Karloh had quickly understood that Liluth wants him to teach her how to ride a horse, the reason why is still not very clear to him, but he did not hesitate to start the lessons.
Something is going on and due to his null knowledge of the language he is not finding out anything, after that fat and ugly man spoke Ahren seemed uneasy and when he told the rest of the village that uneasiness was transmitted to everyone, something is going on and Karloh doesn't know what, and it is extremely frustrating.
Still he is trying his best to help them, taking away the armor, weapons and money brought by the attackers so that those in the village can use it, in fact right now he is watching as some take the weapons and try to learn how to use them, while Ahren took the armor and started working in his forge for sure adjusting them to better serve their new owners.
While he is behind Liluth teaching her how to ride, he has her take the reins of the horse and lead it from one side of town to the other.
Which makes the two of them quite in contact, it doesn't really do anything to Karloh, but as for Liluth it's different, the girl can only focus on the feeling of the Khajiit's chest pressing against her back and his arms around her, not to mention the slight swaying motions felt every time the horse moves.
Karloh was not ignorant before Liluth's reactions to his nearness, neither did he give it real importance, he was never prudish and gods know Liluth is beautiful.
In any case the girl is quickly learning how to stay on the horse, how to guide it and how to ask it to speed up or slow down, again Karloh was struck by the similarities between this plane and Nirn, the horses are the same and ride the same.
He had never read of a plane like this, and in part he can't expect to discover more of this place and return to Tamriel with this knowledge, he already has a number of books and magical studies to his name, but the discovery of a new plane is something he doesn't have.
He got off the horse, leaving Liluth alone, he motioned for the girl to go on and do it alone, she obviously became nervous, but Karloh stopped that by holding her hand and giving her a small smile.
His smile served to reassure her, and then she was able to start moving from one side of town to the other with the horse, getting some encouraging words from the villagers and things that sounded like congratulations. She clearly is far from being an amazing rider, but she won't fall off the horse unless something happens.
The night had arrived and Liluth was still practicing horseback riding under the watchful eye and guidance of Karloh.
At first she was worried, she had never ridden a horse before and in fact it was the first time she had seen a horse outside of books, it was only the urgency of the moment and Karloh's guidance that allowed her to leave her fear and doubts behind and get on the horse.
It is only now, after a full day of riding, that she finally feels confident that she will be able to steer the mount without falling off or being thrown off by the horse, even though she is now tired and her legs hurt.
Liluth stopped the horse near the man who had been her teacher in this activity, she tried to dismount as he had taught her, but the pain in her legs almost made her fall, luckily Karloh reacted quickly and took her by the hips to help her.
Feeling his strong hands on her hips filled her with nervousness and other sensations she doesn't fully understand.
When he finally got off the horse, they both stood too close to each other, though that was more Liluth's doing, as Karloh had already pulled his hands away from her.
"Are you done yet?" Her father's voice made the girl jump backwards away from the wizard, she turned her gaze nervously towards her father, noticing that he is sweaty, dirty and looking tired.
"Y-yes, I think I can drive the horse no problem" Replied the elf.
"In a single day? Incredible, Karloh is a great teacher, but you are also the type to learn fast" Her father congratulated her by approaching and stroking her head, before her father's show of affection Liluth couldn't stop herself from moving her ears up and down as a sign of happiness.
Karloh behind watched such movement of the ears with surprise, being the first time he notices how mobile these people's ears are.
"So, will everything be alright for us to go in search of Elunia tomorrow?" Liluth asked, to which her father nodded.
He pulled from his back, a dagger, which he advanced towards Liluth "Here, even if we both go, the forest is more dangerous than ever, I would feel more comfortable if you had something to defend yourself" The girl took the dagger with some hesitation.
Karloh approached both of them, it was somewhat disturbing to notice how he looks quite relaxed and clean when both Liluth and her father look tired and dirty due to the activities that didn't stop since dawn until now.
And Karloh was as active as both of them, since after all he stopped the attack, retrieved the weapons and armor and on top of that he kept teaching Liluth and then he would pause to teach some villagers how to swing a weapon.
"Karloh" Liluth pronounced "Tomorrow my father and I will leave to look for Elunia" Liluth said, while saying that she made signs to try to make the mage understand what she wants to leave said.
Karloh pondered a few seconds thinking about the meaning of Liluth's signs, as he did that the girl and her father waited patiently, then he pointed to her and her father and then pointed to the horse and then pointed to some random direction outside of town, Liluth nodded.
Karloh seemed to understand, he pointed to Liluth's dagger and motioned for her to pass it to him, which she did.
He took the weapon and walked a few paces away from them both, he reached into the pouch at his waist, the same one that always seemed to be filled with something, but never made any sound, no matter how much Karloh moved, from inside he pulled out an elongated violet gem, which seemed too big to fit in that pouch.
