Two Kinds of Superior

No doubt she should have been elated. They'd pretty much figured out where Calisto was headed, and he absolutely could not have predicted that they had. They had the element of surprise behind them—that is, if the virtually useless pair of sword-wielding oafs didn't find a way to bungle that up again. Not if she could help it!

But regardless of the opportunity looming ahead, of taking the bastard down for good, Ariadne found herself in a most sullen mood. Again.

She rode beside Ariela. The scholar had seemed to be in her thoughts, and since Ariadne had not exactly been in the mood for chitchat, the ride so far has been passed in silence. Runa and Erik had been catching up a few horse lengths behind them, and while she'd not been able to keep from listening to some of it—there was something intriguing in the lives of such brutes after all—most of it had just been pointless mulling over past scuffles and whatnot—the not-so-interesting aspects of the brute life.

Now, however, the two had been silent for a while. Which led Ariadne to . . .

Yes, she had been taking some care-free glances back, at Erik. Something about how they had gotten off—on the wrong foot if there ever was one—did not quite please her. Normally she did not care if people liked her or not. But with him . . .

Maybe it was that he seemed virtually unaffected by her. For a man, that was nearly unheard of! she could have chalked him up as just not being into girls, but . . . no, clearly that wasn't the case.

She afforded Ariela a peevish glance. Was there supposed to be something to her that she lacked! Absolutely impossible.

Before she even fully realized what she was doing, she slowed Arcana down to allow Erik to catch up. She made great effort to wear an affable face as she then turned to face him.

What's that frown about? "Erik, could I talk to you for a minute?"

Perhaps not the most natural opening.

What's this now? Erik had expected the mage to bring up what had happened earlier. She had looked absolutely incensed about him suddenly showing up, and he honestly could not blame her. He had blundered her attempt at sneaking up behind that Calisto character.

So yes, leave it to the cantankerous young lady not to let something like that pass as if nothing. Now she would bring it up. Well, go on, let me hear it. I'm a big boy.

He did take note of Ariela frowning back at them. Then acting as if she'd not even noticed. What's that, jealousy? He could not help but feel a little jab of glee about that. Not that he enjoyed making her feel bad. But you can only be jealous if . . .

Ariadne gave Runa a significant look when the woman showed no sign of leaving them to it. If anything, she looked curious and fully prepared to listen what Ariadne had in mind.

"Um," Ariadne then said to her. "In private?"

Runa shrugged. Then gave Frost the spurs to go ride next to Ariela.

Erik gave the sort of sigh a guilty man makes before fessing up. "Look," he started, "I know I did stupidly busting into the scene like that. It's just that—"

"Oh, no," Ariadne cut in. "Don't worry about that. That's . . . history. And we . . . worked it out, just fine."

That hadn't been convincing at all, but Erik gave her a silent commendation for valiant effort.

"What's up, then?" he asked, not sure he was going to like the answer.

Ariadne sighed. "Look, we have our differences—"

"We don't even know each other."

She blinked. Looking as if trying to control herself. "Regardless."

By Dibella's sweet tits, this man is thick!

She went through great pains to explain how she wanted to expel some of the bad air that had formed between them in the short time they had known each other. That the situation was stressful to everybody, that she felt a big responsibility in keeping Ariela safe, and that she simply was not used to non-mages . . . basically anything except directly apologize for being a bitch. And tried her DAMNEDEST not to blame him for any of it, even if in her heart of hearts she did believe that he had been unreasonable and downright annoying.

Yet the man somehow seemed to intentionally resist believing, or even understanding, what she was telling him!

Well, a dumb Nord was hardly the rarest phenomenon, not to mention among those who wield steel in place of their brains. So, he's a bit simple. Has a nice body, though. That the latter was not usually paired with the former seemed one of those combinations designated by fate. At least with men.

So why was she going through such trouble to try to win him over?

Perchance beneath that thick head lies the answer to that riddle. Maybe the thickness indeed goes all the way?

Ariadne could not help but smirk.

Erik frowned. "What?"

Damn. "Ah, it's just so silly. Why do we argue?"

Erik raised a brow.

"We're on the same side. We should get along."

"Aye," he replied slowly. "That stands to reason."

Ariadne got a little smile on her lips regarding him. So serious. So wary. Almost as if he was afraid of her. A refreshing change from earlier, it had to be admitted. Guess he realizes now that he is nothing more than a fly to me, should I choose to swat him down.

And yet, in brute strength, he could have wrestled her down in a second. Kept her down.

