GOD I AM SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT BUT ITS FINALLY DONE!
the worst part is it's mostly been done for like a year but I couldn't figure out which direction I wanted to take it-there's two versions of this chapter...
regardless, here it is! i hope u guys like it!
if u have anything u wanna see in this fic, let me know, i'm curious to hear ur ideas!
You know how they say your vision goes red with rage? In this moment, I know it to be true.
Like a bull in Spain, I charge the Draugr Lord as if it is the one waving my red flag aloft, screaming bloody murder all the while. It must die and I must be the one to kill it. There is no other option, not while Malukh is bleeding on the floor.
Malukh chokes out something lost to my rage as my blade meets the Draugr's in a sharp clash of steel. I think back to my training with Malukh in Riverwood a week ago. Since I would likely be smaller and weaker than many potential opponents I'd encounter in Skyrim, Malukh taught me a number of disarming moves.
It would be far easier to kill an opponent without a weapon to defend against mine. I've only practiced them a handful of times in the few hours we had sparred, so there's no saying if I'll be able to execute these properly. And I've yet to use any of them in actual combat, as I've favored the bow thus far.
I don't have time to think about that fact, or what'll happen if I lose. This creature is upon me, right now. I grunt as we push against each other in a heated moment, a battle of who can overwhelm the other. A battle I will surely lose if I don't think of something quick. I can already feel it pushing against me, my feet sliding slightly against the floor.
The draugr leans in with far too much sentience to be just a zombie, and I cringe as the flesh of its mouth pulls back in an eerie smile, revealing rotted teeth and forcing me back further. I grunt and try to maintain what little grip I have left on my sword when it knocks me several steps back, simultaneously freeing me from my predicament and swiftly putting me into a new one.
I'm suddenly on the defensive as it approaches me with a guttural, demonic growl, pounding upon its chest in challenge. I pant and re-ready my sword for the next blow. I risk a quick glance towards Malukh. He's collapsed against the tomb, propped up against it but slouching heavily. I see his hand pressed against the bloody wound, his heavy gaze set on me. It looks like he's trying to get his pack off to access its contents with his other hand.
I have to look away as I just barely block the next hit, then another and another, hissing as each blow strains the muscles of my arms to the point of pain. My body seems to be moving on its own, as if possessed by someone who actually knows what they're doing. Think, think.
As it goes to strike me again, I catch its sword with mine and put all my strength into my arm, spinning the blade in an attempt to strain the creature's wrist. Or at least prevent it from using its blade. I don't know if these things even feel pain. I try not to let the excitement well up in me as it seems to be working. I just have to finish the rotation. Almost, almost—
Then, it Shouts again. I have no time to react as it opens its mouth.
"F U S!"
Another wave of unbridled energy rakes over my body and I scream, feeling my feet actually lift off of the ground. Malukh makes a choked, disgruntled sound somewhere in front of me at my cry but all I hear is the cracking of my back as I go flying and smack hard against the ground. The breath is knocked out of me, losing my grip on my sword. It skids across the stone a few feet away, out of reach.
Aughh.. My back.
I'm seeing double for a moment, looking up towards the cavernous ceiling looming above. Footsteps approach, and the realization that it's the draugr shakes the fog from my mind. I suck in a breath and plunge a hand towards my sword in a moment of true desperation. How could I let this happen? My only weapon, out of reach! My fingers ghost over the tip of the pommel when suddenly the zombie stomps on my wrist. I hiss in pain as my eyes dart up to the creature.
What I see makes my blood run cold. Its sword is gripped high above in both hands, ready to plunge it straight into my belly. A choked cry escapes my throat. I failed. I'm going to die first. The creature laughs once again, a throaty almost otherworldly sound, equally as chilling as the first time.
I shut my eyes, unable to move out of the way despite all my twisting. The foot on my wrist keeps me in place, even as I tug with reckless abandon to escape. Even with genuine panic and adrenaline coursing through me, it is still not enough to grant me the strength to free myself.
I'm so sorry, Malukh. I hope you can forgive me.
Before I can succumb to my fate, a vicious roar cuts through the air. I hear rather than see the heavy swing of a weapon, my eyes popping wide a moment too late. The Draugr is hit from the side with such a mighty blow that it's sent crashing to the floor away from me with a choked gurgle.
With my wrist freed, I hastily snatch my blade up just as a weakened Malukh collapses beside me. His eyes roll back into his skull, completely out cold. Blood quickly begins to pool from underneath him, the sight making my gut twist painfully.
No.. He didn't grab a potion? Why?! To help me?
My heart is beating painfully. I need to finish this fast. I clamber to my feet, my eyes glued to the weakened body of the draugr. I stumble over to its still prone form, my body drained of energy from an arduous and painful day, each step proving to be a challenge. Everything is screaming with exertion.
Even in his weakened state, Malukh's blow nearly cleaved a chunk of the draugr's chest cavity out. It struggles to move, its sword lost in the blow. Just like I had been moments before. Even now its pawing at its lost weapon with a skeletal hand, staring at me with hatred. I have to hurry—even its mouth is a weapon. I stomp my foot onto the wrist closest to the weapon that is just out of reach and give it the most shit-eating grin I can muster, a spiteful, nasty thing.
"Fuck—" I raise my sword pommel down in a plunging position, before sending it down as hard as I can. "—You!"
I find it's easier to stab something unliving because I stab it over and over until the fire of those demon eyes are snuffed out. I pant heavily in a moment of victory, then immediately resolve to go to Malukh's side, my sword dropping to the floor to be forgotten with a clang.
"Malukh! Oh, my god." I cry, tears welling up in my eyes as I sink to my knees beside his unconscious body. "No, no.."
I roughly remove my pack and throw it to the ground in a frenzy. Potion, potion, potion—when I feel the glass beneath the pads of my fingers, I nearly sob in relief. Tell me it's not too late… Malacath, if you're watching, now's the fucking time to intervene!
He's lying face down in a pool of his own blood, forcing me to gingerly flip him as best I can. Blood coats my hands and clothing and the warm wetness of it makes my gut churn. He's incredibly heavy, doubly so with the armor and dead weight. I gulp at the word dead. No, he'll live. I refuse to believe anything else.
Hot tears slip down my cheeks, wracking my chest with sobs as I try to move him. Damn it, damn it. Why do you have to be so heavy, big guy? Finally, I manage to push him over by the shoulder and he lolls to the side limply, his mouth agape. Blood stains his mouth and chin from where he spat up during the initial stab. He looks incredibly pale, the warmth seeping out of him by the second.
My hands shake as I uncork the vial and proceed to scoot around to support his head with my knees as a pillow. I put the bottle to his lips with an unsteady hand, tears blurring my vision.
"Don't die. Please don't die." I whisper miserably as the liquid slips down his throat. "Please…"
He fights against it subconsciously, even choking slightly and coughing it back up. I tighten my grip, crying harder. When that bottle is empty, I go for another and pour that one down the hatch too. Then another. To my knowledge, these are minor healing potions—maybe it's not enough? Is his wound too great? I don't even know how many we have left!
