The Lost Element

by XD-385

Equestria has long been known as the land of ponies. However, the name of Equestria is misleading. For far too long, a certain element has been missing from the world. And now, that element has been brought back. But for better or for worse?

138. Journey to Awakening

Days have gone by. Autumn is in full swing. And beautiful little Ocellus has started to come home every day with only a smile on her lips. I have yet to see her cry since the day she finally found her true inner beauty to display outwardly for the world to see. And we are all so happy for her.

But this entry... This is not about her. Last night... I dreamed. And I remember it all too vividly. I do not know when I lapsed from sleeping to dreaming. But when I did become aware... I felt as if I was awake. I could feel the cool air of a tundra breeze blowing through the great evergreens around me. I gazed up at the canopy above. Not quite a forest. The trees were placed sporadically around me. That subtle scent of pine on the air... Someplace I knew?

I looked down at myself. The attire I was in... A warm padded coat of a familiar shade of dark faded blue. It was attire I had worn before. I was well dressed for a location bordering on the arctic circle. Tall rocky walls were also present around me, their pale appearance clashing with the verdant greens and browns around me. A certain familiarity came over me. "Falkreath?"

The evergreens around me with the tundra cold blowing through... I must have returned to the fiction province of Skyrim. Not at all a location I would rather stay away from. The majesty of that land is always a pleasure to experience. But I was too aware. My mind was too lucid... I was not alone.

I glanced about at my surroundings. Being mindful of the presence of anything that could see and react to me. Aside from a scampering wild hare bounding through the underbrush, there was no one around. I looked up at the vast clouded blue sky in the gaps of the canopy above. "Luna...? Nightmare Moon? Maybe...your majesty? Orbash?"

Not one word reached my ears or even echoed through my mind. If one of them were present, they would have appeared before me. Or at least responded in same form. But why? Where were they? The only other time I have ever dreamed so lucidly without their presence was...

My heart jumped into my throat. A very dark memory was brought to the forefront of my mind. Memories of wandering a darkened labyrinth of white and black squares lining the floor. Being scorched by green flames. A great blade all but gutting me with a slash across my torso. Fleeing in terror from a great shadowy wyrm...

There was no other explanation for my dreaming mind being so lucid. If the royal alicorns of the night were not present, then there was only one possible answer. She was near. After weeks apart, she can come for me. The dragoness who nearly butchered me had sought me out.

But where was she?

I listened very closely. For the flapping of featherless wings. For the snapping of a twig underfoot. But nothing aside from the wind blowing through countless pine needles or the occasional call of a woodland thrush reached my ears. If she was near, that wyrm was not near enough. The only comfort I took in knowing that she was present in my dream did not mean I was in danger. I still remembered the shame she displayed. The tears she spilled when revealing a bitter truth to me.

I thought her actions that night were the result of a lingering curse left upon her by her old master. Something that activated only under the proper circumstances. But she revealed to me that I was wrong. Her sins that night... They were all her own. I knew that she no longer had any reason to harm me. She was surely not there to hurt me again. And yet...all I felt in my heart was dread. I was not in danger. Yet I wanted nothing to do with her. How could I after she nearly murdered me just for having the courage to find love with so many?

I decided it was best to stay on the move. If I kept moving, maybe I could go the rest of my dream alone and in relative peace. I knew the layout of Falkreath well enough. If I could find the roads, I would easily be able to find my way to the hold's town. Or perhaps follow it back to Riverwood. The latter was the more appealing option to me anyway. I minded my feet as I trekked along in those warm boots on my feet. Looking down to watch for fallen brittle timber and looking ahead to watch for any shades of darkened violet standing out through all that green.

Much to my frustration, I did not get far before I saw the one person I did not want to see.

I saw movement ahead. And I promptly and silently took shelter behind a large bush. Did I happen to come across a wandering hunter? I listened closely and did not hear the telltale grumblings of a bear. Bandits? Perhaps a small pack of wolves? I was unarmed. Not even a dagger in my boot. If I was approached by a hostile creature, my only hope would be to sprint to safety. But when I peeked through the bushes while staying concealed... I sighed harshly in unease. A small dragoness no larger than the average griffon strode through the glade ahead. Scales of dark violet with a rosy red underside and wing membranes. Bangles and blades of platinum adorning her body. Her eyes of aquatic green gazing about warily as she wandered this unfamiliar location. She even looked directly in my direction before turning and continuing on.

Cynder stood before me. And I knew she was searching for me.

There was nothing dangerous about her. Even though she was exactly as I remembered her from weeks ago and her behavior looked more investigative than aggressive, I felt nothing but dread now that I had my eyes on her. I could still recall her parting words. A plea to be left alone and to not come looking for her. A request I eagerly accepted. She promised to only return after finding the answers of why she truly did what she did that night. And why she believed the lies she had told herself. If she was there... She must have found the answers and wanted to share them with me.

Despite my discomfort in her presence, a part of me demanded that I reveal myself. That I cast aside my doubts and approach Cynder. But...I could not find the will to defy my gut instinct. I continued to watch from behind that bush. The cool tundra breeze whistling through the trees did not seem to faze her. I was convinced that dragons are not as cold-blooded as most other reptiles. If the dragons of Skyrim can tolerate even the most frigid blizzards, surely she was just at home in the cold forests of the north as they have always been. But I was sure the only cold that truly chilled her was the frigid distrust I held in my heart for her.

My breath caught in my throat when Cynder once again turned to look in my direction. There was no way she could see me from that distance. And yet, I felt like she was staring into my soul. But I could see her eyes plainly. And...they looked noticeably pained. Her jaw and lips moved as if she muttered something to herself. Her gaze wandered before she lifted her head high. As if ready to call out to me in the hopes that her voice would reach me. She must not have been the only one with that idea since we both heard the call of an elk somewhere not far from that location.

Cynder was only briefly distracted by the call of a stag. She lifted her head higher again with jaws parted, but...she did not speak. She did not call out. I saw a look of pained realization form in her admittedly beautiful eyes before she lowered her head again. She must have assumed that if she called out to me, I would only move away from the sound of her voice instead of towards it. And she was right.

She lowered her head further. Even her wings drooped at her sides. I saw her jaws move as she whispered something I could not hear. Cynder lifted her left hand from the ground before I saw her bitterly close it into a fist. The way she rubbed it just below her eye as the two of them closed... Did she wipe a tear away? Even while still clearly consumed with a certain misery and...even anger towards herself, Cynder began to move on. She turned away from my direction before spreading her wings and taking to the air. She quickly rose to a high branch on a tree and perched upon it to gaze at her surroundings from a higher altitude. I nearly panicked as she stood so high. There was no hiding from her up there. But by some miracle, Cynder never looked behind herself. She soon took to the air again and swooped down from her perch and began to glide ahead and out of sight.

I would not be able to hide from her forever. And I resisted the urge to follow her. I knew that it would be a mistake to approach her first. Not after what happened the last time we crossed paths. But I could see the grief in her eyes. I had not found the strength to forgive her. And Cynder had clearly not forgiven herself.

With a harsh sigh, I turned and walked in the opposite direction of where Cynder had flown off to. But not to run away. I knew I would never be able to hide from her as long as she could search the countryside from above. Nor did I find the thought of just slinking away in the shadows or in a cave to be a fulfilling use of my time that night. If Cynder was doomed to find me regardless of what I did, it would be on my own terms. I just wanted to find an ideal location to have a talk.

I did eventually find such a location. And I managed to avoid finding trouble along the way. A shallow babbling brook was flowing through forest with some rocky outcroppings looming just over the cold water below. Beautifully idyllic and a perfect spot to just sit down and relax. I almost felt happy as I took a seat on the rocky ledge with my feet dangling off with the water mere inches below the soles of my boots. I must have looked quite out of place as well. I was dressed for the city, not for the wilds.

With my eyes focused on the narrow stream below, I allowed my mind to wander. A veil of mist was starting to fall over the forest. I had left enough space to my right to allow someone to sit beside me. And I knew who would be joining me before long. My thoughts went back to that night. And the night before. It was as if Cynder became an entirely different person between those two meetings. I should have noticed her discomfort after I told her about my family life. I had become complacent... Too many times of people taking the time to listen and understand when I explained the truth to them. I did not anticipate someone would make as drastic an assumption as possible in response.

The way she was so tender to me that night... Soaring high through the night sky with me in her embrace. That...almost flirtatious display with the use of her tongue sliding around my head. I could still recall that sensation as I touched the side of my face. Cynder... Did I break more than your trust that night? Did I break your heart as well?

What was even in my heart that night? Was there more than friendship between us up to that point? Was there love as well? No, that would be unwise. Especially now. It is...not healthy to desire someone you can never have. And I would most certainly never have Cynder now. Somewhere in my heart, I knew this would be the last time we would ever speak to each other. And I was torn. I dreaded to see her. To even let her be near me. And yet...something about the concept of saying goodbye forever still stabbed me in my heart. Her actions and intent were her own that night, but there was a catalyst. Another scar left on her by the vile Malefor. Promises of defiling her time after time. Trapped with no way out, doomed to be his whore. A fate we only barely prevented. But the memories still linger. But still... I have never been like Malefor. Did my word really weigh too lightly on the scales for you that night, Cynder? You listened to the words of Malefor over my own when all I ever wanted was to see you be happy?

The more I pondered this realization, the more bitter I felt. How could she prioritize the promises of that monster over someone who was always kind to her? I never gave her a reason to distrust me. And if she inquired further about how my heart worked, I would have gladly explained. And in the end, that truth was explained to her. That night... She was told of the experiences and perspectives of Fluttershy, Novo, and even Ember. She listened. And she understood. Why did you only listen to them, but not me? Was it because I did not have the presence of mind to ask why you went silent that night? Whose mistake was it out there on the cliffs? Yours or mine?

Something on the whispers of the wind reached my ears. The sound of flight. Not the quick fluttering of a bird's wings. Not the heavy leathery flaps of a mighty dragon soaring over the canopy. But something similar. Something...smaller. And I heard something set down not far behind me. But I did not immediately hear the rustling of soft grass under the paws of a beast. Instead of looking back over my shoulder, I remained very still and tensed up in dread. She had found me. There was no running from this now.

There was a noticeable tension in the air. Why was she not approaching me? I was listening very intently for her approaching footsteps. I was even watching for her shadow to come into view beside me. It took maybe a good thirty seconds, but I finally heard them. The steps of a quadruped. A shadow was soon cast upon the rocky outcropping to my right. I did not turn. I only watched out of the corner of my eye. After a few seconds of renewed silence, something moved into my view that caused my hands to more firmly clutch at my knees. A reptilian hand coated in dark violet scales set down beside me at the edge of the rocky ledge.

I turned my head just enough to see who was beside me. She was there. That somber little dragoness stood beside me with those pained eyes looking towards me. She did not speak. Neither of us did. And I was at a loss of what to think or feel now that she was beside me. Should I stay? Should I run? Once Cynder lowered herself to the stony floor beside me, I sighed to myself. I chose to stay.

We gazed out at nothing in particular with that veil of arctic mist hanging over the forest. Just at the brook flowing along below us and the vast forest ahead. The air was cool and the wind weak, the rustling of countless pine needles serenading our reunion with whispers of an elegy of cold emptiness. The near silence almost felt like it was daring us to speak first before the other. But I resisted that urge. And Cynder did eventually break that silence. "It's...been a while."

With the dragoness beside me having made the first move, I said what little I could find the will to say. "Did you find the answers you were looking for?"

Cynder hesitated. I only looked at her out of the corner of my eye without turning my head. She could barely even look at me. "Yes... Some of them. But...not all of them. I think...there are no answers for how and why I...did what I did."

I was not there to talk. All I wanted to do was listen. Even then, Cynder was oozing with shame. I think she had approached me in the hopes that I would embrace her or welcome her. Hoping that time had dulled the memories of our prior encounter. But that was only wishful thinking. The reality of the situation hung over us as she began to speak again. "I had to...think back to things I did not want to remember. Ask myself why I saw Malefor in you when you're nothing like him. He promised that he would break me in when he got his claws on me. And you...always held me. Never lusted for me. Never gave me any reason to think that...you wanted to put me in shackles."

I watched out of the corner of my eye when I noticed her left hand moving from the ground. Cynder lifted her hand to the platinum shackle still clasped around her throat. "You even did the exact opposite. You removed these... I thought I would have to wear these forever, but...you freed me from them that one time. Why did I think you would ever enslave or seek to control someone when you just wanted me to live by my own choices?"

Cynder did not expect me to respond. I was only there to listen. And I listened well. I still remembered that night under the stars. When I found much to my surprise that I could easily remove all seven of the platinum components attached to her body. I was not going to ponder why they found their way back to her regardless. Not when Cynder still had more to say. "I tried... I really tried to figure out why I thought you were putting your beloveds in shackles... And...I just couldn't find a real answer to that. The reason's still the same. I thought...you truly being able to love so many...with no strings attached... It was just too good to be true. No male could ever be so kind or courteous to so many mates at once... It was something I just couldn't believe."

Only then did I speak. And I did so without looking at her. "Does that mean you thought they were lying that night? When they told you our history together?"

The mournful dragoness beside me visibly flinched at those words. "No, I... I believed them. There was nothing but sincerity in their words. They were beautiful stories. And the chemistry between them and you... It was mutual. I saw the love you were all showing each other. And...they were protective of you. Especially Ember... If she knew what I did that night..."

She fell silent for a moment. Cynder's head lowered as she gazed at the cool flowing water beneath us. "I almost took you from them that night... If I knew who they were and where I could find them, I would've tracked them down afterwards to tell them that they were free. That their defiler was no more... And they would've hated me for it. You belong to them as much as they belong to you... I...was a fool."

Those were mostly words I had already heard before, so I provided no commentary. I continued to only watch from the corner of my eye as she continued to explain. "I have been in shackles since the day I hatched. Forced to watch from within my own mind while Malefor guided my body on strings. And he wanted to use me for more than just a pawn. He wanted my body... And...then you came along. It was just so much easier to tell myself that you were hiding something. That you were not what I hoped you were."

I could still remember the moments when she called out to me in that labyrinth. Words filled with rage and grief. And I could remember...those trails of glowing tears that began to flow down her face. I finally found the will to speak up. "Cynder... That night. The things you said. You sounded like you were weeping. And...I swear I saw glowing tears flowing down your face. What was that about?"

She turned away. Cynder could not even bring herself to look at me as she spoke next. "I... Somewhere deep in my heart, I... A part of me was telling me that I was making a mistake... And I knew I was. But I just couldn't believe it. I was so sure you had hurt them and would continue to hurt them. I knew they were all lies... It was all a reality I created for myself just because it was easier to believe. I knew I was wrong... I knew I was making a mistake, but...I couldn't risk letting myself be hurt again."

Even then, she still had doubts? Those tears were a sign that her heart was at war with her mind? Even so, that was not enough. When she pursued me through that corridor and we began to fall through open air, Cynder could have saved me. Snatched me out of the air and carried me down for a gentle landing. If she was going to change her mind, it would have been then. But she did not. I remembered the feeling of resigning myself to whatever fate had in store for me as I plummeted through the darkness with Cynder diving down at me from above. Instead of rushing forward to catch me, she unleashed a wave of green fire at me to deal the final blow. I was only spared that night because of the sudden intervention of Luna and Nightmare Moon. Whatever Cynder's heart was telling her at the time, it was not enough to make her reconsider her beliefs at the last second. And I spoke bitter words in response to this memory. "For being all you ever had, you were very eager to be rid of me."

My words stabbed her deep. Cynder tried to speak. Tried to put together words. But instead of speaking, her mumbling turned into pathetic whimpering as I saw her hand rise to cover her face. It took maybe a good thirty seconds before she could compose herself enough to speak. "I wish I had an answer for why I never stopped... A little voice in me wouldn't stop screaming out at me... Telling me to hold on and not push away... I...hated myself for what I was doing, but kept telling me it needed to be done for the ones you had seduced."

I sighed harshly, at least understanding why the trauma she experienced explained her actions that night. Even if a reason is not an excuse. I then completely looked away from her and gazed out at the mist filling the forest around us. What came next was a question I had asked once before. When I was bleeding heavily from a slash to my torso. "Do I mean nothing to you anymore?"

Cynder did not hesitate. And even through the sorrow in her tone, her words carried sincerity and weight to them. "You...mean everything to me."

This was something I needed to hear. I turned my head and looked more directly at the wallowing wyrm beside me. She did not smile, but those beautiful eyes told me everything. "You...were there for me when I needed someone most. You returned to me when I had nowhere to go... Made me happy to know you. Made me...happy to be alive. Gave me something to look forward to. Somewhere to belong. Something to cherish... Something to...love."

I kept my emotions buried deep. More than anything, I was just unsure of what to think about such beautiful words. But Cynder then turned her gaze away from me and stared out into the misty forest ahead. "And...I know I don't have the right to decide what happens next. So... Please. I want you to decide."

"Decide...what?" I asked with some concern. There was something final about that tone. Even with fresh tears still lining her face.

"I have done...unforgivable things to you. I know you can't forgive me. And I won't forgive myself. Not for why I did what I did." Cynder said almost bitterly. She started to look angry. As if she would lash out at herself if she could. Cynder then explained, "I shouldn't even be here... I shouldn't be showing my face to you after what I did. And to that... James. I want you to choose what I do."

Cynder then looked at me with such a gaze of painful resignation. And her words that followed... "Do I stay? Or do I go?"

My eyes widened as I suddenly understood what she was asking of me. She had sinned. And I was being tasked with passing judgement upon her. I feigned ignorance over such a vague request and asked, "I...don't understand."

"Just...tell me what to do. Do I...stay with you like always? Or...do you want me to leave and never return?" Cynder explained with an almost growing look of hope just under the despair in those tearful eyes.

I needed more answers before I could make a decision. "What will you do depending on what I say?"

She hesitated in thought, her eyes wandering while that long tail swished slowly along the ground. With a sigh, Cynder closed her eyes. "If you want me to stay... I will. And...I swear I'll never hurt you again. I'll never doubt your words. I'll never give you a reason to doubt me. I'll protect you and defend you from anything and anyone. To make you happy...that you have me. Keep you safe...so I'll never lose you again."

That look in her eyes... The more Cynder spoke, the more determined her gaze. As if she was hoping against hope that I would do just that. And I believed her words. She had been there for me once before. Jumped in front of me to stand against a perceived threat. But as the seconds ticked by with the two of us locking eyes, that hopeful determination began to fade as her gaze wandered. Cynder then muttered weakly, "And...if you want me to leave... If you never want to see me again... I'll...go. I'll never seek you out again. I promise. I know you don't trust me, but...please believe me when I say I swear you will never see me again if that's what you want..."

Heavy words on two sides of the same scale. And I was left with an impossible decision. A part of me wanted to look past what she did. The Cynder who hunted me that night and the one beside me were like two different people. The former having been purged from her very body and soul like a parasite once Luna and Nightmare Moon got to her. But I would not lie to myself. I knew that Cynder's actions that night were entirely her own. She was not being influenced by a lingering curse. That shadowy behemoth was simply the contents of her heart and mind manifesting in a physical form. A form and intentions...still influenced by the actions of another. Who really was to blame for what she did that night? Cynder? Or the devil wyrm who had intentions of depravity for her? As I pondered these thoughts, there was one last question to ask. "If you do leave... What will happen to you?"

Cynder merely stared at me for a good moment. As if she had not actually considered anything beyond that meeting. Her gaze lowered as the pitiable dragoness muttered, "I...don't know. I have nowhere to go. Nowhere to call home... No one to...belong with. Without you, I... I'll have nothing. I feel like I'll just...disappear. Wander as far as I can until I vanish like a forgotten dream."

Such poignant words. And for whatever reason, this awakened a nameless horror in my heart. I knew by then that Cynder is no mere product of my dreaming mind. She had a will. A soul. Even as a denizen of the dream realm, she was alive. And I took note of my history of facing off against fictional entities from my memory. After slaying them in combat, not one of them had returned. Cynder was the only one I ever encountered who would return at a later date. Was it because we had established a connection to each other? And if so...what would happen if that connection was lost?

I remembered the first time she returned to me. Wandering aimlessly through the dreamscape in my mind like a vagabond in a stupor. Neither awake nor dreaming, yet still longing for me. She returned to me because she wanted to be with me. If she were to depart while knowing she could not and should not ever return... Would that be the equivalent of death for a dream?

My gaze wandered as I pondered this dilemma. And Cynder once again asked softly. "James... Please. I can't make this choice. What should I do? Do I stay? Or do I go?"

I had no answer. I could not even look at my companion as I contemplated the potential consequences of either decision. Could I ever put any degree of trust or faith in Cynder after what happened? Should I? Or was I truly prepared to let go forever and let that dream...die?

