subtle about leaving clues. A child could have tracked me and children you must be to walk straight into a trap."

"We're certainly not children." Quinn instantly retorted before she fully processed what Dinrah had said, but Santana beat her to it.

"You – you – are to be my tutor? What?"

Quinn's eyes narrowed and her mouth thinned. It seemed strange that Dinrah, the same woman who had been at the tavern the night of the attack on the fort, would reveal herself to be Santana's tutor in an isolated location away from the protection of the Jarl's sworn soldiers.

"I didn't expect to be welcomed with an embrace, but maybe a little less surprise." Dinrah addressed their shock. "I did just disarm and capture you both with minimal effort on my part."

"This makes no sense." Quinn shook her head violently. "The Jarl would never send his daughter to the middle of nowhere to be tutored by some barmaid."

"Who says I am only a barmaid? And who says barmaids aren't more fearsome than the whole of the Jarl's army?" Dinrah's eyes sparkled. "And the Jarl did send for me – personally."

"Prove it."

"Quinn." Santana hissed at her companion's poor show of hospitality. In fact, she couldn't recall the last time Quinn had ever show outright hostility toward someone – especially someone connected the Jarl and his authority.

"Come here and I'll show you." Dinrah invited.

Santana stepped forward, but Quinn shot her arm across Santana's chest. She maneuvered her body in front of Santana's and gave Dinrah a challenging glare. "No. Prove it from there."

"Officer Fabray, if I wanted to harm you or Santana, I could have a thousand times, but I think you know that." Dinrah reached into her belt and pulled out a small object. "Here." She tossed it across the clearing. Quinn caught the gold ring. "I sent the other one with the note to the fort. They should match – obviously."

Santana took the ring from Quinn's hand. She didn't have to look hard, she knew it matched the one in her pouch. Without waiting for permission from Quinn, Santana approached Dinrah.

"I can't believe you're going to be my tutor. How do you know my father? How did you throw your voice around the clearing? Will we be staying in the pass for long? I want to travel. How long have you been using the bow? Is Dinrah your real name?"

The woman smiled graciously at Santana's barrage of questions. "I have answers to all of your questions, Santana, but first, let's make our way back to my camp – preferably the direct way. Your tracking skills are lacking and I wanted to point out a few things on our way back." She casually called back to Quinn. "Officer Fabray, you are welcome to share our camp before you return to the fort."

"Oh. I will share your camp." Quinn huffed and followed behind them. "I promise you that."

"Keep up!" Dinrah shouted behind her shoulder. Branches and trees seemed to either unnaturally move around her or she was using some sort of magicka because Santana wasn't nearly as graceful as her tutor. Every time Santana tried to emulate the way Dinrah moved through the brush, a branch or vine or something would whack her face or trip her.

But she was determined; absolutely determined to catch Dinrah. She panted and struggled, but she kept running.

Finally, they broke into the same clearing where Dinrah had found them. Santana huffed and panted in the middle of the moss and grass and tried to catch her breath. Dinrah glanced at her and barely appeared winded.

"How did we end up back here?"

Dinrah shook her head. "You must be aware of your surroundings and strategic points at all times." She hooked her thumb and pointed to some trees behind her back. "That's why the officer beat us here by a few minutes. She figured out the only place we would travel within a short distance."

"Quinn's here?" Santana creased her brows and didn't see her blonde haired friend. A moment later, Quinn stepped from behind the tree Dinrah had pointed to. Surprised, Santana glanced to her friend and then back to her tutor. "How did you know that?"

"Tracks on the way into the clearing. Lack of birds. Those branches next to her have been recently snapped and I know she dropped back about ten minutes ago and never rejoined us."

Santana's eyes quickly scanned to the things Dinrah mentioned. Quinn, however, frowned at how easily Dinrah had been able to point to the smallest of details and know that Quinn had beaten them to the clearing and taken a strategic point.

"I know we haven't talked about it much, but that was quick thinking, Officer Fabray."

Quinn said nothing.

"If you are planning to stay with us for another week, perhaps you would be interested in learning more advanced strategy and war tactics."

"Thank you for the offer, Tutor Dinrah, but I am here to insure the safety of Santana." Quinn straightened as if she were prepared to salute a distant commander. "My training will continue upon my return to the fort."

"As you will." Dinrah inclined her head and said nothing more.

Within a few minutes, Dinrah had Santana stringing a bow over and over and over again. It had taken Quinn months to convince Santana to pick up the shield and she had only done so after they were almost killed. It didn't seem right or fair that this woman came out of nowhere and had instantly earned Santana's trust or that she had convinced Santana to try a different weapon type so easily.

