Three Months Later

Aila swung the axe as hard as she could, but it still only went through a quarter of the wood. "Damn it," she muttered. She had to swing thrice more before the firewood split in two. Working at the mill was harder than she thought. It wasn't much work, just chopping and lugging around a bunch of wood, but it was tiring. Gerdur had hired her just as Kathryn said, though reluctantly.

"She's all skin and bones," She had said when Kathryn made the proposal. "She doesn't look like she could even lift an axe. How am I going to make use of her?" Aila tried to protest, say she could too lift an axe, but the words caught in her throat.

"You know you can," Kathryn argued for her. "She'll get stronger as she works. You can barely run the mill with the workers you have now. You need all the help you can get." Finally Gerdur had yielded. That was three months ago. Since then Aila had proven that she was about as useful as a mudcrab. Normally, Aila was never anything more than a pack mule, carrying wood to and fro, but sometimes Gerdur had her do more important tasks, such as chopping up firewood.

She wasn't doing as badly as before. Her first few days, she couldn't even hit the wood. It was taxing work, and Aila had been sore weeks, but she found it preferable to having Faendal around. He had contracted a terrible case of the rattles, and has been too weak to move, much less work, for the past week and likely wouldn't be back for many more. For Aila it was a blessing.

There had been a silent war between Faendal and the village bard, Sven, over a woman named Camilla Valerius. Apparently, Sven finally decided to take action and took Camilla as a lover. Faendal had been devastated for a grand total of four days before he moved on. Unfortunately for Aila, he had moved on to her. As an elf, Faendal decided that only another elf would be right for him... Aila being the other elf. Nearly every waking moment, Aila had to suffer Faendal's disgusting attempts to seduce her. Her only break was when she went to bed for the night and when she was with Kathryn.

Aila had become fast friends with Kathryn in the short time she's known her. Kathryn loved to talk, and it was obvious that she loved having someone to talk to. Aila was quiet by nature, but Kathryn didn't seem to mind her just listening. Aila was dismayed by how people treated Kathryn. No one ever came directly up to her, or talked to her, and if Kathryn ever talked to them, they never had anything to say and suddenly had very important matters to attend to. More than once Aila caught people looking at Kathryn like she was some kind of freak. Nearly everyone actively avoided Kathryn and Aila couldn't fathom why.

Aila found pretty quickly the reason Kathryn had said that her parents weren't the town's favourite people. Her father was the village drunk. Loud and loathsome, Varin Vela had a habit of loitering at the Sleeping Giant Inn and squander the little gold he had on ale and mead. Kathryn's mother never paid much attention to her daughter, if any. Lassana Vela rarely leaves her house, spending the day doing menial tasks that Varin gives her, be it doing the laundry, preparing food, or even something more carnal for her husband.

The two earned no remuneration, and relied entirely on Kathryn to support them, who didn't have a choice in the matter. Once, when Kathryn refused to give him money, Varin had hit her and took the gold from her. She wore a bruise on her cheek for the next three weeks, and no one had even bothered to ask how she got it, save for Aila.

Aila reached for another piece wood and set it on the chopping block. Just one, good, strong swing, she thought. This time it only took three hits to cut in half. Aila dropped the axe and sat next to the chopping block, grunting in displeasure.

"Now don't give up that easily, you almost had it."

Aila looked up to see Kathryn walking toward her. "How long have you been watching me?" she asked.

Kathryn shrugged. "A few minutes or so."

Aila stood, and watched as Kathryn got closer. "Shouldn't you be working?"

"Says the one who was sitting on her arse."

"I was just taking a small break."

"As am I," Kathryn said with a smile.

"I suppose I can't argue with that." Aila smiled back. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Just checking up on you."

Aila groaned. "Kat, it's been three months, the dragon's not going to come swooping down on me." Aila said the words, but she didn't mean them. The truth was that was a near constant fear of hers. There were many nights when Aila woke from a dream, breathing heavily and feeling panicked.

"I wasn't worried about a dragon, you know, I just wanted to see you," Kathryn said.