My indecisiveness did not go unnoticed. I clutched at my knees while gazing down at the babbling forest brook below me. It felt like minutes went by. And Cynder was very patient. She was silent as she waited for an answer. But no answer ever came. I could not choose. But eventually, a new sound reached my ears. A quiet and bitter chuckle. "I... I see."

I only barely looked at Cynder out of the corner of my eye. And I could see her smiling at me. A very pained smile, but those eyes were filled with...acceptance. "I understand... You don't have to say anything. I know what your decision is."

My eyes began to widen as Cynder rose to her feet. She stood beside me before gazing out at the forest ahead of us with the shimmering mist illuminated by rays of sunlight peeking through the canopy. As if it was calling out to her. Cynder spoke with a somber resignation in her voice. "Your silence speaks volumes. And I don't blame you. I...wouldn't trust me either after what I did. You deserve to be with those who you can trust. And...I know I'm not one of them."

She had made the decision for me after all. Cynder turned to me and said, "You'll be safe now. And...I swear I will never try to find you again. I'll...let you live your life. With those who love you as much as you love them. I'll never hurt you again. I'll make sure of it."

My eyes turned away from her for a second as a strange fear began to fill my heart. But my gaze soon returned to Cynder out of just the corner of my eye. And...tears began to flow freely down those smooth dark violet scales. Cynder tried so very hard to smile as she said, "I'll just...be on my way then. And...thank you for what little happiness we did find together. I'll hold onto those memories as long as I can. Even if you feel nothing for me now... You... You're..."

Cynder leaned closer to me and whispered something directly into my ear. Words laced with genuine sincerity even as I remained as still as stone. "You were all I ever had. Goodbye, James."

Something... Something snapped in my heart upon heard those words. Like a thread that had remained taut there for so long that I had never even noticed suddenly became lax. A thread that had been connected to...something or someone had been cut. And this subtle intrinsic sensation filled me with a sense of panic and loss. I glanced at Cynder out of the corner of my eyes. Her eyes had closed while that tearful smile had been replaced with a grimace of intense sorrow. She could not even look at me as she began to turn away, struggling to not burst out weeping as she resigned herself to what I was certain to be her ultimate doom. She would leave...and never be seen again.

My heart was at war with me. It was now or never. What should I do? What should my choice be? Forgive or let go? If Cynder got away from me now, I was convinced that I would never see her alive again. My heart filled with a maelstrom of clashing thoughts, emotions, and desires, I had to choose quickly. And as Cynder began to turn away with her left hand rising from the stony ground beneath us, I made a snap decision. I swiftly reached out and grabbed her by the wrist.

She froze. I could see out of the corner of my eye that Cynder's eyes had shot open in shock. Even with a trail of fresh tears staining her cheeks and jaws, Cynder glanced at me with eyes wide in silent inquisition. No words came from her throat. She just stared and waited.

I could barely bring myself to even look at her. I was just so confused with myself. What did I even want anymore? I pondered my true answer and finally closed my eyes with my voice speaking the wisest decision I could think of. "Let's...just...take things...one day at a time."

My hand only released Cynder's wrist when I felt her set her hand back down on the ground. I wheezed with a harsh sigh, eyes still squinted shut. I did not hear the sound of Cynder trying to slip away when I was not looking. Quite the opposite. After precious seconds ticked by, I heard quick little tapping of her claws against the stony outcropping under us as she suddenly moved towards me. Like a swift movement of a snake, my eyes opened promptly when I felt a familiar sensation. Cynder's head was tenderly tucked under my jaw as she leaned into me. And with that... She spoke precious words I had not heard in some time. "I'm with you."

With those words, I felt that indescribable sensation. That metaphorical thread rose and reached out from my heart. A connection was reestablished. The horror I felt quickly faded. I was not sure of what to believe at this point. Should I trust her? Should I reject her? All I could do was...take the middle path. Just wait and see what happens. I did not embrace or comfort Cynder, but I did not push her away. I allowed her to remain comfortable across my lap as she desperately pressed herself up against me. Even as her tears soaked into my vest. "Never again... I'll never doubt you ever again. If they can put their faith in you, so will I."

I said nothing to that. I could only sit there and stare out at the misty forest ahead while feeling Cynder's smooth scaled scalp under my lower jaw. I felt relived, yet uneasy. Was this the right choice? Would I regret not letting her go? Cynder took notice of my lack of a response and asked, "Do you...believe me?"

There was only one honest answer I could give. "I don't know what to believe right now."

"Fair enough..." The somber dragoness beneath me muttered. And for a while longer, we just sat there. Under the canopy of the forest deep in the veil of the tundra's mist. And Cynder whispered to me again. "Whether you believe me or not... I'll always believe in you."

I only grunted quietly in confirmation. I was not in much of a speaking mood at the time even if Cynder wanted to keep talking. But she did not. There was nothing else to say at the moment. And the soothing atmosphere of that arctic forest was an appropriate ambience to serenade us with.

I lost track of time. Even the fact that I my time in that world was finite slipped my mind. Had Cynder not spoken up soon, I probably would have remained there until I finally awoken. I heard her voice ask softly, "Should we be going soon? Is there somewhere you need to be?"

My eyes narrowed as I suddenly contemplated our current location. The forests of Falkreath are not without dangers. Something or someone could stumble upon us at any time. Now that I had been reminded that I was in a world produced from memories in my dreams, I decided that it was indeed time to go somewhere else. "Yeah... We should probably get going. These aren't the safest forests to hang out in."

Cynder pulled away from me at stood at my side. She was probably waiting for me to stand. But before I could, my eyes narrowed again in sudden annoyance. The location we were in... It did not have any specific features that I recognized. Possibly just something cobbled together from my memories that generated a location that would be unsurprising to find in the hold of Falkreath. And I did not have a compass. My uncertainties about Cynder being pushed to the back of my mind as I focused on more pressing matters, I looked around in confusion. "If we're where I think we are... We should probably head north. Wherever that is."

The dark dragoness looked around in confusion as well. She had never joined me in the province of Skyrim before. Although her wings then spread wide as she looked my way. "I'll be right back."

I did not have time to inquire about what she was doing. Cynder threw herself forward and off the rocky ledge as her wings carried her quickly through the air. She swooped upwards and through the canopy as I was left behind. As uncertain as I felt about her at the time, I at least trusted her enough to not abandon me. And she did not. Cynder dove back through the canopy again nearby and banked around the clearing before coming in for a gentle descent with wings spread wide. She landed beside me and pointed her hand in the direction I was facing. "That way is north."

This perplexed me. What did she even do? "How do you know?"

Cynder cast me a subtle smile. As if she was a little proud of herself at that moment. "The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, right? It looks like the mid afternoon, so I just put the pieces together from where the sun is right now."

While it would be foolish to assume that every world like Earth or Equestria orbits around their sun in exactly the same fashion, I understood where she was coming from. A practical bit of common knowledge to put to use. And so I stood up and looked down at the brook below us. "If we can find a road, I can guide us from there."

"Lead the way." Cynder replied while I took a step back. I leaped over the brook from my heightened vantage point and landed clumsily in the foliage beyond the flowing water. Cynder soon followed and bounded off the ledge like a leaping panther and landed beside me with much more grace than I showed. She looked up at me with her head held high and even smiling rather sincerely. As if she was trying to impress me with her display of nearly feline agility. I failed to smile, but I still gently patted her on her scalp in congratulations. Cynder knew she had not earned my trust back yet, but she was trying to stay optimistic. It was a new day. A new start.

We continued along through the mist at a leisurely pace without attempting to make any chitchat. Cynder knew to be patient and she appeared to be just as taken with our surroundings as I was. The misty forest around us felt intriguing and mysterious, the air thick with frigid humidity. The call of a bull elk reached our ears once again. Only then did Cynder provide some commentary. "This forest is majestic... Do you come here often?"

It would be rude to refuse to even speak with her at all. So I said what little I was comfortable with. "I do have a certain fondness for Falkreath. And for the forests in general."

Cynder stayed silent while I could see her gazing up at me out of the corner of my eye. Although she did attempt to be a little witty before long. "You...feel like someone who does like being around trees. Trees don't talk much, but they always listen. Something about that quiet serenity..."

"I suppose if I had to identify with a specific color, it would be green." I retorted while Cynder let out an awkward giggle. I think she was at a loss of how to lighten the mood. Which only reminded me of how she likely would have been had the royal sisters and I not been there for her when the dust settled at the end. She would have been much colder. Her words more likely to carry a snarky bite than any real levity. For as cautious as I felt around her, I was still happy for Cynder having developed a more idealistic outlook. But i did not tell her that. It was too soon for any overt kindness.

We weaved around the trees that stood sporadically in our path while I gazed ahead into the mist to watch for threats. Packs of wolves or the occasional solitary bear. At least bears would rather stand their ground than actively charge something that could be potential prey. And the rivers of Skyrim could be rich with salmon. Perhaps I was remembered incorrectly when I assumed that Falkreath's forests were not the safest place to be. I suppose one would only find trouble when actively searching for it.

As if to spite my thoughts, something decided to prove me wrong. Cynder and I had just passed another tree when something caught my ear. It started out dim, but rapidly began to grow in volume. Buzzing. Like a swarm of bees. But not from around us. Cynder and I came to a stop. And she was the first to detect the source of that noise when she looked back. "Wha... That wasn't there before!"

I abruptly turned around just in time to see something literally emerging from a tree like the towering evergreen had no solid mass. A vaguely humanoid creature composed entirely of twisted gnarled branches. The body bore a frozen womanly face carved into the front of its wooden head with its hands and feet curled into mighty clawed extremities. Green light glowed between its limbs as a verdant aura enshrouded the creature of wood. And I quickly saw the source of that buzzing. A swarm of swirling green sparks were encircling the womanly torso of the creature that brought to mind a swarm of bees guarding a hive inside a cavity within it. I recognized the creature immediately and knew I was in mortal peril. "Spriggan! Run!"

I turned away from the forest guardian and immediately burst into a sprint. But I barely made one step before I felt the verdant creature's lethal grip enshroud me. It had extended its hand to unleash a continuous stream of some sort of...suffocating force upon me. Almost like a poison. It barely had form, being an extension of its vibrant green aura as those buzzing sparks surrounded me. I quickly lost my strength and was brought to my knees. Clawing at my throat, trying to breath without even drowning, desperately trying to make it all stop.

My strength was fading fast. Deadly fatigue was washing over me. I realized all too late just how fragile I was without my enchanted armor to keep me safe. Or just how quickly the magical assaults of a Spriggan can suck the life out of their prey. I was not suffocating, nor was I being poisoned. But I could...feel myself dying. And for just a moment, it felt all too real. Like my dream would end without me ever waking up.

As it turned out, both I and my assailant had completely forgotten about the one other person there. And she made her presence known in brutal fashion. Just when I looked back at the Spriggan bearing down on me with its cold unfeeling wooden face, Cynder intervened. Her maw parted as a massive and continuous wave of green fire exploded forth and engulfed the wooden creature. It true bitter irony, its healthy verdant aura was snuffed out by the equally green glow of that unnatural green fire. I felt my impending death halt as the life in me started to creep back up over my very being. But what startled me most of all was not just the sheer size and intensity of that wave of green fire. It was Cynder's utter ruthlessness. She did not relent until the creature before us stopped moving. And it did so in mere seconds. Flailing in agony, the Spriggan let out a shrill death cry before becoming still and falling flat to the moist forest flood covered in misty dew.

As the Spriggan's corpse continued to burn with those green flames, Cynder rushed over to me and placed her hands upon my back. She then halfway stood atop me with her wings reaching low and encompassing me from both sides. She quickly turned her head from side to side, meticulously watching for others. And she was wise to do so. Spriggans are seldom found alone.

Once it became clear that the smoldering creature behind us was the only one there did Cynder lower her lips to my ear. "Are you all right?"

"I...think I can feel my strength coming back to me. I don't even know how that magic works." I replied while Cynder very slowly released me from her protective embrace. She stood by my side as I remained on one knee. Without that deadly aura strangling the life out of me, I could feel my vitally returning at a steady pace. And I looked down at me bare hand. I scowled as I realized just how helpless I was when compared to when I am properly equipped with the gear I have grown so accustomed to using in such situations. "I forgot just how fragile humans can be... I really thought that was the end for a second."

"Then it's a good thing you'll always have me." Cynder said firmly before once again tucking her head under my jaw in another familiar display of affection. She whispered to me from just under my chin, "I said I will protect you... And I meant it. I won't lose you again."

Cynder did prove herself in that harrowing moment. I was in mortal danger. I would have perished in that dream world had I been alone. And she defended me with unrelenting brutality. Scorching the deadly Spriggan until the life left its body. After all that had happened the last time she and I crossed paths, Cynder did not hesitate in protecting me from the vengeful spirit of nature that wanted me to die. And so I said the only thing I could. "Thank you."

"I'm with you." Cynder whispered to me in a much more tender tone. We could still hear the popping and crackling of burning wood behind us. I soon rose to my feet and turned to see what was left of our assailant. The fallen Spriggan was still partially engulfed in green flames while what was exposed had been charred black. The flames did not spread far along the grass and weeds where it had fallen. A forest fire would not be happening that day. Cynder snarled at the deceased creature of wood with nothing but contempt in her eyes. "You didn't even do anything... Why was it trying to kill you?"

"It's just in their nature. Men, mer, even beast folk. Anything that lives in a proper society are seen as mortal enemies to the Spriggans. Even those who mean no harm towards nature or are hunting creatures just out of necessity are not welcome in their territories." I explained in brief. I understood the need to prevent excessive deforestation, but the infamous hostility of the Spriggans was still far from reasonable. How ironic to protect nature while being entirely incapable of reason.

"Blinded by a grudge? Fools..." Cynder huffed with a grunt of disdain. She glared down at the blackened face of the Spriggan as the odor of burnt wood filled the air, black smoke still rising from its smoldering remains. "There's no evil in you. You're...too kind. Too gentle for these things to hate."

"It's just the way things are, Cynder. If we keep our distance, they won't bother us. They have enough courtesy to at least try and warn anyone away if spotted from a distance." I replied as I began to walk away. Cynder followed and remained by my side as we continued to head north. She was much more wary from then on out. Constantly glancing about, shifting from one side of me to the other, and generally doing all she could to watch for danger. I was tempted to tell her to not bother, but I had been harshly reminded of how vulnerable I was. No armor. No weapons. All I had was...magic?

I looked down at my own hands. But I quickly dismissed that thought. I had yet attempted to harness the magical energies of the world I was in before. Trying to do so in the heat of the moment would be reckless. It would be best to let Cynder handle any threats. Although my curiosity did get the better of me when I looked down at Cynder. The way she unleashed that wave of green fire... It did not look or sound like it was being fueled by her breath.

My curiosity was too strong. I dismissed my general distrust of her and asked, "Cynder... How exactly did you do that back there? That flame breath... Is that a natural ability? Or...magical?"

"That...? Well, you've seen me do this before." She replied before inhaling and unleashing a quick gout of green fire from her maw. But only for as long as her breath lasted. "That's just my natural fire breath. All dragons can do it. But...this..."

Cynder came to a stop while I did the same. We were in an open enough clearing to not have to worry about anything unfortunate happening. Cynder stuck her head forward with her jaws parted. And this time, the wave of flames that burst forth were much more potent and reached even farther. And she sustained it for a good while. After maybe fifteen seconds, it abruptly stopped while leaving only a large patch of grass scorched black. Cynder then looked up at me and said, "That... That came from...something else. I can't explain it. Like there's some sort of...magical energy in me that fuels these elemental powers. At least for a while. I used it all up just now, but I can feel it creeping back up."

"I see. It's not an unusual concept in worlds like this. Even Skyrim's magic use similar to that." I replied while feeling inspired. I looked down at my right hand and thought of the element most associated with that hand when wearing my armor. Fire. And so I focused. Trying to channel what magical energies I had access to in that world in the same manner I do when wearing my armor. And I was most surprised to actually get results. Flickering flames suddenly formed in the grasp of my curled fingers. It was warm, but did not burn me. Cynder's eyes even opened wide in awe as she saw me cradling flames in my hand without the use of the armor she had grown to recognize. I then said, "I think the most common term for that finite energy is mana. In Skyrim, it's called magicka. Everyone has it, but the more capable mages have greater magicka reserves than most."

"Mana... Magicka... I wish I knew more about it. Maybe one of those terms was what my world called it." Cynder mutter while I held out my hand. I tried accessing the simplest fire spell and unleashed a continuous stream of orange flames from my palm into open air. Although not to the same impressive scale of Cynder's enchanted flame breath. I could feel a subtle sensation, almost like what I feel when Ocellus is feeding on my love. Something was being drained out of me at a slow rate. And once I ceased channeling that magic into a fire spell, I could subtly feel myself regenerating my reserves. It really is impossible to describe. Although Cynder then asked, "Wait... Where did you say we are? The world of Skyrim?"

I was not surprised to see that Cynder was ignorant to that world's geography. Now in the mood for a proper conversation, I then explained, "No, Skyrim is just one of several provinces of Tamriel."

Cynder once again missed the point as she spoke up. "Oh, so this is the world of Tamriel then. I got it."

A weird combination of annoyance and amusement filled my head. I then proceeded to correct her again. "No, that's not... OK, in order. This is the land of Skyrim. Which is one of several provinces on the continent of Tamriel. Which is a landmass on the world of Nirn."

"Oooooh, I get it now! Sorry!" Cynder retorted while even laughing at her own ignorance over the matter. I started to feel a smile creeping over my lips. A smile I did not want Cynder to see. I turned away from her and even brought a hand to my chin and mouth in a manner to imply I was simply taking a moment to think critically. But it was not enough. Cynder stepped around me to gaze up at me and said, "Are you...smiling?"

"No. No, I'm not." I muttered before hastening my pace to walk along to the north once again. I did appreciate having a pleasant conversation for once. It did help me forget about my uncertain distrust towards Cynder. But I was not ready to lower my guard just yet. It was still too soon.

Cynder tacitly kept quiet for a while longer as we trudged through the mist. And we continued to keep our distance from every tree we passed. I was feeling much better by then, but another encounter with a Spriggan did not appeal to me. Although in due time, Cynder lifted her head. As if to listen. "I hear water."

The ambience and sounds of the forest had become white noise to me by then and had clouded my ability to notice changes in the noise around us. But now that I was listening intently, I noticed that she was right. I could make out the distant hiss of rushing water. Somewhere to our right. We hastened our pace. And the mist began to clear. There before us was a worn stone road with a great lake in the distance. Even I was left momentarily dazzled by the majesty of Falkreath's great lake and the small mountains beyond.

"This is Skyrim...?" Cynder asked quietly as she gazed in awe at the majesty of the landscape around us. Although she then took note of what was between us and the lake. A small lumber was set up beside the river we had heard earlier. Although there was signs of civilized life in the form of that mill and a rustic wooden house on the other side of the river, I felt uncertain about whether or not we should approach. I knew the proprietors of that lumber mill were not entirely human. And Cynder did not know that. "Housing... Someone lives here?"

"Yes, but...we should be off. Half-Moon Mill may not be the safest place to be around here." I replied before turning to my right and heading down the road and across a matching stone bridge. Cynder followed without objection. Although I knew that she could easily handle most threats we may encounter.

Earthen ledges came up and over us on the left before long. Cynder even paused to observe a trail of ants marching along a log. But as we passed a fork in the road, my eyes narrowed in familiarity. I had been down that section of the countryside often enough to know we may be walking into danger. There was a pale crag coming up on the left ahead that even reached into the lake. And I saw movement. "Stop. Something's ahead."

Cynder spread her wings as I lowered myself closer to the ground in order to be harder to notice through the trees beyond the road. She looked ready to charge whatever would come our way. "Need me to handle it?"

Something caught my eye. A few old yellowed bones tumbled up into the air before coming back down. I lifted my head higher and could see someone approaching the road. A human woman shrouded in a robe and hood of tan and pale blues. Steel bracers and plated boots protected her limbs. I knew then that we were not in danger. "Oh... One of the Vigilants of Stendarr. They're righteous folk."

"Then...we're safe?" Cynder asked while her wings became more folded. I continued along now that any possible threat ahead had already been handled by the woman before us. She even turned our way as we drew near, her face revealing the dark complexion of the Redguard race. Cynder remained silent, almost as if she was unsure if she should reveal herself to be a sentient person despite her more beastly visage.

I nodded at the Redguard woman while taking note of the heavy mace at her side, its four flanges composed of polished steel. She had just finished putting down a sinister creature. Although she did not let us pass without getting a word in. And her words were filled with unexpected concern. "You are bloated with disease, traveler."

"Disease...?" I muttered as Cynder and I came to a stop. Had I contracted an illness? I definitely did not feel like it. No symptoms I was aware of were plaguing me with foreign sensations. I turned to the Vigilant of Stendarr and said, "The only thing I came across today was a Spriggan. And it didn't lay a claw on me."