She glanced at his knotted arms. In passing, pictured him without clothes. Which made her immediately aware again of the warm horse between her legs.

Damned but I'm horny!

She glanced at Ariela. Smiled at Erik. She did not know what manner of demon went into her but . . .

"Erik," she said emphatically. When he met her eyes, she could see his pupil widen. Capturing his eyes in hers, she quirked that smile and leaned over a bit—just enough but not too much—closer. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're awfully cute when you don't know what to say?"

Ariela had a hard time concentrating, trying to catch up with Runa. She tried her best to describe in brief, leaving out the technical, boring—boring to Runa, certainly not to her!— details, what precisely had transpired over the past years, culminating in this here attempt at finding out whatever it was Calisto was scheming.

Honestly, it wasn't difficult. She'd mulled it over so many times in her head that she could basically just let her mouth do the talking while her mind was busy wondering what exactly it was that Ariadne was doing.

She glanced in Runa's direction as she explained while stealing a glance back. Well, Ariadne and Erik weren't arguing, that was clear.

What is she leering about!

"Wait, wait," Runa said. "Which bitch?"

"Huh?"

"You suddenly said something about some bitch. You mean Sissel?"

"Oh, no, no!" Ariela's cheeks felt so hot she thought holes might be burnt in them. "Sorry, a slip. I, uh, meant which, I think. Which, ehhh, Sissel was not too happy about."

"About what?"

"About, uh . . . the whole thing."

"Ah." Runa thought about it. "Well, I can't blame her."

Ariadne gave her best girlish laugh. A flick of the hair. "I'm just teasing you." She reached over to just softly touch Erik's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm not going to bite." She smirked impishly, facing forward a while, then shot him a sideways glance she made sure he noticed. "Not yet at any rate."

That look on his face! It was worth it, regardless of where this was leading.

Ariela positively fumed. There was little room for doubt, the way that skank was now seeing it her business to get handsy with Erik.

What do you think you're doing, he's mine!

No, she wasn't going to dance around it anymore. From the tips of her toes to the hairs split by worry, she desired that man! And even if she never got him—by gods she wasn't going to let some damn magical hussy get him either!

And what are you planning to do about it? Lecture her till she drops down dead?

She realized she was clutching the reins with her knuckles white. She was so frustrated. If Erik should decide—and what in the word would keep him from so deciding!—that Ariadne was by far the more alluring one of them, and end up bedding her—or worse, getting together with her!—Ariela was simply not sure how she would live with that. Being so close something she desired . . . only to have it yanked right out from under her nose while not being able to do anything about it. It was a nightmare, plain and simple!

In the corner of her eye, she saw Runa take a look over her shoulder, then look back at her. When they met eyes, Runa smirked. She reached out to give Ariela's thigh a little tap.

And then the woman dropped back.

Runa was grinning to herself.

Never thought I'd see this day. Erik being simultaneously lusted after by two women differently out of his league—one mentally, the other aesthetically.

Well, she could already see there was something between him and Ariela a couple years ago. And if it was up to her, she would not have minded seeing where, if anywhere, that was going. She felt Ariela deserved that. As did he.

Just seemed there was one little tetchy, perky-titted obstacle to get out of the way first.

Leave that to kind ol' Runa.

"Yo, Erik!"

Runa smirked. It was funny seeing him like this, totally bewildered and out of his element, all because of the attentions of some little lady. In the past he'd been prone to make young women titter around him. The way Ariela seemed to regard him was more usual. This Ariadne girl was definitely more than he could handle.

"Ariela wants to talk to you about something," she said.

"She does?"

Ariadne cleared her throat. "We were kind of—"

"Were," Runa cut in. "Kinda." She shrugged. "This is actually important." And she gave Erik a wink.

How adorable, he blushed!

"So, Ariadne," Runa said, placing Frost next to her steed, as Erik took off. "We haven't had a chance to talk yet."

The admittedly enticingly beautiful Breton didn't exactly return Runa's beaming smile.

Ariadne had thought she'd had her misgivings about Sissel. This woman was Sissel times a thousand! That is, if instead of a dour exterior hiding a dry, sardonic sense of humor Sissel would have been a lout with a mind permanently in the gutter. What in the word led her to believe that Ariadne was interested talking to her? Could she not take subtle hints!

If no one knew they were here, she might have actually considered pulsing the bitch with a good dose of thunderbolt and shutting her up for good …

I like your attitude!

Ariadne frowned. Once again, it felt as if her thoughts had taken on a life of their own for a second. Almost as if she was hearing voices. And she felt something uncanny behind it too, something alien and unsetting. Something like lust.

