Disclaimer: Neither High School DXD nor Elder Scrolls belongs to me, all rights to their respective owners.
Chapter 6
The Pale - Fredas 02 Frostfall 202 of the Fourth era
The night sky was clear, allowing Asia to gaze at the stars and the aurora borealis. She and Edzard had left Winterhold five days ago. They had been lucky, as they hadn't encountered any of the infamous snowstorms that plagued the Pale and Winterhold holds. At that moment, they were camping by the roadside leading to Loreius Farm.
"Ed, how much longer until we arrive?" Asia asked, stopping her stargazing to look at her friend, who was preparing dinner by the campfire.
"Not much. If we're lucky, we'll reach the Whiterun border tomorrow." Edzard replied while stirring the rabbit stew he was cooking. "After that, the journey will be faster."
Asia nodded at this. Although she enjoyed the trip, she had grown a bit tired of the monotonous snowy landscapes that had gone with them in recent days.
"Hey, Ed… how do you know we won't be attacked by bandits?" she asked, somewhat uneasy.
"That's easy." he said, smiling slightly. "I've set up a detection barrier. It will alert me to any nearby danger."
When dinner was ready, Asia set aside the book she had been reading and approached to serve the stew into two bowls. After dinner, they both sat under the starry sky, enjoying the moment in silence. Shortly after, they headed to their respective tents to rest.
Lying in her sleeping bag, Asia recalled the emotional farewell she had with her friends at the College of Winterhold.
Flashback
"So, you're going to Whiterun with the Arch-Mage?" Gyda asked, watching Asia as she packed her bags. The next day, she would leave with Edzard.
"Yes, I already talked to Master Colette, and she gave me her permission." Asia replied, carefully folding her clothes.
'Not like she could have said much about it.' Asia thought, remembering that the teacher was somewhat upset upon learning of her departure.
"Asia, can you do us a favor?" Fridda intervened, joining the conversation.
"Sure." Asia replied, setting aside what she was doing to look at her. Fridda smiled and handed her a letter.
"Give it to our mother when you arrive."
Asia nodded, taking the letter. After that, the sisters helped Asia finish her packing, and they stayed up chatting late into the night. The next day, the entire restoration school class was present to see her off. For Asia, it was a very emotional experience, as she had never had such a warm farewell before.
End Flashback
Her trip down memory lane was abruptly interrupted when she was suddenly thrown out of her tent. As she hit the ground, she tried to scream, but something invisible covered her mouth, preventing her from making any sound.
Edzard at once got up upon hearing the thud. He grabbed his sword and hurried out of his tent. Outside, he saw Asia floating in the air, unable to move or speak. Ready to attack whatever had her, he caught a familiar scent that made him stop.
"Serana, you can put Asia down." he said with a sigh, relaxing his stance.
Asia, still confused and scared, heard a soft laugh beside her. She turned her head and saw a faint purple glow revealing the figure of a beautiful woman. Her skin was pale, her eyes glowed like embers, and her lips were a deep red. She had short black hair, with two braids that joined at the back. Her outfit consisted of a dark leather corset over a red shirt, along with bracers, pants, and black boots.
"Heh, heh, heh… Oh, Ed, how did you know it was me?" Serana asked, laughing.
"It's easy. Only one person I know smells like a graveyard, and only my friends can pass through my barrier undetected." Edzard replied, looking directly at her. "Now, please, put Asia down. You're scaring her."
Serana laughed again before gently lowering Asia, who, as soon as she touched the ground, ran behind Edzard seeking refuge.
"Calm down, Asia. She's just a friend." Edzard said, trying to soothe her as she visibly trembled from the fright.
After Asia calmed down, Edzard formally introduced them. Serana apologized for scaring her, apologies that Asia accepted with a shy smile. After this, Edzard and Serana began to chat, while Asia, exhausted, fell asleep leaning on Edzard's shoulder.
"Serana, what are you doing here?" Edzard asked, trying to adjust so that Asia could sleep comfortably.
"Can't I visit a friend?" she replied, feigning indignation.
"Serana…" Edzard said seriously, looking at her intently.
"Alright." she sighed. "I was at Fort Dawnguard when I heard some interesting rumors about you."
"What kind of rumors?"
"Nothing too serious, just that you had a street fight in Windhelm and that you're traveling with a girl." Serana said in a mocking tone, smiling as she saw Edzard's discomfort.
He squirmed slightly, clearly uncomfortable with the idea that Serana knew about what had happened.
"I see you want to know more." he said, sighing as he noticed Serana's insistent look.