"Spriggans? Strange... They are not known to inflict diseases on those who survive encounters with them... Perhaps I am mistaken?" The woman asked in confusion. I was familiar with numerous diseases in the land of Tamriel by that point. Rockjoint, Witbane, Ataxia, and even the Droops. And not one of them are acquired from contact with Spriggans. Although just when I was ready to continue on my way, the Vigilant took note of my companion. "Although I must ask... What is this creature in your company?"

"Her...?" I muttered as I noticed an inflection in her tone. One of cautious curiosity. Cynder took note as well and took a step back.

"It's no dragon... Far too small. And those sigils on the scales... Bangles and blades of silver? Perhaps platinum?" The woman spoke while she carefully scanned the dragoness beside me. And her eyes began to narrow in an accusatory fashion. My own eyes widened as I saw her beginning to reach for her mace. "Sir... Are you in the company of a Daedra? A denizen of the planes of Oblivion?"

I did not fault the Vigilant before us in being wary of Cynder. They had always been sworn to hunt down and destroy agents of evil. And it would be a lie to say Cynder did not have a dark history of her own. The likes of Malefor would have been a prime target for them. Thinking quickly and dearly wanting to avoid a conflict over a false assumption, I quickly placed my hand upon Cynder's scalp. "No. She's not one of the Daedra. Cynder here is... A... Um..."

My companion remained completely silent to avoid risking making the situation worse. And the wary Vigilant even hesitated in grabbing her weapon. "Then what is she? An exotic pet from beyond Skyrim's borders?"

I snorted in annoyance as I found myself having to come up with a lie on the spot, thinking quickly, I put my words to good use. "Well, if I had to call her something... She's what I call...a lesser wyrm."

The stink eye Cynder gave me upon hearing that... Something about that adjective must have sounded insulting to her. Although the Vigilant did relax her hand. "Lesser wyrm, hm? She definitely does appear small enough to fit that term..."

Cynder only looked all the more annoyed. And I found myself adding onto the smoke and mirrors. "Yes, you'll only find them around the canyons of Elsweyr. I mean the Khajiit down there call them something else, but...I just settled on lesser wyrm. I think they may be distantly related to the cliff racers of Morrowind. I'm just surprised she can tolerate Skyrim's climate this well."

My deception worked. The Vigilant of Stendarr was satisfied with my explanation and crossed her arms with a smile. "Well then, I trust she will behave herself. Until then, I must be off. Stendarr's light be upon you, traveler."

I nodded in farewell and watched the Vigilant turn and walk down the road we had just come from. And Cynder was all but seething as she looked desperate to object to the term I had chosen to describe her with. Once our prior conversation partner was well out of earshot, Cynder sharply glanced up at me and said, "Lesser wyrm?!"

Seeing Cynder so thoroughly annoyed with me was morbidly satisfying to see. Especially after the utter hell she put me through last time we crossed paths. I had the right to get back at her for that. I found myself starting to smirk as I twisted the knife further. "Well, if you decide to be a good girl, maybe I'll upgrade you to a greater wyrm instead."

My attempt to provoke her further backfired. Cynder just stared at me with a perplexed gaze settling into her eyes. And then she...laughed. She started laughing uncontrollably and even began to lose her footing. Cynder slumped to the ground and even rolled onto her side as she just could not stop laughing at what I said. Although she did eventually regain enough composure to gasp out a proper response. "I...don't know why that's so funny...!"

"I wasn't trying to put you in a good mood, you know..." I grumbled while feeling so unsure of what to think. I was still very uncertain of my thoughts of Cynder at the moment, so why was I doing such a good job at putting a smile on her face? I turned away with arms crossed, annoyed at my inability to keep a safe enough emotional distance from her. And Cynder could not see that. She climbed to her feet again and rubbed her head up against my leg in an almost feline fashion. A gentle display of affection or even gratitude. I sighed harshly without even looking at her. While I did not want to sound bitter, I still forced myself to speak. "Stop that."

"Sorry..." Cynder muttered as the joy in her voice quickly faded. It did not take much to remind her of what happened the last time we saw each to her. Although I then took note of the direction I was looking. The edge of the lake was ahead of me. Where the Vigilant of Stendarr had just been first. What did she deal with over there? I did not see a fallen corpse of a supernatural malevolent entity.

Curiosity got the better of me and drove me to approach that spot. I walked through tall wild grass and stepped around uneven rocky formations jutting from the earth. But Cynder had other plans. With the speed and grace of a panther, she rushed in of me with her eyes filled with renewed sorrow. I said nothing while she just looked up at me. "I just want you to know... You're still all I've ever had."

My response was cool as I tried to maintain some sort of distance from her. "That's not the same as saying I hold any value to you. Am I a priceless gem, or a sentimental pebble?"

Something about those words dealt a stinging blow to her heart. I noticed Cynder's eyes widen with pain as her mouth opened in silence. As if desperately trying to find an answer. It took her a moment, but she did answer me. "I...could never replace you. All the gold in the world wouldn't be enough. I don't just want you. I...need you. That's why I won't let you go if I can help it."

Cynder softly stepped up to me as I took a step back. I tried to dismiss those words, but there was just too much sincerity in them. She never looked away before placing her hand upon my boot to keep me from retreating. The only way to break free would be to kick her. But no matter how much wariness was in my heart, I would not. Cynder had already suffered enough. The mournful dragoness leaned forward and rested her brow against my leg. "I'm with you. And I always will be. I'll...wait as long as I have to... You gave me a reason to smile again... And I want to see you smile too. Just like you always did."

I wanted to believe those words. And I tried to tell myself that the Cynder who mauled me last time was an entirely different person. I wanted to believe that. And yet, I could not. I should not. Not when she sincerely wanted to murder me in spite of her own self doubts. Cynder soon lifted her hand from my foot to let me pass her. As I did, she asked softly. "Do you believe me?"

Those words prompted me to stop again. I looked down at her for only a few seconds before continuing on. And I provided an answer with words of my own that I hoped would be enough for her. "I want to."

Cynder did not object and followed after me. And all we found littered among the wild grass were bones. Just old yellowed bones stained by the passage of time. And Cynder spoke with surprise. "Bones...? Skeletons? Human skeletons?"

"Looks like it. One of the more fragile undead that can be found in Skyrim." I replied while taking a closer look. And I winced as I beheld the damage that Vigilant's mace had wrought on her enemies. It looked like she had struck each down with a single blow that caused the reanimated skeletons to fall apart. One had its ribcage shattered at the middle, another had its shoulder section crushed, and the third had half of its skull smashed in. "Wow... Maces really do excel at smashing bone over tearing flesh."

My draconian companion started to step closer before something slid under her paw when she took a step. We had overlooked that these three skeletons had been armed. And Cynder was quick to develop an idea. "Weapons...? Wait, you're not armed. Why not take one of them?"

"Yeah, I'm more confidant if I have a sword in hand. Let's see..." I retorted before standing up to get a better look at the dropped equipment. The skeletons appeared to have been using a varied array of weapons forged in a much more ancient time. Stained black yet still sharp and useable, I saw a sword, axe, and a longsword scattered among the ground with a pair of shields as well. I naturally went for the sword I could use in one hand, but... I scowled as I closed my hand around the worn and shockingly uneven hilt. "This... Ow, this would mess my hand up if I hit anything with it."

Perhaps it was because of the sword's age, but the hilt was not perfectly smooth and had no padding around the iron shaft I was supposed to hold. The hand shock and friction I would get from it... But perhaps it made a weird kind of sense when considering that only the undead carried them. "At least those boneheads can't feel pain anymore. No wonder they use these things."

"It...does look uncomfortable to hold. What about the axe?" Cynder asked before sliding the only other single-handed weapon over to me. It was double-sided with one sharpened head being smaller than the other.

I looked at the axe and then at one of the two shields nearby. The shields were circular with iron rims and a round iron lump over the center of the shield. Old and worn, but serviceable. But when I reached for the axe, I hesitated now that I was getting a good look at it. The handle was not even perfectly straight and had rusty wires wrapped around it that would make the act of hold it very uncomfortable. Let alone actually hitting something with it. I gave it the benefit of the doubt and took it in hand before immediately finding the iron threads digging into my palm convincing me otherwise. "What were they thinking designing these things? Is there anything the ancient Nords forged that were designed for anything that isn't undead?"

I dropped the axe right then and there. Cynder got curious and tried taking hold of it in her own hand even if she could never hope to swing it around effectively. She quickly dropped it would showing a disappointed scowl. "That will get painful really quickly... What about that bigger sword there? You've used a sword around that size before, right?"

She was right. There was one other weapon there and it was clearly a sword not designed to be used in one hand. And I look of it. Aside from the unusually wide blade, it looked well designed and even the hilt was lacking in uncomfortable design defects. I reached for the sword and took it in both hands...only to be reminded of an unfortunate design issue nearly every two-handed sword in Skyrim. "The grip is comfortable enough, but...why so heavy?!"

The blade was just too broad and added unnecessary weight to the whole thing. It brought memories of the first time I visited Riverwood in the depths of my dreams and how I was completely floored by the sheer heft of a greatsword forged from Dwemer materials. This ancient sword of Nordic origin was not as obnoxiously overbuilt as that, but I still found it too heavy to be practical. Perhaps if I was wearing my armor's enchanted gauntlets, I could manage, but that was not the case. After a few slow cumbersome swings to test the weight, I dropped the clunky weapon at my feet. "No good. I can't use this."

"Then I'll just have to keep you safe myself." Cynder replied confidently. She even spread her wings a bit wider in a confident display. As if she was taking pride in serving as my sword and shield for the time being.

Frustrated as I was that I did not have a means to defend myself outside of the use of magic that I had little experience in, I did appreciate that my companion was at least a reliable protector. Although I did take notice of the two old shields at my feet. Not wanting to be entirely defenseless, I reached for one of them. "At least carrying a shield is better than nothing."

The old shield of wood and iron was thankfully more reasonably designed than the weapons around them. Even the grip at the center, worn as it was, still had some faded leather padding it. I was not used to holding a shield that was not affixed to my arm and I even tested how much it could rotate in my grasp. A really good strike could push the shield into a dangerous position. I had to maintain a certain angle. Although...I started to ponder the fact that the shield's entire rim was coated by a layer of iron. "Let me try something first."

I approached a nearby tree and adjusted my grip on the shield so that the entire circular surface was parallel with the back of my hand. I stood before the tree, readied my stance, and then thrust my left hand forward like I was throwing a straight punch. The iron rim of the shield struck the tree firmly and even left a notable crack in the bark. Cynder had followed me and stared with wide eyes at how easy it was to weaponized such a shield. While not an ideal weapon, no one would ever see such an attack coming. Cynder even cracked a smirk at me and said, "They say a good offense is the best defense."

Satisfied with my finding, Cynder and I continued on down the road while observing the lake to our left. That vast pool of water rippled constantly as it fed into a river towards the east. All we would have to do was follow it to find the village of Riverwood. Cynder gazed upon the lake and the forest and snowy crags beyond it. "This land is beautiful. I'm not so sure even my world had this much majesty."

I said nothing in an attempt to avoid conversation. I at least felt comfortable in her presence. Comfortable enough to know I could trust her with my life. Although as we continued on with the road climbing an incline up ahead, Cynder came to a stop. She was gazing east, but also with her head tilted back. I saw what she was looking at. A great mountain was in the far distance. One very near Riverwood. Even one of the world's twin moons could be seen looming in the bright blue sky to its left. Her eyes narrowed in contemplation. Cynder then turned around to look at any other distant crags over the horizon. And not one reached as high as that mountain. She then looked back at the summit high above us and said, "Even the moon looks so majestic in the sky. And in the middle of the day too. And... That mountain... It's taller than all the rest."

"The Throat of the World. The highest elevation in all of Tamriel." I explained in brief. I too took a moment to appreciate the grandeur of Tamriel's tallest peak. I decided to drop a bit of trivia on Cynder now that the subject had shifted to such a sight. "A dragon resides atop it. A wise and noble drake."

"He sounds like it." Cynder replied as we continued on. She watched the Throat of the World for a little longer before we started to climb the hill under the road. But her gaze then lowered before speaking up. "Another human?"

A man clothed in striking gold and dark blue was approaching us, a steel sword at his side and with shimmering blond hair atop his head. I knew this man. And he spoke up with a thick Nordic accent as we passed each other. "Hello there, friend. How lucky for you to chance upon a bard on the road."

"Good to see you, Talsgar." I replied with a nod of my head. A very sociable man with a love for the majesty of Skyrim's natural beauty. I even happened to notice a lute slung over his back. Although he did also take an interest in the dark violet dragoness at my side. He stopped and turned to observe her as we passed. I knew he had questions and decided to answer one of them. "She's a lesser wyrm. Native to the canyons of Elsweyr."

"And a very exotic find she is! She almost brings to mind a dragon, but much more graceful! Take good care of her, friend. I'm sure she's a rare find." Talsgar replied while Cynder begrudgingly played along. She managed to hide her annoyance with that term I came up with.

Talsgar continued down the hill we were climbing and even started to strum along on his lute to pass the time. Before we could continue, I looked down at Cynder while she gave me a much drier glare than before. She knew she had to just roll with that term of lesser wyrm to not raise suspicion from Skyrim's locals, but the term 'lesser' does carry some unfortunate implications. Even so, I still took some amusement in having a way to mess with her. "What're you gonna do? Bite me?"

"I just might." Cynder snorted before very suddenly doing just that. She reached out and grabbed my right hand between her teeth. And yet...I was not all that alarmed. I was not noticing any malice or any real aggression in her up to that point. She was not biting me. She was just...holding me. I did not even feel any fangs between her jaws. And after a moment, I noticed the edges of her lips at the back of her jaws curve upward to form a rather cheeky smile. My eyes widened as I felt her tongue caressing my palm from below. I flinched and averted my gaze. Cynder was quick to notice my indecisive discomfort and released my hand. "Sorry. I... I just... You make me happy, you know?"

Deep in my heart, I wanted to drop the facade and embrace her. I had to force myself to continue walking without at single backwards glance. Patient as always, Cynder hastened her pace to a quick trot to catch up. The road curved ahead to the left and a campsite of sorts could be seen up a hill while bordered by the edge of a forest. A trio of tents composed of interwoven animal hides and two human men and one woman could be seen up there while one was chopping wood. They were all clad in attire and makeshift armor composed of bear pelts and tanned leather. Cynder asked again, "More humans?"

"Stay away from them. If you find anyone out on the roads dressed like that, they're usually up to no good. They're bandits more often than not." I explained firmly while glad that the bandit camp at the side of the road was not the most overtly dangerous example in Skyrim. The trio of bandits that tended to camp out there usually kept to themselves. I suppose if they wanted to lay low, they would not set up shop so close and out in the open near a major road. They could definitely see us, but made no attempt to interact with us. That did not stop me from keeping a close eye on the only archer among the group.

It was not much longer before we came to another fork in the road. This one even had a signpost by it to direct us along. One branch in the path went further up the hill while the other went downhill. I promptly explained, "We should head left. It's safer that way."

"Lead on." Cynder retorted without objection. I guided her down the left path and through another winding bend in the road. And a familiar landmark soon came into view. A trio of stone spires with runic carvings and a circular gap carved out near the tops set out on a stone platform in a triangle formation. Cynder trotted ahead to take a closer look. "Hey... These look interesting."

"Standing stones. Some bestow useful blessings upon those who reach out to them." I replied as I too stepped up onto the platform to get a closer look. I could still remember the first time I passed them by years ago. Except I was seeing them through a screen instead of my own eyes. One stone displayed a mighty armored warrior with round shield and long axe in hand. Another displayed a robed man with a glorious billowing beard and enchanted staff in hand. The third displayed a sprinting hooded and cloaked man with a dagger in hand. "Warrior. Mage. Thief."

"Sounds...familiar in a weird way. Like some kind of template..." Cynder muttered while looking back and forth between the three. Not surprising when considering her origins from a world that was basically something right out of an Ogres & Oubliettes game. The dark dragoness then turned to me and asked, "Which one do you align with?"

I turned my gaze from one stone to another. Despite having recently been officially knighted and my usual equipment being a full suit of enchanted plate armor, I did not see myself as a proper warrior. And I certain was not enough of an academic to qualify as a true mage. My eyes fell upon the Thief Stone. As ironic as it was, I rested my hand upon it. "My path follows the thief."

"But... But... You're not a thief!" Cynder barked in objection. And I perfectly understood why she misinterpreted my choice. "You're better than that! You're not someone who preys on people for riches, are you?!"

"I never said I am a thief. I just prefer...discretion. Stealth. Staying out of sight... Slinking around threat if I can... That's just my style. I prefer more subdued approaches." I explained as succinctly as possible. I appreciated the stealth of a thief. I just did not appreciate the moral ambiguity that often comes with those who follow that path.

Cynder calmed down quickly as she took in my words. Ad she spoke wisely. "I think I can see that... You're too quiet to be a warrior."

"I wouldn't say that...but you get my point." I muttered before deciding it was time to move on. Cynder and I continued to wander down the road ahead before watching the waterfall that was spilling gout of the lake we had passed. It was an impressive sight and the roar of that crashing water was something neither of us had heard in a long time. The crashing water gave off a spray of fine white mist that moistened our faces before we walked away. We even passed rolling dips and cliffs under the water's surface that salmon could be seen leaping over to try and reach the lake beyond.

We came right up alongside the shallow river the lake was feeding into . Even a few low walls of tightly compacted white stones came up on our left. But I did remember to mind the hills on our right with a mountainous wall beyond them. A few wolves could be seen peering out over the road from a higher ledge. And Cynder saw them too. She glanced up at me and asked, "Should I handle them?"

"No. Just stay by the water's edge." I replied while guiding her to the very edge of the road. We even stepped through the shallowest section of the river to avoid provoking the wolves. We were just far enough away for them to tolerate us before we came back onto the road. I saw no satisfaction in avoidable violence. And just up ahead... There it was. And I felt a wave of comforting relief wash over me. "There... Riverwood."

That humble little riverside village came into view as I even found myself smiling. We drew near the stone wall at the western edge of town with one of the guards patrolling atop it. Unsurprisingly, the guardsman draped in a yellow shroud rushed over to the arched entrance to the village and called down at us from behind his helmet. And all in that incredibly thick and deep accent. "Halt, traveler! What's that you have there?!"

Cynder was starting to look frustrated over having stayed silent with every encounter we had during our time in Skyrim. Would it be safe for her to speak? It was just so hard to say. Regardless, I rested my hand atop her head and called back to him. "She's with me! She's tasked with protecting me on the roads!"

"A guardian beast, hm? Very well. Just make sure she stays out of trouble." The guard replied before resuming his patrol atop the wall. And I do admit that there was something disheartening about hearing someone refer to Cynder as a mere beast. Would they have said the same about anyone from Equestria as well?

My companion said nothing as she followed me under the arch in the wall. And the lovely sight of that little woodland village greeted us with a feast for the eyes. Cynder gazed around at our surroundings while the hammering of the local blacksmith forging steel was heard on the left. "There's so many humans here..."

One of the three guards was patrolling the street going through town and ended up approaching us directly. He spoke with that deep accent as he seemed to recognize me. "What's the matter, lad? That sword too much to handle last time, so you trained your little friend to fight your battles for you?"

I almost laughed at that memory. That Dwemer greatsword was far too hefty for anyone without the thickest arms to swing it around in a fight. I decided to just play along with his assumption. "Yeah, more or less. She saved me from a Spriggan today."

Cynder glanced up at me with a bit of a cocky smirk to confirm my claims. She lifted her head and spread her wings to take a bold stance before the guard. The guardsman took note of her response to my words and even got a chuckle out of it. "Spriggans? Looks like she knows what she's doing. Carry on, you two."

The guard resumed his patrol and walked away. Cynder then narrowed her eyes to gaze ahead at the eastern wall on the far edge of town. Another guard was patrolling atop it. She looked up at me and asked, "Will you be safe here if I step away for a bit? There's guards patrolling the town, right?"

"If you want to look around, I won't stop you. I should be safe for now." I replied while Cynder started to take a step away from me. Although she soon stopped. The dragoness looked back at me with such an uncertain gaze in her eyes. As if she was afraid something was waiting around every corner to pounce upon me if she left my side for even a second. I lifted the shield in my left hand and tapped my right hand on the rim. "I'll be fine. I have friends in this village."

With great reluctance, Cynder did leave my side. She turned to the right and walked between the village's eastern wall and the first house just beyond it. Staying in the shadows before easing herself back into the light. As for me, I knew exactly where to go first. I headed over to the blacksmith's forge to see a very familiar face. The burly blacksmith was sharpening a sword on the grindstone under his roof, his dirty blond beard likely full of soot from the smolder forge on the left. "Afternoon, Alvor."

