Chapter Twenty-Three

Rowen had returned to Lakeview Manor after saying her goodbyes to Serana. She had stayed there for months awaiting Serana's return. At first Llewellyn and Lydia seemed to believe that Rowen had killed both Ysolda and Serana in a bitter dispute between lovers. Rowen had walked in on their whisperings one night. At the sight of Rowen entering a room, Llyewellyn grabbed his flute and began playing in a forced, punctuated tune. Rowen knew she could not take much more of this, so she left a note nailed to the door that announced she would be headed to Whiterun for hunting.

Walking past the stables of Whiterun, Rowen eyed what appeared to be a mostly naked woman fast asleep in a pile of hay. Rowen gave a questioning stare to the stable master. Jervar gave a helpless shrug and continued shoeing his horse. Rowen tapped the sleeping girl's barefoot, and stepped back as the girl rose and grasped her head.

"Where am I? Ugh, my head. OH! It's you!" The girl started.

Rowen began to nod. It was rare that people still recognized her as the Dragonborn, but there were still a few loyal followers that recognized her efforts.

The half-naked girl began to stammer, "I mean…What? No, I've never seen you before. I have no idea who you are. It's not like I have been stalking you, or anything…"

Rowen frowned, "You have 1 minute to get dressed and get out of Jervar's stables…"

"No, wait! Don't leave! I'm injured! And, you have to take me with you, otherwise I might die and you wouldn't want that on your conscience."

Rowen laughed, "On my conscience? You really aren't an observant stalker are you?"

"OK, fine. I'm not injured. But, if you take me with you, I will make it worth your while…"

"I'm not interested," Rowen said flatly as she turned to walk away.

"You won't find anyone tougher than me in Skyrim. Not to mention as good looking," the half-naked girl swayed as she stood. Rowen considered her for a moment, "What's your name, girl?"

"Oh I haven't introduced myself have I? My name is Sofia, but you already knew that."

"Am I supposed to know this? Is your name tattooed on some part of your body that isn't exposed?" Rowen retorted.

"Well, I am quite well known in Skyrim, although I'm, not sure it's for the right reasons. I kind of see myself as an adventurer…although it's no fun without anyone to witness my heroic deeds…"

"I see," Rowen said as she eyed the girl. She was certainly very beautiful. Her milky, white skin and dark hair reminded her of Serana. This made Rowen feel suddenly very guilty. She remembered the way Serana's skin seemed to glow in the moonlight as she undressed before the hot spring.

"Oh, and stop staring at my body. It's like you've never seen a semi-naked woman before," Sofia snapped.

Rowen rolled her eyes, "Fine, I could probably use the company." Sofia grinned at Rowen as she stood with her hands on her hips.

"What happened to your clothes, Sofia?"

Sofia bit her lip and shifted, "My memory is a little fuzzy. But, if you happen to have any, I would appreciate it." Rowen dug inside of her bag until she found a simple black robe, "I guess I can't have you following me around like that, imagine if Serana were to see us like this." Sofia grabbed the robe and started to slide it over her head, "Serana? That doesn't sound like a name for a male lover."

"Well, she's a woman, so that's why she has a woman's name."

"This explains why you are so interested in looking at a semi-naked woman's body," Sofia teased.

Rowen raised an eyebrow, "You haven't been stalking me for too long if my type is surprising to you."

"Is Serana your wife?" Sofia continued.

"No, I'm not married," Rowen shook her head, "Not anymore, at least."

"Serana is your ex-wife then?"

"No, I was married to a woman named Ysolda. She found out that I was in love with Serana, and I guess you could say Serana found out about one too many of my romps in the hay with semi-naked women," Rowen forced a small smile. Sofia gave a knowing nod, "You deserved it then?" Rowen shrugged her bag back onto her back, "I probably had it coming to me."

"So, what brings you to Whiterun?" Sofia's voice had an almost musical ring to it.

"I live here for part of the year," Rowen explained, "This is where I do most of my hunting." Sofia was staring at Rowen's crimson eyes.

"I mostly hunt mammoth and deer," Rowen continued on, "Sometimes, a Giant stands in the way."

Sofia had both hands in the pockets of her robes, "Maybe, tonight you could show me your home and tomorrow you could show me how to hunt." Rowen knew Sofia's type and knew the she wasn't as naïve as she was pretending to be. But, it was the first real contact with someone other than a bard and a housecarl for almost a year.