It can't be, it just can't, I don't know what else to—
Malukh starts, a heaving gasp ripping through him as he jolts into consciousness in my arms, nearly scaring the crap out of me. But most of all, sending a wave of relief rushing through me. Alive. Still alive. I softly run my hands along his temples as he coughs and sputters in my lap, my tears dripping onto his cheeks. I hastily wipe them away, hushing him with quiet murmurs.
"Shh.. it's alright… you're okay."
I'm not entirely sure it's him that I'm reassuring.
His eyes look around disorientedly as he sucks in gulps of air, not focusing on any one thing. I lean down with trembling, chapped lips and press a kiss to his forehead, avoiding the small bones lining his browline. My heart swells with a feeling I can't describe.
"..You saved me again, you big idiot." I whimper, choking on my sobs. "Don't put yourself on the line for melike that.. I might get the w-wrong idea."
His eyes seem to focus, gazing up at my distraught face. His hand reaches up, the one covered in blood, and cups my cheek. I feel it smear on my skin. He's out of it, he must be, or he wouldn't dare to touch me like that..right? His lips move in a silent whisper as no words are coming out. More tears escape my eyes. His hand brushes them away and I lean into the touch.
I think… something has changed. Something within me. And.. I'm not sure what. His hand slowly drops from my face to the floor again.
"S..Sara.." his somewhat pained voice startles me, and I jolt in his hold. "Help me.. to stand, would you?"
"C-Can you even?" I cry, moving out from under him to inspect his waist. "Let me see…"
He grunts as his head drops from my lap, thudding dully against the floor. I give him an apologetic look. "Shit.. sorry, I.. Sorry."
He just grumbles tiredly, letting his head fall back and shutting his eyes. I glare at him, despite him not being able to see it.
"Hey, no sleeping! I only just got you back." I demand sternly despite the shaking to my voice, kneeling over his torso.
I lift up the somewhat gooey and drenched bloody bit of his tunic underneath the iron plating of his armor carefully, but when I see no outward reaction from Malukh I inspect it unabashedly. The skin is smoothed over and freshly healed, but a dark scar remains, the skin puckered and somewhat warped from where the blade had pierced through. I wince at the sight of it.
"How .. How does it look?" Malukh tiredly inquires from below while peeking at me with one eye.
I purse my lip. It's pretty gnarly but I don't want to scare him. "..Uhh.. Better."
Malukh chuckles almost knowingly before he slowly tries to sit up. I suck in a breath and move to help him, causing him to give me a funny look. I wilt under it, my cheeks flushing. His gaze now sends a pang of something strange through my belly. I notice his face has fully healed as well, restoring him to his full glory. Oddly, seeing that makes me even more flustered.
"You don't have to coddle me. I'm fine now." he chides, though by his tone it's more in jest than anything. "Orcs do not go down without a fight."
I reach for him but stop myself partway, earning another look from him. This one is less scolding, more.. curious? Surprised? I pull back my hand and let it sit in my lap as I rest back on my heels. I'm surprised at myself.
"I'm sorry.. I'm not trying to be. I just.." I hesitate, feeling his full attention on me. "I thought you were..." I pause, my eyes wettening. "..I was scared, is all."
Malukh softens, sitting up straighter. It looks like he has something he wants to say too, but decides against it in favor of something else. A slight smirk crosses his full lips, his brow raising teasingly. Uh oh, what is that for?
"I had no idea such rage was held within that tiny little body of yours." he comments.
My cheeks immediately set aflame. "I-I.. What—" I sputter. "What did you expect?! Of course I was angry! He was going to kill us!"
"I must say, I am impressed. Perhaps there is hope for you in battle after all."
"Hmph. Well, next time I'll try not to care about you so much!" I huff in embarrassment, moving to stand.
His hand stops me at my wrist, pulling me back to look at him. I whirl to face him in surprise. His expression is different now, all joking aside, replaced with something .. fonder? I'm at a loss for words seeing such an expression on Malukh's face, my mouth opening and closing noiselessly.
"Do not say such a thing. I might get the wrong idea."
My heart pounds painfully in my chest. Didn't I just say the same thing..? My face burns hotly. Or.. did he hear me say that? I'm frozen to the floor, staring into his knowing eyes.
Something's changed.
My gaze narrows softly, and I steel my resolve to say the next words. "..Would that be such a bad thing..?"
His grip tightens slightly, his eyes sporting the same look as mine. There's a strange tension in the air as we stare at each other. Ahhh, my heart is going to burst. I gently pull my wrist away, clearing my throat and avoiding his piercing gaze while I climb to my feet. I hold out a hand for him to take, pointedly avoiding looking in his general direction.
"Let's be on our way, then, shall we?" I suggest timidly.
There's a brief pause before I feel his heavy hand grip mine and he practically pulls me down with him. I grunt and steady myself, giving him a playfully dirty look that he meets with a smirk.
"God, you're heavy. You almost died because I could hardly flip you over." I huff as we both stand to our full heights.
Malukh grunts deeply, stretching his weary body. I hear him crack bones in several places. "Get stronger, then."
"Hey, you're the one who got stabbed first." I retort sharply.
"Because I was worried about—" he stops himself mid-sentence, his eyes widening slightly in realization. His expression gets considerably more embarrassed as he grumbles. "Ugh. Forget it."
I feel my face flush when I realize what his next words might've been. What..what is this feeling? And how do I make it stop? We nearly died just now for god's sake! I need to focus.
Hmm. Now, where's that shitty stone? I cross over to the now empty tomb and peer inside. Just sitting in the middle is the stone, perfectly preserved and intact. Perfect! As I go to lift it—I barely lift it two inches before my arms waver and I drop it down. Good lord, it's heavy. I try again, my fingers tightly gripping the edges and pulling to no avail.
Malukh steps up to me and snorts at my failing attempts. I give him another dirty look and put my hands on my hips, gesturing with one hand towards the stone.
"Go ahead. Give it a shot, then!"
Malukh reaches in one-handed and scoops it out with ease, holding it aloft. I deadpan. He deadpans. He goes so far as to lift it up and down to rub salt in the wound, smirking, his muscled bicep flexing with each rep. When he's satisfied with my sulking, he dumps it into his pack without an inch of effort. You know, why am I not surprised?
"...When did you get a personality..?" I grumble lowly under my breath, though I can't help but smile. "Careful you don't pull a muscle, hot-shot."
Malukh chortles heartily at that.
Dragonstone retrieved, we go to check the big ass master chest off to the side calling to us. When Malukh lifts the lid, my mouth falls open. It's chock full of septims. More gold than I'd ever know what to do with. Some of it spills down and clinks to the floor. Holy shit. How on earth would anyone ever be able to transport this thing?
"Too bad we can't take the whole thing." he remarks. "Don't grab more than you can carry. Gold becomes quite heavy, and makes you a target."
I sigh, scooping a generous amount into my bag. He is right, though. As I heft it over my shoulder, it's weighed down considerably. Bursts of pain make themselves known all over me. I'm going to be insanely sore tomorrow–hell, I already am.