The strong yet kindly Nordic blacksmith looked at me over his shoulder without missing a beat on his task. And he beamed at me with a delighted smile. "Ah, good to see you, lad! Feels like it's been weeks. Staying on the roads instead of venturing through old forts and caves for treasure?"

"Pretty much, yeah. I've tried settling for soft threads instead of ebony plating." I replied while just playing along with the world and people spawned from my memories. I was not the only person on Earth familiar with the world of Skyrim. But the memories and experiences one has with that world varies from person to person. I was always a kind soul during my virtual travels through that fictional world, shunning and even punishing the most black-hearted guilds that plagued the land when the opportunity arose. But now that I was there in person, I just wanted to live in peace much like how I always have in Equestria.

"I was wondering why you were dressed like that when you last came by. Carrying a shield, but no blade? Judging by your attire, I'd say you found more than your fair share of riches out there across the land. I still remember when I oversaw you forging your first dagger. Why, I'm certain you've already made me eat my own words and have forged a fine blade of Skyforge steel!" Alvor laughed while I too fondly remembered that little lesson he gave me that one time. And his parting words. "I had become so accustomed to seeing you in full heavy armor whenever you came to town. From fine steel to sturdy orichalcum and then glorious ebony. Now you wear the look of a nobleman. Finally found your riches and glory? Perhaps you even found yourself a wife?"

That last statement stung my heart. I still remembered that one night in Solitude while I dreamt upon the Empty Plains. A wonderful Argonian woman greeted me that day. A reptilian creature with a heart of purest diamond. A woman I adored and went out of my way to give her a life of comfort and security that the cold denizens of Windhelm denied her. That wonderful evening... Where I was reminded of why I loved her so. And fell in love with her all over again. A perfect woman. The finest woman in all of Tamriel in my eyes. I averted my gaze and said, "Yes... I did find myself a wife."

Alvor apparently mistook the pain in my eyes for embarrassment. The experienced husband spoke words of misplaced understanding. "Then she most likely found herself a fine man. I knew I saw good things in you when Hadvar brought you into town. Nothing at all like those Stormcloak traitors. Tell me, lad. Who is the lucky lass waiting at home for you?"

This would be quite the test of character for Alvor. While a good man at heart, he was still a native of Skyrim. They always had...stubborn beliefs. I cautious spoke to him. "An Argonian... Shahvee."

The sound of the grindstone slowed to a stop. And Alvor gazed upon me with eyes of surprise. "Really, lad...? An Argonian lass?"

"I met her in Windhelm..." I said while having difficulty in looking at my friend.

Alvor responded before I could even continue. "Say no more, lad. I know enough about Ulfric's stronghold to know that the Argonians there have a sorry lot in life. You did her a service by getting her out of there. Mara's blessings upon you, friend."

The blacksmith had turned in his seat while lowered the sword in his hand away from the grindstone. He was giving me his undivided attention now as a man who knew what it meant to fall in love and walk down the aisle with the woman he cherished most. And I felt proud of the fine Nordic husband for being quick to understand why I sought to save her from a miserable situation. Although Alvor then asked, "But I'm sure there's more to it than that. What made you decide she was the one for you?"

I sighed before gazing up at the low ceiling above us. "She... Even though the situation surrounding her was unfortunate, she was always happy. Too happy. So I asked her why she was always in such high spirits compared to her peers. And she said... And I quote... I know life on the docks isn't easy. Sometimes life puts you in difficult circumstances that you didn't choose. But being happy or unhappy is a choice that you make. And I've chosen to make the best of what I can."

Alvor only smiled at me. He did not interrupt as I retold my easiest encounter with that wonderful Argonian woman. "I knew then...that she was the one. I needed to get her out of there. Away from all the prejudice. Somewhere better where she could be truly happy without compromise. And when I approached her again to ask her... She said she would walk by my side until the trees themselves would fade away. If I would have her."

The Nordic blacksmith stood up from his seat and set the sword in his hand aside entirely. He then firmly yet enthusiastically placed his mighty hands upon my shoulders and beamed at me with pride. "Lad. Sounds like you found yourself one of the best women I've ever heard of. Nord or Argonian, you'd best keep being good to her."

"Thank you, Alvor. I will." I replied, yet knew it was a lie. That night we spent... As husband and wife... I found myself weeping when I realized that I would soon awaken. I was...so in love. Too in love. Could I ever bring myself to see her again? Should I ever see her again, even with the distinct possibly that Luna and Nightmare Moon would eventually find a way to bridge the gap between the realm of reality and the dream realm?

I had to excuse myself right away. My heart was becoming too pained to maintain a conversation. I stood out in the middle of the road going through town. My eyes rose to the Throat of the World to the east. That gargantuan mountain towering over the village. I thought about the ancient wyrm residing atop it. For as vast as his knowledge and wisdom reached, even he would not have an answer for the dilemma in my heart. All I could do was try and push those thoughts out of my head. I had someone else to focus on.

That was when I realized. Where had Cynder run off to? The village did not sound like it was in an uproar. Either Cynder was keeping a low profile or everyone she passed were very accepting of her presence. I turned to my left and strolled down the road while keeping an eye on the rooftops around me. It was when I passed in front fo the gap between the first house past the western gate and the local shop did I notice something over yonder. The sight of Cynder soaring up onto the roof of the house near the southern wall.

I watched in curiosity as I saw the dark dragoness delicately walking along the thick wooden beam at the top of the house's slanted thatched roof. She was heading in my direction, but did not appear to have noticed me. Her balance was impeccable and she soon stood at the very edge. Wings spread wide for balance and tail adjusting its angle constantly, Cynder leaned over the very edge to get a good look around. She was just enjoying the sights.

Seeing Cynder simply enjoying herself on her own time like that comforted me in a way I did not expect. It was a good day for her. But when I looked away to focus on what was ahead on the road, I noticed a familiar face. The only Bosmer in town and an accomplished archer. And he appeared to be looking at something off to the south. And...why was he taking his bow in hand?

I recognized Faendal immediately. He was backing up while pulling an arrow from his quiver that hand a head of shimmering steel. He brought it to the string of his bow of polished brass while backing up in front of the local inn. As if trying to take cover beside it and using the shop to my right to hide himself. And he was aiming high...

My blood chilled. I promptly looked to the right and gazed upon Cynder standing on the rooftop. She was completely oblivious to the presence of Riverwood's resident Bosmer. I then looked back at Faendal as he adjusted his position while keeping his bowstring drawn. Trying to be discreet as if hiding from his target. I held out a finger to try and figure out exactly were that arrow was pointing. Back and forth, drawing an invisible line through the air... That arrow... It was being aimed at... "Faendal, no!"

It was too late. And I was out of immediate earshot. Faendal released his arrow as it went flying out of sight. I turned just in time to look at Cynder while she too only barely had enough time to look to her right. And...I saw it. That arrow plunged itself right into the base of her throat.

Cynder recoiled hard as that arrow plunged directly into the front of her neck. She clumsily grabbed at whatever had just pierced her throat with one hand as pain overtook her. Wracked in agony and confusion, she quickly lost her footing and tumbled down the slanted roof to her right and out of sight.

I... I was stunned. Confused. Rooted to the spot as I tried to process what I had just witnessed. Cynder was... In hindsight, I should not have cared. The one who had tried to murder me in our previous encounter had now experienced an attempt on her own life. Almost like an unassociated karmic retribution. And yet...

At that moment, nothing else mattered. I was consumed by an overwhelming fear as I charged between the two wooden dwellings to try and reach my fallen companion. A low crude wooden fence was between me and the yard of the house Cynder had fallen beside. And I was not the only one approaching that spot. I saw Faendal coming down the road to my left with bow in hand and had even readied another arrow to deal a killing shot had his target survived. Fury in my heart, I hurled my shield at him like a discus. "SHE'S WITH ME!"

My aim was reckless and poor with the shield falling short of its mark. But thanks to its perfectly round design, the shield rolled along the ground like a wheel and ran right into Faendal's right leg. He barely had any time to react to its approach before he yelped and started to hop around on one leg in response to that hard impact. I probably would have even found his reaction pretty funny had I not been so concerned with the state of my companion at that moment. I vaulted over the fence, rounded the corner of the house and...

Cynder was exactly where I suspected she had fallen. And a layer of hay on the ground had even softened the impact. But the arrow... Faendal's aim was horrifyingly efficient. The arrow's head had slipped right between two of her ventral scales where the resistance was weaker. Fresh blood was starting to ooze out as Cynder gasped for breath. This was all happening so fast... What could I do?!

"No... No no... How do I fix this...?!" I muttered in a near panic as I could see Cynder struggling to breath. She occasionally coughed and gasped while trying to grab the arrow's shaft. And when she did, she let out a garbled groan as even the slightest tweak of the arrowhead in her throat inflicted immense pain on her. Faendal soon came hobbling over with his leg still sore and I immediately glared at him over my shoulder. "Why'd you do that?! She didn't do anything!"

Faendal was at a loss for words as he saw me trying to shield Cynder with my own crouching body. He stammered and stuttered as it dawned on him that he had made a very unfortunate mistake. Even the guard who had been patrolling the street in the middle of town came running over with sword drawn. He soon loomed over us and shouted, "What did you do, elf?! Did you do this to this man's guardian beast?!"

"I... I thought it was..." Faendal muttered in embarrassment as Cynder continued to struggle for breath. She could not even speak. The Bosmer then quickly slung his bow over his shoulder and reached into a pouch on his side. He pulled out a bottle and said, "Here, use this!"

That pale and almost pink shade of red told me everything I needed to know. A healing potion. It would surely be enough to save her. But as I reached for it, Cynder coughed very hard as thick spurts of blood burst from her maw. And even more than that as she almost began to vomit up blood. I quickly put the pieces together. That arrow had pierced her throat. She was drowning on her own blood! That potion could not save her if she could not even swallow its contents!

I genuinely felt like I was about to lose Cynder at that moment. Until I had an epiphany. While the guard scolded and confronted Faendal for his assault of my companion, I realized there was only one other option. Restoration magic. But Riverwood had no mages. No one skilled in the healing arts of magic was anywhere nearby. With possibly mere moments left to save Cynder, I held my hands out before me.

I knew how to channel the magical energies found in Tamriel. The process was virtually identical to the magic contained in my own gauntlets. But...all I could access was Destruction magic. Flickering embers appeared between my curled fingers. Then shimmering arctic mist. And finally crackling arcing trails of lightning. It was all I knew how to use! Fire, frost, shock... How was I supposed to use healing magic when all I knew was how to cast those three elements?!

As Cynder continued to struggle to cough up more blood, her eyes starting to become more and more lidded, I had a sudden realization. Fire, ice, and lightning magic. They were only three of the four elemental polarities I had access to when using my armor. But there was a fourth. Solar magic. The very celestial energy of the sun itself. Basically light. And light is comforting. Nourishing. And even harmful to the undead when weaponized. Perhaps if I were to try and focus in the manner needed to channel solar magic...

My eyes widened in hope as I did just that. My hands were soon engulfed in a brilliant golden aura as orbs of soothing light formed between my curled fingers and palms. The telltale sign of Restoration magic being ready for use. Even the guard noticed this and quickly saw what needed to be done. He sheathed his sword and took hold of the arrow's shaft in his empty right hand. "Brace yourself, lad! As soon as this comes out, cast your spell!"

"Right... Healing Hands... Come on, Healing Hands!" I muttered with my two hands ready. At the count of three, the guard yanked the arrow from Cynder's throat as she flinched hard at another jolt of pain. And as soon as that arrowhead was plucked from her throat while coated in fresh dragon's blood, I planted my hands upon her body and channeled that soothing healing force into her.

A comforting shrill hum filled the air as Cynder was engulfed in a brilliant glow. Swirling ribbons of light encircled her as I could see the flow of blood slowing. Disappearing until not a drop could be seen on her. Cynder herself confirmed its affects when she suddenly gasped loudly with her first full breath in minutes. She wheezed and sighed, hand resting upon her throat as if she could not believe that the wound was already gone. I only relented once Cynder's breathing became stable.

Silence fell over us while the rest of the village had no idea of what just happened. The guard then turned to a cowering Faendal and asked, "Now then... What was that about?"

I too glared at Faendal as my heart still raced in my chest. And he could barely look us in the eye. "I... I thought it was a dragon. Thought it was about to set the village on fire and..."

"But...I wasn't..." Cynder finally spoke as she reeled from the attempt on her life. She did not appear to be in pain, but that was still a taxing experience to go through. She nearly drowned on her own blood. Had I not figured out how to cast Restoration magic...

Both Faendal and the guard glanced at her in shock. Had she been a simple wild beast, it would have been one thing. But the realization that Faendal had nearly kill a breathing thinking person... The guard spoke first. "That thing can speak?"

"Just... Just go." I demanded from both of them. All I wanted to do was get away from that situation. I gently scooped Cynder up into my arms as she clung to me however she could. Her wings, her arms, her tail. She wrapped herself around me the best she could as I carried her down the road. I just wanted to get her somewhere safe and quiet so we could both take a moment to shake off that close call.

There was one spot in Riverwood that was ideal for a bit of peace and quiet. There very same spot where Nightmare Moon had handily bested that invading dragon last time she and I visited that village. Speaking of her, I ended up passing the local troublemaker at the point where the two roads met. But he must have recognized me and remembered what Nightmare Moon did to him last time since he stayed quiet and even kept his distance. I crossed the shallows in a branching section of the river atop a wooden walkway and strode onto that tiny island bordered by the river. And Cynder was silent during the entire stroll as nerves were likely shot.

I noticed the logging mill to my left and could see another massive log being sawed down the middle before nosily falling in two and sliding off onto a towering pile of the things. My gaze then fell upon a very wide tree stump. There was even an empty tankard left there by the last person who wanted to have a drink in a quiet spot. That tree must have been quite the giant to have a stump so wide. It was likely used in the construction of Riverwood itself. But I then happened to wonder if all the blood Cynder had spilled had really been placed back inside her. I asked quietly, "You still got blood in you mouth?"

"I... Yeah. I need to wash this out..." Cynder muttered before I carried her right over to the water's edge. I carefully set her down before she dunked her head into the cold current. She pulled her head back out suddenly as she recoiled from the unexpected temperature drop, but preserved and dunked her head back in. The exhausted dragoness shook her head about in the water while probably keeping her mouth wide open to get it thoroughly rinsed. Cynder soon lifted her head again from the current and gasped for breath. "Ugh! So cold!"

"That's Skyrim for you." I retorted while wondering how I could possibly find the will to show a hint of with after such a harrowing incident. Now that Cynder was back on her own feet and appeared stable, I went over to the tree stump and took a seat on it. Cynder quickly followed and bounded up onto the wooden bench and halfway rested herself across my lap.

I focused on the logging mill ahead as a means to draw my attention away from Cynder. Although she still had questions for me. "Why did he do that to me... What did I do wrong?"

I sighed before revealing an unfortunate truth to her. "Dragons...are reviled in Tamriel. Especially Skyrim. When one them shows up, they never leave without causing trouble."

Cynder shifted on my lap as I think she lifted her head to look up at me. "But...you said that the dragon who lives up on that mountain... The Throat of the World? Right there? Didn't you say he's...?"

"He's a rare exception. The number of dragons in this world who are genuinely affable people can be counted on one hand. He just happens to be the kindest of the bunch." I replied before Cynder could finish. I lifted my gaze to look up at the towering mountain nearby. I knew he was still up there.

"I see..." Cynder muttered before resting her head down upon my lap again. And she then said something very unexpected. "You could've let me die..."

A unexpected chill flowed through my heart. That was a very cold thing to say. But Cynder did not sound particularly upset. And I had no words for her. She asked again, "I know you don't really trust me... You could've done nothing. Let me...go."

I rested my hand upon Cynder's hips at the base of her tail. Just to get her attention while still trying to not look down at her. "I already made my decision. Let's take things one day at a time. I saved you...because it wasn't the right way for things to end."

"James... I could see you. You were panicking. You protected me. You were angry." Cynder said as I felt myself becoming increasingly uncomfortable. Did my emotions in that moment betray my thoughts? Cynder whispered again, but just loud enough to speak over the sounds of the lumber mill and the rushing water beside us. "You were upset to see me bleeding... Do I mean anything to you?"

"I really don't know... I really don't." I muttered in a half truth. I was unsure if I was being honest with her. Nor was I certain if I was being honest with myself.

"James..." Cynder muttered before she lifted her head before me so her eye could gaze into mine. She asked with a certain somberness in her voice, "Are you afraid of me?"

My eyes wandered while I answered at least that question honestly. "I know what it means to be afraid of someone. When it comes to you... No, not really."

My companion sighed before lowering her head out of my view again. "I wish things could go back to how they were right away... When you were so kind to me. When I was protecting you instead of the other way around... I miss the feeling of your lips on my head... What do you even call that gesture?"

Those were so bitter at that moment. Our times together were brief and few, but they were wonderful experiences all the same. And it hurt so much to think back on those encounters only for...that to happen. And I did remember all the soft kisses I placed upon her head. Just sweet acts of affection in the hopes of showing Cynder that I valued her. But from the sound of it, she was not even certain what such a gesture is. And so I explained, "That was what you call a kiss."

I felt Cynder roll her head to one side on my lap. As if she was doing so to let one eye look directly up at me. "A...kiss? What is it?"

That was a question I never thought I would hear. And what should I say? How does one define a kiss? I did what I could and pondered carefully my response. "It's...a show of affection. A fairly intimate one too. More intimate than an embrace."

This response seemed to intrigue Cynder. And she then asked, "Really...? And...it's done with the lips? Sounds like when someone bites...but it's the complete opposite? Where it's a gentle act instead of a violent one?"

"I never thought about it like that, but...yeah? Maybe? Perhaps that mindset is where it came from." I retorted as I started to take some solace in this conversation. As a man who values love, discussing the concept of a kiss was...enjoyable.

"Touching your lips to someone... What if a kiss is met with a another kiss? Isn't that...more intimate?" Cynder asked while I just nodded. She sounded impressed at such a thought. "You would be so vulnerable when doing that... I guess I see why it's such a brave show of affection. Mutual faith in each other..."

With how ignorant Cynder sounded to the concept of a kiss, I happened to glance down at her. My eyes studied the structure of her face for a moment. "Do dragons...not kiss?"

Cynder almost sounded amused by the question. She grinned in unease before saying, "I'm not sure if you noticed by...our lips are very stiff and thin. They can't...flex as much as yours. At least not at the front and sides."

I could see what she meant. Cynder's mouth and jaws were much closer to that of a traditional reptile. And they have never had the most expressive faces. Although while Cynder's general expression was difficult to read from the front if one does not pay attention to her eyes, her lips are very easy to read from the side. I could see how the edges of her mouth at the very back could bend up and down. The greater presence of facial muscles around her cheeks allowed for greater expressiveness and could make for a very lovely smile. But now that I was pondering the lack of flexibility in her lips, a new question came to mind. "Wait a minute... If your kind don't really kiss like my species can... What would you say the equivalent is for your kind?"

"Us? Well... If you mean...like... If two of you kiss each other... Both sets of lips touching? Um... From what I remember..." Cynder muttered before she started to push herself up. And...she did it again. She tucked her head right under my jaw. And she did not say anything. Cynder allowed her actions to speak for her.

My eyes widened as I realized what she was saying with this tender gesture she had shown me several times already. This was a dragon's version of a kiss? And...it was not the first time. The way she had her head tucked under mine... Being below me... An act of submissiveness? Making herself vulnerable by being in a disadvantageous position where the one above could chomp down onto her neck? If this was an act that required trust and placing faith in someone who could hurt them, then I could see the parallels between this gesture and a kiss. But if this was just a demonstration...

"You've done this before." I muttered in stunned realization. My heart was tensing up as a new type of anxiety filled me.

"Yeah... I have." Cynder muttered softly without lowering her head from my jaw.

I asked cautiously, "Then...all those times before...?"

"Mmhm..." She mumbled again. All without pulling away from me.

I then asked a most important question. "Is this...considered indecent among your kind?"

She hesitated. And I knew she heard me. Without lowering her head from the crook of my neck, Cynder whispered to me the answer I dreaded. "Very."

My nerves demanded that I push her away. Not now. Not so soon after what she did to me. I retried to retain my composure as I said, "Cynder... You need to stop. Now."

She did not respond. The dragoness showering me with a very intimate display of affection unique to her species did not budge and did not speak. I demanded again, "Stop... Please."

Only then did Cynder speak to me. "I...don't want to."

Why... Was this a massive test of trust? She knew I was wary of her. Cynder knew what she did to me. Was she allowing me to lash out at her while she was vulnerable? I could have shoved her to the ground. Thrown her from me. I started to raise a hand to give her a mighty shove to force her off of me, but...

I could not. Cynder had already been hurt too many times. And she had just survived an attempt on her life. Doing that to her then... I feared the consequences. I just...could not do that to her heart. So I did what little I could. I just sat there...and took it. Turning my gaze up to the sky as I shed a single tear. I just did not know what to think at the time. Or what to feel. What did either of us want anymore?