A bow? Santana could barely stay still during morning drills and Dinrah wanted to teach the bow to her? Yet Santana appeared attentive and even excited the first time Dinrah corrected her footing and readjusted her fingers on the fletching or demonstrated where the strength of the shot came from. Whenever Quinn readjusted Santana, it was an invitation for either a verbal or physical sparring.

Dinrah wasn't Stormcloak or part of the militia or served in the guard. Quinn had never heard of her and yet when she drew a blade for some light practice against Santana, Quinn's jaw almost dropped. She was the most fluid swordswoman Quinn had ever seen in action and she had seen a swordmaster fight against her father when she had been younger.

It seemed unreal that a swordsmaster like Dinrah could be hidden in Skyrim without Quinn's knowledge. Quinn didn't know what or who Dinrah was, but Quinn found it difficult to even fathom her existence, much less trust her.

She watched quietly from the outside of the clearing with a deep scowl. Something about Dinrah didn't seem right and while Santana's new tutor never excluded Quinn from training, Quinn could only imagine it would be a matter of time before Dinrah sent her back to the fort. Until then, Quinn wasn't certain she could leave Santana behind willingly. Yrsarald had been explicit in his instructions – Quinn was to accompany Santana until she was safe with her new tutor.

Quinn just wasn't certain of Santana's safety with Dinrah.

After the fort attack, Quinn wasn't certain of anything. She had brought Santana back into danger, risked the Jarl's daughter, and then been knocked unconscious during the battle. She wasn't about to make that mistake a second time. Quinn watched their training without comment.

A few days later, Santana was more than exhausted and Dinrah insisted that they return to camp for the night.

Santana took the opportunity to walk back to camp shoulder to shoulder with her companion. "What's your deal, Quinn?"

"I don't have a deal."

"Yeah you do. You've been angry and distant since we got here. You never talk to Dinrah and it's not like to take yourself out of training exercises. So what's your deal?"

"Nothing. This is your training, not mine."

"But that's never stopped yo-"

"I am here to see to your safety, not to participate in your training."

Santana had never heard Quinn say anything like that before. It was unnerving. Quinn was the one always insisting on learning anything especially from someone with Dinrah's proficiency. Not many people could read Quinn and because of her natural offstandishness, they tended to not try to know her, but Santana could read Quinn better than herself. She narrowed her eyes. "Why don't you trust her?"

Quinn didn't answer because she knew Santana would despise her reasoning. "I was charged with your safety. I will not take that duty lightly ever again."

Santana rolled her eyes at Quinn's ridiculous claim to duty and honor. "It wasn't your fault at the fort, Quinn, and we're fine; neither of us was hurt. That's not your issue. What's bothering you? I thought this was what you wanted!"

"She's not Stormcloak. She's not from Windhelm. She's not in the army or from a barracks. We don't know her. I've never heard of her. We met her the same night the fort was attacked, Santana! Coincidences don't just happen."

"So because she isn't a soldier, you don't trust her?" Santana's question was a trap laced in venom.

Quinn knew she shouldn't answer, but she was so frustrated with Santana's lack of suspicion that she took the obvious bait. "Yes!"

"I knew that was the reason." Santana hissed and gave Quinn a hard shove. Quinn's expression was one of surprise. "You know…she isn't the only one who isn't a soldier, but you think soldiers are the only ones worthy of trust. I guess I'm not worthy of it either."

"That's not what I-"

Santana broke for the woods line next to the path and disappeared before Quinn could follow. It left Quinn by herself and an overwhelming feeling of guilt. She didn't mean to say something that would purposely hurt Santana, but she couldn't help herself. Why did Santana have to be so trusting of Dinrah?

By the time Quinn made it back to camp, Santana was already glaring angrily at the fire. Dinrah was nearby eating some of the game they had shot. Quinn silently moved to her own bed roll. It was the first time Santana had beaten her back to the camp during the entire time they had been here. Either Santana had sprinted the entire way or Dinrah's lessons had actually improved Santana. Quinn hated to admit that it was probably the latter.

Whether Dinrah sensed the nature of the two girls' argument, she didn't comment or broach the topic. She quietly passed Quinn a knife to take her cut of the meal from the fire.

The night passed on in silence until Dinrah assigned the night watch, as she always did. "Quinn, take first watch. Santana, take second. I will take third. I have some business to attend to in the morning. So if Officer Fabray is staying another day, perhaps you two could continue training until I return."

Quinn slid against the tree and unbarred her sword while looking at Dinrah. "I will be staying another day."

"Then it's settled." Dinrah concluded before either of the girls could protest. "You will train together in my absence tomorrow."