We then climb the long set of stairs towards the exit together and once at the top, I pull the little lever in the stone pillar to lower the rock covering our path, until we're finally on our merry way. Malukh and I remain relatively close to each other the whole way out, each of us moving sluggishly.
I think that maybe we're both a little rattled by the events of tonight, whether we admit it to each other or not. I know I am. I keep casting glances his way as if to make sure he's really still there. That he's alive. He's still pale, his skin damp with sweat and that worries me.
We enter a small dimly lit cavern with a strange little monument covered in flowers, decorating the skull sitting atop it. Other than that, there's a small chest that's half-sunken into the dirt. This one is small enough to carry, so I shove the whole thing into Malukh's bag, who just grumbles his annoyance. We're pretty much at capacity for things we can carry. At least we'll get a huge payout at the general store later.
Stepping outside into the chilly night air, I gasp, my gut sinking as I nearly plummet thirty feet when my foot slips beneath me. Malukh grunts and moves quickly, immediately pulling me back by the armor with remarkable reaction time. Ah, I forgot this ends in a fucking cliff. My heart thuds in my chest at the realization that I almost fell to my demise and I clutch at my chest in shock.
"Malacath's hairy knuckles, this day does not get any easier, does it?" Malukh sighs, stepping up to peer down the ledge before us.
Ignoring my internal panic, I raise a brow at his.. interesting curse. I chuckle nervously. "Careful now. Malacath might not like people mentioning his hairy knuckles."
He scoffs, though a tired smile fights its way onto his face. Malukh releases me when he's certain I won't somehow manage to throw myself off of the cliff, then starts to dig through his pack.
"I bought some rope a week prior, though we did not end up using it." He suddenly sends me an almost apologetic look that gives me a bad feeling.
Oh, oh no. We're going to rappel down? Can't we just… go back the way we came instead? It's all clear now! As if sensing my trepidation, he sighs, pulling out a thick pile of rope.
"You can just hold onto me while I go down, if you prefer."
I blink. Oh. I mean, that would be easier. It doesn't erase my fear but.. it eases it somewhat. But, he must be utterly exhausted. I keep noticing the sheen of sweat on his brow and neck and now I see the way he's breathing heavily. To have to carry my weight as well…
"I don't want to weigh you down. I'm carrying a lot of stuff as well and you were this close to death only minutes ago..."
But I also really don't want to do it by myself.
He rolls his eyes, sinking into a crouch to begin the tethering process. I watch him wrap it around a rather sturdy bit of rock and test the rope several times.
"I am fine. I could likely carry a frost troll upon my back with ease. Do not worry about me."
A retort sits on the tip of my tongue, a joke about comparing me to a frost troll, but it dies as I wrestle with my nerves. My fear of heights is no joke. I can't climb up higher than two steps on a ladder without clinging to the damn thing in abject horror.
"I .. I can't do it myself.. I'm really sorry." I reply uncomfortably, picking at my fingernails. "Heights are.. not good for me."
"Sara. I am your charge, remember? Use me whatever way you see fit." He says in return, meeting my eyes for emphasis, and I can't help noticing the almost suggestive undertone. Is he..? No, no, there's no way.
I frown while twiddling my fingers. I glance down the drop again and gulp, the decision settling in my stomach like a rock. He's going to be dead weight tomorrow with all the stress and exertion of today, but there's no other choice.
"I'll make it up to you somehow." I say.
He just shakes his head and tests the rope again just to make sure they're secure, then motions for me to approach. Embarrassedly, I do so until I'm standing awkwardly in front of him.
"How do you want to…?"
Malukh bends down slightly and I take that as a hint to.. I don't know, wrap my arms around his neck? Even with him bending, I have to stand on my tip-toes to tie my hands around and clasp them against the back of his nape. I gasp softly as he lifts me with an arm under my butt, giving me more leverage.
"Wrap your legs around. I will not be able to hold onto you." he grunts above my ear.
My face burns with newfound embarrassment. This is .. not what I expected. I'm almost so flustered I nearly forget why we're doing this in the first place. I follow his command and wrap my legs around his torso so he can have use of both hands, clinging as tightly as I can. I feel him moving and soon I'm staring over the ledge of a rather high drop. My gut sinks and I whimper, pressing my face into his throat. He stiffens but says nothing, sucking in a sharp breath.
"D-Don't drop me.. Please." I beg against his skin.
"It's all you right now. I'm not even holding you." he reminds me, his voice somewhat strained.
Heavier than you thought, huh? My legs must be crushing him with how tight I'm clenching.
The realization that I'm responsible for my own safety makes it even worse. I clamp my eyes shut, unable to stand looking out over the vantage point that I'm basically forced to face as Malukh gets into position.
All of the sudden, we lurch and I feel my gut rise up into my throat as we free fall for a split second, a choked sound escaping my throat. Then we jerk to a stop, forcing me to squeeze him to keep from falling. Oh my god, oh my god. I feel my breath catch and struggle to get air in.
He kicks against the wall once, twice, three times, each one making me whimper. I don't even realize we're on the ground until his voice is in my ear, hot breath fanning against my hair.
"Hey…" he murmurs, his arm moving to support my weight by wrapping around my midsection. "If it were any other time, I could carry you all the way to Riverwood, but…"
I breathe into his neck shakily. Ground, solid ground. His hands delicately lower my legs until my feet touch the ground and I audibly release the breath I was holding.
"I see you did not jest about your fear... It is over now, Sara. Look beneath you."
"..Y-Yeah.. Yeah it is. You're right. Sorry." I gasp softly, realizing I have him trapped in what could constitute as a headlock. "Oh! Ah..I'm—"
As I pull back with my hands still softly gripping his neck, we are just looking at each other, faces mere inches apart with Malukh curling in towards me. My heart starts to race as I'm caught in his gaze like a deer in headlights.
I gulp and let him go at once, my stomach aflutter with butterflies. Damn it, that feeling is back. I have to stop thinking this way, but I was just wrapped around him like one of those fuckin' slap bracelets for God's sake.
I clear my throat and brush a lock of hair behind my ear as he straightens to his full height. He takes several deep breaths, the moonlight highlighting his sweat. There's a glaze to his eyes as he looks at me.
"Right, uh.. Let us return to Riverwood for the night. We will set out for Whiterun tomorrow morn." He tells me somewhat awkwardly.
I nod, equally as awkward.
"Yeah. Right behind you.."
It's only about a thirty minute walk back to Riverwood and as we reach the outskirts of town and I see the torches, I sigh in relief. Finally done. I cannot wait to go to sleep. Today was.. Rough. I'm still shaken over Malukh almost dying on me and find my eyes drifting over to him repeatedly throughout our walk.
He seems.. Well enough, considering he was lying in a pool of blood an hour prior. After all the potions I've given him, I would've thought that the poison passed through his system, but I can't help but notice he's still sweating–a lot. Panting, too. I don't know if it's just regular exertion or something more, but I don't really want to ask.