"Please don't be afraid of me..." Cynder quietly pleaded as I felt her rest a hand over mine. Her breathing became haggard and unsteady as I heard her continue to whisper. "You're all I've ever had... And it feels like...you're all I'll ever need."

"Then why... Why all the times before when you did this?" I asked as that realization dawned on me. This was not the first display of an indecent show of affection. While the context was different at that moment, why did she...every time before...

I do not believe Cynder had an answer for the previous times she had tucked my head just under my jaw. Or if she did have an answer, she did not want to say it. All she said was a tender phrase Ii had heard many times before. "I'm with you."

Instead of being touched or reassured by those words, I felt uneasy. And so I said, "That's not an answer..."

"I'm with you." Cynder replied again as she pressed herself up against me more firmly. Almost like a tacit refusal to elaborate more. And I was convinced it would be a mistake to pressure her so soon after a harrowing ordeal. So I relented and sat there as she continued to savor my presence.

I began to wonder if Cynder had truly been healed after that arrow to the throat. When I thought the time was right, I spoke up. "Did I heal you enough? Are you still in pain?"

"I..." Cynder muttered as she sounded like she had begun to sincerely inspect herself for lingering wounds. And she found one. "My throat still feels raw... Hurts a bit when I swallow."

"OK. Hang on." I whispered while lifting my right hand to get a look at it. I remembered how to focus to prepare solar magic while wearing my gauntlets and soon found that familiar soothing ethereal aura held in my grasp. One hand would be enough to finish the job.

I placed my hand upon Cynder's back and adjusted my focus to cast another Healing Hands spell. But when I did... The aura in my grasp faded. I felt its energies disappear before I could apply it. Cynder did not seem to notice and waited patiently as I inspected my hand. Why did my focus falter like that?

Feeling a surge of determination in spite of the unexpected difficulty in casting such a simple spell, I renewed my focus and placed my hand upon Cynder between her shoulders and exerted my will. She once again became shrouded in a golden glow and swirling ribbon of light. Maintaining that spell did require some effort, but I endured and waited for Cynder to provide some confirmation. She soon said, "Much better. Thank you."

Only then did I allow the spell to cease and let my focus relax. The visual cues of Restoration magic being active disappeared from my hand, but I did not look away yet. I gazed in my hand in puzzlement. "It was harder to do this time..."

"It was?" Cynder asked as she pulled her head out from under my jaw and pushed herself up to look at me. She glanced at my hand and then back at my face. "What did you say magic is dependent on in this world? Some sort of...natural energy? Did you use it all up earlier?"

"No, magicka doesn't work like that. It naturally replenishes itself when not in use. I should've been back up to full capacity by now." I replied while dearly curious abut the cause of the sudden difficulty I felt when trying to cast what had always been a low level spell.

Cynder looked equally as puzzled. Although she then brought up something that had slipped my mind. "What did that person we passed on the road said? That you're...bloated with disease? Do you feel all right?"

I suddenly remembered that too. The Vigilants of Stendarr tend to be very acutely aware of even minor symptoms of illness. But I felt no such symptoms at the time. Or then. "I feel fine... And it's not like I had an opportunity to be infected with anything. Spriggans aren't known for carrying diseases, certainly not through the use of magic."

"Then...aren't there...like...magical plagues? Is that possible?" Cynder asked with a raised eyebrow. It sounded too absurd to be possible. But I knew that was not the case in the world we were in.

"Yes, but just one. And it's an ugly disease that...I really hope you never have to see the results of." I replied while deeply grateful that Cynder and I had not encountered anything that carried the dreaded Sanguinare Vampiris. Were that to happen, it would be a race against time to receive a cure before Cynder or I would become...something less. I had already seen Cynder corrupted by a power that was not her own. I would loathe to see it happen again with no easy cure. I rested my hand on her back while gazing up at the mountains around us. "At least Spriggans don't carry it."

"Maybe your nerves are just shot. Take it easy. I...put you through a lot lately." Cynder said softly as she looked around from that location at the northern edge of town. She looked south and happened to focus upon the Sleeping Giant Inn near the eastern edge of town. She sniffed the air. A faint aroma of grilled meat seemed to be coming from small gaps in the roof. "Are you...hungry?"

"A hot meal would be good for us right now. Especially after a hard time. Sure." I replied while Cynder hopped down from my lap. I stood up and guided her off that tiny island and back into town before heading up the steps. No one bothered us along the way, but we were greeted with a sight of the source of that aroma. A large fire pit was in the middle of the inn with several large chunks of meat held over it on a spit. Just the sight of such succulent food being prepared in as old fashioned a way as possible made my mouth water. "Wow... Now I'm actually hungry."

"Mmhm... I like the look of that." Ember replied with her eyes widening at the sights and smells of rustic cooking reaching our nostrils. We looked to the left and saw the inn's counter at the far end of the room with a burly Nordic man standing behind it with thick unkempt dark hair atop his rugged head. The local bard had just started to strum on a lute in the corner while a few of Riverwood's locals relaxed nearby with tankards of cold drink in hand. Cynder drew a lot of attention towards herself just by being there, but everyone merely watched from a distance.

The inn's bartender responded to our approach while resting his mighty hands on the counter. He looked like he could easily double as a bouncer if his muscular build was anything to go by. Perhaps he had thrown a few unruly travelers out the door before. A quick glance around the inn revealed that a Breton woman was not present. I had to remind myself that the clerk before us was also the innkeeper by then. He recognized me and spoke with a thick gruff tone. "Haven't seen you in a while. Not since that last dragon tried to raze the town. What can I get you?"

"Yeah, it's been a while, Orgnar. We're only here to grab a bite." I replied while Cynder stayed by my side without a word. Orgnar had to lean over the counter a bit to get a good look at her. I spoke before he could say anything. "She's with me."

Orgnar hardly looked fazed by the almost feline reptile standing beside me. Even his tone sounded like that of a man who had seen it all by that point. "Got it. We've got fresh meat over the fire and I just finished boiling a few pots of stew. What're you in the mood for?"

"We'll have... Wait..." I started to speak before I had a sudden realization. When I first found myself in that world again, all I had on me were the admittedly elegant clothes on my back. I quickly felt around my jacket for pockets or even a pouch for various goods. I found nothing. Not a single coin was on me and neither Luna nor Nightmare Moon were present to materialize some currency for me. "Uh oh... I... I don't have a single bit of gold on me..."

Orgnar's brow furrowed as he heard this. He probably got that kind of response from the local drunk more often than he would like to admit. While not angry, his response was still stern. "Sorry, friend. We don't give handouts here. If you're out of gold, we could always barter."

"Barter, huh?" I replied while knowing how commerce worked in Skyrim. Everything has a price. I just had to make him an offer. The clothes I was wearing was all I had, even if they would fetch a decent price. But surely there had to be something else...

I received an unexpected answer to our troubles. Cynder tapped my on my shin. When I looked down, she tapped a finger on the platinum armlet worn around her opposite wrist. My eyes widened at this reminder. Those shiny metal pieces worn on her body were composed of platinum. A very valuable ore no matter how one slices it. And it was not like Cynder had a use for them anyway.

"Hang on. I think I got something here you might want." I replied to Orgnar before kneeling beside Cynder. I started to reach for the piece that was clasped around her throat, but she promptly stopped me by placing a hand over it. My eyes rose from her neck to look at Cynder's face in confusion. It was easily the least comfortable piece she was wearing, so why keep it on?

I looked at Cynder while she looked at me. And all she did was shake her head. She did not look happy at all, but it was not a good place to ask why she wanted to keep that platinum shackle wrapped around her throat. Although she then did extend that hand to me. Not wanting to argue, I accepted the offer. It took me a moment to remember how to get them off, but I managed to unclasp the two shackles on her wrists and the bangle on her tail. I then set the three of them on the counter and said, "Will these cover it?"

Orgnar raised an eyebrow at the sight of my offering. He took one of the slightly tarnished wrist shackles in hand to look it over. "What's this even made of? Silver?"

"I'm pretty sure it's platinum... I think." I replied while trying to recall if I ever got a confirmation of the materials used in forging it. I then looked down at Cynder and asked, "These are all platinum, right?"

The little wyrm beside me quickly nodded. I then looked at Orgnar and said, "Yes, it's all platinum. What will these go for?"

Orgnar almost laughed at the identity of the materials being offered. "Platinum? You almost never see that around these parts. Maybe I'll have Alvor melt these down and sell it off at market. Sure, I'd say this'll more than cover whatever you want. Let's sate that appetite, hm?"

It sounded like we were free to order whatever we wanted. So Cynder and I made sure to get the most out of that offer. We placed an order for a salmon filet and slabs of grilled slaughterfish, a bowl of tomato soul and apple cabbage stew, a pair of venison chops, a loaf of bread to share, baked potatoes, two bottles of cold mead, and a couple of sweet rolls for dessert. I took a seat at one of the tables that had a fresh clean wooden plates and sets of cutlery. Although the forks only having two prongs would be tricky to figure out. I took a moment to sit at the table upon its bench seat while Cynder tried to figure out the best way to sit there. She found that it was best to keep her hands upon the table to avoid sliding off. The design of the table was not meant for quadrupeds.

"Didn't think those old eyesores would buy us enough stuff to let us eat like kings." I said almost in jest. Even Cynder cracked a smirk while Orgnar went about the fire pit to check on everything as he prepared our orders. Although I then looked at the remaining platinum components on Cynder's body. The two spikes on her wing's elbows and the blade on her tail did carry some practical use in self-defense, but that bangle around her throat... I started to reach for it again now that I had remembered how to get it off, but Cynder stopped me once again with a hand resting on it. I then said, "I can take that off."

"Don't. Not until you think I've earned it." Cynder replied firmly while looking more ashamed than anything. Those platinum shackles had always served as reminders of her servitude to Malefor. Probably moreso than those white runes on her body. And the first time I got them off her, she was almost euphoric in relief. Was this really a self-inflicted act of penance on her part? Not for back then, but for what she did to me?

I took a closer look at that shackle around her throat. Lining the top and bottom of the rim were little barbs that would surely dig into her neck if it were to bend too far in any direction. Those tiny features only made me wince more as they looked all the more like restraints forced onto a slave to keep them docile and obedient. I said quietly, "It doesn't look comfortable."

"It's not." Cynder retorted in brief while turning her gaze to the wall beyond the table. I decided it would be best to say nothing. She had already gone through a lot that day. And I only wanted to have a calming meal. Bit by bit, Orgnar brought over our meal. And it was impressive just how much we had actually ordered. Cynder's eyes widened as if she had no idea where to begin while I took a moment to pour our bottles of mead into a provided set of tankards. "This... Wow, where do I start?"

Seasoning on all that food was light, but it really allowed the natural flavors to shine through. The taste of the slaughterfish reminded me of barracuda and that apple and cabbage soup was delightfully unique. And that venison... Tough and stringy, but so rich and filling. I tore the loaf of bread in half to dip mine in the soup or to soak up the juices of the venison.

I watched Cynder out of the corner of my eye as she dined. It took her a moment, but she soon started using the cutlery as well as I was in order to get individual pieces of her salmon and venison into her mouth. I was especially curious of how she would eat her tomato soup. She appeared hesitant to use a soup, possibly due to the dish being a liquid recipe and her hands being less dexterous than mine due to each finger beside the thumb having one less joint than mine. Rather than risk spilling anything from her spoon, she decided to lowball her approach. She lifted the wooden from below in both hands and carefully drank from the bowl's edge. I noticed her stiff reptilian lips were able to purse themselves just enough to slurp up the liquid soup with a suction affect. And she let out a satisfied sigh after gulping down that first mouthful. By the time she drank the bowl dry, Cynder even had a line of red across her upper lip that she licked off with one stroke of her tongue.

We had little to say to each other and all for the same reason. We were just enthralled at the opportunity to savor this old fashioned cooking. I almost did not even notice that everyone in the inn had started to gather around to observe the violet dragoness at my side dining in exactly the same manner they would. They at least had the sense to scatter before she could notice them. And when we walked out of that inn with full bellies, we were in a much better mood than before. Although that food in our stomachs helped minimize the intoxicating effects of that sweet yet strong mead we had consumed. Cynder sighed harshly once we were back under the warm sun above. "Phew... I needed that."

"I think we both did. I had no idea just how amazing a dish could be with so few ingredients." I replied while feeling so satisfied and sated that I almost forgot about my wavering trust in Cynder. But not quite. And the subtle effects of alcohol in my system made it all the more challenging to not get too friendly towards her. Now that we were done with that, I started heading west towards the forge at the edge of town while Cynder followed. I wanted to see Alvor again and take a look around his forge.

We happened to notice a woman leaning against one of the thick wooden support beams holding up the roof over the forge. I recognized her as his wife, a Nord of fair complexion and long auburn hair clad in a long faded orange tunic. And she appeared to have her arms crossed in a defiant manner. We quickly found out why when Alvor's voice called out to her over the sound of a hammer striking an anvil. "Sigrid... Love of my life! When you get a spare moment, I could use some water."

Sigrid's response was about as much as I would expect with that body language speaking first. "Don't you sweet talk me, Alvor. Not after last night. I'll bring you water when I'm done with my other chores."

Alvor groaned in almost playful annoyance just around the corner. "Woman, you'll be the death of me yet! Fine, take your time. I'll just die of thirst in the heat of this forge..."

Sigrid walked past us with a noticeable amused smirk on her lips while barely casting a glance our way. Cynder and I came to a stop after hearing that before I noticed her looking up at me with a curious smile. "Are you like that with any of your mates?"

"You mean that kind of playful bickering?" I replied while trying to think back to any conversation I had with the wonderful women in my life who have become so much more to me. Arguments have always been rare, although... "I would probably say Novo and Ember come to mind first. Novo's got plenty of fun sass, but Ember's always burned with passion. I still remember her complaining when I dragged her back into bed that one time. Just to be with her a little longer..."

Cynder looked genuinely happy to hear that. She then asked, "Fiery, huh? She did give me that feeling. I'm sure you two are always happy together."

"Always. We...need each other." I replied while trying to cut the conversation short. I stepped under the roof of the forge just as a gentle thunderclap reached my ears. And right then, the sky began to pour rain. I was not even aware of just how many clouds were in the sky at that moment. Even the sun had been covered up in the mere minutes after we had stepped outside. Cynder followed as we took shelter there while Alvor remained unfazed in the warmth of the forge before him. The mighty bellows he was operating even kicked up a breeze of warmth around us. If there is one kind of rain I cannot stand, it is always the frigid kind. We would not be going anywhere until the storm had passed. Although I then looked over at Alvor and asked, "Trouble with the missus?"

"Bah, nothing new. Just little things you don't need to concern yourself with. Sigrid will be smiling again by sundown." Alvor almost laughed as he focused on his work. I took a seat at the north edge of his workshop and sat on a low wooden bench. Cynder rested on the floor before me like a lounging panther, her tail swaying idly as we both watched the master blacksmith at work. Only then did he happen to notice my companion. "Ah, what's that you got there, lad? Some sort of rare beast?"

"She's a lesser wyrm. You only find them in the canyons of Elsweyr. She's just my bodyguard." I replied while Cynder managed to avoid showing any real reaction to that term again.

Alvor looked very intrigued as he lowered a piece of glowing hot metal into a trough of water next to the forge to cool it off with a loud hiss of steam rising. "Looks like she can actually fly too. I've seen you come through town with a yappy wolfhound, then one of those armored huskies, and sometimes with one of those Dwarven machines following you around. I'd really like to know where you found that last one. And now you've found yourself a tiny dragon to watch over you. Don't know who sold her to you, but I can't imagine the thousands of gold you had to pay. Does she have a name?"

I did not answer this time while Alvor started hammering out what appeared to be a slab of steel meant for some armor. I only looked down at Cynder while she appeared to be wondering why I had not said anything. I looked at her, then back at Alvor while she started to give us a bit of a cockeyed stare. Especially when he saw Cynder glance back and forth at us confusedly. As if he was starting to realize that Cynder was a bit too aware to be any simple beast. I finally asked, "What're you waiting for? You have a name."

With another moment of hesitation, Cynder finally looked at Alvor while still looking unsure if she should reveal that she did have a voice. "I'm...Cynder."

"Ysmir's beard, you can speak?!" Alvor gasped while momentarily interrupting his hammering of his next piece of work. His mouth was agape and his eyes wide. At least until he started to laugh. "Ahaha, why am I so surprised?! Dragons have always had the Thu'um to use, yes? I suppose even a lesser wyrm wouldn't be so different. It's a good thing you look nothing like the dragons of Skyrim, lass. The entire town would probably be out for your head right now."

"I've...heard. The dragons of this land are...monstrous, aren't they?" Cynder asked while she and I were mindful enough to not inform Alvor that Faendal had already sniped her off a rooftop barely more than an hour ago.

Alvor then brought up a good point that even I had forgotten about. "You came in from the west, right? If you made a right at that fork in the road, you would've seen Helgen up the hill. A dragon did that. Burned the entire place to the ground. I'm not even sure how many made it out alive."

Cynder fell silent with what almost looked like a look of shame in her eyes. She knew she was not like the dragons of Tamriel, yet she probably felt a twinge of guilt knowing that she was still a dragon all the same. A dragon who had carried out acts of evil while chained by a dark master. Alvor then asked, "But in any case, lass... How did you end up becoming this lad's bodyguard?"

An honest question that deserved an honest answer. Although Cynder could not tell him the full story, she did not exactly lie either. "He...rescued me from a dark master who kept me chained all my life. I have nowhere else to go... Nowhere to belong... So I chose to always be with him."

Alvor set his hammer down. While he was trying to stay productive, Cynder's somber words stirred something in him. He began to speak kindly to her. "From the sound of it, I wouldn't be surprised if the ones who got their hands on you were a cult of Daedra worshippers. Maybe followers of Peryite or Molag Bal. And I'm not surprised this lad was the one to save you. He has a habit of helping those less fortunate. You should talk to his wife sometime. I'm sure she'd have a lot of good things to say."

A twinge of dread filled my heart. I had only just spoken to him about Shahvee. The wonderful wife I left behind in Solitude. Thankfully, I suspect Cynder was not aware he was speaking of her. The only wife of mine she knew was Fluttershy. And she smiled noticeably before she said, "I have... And I heard wonderful stories from her. She was lucky to find him. Or maybe he found her."

Those word convinced me to relax. Cynder really did understand by then how my heart worked and how my family was growing. That much I knew for certain. If I had any doubts over Cynder understanding me and my beloveds, they were gone by then. Although Cynder apparently knew better than to mention that I had more than one beloved in my life. That must never be brought up freely to someone one does not know well. Best to assume the worst until one knows enough to suspect otherwise.

Alvor chuckled as he assumed that Cynder really had met Shahvee before. "You have, eh? I'd like to meet the fine lass myself. Say, lad. You have a place in Falkreath, yeah? It's it that house up on the hill just off the road that you came down from?"

Cynder's eyes opened wider. I suspect she did see that magnificent house up the hill to our right when we were strolling by the lake. She then looked at me and asked, "Wait, that was your place? Why didn't we stop there instead?"

As lovely a location to live as that spot was, I had my reasons and provided them. "We could have, but I just wanted us to be around people. Riverwood is a comforting place to be. More people and I have friends here."

"Oh... I guess that makes sense." Cynder muttered in understanding. Even if coming to Riverwood did result in her taking an arrow to the throat, the rest of the experience had been quite pleasant so far. If only Faendal's aim had been just a bit higher, that platinum shackle around her neck would have taken the hit instead. She then looked back and forth between Alvor and I again before asking, "Anyway... How did you two meet?"

"Funny you ask. Everything that happened at Helgen brought this lad to my forge. The man got caught up in whatever happened there and my nephew made sure he made it out alive while he did the same for my nephew. They came into town, Hadvar explained everything, and I made provided this lad with what I could to help him on his way. This lad's a friend of the family now." Alvor responded kindly as he took the slab of metal he was forging and began to hammer it into shape at the workbench behind him. It really is daunting of just how time-consuming blacksmithing really is without magic allowing for shortcuts. Although those lighter taps of his hammer did not mask the approaching footsteps of someone running along the wooden porch outside his house. "Ah, speaking of the family... Sounds like my pride and joy is here."

A young girl in a red tunic and white skirt ran up into the forge while bearing more than a passing resemblance to Sigrid. She even had her hair styled in a similar fashion. And she was quick to speak up to Alvor. "Papa! Would it be all right now if I... Huh?"

Her eyes immediately looked towards Cynder and I in the corner of the workshop. And they lit up upon seeing the little wyrm beside me. "Oh wow, what's that?! A little dragon? Where did you find this, Mr. James?! It's so pretty!"

This completely unprovoked praise took Cynder aback. She flinched in surprise and said, "Wait, I am?! Really...?"