It wasn't until Quinn was left alone during watch duty that she started to wonder what business Dinrah could possibly have in the middle of nowhere. But it was too late to question Santana's tutor. It would be disrespectful to question Dinrah now. Quinn silently mulled over the reasons for Dinrah's strange agenda during the length of her watch until she finally woke Santana for her shift. They didn't say anything more than necessary to each other.

Their morning was spent in silence. Dinrah left with a small pack and her weapons after waking the two teens. If it hadn't been for Santana's glare, Quinn would have followed after the tutor. Instead, they walked together to the clearing. Santana didn't say a word as she unsheathed her swords. They had spent their childhood practicing and sparring together, but this time felt different. Quinn strapped her shield to her arm and withdrew her own sword and waited as she always did for Santana to make the first move.

Except she didn't.

Santana took a slow and thoughtful step to her right and patiently spun the sword in her left hand. Quinn mirrored her step and tried not to show her surprise. Santana had never done anything like this before. The energy between them rose to an almost unbearable height before the two teens clashed. They had fought each other angry and full of hurt pride a hundred times before. In fact, they had done so most recently at the fort, but this was different. Santana usually pressed until she fell out of position, out of form, and made a mistake to expose herself.

This morning she was focused and furious. Her attacks were sharp and tighter than Quinn had ever seen Santana throw. Quinn was hard pressed to find a pulse on their fight. And for the first time, Santana controlled the flow of combat. She had different moves, more than one style, and she blocked Quinn's attacks almost as efficiently as she attacked. This wasn't just Santana; this was Santana a few weeks into training with Dinrah.

The moment she recognized this, Quinn pushed Santana to her limits and raised her level of skill to match and then overwhelm Santana.

Their sparring ended with Santana on her backside and Quinn standing over her body panting in exertion.

"That was good." Quinn offered as a compliment with her hand to help Santana up.

"Whatever." Santana swatted Quinn's hand away in anger. "Save your encouragement for one of your recruits, officer. We sparred. You won. So we're done."

"Bu-"

"I'm going to hunt or at least practice shooting." Santana pushed herself off the ground and went to her pack to retrieve her bow.

Quinn thought maybe Santana would return to finish the rest of their argument, but she never did. Quinn waited longer than she should have, but when it became painfully evident that Santana would not return, Quinn grew determined to put her mind at rest. Maybe she was overreacting about Dinrah.

Maybe…

A good solider knows when to make a critical assessment, especially of oneself.

Maybe she was jealous…

Maybe it was time she put an end to her pettiness. It behooved no one to continue acting childish. Santana finally had a tutor she respected and Quinn had a command waiting for her back at the fort. She knew the jarl and the other commanders were just waiting for her advancement. They had been waiting since her father's death. There weren't many titles in Skyrim that passed through bloodlines, but the one they wanted to give her, she would earn. By dallying around Santana, she had already delayed that plan for too long.

Quinn just needed to put her mind to rest.

At first, Dinrah's trail wasn't hard to pick up. In fact, it was almost bold the way she travelled down the pass as if she didn't care who followed. However, Quinn didn't want to be caught. It would be embarrassing for both of them, so Quinn made sure to stay back and follow with a great deal of caution. If she could just find the tutor and be assured that she was genuine, Quinn would pack and leave the next morning.

Halfway down the pass, Quinn noticed Dinrah's tracks were hidden and harder to spot. She was by no means a tracker, but she shouldn't have had an issue finding Dinrah's path. A small spilt in a branch was the only indication that someone preceded her. Quinn grew more cautious as she advanced.

As the mountain base flattened, Quinn started to worry that she had lost Dinrah's trail completely. Against the wall, on the west side of the pass and tucked behind tree cover, Quinn spotted Dinrah's blonde hair and body. She knelt at the side of the pass and carefully unwrapped a package that she had pulled from the mountain wall. Quinn ducked into the brush as quietly as possible some distance away and waited.

For the sake of Santana and her own peace of mind, Quinn wished nothing more than for Dinrah's excursion down the pass to be nothing, but Quinn felt uneasy. What motive could Dinrah have for pulling hidden packages from the wall?

What could she be hiding?

Dinrah remained in front of the rock wall with the package for a long time and because of the way she faced the pass, Quinn could only see her backside. Finally, Dinrah repackaged whatever she had pulled out and placed it carefully back into the wall. The weaponsmaster withdrew from the clearing and left. Quinn imagined it was to return to their camp and check Santana's progress. Quinn knew she should leave immediately to get back to camp without arousing suspicion, but she sat still and continued to stare at where the package was stored.