She smiled, satisfied that Edzard understood her intentions. So, she paid attention as he told her the story of Asia.
"Only you could have such strange things happen to you." Serana commented, sighing at her friend's peculiar luck. "However, I must ask: do you have any clue how to return her to her home?"
Edzard shook his head, frustrated at not having found any useful information in the College of Winterhold's library.
"I think my mother might know something about it." Serana said, thoughtfully bringing a hand to her chin. "I could ask her."
"Would you do that?" Edzard asked, hopeful, though his expression turned somber at the thought of Valerica. "But your mother… she won't do anything strange to Asia, right?"
Serana burst into laughter.
"Don't worry, Ed. My mother won't do anything to the girl. Although… I can't promise she won't ask you for something in return for the information."
Edzard nodded, grateful. He knew that obtaining such information wouldn't be easy or free. They continued talking for a while longer, catching up. When they finished, Edzard retired to his tent, and Serana took Asia to hers, where they both spent the night.
Whiterun - Sundas 04 Frostfall 202 of the Fourth era
The cart moved at a good pace along the road. The journey had been faster since they entered the Whiterun hold, one of the most important trade centers in Skyrim. Due to its central location in the province, Whiterun kept its roads and highways in excellent condition to ease merchant traffic.
The day after Serana's arrival was quite hectic, as Asia woke up with a scream upon finding herself naked, hugging an equally naked Serana. The scream was so loud that Edzard rushed out of his tent, thinking they were under attack, only to find Serana laughing heartily and a tearful Asia murmuring that she could no longer get married.
Upon reaching the hold's border, Asia was amazed by the large number of farms and people herding sheep, goats, and cattle along the road. The most curious moment was when she screamed in surprise at seeing a giant accompanied by his mammoths. She began to ask endless questions about them, and Serana, amused, answered patiently.
That night, while camping, Serana and Asia chatted. Serana told the story of how she met Edzard, exaggerating some details. One of those exaggerations was when she said that he arrived like a knight in shining armor to save her from her evil father's minions. Hearing this, Asia looked at Edzard with eyes shining with admiration.
At dawn and after a quick breakfast, they continued their journey towards the hold's capital, which, ironically, was also called Whiterun. Asia was impressed to see the city, almost as large as Windhelm, though with a livelier and less somber atmosphere than the coastal city.
When the cart arrived at the stables on the outskirts of the city, the group disembarked, and Edzard handed the cart over to the attendant. With their enchanted backpacks on their shoulders, they headed towards Edzard's house in the city.
Asia expected a mansion, but the house turned out to be more modest and cozier. Upon entering, she saw a small hearth at the entrance, with some seats arranged around it. To the left of the hearth, there was a bookshelf, and further back, the dining area, consisting of a table with a bench. To the left of the dining area, some doors led to the room that would be for Asia. Near the entrance, a staircase led to the second floor, where the attic was on the left and Edzard's room on the right.
"This is strange." commented Serana as she looked around the house curiously.
"What's strange?" asked Asia, not understanding.
"It's strange that we've arrived, and Lydia hasn't come out to greet Edzard." Serana explained.
Before Edzard could respond, the attic door opened, and a dark-skinned woman, clearly a Redguard, came out. She wore a brown dress with an apron, had shoulder-length short hair, and a scar on her face.
Edzard put a hand to his face while Serana laughed.
"Hello, Saadia. What a surprise to see you here." Edzard said, with clear sarcasm. "Could you call Lydia?"
Saadia, surprised, quickly went back into the room she had come from. There were sounds of knocking and shouting, and moments later, she came out with a pale-skinned Nordic woman with dark hair, dressed in steel armor.
"Ha, ha, ha. Hello, Lydia, it seems you were having fun." Serana said, mocking.
"My Thane, I…" Lydia tried to excuse herself, ignoring Serana's laughter.
Edzard, rolling his eyes, could only think about what his housecarls did in his absence, though he was grateful to the gods that they did it in their own rooms and not his.
"Lydia… just… wash the sheets afterward." he commented resignedly.
Lydia nodded quickly, sighing in relief for not getting into trouble. However, when she looked back at her Thane's group, she was surprised to see the young woman going with them.
"My Thane, who is the young lady by your side?"
"Oh, right." Edzard responded, hitting his fist against his hand as he remembered he hadn't introduced them. "Lydia, this is Asia Argento. Asia, this is Lydia, my housecarl here in Whiterun."