"And...she can talk?!" The child completely forgot about what she even came there for and hurried over to us before kneeling before Cynder. She was utterly enthralled with seeing the dragoness for the first time. "Wow, you're so pretty and you can talk? Can you fly? Are you a dragon too? Can you breathe fire like all the other ones can? Do you have a name? Mine's Dorthe. What's yours?"

Cynder had no idea how to respond to the inquiries of the child before her. Even if Dorthe was being nothing but pleasant towards her guest. I merely watched in silence as she managed to find her words. "Hello...Dorthe. I'm Cynder."

Dorthe looked both delighted yet confused at that response. "Cynder? Wow, that doesn't sound like those dragon names I keep hearing about. Do dragons have different names where you come from? I mean...different from those dragon names in Skyrim?"

My companion was starting to look more and more comfortable in talking to this curious child. She clasped her little hands together and rested her jaw atop them while she said, "Probably. I'm not really from around here. I know nothing about Skyrim. But...what are dragon names like in Skyrim?"

I decided to provide a little information on that subject. "They follow a certain custom. Every dragon's name is made up of three syllables and each is a unique word in their own language. Odahviing, Numinex, Durnehviir, they all follow the same structure."

Cynder glanced at me over her shoulder with such a bewildered gaze in her eye. Dorthe looked more fascinated by my knowledge than anything and listened intently while letting Cynder speak. "That's...not at all like how the dragons were named where I come from. If each of those syllables is an individual word... What do they mean?"

"Hey, it's not like I'm entirely fluent in the lore surroundings the dragons Skyrim remembers. But...from what I do remember..." I retorted with my hands raised defensively. I then took a moment to ponder those names I had spoken and even those I had not mentioned. I decided to translate the first one that came to mind that I actually could recall. "If you need an example, there's Odahviing. That translates to Snow, then Hunter, and then Wing."

"The more you know." Cynder said almost with a smile. Although she then pulled her head back when she noticed Dorthe was reaching for the shackle that was still clasped around her neck. "Please don't touch that. It needs to stay there."

"Sorry. It's just that I really like your silver jewelry. And...your spikes?" Dorthe replied before she took note of the two platinum barbs covering the elbow spines of Cynder's wings. And then she noticed the blade on the wyrm's tail. "Wow, is that...like a dagger there? Can you cut things with it?"

"Yes, she can. And she has." I said darkly while knowing exactly what it is like to be on the receiving end of that blade. Cynder glanced back at me with a cowering frown. She could feel the venom in those words, even if I was not entirely certain at the time if I was trying to remind her of what she did.

Dorthe was fascinated by the stinger blade on Cynder's tail. She reached out for it and asked, "May I see it?"

"Sure..." Cynder muttered before curling her tail toward Dorthe. The child lifted Cynder's tail to more closely examine that blade. She was especially curious about that circular notch on one side and the slight curve in its shape. It had a sharpened edge on each side to allow for a slash in a manner of a backsword or a sickle depending on the angle. Although with that blade so much closer to her face, Cynder was able to make an observation of her own. "Hm... The edges look a little dull..."

Alvor had been focusing on his work the entire time now that his daughter had taken over the conversation. And hearing that gave me an idea. I called out to him and asked, "Alvor? If you don't mind, could we ask you to sharpen this?"

"Huh? Sharpen what?" The blacksmith asked before looking away from his workbench. I reached down and lifted the tip of Cynder's tail to display the blade on the end. Alvor raised an eyebrow at the sight of such an unorthodox weapon. "That's actually meant to be used in battle? I men I suppose I could, but...how do you get it off? I don't think it'd be a good idea to hold that to the grindstone with it still attached to her."

"Oh, it does come off. At least I...think it still does?" Cynder replied with growing suspicion. I had only managed to get it off her once. Was that a one time thing?

I lifted her tail's blade higher and took hold with one hand. It took me a moment, but I figured out that it needed to basically be unscrewed from her tail. The tightly compacted feathery fibers of her tail spade unfurled beautifully once I slid it off. All those fibers being so tightly compacted while spiraling around her tail must have created a surface similar to a threaded screw. And Dorthe was quick to comment on that rose red feathery flourish on Cynder's tail. "Ooh, I like your tai! Very pretty!"

"Um... Thanks?" Cynder mumbled in uncertainty. that was only the second time she had ever seen her tail tip's natural look. It really did remind me of those on Smolder and especially Ember. I then held the blade out to Alvor while Cynder asked, "Can you work with this?"

Alvor set aside his hammer and carefully held the blade between his fingers to examine it up close. "Hmmm... Maybe, but... What kind of material is this? It's not steel, but it doesn't have the properties of silver either..."

"Platinum. It's all platinum. Can you work with it?" I replied while wondering what platinum is even primarily used for in Tamriel. Was it even suitable for weaponry to begin with?

Alvor's eyes lit up in intrigue when he heard my response. "Platinum, eh? I haven't had the chance to work with that ore in many years... Tell you what, lad. Don't worry about a fee. I'd like to see what I can do with this for a challenge. Although I'm more used to having a handle to hold onto... But I'll still make this work. This little thing won't take long either."

We watched as Alvor used a pair of sturdy metal tongs to hold the blade by the base before he took a seat at the grindstone. The sound of that circular stone grinding against the metal blade was heard as he got it spinning, a spray of sparks flying away from it. While we waited for him to finish up with that, Cynder looked back towards Dorthe. "Your father really knows his way with a forge, huh?"

"Papa's the best blacksmith in Skyrim! Well...maybe except for Eorlund Gray-Mane. But that's only because he hasn't caught up yet!" Dorthe replied while Alvor let out a hearty chuckle. He may have been focusing on the task at hand, but he could still listen in. Dorthe then looked at Cynder and asked, "So...uh... Why are you traveling with Mr. James? Are you...his pet? Like Stump over them?"

Cynder recoiled in confused disgust at that question. And I had to stop myself from laughing. She would never have been asked such a thing if she was in Equestria. I then spoke up to set the record straight. "No, she's just my bodyguard. She even protected me from a Spriggan today."

"Spriggans?! Wow, those really are dangerous! You must be amazing at your job!" Dorthe gasped with eyes alight with amazement. Cynder just awkwardly rolled her eyes while I crossed my arms as I remained seated on the bench. I looked beyond the railing and noticed that the rain was starting to lighten up. I would be up for another stroll around town now that a humid cool mist was starting to blanket the town. Although Dorthe then caught my attention with one particular question. "Does being a bodyguard pay well?"

Cynder hesitated as she pondered how to answer such a question. The whole bodyguard claim was just a facade to satisfy those around us. The only thing we could think of to not let them ponder Cynder's nature too much. Although I did notice her look back at me before a very kind smile formed at the edges of Cynder's mouth. She then looked at Dorthe and said, "Actually, yes. He pays me very handsomely."

I scowled at her in suspicion. Where was she going with this conversation? Dorthe then asked, "Really? What does he pay you in? Gold? Food? Maybe shiny new blades or jewelry?"

Cynder's response was just about the last thing I ever expected to hear. "He pays me in happiness."

Under any other circumstances, I would have been touched by those words. But that tender praise clashed hard with the lingering doubts in my heart. I stood up and walked out of Alvor's workshop even in spite of the little rain that was still falling. Cynder knew better than to follow and Dorthe was happy to keep her busy as a conversation partner.

I strolled down the road to the east as that fine mist settled over the land. A light drizzle was still falling. Just enough for me to tolerate. And I found a familiar face when I reached the intersection in the middle of town. Faendal was leaning against the last support beam holding up the awning over Alvor's porch with arms crossed. Our eyes met as he spoke out to me. "Hey. Is that... Is she all right?"

Faendal looked exceptionally apologetic over what happened earlier. I then turned to him and said, "Yeah, she'll be fine. Did the guards let you off with a slap on the wrist?"

"I was let off with a warning since you fixed any damage I caused. Really, if I knew that thing was... If I knew she was with you, I wouldn't have thought she was trouble." Faendal explained while staying out of the rain. He even lowered his gaze from me before asking, "I've never seen you so panicked before. Is she a good friend of yours? She can talk, right?"

That word... It stung. I turned away from him and muttered, "I...don't know what she is anymore."

This confused the Bosmer beside me. He asked while stepping towards me, "Huh? She's not your friend? Then...why did you..."

"I don't know, Faendal. I just...don't know. All you need to know is that she's my bodyguard. And she's not my friend." I replied while almost being angry with myself for having enough ice in my veins in the time to say something so cold. What a reversal of events. I had been nothing but warm and kind to Cynder only for her to become cold and murderous towards me. Now she was desperately trying to win me back over with unwavering warmth and kindness of her own while my heart was feeling so cold towards her outside of a few moments of camaraderie. I said what little kind things I could to the Bosmer. "Just don't hurt her again. Regardless of how I feel about her, she's been through enough hell already."

"I'll take your word for it." Faendal spoke while trying to avoid asking too many questions. We had always been friends and that transgression was definitely a blow to our trust for each other. He then walked up to me and pulled out the same bottle he tried to give me before. A potent healing potion. "Here, just in case anything happens. I think you'll both need this more than me."

"Thanks. Here's hoping we won't need it." I muttered while managing to slip the bottle into a pouch I found on the back of my hip. Although Faendal then began to root around in his pouch again while asking, "By the way... Are you feeling sick? I think I have something for that in here... No... No, I thought I did. Sorry."

Him too... First that Vigilant of Stendarr, then I find myself having difficulty in focusing enough to cast a low level healing spell. And now even Faendal could see something was not right. By then, I started to wonder if I had indeed come down with something. I held a hand to my head and tried to feel for any actual symptoms. "By now, I'm not sure... If I've come down with something, I feel fine for the moment."

Faendal then provided a suggestion that I did not anticipate. "Well, if you're really come down with some illness... It might be a good idea to visit one of the shrines in Whiterun. The Temple of Kynareth is there, right?"

"Right... A blessing would flush me right out. Might be a good idea to head over there before any real symptoms can develop." I replied now that I had a good idea of how to use the rest of my time in the dream world.

Just as I started to head back towards Alvor's forge, Faendal spoke up again. "How about I come with you? Just to make sure you get there in one piece."

I shook my head and looked back at Faendal. "I appreciate the offer, but that won't be necessary. Cynder can handle any problems. The road to Whiterun isn't that dangerous most of the time to begin with. And she can drop a Spriggan in just seconds."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised. She is a dragon, right? Anyway, I'll leave you to it. Take care, friend." Faendal said before heading off towards the inn. All that was left was to fetch Cynder and be on our way.

I had just stepped back under the roof of the forge when Alvor finally stood up from the grindstone. And that platinum blade had quite the shine along its edges. Alvor looked my way and said, "There you are. How's this now? Polished to a razor's edge."

"You sure know your craft, Alvor. Thanks." I said while rather impressed with how honed that blade looked then. I looked over at Cynder and saw that she and Dorthe were both relaxing on that wooden bench in the corner by then. I headed over to them with that blade held between my fingers and said, "Excuse me, ladies. We need to be heading over to Whiterun soon."

"Time to go? It was really nice meeting you, Cynder." Dorthe said while gently rubbing her hand over Cynder's scalp. I was unsure if it would be a good idea to try and pet her like that, but Cynder did not seem to mind.

"Mmhm, I had a nice time too. It was good to get to know you, Dorthe." Cynder replied before she curled her tail towards me. "That looks about as sharp as it can get. If you don't mind..."

"Sure. Just let me... Um..." I muttered once I was down on one knee. I held Cynder's tail in my other hand before bringing the base of her tail blade towards her feathery spade. Just how was I supposed to get that thing back on? I had only removed it twice, but had never been told how to reattach it. "How...do you get this back on?"

"I...don't know?" Cynder muttered while eyeing her detached tail blade in some confusion. I was especially wary of the extreme sharpness of the blade in my hand. It would be tricky to handle it without harming myself while trying to figure out how to get those feathery fibers to cooperate. And if I were to cut myself... Cynder had already seen that blade cleave me open before. If she saw it spill my blood again...

What should I do? Risk injuring myself and triggering a visceral reaction from Cynder or have someone else try to do it? Just when I looked over at the table nearby to see if there were any thick armored gloves I could borrow, Cynder had an idea of her own. "Say, Dorthe... You said you're trying to be a blacksmith yourself, right? Why don't you keep this?"

"Me?! I... I can keep this? This...really nice blade? You think I could make a dagger out of it?" Dorthe asked in shock with her hands clasping over her mouth. I even found myself smirking as I recalled some of the conversations I had overheard her having with her father. All that eagerness of wanting to become a blacksmith like him. Alvor even stopped whatever he was doing and looked our way with a gaze of uncertainty. And all Cynder could do was nod with a very noticeable smile on her face. Although Dorthe was quick to notice one little detail. "But...don't you need it? You're a bodyguard, right? What if bandits come after you?"

"That little thing? I'll be fine without it. Really, I don't need it when I have...other ways of keeping us safe." Cynder said with a rather confident smirk showing. And she was not wrong. That stinger blade was hardly anything in the face of her fire, lightning, and wind elemental mastery. The Spriggan who jumped us barely lasted three seconds in the face of her flame breath. Cynder then said again, "Go ahead. Keep it. If you can attach a handle to it, that blade would make for a good dagger."

Dorthe's eyes sparkled in delight before she turned to her father. It would be up to him in the end. "Please, Papa?! Can I keep it?! Can I turn it into my first real sword?! I mean...my first dagger?"

Alvor crossed his arms and shook his head with an exasperated smirk peeking through his beard. Dorthe had always been so eager to follow in her father's footsteps, but was still too young to start working the forge herself. But now that Cynder had cut out half the work for her, perhaps this was a good time to start easing her in. And Alvor shared my sentiment. "Well, I suppose starting small would be for the best. All right then, Dorthe. You can keep that and I'll show you how to put together a proper hilt for it. Forging a fine blade is important, but you also need to know how to make and attach a sturdy grip to it. Just let me finish up here and we'll get started."

"Yes! Oh, thank you, Papa! And thank you, Cynder!" Dorthe squealed before grabbing Cynder in a very unexpected hug. I almost laughed. Seeing that dark dragoness being embraced by a child she barely knew was probably the last thing Cynder ever expected to happen to her. The little wyrm's eyes opened wide with utter disbelief, but still managed to gently pat the human girl on the back. I found some spare cloth on the table nearby and wrapped the makeshift dagger blade in it before handing it to Dorthe. The littlest blacksmith in Skyrim then ran off with it to put it away until it was time to make a proper weapon out of that little gift.

I looked down at Cynder while Alvor did the same. She still looked stunned. Like she could barely believe that a total stranger could be so sweet to her. The little dream dragoness looked up at the blacksmith and said, "Your daughter is very sweet..."

"And you were very kind to her, little dragon. I wasn't sure how I'd actually ease her into the art of smithing, but I think you gave us just the opportunity we needed." Alvor replied while actually looking optimistic about the whole thing. He then looked my way, but I noticed his eyes scan me for a moment. "You say you're heading out for Whiterun, yes? Why aren't you carrying a blade, lad? Are you just that confident in your company doing any fighting for you?"

It was not like my dreaming mind had the presence of mind to provide me with a weapon when my mind became lucid. Even if it is extremely foolish to wander the wilds of Skyrim without a means to defend oneself. Regardless, Cynder rose to her feet and spoke boldly to our friend. "I will kill anyone who makes a move on him. As long as he has me, he'll be fine."

"Bold words, little Cynder. But what if a pack of wolves descend on the two of you? What if you're dealing with two while another two goes for him? He's not even in armor. I worry one good blow would be enough to put this man down." Alvor replied while Cynder was left at a loss for words. While that Spriggan we faced was indeed dangerous, it was only one. A pack of them would have torn me apart even with Cynder providing protection. Alvor then looked at me and said, "Come now, I haven't closed up shop for the day. How about I show you my wares, lad? The finest weapons and armor."

Just like back at the inn, I had to point out an unfortunate fact. "I really wish I could, Alvor. But I swear I don't have a single coin on me. And we're out of stuff to barter with."

Alvor's brow furrowed as he started to ponder a solution. And he very quickly came up with an idea. "Tell you what. You did a good thing for Dorthe, so let me return the favor. Hadvar left his old sidearm here last time he passed through and he told me to give it to the next traveler in need of a good sword. I've even taken the time to sharpen the blade when I've had a moment. Wait right here and I'll fetch it for you."

"Hadvar's a good man. Next time you see him, give him my thanks." I retorted while Alvor headed out of sight to go rooting around in his house. Cynder stayed by my side while I looked around at the misty village beyond the forge. I would feel more confident with a sword in hand now that even basic magic was becoming a challenge to cast. And speaking of that...

I finally started to feel it. A certain lightheadedness as I brought a hand to the side of my head. Cynder noticed my posture and asked, "Are you OK?"

"I'm starting to suspect that Vigilant of Stendarr was onto something... I think something might be wrong with me." I grumbled while blinking and then shaking my head a few times to try and get the juices flowing. That cleared up my senses a bit, but I was sure they would only progress. "When we get to Whiterun, it'll be easy to get myself cured of...whatever this might be."

Cynder cocked her head to one side as she eyed me. "So...you really are sick then? What do you think it might be?"

I pondered those words for a moment. I was so very sure that Spriggans are not known for carrying diseases. Certainly not ones that are spread via their unique brand of magic. But this lightheadedness... The difficulty in casting even basic spells. A disease that even affects the magicka reserves of a mage? "If I had to take a guess... I think I've got a case of...Brain Rot? But that doesn't make sense. Only Hagravens are known to carry that..."

"Brain...Rot? Then...something is eating your brain from the inside?!" Cynder gasped as she suddenly looked and sounded very alarmed. Her wings spread to a more proactive position on instinct.

"Relax, Cynder. I'm pretty sure it's not fatal. And even if it is, I'm only in the earliest stages. We have time to fix me up." I explained while trying to stay optimistic. We just needed to focus on getting to Whiterun. The easy part would come once inside the gates.

Cynder rather reluctantly forced herself to relax. I could see that knowing I was not well and there was nothing she could do to help me. She could protect me from anything up to that point. Anything but the microscopic scourge that is disease. And this was really starting to get to her. "I... It doesn't feel right knowing I can't protect you from this..."

There was nothing I could say. Nothing I could do to soothe her worries. Although the approaching sound of Alvor's footsteps was a welcome distraction. He stepped around the corner with a sword contained in a leather-lined scabbard that still had a belt tied to it. "Here we are, lads. Forged from the finest steel, the sword of choice for the finest legionaries."

A smile crept across my face. I always had a soft spot for that particular sword design. Alvor quickly helped secure the scabbard to my side before I drew the sword to examine it. A relatively broad blade ending in a very fine point. Capable of heavy cuts and strong stabs. I then sheathed my sword and said, "Tell Hadvar thanks for me next time you see him. We need to be heading out now."

Alvor patted me on the shoulder while even Cynder looked more relaxed now that I had a reliable weapon at my side. The kindly blacksmith smiled at me and said, "That I will, lad. Safe travels. And may the gods watch over your battles, friend."

Cynder and I made our way back onto the road and headed east. But no sooner had we passed under the arched stone exit in the eastern wall did I start to feel more symptoms of whatever mystery illness was plaguing me. I felt unsteady, even shambling off to my side before I could catch myself. Cynder quickly turned to me and asked, "You're...not all right. What's wrong now?"

"Mild disorientation... This has to be Brain Rot, I can't imagine anything else that messes with your head like this." I grumbled more in annoyance than unease. I managed to keep myself steady as we crossed a sturdy stone bridge and walked further east next to a towering cliffside that even leaned over us a bit with the river flowing to our right. I suspect Cynder really wanted to focus on the natural beauty around us, but could not shake her unwavering concern for me.

It was becoming a challenge to walk straight. And once the cliff to our left shifted into a steep grassy slope, we were interrupted by an unwelcome threat. A lone wolf stood at the top of the hill and came rushing down at us before I could recall that one tends to find a wolf at that spot. But Cynder was quicker than me. She turned to the approaching lupine and unleashed a burst of magical wind from her maw. I even saw the air twisting as that enchanted gust swept the wolf off its feet and sent it rolling into the hill. Fazed by this nearly invisible resistance, the confused wolf fled back up the hill and out of sight behind the cliff. I looked down at the very frustrated dragoness beside me and said, "You used wind instead of fire?"

"Didn't feel right... It was just a dumb beast looking for a meal. Didn't feel right to kill it." Cynder replied with an admirable show of restraint. Just that once, I felt the need to comfort her over a sentiment that I too shared. I rested my hand atop her head. Cynder even seemed to jump slightly at my touch with her wings spreading a bit. She looked up at me and asked, "Do you kill wild beasts that come after you on the roads?"