Whatever it was, Dinrah didn't want to share it with her protégée or Quinn. Whatever she was hiding could be insidious or a message for the men who attacked the fort or… a message from the Jarl himself and by opening the package, Quinn disrespect Dinrah, her commanders, and Jarl Ulfric himself.

Her stomach twisted until Quinn knew she couldn't break that unspoken trust.

She would leave the package where it was, leave for the fort tomorrow, and trust Jarl Ulfric's choice of tutors.

Quinn made a move to stand up from her spot, but a large calloused hand wrapped around her mouth. Her heart started pounding as she felt the tip of a blade press into her lower back.

A man's voice spoke with authority next to Quinn's ear. "I will release my hand only if I have your word that you won't do anything foolish. I didn't wish to startle you, but I will silence you if you give me no choice."

Quinn's eyes darted around frantically. She saw no one else, but the man's casual tone made her believe that he was unconcerned of her resistance.

"Nod if you will cooperate."

She had no choice. Quinn slowly nodded and the man pulled the knife back from her body and released his hand gently. Quinn didn't scream, but she immediately jumped back to put space between their bodies and withdrew her sword. The man was not much taller than most of her recruits, however, her bore an impressive scar on the left side of his face and looked as if he had seen many battles. Most importantly, the bright blue Bear of Windhelm was proudly displayed on his chest. This was no brigand or bandit, but by the looks of his armor, a decorated soldier.

Quinn felt a flood of relief at the sight of a fellow officer. She quickly sheathed her sword and held her hands in the air as a sign of respect before she saluted him. "My apologies, sir. I didn't realize-"

"Please." His smile broke through Quinn's apologies. "Don't apologize. I was the one who acted poorly. I didn't see your shield until I was already too close to you. I didn't want to alarm you and risk harming either yourself or one of my men in the trees." He outstretched his hand. "My name is Captain Eorun and you are either a deserter or a blessing sent by Talos himself."

"I am Officer Quinn Fabray, stationed at Fort Morvunskar under Commander Yrsarald. The Bear of Windhelm is a welcomed sight."

"I share the same feeling. You are far from your post, Officer."

"I am under a special assignment at the moment."

"If you are already under a special assignment, perhaps I could ask for your assistance."

"Of course."

"We have been tracking a traitor to the jarl. One who has eluded my grasp for several years and recently stole something very dear to me before leaving me for dead. I believe you too were just watching her."

Quinn's mouth dried and her chest tightened at Eorun's accusation. It was hard to miss that he indicated Dinrah to be a traitor.

"That's why I wanted to talk to you after I realized that you were watching Dinrah. You waited a long time for her to leave so I knew you couldn't have been associated with her and now that I know you are a fellow officer and one under Thrice-Pierced, I believe I can trust you."

"Captain Eorun, I appreciate your trust, but I must inform you that you are mistaken. I and my companion, Santana, have been traveling with Dinrah for the past several weeks and she has not shown the sort of character you have described. Additionally, I have reason to believe her intentions because of a token she carries."

"And yet…" Eorun glanced to the place where Dinrah had stood against the rocky pass. "You followed her here without her knowledge and didn't reveal yourself until she had long vanished. And yet you defend her?"

"I defend the man who vouched for her honor."

"You mentioned Santana was your companion."

Quinn swallowed hard hearing Santana's name on this man's tongue. It was information that she should have kept closer. Again, she had failed in her duty. Yrsarald should not have been so quick to trust her. She was barely able to control the flush to her cheeks.

Eorun must have noticed. "I only mentioned Santana because you believe her father vouched for Dinrah. However, you must know the item she stole from me was a ring from the jarl himself to name me as his loyal subject."

It was impossible not to feel a tumult of emotions at Eorun's information about Dinrah and his proximity to Ulfric. What was even more alarming was the possibility that Santana's safety was compromised in an impostor's tutelage. Worst, Quinn knew Santana. She knew Santana would believe Dinrah. Quinn knew that if Eorun confronted Dinrah and Dinrah fought, Santana would wield her swords and life for her tutor's protection.

Quietly, Quinn answered him. "I know of the ring you speak-"

Eorun straightened and raised two fingers in the air. As he previously indicated, he was not alone. Several men rose from the surroundings with bows and swords. If they went to attack Dinrah, Santana would be foolish enough to get herself killed. Quinn quickly continued speaking. "- but I am cautious of your tale and Santana's life. Give me the opportunity to deduce whether Dinrah is an actual imposter as you say is true or you will risk the jarl's daughter's life."