Asia blushed at once when, at that moment, Lydia's breastplate unexpectedly came loose, revealing that she wore nothing underneath. Everyone's eyes widened in surprise, and just as Edzard was about to see the whole spectacle, Asia quickly covered his eyes.
"Ed, don't look!" Asia shouted.
"Ha, ha, ha. I didn't know your duties as a housecarl included giving your Thane that kind of show." Serana joked, mocking an embarrassed Lydia.
While Edzard struggled to free himself from Asia, Lydia hastily lifted the breastplate and ran to her room.
When everything calmed down, Edzard stood in a corner, dejected, with a dark cloud over him for having missed the spectacle. He took a deep breath, composed himself, and began to talk to Lydia about the arrangements for Asia in the house.
"So, you're going to see your mother, Serana." Edzard commented, leaning against the door frame.
"Yes, but don't worry, it won't take me more than a couple of days." Serana replied, winking. "I'll ask her about your problem."
"Thanks for that, Serana."
"Say goodbye to Asia for me." Serana said before leaving.
Edzard watched her leave before returning to the house to help prepare dinner.
Jorrvaskr - Morndas 05 Frostfall 202 of the Fourth era
Edzard was training with Farkas in the courtyard of Jorrvaskr. Farkas, a Nord with long black hair and gray eyes, wore the characteristic armor of the Circle of the Companions: a steel breastplate with shoulder guards decorated with a wolf's head near the neck, steel gauntlets shaped like a wolf's skull, and steel boots.
Edzard, on the other hand, wore boiled leather armor over a black tunic, along with linen pants and leather boots, all the same color as the tunic. He wielded a one-handed steel sword.
"Come on, Ed! Strike harder!" Farkas shouted, lunging at Edzard with his steel greatsword.
Edzard dodged the attacks, waiting for the perfect moment to counterattack. The opportunity came when Farkas launched a diagonal slash. Edzard rolled to the side, dodging it nimbly, and took the chance to position himself behind Farkas, placing his sword at his opponent's neck, ending the combat.
"Looks like I won this time, Farkas." Edzard said with a smile as he withdrew the sword.
Farkas burst into laughter once the blade moved away from his neck.
"Ha, ha, ha. I missed our fights, Ed." he laughed, patting Edzard on the back with such force that it almost knocked the wind out of him.
"Me… too." Edzard replied with difficulty, trying to catch his breath.
As the two friends continued their chat, Asia arrived at Jorrvaskr's training yard. Noticing her arrival, several of the new recruits stopped what they were doing and began to watch her intently. Whispers and whistles quickly filled the air, making Asia, visibly nervous, blush.
"Hey, look at that girl. Do you think she's with someone?"
"Hey, babe! Come with me, and I'll show you the best night of your life!"
Hearing the commotion, Edzard turned and smiled upon seeing Asia, who was carrying a lunch wrapped in a cloth. When Asia reached him and handed him the food, the whistles ceased, giving way to murmurs.
"Damn, looks like she's with the herald."
"Is she… his lover?"
"Idiot, run before the herald massacres you for hitting on her."
"Well, what do we have here?" said a voice from the door leading to the hall.
The murmuring stopped instantly, and everyone turned to look at the source of the voice. Asia turned as well, seeing a red-haired woman with war paint in the shape of a green claw on her face. She wore leather armor with iron plates on the shoulders, leaving her back exposed, and iron gauntlets with green leather fingerless gloves. She wore thick brown leather boots, a dagger at her waist, and a bow with a quiver full of arrows on her back.
"Aela, I didn't expect to see you until tomorrow." Edzard said as he saw her approach.
"The hunt was easier than expected." Aela replied as she stopped in front of him. "I heard some rumors while I was in the Eastmarch."
Edzard narrowed his eyes, but Aela paid him no attention; instead, she was looking Asia up and down.
"What rumors?" Vilkas asked, joining the conversation. He, Farkas's twin, was identical in appearance except for his short hair, and he also wore the same armor.
"Seems the herald got into a street fight." Aela replied, not taking her eyes off Asia. "Hey, girl, what's your name?"
Asia, surprised by the question, tried to hide behind Edzard. The auras of those present were very different from those she had known at the College of Winterhold.
"My name is A… Asia A… Argento, it's… it's a pleasure to meet you." she stammered while trying to hide.
"Hello, nice to meet you, I'm Farkas, and this is my brother Vilkas." said Farkas with a smile, a gesture his twin imitated.
This gesture calmed Asia a bit, but her nerves returned when she noticed Aela's cold gaze as she began to approach. Asia tried to back away but bumped into the wall.