Liluth watched in confusion as Karloh held the violet gem in his right hand and the dagger in his left hand, he closed his eyes for a few seconds and began to whisper things.
Then the violet gem turned to dust and said dust flew towards the dagger, that made the villagers present let out shouts of surprise and some began to whisper with curiosity.
Karloh opened his eyes and pointed the dagger towards Liluth by the part of the hilt, she took with some hesitation the dagger in her hand and the sensation was strange, she felt something... Something strange in the dagger, something that was not there before and that she could not describe, but it felt... Like cold, not the cold of the cold metal, but like a cold similar to the night wind.
Karloh then moved his hand forward towards her retracting the sleeve of his tunic, he motioned Liluth pointing the dagger and then his arm, she turned pale as soon as she realized he was asking her to cut him, the girl immediately denied.
He just gave her a sympathetic expression before taking the dagger from her hand and cutting himself, which again made the people around scream, but this time it was in terror, even more so when they realized that besides cutting him the dagger seemed to freeze the part it cut.
Liluth was about to panic at the sight of the open wound, but Karloh reassured her when he covered his hand with a golden light and touched his wound, making it disappear without a trace.
He then handed the dagger back to Liluth and now she held it with some trepidation, understanding now what it can do.
"Impressive... he enchant a weapon like that out of nowhere" Pronounced an elf.
"I have no idea about magic, but aren't enchanted weapons something super expensive and rare?" Said another elf.
"Yes, I understand that only nobles have enchanted weapons or very wealthy adventurers and mercenaries" Corroborated another elf.
Ahren approached Karloh, showing him his forge hammer, something he is comfortable with and what he plans to use as a weapon during his journey "Please enchant my hammer as well" even though Karloh didn't understand the words he did understand what Ahren wants.
He took the hammer and put his hand in the bag, but before he took something out he seemed to reflect and put his hand a bit deeper into the bag, which seemed impossible as the bag is not big enough for him to put his hand in that way.
"A magic bag" Liluth whispered understanding at last.
He pulled out his hand and got many surprised sighs when he pulled out from the small bag something as big as his own head, what he pulled out is a strange object that seems to be made of a blue crystal with various silver laces, the thing has a round center and eight appendages looking like some kind of weird star.
Looking at the object, Liluth felt... Something, she couldn't say what, but the object feels so, so different from anything she would have seen before.
Karloh as before held the hammer and that object, whispered those weird words and from the center of the object came out a white energy which flew towards the hammer, contrary to the gem he used with his dagger, this object was not destroyed, Karloh put the object back in his bag and hit the hammer against the ground.
They all watched in surprise as the grass on the ground was burned to ashes at the impact of the hammer "He enchanted it with fire" Pronounced one of the watching elves.
"A fitting thing for Ahren, now he will hit and burn at the same time, woe betide anyone who gets in his way" Said another elf in admiration.
Elui was not happy with her daughter and husband's decision, and it is obvious, they will both go out to find Elunia at a time when the forest could not be more unsafe, with monsters roaming around it and with the mercenaries that escaped even though they could be around.
But there is nothing she can do to stop the two from leaving, the people... No, the kingdom needs them to do this, otherwise the next few years will possibly be the end of her life as they know it, she still trembles in fear at the thought that if it hadn't been for Karloh her life right now would be hell.
Her eldest daughter raped and kidnapped by monsters, her and her youngest daughter enslaved and her husband possibly murdered, all that would have been what life would have held for her without Karloh's almost miraculous appearance.
Right now she is convinced that he is an envoy of the Goddess, one sent by the Goddess in her time of greatest need, but the danger has not yet passed, the princess is on her way to Baristein, and if the plans of that kingdom are fulfilled it will be the end of Alfheim and all its people.
Their forest would be razed to the ground, their men enslaved to work to death and their women turned into sex slaves and the only thing that can save them from this... Is her daughter and husband.
They would seek out Elunia and she would know what to do.
"Are you all right?" Ahren asked.
"Just thinking... This whole situation, Goddess, why is all this happening to us?" She sank her face into her husband's bare chest.
They were both now in their bedroom lying down, ready to sleep, but with too many thoughts to do so.
"I understand what you're saying... I'd rather we didn't have to do any of this, but at this point it's impossible" Ahren hugged her tightly.
"Promise me you'll be careful Ahren, promise me you'll take care of Liluth" Elui pleaded with her.
"Of course I will, I will never let anything bad happen to Liluth, we will go back with Elunia" Her husband replied posing a kiss on her forehead "But I also ask you to be careful, I know Karloh is committed to protecting the village, but although powerful he is only one man"
"I promise" She closed her eyes trying to fall asleep.
Karloh hadn't gone to sleep, tonight he would stay in the center of town alert in case the attackers returned with reinforcements to rescue the guy they had captured.
