Riverwood

Aila awoke screaming. Her dreams were filled with dragons and fire. She brought a hand to her face. It came back wet. She was crying. Of course she was crying, she had been crying when the Imperials captured her, she had been crying when the dragon attacked, and she had been crying while she was walking. Yes, she could remember walking. She had been for so long. She had walked and walked and then... and then she was here. In a room lying on a bed. It was a rather small room; there was a bed and wardrobe, but not much else. Aila grabbed her burned arm and saw that it had been patched up. Suddenly, the door swung open, and an Imperial woman came running in.

"Are you alright?" The Imperial asked her. "I heard you scream, did something happen?" Aila shook her head and said it was only a dream. The Imperial woman was visibly relieved. "Oh, thank the gods. I'm glad you're awake though, I was wanting to talk to you."

"Where... where am I?" Aila asked.

"Oh right, you're in The Sleeping Giant Inn. I brought you here after I found you on the road. Delphine wrapped up your arm. She owns the inn. I would have brought you to my house, but... well, my parents aren't exactly fond of elves."

"I... I'm not an elf." Aila said.

"Really? You look like one. Oh well. You must be hungry, you've been asleep almost all day." Aila was hungry. "Lets get you some food and don't worry about paying. It's on me." Aila got out of bed and walked out of the room into another. This one was much larger. There was a fire in the middle with seats around it and tables along the walls. Some patrons were scattered across the room and there was a bard singing Ragnar The Red. "You sit there; I'll get you some food. Oh, my name's Kathryn by the way."

"Aila,"

Kathryn smiled at her. "Pretty name. Nice to meet you Aila." she said. Aila felt a blush creeping up her cheeks as she took her seat by the fire. Soon after Kathryn came back with a plate of venison and potatoes. She handed them to Aila and sat down in the seat next to her. Aila realized she was hungrier than she thought, and she heard Kathryn laugh as Aila inhaled her food. "Slow down! You're going to choke." She said, and Aila tried to eat at a somewhat normal pace. She was half way through her meal when Kathryn said "So, you say you're not an elf?"

"No. Well... I don't think so. Maybe my mother was. Or my father." Aila shook her head. "I don't know." Kathryn seemed to understand what she was saying.

"You mean you're an orphan." she said. Aila nodded. "That's alright. You just finish your meal." Aila suddenly noticed that most of the room had their heads turned towards her.

"Why is everyone looking at me?" Aila asked, uncomfortable.

"They're not." Kathryn said sullenly. "They're looking at me."

Aila looked at the Imperial. She seemed to be about the same age as Aila, though she was taller. Most people were, though.

"Why would they be staring at you?" Kathryn glanced at Aila and then looked down at the floor. She didn't give an answer. When Aila finished her meal, Kathryn suggested that they go outside. She seemed eager to get away from the view of others. Aila took a breath of fresh air when she exited the building.

"Welcome to Riverwood!" Kathryn said. "It's not much, there's the shop... the blacksmith. My house is down there by the gate. Oh, and there's the mill over by the river. I work there along with Faendal. It's owned by Gerdur and her husband Hod. Alvor owns the forge. He's nice enough, but his wife can be a bit..."

Aila watched as Kathryn described in detail everyone in Riverwood, where they lived, and what they were like. Aila couldn't help but feel amused. This girl sure liked to talk. She didn't mind, though. Aila found her voice... melodious.

A gust of wind blew through the air, and Aila brushed away a strand of hair from her face. She looked at Kathryn. The wind was blowing through her hair as well, but hers was much shorter, so it didn't seem to bother her. Her hair was brown like Aila's but whereas hers was light, Kathryn's was dark.

"Is there something on my face?" Kathryn asked. Aila suddenly realized she had been staring. She felt herself blushing again. When Kathryn saw she only laughed and said, "Don't worry about it. It's hard to keep your eyes off me, I know." She said mockingly. Her comment only made Aila blush harder, resulting in another laugh from Kathryn.

"You know," Kathryn said once she stopped laughing, "One of your parents was definitely an elf, but I'd say the other was a Nord."