Eorun signaled his men down. "I am trusting you with my honor. I trust you know how difficult a position that puts me in, but if you wish to assess the situation yourself, I understand. Please know that she hides in plain sight and was once a loyal soldier to the jarl himself. She will not go down without a fight. You should not arouse her suspicions. She's been known to take identities and twist them for her own. It wouldn't surprise me to know she chose her current guise to get closer to the jarl's daughter."

"All the more reason to keep Santana out of it completely. Captain, I will return to you within a day with my findings."

Eorun tried not to let his disappointment show; however, he gave Quinn a solemn nod. "I will await your decision and will honor your request. I would like this manner handled in the most honorable way possible and would not see anyone else harmed by her misdeeds."

Quinn struggled the entire time back to camp trying to formulate a plan that would minimize Santana's involvement, but every scenario led directly to Santana immediately not trusting a word Quinn said and earning her eternal resentment. Telling Santana would only lead to an outright fight. Trying to pry Santana away from Dinrah would be impossible now after their fight this morning and trying to prove that a skilled swordswoman like Dinrah was actually an imposter seemed unlikely; she would have covered her tracks.

Even now, Quinn's absence from camp would be noted.

She still didn't have a decision by the time she reached camp. Santana refused to even acknowledge Quinn's appearance and obstinately faced the opposite direction as Quinn approached the fire. It wasn't until Dinrah made her way to sit next to Quinn that Santana stood up and left for her bedroll.

Quinn shifted in front of the fire at both Santana's ire and Dinrah's proximity. For several minutes, Dinrah said nothing, but just sat next to the young officer. Quinn stared into the fire as if focusing on the flames would cover all of the thoughts and questions bouncing around in her head.

Did Dinrah already know of her conversation with the captain?

"I see you returned alone." Dinrah paused as if unsure how to proceed with the conversation. "As did Santana."

At the mention of Santana, Quinn's eyes slid over to Santana's bedroll. The heat from the fire did little to mask the deep red in Quinn's cheeks. "We had a disagreement."

"I gathered as much. Santana is poor at masking her feelings."

Quinn bit her tongue unsure if she felt comfortable revealing anything to Dinrah after her conversation with Eorun, but until she was proven an impostor, Dinrah still ranked above Quinn by her experience and prowess. No matter Dinrah's allegiance, it was still a shameful topic for an officer to have with a superior. Quinn took the only option available to her. She hung her head, remained silent, and allowed Dinrah the time to reprimand her behavior.

"I don't wish to tell you your business, Officer Fabray, but I have never seen a pupil so affected." Dinrah paused again. "She looks to you, but I think you already know that."

Now Quinn's face burned bright red and she swallowed hard. She struggled to speak; she hadn't expected such careful and complimentary words from a superior especially after what Eorun had revealed. "Thank you for your words, Tutor Dinrah."

The beautiful blonde swordsmaster rose from the fire to give Quinn space to mull over her words.

It wasn't until later after Dinrah's chiding ebbed and the sting of letting down Santana lessened that Quinn was able to once again contemplate Captain Eorun's words. Whether Dinrah meant to push Quinn to act or not, her words set a flame in Quinn's chest. She would never let Santana down again even if that meant exposing Dinrah and losing Santana's trust. Perhaps one day, Santana would understand that her safety was worth more than their friendship. She had a duty to fulfill.

The next morning, after a quiet breakfast, Dinrah rose and told Santana to hunt down a few birds so that she could make crude arrows from their feathers for herself. Dinrah didn't invite Quinn verbally, but she glanced over to see if the officer would join them, but Quinn did not return Dinrah's invitation. She kept her head down and continued sharpening her sword and making minor repairs to her favorite shield.

A few minutes later, both Santana and Dinrah left. Quinn made her way back down the mountain pass. She found the place where Dinrah had pulled a package out of the rock with ease. It was an old pack. One that had seen better days.

Quinn suppressed the sick feeling in her stomach as she laid it on the ground. Despite breaking Dinrah's trust, she kept reminding herself that she was doing this for Santana's safety.

She unwrapped the straps and felt her stomach sink at its contents.

"You know, Officer Fabray, you are a soldier of habit." Dinrah's voice echoed from behind.

Quinn froze. The hair on the back of her neck stood straight up and she felt an instant chill rock through her body. She didn't move. She didn't respond. She glanced down at the tattered remnants of a Windhelm cloak. The dried blood caked into the material was unmistakable. The amount of brownish-red spread through the threads was telling; the previous owner did not survive. Why would Dinrah possess a bloodied cloak and hide it?

"No one of rank here, no commanders, not even a fellow officer, and you still maintain the same routine every morning, every day, the same sleeping position, the same watch at night, the same place you keep your sword, everything in regiment as if this were the army and there were commanders to answer to."