"Oh. Well that's fine. I'm always glad to see you." Kathryn looked away from her for a moment, looked back, then looked away again. She fiddled with her sleeve. That was odd. Aila had never seen Kathryn nervous before. She usually looked as if she wanted to frolic everywhere she went. "Kathryn?" Aila asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Hm? Oh, no, it's just... actually there is another reason I wanted to see you."

"What's that?"

"Well... It's sort of hard to explain. I... well..."

"Kathryn! Aila! I don't pay you to sit around!"

"Yes Gerdur! Sorry! Look, can you just meet me after you're done here? I have something I want to show you."

"Of course," said Aila. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine. I just really need to tell you something." And with that Kathryn left to resume her work.

For the rest of the day, Aila wondered what Kathryn wanted to tell her. It helped take her mind of the soreness in her arms. When Gerdur finally let her go, it was almost dark out. Aila elected to get a bite to eat before she met up with Kathryn. She filled herself with potato and leek soup with a slice of cheese at the inn. As she was leaving, Aila bought a couple more slices of cheese for Kathryn, in case she hasn't eaten, but she was still a little hungry and she started nibbling on one of them while she walked to Kathryn's house. Aila almost knocked on the front door, but she stopped. She could hear moaning. Aila made a face and backed away. Kathryn wasn't in there. She was about to look elsewhere for Kathryn when she heard her voice.

"Oh yeah, I probably should've warned you."

Aila looked up. "How did you get up there?"

"I climbed" Kathryn said. She sitting on the roof.

Aila sighed. Kathryn was always doing stuff like this. "Well come on down, I brought you some food." She held out the cheese.

"Ooh, yay!" Kathryn loved cheese. She jumped down and grabbed the slice that wasn't partially eaten. Aila smiled as Kathryn gobbled it down.

"If you ate it slower it would last longer." Aila said.

"But it's so good." Kathryn looked at the other slice longingly.

"Here," Aila said "they were both originally yours anyway."

"Thank you!" Kathryn said as she snatched the slice from Aila's hands. She ignored Aila's advice and gobbled down that one as well.

"You're hopeless."

Aila could hear the sounds coming through the door. The moans were getting louder. Kathryn looked at the door in abhorrence, before saying, "Let's go." She walked toward the gate with Aila following close behind. It was dusk now. A little while and it will be dark.

"So," Aila asked. "what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Let's wait till we're someplace private," Kathryn said. She was acting very strange. She kept pulling at her sleeve. It wasn't just idle movement though, she was wearing a short-sleeved tunic, (which Aila thought was absurd it the cold weather) and it looked like she was trying to hide something.

"Kat," Aila said when they passed the gate. "what's on your arm?"

Kathryn flinched slightly, but only said, "Nothing." Aila didn't believe her.

"Come on, tell me," she persisted.

"It's nothing. Really."

Aila stopped walking. "I'm not moving unless you show me your arm." she said and folded her arms. Kathryn stopped and looked at her. Finally she let out a sigh and rolled up her sleeve. "Oh Gods," Aila gasped. "What happened?"

Kathryn's upper arm was almost completely covered by a massive bruise. It was blue and brown, and looked painful. "My father hit me." she said.

"When? And Why?" Aila asked, touching the bruise gingerly.

"This morning. Before I left for work. You know my father hates elves. He... he called you a whore and... other things. I punched him. He punched me back." Aila was taken aback. Kathryn wasn't the type to respond that way, but... it was odd having Kathryn defend her.

"Oh Kat, you should just ignore him. Nothing good comes out of fighting him."

"I know, but when he called you those thing... I just got so angry." Aila hugged her. Kathryn jumped in surprise, but soon relaxed and hugged Aila back.

"Kathryn you're my only friend," Aila said "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I'm sorry," Kathryn said.

"Don't be. I'm grateful that you defended me, but next time just ignore him, okay?"

"Okay."

"Good." Aila released Kathryn. "Now, don't you have something to show me?"

