Beyond the Wall
...
"Amarathine, I really do suppose you should be awake by now. The rooster has long since crowed."
At the sound of Tarrie's voice through the door, Amarathine bolted upright. Sun shone through the window. Dawn had passed.
"Why didn't you wake me earlier?" she called back, standing and stripping from her night dress. The air in her room was cold, the fire long burnt out.
"I do not recall becoming your doting mother when I took you in. If I did, I would be scolding you for your unusual tardiness."
"I didn't sleep well last night." By now she was fastening her cuirass over her crimson tunic.
"Perhaps you should have stayed awake."
She didn't recall when she had finally fallen asleep. Surely it wasn't that late yet. Surely someone still lingered who she could accompany.
"Have you seen any soldiers leave the city yet?" she asked.
"Oh, dozens…"
"Don't be bothered by her," Endrie's voice joined her sisters. "None of them would make good travel companions."
Amarathine opened the door to the two sisters hovering in front of it.
"You're much better off finding someone along the way than with any of those men. Another Mer, perhaps."
"Anyone less discriminatory, at the very least," Endrie agreed.
Amarathine scoffed and held out an arm to Tarrie who fastened the straps for her.
"That is hardly relevant to me. What matters is safety. Animals, bandits, Stormcloaks, and gods know what else. All would be mitigated by travelling in numbers."
"I'd sooner travel with a group of farmers than Legionnaires," said Tarrie. "No offense implied."
Endrie had the grace to nudge her.
Seeing as the sisters were largely correct, Amarathine stayed a while longer, eating and packing food and any other necessities she'd forgotten the night before.
The sun was almost at its peak when she stood at the door of the Radiant Raiment.
Terrie gave her a half hug. An odd display of affection. "I'm sure we'll see you soon enough. Helgen may be more temperate, but it lacks our company."
"Few things do compare, sister," Endrie said and embraced Amarathine more fully.
"I do thank you for everything. I wouldn't have made it without your generosity."
"It really is a shame you make a terrible seamstress."
"I pity anyone you have to suture."
Amarathine grinned at them. "And I'll miss your unwavering honesty."
"We know all too well that you of noble blood are quick to inflate your egos," said Tarrie
Amarathine froze.
Tarrie looked as if she could laugh. "You think us naive? Your hair may be dark, but only nobility has blue eyes."
"You knew but you still helped me?"
Endrie took her hand. "We all left for the same reasons. Outside of Alinor, we are all equal."
…
Exiting the Solitude gates, Amarathine put the hood of her thickly lined cloak over her head and faced the path ahead.
Dragon Bridge was only a few days straight south. It was a common route for people to travel. All walks of life dotted the path. Farmers, dock workers, Imperial legionnaires patrolling the surrounding area. Some looked like wanderers, dressed in traveling clothes and packs full of supplies. Here and there nobles adorned in jewels rode past upon elegant horses.
The thought of warmer weather and a simple life kept her motivated. Perhaps she would find a Nord to marry, or another Mer, if there were other Mer there.
Solitude's population was largely mixed. Every now and then, one of two Argonians appeared at the inn. Though, neither wanted anything to do with her. Their sharp gaze caught her off when she would stare.
More than likely, Helgen would be a Nord town like many of the other small settlements across Skyrim. Other races gravitated towards the cities, or at least that was what she'd been told. Though, some were not allowed into the cities, but remained close, nonetheless.
She walked on until the sun began to set. The gentle breeze grew bitter against her skin. She pulled the cloak tighter against her body. Then, as darkness set in, she searched for a spot to camp.
Specks of orange glowed along the path where others set up camp. Wolves howled. Some near, some far.
Maybe she could set up close to another campsite, close enough to benefit from their presence, but far enough not to disturb them.
She approached the nearest camp. Three people were seated around the fire, tents behind them. She walked slowly wondering if she should state her intentions to camp near or simply unpack a little further off the road.
"This one is traveling alone, yes?"
The accent was unlike one she heard before. She came nearer "I am."
The trio were not Nords at all. Their skin was covered in fur and their faces were distinctly feline. Their eyes glowed in the firelight.
Khajiit.
The female who spoke had a sword and shield beside her, she was in the process of removing her steel armor for the night.
"I welcome you, friend. Come, sit by Ma'dran." The auburn Khajit next to her spoke. He gestured to the ground beside him with a furred hand.
Amarathine glanced at the last Khajiit who had yet to speak, the dark fur on his face contrasted with a pink scar above his nose. He only became more intimidating as he narrowed his eyes at her. A greatsword glinting on his back.
"Ah, Ma'jhad is making this one nervous. Do not worry, he is simply cautious, it is his duty." The auburn Khajiit now patted beside him. "Come, the fire is warm and this one is weary."
She could not resist and sat down beside him despite her nerves. "Thank you. My name is Amarathine."