Quinn gripped the material in her hand hard. Her eyes darted frantically to see if there was anything nearby that she could use to defend herself. Her sword was more than an arm's reach away. Dinrah could shoot her before she even touched it.

"So it was painfully obvious when you broke routine today. If I didn't know you better, I would have assumed you wanted me to follow you here."

No options. Nothing to use as a shield or a weapon. Quinn tensed as she thought about Dinrah practicing with Santana in the clearing and the markings on the tutor's pommel. Dinrah wasn't just an ordinary tutor, she was a master swordswoman, honored, and acknowledged for her skills. Quinn knew there were only a handful of such weaponsmasters in Skyrim, as Skyrim warriors weren't typically acknowledged for their pure skills over their brute force. It was an honor bestowed in other parts of Tamriel; one not instantly recognized in Skyrim.

But Quinn had noticed it.

And Quinn knew that even with a sword, she would be hard pressed to directly spar with a woman like Dinrah.

"I wanted to give you and Santana time without my presence. I know that I have been a distraction." Quinn barely fumbled over her words and actually convinced herself that it was not much of a lie.

"You're good." Dinrah casually leaned against the tree. "You know that, right? And I don't mean with that poor attempt at a lie to buy yourself time."

Quinn's hand gripped the fabric harder as Dinrah called her out, but she remained silent.

"I mean you're very good. I've been watching you. You have skills, better than most I've seen at your age, and you're quick to learn, even quicker to adapt, and you're at your best when it comes to protecting Santana. That is why I haven't come to you directly. I wanted you to see my intentions for yourself." Dinrah didn't move closer, but her voice softened. "You've observed me for weeks and I have made my intentions with Santana's training well-known even to someone as skeptical as yourself, so now I must ask, Officer Fabray, what are your intentions?"

Of all the ways Quinn had expected Dinrah to attack her, Quinn had been completely unprepared to have to answer such a question.

What were her intentions? What did that mean? Everything she did, she did for Santana. It had to be some sort of trick to misdirect her attention away from what Quinn found in the wall.

Quinn ignored Dinrah's question and lifted the bloody cloak from the bag. "What is this?"

The bloody cloak caught Dinrah by surprise. Her mouth drew into a straight line and her eyes widened. Her voice dropped to a low whisper. "That doesn't belong to you. Put it back. Now."

"It obviously doesn't belong to you either." Quinn didn't realize the cloak would affect Dinrah this much, so she pressed. "Explain how you came to possess a cloak of Windhelm."

"I don't have to explain myself. You will drop the cloak now, officer, and you will return to camp. That is an order."

Quinn hesitated, but saw the look in Dinrah's eyes. The cloak struck a chord; a serious chord. One that threatened Dinrah so much that Quinn knew when she should back down. She cautiously returned the cloak to the bag and moved away. Now that Dinrah had caught her, Quinn knew they couldn't trust each other. She took off through the tree line and prayed to Talos that Dinrah didn't wish to pursue her.

Quinn knew that if Dinrah wished her dead, it would take all the blessing of the Divines and Talos to save her.

She had only one option.

It wasn't easy trekking through the woods without a particular direction. It was even harder to walk toward a destination without Santana, but Quinn knew she had a duty to perform. It wasn't long before one of Eorun's men found Quinn and led her back to his camp.

"Officer Fabray, I hope you come with news of your decision."

"I have…" Quinn looked around and saw the faces of fellow soldiers, men, the jarl sent and commanded. The Bear of Windhelm seemed like home even in this abandoned woods. It gave her the courage to find her voice. "I went through Dinrah's packs."

Eorun said nothing, but he leaned forward attentively. "And?"

"It was as you said. There is much she hides. I found a bloody Windhelm guard cloak and when I asked her about it, she grew irate and told me it was none of my business."

Eorun hissed in disgust and shook his head. "Then we are too late to save Santana's real tutor. Dinrah killed him and took his place."

Heat rose through Quinn's body and flooded her cheeks at the mention of Santana's tutelage. She was the one who allowed Dinrah to train Santana. She should have questioned more and listened to her instincts regarding the outsider woman. She should have avenged the murdered tutor herself, but instead she ran; this time she would fulfill her duty.

"You promise to keep Santana safe?" Quinn quietly questioned.

"Upon my blood and honor to the Jarl."

"Tell me how you would do it. Dinrah is a master swordswoman and she won't relinquish Santana without a fight and I fear that Santana will not accept the word of a stranger over that of her teacher. If you move against Dinrah, Santana will fight on her behalf."

