Dusk's Journey [A Skyrim Fanfic]

Chapter Sixteen: Shivs and Semblances

A familiar scampering sound came from across the room. It must the the mouse!! I was beginning to give up on my little prank- it's been days since I set out the trap and I haven't heard anything from my little friend. Erik was getting impatient, but finally!! "Erik!" I half-whisper. "Erik, the mouse has come! Get the guard!"

"Uhh, sure." I hear him prop himself up against the wall. "Cover your ears."

I do as I'm told. I clap my hands over my head and curl myself into a ball by the corner. He screams for the guard at the top of his lungs. I feel the vibrations of the guard's boots running through the corridor and entering the room. He races past me and stops by Erik. "What?! What is it?!" 'Did someone steal your sweetroll?' Gods, I hate it when they say that, especially in that damn condescending tone of theirs. I giggle quietly at myself move to continue my plan.

While Erik stalls with some skeever-worthy excuse for screaming, I pick up a piece of the cheese and look for the hole in the wall between Erik's cell and mine. I aim for his head and throw it. The cheese lands perfectly on top of his head. Then I gently place the mouse in the gap and give him a little push for motivation. He squeaks and rushes off for his next meal. I press my face to the hole in the stone wall and shut one eye, watching the events unfold.

I hear the guard scoff at Erik's story and unlock his cell. "The Jarl will want to hear this." From there, time slowed.

The mouse runs for the cheese, still on Erik's head.
Erik grabs for an object hidden in the hay.
The guard lunges for Erik, crouched in the corner.

The mouse crawls up Erik's side, causing him to panic. He runs past the guard and trips him. The guard lands on his back, and his helmet then falls off because of the force dealt to his head when he hit the ground. Erik, still flipping out because of the mouse, which had crawled to the guard, grips the item in his right hand. It was a cruelly crafted knife- a shiv. He throws it, but instead of hitting the mouse, it lands in the guard. Blood dribbles out slowly, making its way between his eyes and down his face.

Speechless, I sink to my knees with my hand over my mouth. He just killed a defenseless man. Because... Because of me. I started this. I couldn't hold it down any longer. I hunch over, heaving, and let the bile escape me. The few meals I had in the past few days leave my stomach and ends up piled in the corner.

From Erik's cell, I hear thumps, then clangs, and finally the creaking of the barred door. He steps into my range on vision, no longer wearing rags like me, but rather Stormcloak guard armor. A helmet under is tucked under his arm. On his hip is an iron sword, and in his hand, the shiv. I avert my eyes from the damn thing. It makes me sick to even look at it.

"Come on, let's go. Act like you're going against your will, but not to the point where I'll need another guard. Here, take this. Keep it hidden. If we're caught, not only will we be charged for breaking out, but also murder."

I silently nod and take the knife- Erik must've cleaned it. It's clear of blood. I shoved it between my breasts because it's the only place where it wouldn't be noticeable in my rags. I follow Erik after he unlocks my cell door. He takes out his weapon and points it at my back, leading me out the door. We walk through the long corridor and stop in the guards' quarters. A few cast us a passing glance, but nothing more. He rummages through the chests by the door, extracting our belongings. My heart flutters when a woman approaches us. "What do you think you're doing?"

I begin to open my mouth, but Erik nudges me in the back. Oh, yeah. "I was given direct orders from the Jarl to take this one back to Solstheim. We were supposed to take to Nord to training for the Stormcloaks. This one screamed when he killed himself. Shoved a knife in his head." His fake accent is terrible, but the guard seems to buy it.

"And why are you taking their things?"

"Sell 'em. My family's short on coin, and the Jarl approved me selling it for food."

"Whatever. Just don't screw up." How? I think. How can you screw up setting me free and selling some clothes?

He nods and yanks my arm, taking me along. I move with him. We exit the barracks, and move quietly through the throne room. Luckily, Ulfric is no where to be seen, and we safely leave the Palace of the Kings.

I enter Windhelm expecting bright sun. Instead, I'm met with beautiful aura lights and Nirn's two moons. Stars dot the sky. Unlike Solitude, Windhelm was darker at night. There are less people here. We walk briskly to the darkest alleyway. A sign marks it as the Grey Quarter. We must be walking through from the opposite direction. "Hey! Hey, don't you remember when we met Sofie?"

"The little girl with the flowers?"

"Yeah! There was a gate behind her. A door to Skyrim!" We speak quietly, avoiding attention from those awake even now.

"Perfect." Erik and I head to the exit. The guards don't look at us. They're too distracted by mead bottles. We leave the city and find ourselves at a dock. In a corner, we change into our gear and hook on our cloaks. With our hoods pulled up, we move over to a man sitting in a small boat big enough for four.

"Need a ride?"

"Yeah. Nowhere far. Just far enough out of the city." The boat man gives Erik a wary look. "Here's a few extra coin to keep you quiet."

"I know a good spot."

We board the boat and sit in silence. The night sky here goes on forever. Almost reminds me of home. I wonder where I'd be if I hadn't left. "I can't believe he's dead."

"I can't believe I killed him." He paused. "You know I didn't mean to."

"Yeah, I know." Or at least I hope.

__________________________

*cries* Thank you guys so so so much for reading! I never thought I'd get to 1,000 reads when I began to write. It really means a lot. (: Okay, so, just a few people I'd like to mention.

Thank you channadovahkiin for encouraging me to write this chapter. :3 Procrastination is my demon.

Thank you MipperMipperdoo for also encouraging me to write other chapters in this, and all my stories. (:

Thank you AudaciousAuthoress for inspiring me to write my own fanfics, even if she didn't know it.

Thank you to those of you who vote and comment for doing so, and thank you silent readers for... reading. (Although I would like it if you weren't silent.)

I love you all so much, and it makes me happy that you spend at least some of your time reading what I work on. (: I'll see you all next week! <3