She softly shook her head to get the impression out.

"Something wrong?" Runa asked.

"What? No, no. I'm just . . . tired."

"Aye," Runa said. "Wouldn't mind a bit of a lay-down myself." And she gave an obnoxious grin.

Ariadne swallowed, at once irritated and deeply discomfited.

This, this was like with Sissel. I mean, I don't care what people do but . . . I don't want any part of it or even to have to think about it. She thought of all those looks Sissel gave her. The woman probably did that on purpose, because she knew it got to her.

With Runa, chances were the Nord was really imagining she had a shot!

Ariadne took a deep breath. She looked on where Erik was now riding beside Ariela. Talking happily.

She felt the jab of jealousy. Does she really have something I don't? Am I only good enough to be courted by this insufferable lecher!

It was so unfair!

Erik was certainly nonplussed.

It had rarely happened to him that a woman giving him explicit attention would render him wordless. Not that he was some sort of suave ladies' man, but such situations had usually felt more or less natural. Ariadne, on the other hand, was something different. Younger still than Ariela, she was by far the youngest woman in relation to his age to show interest. And while younger women sometimes did still look at him, perhaps smile, they never ever made contact anymore. And he did not expect them to either, seeing that he could have fathered them.

But it wasn't just that. Ariadne was also, admittedly, of a higher standard than he was accustomed to. There was her face, of course, but he could also tell that underneath her robe the woman had an amazing body. And overall, there was just this almost otherworldly air around her which made you believe that to earn her favor you'd have to be near god among men. Regular men like Erik were simply just dust beneath her feet. So with her flirting with him so openly, he simply lacked a script for such an occurrence. He did not really believe it.

Third, however, was the biggest reason why her advances had silenced him. It was that she frightened him a bit.

No, he wasn't afraid to admit it. Any sensible person, man or woman, would have been impressed by the power that had emanated from the woman when she'd used her magic. Magic made him nervous in any case, but it had been clear even to a total layman that the magic she had wielded had had something extra. The power had simply oozed out of her, making your hairs stand on end.

In combat, then, this woman half his age could take him down in a blink. After realizing this, it was hard to look at her quite the same way. Like he had lost any masculine advantage he would have potentially had over her.

In addition to these very good reasons why Ariadne's advances felt strange, there was the fact that Erik had been pretty much openly flirting with Ariela, and now suddenly the other woman in their entourage thought it would be fitting to insinuate herself between them. She definitely had understood what had been going on. So why had she done it?

She was probably just doing it to mess with you. Why in the world would she have any interest in you?

Perhaps the sentiment behind the thought had been a bit caustic, but it represented pretty well a very real possibility that had come to him.

And in any case, he had no real interest in the girl, so who cared. Ariela was by far the more interesting one of the two, he assured himself. Sure, Ariadne might have been more beautiful, but she was too young. Or at least too immature. Too self-involved, and typical of really beautiful people, too superficial. Not kind, like Ariela. And she also seemed to have this undefinable darkness in her. You could just sense it. Some air of latent brutality. Made you a bit nervous to be around her.

Don't deny that doesn't have allure of its own!

He wasn't going to bother doing so. But it wasn't what he was looking for in his life right now.

He turned to smile at Ariela, but the woman was too busy talking to notice. She did blather cutely when she was awkward. And she was awkward much of the time. Something about that made his heart feel warm. He did not like, he realized, a woman to be too confident.

Oh no, that's not good. He frowned. Does it mean I need a woman to be somehow below me to feel comfortable? Am I that insecure?

No, he soon decided, feeling his brow relax. In fact, he did sort of find Ariela a bit intimidating too. With her, though, it was on account of her sharp intelligence. Far superior to his.

He frowned again. So does that mean I'm dumb?

Frankly, it wasn't the sort of thing that usually bothered him. But now? Well, he did not want Ariela to think he was dumb! Chances were, she did already.

Honestly, what do you really think you could offer to someone like her! An aging brute of a simpleton!

There it was again. He sighed.

Ariela was happy. Thank you, Runa! she thought. I owe you yet another one!

As soon as Erik had returned to her side, so had the life she'd felt seeping right out of her when she'd seen Ariadne's advances. What a ruthless woman the mage was! Was she really trying to snatch him from right under Ariela's nose!

But, she had reasoned, Ariadne often took little to no notice of what was going on around her. So it was likely she'd simply not had any idea about what had been developing between the two. Not the sharpest eye, when it came to such things. This was at least a much preferable option. Ariela did not want to think of Ariadne as such a conniving witch! It was hard enough to get along with her, such a thing would absolutely murder it.