It's incredibly dark as he and I walk along the shore and stop at the river to briefly wash ourselves of the blood we've become covered in from our adventure through Bleak Falls. I feel much better after washing my skin clean. Seeing my reflection in the water makes me wince. I haven't seen myself since I arrived in Tamriel but I look.. Horrible. My hair is a mess of reddish brown, my face pale and under eyes dark. I sigh. Could anyone ever look at me and find what they see attractive?
As I look over while crouching, I see Malukh doing the same, splashing water into his face. His warpaint takes a bit of scrubbing to remove and he shakes his head kind of like a dog to dry off. I just admire him as he does so. I like him best without it. He looks so young, definitely around my age.
I wonder.. How old is he really? I want to know more about him. Why he left his stronghold, what he plans to do with his freedom, about his family and life before. As of now, I only really know he's from Largashbur and what happened when he took that last job. Is it okay to..to crush on someone I hardly know? Does it matter to know those things beforehand? I contemplate that as I stare at him, only to find he's actually staring back at me.
He looks really tired–more than I've ever seen him. His undereye bags are especially pronounced right now. He doesn't say anything about my staring–I think he's far too tired to even care. There's an emptiness in his eyes. He just gets up and waits for me to follow. I wonder if I should be concerned about his absentmindedness?
We walk the rest of the way to the inn in relative silence. It's dark without a torch, leaving the moonlight to illuminate the way until we cross the bridge over the river and reach the pathway towards the Sleeping Giant. Stepping inside the dimly lit interior, it's all but empty, except for Embry the village drunk dozing at one of the tables. It must be late. Even Orgnar is snoozing at the bar, his arms crossed as he's sat at a stool behind the counter and nodding off.
We didn't see him when we came for dinner earlier or I would've said hi. It had been Delphine who took our order, likely while Orgnar was taking a break. It's good to see him again. We quietly approach the bar to obtain a room for the night.
".. Ehm, excuse me, Orgnar." I pipe up, shocking the dark-haired man awake.
He jolts, sucking in a sharp breath as he blinks rapidly. Seeing us, his eyes widen.
"You two?" he replies in disbelief. His voice is heavy with sleep. He wipes at the drool at the sides of his mouth. "Sorry, I uh..I wasn't expecting anyone this late. Also, I didn't expect to see you folks again so soon. What brings you back to Riverwood?"
"Oh, you know, dungeon delving for Lucan. Got his claw for him but he's closed 'til tomorrow. We could use a room for the night."
"Just one? I actually have a couple available tonight." he replies with a raised brow.
My face falls. Oh. Right. We shared last time because he only had the one. I mean, it would be weird if we shared anyway. It's not like we're, you know, together or anything.
"Oh, um.. Okay. We can do that, I guess…" I say quietly. "How much?"
"20 septims."
All I have to do is reach into my pack for my fingers to touch gold, which I fish out and count upon the bar. He gestures with a hand to the two rooms on our left, right next to each other.
"These two. All yours." he smiles tiredly, yawning briefly. "Goodnight."
I dip my head in acknowledgement and turn to head over, but my eyes dart towards Malukh's face. He looks completely beat. I don't think he's all there right now. His forehead is wet with sweat. I'm sure he would've said something if he was troubled… right?
In all honesty, not having him at my side makes me uneasy, even for the night. That one night without him was.. different. We end up standing in front of our respective doors; I give myself the one on the right. I pick at my fingernails and feel as if I'm waiting for something. What that is, I'm not sure.
"Well.. Goodnight, then." Malukh starts softly, sounding more than tired. He doesn't seem to be aware of my apprehension. "I ..I will join you in the morn?"
I try to hide the frown that wants to make itself known. I don't want to let him out of sight right now, not after earlier. But it seems I have no choice.
"Yeah… Goodnight, Malukh." I reply softly, giving him a half-hearted smile. I then push open the door and close it behind me, leaning against the wood with a breath.
I listen for his door, then the footsteps and the thud of his pack on the floor. A creeping feeling of disappointment settles over me like a weight. I sink to the floor, my pack bumping against the door as I do so, and bring my knees into my chest. I just let my head fall back against the wood and shut my eyes.
God. This whole thing, this journey I've been on for the last week… I wonder when it'll start making sense. If it will. I've faced two dragons. I've killed people. Malukh nearly died today and it's actually alarming how much it bothered me.. And still does. Even now I want to go to him and make sure he's actually alright. If it weren't for the magical potions this world carries, he would be dead and gone.
I eventually get up and prepare for bed, changing out of my dirt-encrusted, blood-stained armor. I'm covered in bruises, some worse than others and the soreness I feel is no joke. I slip on a night shift I found in the small nightstand provided with the room. It's soft and comforting and falls to my knees, though without a bra you can pretty much see my goodies right through the thin, white material. I crawl into bed, drawing the blankets all the way up to my chin. I feel every ache and pain I'd been able to ignore up until now really sink in and groan deeply.
My eyes are so unbearably heavy that I literally cannot keep them open. And despite my racing mind, sleep is quick to overtake me and my exhausted body. I fall asleep thinking of Malukh's bloody, pained face looking up at me, his hand cupping my cheek from below.
I awake no less tired than when I went to sleep. My entire body is like an anchor weighing me down and keeping me pinned to the sheets. Not to mention how utterly sore every part of me is–my arms, from shooting so many arrows. My legs and feet from all the walking and climbing. My back from being slammed against the Word Wall. Everything hurts.
Blinking slowly, I wonder if Malukh is awake yet. Surely he would have come to me as soon as he woke up? I glance up towards the small window at the top of the wall, wincing at the brightness–the sun is definitely out, though how long it has been so is indiscernible to me. I should get up and check.
Agh, I don't wanna move. Without dutiful, responsible Malukh to yell at me, it's much easier to just lay here until he does. And we're ahead of schedule…
No, I need to get up. The walk back still takes three days minimum, with no interruptions. We simply can't afford any delays. Once we finish this, I can rest all I want. Malukh and I will be free, respectively.
Even if that means that he'll… leave me. The thought makes my stomach turn. Life in Skyrim… alone. Rather, life in Skyrim without him. It's hard to imagine. I don't even want to think about it.
I finally manage to get into a sitting position, groaning all the while as every muscle pulls and screams in fury at me. Each movement is sluggish and takes every ounce of effort in my body to force myself to go. Honestly, I had it easy in my world compared to this. I just slept half the day and played video games the other half when I wasn't working. My body is so not prepared for this kind of strenuous activity every day for a week straight.
Eventually I manage to get my gear on with a bit more skill this time, and God does it smell foul. I also put on my amulet of Mara again. I don't really know what the course of action is for cleaning armor but I would like to know. Or do people just go around smelling like this all the time and it's just normal? Ugh. Probably should ask Malukh.
Speaking of… where is he?
As I exit my room, picking up my pack and shouldering it on the way out, I turn to face the bar. Orgnar is wide awake this time and seems to be stocking the bar with some items.
"Morning, Orgnar." I call, catching his attention. He stands up from his half-hunched position.
"Mornin', lass. What can I do for 'ya?"