Kathryn nodded. "It's over by the Guardian Stones," she said, all of her earlier melancholy gone.

Aila had only been to the Guardian Stones once before. Kathryn had told her that standing stone were meant to give special powers to those who were worthy to wield it. The Guardian Stones were three of these special stones. The Mage, the Warrior, and the Thief. Aila had gone up to each one in turn, but nothing had happened with any of them. Kathryn told her not to be disappointed, it was only a legend.

She was here now though, and the sun had gone down making nearly impossible to see. Kathryn somehow had made it over to the Mage Stone without falling. "We should've brought a torch," Aila said.

"Yes, we should have." Kathryn walked around to the back of the stone and started digging.

"What is it exactly that you're looking for?" Aila asked

"You'll see."

Aila waited in dark. She shivered. It was starting to get cold. Well, colder than usual at least. Aila found herself thinking of a few moments ago when she hugged Kathryn. She was warm. "Ah! Here it is," Kathryn exclaimed suddenly.

"What?" Aila asked

"This." Kathryn dropped a large jar into her hands and Aila nearly dropped it, it was so heavy.

"What's in here?"

"Aila, stop asking questions and just open it."

"Fine, fine." Aila unscrewed the lid and reach inside. She didn't have to reach very far, it was almost full. She picked up a small, metallic disk. "Is this what I think it is?" Aila asked.

"Yep," Kathryn said excitedly. Her silver eyes seemed to glow in the darkness.

"How much is in here?"

"No idea. I've been saving up for a year."

"What in Oblivion are you going to do with an entire jar of gold coins?"

"Well, that's the other thing I wanted to tell you. Watch." Kathryn held out her hand.

"Kathryn, I can barely see you."

"Just watch." It was hard to tell, but it looked like Kathryn was straining. With what, Aila had yet to find out. Then Aila saw a glow. It was faint at first, but it became steadily brighter. The glow was blue and Aila could see the snowflakes around Kathryn's hand.

Wait, Aila thought. She looked up at the sky. Clear at day. It's not snowing. The snowflakes swirling around Kathryn's hand began to pick up speed. They grew in size, and in number. Soon, a blizzard was in the palm of Kathryn's hand. Literally. Aila wanted to touch it, and she would have, if she had not been holding the jar of septims. Finally Kathryn closed her hand and the blizzard disappeared. She was breathing heavily.

"You're a mage!" Aila exclaimed.

"Not really. I can't do much more than that."

"Still, that's amazing!"

Kathryn smiled. "I'm glad you think so. Most Nords distrust mages. That's why I didn't tell earlier."

"I'm not a Nord," Aila said.

"I know, but most of the people in Riverwood are, and I didn't want anyone to overhear, and give them even more cause to hate me."

"Kat, they don't..." Aila started.

"I know, I know, but it doesn't matter." Kathryn said, cutting her off. "You asked me what I was going to do with all that gold, well I want to go to the College of Winterhold and learn magic. But also... I want you to come with me."

Aila was speechless. Kathryn wanted her to tag along while she learned magic. "H...how are we going to get there?" she asked.

"Well, I was thinking we can walk to Whiterun," Kathryn replied. "It'd only be about three days walk, and from there we can take a carriage. You... you don't have to come if you don't want to."

"What? No, Kathryn, I'd love to come!"

"Really? Oh, Aila thank you so much! Who knows, maybe you can even learn some..." Kathryn suddenly went quiet.

"Kat? What is it?" Aila asked.

"Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" But by then Aila heard it. Or rather didn't hear.

It completely silent. There were no crickets chirping, no foxes trotting, no rabbits hopping. The only noise was the wind blowing in the trees. And then she felt it. The ground was shaking. Not much, but it was enough.

"What is that?" Aila asked, and she could feel tears starting to form in her eyes. The shaking was growing progressively worse.

"I don't know" Kathryn answered.

"I'm scared, Kat."

"Just stay close to me, you'll be fine." Kathryn held Aila still and tried to comfort her and then Aila heard a word. One dreaded word, thundering in her ears.

"DOVAHKIIN"