Fate's Games

(A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I've been busy with a lot of other stories and a lack of motivation. There will be multiple chapters up today, though.)

From Afar

She admired him from afar. She always had. She'd never approached him, she never planned to. Call her an adoring fan, if you would, but she couldn't help it. Everything he did fascinated her, and half the time she didn't even know why. It was a sort of obsession, she supposed, her own little obsession. She couldn't help it. He was highly intellectual, skilled with spells, incantations, enchanting, and alchemy. He was quiet, he kept to himself. She'd always liked the silent type. He was pompous, unintentionally of course but pompous nonetheless, yet still she admired him. From afar, mind you, always from afar.

They'd never spoken. Never in her wildest dreams had she assumed they would ever speak. Until, of course, the day he walked into her shop unexpectedly. It had been about three months ago, she knew. He had walked into her shop and silently gone to her counter to examine her wares. She could hardly breathe. Farengar was right there in front of her. He gave no hint at even having seen her. There had been no hello from him, no anything. She couldn't find her voice to speak, so there was silence in the shop. She continued on with her business, trying to pretend he wasn't there, he continued on with his schedule, browsing the ingredients.

Looking back in time to that day, she realized how true the words she'd just spoken to the Dragonborn now had been. Referencing a love potion she intended to make, she'd told her, "Maybe I'll test it on Farengar." She was seriously pondering it, now that it was on her mind. Looking back in time she wondered how either she or the court wizard had ever even gotten into a conversation in the first place…

ES

Few considered her an educated woman, she knew. She certainly didn't act or look the part. She didn't try. Why bother? He certainly didn't consider her an intellectual. He wouldn't have even bothered talking to her, she knew, had she not dropped an ingredient, a lavender flower. She gasped, looking back as it fell. He glanced up and saw it. Quickly he stretched out his hand and caught it in a telekinesis spell. He drew it to himself as she got down off of her perch. She approached, flustered and blushing. It was probably best to look down so he wouldn't see.

"Thank you," she muttered as he handed the lavender over to her. Gods, she could have kicked herself. Standing right in front of her obsession and all she could say was 'thank you?' She felt as if she were a young girl, still in school. Those years she would have liked to forget. She'd been an awkward young woman. In a way she still was. She wasn't all that attractive, so that didn't help her self-esteem. She stroked the petals of the flower and took in its scent. It calmed her. She turned her back on him and quickly went to put the flower where it belonged.

"I find the scent of lavender intoxicating. Did you know that it is good for not only fortifying stamina but also for fortifying conjuration?" Farengar asked. "Quite a dark trait for such a beautiful flower. Resist Magic Fortify Stamina, Ravage Magika, Fortify Conjuration.

"You're forgetting that it also ravages magika as well as resists it," she replied, smirking. She started, smile falling, and blushed. She turned quickly. Had they just started a conversation?

ES

Farengar had blinked blankly at her, she remembered, obviously taken aback. Apparently he hadn't suspected she would know that about the flower. "How did you know?" he asked.

"Oh, uh, I'm studying to be a healer. I'm really quite good at it. All the potions you see here were brewed by me. Besides, lavender is my favorite flower," she replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

He smirked, saying, "As it is mine. These potions are all yours?"

"Yes, I've been studying alchemy since I was young, and magic a little, and medical," she replied.

"Funny. I never would have suspected it," he said. "You are…"

"Arcadia," she answered. "Oh, and you're Farengar, of course, the, err, Court Wizard."

"My reputation precedes me," he remarked. "I didn't realize I had one." By the tone of his voice and his expression she would go out on a limb and say the idea of having a reputation didn't appeal to him. He preferred staying to himself.

"You don't, I've been watching you. I mean wait, that didn't, um, come out right?" she lamely said, blushing deeply. He smiled, amused. "I have to go!" she exclaimed, quickly hurrying towards a back room.

"Until next time, Arcadia," he remarked, entertained.

That first time had been a simple visit of curiosity, on his part. She didn't honestly expect him to come back. What had started as a curiosity for him, though, became a habit. He frequented her shop from that day on, coming in late when few would be around. He was a loner and he made no secret of it. It drew her all the closer to him. They often spoke, sometimes late, passed closing time. There was a bond between them, in a way. They were very much alike yet very different. Similar opposites, if that made any sense. She found it romantic. She wondered if he even knew what romance was, or if he cared for it at all. She watched the Dragonborn leave after delivering Farengar's fire salts. She was worried. Was he all right, she wondered?

ES

"I do have another favor to ask of you," Farengar said to the Dragonborn.

"Name it," she answered.

"Deliver these fire salts to Arcadia. I haven't been able to do it," he said. The Dragonborn took the salts and left. Farengar watched after her feeling frustrated. He hadn't been able to get down to Arcadia's Cauldron for some time now. For the life of him he didn't understand why that had made him feel so sick to the stomach. Of course he couldn't go far from the palace. He had been ill. It was only getting worse. Hopefully it would pass so that he could resume his regular routine. He cringed in pain, holding his head. It was killing him. He felt warm. He drew his hands down his face and went into his room to lie down.

He didn't wake up the next day, or the day after. The whole of the Jarl's Court was beginning to fear for his very life, and so just as was done whenever there was a problem they didn't know how to deal with, they called in the Dragonborn. "Dragonborn, send for Arcadia. She is one of the best Diagnosticians and Alchemists we have. Perhaps she can tell what is wrong," Irileth stated. As tasked, the Dragonborn left to find the alchemist.

ES

Arcadia raced after the heroine, fear and worry in her eyes. How long had this illness, whatever it was, been festering? She followed the Dragonborn into Dragonsreach and into Farengar's sleeping chambers. She gasped in alarm, covering her mouth. He was shivering, sweating, writhing in pain. "Oh no," she said.

"What is it?" the Dragonborn questioned. "A fever?

"It's a fever all right, but it's a bad one," she answered, quickly going to the wizard's bedside and placing a cold towel on his head, dabbing it lightly. He moaned, trying to wake up but unable to. "It's okay, it's okay. You're all right, you're going to be all right," she cooed soothingly to him; but she was very, very scared.

ES

Farengar was amazed. She was there, watching him. She was still at his side. She was nursing him. He knew he was no easy person to handle when ill; demanding, childlike, insistent, irritable. How she was still here with him was beyond his understanding, but he was grateful for it, very much so. "Thank you," he suddenly said to her as she was brewing a potion while he watched from the bed. She paused and turned, curious. "I am not the easiest man to get along with when suffering."

She smirked and answered, "You're right. I feel as if I'm taking care of a child." He cringed. Ouch. She laughed and went to him with the brew. She sat on the side of his bed and said, "I've always loved children." She frowned, thinking that over, then asked, "Did that come out wrong?"

"It depends on how one interprets it. As it is, I believe I understand," he answered, smiling amusedly. She smiled shyly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. He liked when she did that. "Thank you," he said again.

"You've thanked me already," she replied.

"And a thousand times more," he replied. "I would be dead now, if not for you." She cringed and looked down, frowning. She didn't like the idea of that.

"I wasn't about to let any such thing happen. If you had died… Divines, you mean so much to me," she said. She paled and caught her breath. She'd actually spoken out loud! Farengar was looking at her in shock. "I-I mean, that is, that didn't come out…" she began.

All at once, smiling, his hand went behind her head and gently pulled her down. He took her lips softly with his own and held her there. After a long moment he released her. She stayed still, her lips parted and her breath stolen away. She finally managed to start breathing again. She looked down at him in disbelief and hope. "Do not keep trying to hide away your thoughts on me. I believe I'm becoming rather fond of you myself," he stated, smirking tenderly.