"Has my friend come out at all?" I ask, gesturing towards Malukh's door.
Orgnar glances towards it, then shrugs. "I couldn't tell 'ya.. but I think I'd remember seein' him leave. He's a big fella after all."
I chuckle and close the distance between the door and myself. "You got that right."
I rap my knuckles against the wooden door and press my ear up to it to listen. "Malukh! We gotta go!"
There's the slight sound of shuffling and then a low sound I can barely make out. Almost like a.. a whimper? My eyes narrow at the image of him being hurt somehow, and my heart quickens. I knock harder this time.
"Malukh!" I shout more insistently.
Another groan. I don't like to enter people's rooms without permission but hearing that sound is all that I need to to make myself go. I jiggle the handle only to find it locked. He would lock it behind himself. Shit. My worry leaks into my voice.
"Malukh, can you open the door?" I glance towards Orgnar for help, and he's noticed my predicament, his face growing concerned. "Help me with this!"
Orgnar quickly rounds the bar to cross over to me and my panic is increasing by the second. I knew something was wrong. Why didn't he say something last night?
"What's the matter?" he asks.
"I.. I don't know, I think something is wrong. He got injured pretty badly last night and I don't think he's fully healed. I have to get in there right now, do you have a spare key?"
"By the Nine." he swears, digging in his pocket. I hear the jangle of keys as he pulls out a keyring and starts leafing through them. "Of course, give me a second."
Thankfully he finds the key pretty quickly or I might pop a fucking blood vessel. He inserts it into the lock, turns it and not even a second after it's open, I rush in. I gasp when I see Malukh laying on the floor beside his bed, his head all but shoved into a chamberpot. He's only wearing brown trousers and covered from head to toe in a layer of sweat.
"Malukh," I breathe out as I let my things hit the floor unceremoniously, practically sliding on my shins to end up beside him.
His green eyes slide upwards to meet my face, hazy and out of focus. His face is pale, just like in the cave after the spider. I kneel beside him, unsure of what to do or say. The poison is clearly not out of his system. Even worse, we don't really have time for the delay this might cause. Our reputations depend on us making it back before the week's end.
I hesitantly reach a hand towards him but before I make contact, Malukh bares his teeth and growls, much like a wounded animal, and jerks his face away from me. My hand recoils automatically and I frown at his sudden animosity. I'd thought we'd gotten closer recently, not farther.
"I—I'm .. fine." he grunts. "It'll p..pass."
I can't help but scoff, irritation bubbling up in my chest. "You should have told me, Malukh. What good does keeping this to yourself accomplish, huh? You think you have to be big and strong all the time?"
His eyes shoot me a dark look, but it seems he doesn't even have the energy for a retort. His neck lulls back to rest on the edge of the bed and I take this moment of vulnerability to press the back of my hand to his forehead. Blazing hot, as expected. I grimace and look towards the door to see if Orgnar is still there, which he is. He's awkwardly waiting for some kind of queue, standing at the threshold.
"Could I trouble you for some water?" I ask with upturned brows. "Please?"
"Of course." he replies quickly, and turns to leave us.
I sigh, looking at Malukh's weary face. Even now, he's handsome. I gingerly brush a dreadlock behind his pointed ear and out of his face. He shivers slightly, panting in a sickly way, his expression finally losing its guard and becoming more vulnerable.
"I'll go to the store and see what they have. Maybe you'll get lucky." I push back from my knees into a standing position, looking down at him. "This is.. not good timing."
Malukh only manages a grunt, and just then Orgnar comes striding in. He crosses over to me and hands me the glass, to which I thank him. Orgnar puts his hands at his hips, eyeing my companion sympathetically.
"Well… you look like shit." he says simply.
I shoot a glare at the barkeep and give him a light smack on the arm. He just snickers, clearly pleased with himself. Malukh glares daggers but says nothing, clutching the chamberpot tightly.
"Oh, leave him be!" I say chidingly. "We had a rough night."
I circle to Malukh's side and kneel once again to help him with the water. Slowly putting the glass up to his lips, his eyes drift to meet mine. They narrow and focus on my face far too much for my liking. Suddenly it feels like he's way too awake because his gaze burns holes into mine as he sips the water. His adam's apple bobs up and down distractingly, and I gulp.
He drinks the whole thing, only struggling to get the last bits down before he turns his head away with a cough, droplets gliding down his chin and to his neck. I pull away and stand up, handing the empty glass to a somewhat awkward Orgnar. His cheeks are slightly red for some reason, his expression what I would describe to be embarrassed.
"Thank you. I.. I can pay you now if you prefer?" I offer.
"No, no, that's quite alright, lass. It's just water. Are you two going to be okay?"
"Hopefully." I shoot Malukh a look. He's resting with shut eyes. "I'm going to visit the store for a bit. Can you just.. make sure he doesn't die?"
"Uhh…I'll peek in every once in a while, I suppose. I do have a bar to tend."
"Right, right. Thank you, Orgnar." I smile genuinely at him and wave a little to dismiss him.
Once Orgnar's fully left the room, I sigh. Malukh peeks at me from half-lidded eyes from below and I cross my arms like a chiding mother, pursing my lip. I want to help him up but he's quite a heavy guy and frankly, I doubt he even wants it.
"I'll be back in a few minutes. Don't move."
Malukh grunts and lets his eyes fall shut. I pick up my forgotten pack and heft it over one shoulder. I can sell what little goods we got on our adventure now and when Malukh is better, sell his share. Hopefully they actually have something that'll fix him–I'm not sure why a health potion wasn't enough.
Then again I don't really know what 'health' entails. In a video game it's just a red bar, your life force or whatever. If I recall correctly though, the poison keeps draining the health bar regardless of if you use a potion. Then again, those are video game mechanics and this is real life. If a magical potion doesn't cure it, what will?
I exit the room and leave the door cracked for Orgnar to see inside, or Malukh to call for help if he needs it, and make my way outside the inn. The walk to the store is fairly short, and a glance upwards at the sun tells me it's still early morning, at least. I'm glad I can tell that much. Opening the door, I meet eyes with Lucan who's standing behind his counter. His eyes widen in recognition as I begin to take off my pack.
"You! I remember you from the other day. You were with that orc fellow, weren't you?" He asks, watching as I grunt and set my heavy pack on top of his counter. "That sure looks.. Heavy."
"I've got some goodies for you." I smirk, digging through my belongings. I quickly find what I'm looking for–the claw. I grab it and plop it down on the counter with a clank. "Look familiar?"
Lucan stammers, his hands raising in surprise. "Th..The claw! You actually found it." He laughs in disbelief. "There it is. Strange... It seems smaller than I remembered. Funny thing, huh? I'm going to put this back where it belongs. I'll never forget this. You've done a great thing for me and my sister."
He sets it somewhere below the counter out of sight and grabs something else while he's down there. When he comes back up, he's got a small, brown pouch in hand, and he sets it in front of me to the side of my bag. He gestures with a hand. "Here. This should cover it. That's about… two hundred septims."