Eorun nodded. The light from the fire caught his eyes with Quinn's question. The officer would no longer be passive in their plans to relieve Dinrah of Santana's tutelage. It was the last piece they needed to secure a clean extraction. "We require your assistance to accomplish our mission and to keep Santana safe. She trusts you. You are her best friend. If this is to work, I need a token of yours. Something only Santana would recognize that way she would know we come to rescue her on your behalf."

Quinn nodded and reached around her neck to the thin leather thong. She undid the knot and handed it over. It was a small necklace with a nondescript stone. It was a gift her father had given her before he left on tour – a reminder that she was part of the very rock that made Skyrim. Only Santana would recognize it.

Eorun reverently took the token from Quinn and nodded. "Thank you for your trust, Quinn, we will not fail you, the Jarl, or Santana." He tucked the token into his tunic and drew with a stick on the dirt between them. It wasn't a complicated plan and Quinn's part would be so minimal that it ensured the least amount of conflict.

It wasn't without dangers, but all of those dangers would be far away from Santana. It was the only plan Quinn would have accepted. As the night grew darker and their time together longer, Quinn realized any return she made to camp would be dangerous. Dinrah could gamble Quinn's discovery against what she believed Quinn knew. Dinrah didn't know about Eorun or her contact with the captain. Hopefully, she would allow the whole issue to blow over.

Eorun sensed Quinn's unease. "You're making the right decision, Quinn." He paused as if he struggled against himself to say his next words. "I think your father would have been proud to know what a thoughtful and skilled warrior you've become. I know the first time I served with him, he spoke of having a son and the joy it would bring him to see his line continue with a strong boy's shoulders to carry the weight of his honor. It wasn't until my third tour, right before the same rebellion where he was struck down, that I had the chance to ask him about his son. Your father told me with great pride of his daughter as if a son could never compare. I think he would still be proud of you."

Quinn's face flushed hot at Eorun's compliment. She had never known her father to be so open about his feelings, especially regarding his only child. Russel had been killed before he could learn of her promotion and had been out of the country when she had enlisted. Their only correspondence had been a simple note delivered via messenger from the front lines. It came two months after she took her vows as an Unblooded recruit.

Make Skyrim Proud

"Thank you, Captain Eorun, I can't tell you how much it means to hear you say that."

"I mean it. Now –" He made a signal to the surrounding woods. "I will make sure that one of my most trusted men accompanies you to the edge of your camp to ensure your safety. But I know Dinrah and if she believes she still has a hold of Santana, she will not attack you. So do not fear for your life; she will believe she is in control of the situation. And that will work to our advantage. Remember the plan. We will be nearby waiting for your signal. After we've successfully rescued Santana and brought Dinrah before the Jarl, I will make sure he knows of the part you played. May Talos watch over you, Quinn." He offered his hand as a sign of respect.

Quinn and Eorun's soldier made their way cautiously up the pass until Quinn no longer felt safe keeping him nearby. She dismissed him with a message to Eorun that she would follow their plan and that bringing his men any closer to Dinrah's camp would needlessly endanger them. She entered the clearing where Santana and Dinrah nursed a fire and a few birds on the spit.

Santana didn't look up, but she poked at the embers with more concentration and vigor. Dinrah, however, made eye contact with Quinn immediately and never looked away. The tutor's stare was pensive and calculating. It made Quinn wonder if Dinrah knew where she had been for most of the afternoon. Did she know of their plans? Did she know Quinn knew she was a fraud?

"I see you've returned, officer." Dinrah's voice was guarded.

"I had no choice. Honor demands I fulfill my duty."

Dinrah pressed. "I have no more packs to rummage and you've declined every offer of tutelage I've given you. You've spent two days away from Santana and I thought her safety was your most important assignment. So, officer, what would you call your duty?"

"I wished to discuss that with you…" Quinn glanced toward Santana who was no longer pretending she couldn't see or hear their conversation. "…in private."

Dinrah also looked at Santana before slowly nodding. "Lead the way, officer. I think this talk is long overdue."

Santana must have sensed the nature of their conversation and overheard at least some of it because she finally stopped ignoring Quinn's presence. She stood from the fire and walked toward her friend.

"Quinn…" Santana breathed quietly so they wouldn't be overheard by Dinrah. Despite their recent disagreements, there were some lines neither of them would cross. One of them being their pride. "I don't know what's wrong with you…but we don't need to fight and we don't need to involve Dinrah…"

Quinn felt her stomach flutter and her left hand shook with nerves. She met Santana's concerned gaze with one of her own. "Santana, just remember that I'm doing this for you. No matter what happens next, okay?"