Edzard was preparing to intervene, but what happened next left him and everyone present stunned.
"Ahh, you're so cute!" Aela shouted as she hugged Asia and began to rub her face against hers.
Asia, scared and blushing, tried in vain to separate from Aela.
"Hey, Ed, where did you find her?" Aela asked without stopping hugging Asia.
Edzard sighed in relief, with a large imaginary sweat drop on his head.
'For a moment, I thought her beastly instincts had taken over.' Edzard thought to himself.
"I'll tell you everything, but let's go to the lower forge." he said, guiding the group to the forge found below the Skyforge, next to the Jorrvaskr hall.
Once inside, with all the members of the Circle and Asia present, Edzard proceeded to tell them how he had met Asia. At the end of his story, Asia shared her own, while the twins and Edzard tried to separate Aela, who was still clinging to the young girl.
"Aela, let go of Asia!" Edzard shouted while pulling her.
"Never!" Aela responded, refusing to let go.
"Alright, I've had enough of this." Edzard said, casting a paralysis spell on Aela, who became immobile.
This allowed them to separate Asia, who fainted from the excess of affection. When she woke up, she found herself in a bed in an unfamiliar room. She panicked but calmed down when she saw Edzard enter with a plate of food. After blessing the food, Asia ate, and they began to talk.
Edzard explained to her about the wolf blood that ran through the veins of some Circle members.
"So, you were a werewolf?" Asia asked, looking into his eyes.
"Yes, but I managed to cure myself." Edzard replied, looking at the ceiling. "Although not completely."
"What do you mean?"
"Asia, since I was born, my eyes were green… but when I became a werewolf, one of them turned gray. Although I cured myself, only one of my eyes returned to its original color."
"Why did that happen?"
"As you know, I'm a Dovahkiin, I'm not an ordinary human. Lycanthropy affected me differently." Edzard said with a tone of regret. "I can't transform into a wolf, but I still retain some traits."
"What traits do you have left?"
"My senses are enhanced, and I have more strength, stamina, and durability than an average human."
After that conversation, they both remained silent for a moment until Edzard spoke again.
"Asia, Aela wants to train you in the use of weapons."
"But, Ed, I don't like hurting people."
"I know, but it's not to hurt others. It's so you can defend yourself. In this world, if you don't kill, you get killed."
Asia pondered for a moment and then accepted the proposal.
Edzard smiled at seeing her make that decision. He also proposed that she go with him on an adventure later, on the condition that she would do so when Aela considered her capable of defending herself with a weapon, and without neglecting her magic practice. Asia, smiling, accepted the conditions.
A few hours later, they both retired and headed to Edzard's house to rest.
Breezehome - Loredas 10 de Frostfall of 202 of the Fourth era
The day was clear, and the sun shone brightly over the city of Whiterun. The inhabitants moved through the streets, chatting and attending to their affairs, but in the Dovahkiin's house, a real whirlwind of activity reigned. Asia was accompanied by Aela, Lydia, and Serana, who had recently returned from a visit to her mother. The girls were organizing a small party for Edzard, who was turning fifteen that very day.
"Serana, stop eating the sweet buns!" Aela shouted while hanging decorations from the ceiling of the house.
"Lydia! Go get the ingredient list from the market!" exclaimed Asia, who was trying to figure out how to bake a cake without an oven.
Lydia nodded and quickly headed to the city market to get what was needed. While she shopped, the others continued decorating the house. And if you're wondering about the lucky birthday boy, he was on his way back to the city.
"Seriously, why did Balgruuf have to send me to deliver that letter?" muttered Edzard, recalling how the Jarl of Whiterun had asked him to carry a message to a local noble.
'That arrogant old man.' Edzard thought, as he relived the moment when that noble had denied him entry to his residence, leaving him standing in the rain for hours.
'And then he had the audacity to parade all his daughters and granddaughters, as if he expected me to choose one to marry.' he thought, gritting his teeth. The noble, upon learning who the messenger he had left soaking in the rain was, had flaunted his lineage in front of Edzard.
He sighed and decided to focus on the road. He was a few hours away from Whiterun.
Edzard didn't expect anything special that day, despite it being his birthday. For him, it was a sad day; in two days, it would be another anniversary of his parents' death. He vividly remembered how, two days after receiving his birthday gift when he was seven, he had gone to play with his village friends, only to return home and find it engulfed in flames.