"It is a cold night this night. We Khajiit much prefer the warm sands of our home." It was the female that spoke this time. "But we see you are far from home as well, High Elf. I am called Ra'zhinda."
"I no longer call Alinor home," Amarathine pulled off her hood to reveal her disheveled hair still half tied.
Finally, the dark Khajiit broke his silence. "Ma'jhad has never seen an Altmer in Imperial armor. It is strange, no?" He tilted his head slightly.
"When I first came here there was little threat of war, I joined because there was no other work and I needed coin."
All three Khajit nodded. "It is hard for all those who are not native to this place," Ra'zhinda said.
"I've heard the Khajiit cannot even enter cities because they are not trusted."
"Nords think all Khajiit are the same, one Khajit steals many moons ago, and all are no longer welcome." Ra'zhinda made a disgusted face. "It is Nords who are all the same."
"I don't think all of them are that bad, I had a few friends." She looked at Ra'zhinda. "They just have to get to know you first."
"Perhaps this one is right, but Ma'dran doesn't worry, he is too hungry."
Ra'zhinda brought out a sack full of food to be prepared. The Khajiit agreed to share with Amarathine if she helped them cook. She agreed, taking some vegetables to cut for a stew.
As an increasingly appetizing smell filled the air, Amarathine learned more about the traveling Khajiit caravan. Ma'dran was the merchant selling both legal and illegal items and Ra'zhinda and Ma'jhad were his guards. They traveled between Windhelm and Solitude selling their wares to wanderers and soldiers, or anyone looking to buy more secretive things.
She learned more about Elsweyr, their home. It sounded much nicer than Skyrim, warm and tropical. They told her there were few cities because Khajiit preferred to live in small villages, of their love for moon sugar and how it was a pure form of crystallized moonlight that gave them their life force. They even used it as a spice. Perhaps it was the odd taste in the soup she just ate.
Slowly the stories turned to song and the once quiet Ma'jhad let out his loud voice in the form of a strange language, singing in a way she had never heard before. Not long after the other two feline people joined in. First, they swayed their bodies to the tune of their voices, but it didn't take long before they got up and danced. They used their hands to interpret what they sang as their form of dance.
Amarathine smiled and laughed at the strange Khajiit dance, she now rocked her body back and forth to the song. It was strange how good she felt, it must have been a combination of the sweet stew and her entertaining company that put her in such a euphoric state.
Before she knew what was happening, soft furred hands grabbed hers and pulled her up. Ra'zhinda gave her a cat-like grin before she resumed dancing. Now standing, nothing held Amarathine back from joining in. She clapped and danced around the fire with the Khajiit traders well into the cold night.
The next morning Amarathine awoke in a small tent she shared with Ra'zhinda. The Khajiit woman, however, was already outside with Ma'dran and Ma'jhad.
Ra'zhinda was stoking the now dwindling fire while the latter two sat across from each other talking while they prepared fish that she presumed they caught earlier that morning.
Amarathine climbed out of the tent grabbing her armor to go change out of sight.
"This one slept well, I hope?"
Amarathine looked up at the owner of the accented voice.
Ma'jhad smiled slyly at her, as the other Khajiit turned to acknowledge her as well. Before she could answer, Ma'dran opened his mouth. "Perhaps we used too much moon sugar in our meal last night."
The high elf narrowed her eyes at him. "I suspected as much."
"Ma'dran will not put any moon sugar on this one's fish. He does not want the she-elf to become," he paused thinking of the right word, "addicted." The others nodded in agreement.
Amarathine grimaced "I'm not sure if I'd like sweet fish anyway."
The Khajiit looked at each other with disbelieving faces as she turned to leave.
She walked down to the stream she assumed the Khajiit caught their breakfast. She changed out of her tunic and pants before kneeling at the bank to quickly wash her face in the clear flowing water. The sun was out, helping her endure the nip of the cool breeze.
Fastening up the final piece of her armor and slipping on her boots, she headed back to the Khajiit caravan. The pleasant smell of roasting fish filled her nose as she sat down beside the fire that was now roaring again.
Ma'jhad handed her a stick with a raw fish on the end. "This fish has no spice, Ma'jhad prepared it himself."
Amarathine smiled at the dark furred Khajiit. "Thank you, I'm sure it'll be good nonetheless."
He stuck his tongue out in disgust "Ma'jhad doubts this one's words." the Khajiit sat down across the fire beside Ra'zhinda. Ma'dran was beside her enjoying his roast fish. She held out her fish by the fire slowly turning it so it would cook evenly.
"We too will go to Dragon Bridge. This one may travel with us, if this one wants."
She glanced at the other to Khajiit to make sure they approved as well, they looked back with accepting faces. This would mean she would travel for the next few days with them. Surely it would take longer because of all their possessions they traveled with, but it would be a much more enjoyable time in the company of these three Khajiit.
She smiled. "I would love that. Thank you."