So, with her heart so much lightened, she was back to doing what she did best—at least as far as talking to other people went—and that was explaining things.

"So you can see why that theory is largely ridiculed among the scholars. What would the Dwemer ever do in Yokuda!"

Erik sighed.

Ariela scowled. Oh no. I've bored him! I bet he thinks how he would rather be back there getting pawed by that whor— er, presumptuously assertive young lady.

Suddenly she felt her happiness being smashed to pieces and giving way to the familiar pangs of foreboding. She'd been too arrogant, again, believing that just because a man was talking to her he wanted to hear her yammer on about stuff he probably could not have cared less about. What a drag! Bet he was appalled to have been forced to exchange the flirtations of an exiting and beautiful girl like Ariadne—a thousand times more inviting than the scrawny little bore—to this!

Of course, it could have been something else too. A little kindling of hope remained with Ariela that her usual self-defeating assumptions were overblown, and indeed there was something else bothering the man. But how could she know?

Ask him!

Oh no. She would most certainly not be—

"What's wrong?" she asked. Out loud. Astonishing herself not for the first time.

She's on to you! She knows you weren't listening. Women hate that!

"Uh," Erik said. Trying to think. Hah, now that's a sight to see!

"You're not . . . bored, are you?"

That's a trick question! If ever there was a trick question that there is absolutely one! "What? No! No, no. Not at all."

That ought to do it!

"So what is it then?"

Deciding to abandon any possible explanation, true and false alike, he put on his best carefree smile. "It's nothing, Ariela." The tone, it was damn near convincing.

At least he could clearly see the tension melt away from Ariela's face. Its place taken by that cute bashfulness.

Time to crank it up.

"Frankly," he said, with just the right amount of croon, "if I may be so bold, just listening to your voice I feel I could forget all worries."

His smile was increasingly genuine, seeing the scholar's expression grow deeper in shock—and definitely in the best possible sense. Her mouth even hung open a bit.

Go for the kill!

"It's just." And he added a twist of morosity to his tone. "I'm afraid you humble me with your vast intelligence."

Flattery. What worked for a man damn well would also work for a woman too. With a well-proportioned smidgen of truth to boot.

And yet she frowned. And he wasn't sure it was good.

At first she was almost sure that he was covertly ridiculing her. That would have been so cruel, to first take her by surprise by saying something nice and then proceeding to make a mocking remark.

But no. Erik was not a cruel man like that. He was kind!

Yeah, just like Ariadne didn't know about the two of you. Face it, runt. They all mock you! They're not cruel! Hah! They are! As are all strong people. They've got your number, Ariela. They know you're weak. You don't belong here! They will eat you alive!

No, she decided, with a sudden burst of fierce determination. She was not going to let her inner doubts bully her, not this time.

So, Erik had been genuine, she decided. But that didn't make her feel all the way good, either. After all, men did not like it when women made them feel somehow inferior. If she was trying to impress him, this was absolutely the wrong way to go about it!

No, no, no. That wasn't right either. Why should she have to pretend to be something other than she was, just so some man's brittle sense of self-importance would not suffer! Was she really that small? Letting this giddy sense of infatuation make her sell herself short like that?

Absolutely not!

"Don't denigrate yourself," she said, her voice surprisingly strong. She then did the near unthinkable and flashed him a smile which felt like she had to concentrate all her powers into to make it credibly coquettish. "It's not very becoming on a pretty boy like you."

Erik knew his mouth fell open and that he was not able to close it.

But it was one those feelings, when you were playing a game of cards with someone and you had just hit down the cards you knew would without a doubt clean the table . . . only to have your opponent follow up with an even better hand!

No, he had not seen that coming. This girl, she definitely had a way of surprising you.

After a few seconds, no proper reply had yet come to him, and he could feel his mouth still hanging. But instead of closing it, he felt the corners spreading. Very wide.

And then he could do nothing as a raucous laughter burst out from within him. The best he'd had in weeks!

And Ariela was laughing too.

Ariadne scowled.

Ahead, the two love birds were braying happily again. The way Erik had reacted to Ariadne's teasing, it was starting to feel increasingly much like revulsion rather than being stunned by her lures. I mean look at him, a whole different man with Ariela. I don't get it. How can he resist this?

Men almost never could. And neither could some women. Speaking of which . . .

Runa, having also taken note of the noise, turned to smiled at Ariadne. And damn her but wasn't there a touch of triumph in the smile!

Ariadne looked away. You win. This round.