"I try not to. Only when I'm assaulted in the wilds do I have to really defend myself. But lowly beasts? I generally try to not harm them when possible." I replied before another little beast made its presence known. A rabbit came scampering by and we could have even caught it if we wanted to. But I just pointed at the little creature and said, "Like that. I never hunt those little things... Or these."

A beautiful butterfly with shimmering blue wings came fluttering up to us. Almost as if it was curious. I lifted my other hand with a single finger extended and smiled when the butterfly responded by perching on my one finger. "Butterfly wings are a common ingredient in alchemy. But I never hunt these little things for them. Just...doesn't feel worth it."

Just as the little butterfly took flight and fluttered off again, Cynder made a move. She rested her head against my leg. I heard her whisper softly, "It's no wonder so many love you..."

I resisted the urge to speak. Doing what I could to not let my heart come too close to the surface. Once Cynder had enough of being sentimental, she left my side for a moment. There was a small plateau just before the next bend in the road ahead and she hopped up onto it. I assumed she was just using that spot as a vantage point to scout ahead. The mist left behind by the frigid rainstorm was even starting to become thinner the further away we got from Riverwood. Cynder's vision must have been very clear up there since she soon came galloping back over to me with unexpected news. "Someone's up ahead. Looks human, but...strange. Gray skin. Looks like they're wearing soft brown armor and has a hood over the head."

"Sounds like a Dunmer highwayman in leather armor... Just a thief looking for travelers to shake down for some goods." I grumbled while really not being in the mood for a fight. Certainly not in my condition. But I knew it was possible to talk my way out of these encounters. I looked at my companion and said, "Just stay behind me. If things look like they're about to get dicey, do what you have to."

"OK. I'll be watching." Cynder replied before I started to lead her down the road ahead. It curved to the left again around an outcropping of craggy rocks on my left while there was a beautiful roaring waterfall to the right at the base of the Throat of the World looming high above us. I was mindful to take cover behind the trees ahead in order to plan my approach.

"Don't use your flame breath if he gets aggressive. Dunmer have a natural resistance to fire, even magical flames. Maybe try some..." I started to say before I began to notice a distinct lack of a sound. I could not hear Cynder's footsteps. And when I turned around, I could see that she was gone. No longer behind me. Not even watching from a higher elevation up the path we had just descended. She was entirely absent. The sun was getting lower in the sky to the west with my very dark shadow being cast onto the stone road behind me. I muttered softly in unease, "Cynder...?"

I did not have time to think on where she had disappeared to. The sound of approaching boots reached my ears. When I turned to face west again with another mountainous cliff rising beyond the edge of the road, that Dunmer thief had come running up the path to me with a dagger in each hand. He had spotted me despite my efforts to stay between him and the trees on my right. His blood red eyes scowled at me under his cowl as he demanded, "All right. Hand over your valuables, or I'll gut you like a fish."

The joke was on him. It was one of the few times where I had literally nothing to offer him. I even almost laughed at this realization while I said, "You're mugging the wrong guy here. I literally have nothing on me but the clothes on my back and the sword at my side. You can frisk me and see for yourself."

Much to my annoyance, this thief proved to be sharper than expected in all the wrong ways. "What do you take me for? That attire is something only noblemen wear. Of course you're lousy with gold if you're wearing something like that."

He...was right. While not the fanciest attire available, the blue padded jacket I was wearing indeed was something only richer folk tend to wear. Although another opportunity came up to talk him out of this robbery. I felt another bout of disorientation come over me as I held a hand to my head. My assailant even took a step back in confusion at the fit I was showing. I then grumbled, "Not again... Trust me, you should keep your distance. I don't know what I've come down with, but you don't want this."

"I'm willing to risk it. Not everyday I come across a nobleman on the roads." The opportunistic thief replied as I wondered if I could really take him in a duel. Especially in my current condition. One good stab would be all I needed to pierce that soft leather armor, but those daggers were quicker. He could slit my throat with ease. The thief took a few steps to the side to put me between him and the rocky crags to my left in an attempt to keep me with a wall to my back. "I won't ask again."

"And I'll only say this once!" A familiar voice called out seemingly from nowhere. The thief and I were equally confused as I heard Cynder's voice. But from where? And then it happened. I glanced to my right and saw Cynder literally burst from my pitch black shadow and ram her scalp into the softly armored chest of that thief! I am sure she must have cracked a rib with that impact since the Dunmer was nearly knocked off his feet and even dropped a dagger to clutch at his torso in pain. Cynder landed on all fours and spread her wings menacingly as she stood between the two of us. "Run, or you're dead!"

"Gah! Daedra!" The thief shrieked in shock before he turned and fled down the path. He stayed on the road as it curved to the right and was about to go downhill.

Just before I could even say anything to Cynder, she then spoke up quietly with bitter vengeance in her tone. "Actually...I'm not done with him."

Cynder was not satisfied with simply scaring the thief off. She wanted to make an example of my mugger. She suddenly thrust her head forward on a low altitude and unleashed another gust of wind from her maw. But instead of a sweeping wave of wind, she summoned a small tornado that rushed across the exposed grassy ground and snatched the thief up on the road ahead!

The thief shrieked and pleaded for mercy as he was carried high in the air while tumbling uncontrollably. The swirling tornado remained in that one spot as we watched before it began to collapse in only ten seconds. And...the thief did not land gracefully at all. From a height of somewhere between thirty and twenty feet, the thief plummeted and landed right on his head with a grotesque thud. And he did not get up.

The forest around us was silent aside from the sound of evergreen trees swaying in the breeze, the roaring of the distant waterfall behind us, and the twittering of songbirds. Cynder and I stared at the motionless form of the thief on the road ahead. The two of us glanced briefly up at each other while probably sharing the same aghast expression on our faces. Cynder soon muttered almost sheepishly, "I...really didn't expect him to land on his head."

We cautiously approached the fallen thief. I almost expected him to climb to his feet at any second to make a run for it. When we were standing right over him, Cynder asked, "Did I overdo it?"

I reached out and tapped the side of my boot against the thief's hooded head. He was facedown and I was not going to turn him over to inspect the corpse. But there was still a macabre bit of amusement to get out of seeing some random scumbag get his just desserts in such a spectacular fashion. My only response was to display a facetious smirk. "Meh, he'll be fine."

Cynder even let out a snort of mutual appreciation for the outcome and my response. "Wow, that's dark. I like it... Wait."

My companion was distracted by what was just north of the road's edge. And her eyes widened considerably at the sight beyond the trees. She rushed off the road and to an opening between the trees. She stood atop a great hill as the vast beautiful hues of the tundra's yellows and oranges lay spread out before her. And there in the middle of those arctic plains was a great city of wood atop a hill surrounded by stone walls. "That's...Whiterun? It's so much bigger than Riverwood..."

Whiterun had always been such a sight when viewed from the hills to the south. Humble yet sophisticated homes of wood inside those stone walls atop that hill with three districts reaching ever higher. And at the very summit was the crown jewel of Whiterun. The towering structure of Dragonsreach. I remembered the first time I ever visited Skyrim in my dreams. Seated atop its slanted roof to enjoy the vast plains around it before the encroaching white curtains of awakening could consume me. Although it was difficult to enjoy the view now that my disorientation was starting to rear its head.

Cynder was spellbound by the city many consider to be one of the finest in all of Skyrim. And I concurred. With the possible exception of Solitude, it had always been my preferred place to live. We could have gone charging down the hill to make a shortcut, but I was not steady enough on my feet for that. Cynder and I returned to the road and headed down the slope instead with the trees on our left disrupting our view. Although when we passed the corpse of the thief that tried to rob me...

My companion became unsettled as she reevaluated what she had done. The thief had been successfully repelled. He would not have come back to take another swing at me. And yet, Cynder unleashed a gale to sweep him off him feet that ended up being more fatal than she had expected. The little wyrm leaned away from the corpse of her victim while even I felt a certain discomfort about being in the presence of the dead now that the spectacle of his almost comical demise had worn off. But had he escaped, that thief would have assaulted someone else. I had to wonder how many throats he had already cut before his life finally came to an end.

Seeing Cynder look so disturbed by the results of her actions elicited something in me. I was sure she had killed before. Lord knows what vile deeds Malefor forced her to carry out while she was still his thrall. But this was still the first time she had truly taken a life after her old master's binds had been torn from her. Even if the scumbag deserved it, the ending of another's life is never something one should become accustomed to. And Cynder was responding to the results of her actions appropriately. I reached down and rested my hand upon her head before whispering to her. "It's OK... You did the right thing."

"I...couldn't risk letting him come after you again." Cynder muttered while closing her eyes. I led her along with my hand on her head. A voice in my mind was demanding I stop and comfort her more. To hold her in my arms and whisper kind words of reassurance. But I still resisted that urge. I at least knew that she would never harm me again by that point.

Before we got much further, I happened to notice my shadow following me at my side. And that reminded me of what Cynder did just minutes earlier right before she slammed her head into that thief. "Cynder... Before I forget. Since when could you do that?"

My companion glanced up at me in confusion. "Do what?"

I tried to find the right words to describe what little I saw in the brief instant I witnessed that strange phenomenon happen. "When you...burst out of my own shadow."

"Oh, that? Well...I suppose I should just show you." She replied with less apprehension than I expected. Cynder stepped into my path and forced me to stop. She then stood before the very top of my shadow and looked down at it. "Basically...I almost forgot I can do this."

Like a prowling feline, Cynder gracefully jumped into the air and pounced onto my shadow in a sort of dive. But instead of her hands landing on solid ground, she disappeared into my very shadow as if it was a gate to another realm. She was gone. And just like that, my shadow had become as dark as a layer of black paint. I could not see the ground under it anymore.

Unsteady as I was, I carefully lowered myself to one knee and placed my hand upon my shadow. I could still feel the solid ground under it. My shadow, unnaturally opaque as it was, remained as nothing more than a shadow. I then spoke in the hopes that Cynder could still hear me, "You...can merge with shadows?"

"Exactly." I heard her voice speak clearly. And her two teal eyes suddenly opened and gazed at me from the middle of my shadow. This took me aback and even caused me to fall over into a seated position. Cynder found some amusement in my startled reaction and let out an awkward giggle. "Sorry! I swear I only use this dark elemental power for evasion and nothing more."

Cynder exited my shadow the same way as minutes before. Bursting up out of it with a great leap as my shadow became much dimmer with the ground under it returning to being visible. She landed lightly upon her feet with almost feline grace while I pondered what I had just seen. Only the most observant threats would ever notice how a shadow would be so unnaturally dark once she was hiding in it. Although I did take note of that last thing she said. "I've seen you become a shadowy plume of fog for an instant in order to phase through attacks. And now you can do this. Can you use...that shadow element for offense?"

"I...really don't want to. I don't really need to anyway. The other elemental powers I have access to are more than enough." Cynder replied while stepping over to me. She then stuck her head out to me. As if waiting for something. I assumed that she was offering to let me use her body for leverage in standing back up. I firmly grasped the top of her head with one hand and braced myself once I was on my knees. That disorientation hit me hard as I started to exert myself while taking hold of the two most prominent horns on her head, Cynder groaning as I applied more and more weight on her. It took some work from both of us, but I managed to get back up on my feet. We wasted no time and continued on down the stone road.

The upcoming sights as we rounded the bend in the road towards the bottom of that slope were a welcome distraction to Cynder's reemerging insecurities. The river to our right was passing under another stone bridge that led to another road at the base of the Throat of the World. Surrounding the outskirts of Whiterun were a number of small farms and windmills. And the scent of a meadery reached my nostrils as we made a left onto the road heading west. Cynder was pleased by her surroundings and eyed one of the patrolling city guards who was virtually indistinguishable from the three we had seen in Riverwood. She kept her voice down and asked, "All the guards... They wear yellow?"

"Think of it as a coat of arms that differs from hold to hold. You'll know you're in Whiterun's territories if you see any guards wearing yellow sashes and shields that depict the face of a horse." I explained in brief. Although I soon stumbled again while that feeling of lightheadedness started to feel like a worsening case of vertigo. Cynder rushed to one side of me in order to be ready to catch me if I were to fall. "This stuff is really getting to me... We're almost there..."

I was starting to struggle by then. Vision was unable to focus and I felt increasingly like I could topple over. The few times I looked down at Cynder as we passed the stables, she looked terribly worried. She kept slinking back and forth to each side of me whenever she thought I might fall in that direction. We crossed a simple low bridge of wooden planks just over the flowing water emerging from an aqueduct under the city before following a bend in the path to cross a small lowered drawbridge. The sturdy wooden gates of the city soon stood to our left as two guards bordered the entrance. And they were quick to notice my shambling gait as one called out to me. "Whoa, are you all right there?"

"I've come down with something... Just need to get home." I replied while surprised I got that far without having to sit down and rest. They barely paid any mind to Cynder with how she constantly circled me in concern.

"Your place is Breezehome, right? Just a little further, kinsman. Second door on the right can't miss it." The guard replied before he and his comrade held the door open for us. The sound of rushing water flowing nearby reached my ears and the sound of a blacksmith at work filled the air with clanks of metal, but I could not appreciate the majesty of the sights around me in my current condition.

I did not make it much farther. Right as I reached the point where the street branched off into two directions, my legs failed me. I stumbled hard to one side and would have gone down hard had someone not been there to catch me. The only one there clad in the scaled armor of the city guard without one of their iconic helmets reacted quickly as he passed me and caught me. A man with a balding head kept me on my feet and asked, "Whoa, easy there. You all right there?"

The captain of Whiterun's guard himself had come to my aid. I focused my eyes and pointed at the second house on my right. "Just need to get home..."

"There? All right then. Easy now, one step at a time." He replied while Cynder followed us. The captain of the guard kept my left arm slung across his back to keep me steady on my feet. We soon reached the door to my home with the captain holding it open for me. "Here we are. Just take it easy and get some rest."

"Thanks, captain..." I muttered before finding myself in the cozy confines of my own home in Whiterun. It lacked the sophisticated modernity of my home with Solitude with its almost rustic wooden interior design instead of sturdy stone, but it was wonderfully endearing all the same. A fire pit crackled hotly in the middle of the first floor with a pot of fresh soup set very near it. Not close enough to cook the contents, but close enough to keep it warm. Cynder even momentarily forgot about my condition as she took in the sights around us. Although I also knew we were not alone and that I needed all the help I could get in getting upstairs to the bedroom. I called out for a familiar face. "Lydia...! I need you!"

Footsteps could be heard right above us that went further towards the back of the house. The faint clinking of metal was heard as someone descended what looked like a stepladder modified into stairs beyond the fire pit. A woman of fair complexion and long dark hair approached me while clad in polished steel armor. And she was quick to notice not all was well with me. "My thane, are you ill? Let's get you to bed first."

I think she may have overlooked Cynder for the moment while carefully guiding me to the stairs. Or perhaps she did and just deemed her as unimportant for the moment. I had little difficulty in climbing the very steep stairs since it practically required the use of my hands, but I was not able to stand once I reached the second floor on my knees. Lydia and Cynder stayed close to me as I crawled to the bedroom ahead. A large steel-plated kite shield was hung on the wall above the bed with a pair of iron longswords crossed behind it. And the bed... It was more primitive than I remembered. Nothing but a layer of hay on a crude wooden frame with several large animal hides draped across it and a pair of long cylindrical pillows at the back. But I was not going to complain. I climbed onto the bed and rolled onto my back while appreciating the cushioning of the hides under me. "Thank you, Lydia... I don't know what's come over me."

"You're definitely not well. And it would be difficult to get you up to the temple in your condition..." Lydia replied while she kneeled dutifully at the bedside. Cynder soon hopped up onto the bed and rested beside me without a word. My housecarl finally took note of the little dragon's presence and spoke fondly to me. "It looks like your little friend did a good job in making sure you made it home safely. Now tell me... What are your symptoms? I think we still have time for me to pay a visit to Arcadia's Cauldron and pick up a cure if we know what you've come down with."

When considering how housecarls must be able to look after their thane, it would not surprise me if Lydia had been trained in being able to identify symptoms of various diseases in order to treat me should I ever fall ill. I then carefully tried to recall everything I had felt and was still feeling at that time as I stared at the ceiling. "Bouts of disorientation... Lightheadedness... And...difficulty focusing to use even novice class magic."

Lydia's response was exactly what I was expecting. "Difficulty in using magic...? From what you just said, it sounds like a textbook case of Brain Rot. But where did you get it? Have you been to the Reach lately?"

While not surprised, I too was stumped on exactly where I could have contracted it. "No, I've only been to Falkreath today. I don't recall getting caught in any rusty traps. And I definitely didn't get into a fight with a Hagraven. The only thing that really got to me today was a Spriggan... Unless...that Spriggan survived an encounter with a Hagraven earlier and had contracted it somehow?"

"The Forsworn and their Hagraven allies do harvest those taproots from Spriggans all the time... At least we know what it is that ails you." Lydia replied before she rose to her feet. She then looked towards the little dragoness at my side and said, "I'm going to head down to the apothecary for a cure. Keep watch over him, please."

Lydia did not expect Cynder to outright nod in response. My housecarl's eyes widened in surprise, but I did see her smile in satisfaction. Lydia then departed from the bedroom and closed the doors behind her. We could hear her walking through the house clearly before heading out the front door. The house's sound insulation was very poor and not particularly spacious, but it was still a home I adored all the same.

I remained there upon my back as I just tried to count the minutes. I felt less disorientated while lying down. I even momentarily forgot about Cynder despite her being right next to me. I only remembered when I felt her hand rest upon my upper arm. I looked at the uneasy dragoness beside me as she gazed down at me with those eyes of beautiful teal. One would never expect such a sordid history behind such beauty. Her tail lazily swished through the air behind her with that exposed spade of rosy red feathery fibers swaying with its momentum. And in spite of everything that had happened, and possibly because of just how out of it I felt, I spoke too freely. "You have such beautiful eyes..."

Cynder almost laughed at those words. She grimaced visibly and looked away, even while her hand tried to grab onto my arm. "You really must be out of your head to say that... I guess Brain Rot really does mess with your senses."

Seeing that I could use my illness to take refuge in some audacity, I decided to mess with Cynder for at least a moment of amusement. "Tendrils of thought may wind their way through this realm, but those tendrils bind our reality together."

The dragoness beside me just...stared. I was thoroughly confusing her by that point. After a moment of awkward silence, she slowly rose to her feet. "Right... Right, sure. I'm just...going to look around this place. See the sights. Just don't try to go anywhere without me, all right?"

I threw one last non sequitur at my companion. All while failing to keep a straight face. "Wabba wabba wabbajack."

"Are you just messing with me?! Trying to make me laugh?! Because...it's working!" Cynder barked in bewilderment before finally holding the back of her hand to her lips and giggling very audibly for a second. She then quickly bounded down from the bed and looked back at me as she walked through the doorway. "Really, I'm not going anywhere. I'll be close by."

Once Cynder was out of sight and I could hear her carefully descending that very steep stepladder of a staircase, I turned my gaze to the ceiling again. And I was not sure of what to feel about myself at that moment. What was wrong with me? How could I show such levity towards Cynder after what happened last time we crossed paths? Why was I becoming so comfortable in her presence again? I silently cursed my heart as it waged a war with my mind. I may have been ill, but I was not delirious. I was tempted to mutter to myself, but I had to remind myself not to. I had to consider that even whispers could be heard throughout the house. So I scolded myself in silence. I should not be so quick to forgive. Not for that...

So then why was it so hard to not be kind to her? Why could I not even try to hate her?

I could hear Cynder milling about downstairs. Looking through wooden drawers, crunching on an apple for a snack and flipping through the pages of a book. Although when I looked over the side of the bed, I was reminded of a certain...design aesthetic of the homes in Whiterun. The floorboards, while not haphazardly designed, had just enough of a gap between each plank to see what was below me. I could make out Cynder's dark violet scales against the paler colors of the wood and stone downstairs. My vision stable so long as I was off my feet, I observed the movements of my guest from the comfort of my bed. She had no idea I could see almost every move she made between those narrow gaps. She was especially easy to track whenever she was moving.

There was a certain excitement in watching what the little dragoness was up to while she was convinced that she was entirely alone. She never spoke to herself. Never said a word. No conversations with herself. Perhaps that little bit of nonsense I threw at her was enough to quash her fears and sorrows at the time. Although I did eventually see her step up to the cook pot by the fireplace while the crackling flames in the stone pit warmed the entire house. It was right under where I was.

Cynder reached her head over the steamy pot and sniffed at its aroma with some enthusiasm. She mumbled in approval of the smell. I then saw her quickly move back towards the dining table in the far corner to fetch something. She had taken the initiative on something. She then came trotting back over to the pot...and was that a spoon being carried in her mouth?

I watched in growing interest as Cynder reached for something in her mouth and stuck it into the pot. That was definitely a spoon in her hand. I could hear her perform several little quick breaths onto the spoonful of soup to cool it down enough for consumption. Her species of dragons clearly did not have the unnaturally high heat tolerance of the dragons native to Equestria. I heard a quiet slurp as she sucked the contents up. It sounded like she enjoyed it since I then heard Cynder mutter to herself. "Oh, he'll definitely like this. Where do they keep the bowls?"

