Bejewelled Manuscript

Chapter 7: Cake and Crafts

Chapter 7: Cake and Crafts

Maria's heart sunk with fear, the idea that someone from the past was now here in the city that she considers her home. Her hands were shaking to hold up the letter that was written by the brother of Thonar Silver-Blood, who owned the cruel Cidhna Mines.

Why here and why now?

She felt the cool scales of Madesi wrapping around her shoulders into an embrace. "We'll find a way, Maria," he assured her. Suddenly, he pulled away, his reptilian eye searching her dark brown ones. "What is it?"

"Lady Maria," he began taking her hands into his. She could feel his scaly hand trembling, causing her to squeeze them to reassure him. He blinked before asking, "Would you do the honours of becoming my wife?"

"Madesi..."

Her heart was drumming while her breathing was hitched. She read so many romances that involved the man proposing to the woman he loved, but this time, it was happening in real life. There were no other words to describe this moment.

"Yes..." her voice was quavering with happiness. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she began to kiss his face multiple times. "Yes! Yes and a thousand times, yes!!"

Madesi was laughing, picking her up and giving her a twirl before settling her down. For the first time, he had someone to hold, to laugh with and most of all, to love until he fades away like the trees at the park. With that, he captured her into a deep kiss, forgetting the tension that was sent by that damn Silver-Blood.

"Madesi, it's going to be difficult because Thongvor may not be as cunning as his brother, but his family's influence and execution might as well smoke this city inside out," said Maria, resting her head on his chest. "Since he's here at the Temple of Mara, our marriage may be short-lived since he might bring all of his men to support him."

The Argonian could only hold her close as a way of consoling her. Just then, there was knock on the door, causing Madesi to shield his lady behind him as he opened the door with his iron dagger in hand.

Thankfully, it was none other than Tawnyfrost.

The Khajiit Dragonborn raised both of her paws up in defence. "Khajiit wants to apologise earlier for bringing up bad memories," she meowed, ears drooped down. Maria approached her friend and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"There's nothing to apologise, Tawnyfrost. I shouldn't have run away when you were just introducing your dragon friend," Maria told her gently. "However, my past has come back to haunt me in the shape of Thongvor Silver-Blood. If it's not much, we need your help."

So the Imperial woman explained the threatening letter, the idea of the Silver-Blood's men lurking about and the wedding. Tawnyfrost's tail swished irritably at the mention of the Silver-Blood man. "That man was nothing but trouble for Tawnyfrost. As much as Ingmund was bad it would be worst to put any Silver-Blood in charge. The mines were nothing but bad memories..."

"That sounds like a nightmare," Madesi murmured, his feathers slightly ruffled. But Tawnyfrost laughed a bit. "Oh, Khajiit have turned against the Forsworn while in the mines just like the Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild."

The three of them sat by the fire, as the Dragonborn began to recapped her events in Markarth on how she failed to save a woman from getting murdered during her first encounter. That led her on a wild goose chase to find the culprit, until she was falsely accused and thrown in the mines.

Madesi hissed angrily at the idea of being thrown into the mines for a crime he had not commit. Then again, he had witnessed Brand-Shei almost getting arrested for stealing something from him, when in reality, the ring was secured in the Argonian's safe box.