After that tragic event, he was sent to an orphanage in the city of Bruma, in Cyrodiil. He spent six years there, and upon leaving, he began working as a blacksmith's apprentice. Once he had saved enough, he headed to Skyrim to learn about his father's homeland. However, upon arrival, he was imprisoned for being near the site where Ulfric was captured. What happened next is well-known history: he saved Whiterun from a dragon, went to High Hrothgar to learn the Thu'um, defeated Alduin, and saved the world.
"I'm bored." Edzard murmured, as the monotony of the journey overwhelmed him. "Please, let something happen."
At that moment, he heard screams in the distance. He quickly spurred his horse in the direction of the sound. When he arrived, he saw an outrageous scene: some Thalmor were attacking a merchant caravan. Rage filled him as he saw the Thalmor beating and stripping a woman who, by her appearance, must have been the merchant's wife. The man, held by three Thalmor, watched helplessly while a child looked on in terror.
Without hesitation, Edzard decided to intervene. He dismounted his horse and advanced decisively. One of the Thalmor saw him approaching and tried to stop him but had no chance to speak: Edzard beheaded him with a single stroke. Seeing this, the other Thalmor at once released the merchant, who, filled with fury, picked up a branch from the ground and began to beat the Thalmor who had humiliated his wife.
The remaining Thalmor attacked Edzard with their swords. However, they didn't reach him. A lightning spell struck them first, reducing them to ashes on the spot. The spell's power was so intense that no trace of their bodies remained.
"Stop right there, damn human!" shouted the last Thalmor, who had taken the child hostage.
"Drop your weapon and back away!" he ordered, pressing a dagger against the child's neck. "If you don't, I'll slit his…!"
He didn't finish the threat. Edzard, apparently obeying, threw his axe. But instead of throwing it to the ground, he threw it directly at the Thalmor's head, killing him instantly.
The Thalmor fell to the ground, and the child at once ran to his parents, who hugged him tightly. Edzard smiled at the scene. As he was about to leave, the child approached him.
"Thank you very much." said the child with a tearful smile.
Edzard nodded silently. With a gesture of his hand, he conjured a sphere of golden magic and sent it towards the woman, healing her wounds. Then, without further ado, he mounted his horse and quickly left the place.
Night had already fallen when Edzard arrived in the city of Whiterun. He quickly headed to the Jarl's palace, Dragonsreach, to deliver his report. Afterward, he planned to return home to eat and rest, as he was exhausted from the journey.
Upon opening the door, he was astonished to see his house decorated with garlands. The hearth at the entrance had been removed, leaving more space in the main hall. In the center of the table was a cake, surrounded by sweets and food; however, what surprised him the most was finding his friends waiting for him.
"Happy birthday, Ed!" they all shouted in unison.
Edzard was so stunned by what was happening that he needed a nudge from Farkas to snap out of it.
"What's going on?" Edzard asked, still in shock.
"It's your birthday party, idiot." Serana replied sarcastically.
"Uh…" Edzard was still dazed. "But who planned all this?"
"It was Asia." Aela answered. "You should have seen her organizing everything; she looked like a general giving orders to her soldiers."
Hearing this, Edzard raised an eyebrow, unable to imagine Asia, all serious, dressed in imperial armor and directing everyone. The attendees began to congratulate him, and soon the celebration took off. Everyone toasted with mead and enjoyed the food. Asia and Edzard were pushed to the center of the room to dance, while Jon Battle-Born, a young Nord with blond hair and a goatee, played a song. During the party, Jarl Balgruuf arrived and proposed a singing challenge, which Jon won.
The party continued until late at night, when the guests began to leave. Edzard stayed with Asia in the dining room.
"Asia, thank you." Edzard said, his voice filled with emotion.
"You're welcome, Ed." Asia replied with a smile.
Edzard took out a bottle sent to him by Talen-Jei, an Argonian who ran the Bee and Barb inn in Riften. He returned to where Asia was and poured the contents into two cups, giving one to her. When they both drank, their faces quickly turned red, as they got drunk in no time. Edzard hadn't realized he had taken a concoction called Cliff Racer, a very strong drink. Although he had good alcohol tolerance, he had already consumed a lot during the party, while Asia was not as tolerant.
They were both so drunk that they started laughing uncontrollably. When they got up to go to their respective bedrooms, they were so disoriented that they headed to the room on the first floor and lay down in the same bed.
Author's note:
To get started: holosagewolf32 and EvilHestia thanks for the tips.
And to those who have made it this far, Thanks for reading. Don't forget to leave a comment if you liked the chapter or if there is anything that needs to be improved.
With nothing more to say, until the next chapter.