Was Cynder...really going to serve me dinner in bed? How would she even carry anything to me when she needed all four limbs just to walk? Even her wings would not be able to carry anything like that. But that did not stop her. I could see Cynder fetch a bowl from the cupboard at the back of the house. She had little trouble walking on just three limbs while carrying the empty soup bowl in one hand, but her gait was noticeably slower and less steady. There was no way she could carry that carefully enough while it was filled with liquid contents. But I could not stop her. All I could do was watch.

Cynder sat herself before the cook pot and used the ladle that was sitting in it to pour the contents into the bowl that she held in her other hand. While not as dexterous as mine, her little hands could still manipulate such objects with ease. Once the bowl was full, Cynder set the ladle back in the pot before carefully lowering the bowl to the floor with both hands for stability. I even saw her cross her arms in puzzlement as she appeared to be looking down at the bowl. "Now then... How to get you up there?"

What followed was an impressive display of dedication and patience. Cynder did the only thing she could to get that bowl of soup up to the bedroom. She lifted the bowl in both hands and set it ahead of her on the floor at full arm's reach. Over and over she did this, stepping forward, lifting and setting the bowl down ahead of her while carrying a spoon in her mouth by the handle. Minutes went by as she patiently carried out this task.

I became anxious when she reached the stairs. How would she climb a stepladder with that? And the answer was surprisingly simple. Cynder set the bowl on the highest step she could reach, climb a step up herself, and then repeat the process one foothold at a time. It looked like an even easier task than just moving it across the floor and a quadruped like her had an even easier time climbing those steep stairs than I would.

Cynder disappeared from view once she reached the second floor. The walls had no such gaps to peek through. I never once heard her complain about the tedious task of transporting a bowl of soup from one floor to the next. As if this one simple act was just a labor of love. I could hear Cynder moving the bowl forward board by floorboard. Trying to slide it across the floor would result in the bowl tripping over the gaps and surely spilling its contents. I lifted my head and soon saw Cynder come into view at the doorway. She really was bringing me a bowl of hot soup in the only way she could even if that way was far from practical.

The little dragoness stopped at the doorway when she noticed that I was watching. And she really was carrying a spoon between her teeth. I was at a loss for words. But I also could not deny the sheer level of kindness this little wyrm was showing me. I expected Cynder to say something, but that spoon in her mouth kept her quiet. I then sighed and said softly, "You didn't have to do this for me."

That spoon in her mouth kept Cynder from speaking, but her uneven and wandering gaze told me that she did not have a real answer at the time. She continued her journey step by step until she had that bowl at my bedside. I brought myself over to the side of the bed she was nearest and watched her set the bowl up on one of the hides for a mostly flat surface. I forced myself to sit up and found that I was still less unsteady so long as I stayed off my feet. I took the bowl in hand while Cynder also let me take the spoon from her jaws. I said again once she bounded back up onto the bed, "I don't really need this..."

Cynder's response was to speak unexpectedly firmly to me. "Maybe I'm wrong, but isn't one of the most important steps to take in recovering from illness to make sure you get enough nutrition?"

I was right on the verge of asking how she could possibly know that while spending her entire life off the grid as Malefor's enthralled pawn, but that would needlessly reopen old wounds. And I was not going to argue over that. She was right, even if that case of Brain Rot would not follow me back into the waking world. And I must confess the aroma coming from that steamy bowl of soup was whetting my appetite...

With that wooden spoon in hand, I carefully sampled the contents of that bowl. Taking as long as she did in getting that soup to me upstairs even gave it enough time to cool just enough. And when I took that first taste... A rich red broth with finely diced meat floating in the stew. Very tender and with the faintest hint of lavender. I breathed sharply through pursed lips as I savored that first taste. "This must be horker stew..."

"I don't know what a horker is, but it is amazing. I tasted it myself." Cynder replied while displaying an agreeing smile. I took slurp after slurp of that stew and even spooned the little leftovers in the bottle into my mouth to make sure I got every last drop. The dragoness at my side rested one hand over the other with her tail lazily swishing from side to side. "You must not be doing too bad if you have that hearty an appetite."

"It's hard not getting hungry over something that good." I retorted with a satisfied sigh before setting the empty bowl and spoon on the nightstand. I was just about to lie back down when I heard the door open downstairs. And we soon heard someone coming back up the stairs. Seconds later, Lydia stepped into view and entered the bedroom while Cynder watched in silence. And I could see a small bottle filled with a white concoction in her hand. "Found what you were looking for out there, Lydia?"

"I apologize if I kept you waiting. The potion had to be created from scratch. But this should be enough." Lydia replied as she came to the left side of the bed. Cynder stepped over tot he other side to not be in the way. My housecarl kneeled at the bedside and popped off the cork. I carefully took the bottle in hand as she explained, "Drink it all. One dose should be enough."

"Sounds potent. I'll probably be flushed out by morning." I muttered as I expected the worst. I braced myself for a bitter taste as I took that first gulp and that was exactly what I got. I had to pace myself carefully to avoid gagging and spitting out even a drop of that powerful cure. It took minutes to force it all down, but I succeeded and panted in relief after getting it all down my throat. "The best medicines are always bitter... And the worst diseases call for the best medicines..."

Cynder had even taken a step back in response to the pained expressions on my face. And she soon draped herself across my lap in a protective manner. She had once again chosen to feign being mute in the presence on my armored housecarl. Lydia looked down at Cynder as the dragoness tried to avoid eye contact. "You found a very beautiful creature to bring home, my thane. Does it have a name?"

"Cynder. Her name is Cynder." I replied while resting my hand upon her lower back. Right where the tail met her torso. My fingers traced along the her dark violet scales. Smooth to the touch, but larger than most other reptiles. Almost like interlocking plates of armor rather than a fine mail. I then spoke softly, "She saved my life today. Twice."

Lydia smiled more noticeably before placing her padded hand upon Cynder's brow. "Then you have my thanks, little wyrm. Thank you for being there for him when I couldn't be."

She did not look directly at Lydia. Cynder's eyes wandered so much that I think even Lydia was starting to suspect that the reptilian beast before her was genuinely sentient and not a lowly animal. And seconds later, Cynder confirmed this. "He...saved me too today. Even healed me."

My housecarl was taken aback by the voice coming from Cynder's jaws. Although she did not speak either. Cynder curled up against me while I glanced back and forth between the two of them. Finally, Lydia started to get the idea. And she stepped away from the bed. "I'll just...be on my way. I think I'll head down to the inn for a pint of mead for a few hours. Listen to the bard's performance, share stories... I'll keep the door firmly locked to prevent intruders. Try not to exert yourself too much while the potion tends to you, my thane."

Cynder and I both watched with wide eyes as Lydia departed with an unusually quick pace. We heard the door open and close followed by the clicking of a lock. The house became quiet as the light peeking through the few ventilation slits in the roof began to dim. Night was approaching and the city was starting to go quiet. Only the crackling of the fire downstairs reached our ears. Cynder then looked up at me and asked, "Am I the only one who thinks she was just trying to give us some time alone?"

"No... You are not the only one." I snorted with some amusement. Lydia must have quickly noticed a certain...chemistry between the two of us. As Cynder hopped down from the bed and went to close the bedroom door for extra privacy, I got comfortable on the bed again by lying down. My senses were already starting to feel just a little more clear by then. "I think this stuff works fast..."

"Your head's clearing up already?" Cynder asked while bounding back up onto the bed and resting at my side. She crossed her arms with one wrist resting over the other, the two bangles that once shackled them being long gone by then. Most likely doomed to be melted down at a smelter for raw materials. "I'm glad. I mean...how many attempts on your life did you have today? A Spriggan, then some thief, and now a horrible disease... Life is dangerous in Skyrim, isn't it?"

"It is. This land is beautiful, but also holds many dangers. It's a shame, really." I muttered before gazing up at the ceiling again. Cynder even helped move one of those pillows under my head for some extra comfort. I then looked at Cynder and focused on the spot just under that platinum shackle around her neck. "Are you sure you're not in pain anymore?"

"Where? Here...?" She asked while bringing a hand to her throat again. Cynder slid her claws over her rosy ventral scales to check for harm, but then shook her head. "No, there's no pain. Not even a sore throat. Thank you... I don't know how you did it, but it's like I never got shot there in the first place."

I just barely managed to avoid smiling in response to that. The longer I was in her presence, the harder it was to hide my heart from her. At least I was certain by then that I would not have to wait much longer before awakening. Although as she got comfortable again, Cynder then asked softly, "But...is there anything I can do for you now?"

I gazed upon the tender dragoness before me. I had tended to her. Now it was her turn to tend to me. I tried thinking carefully. And I decided to say something clever that I genuinely wanted out of her. "There is one thing..."

Cynder crawled a little closer with an intrigued and eager smile on her lips. "Let's hear it. But no silly stuff this time, all right? Be serious here."

Depending on how one looked at it, my request could come off as silly and even unreasonable. But I decided to tell her anyway. I motioned for Cynder to come closer so I could whisper it to her. She brought the side of her head to my lips and I provided my request right into her little ear hole. She then pulled her head back with a perplexed gaze setting into her eyes. "Stay small? I...don't know if I can actually do that, but I'll see what I can do. No promises though, all right?"

All I did was nod. Although I genuinely was serious with my request. I actually did find Cynder's current size to be ideal. Not too small. Not too large. However, Cynder did suddenly flinch. As if she had suddenly realized that she had been insulted. "Wait a minute. Stay...small?!"

In mere seconds, Cynder had become very irate. A look of irritation settled onto her face as she stood back up on my bed. "What's with everyone today? Lesser wyrm? Little dragon? Am I really so tiny to everyone?! Well no, I am NOT small! I'm not small and have never been small! I'm... What's that word I'm looking for?"

I started to smirk as the urge to laugh started to grow within me. Cynder looked to be more playfully annoyed than actually angry. If anything, I think she was just looking for a reason to get vocal. Just to break the still of the night falling over the city. She then sudden said, "I'm...moderate!"

A big confident smirk spread across Cynder's face. She promptly assumed a very bold pose. Holding her head high, sticking her chest out, spreading her wings wide, and even keeping her tail lifted in an arc. She then gazed smugly down at me and declared, "That's it! I'm moderately sized! And I won't be told otherwise."

I could not help myself. I snickered loudly and squinted my eyes shut with a big toothy smile exposed. Was she really just trying to entertain me? Although when I managed to compose myself and look up at Cynder again, that smile had softened with her eyes looking much more pleased. She then whispered to me, "I missed your smile."

She... She got me. After a whole day of being in her presence, Cynder had genuinely gotten a laugh out of me and even coaxed a real smile out of me. And I felt...shamed over it. Like I had done something I really should not have. I turned my gaze away from Cynder as that smile left my face, but she did not object. I suspect Cynder anticipated that I still was on the fence of what to think of her. Although she did relax at my side again and whispered to me. "But truthfully... I do hope I don't get too much larger. You wouldn't be able to hold me as well if I got as big as Malefor."

She was not wrong. At such a size, she would hold me more than the other way around. The last time she was of such a size, I could cradle her entire head against the length of my torso. A massive, yet majestic creature. But I did prefer a dragoness who was no larger than a griffon. But those words were not enough to make me look at her. So if her words failed, Cynder resorted to touch. She rested her hand upon my right and whispered to me. "I'm with you... You know that, right?"

"Yeah... You keep finding your way back to me. Ever since the beginning." I muttered platonically. Even since the very beginning after we first parted ways, Cynder had been prone to seeking me out. And I really could not understand why.

I heard her sigh in a manner that demanded my attention. As if she had something important to say. So I turned my head to look at her while she gazed down at nothing. "There were times...when I'd be dreaming... And...I saw things. Heard things. Like I was me...but also not myself."

This caught my attention and coerced me to watch and listen. Cynder looked almost forlorn as she recalled these memories. "I remember...feeling so bitter. Always angry. My temper was sort, my words almost constantly dripped with venom... I could swear I actually tasted venom on my tongue at times. And...I was just...such a cold person... Do you know what I was seeing? Does that sound like anything you know?"

My memories of Cynder had always been minimal up to the moment we first met. Just barely enough for my dreaming mine to manifest her in my dreams. But what little I did remember... It was not a happy picture. And I spoke honestly to her. "It sounds like you were seeing what you could've been. If things turned out differently for you."

"Is it any small wonder...you make me as happy as you do?" Cynder sighed with a somber smile forming at the edges of her mouth. She gazed down upon me and whispered, "The four of you that night... I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. Yes, those three creation goddesses gave me much that night, but...no one's been there for me like you. What you told me that night... You told me what I needed to hear. You gave me what I needed most. And when I needed to go, you listened when I called for you. You stayed by my side when I really needed you. You...made me smile that night. Even in spite of such a disaster, you...taught me how to smile again. And...I'm grateful for that."

I asked what I felt was an important question. "Have you come to terms with what happened that night?"

"I...try not to think about it. I keep telling myself that it couldn't be helped. We gave everything we had and...we still couldn't save my world. It's not like I could've ever gone back anyway." Cynder's gaze wandered as her smile faltered. Her head bowed as she muttered in solemn recollection. "Maybe it was fated to happen. Maybe that world...was meant to fade. At least Malefor didn't get what he wanted in the end."

Tragic as that situation was, it was good to see Cynder let go of an outcome she had no control over. Best not dwell on it. It was a world even I did not know. And Cynder began to smile at me as she said, "Even if I have no world to go back to, I still have you. That's...enough to make me happy."

I was wondering if it would be possible to coerce her into leaving my side at all. There must have been a key in the house to get the door open. I then decided to try my hand at getting some distance between us. "How about you go outside for a while? Get some fresh night air. Whiterun's a safe place."

"And where would I go?" She asked profoundly without even standing back up. The tender dragoness swished her tail from side to side as her gaze only softened more the longer she looked upon me. "When I'm with you, I'm home."

Did she even really understand what she was saying? I suppose on a metaphysical sense, she might have been quite literal about that statement without realizing it. As her dreamer, I was responsible for her existence. And without a world to go back to, she was bound to me. And a twinge of pain flowed through my heart when I remembered that moment from hours ago. When she...said goodbye for what I am sure she intended to be for the last time.

I...felt something when she did that. Some sort of connection... Severed. And a profound fear filled me. As if I just...knew...that Cynder was dying. If I let her go then, she would be gone forever. I was certain of that. In spite of my own doubts and distrust towards the dragoness that inflicted great harm upon me, I took hold of her. I was not ready. Or rather...I was not sure what my choice had been. And at that moment, I was still not sure of my definitive beliefs on the beautiful creature before me.

"James... Look at me, please. You've had a long day and I know you need to rest. But...please? Just a minute longer?" Cynder asked softly with a tone I could not ignore. And so I lifted my gaze to meet hers. The little wyrm whispered meaningfully to me. "If you still don't trust me, I understand. But...I enjoyed myself today. At least...when I didn't have an arrow in my throat, heheh... I was...happy again. Happy to be with you. Happy to...have you back in my life. Even if you don't trust me now, I'll wait. And...I'll keep waiting for the day where you can start smiling at me again. You're all I've ever had... And probably all I'll ever need. I've been lost without you... And being with you again... It's like I can finally see clearly once more. So...even if you don't trust me... Just know...that I trust you with everything."

Powerful words. Words directly from the heart. And they spoke to mine. My heart had begun to scold my thoughts. Demanding that I place my faith in her again. But there was one thing I did know for certain. Listening to my head instead of my heart...was making me very unhappy. And after hearing Cynder say all that... I made a decision.

I rolled onto my side to let both hands reach for my companion. And as I began to reach out for her, Cynder's eyes widened when she noticed that I was reaching for her neck. The platinum bangle that was still shackled around her throat. She held a hand in front of it to block my reach and said, "No... No, don't. Not until you think I..."

I was not deterred. My hands quickly reached around her arm and grasped the shackle at the sides. And after a second of trying to find the right spot, there was a click. And the shackle split in two. Cynder froze with eyes wide in shock. The last shackle clamped onto her body, which she insisted should be left there as an act of penance, had been removed by the hands of the one she harmed. I continued to hold the two halves and waited for a response. Ever so slowly, Cynder brought a hand to her throat and caressed when she had been bound. For the first time in weeks if not months... Free again.

My actions spoke for me better than my voice could. I dropped the two halves of that shackle and began to relax my arms. But Cynder was quick. She suddenly took hold of my left hand and brought it to the side of her face. I watched without a word, but I could see them. Trails of tears flowing from those unblinking eyes as she held my palm to the side of her face with each little hand of hers. I sighed in resignation and gently curled my fingers to cup the contours of my reptilian face. Only then did Cynder squint her eyes shut and shuddered as she wheezed out a whimpering sob. "Never again..."

I lifted an eyebrow in some curiosity. And she spoke again. "Never again will these claws hurt you... Never..."

Only then did I feel I needed to say something. "My head is telling me to be wary. My heart is telling me to hold you. I don't know what to believe anymore..."

"Then...hold me!" She pleaded before almost throwing herself onto me. Cynder draped herself across my body and rested a hand over my beating heart. She nuzzled her face against my padded chest and whispered, "I'll never give this beautiful heart a reason to doubt me... Never again."

It felt...nice to let my guard down for once. I brought a hand to Cynder's back and rested it between her shoulders. And there it was. That subtle quivering of the world about to fade into the depths of my memories. We had minutes to spare.

I still could not tell Cynder any of the truths regarding her existence. That information needed to remain buried lest she be broken harder than ever before. But at that moment, I felt...resentful. Bitter that I would have to say goodbye again after such an important reunion. My hand hardly moved upon my companion's back. I was just so...drained. So unsure of anything.

Cynder continued to rest her hand over my beating heart. And then...a new sound reached my ear. Long focused acts of exhalation. But...not simply breaths. Was she...purring? It hardly sounded like the purr of a feline, but I could not describe it as anything else. A rumbling gentle growl with every breath. My melancholy distracted for the moment, I let out an amused sigh. "I think I might have been onto something when I hypothesized that dragons possess feline traits."

"Oh, you... You noticed that?" Cynder asked quietly as she lifted her head to gaze down at me. The tears had left a dry pale trail down her face. She looked very tired, but also fulfilled. "I was just... I don't know. Just...something I felt compelled to try. I think...it's called purring. Does it annoy you? I can adjust my breathing if you want."

"No, it's fine. It's...pleasant. Comforting. Purring is supposed to be an enjoyable sound. Although felines are better known for it than reptiles..." I insisted with my hand rising up to the back of her neck. I had to place my fingers between the three spines behind her head. "I wouldn't mind if you continued."

"Then...I'll keep at it." She replied softly before resting her head at the base of my neck once again. That deep reptilian purring resumed as I even closed my eyes. My body desired sleep even as I knew I would soon awaken. Cynder soon whispered to me again, "Do you...really forgive me, James?"

I said the only thing I could. A reminder of the decree I settled on that night. "One day at a time, Cynder."

"Right... I'll be patient." The little dragoness muttered in quiet understanding. I could feel it coming... Those walls of white closing in on us. And I could not bring myself to open my eyes. A part of me was glad that the night was over. That I could finally escape Cynder. But...every other part of me scolded that sentiment. She would never harm me again. I knew this. I could trust her. I could even trust her with my life. And... Her hand. Her left reached low and met mine. Just as I started to feel a softer mattress against my backside, Cynder whispered one last precious thing. "I'm with you... Always."

My eyes opened abruptly. But I was no longer in that rustic room of unrefined wood. I was back under the roof of my own home. Rested and free of any symptoms of disease, yet...so tired. And feeling so empty. I looked at my right hand as I could almost feel Cynder's bestial hand lined with scales upon it. But she was not there. Once again thrust back to the edge of my mind to slumber until we could awaken together in the realm of dreams.

I managed to get myself out of bed and into the bathroom without waking Fluttershy. And as I sat there on the toilet, trying to shake off what felt like a temporary bout of profound depression, I gazed at my hand. And a single tear flowed free from my eyes. Cynder did such wicked things the last time we crossed paths. Inflicted great pain upon me. I should have been relieved to be away from her.

So then why was I longing for her so dearly?

At this point, I truly do not know what to think. Cynder came to exist in my mind and develop her own will and soul entirely by accident. Will she really walk amongst us in the realm of reality before much longer?

Perhaps I should listen to my own advice on this matter. Take things one day at a time. Next time... Next time, I will have a more concrete answer on where my heart and mind stand on this issue. And I... I hope I will see her smile again.

That is enough dwelling on something as inconsequential as a dream. Ocellus wants to cuddle for a while on the sofa and I do not want to refuse that beautiful little love bug. Maybe she will even flutter for me.

Cynder... What will be in store for us next time? Will I get to hold you again?