"You don't have to do anything, Quinn. It's fine. Just let it go? I promise, I'll let it go too and we can go back to normal."

"That's all I want too." Quinn nodded and steeled her resolve before walking away.

Even when they disagreed, they were both just trying to protect each other. This was for the best. Dinrah was dangerous and Santana was too trusting. Maybe one day, Santana would forgive her.

Dinrah patiently waited at the edge of their camp and fell into step behind Quinn. They walked in silence through the twilight. The light of the stars and the moons cast enough light so they could move with care. Quinn tried to remain calm, but she could feel Dinrah's proximity. She knew the swordswoman still had her weapon strapped to her waist and could kill Quinn in a heartbeat.

However nervous Dinrah made her, Quinn tried to keep her mind on the map Eorun drew on the ground. He said his men would be staged near the clearing where they would practice. All Quinn had to do was get them into position and they would apprehend Dinrah while Eorun would extract Santana.

When they reached the spot that Eorun had marked, Quinn finally stopped walking and turned around to face Dinrah.

Dinrah's blonde ponytail and sharp eyes refocused on Quinn. She held anger in her jaw, but her eyes were softer than when she confronted Quinn before.

"You wanted to talk to me in private, officer?"

"I did." Quinn resisted the urge to grip her hilt, but she hadn't seen any signs of Eorun's soldiers and she was unsure how long she could stall Dinrah by herself. "I do."

"Then speak, officer. I am sure you have much to say in ways of an apology for breaking my trust." Dinrah narrowed her eyes. "I am not one who easily forgives, but for Santana's sake and the respect she holds for you, I can bend."

Quinn felt the nerves in her fingertips transfer to heat in her stomach. It was insulting that Dinrah could claim to offer Quinn an extension of mercy. "I am not here to ask for your forgiveness, but to say you are not as you claim to be."

Dinrah tilted her head, but didn't deny the charges. "I don't know what you are th-"

She stopped talking and her eyes quickly darted around the brush. Without saying another word, Dinrah withdrew her sword. Her eyes grew wide as she looked back at Quinn.

"What have you done?"

Quinn took a step back and placed a hand on her own sword. Her heart raced and her palms were sweaty. There was no time to respond to the question. Eorun's men broke through the brush. A few of them held their bows with arrows drawn, but the rest were ready to charge forward with swords.

The soldier who escorted Quinn from Eorun's camp stepped forward in Quinn's direction. His face was covered and he wore a Windhelm helmet, but Quinn recognized the way he moved and his dark hair. He aimed the point of his sword directly at Dinrah's throat.

"Drop your swords." He commanded.

Quinn instantly unsheathed her sword and complied to the order.

However, Dinrah hesitated. The swordsmaster eyed her current situation. She was outnumbered and betrayed. She had let her guard down when she thought her conversation would be with the young Quinn only. However, she didn't drop her blade. Instead, she met Quinn's eyes.

"Drop your sword, Dinrah." His voice lowered with unspoken threats.

"I yield." Dinrah released her grip on her sword. She was good, but she knew when to fight another day.

"It's over, Dinrah. You will answer for your crimes."

"My crimes pale in comparison to yours and Eorun's. I will have my retribution."

"You will have as much as you have now, Dinrah…" He took another step toward the center, closer to Quinn. "…nothing."

"We shall see. There's no reason to involve outsiders. Take me to Eorun and we can settle our differences face to face." Dinrah's eyes flashed dangerously, but she made no moves to pick up her sword and fight him.

Quinn felt relief that the entire situation had been handled without a fight, but subduing Dinrah was only half of the plan. Santana's safety was the reason Quinn had agreed to help Eorun and his soldiers.

Thank Talos it was over.

"Has Captain Eorun made it to our camp? Is Santana safe-?" Quinn couldn't complete her question.

Something was wrong.

Something didn't feel right.

She looked down and felt all the blood in her cheeks drain as she watched the soldier's sword slide out of her stomach. The blade pulled at her skin and had sliced through her light armor. She looked up in disbelief and searched his callous eyes for an answer, but all she felt was cold – an unbearable – unreal cold. This wasn't real. It couldn't be real. Her body moved as if she had no control. Quinn dropped to her knees shaking and put a hand to her stomach. Blood – her blood – bubbled over her fingers.

Dinrah's voice seemed so far away as she cried out Quinn's name. The sound of steel clashed and echoed around her, but Quinn couldn't keep her eyes open. She couldn't see anything. She struggled to breathe; her mouth filled, but it wasn't with air. Her eyelids seemed impossibly heavy as she tasted metal and dirt.

Then nothing.

End Part II