I struggle to keep the greed from my eyes. Mm.. money. We need all we can get. After I pocket the money, he and I go through a good portion of the things I found in Bleak Falls and come to an agreement. I sell the circlet, the soul gems, the skill book, and the handful of random gems I found for 543 gold. I decide to keep the spellbook I found in one of the chests as it turns out to be Conjure Familiar and if I can figure out how to cast properly, it could be pretty handy.
Once that is handled, I return my focus to my suffering companion. It seems being a loot goblin is quite the distraction.
"So, tell me, do you have any remedies for uh.. poison?" I ask, my now hefty coin purse in hand.
His brow rises. "P..Poison, eh? Uhhh…" His eyes dart below the counter then back to me. He chuckles under his breath almost nervously. "Um, one moment, please."
He does quite a bit of rummaging around, muttering Tamrielan curses lowly. He even searches the shelves behind him.. but it seems we're out of luck. I frown in realization that Malukh may have to suffer the journey while ill. Lucan sighs as he turns around, putting his hands on his hips in defeat.
"I'm sorry but it seems I simply don't carry such an–"
"Lucan!"
A feminine voice calls from behind us that nearly makes me jump out of my skin. I turn to find Camilla Valerius coming down the stairs, lifting her dress up slightly with both hands so as not to trip on it as she descends. She's got a thin brow quirked high, curiosity clear on her face.
"Hello there," she greets me, crossing over to us.
"Camilla…" Lucan grumbles with a scowl.
"What is it that you needed?" she asks, ignoring her brothers attitude.
I blink rapidly, somewhat taken aback by how pretty she is up close. It takes me a second to find my words.
"Oh, uh.. Well, I need a remedy for poison. Desperately. My.. friend is very ill…" I can't help but frown at the imagery of him laying on the floor vomiting into a chamberpot.
"I've already looked around, Camilla, we don't carry that–" Lucan is quick to say, but Camilla puts her hands on her hips.
"We don't, do we?" she asks skeptically. She rolls her eyes and brushes past me with a gentle hand to my shoulder to get behind the counter.
We both watch as she walks up to one of the shelves and plucks a small dark vial from it. She turns and holds it out to Lucan with knowing eyes. The imperial just blinks and takes it silently. Camilla turns and winks at me as she departs without another word, returning back up the stairs. I can only watch her in something akin to awe. She just saved Malukh and I's asses.
"I.. I'm.. Look, I didn't realize we had that on hand. I'm really sorry." Lucan frowns deeply, his entire demeanor a lot more submissive.
I just wave a hand dismissively. I'm glad they have one at all. "How much?"
He's quiet for a moment, eyeing the bottle and then me. He sighs, holding it out to me.
"Let's call it a favor for what you did for us at the barrow."
My eyes widen, but I do reach out to take the bottle when he waves it at me a little more insistently. I smile, and he smiles back. I shove the bottle into my pack.
"Thanks, Lucan. I'll see you two around." I say before I turn to leave.
"Be careful out there. Good people are hard to find these days." He calls.
Good people, huh? Yeah… I dunno if that applies to me.
I just wave goodbye and leave the building, resolute in my mission to get this potion to Malukh. A short walk across town and I find myself back in the Sleeping Giant Inn. Closing the door behind myself, I see Orgnar serving a few patrons. He looks pretty busy, so I just beeline towards Malukh's room.
I approach the door and peer in the crack, finding him in the same position I left him. He's got the chamberpot clutched in his lap in two hands while his head is thrown back against the edge of the bed facing the ceiling, groaning.
I frown at the sight of him so unwell. It's weird having to take care of him for once. Usually I'm the damsel in distress, not the other way around.
I push the door slightly so that it'll creak and get his attention. I don't want him to think it's some random stranger busting in. As it makes a long croak, his head instantly swivels towards the door, the whites of his eyes more pronounced.
I offer him a weak smile and a little wave as I step past the threshold and begin to shut it behind me. Malukh calms at the sight of me, releasing a tense breath. Oddly, seeing the way his entire body relaxes at the sight of me is… I don't know. Interesting.
"Hey…" I say quietly, taking a few steps forward. "You got lucky."
His eyes catch on mine at that, full of barely repressed relief. I smirk as I let the straps of the pack slide off of my shoulders one at a time, catching one in my hand before it can fall to the floor. Dropping to a crouch before Malukh, I set the pack down and open it in search of the small vial that is currently his salvation.
In mere moments it's within my grasp and once in hand, I hold it out for him to take. Malukh looks at it and then at me, then back to it. I quirk a brow and push it forward more insistently.
"Come on. It'll make you feel better." I say lightly.
Malukh sighs, but I can tell he's relieved because in an instant he's taken it from my hand and popped the cork. It's all kinda funny in a way. I have a feeling he's not used to being so vulnerable, let alone relying on someone.
Malukh throws it back and downs the whole thing like a shot, a bit dribbling down the sides of his mouth. It's at this moment I realize just how weirdly intimate this whole moment is. Not to mention that he's like two articles of clothing away from being completely nude.
At that thought, my eyes trail down his face to his neck, then further to his chest. He's dusted in coarse, dark hair and currently drenched in sweat. It highlights the planes and dips of his chiseled abs nicely. He's incredibly fit and large in all senses of the word. For a guy as tall and buff as he is, his waist sure is narrow. Has he always been this attractive? It's damn near debilitating…
Also, I think his boobs are bigger than mine…
An uncomfortable heat creeps up my neck. I avert my eyes and pick up my pack as I rise to a stand. Thoughts like these are dangerous. Jerking a thumb over my shoulder towards the door, I back away slowly.
"I, uh.. I'll be waiting outside, okay?"
Malukh looks at me while wiping his mouth with the back of one hand and there's still a glaze to his eyes. It makes him look unintentionally.. seductive? I'm pretty sure it's not intended but god damn. He says nothing, just nods in dismissal.
My mouth quirks to the side in displeasure. Not even a thank you? I'll blame it on the leftover poison for his lack of sense. Slightly bummed, I take that as my queue to leave and exit the room, heading straight for the bar. I could use a glass of water.
A thought I've been trying to ignore keeps bouncing around in my head as I sit myself down on the stool.
We got the dragonstone. It's highly likely we'll make it back in good time now that he's taken the cure. Meaning…
Time's almost up.
I frown as Orgnar makes his way in front of me, to which I end up ordering an ale instead of water. He plops it down in front of me, and I think he can sense my sudden change in mood because he just offers a smile and goes back to work.
Once this business with the stone is done, there's nothing holding Malukh and I together. He's not a character in a video game. He's a real person with a real life. While I know most things about Skyrim and its NPC's turned real people, Malukh is a wild card. He wasn't in the game, and if he was, he was nameless. There's no telling what he wants to do or what his motives are.
These are things that I can only figure out through conversation and so far, besides the whole backstory dump regarding his bounty, I don't really know all that much. I know he used to be a mercenary. I also know he's from Largashbur, but by the sounds of it, things didn't end on good terms. It sounds like he's been on his own for a while, though.