Karloh took out a portable alchemy kit and began to prepare some potions that he would give tomorrow to Liluth and her father for their journey, luckily his habit of never parting with his bottomless bag has proved to be very useful, as despite being far from Tamriel and his home he carries with him everything he needs to be comfortable in this place.
Most useful would undoubtedly be Azura's star, with which he doesn't have to worry about running out of soul gems, though he can't say the same for alchemical ingredients, these are limited and the plants around may feel they have too poor magical properties.
Any potions made with such ingredients would be pitiful and very unhelpful.
"Karloh" He heard Liluth call out to him, he had heard and felt her approach, but he let her be.
"Liluth" Pronounced the Khajiit looking in her direction, it is well into the night and they are both only illuminated by the light of the single moon in the sky and the numerous stars.
Gods be good, Karloh never followed religions or customs of the Khajiit, otherwise he would be driven mad to see that on this plane there is only one moon.
Liluth sat down next to him, making Karloh notice that she is dressed only in a robe that at first glance looks normal, but he quickly saw that it follows the same revealing pattern of all female clothing on this plane, being a semi-transparent white robe that allows Karloh to see without any problem that she is not wearing underwear.
As always, Karloh made an effort to keep his gaze fixed on the girl's eyes instead of looking at her body.
The two stood in silence for several minutes, with Karloh alone working on the potions and Liluth silently at his side.
"Karloh" The girl said to get his attention, then said a few words, words he obviously doesn't understand, but from the tone of voice and her expression he understood that she is scared.
Why could there be many things considering everything that has happened in the last two days and pitifully he can't give her words of encouragement, she wouldn't understand them, so he did the only comforting action he could understand.
He wrapped his arms around the girl's body and pulled her to him, at first she looked surprised by the Khajiit's action, but she quickly relaxed and in turn wrapped her arms around Karloh's body and sank her face into his chest starting to sob.
He slowly caressed the girl's back letting her cry, he intended to leave her like that until she calmed down, but instead she fell asleep still hugging him, Karloh wanted to laugh at that, but refrained, he took his hand towards his bottomless bag and took out from it a cloak, he put it over Liluth's body and let her sleep, although pitifully now he can no longer continue brewing potions.
"The princess should arrive a month from now in the capital" Berg pronounced.
"Why is that trip taking so long, aren't Baristein and Alfheim neighboring kingdoms?" A male voice asked, which came from a crystal orb in front of Berg perched on a stone pedestal.
"Sure, but Alfheim is a large kingdom and its capital is in the center, not to mention it's a gigantic forest, it takes a long time to get out of Alfheim and it adds up the way to my castle" Berg explained with mild annoyance.
"I see, do you have everything ready?" that voice asked, not even a little bit unperturbed by the king's tone of voice.
"For the umpteenth time, yes, everything is ready, I'll break that stupid eared princess in less than a month and that whole damn forest will be mine" Berg is already tired of always answering the same thing and how his interlocutor keeps questioning his plans and decisions.
"And was the Osman raid part of your plan?" Berg looked with surprise at the orb.
"Of course it was" Berg said, trying to hide how surprised he was that his interlocutor found out about it.
"And what good will that do us? Enlighten me, because all I see is an unnecessary risk in which the kingdom of Alfheim may back out of this deal and force you to go to plan B" Said the voice with a cold fury.
"I'm not an idiot, Osman will attack a border town, he will make sure he leaves no witnesses and even if he does what will they do? The nearest town is days away from that town, by the time they inform someone important enough to inform the king, the princess will be in my control" Berg explained.
"I repeat what good will that do us?" the voice said, its anger rising higher and higher.
Berg kept silent... The truth was that it wouldn't give any advantage, the only reason why he let Osman go was because the slave trader paid him a fortune to get permission to attack that village.
"Berg, if because of this slip of yours your plan fails, you will lose our support and you will be alone against Hateria" Berg gritted his teeth at those words.
Hateria... That kingdom was Berg's biggest mistake, like all border kingdoms, Baristein attacked them trying to conquer them, but Hateria was always a kingdom with a strong military culture and they were able to repel Baristein's attacks with ease, and even worse, they started pushing towards Baristein conquering portions of Baristein's land.
All that as a revenge for their previous attack, Baristein being involved in so many conflicts at once could do nothing to regain those lands and it is only to the economic support of his benefactor that he is talking to now that he can keep Hateria at bay and stop their advance.
"No such thing will happen" Berg said.
"I hope so for your sake" And with that said any sound ceased to be emitted by the sphere.
Berg gritted his teeth hard and looked at the orb with fury, he, the great king of a kingdom that hasn't stopped expanding... And that low-born bastard allows himself to talk to him like that "You'll see you asshole, you'll see"