Chapter 5: Gems and Treasure

Maria was just about to close her shop when a sudden knock caused her to pause. It was getting late and yet..

"I could get something extra," she mused to herself, hoping it was the last customer for the day. When she answered the door, she almost gasped. It was none other than Madesi, whose tail was coiled around his leg while his gaze was averted. "Madesi, what can I do for you?"

"Lady Maria," his sibilant voice was shaky as he rubbed the feathers on the back of his head. "I hope I am not interrupting you."

Maria shook her head. "No, please come in. Do you want some tea or hot snowberry juice?"

Madesi gave her a small smile before nodding his head. When he arrived at Riften for the first time, Bolli, Svana and the other Argonians greeted him. They were polite but none were as generous as the Nord fisherman himself. He was the one who would always keep his business afloat due to his wife, Nivenor.

With Maria, he felt something different.

While sipping on their beverages, both Madesi and Maria told each other about their day. Madesi leaned back into his seat. "Must be exhausting to dust all of these books from top to bottom."

"Oh no, it's no trouble at all!" Maria laughed, pulling out one book from the shelf. It was titled A Song of Ice and Fire. Madesi arched an eye ridge at the book's title. "Interesting...is this about a kingdom?"

The young woman nodded. "It is. I would say the kingdom in this book made both Windhelm and Markarth look like Sovngarde." This caused Madesi to laugh, which made Maria experienced a tingling sensation down her spine.

His laugh was something to cherish. Without thinking she asked, "Madesi, would it be trouble to ask you of your time this evening? Would you like to...talk a walk with me by the lake?"

The Argonian blinked, and then gave a sharp-tooth smile. "There is nothing I'd like more than to walk by your side until the trees fade away." She covered her mouth to hide the growing blush that was spreading across her face.

Who knew he could be so poetic!

Maria was swooned by his words, she had not realised that Madesi was asking her if she was alright. "I'm fine, Madesi. I never knew you could sway me with your words. Is that a strategy to woo any potential buyers?"

Madesi lets out a playful hiss. "Only for those that got my attention."

'Smooth man,' Maria thought to herself as they prepared themselves for their evening walk. They decided to cut across the Riften Docks where most of the fishermen have already gone home for the night. If they saw anyone fishing, it was merely for pleasure rather than profit.

"Do you fish?" asked Maria as they crossed over a plank to where the Riften Fishery was. The scent of the water and brine from caught fish was somewhat pleasant than the canals in the city itself. It triumphs over any debris or rubble from Markarth.

He chuckled, "Yes, I do. However, I haven't been fishing much due to my business. Perhaps I can show you when I have the time?"

Maria took his hand into hers and squeezed it tenderly. His hands, while slightly rough from honing his craft, were warm and gentle to the touch. She almost let out a gasp when his clawed thumb brushed over the top of hers. "I'll take up on your offer. So, do you know anyone at the fishery besides Bolli?"

He told her a few Argonians that worked at the docks where they seemed content as compared to those he had heard from Windhelm, where they weren't even allowed inside the city itself.

After walking in silence, the both of them reached a park where the trees were. It was one of the best spots, in Maria's case, for a picnic or a quiet time to get away from everything with a good book in her hand. Madesi closed his eyes to take in the rich, earthy scent.

"It's beautiful," sighed Maria, taking in to the nature's wonder and the dark sky was lit up with the colourful lights that no royal dress could claim. "I should come out of my shop more often."

...

They spent the whole evening by the park where they could watch every speck of fireflies flittering the sky while talking about the future. Madesi told her about his goals if he had made enough money in Riften, he would pack up and leave for Solitude.

Riften was the first city he stumbled upon when he entered Skyrim and seeing that there were other Argonians living there, he felt more inclined to stay until he made enough to move elsewhere. Perhaps he stayed because he couldn't afford to live anywhere else and he didn't want to move further north because of the cold?

"Why Solitude?" asked, Maria. She will admit that the city was nice but it felt too confined with the walls that guarded the city from the outside world. She had many authors that have contacted her to have their books sold to the public since Solitude was best known for their Bard's College.

"Because I know a few people would want to get their hands on jewellery that is hand-made by the rarest of all craftsman," Madesi explained as he plucked a flower from a bush. "When I said I referred to myself as a Saxhleel, it means a type of craftsman that is similar to stone masons or glass makers. Our particular craft has a certain style no other jeweller could replicate and yet.."

He paused his explanation, clawed hands still fumbling with the single flower. Without thinking, Maria placed an arm around his back. She rubbed him as a form of comfort while he lets out a low rumble within his throat.

Without thinking, she began to stroke the orange feathers that adorned his head. They were soft to the touch, causing the Argonian to close his eyes. There was a tempting urge kiss him but Maria refrained.

It was too soon for them to do that.

"Many of our talents have been lost to history," sighed Madesi, leaning into her touch. "Maybe one day our skills will be long forgotten like the Dwemers. It would be something to see their forge, let alone create something out of the now extinct Aetherium."

Maria almost gasped when she felt something strong yet thin wrapped around her waist. It was his scaly tail, which was drawing her close to him. "Do...do you want me to help you find any books about the long-forgotten arts?"

His eyes slowly lit up. "I'd like that, Lady Maria. Am I welcomed to Waterstone, then?"

"Of course, Madesi! And you don't have to call me with a 'lady' title. Maria is just fine." She loves hearing him chuckle and how it reverberates against her frame. Suddenly, he took her hand into his own sharp-clawed one.

With the moon acting as their light, she got a glimpse of the scales along his arm. They were smooth like polished river stones and yet, they were slightly bumpy to the touch. To make matters worse, his arm had corded muscles that were honed from his yearly craftsmanship.

They looked firm to the touch...

Slowly, he began to insert the flower, which was now shaped like a ring, onto her ring finger. Madesi raised that same hand to his maw and began to kissed it tenderly. As if Maria's face wasn't red enough...

"It's beautiful," she whispered, looking up at him. "No matter what's given to you, you can make something into art. You know, this evening is giving me a lot of ideas."

"Oh?"

Maria was about tell him when a distant roar was heard from the skies above. Looking up, there was a flash of red that was descending at a face pace.

"DRAGON!"

Before either of them could call for the guards, a yowl stopped them. It sounded familiar as the red dragon landed onto the ground with a figure climbing down. It was none other than the Khajiit Dragonborn and one of her closest friends.

Madesi immediately stood in front of her, acting as a shield while Maria held his hand tight. Despite the heat it was giving out, the dragon stared at them with curiosity from those icy blue eyes.

"Khajiit was glad to have stopped you both from running. Tawnyfrost wants to introduce her friend to another friend. This dragon here is Odahviing."

I'm surprised that he wasn't a marriageable candidate unless we put mods

In fact, I think he deserves all of the happiness in the world