What exactly drives Malukh? What does he want to do with his life? Surely he didn't plan on being a mercenary forever?
I take swigs of ale between thoughts. It tastes sweet on my tongue and I relish the taste. A nice contrast to my sour thoughts.
It begs the question: What am I going to do if he leaves? And he most surely will. There is literally no reason for him to stay once he's free. He knows as little about me as I do him, though it's not like I can really tell him the truth about who I am and where I came from.
Hell, he thinks I'm from Cyrodiil. He probably also thinks I have something to return to, like a family. How could I ever tell him my family is in a different universe? He'd think I'm insane! Anyone would.
So, I guess if he leaves I'll go to the college in Winterhold. Honestly, if I can learn magic of some sort, mainly in the Destruction school, I could become a powerhouse. You can't tell me that a mage isn't the strongest archetype.
They make them all squishy in video games but you're telling me if you were hit by a gout of fire or frost or electricity, that you wouldn't go straight down? It's laughable! The burns would be skin-melting and the ice would probably give you immediate frostbite!
That's the plan then. If I learn how to cast magic I can defend myself and I won't.. need Malukh. I frown even deeper.
The problem is… even if eventually I don't need him.. I want him. I want Malukh by my side. I've come to enjoy his company and he's damn good at what he does. Everything he does.
And maybe I— Well.. maybe I like him. Something has changed. I can't ignore the way he makes me feel. The way he makes me act. Hell, he's saved me more times in two weeks than I've ever been saved. Malukh has put his own life on the line for me, a near complete stranger, more than once.
That either makes him crazy or selfless and I'm gonna go with the latter.
And the way I felt when he almost died… when he chose to save me instead of drinking the potion that would have saved him—It felt as if my very world had ended. In such a short time together, after everything that's happened, the thought that I'd lost him nearly ruined me.
Not the dragons, nor the bandits. Losing Malukh. The one who's been with me since the beginning, even with our rocky start. My eyes wetten at the realization that I really do deeply care about him, probably more than I'd like to admit. That just makes all of this even harder to come to terms with.
All I can do is savor the time we have left and wish him well when the time comes. With that thought, I chug the remainder of my drink.
Fifteen minutes later, I feel a heavy hand settle on my shoulder. I'm nursing a glass of water, being a responsible adult, and when I see the green skin of said hand, I know who it belongs to. I drag my eyes up and to the left where I find Malukh, who looks much better than when I last saw him.
He's decked out in his gear, pack on his back. He must've cleaned up a bit as all the sweat is mostly gone. There's definitely a musky smell that wasn't present until he showed up, but oddly enough it isn't bad. Unfortunately we don't have the time to wash. I could use a bath myself after the barrow.
Anyway, I guess the cure works fast. The color is fully back in his skin, a healthy deep green, and his eyes no longer seem dazed. In fact, he's sharp. For some reason, that makes me nervous.
"You ready?" he asks simply, retracting his hand from my shoulder. His voice is deep and gruff as usual.
I slide my half-empty glass away and slip forward in the stool a bit.
"Uh.. Yeah. Are you?" I reply, unable to keep the uncertainty from my voice. "You should have some water first. Aren't you thirsty?"
His eyes dart past me and back again. Malukh grimaces slightly, making his underbite a bit more pronounced. After a moment of internal debate, he sighs.
"… Alright." he agrees. "Then we go."
I'm thankful we're on the same page. He's gotta be dehydrated after puking so much. I slip fully out of the seat and move out of the way so he can take over, which he does. I take this time to observe him more.
He seems better—physically, that is. Mentally… I dunno. Malukh's been through a lot in the last day. If we weren't on such a strict schedule, I'd even insist that he stay bedridden for a bit just to unwind and relax himself. But we don't have that kind of time.
"So…" I begin lightly, "How are you feelin'?"
He sends me a furtive glance. There's a weirdly shy quality to it.
"I am.. better. I.." he pauses. "Thank you. For… the potion."
The effect his words have on me is near instantaneous. I can practically feel the dark cloud of negative thoughts vanish with just one bit of thanks from him. I repress a giddy smile and settle for a shy one.
"…I'm glad you're better now." I admit, leaning on the edge of the counter to his left. "You uh.. had me worried there for a minute."
Malukh frowns, staring at his hands resting on the countertop. "I should have said something. I thought it might pass in the night…"
I shrug my shoulders half-heartedly. I don't want to seem over invested.
"Ah, well. Doesn't matter now."
He glances at me. "Even so, I am sorry. We are partners, after all. Still not used to having someone around but… I won't make the same mistake."
My heart skips as we lock eyes. My chest hurts briefly, and my pulse quickens. The sincerity in his voice is surprising and it takes me aback. The words he spoke even more so. Partners…? Why does that give me hope? Is fate truly so cruel as to get my hopes up and crush them later?
"Can I get you anything?" Orgnar's voice snaps me out of my reverie.
"Water." Malukh says, earning a disapproving glance from me. When I nudge his forearm with my elbow, he adds a begrudging, "Please."
Orgnar smirks and fills up a glass for him, sending me a wink before he turns around. Malukh downs the water in a few seconds flat, proving my suspicions right. I knew he'd be thirsty. Still, he acts all tough and like he doesn't need help. It's kind of endearing. I huff a laugh and prop an arm up to lean on as I watch him. My full attention seems to catch his eye and he looks at me.
"What?" he grumbles.
I shake my head with a forlorn smile. "Nothin'. Just thinking."
He quirks a thick brow. He seems hesitant as he asks, "...About?"
How much I'll miss you.
"Don't worry about it." I tilt my head towards his glass. "Have another and let's go."
Malukh stares at me suspiciously, but a funny look crosses his features. His lips pull up in a smirk.
"Alright, boss. Whatever you say." his voice is low and rumbling, the emphasis on the word not lost on me.
I just try to ignore the butterflies he gives me, watching Orgnar instead. After he finishes his second water, we fill up our waterskins and say our goodbyes to Orgnar.
"You two are always welcome around here. Come back and say hello, alright?" Orgnar tells us with a smile.
"See you around!" I wave over my shoulder as we walk away from the bar, smiling widely.
Malukh manages a sign off with the slightest raise of a hand, but says nothing. We walk side-by-side to the door, which he actually opens for me, earning a surprised look.
"Wow. What a gentleman." I coo up at him as I step past the threshold. He rolls his eyes. "Didn't know you had it in ya'."
"Don't get used to it." he huffs, avoiding looking at me.
I can't help but smirk giddily as he shuts the door and we head down the steps. The sun is still high in the sky and by the looks of it, it's not even noon yet. I'm just glad we haven't missed out on much daylight. The streets aren't necessarily bustling but there are quite a few people out and about. My eyes land on a slow-moving carriage making way through the street, waiting for people to move out of the way.
An idea pops to the forefront of my mind, one I'm not quite sure how Malukh will feel about. If we can hitch a ride, we could potentially cut our trip time in half. Then the risk of not making it is wiped away completely! But then… my time with Malukh is also cut short. I know that us making it there is more important than my feelings, though.