The bottles of wine lay discarded between them. Sofia finished singing The Dragonborn Comes for the second time. Rowen clapped, "You're really very good, but you're terrible with the lyrics." Sofia grabbed the goblet of wine and held it to Rowen's lips. Rowen drank from it slowly. Sofia turned the goblet to her own lips and drank as she began to straddle Rowen's lap. "So, teach me how it goes." Rowen turned and tried to force herself to a standing position, but Sofia grabbed Rowen's hands and led them to her breasts. Rowen groaned as Sofia led her hands up and down her body. "Sofia, I can't do this," Rowen explained as she pulled away. Sofia disregarded her and put the wine goblet down on the table beside them. "Do you want to do this?" Sofia asked bluntly. "No, I really do not want it," Rowen sounded unconvincing. She groaned loudly as Sofia pressed her body to her. Rowen could feel the heat of Sofia's sex so close to her own. Sofia reached for the tiny dagger that she kept hidden on a belt at her thigh and slowly sliced the palm of her hand. "Taste me," she beckoned Rowen. Rowen grabbed Sofia by the wrist and licked the blood from her palm. She tasted like blackberries to her. "Sofia," Rowen begged. Sofia grabbed the edge of her robe and slipped it over her head. Rowen closed her eyes as she felt Sofia grasping her hands and leading them between her thighs. She could feel Sofia's hot, velvety flesh on the tips of her fingers. Sofia sighed and rocked herself onto Rowen's palm. Rowen jerked her hand away and lifted Sofia as she stood abruptly, "I don't want to do this." Sofia looked at her accusingly, "She's not coming back to you…it has been almost a year and she hasn't even tried to contact you!" Rowen felt a headache coming on, "I know that! It's not about that! I just don't want to do it!" Sofia stood and swayed, "You're lying!" Rowen crossed the room and pulled back the covers to her bedroll. She felt Sofia's eyes still on her as she pulled the covers up and over her head. "I still love her, Sofia," Rowen closed her eyes and could see Serana's face. She remembered how hurt she looked as she listed off the names of her ex-lovers. Rowen felt disgusted with herself, "I just don't…."

"I know, I know, you don't want to," Sofia shot back in the darkness. Rowen pulled the covers closely to shield herself from Sofia's gaze. "Do you not think that I am beautiful?" Sofia sounded hurt. Rowen could picture her pouting in the darkness and sighed, "Sofia, you knowthat you are beautiful." Rowen started pulling her hair loose from its leather strap and remembered the way Serana's nails felt on her scalp as she plaited her hair. What is a year for an immortal? It felt like only yesterday that Rowen was handing Serana the ring and saying her goodbyes. Rowen rubbed at her temples, she could still smell Sofia's longing on the tips of her fingers. Taste me.

"I hate to say it, but I think you would be better off if you could get a good fuck out of your system," Sofia added from the other end of the room.

"I think you deserve a little bit more than me using you to get over my ex," Rowen turned in her bedroll to face Sofia who was still completely naked. Rowen admired her for a moment too long and Sofia noticed.

"I didn't want to marry you," Sofia started, "I just thought we could have a good time together."

"Is this why you were naked in the stables?" Rowen asked.

"It isn't all about you, you know," Sofia teased, "I have other admirers."

"Well, don't let me stop you," Rowen felt annoyed at the girl. Sofia grabbed her cloak and headed for the door. Rowen imagined what Sofia would do. Whose bedroll she would find herself in that night. Maybe, Sofia was right. Maybe, she just needed to get a good fuck out of her system. Taste me. Rowen put her tongue to the tip of her finger and pictured Sofia straddled across her lap, her hips rocking back and forth against the tips of her fingers.

This wasn't what she wanted, and she knew she needed to leave. Rowen grabbed her bedroll and knapsack, then headed for the door.

Rowen fully intended to hunt while she was in Whiterun, so she made her west, passing Fort Graymoor. Her map indicated that she was close to an area called Sleeping Tree Cave, which she could use to bed down for the night. She was able to slip inside of the cave unnoticed. Only a single Giant met her at the entrance of the cave. Rowen took the Giant by surprise with two quick ebony arrows to his massive skull.

Rowen entered the cave and was struck by her surroundings. The corpse of a young Orc littered the back wall. Upon further investigation, it seemed the young fellow went by the name Ulag.

Rowen retrieved a note from Ulag's pocket.

Don't try to stiff me on this deal, Ulag.

I can talk the Khajiit caravans into a better price than you'd be able to, and the guards are still looking for you after that little skooma incident. Just bring the sap to my stall in Whiterun like we discussed.

-Ysolda

Rowen had to reread the note several times before she finally began to understand. Ysolda was running a drug ring out of her shop in Whiterun?Rowen almost started laughing at the notion of it all. She had stopped at Ysolda's stall earlier in the day only to find a scared, little Nord behind the counter. Rowen had asked the Nord about Ysolda, but the boy would only say that Ysolda had many shops that she was now running. The Whiterun shop was one of many.

Less than a year and you're already leading a major drug operation.Clearly, this was a woman Rowen had underestimated all along.

Rowen unpacked her bedroll in a dark corner of the cave and stuffed the note deep into her pocket. She quietly wondered if she would ever cross paths again with Ysolda.

Chapter Twenty-Four