"What makes you say that?" asked Aila.

"Your eyes."

"My eyes?"

"Yes, your eyes. They're an incredible shade of blue. Only Nords have eyes like yours."

Kathryn wasn't the first to say as much. Nords were the only of all nine races with distinct eyes. Other races had blue eyes, yes, but not like a Nords. Most people didn't see her as a Nord at first, though. Much like Kathryn, people first thought her to be an elf. Her ears were slightly pointed, too much to be a humans, yet not enough to be an elf's. Her face had the same quality, angular, but only just. Kathryn's own eyes were a pale color, silver even. Aila had never seen eyes like hers before. She found them fascinating. "Aila? You're staring again."

Aila was turning redder than a tomato. She fumbled with the bandages on her arm. "S... sorry" she said. She was caught staring at Kathryn not once but twice! She wasn't trying to stare. She just... did. And Kathryn certainly wasn't making it any easier.

"You're so cute when you're embarrassed." she said with a wicked smile. Aila knew she was only teasing. She was, after all, another girl, but even so, it left an odd feeling in her stomach.

Aila followed Kathryn to the edge of the village, which wasn't far. When they stopped Kathryn pointed. "I found you just down the road there," she said. " You were walking along, and then you just fell over. When I got to you, you were nearly unconscious. I picked you up and carried you to the inn." Aila remembered what she had said when she woke up.

"Why wouldn't your parents want me at your house?" she asked.

"My father fought in the great war. You know, the one against the elves. I think he grew some sort of hatred for them over time. And my mother just agrees with whatever my father says." Kathryn was starting to look angry, and Aila felt she had stumbled upon a sensitive subject. But then Kathryn shook her head and her smile returned. "But never mind that. What about you?"

"Me?"

"Yeah. I mean, now that you awake, you'll probably want to... be on your way or something like that."

"Oh." Aila said. She hadn't thought about that. Aila had no family to care for her. She didn't know what she was going to do. The thought scared her.

Kathryn seemed to notice her distress. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No," Aila said. "I just... don't really have anywhere to go."

"You could stay here." Kathryn suggested. "In Riverwood, I mean. Delphine always has a room available. You can sleep there."

"I don't have any gold." Aila pointed out.

"You can work with me at the mill. Gerdur can always use more workers. She pays fair, more than enough to rent out a room." She seemed to almost be begging Aila to stay.

"Well it's not like I'm going anywhere" Aila said. Kathryn smiled at that. She looked absolutely elated.

"Oh I know you'll like it here." she said. "Riverwood's a small village, but there's still plenty to do. Like hunting. The woods are teeming with game. Anything from rabbits to elk. There's fishing too. The river's full of trout, and salmon, and..." Aila smiled as Kathryn started to ramble again. She couldn't help but feel happy at her apparent joy.

"You sure seem glad that I'm staying here." Aila said when Kathryn paused to take a breath.

"It's just nice to have someone to talk to."

Aila gave Kathryn a puzzled look. "Don't you talk to the other villagers?"

Kathryn's smile faded. "The others don't like having me around."

That surprised Aila. "Why not? You're so nice. I can't think of anyone I'd rather hang around." That was only because Aila didn't actually know anyone else, but Kathryn didn't need to know that.

Kathryn smiled sadly. "Thanks. I think people think I'm dangerous or something."

"Why would they think that?"

"My parents, I think. You might have guessed already, but they're not exactly the towns favourite people." She reached up and touched her temple. "But mostly I think it's because of my eyes. I think they frighten people." Aila looked at Kathryn's silver eyes. They were unusual but...

"I think your eyes look lovely." She said without thinking. Kathryn looked at her blankly, then started grinning madly and Aila suddenly realized what she had just said.

"No one has ever complemented my eyes before," Kathryn said. "Thank you." Aila only nodded, too embarrassed to speak. That seemed to amuse Kathryn. "Come on," she said with a laugh. "Let's go see Gerdur about that job. Oh, and Aila?"

"Yes?"

"You're blushing again."