"You think we can get a ride to Whiterun with those people?" I ask with a point towards the carriage.
"What?" Malukh scoffs. "We do not know them."
"I know, but it'd be way faster and easier than walking. I just… We've been pushing ourselves and maybe we could use a break. Don't you think?"
I'm dancing around the fact that I want him to rest more than myself. I don't want him to think I'm calling him weak or something similar. He might very well take it that way and that's the last thing I want because then he would most definitely refuse. He glares at me now.
"We are fine on our own and making good time despite everything. They could be headed elsewhere for all we know."
"So let's find out." I grin and take off into a jog towards them without another word.
"Sara!" Malukh calls after me, sounding more like a disgruntled parent than anything.
I do feel bad going against his wishes but if he can't see how the pros outweigh the cons then that is his problem. I run up to the front left side of the cart as it trudges along, which puts me pretty close to the horse drawing it, waving an arm to draw their attention.
"Excuse me!" I call, following alongside it. "Hey, excuse me!"
A man and woman are up front with the man being the one holding the reins. They both appear middle-aged and common, like farmers or something. A glance at the back of the cart tells me I'm right what with all the sacks and crates of produce. Seeing me, he pulls back sharply on them, causing the horse to stop. I smile despite the sudden nerves rising in me.
"Uh.. Ca–Can we help you, lass?" The man asks warily.
"Hi, yes, um.. Are you headed to Whiterun by any chance?"
His face becomes more confused. The woman sends him a furtive glance that he doesn't see, but I do. I mean, yeah, most people wouldn't be very receptive to a random stranger coming up and asking stuff like this. I get it.
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, I was hoping my friend and I could join you?"
He immediately frowns, the woman grabbing at his arm as if to say no without words. I can tell that they aren't up for it by body language alone. I gotta sweeten the deal a bit.
"Uhh… We can pay you for the ride and.. and protect you!" I add quickly, eyes darting between their equally distrusting faces. "Please, we're working for the Jarl and it's urgent, believe me."
Mentioning the Jarl seems to sway them a little bit, from the slight change in expressions.
"The Jarl, you say?" he replies, intrigued. The woman quickly whispers something in his ear, her eyes trained on me.
I nod eagerly. "Yes. Look, I assure you that this is well worth the trouble."
The man narrows his eyes.
"Where is this 'friend' you speak of?" He asks, scanning behind me.
As if on cue, Malukh's voice rings out above me.
"Here." He grumbles with arms crossed.
Immediately, terror crosses both their faces as they take in the sight of my companion, dragging their eyes up the length of him. It'd be laughable if it didn't also bode poorly for us. I scoot closer to him, leaning my head against his arm in a friendly manner.
"I'm Sara and this is Malukh. He'll scare off any bandits and make sure we get to Whiterun safe and sound. Right, Malukh?" I say, glancing up at his extremely annoyed face.
He's practically glowering, probably more at me than them. When he takes a little too long to reply and I see the growing trepidation in the farmer's faces, I pinch the underside of his elbow. He shoots a dark look at me, one that I return with a raised brow.
"...Yes." he huffs finally.
The farmer's are silent for several long moments. I just smile as non-threateningly as possible to calm them. Yeah, Malukh is definitely not happy with me. He'll get over it when we have a nice, easy journey to Whiterun.
"Please. I've got a hundred gold right here."
"Sara—" Malukh warns lowly.
I squeeze his elbow lightly, lowering my own voice. "It's fine. I sold the stuff from the barrow. We're good."
The couple look at each other with equal concern and low whispers to one another, but when the man turns back towards us, I know he's going to agree.
"Alright, you can come with us. Hop in the back." he sighs, gesturing with a hand. "Watch your feet, we got merchandise there."
"Right. Thank you so much!" I say before digging in my pack for a pouch of gold.
Malukh doesn't move until I do—I can feel his presence looming over me like a dark cloud. His annoyance is almost palpable but I try to ignore it. I suddenly feel the scratchy material of the pouch and the hardness of the coins, pulling it out swiftly. I don't even bother with counting it in my eagerness to secure our spot on the wagon. We have plenty of gold, anyway.
I hand it up to the man who passes it over to the woman and make my way towards the back with Malukh in tow.
"What is wrong with you?" Malukh grumbles behind me. I huff a humorless laugh. "You go out of your way to do the opposite of what I tell you."
I haul up one leg onto the back before I glare at him. "Have you considered that what you're telling me isn't always the best option?"
"My options are the safest." he retorts, even as he helps me up the rest of the way. "You are too trusting."
Turning, I reach down a helping hand for him to take to return the favor. Not that he needs it. He grabs it to my surprise and I have to ground myself lest he pull me down with him, grunting at his weight.
"I trusted you, didn't I? And here we are."
Malukh scoffs as we find ourselves both standing. "That is not a good example."
I drop his hand, staring at him. I let out a sigh as I throw a hand in the old couple's direction, lowering my voice further.
"Malukh, look at them. They're just farmers. Come on."
He narrows his eyes. "Looks can be deceiving."
"Just sit down." I huff frustratedly. "I already paid them."
My side is nearly chock full of potatoes and other sacks of vegetables, leaving no room to sit unless I want to spend the next thirty minutes throwing them into a pile. Looking at Malukh, he's already seated and watching me blankly. Heat creeps up my neck as I realize my predicament.
Of course.
I gesture at the spot beside him meekly. ".. Can I.. Can I sit there?"
He glances down at the seat and seeing a sack there, he chucks it into the main pile wordlessly. Then, motions for me to sit. My face is burning and I don't want to think about why. I gingerly sit down beside him, our knees knocking together from the proximity. I try to ignore how the size of his leg is three times the size of mine.
"You two settled in?" the farmer calls to us from up front.
"Yes!" I shout back.
In just a few seconds, the cart jolts into motion, causing us to knock into one another somewhat. I blush harder, scooting as far as I can away. Being this close to him has my heart racing. How do I go from fine one second to embarrassed the next?
"Sorry, it's uh.. Sorry." I mumble.
Malukh just grunts, seemingly unbothered.
There's a long silence between us as we're crossing over the bridge out of Riverwood. He's currently sitting up straight with his head towards the sky but his eyes are staring blankly upwards. Even having scooched away a bit, I feel entirely too close to him. Not that I mind it, but it bothers me that he might.
The cart rocks with constant movement, which seems to subtly push me into his side. If he's aware of it, he hasn't said anything.
I debate asking him if he plans to stay, or what he's going to do with his freedom. I want to, I do, but.. each moment I hesitate only makes my nerves rise higher. So much so that I've got both hands in my lap twiddling my fingers and shooting nervous glances towards an oblivious Malukh.
Instead, I decide that if he has nothing to say, neither do I. If I'm the only one feeling anything or wanting to remain together, what's the point? Right? So far, he's never mentioned anything of the sort. Not directly anyway. And I have my plans laid out.
I just shut my eyes and lean against the cart as I listen to the soothing sound of rushing water and nature around us, as well as the light chatter of the two farmer's up front.
I'm ready to let him go.