Stay - (A Skyrim Fanfiction)

Daedra Hearts and Markarth Hate

It had been a few days since the HighElf came in. Nelcara was what the guards said her name was. I stillcouldn't believe she was actually dragonborn. Gods, help us if thatclumsy thing was suppose to take down dragons.

I moved the blade I was currentlyworking on from the water to the anvil and took the hammer to it. Ihad an order for guards' swords due by the end of the week.

BAM. Startled by the suddennoise I jerked and lost focus on the hammer, chipping the blade.

"Damn it" I muttered to myself as Itossed the blade aside. Looking towards the door that had beenthrusted open I wasn't surprised to see Nelcara. She cringed as shesaw the blade now lying on the floor.

"Sorry" She apologized as shewalked in. She got midway into the room before she stopped to rummagethrough her satchel. "Guess what I got you!" She exclaimed as shepulled out a daedra heart.

For a moment I just stared. How had shemanaged to get a hold of one of those so soon?

"What?" she said interrupting mythoughts. "Did you dare doubt the abilities of the arch-mage?"she smirked.

Arch-mage? I suppose I hadunderestimated her. As she handed it to me I couldn't help but ask,"How?"

"Oh, I just took it off a hagraven Ihunted down." she shrugged as if it was no big deal.

I looked up to thank her and noticedthe claw marks across her cheek and chin. But they were no freshmarks. An old scar that couldn't have been from the hagraven. Shemust have noticed my gaze because her hand suddenly went towards themarks.

"That's old. The hagraven never gotclose enough. But that wolf did. It caught me by surprise oneevening. Never saw it coming until it jumped in my face" shelaughed. And I couldn't help but laugh with her.

"Well, as promised here's your newax." As I handed her the weapon she tried to pull out some coin."Let me pay you something for it" she argued. But I grabbed herhand away from the coin purse.

"You more than paid for this. Justtake it."

She looked at me, with those big greeneyes, and smiled as she squeezed my hand. "Thank you" she said asshe took it. "Well, I've gotta go see the Jarl. I took care of theForsworn camp he wanted."

"Really?" I said as I sat down toget back to work. I should have know better than to ask. She pulledup a chair next to me and began to tell me the story. Apparently, shehad taken Vorstag with her. It was a large camp and they had to covera lot of ground.

"...and then I blocked them off witha wall of fire as Vorstag went along back..."

As she talked, I continued to work, andnoticed that time went by much quicker with her there. As shefinished her story she got up, axe in hand. "Thanks again. I'll seeyou next time." she smiled as she left....it was nice.

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True to her word she did come back tosee me. Everytime she was in Markarth in fact. She would come up tothe Keep to talk before she'd go down to the Inn. She would visitevery couple of weeks due to business with the Jarl. He even made herThane.

But today, she did not seem to happyabout that.

"I hate this city" she exclaimed asshe fell into her usual chair.

"Then why do you bother living here?"I asked. I had grown practiced on being able to concentrate on mywork as we talked. So, I didn't even look towards her when I asked.

"It was either here or Riften. One'sas bad as the other." she scoffed. "You know when I first walkedinto this city there was a lady getting stabbed. I tried toinvestigate and got threatened. And they threw me in prison just afew weeks ago!"

"I heard. You made it back out itseems. And pardoned."

"Yeah. I had to shank a bitch. Wasn'ttoo fun." she crossed her arms in frustration. I had to try my bestto hold back a chuckle.

"And still, you're here. Why?" Iasked, suddenly curious. It was true. This city had given her noreason to love it. Truth be told if I was here I would have left longago.

"I have my reasons" she saidcasually. A moment later there was a knock on the door as a courierentered.

"Message for you, Nelcara" he saidhanding her the note. "Thanks, Alyan." She took the note andbegan to read over it.

"Do you know all the couriers byname?" I joked.

She laughed. "It feels like it" shesaid as she stood.

I stopped my work as I turned towardsher. Was she leaving already? That was strange. She had only beenhere ten minutes at the most.

"Well...." she hesitated. "Iguess I have to go. I know you must be so disappointed" shechuckled. "Urgent business in Solitude. It would seem thedragonborn never gets a break. I need to go get ready. You lucked outthis time." I started to tell her to stay a few more minutes. Whatwould a few minutes hurt? But no. With battles and dragons everyminute counted. So, I wished her safe travels instead.

"May you conquer your enemies"

"And may you vanquish your foes"she started to turn but quickly stopped herself. "Oh, and if yousee my housecarl send him home. I'm going to need Argis' help but asusual he's no where to be seen. Freaking useless." And with thatshe spun on her heels and hurried out. However, now my only foesconsisted of the forge and weapons in front of me. As I worked duringthe rest of the day, I continued to look at the door half expectingher to walk back through before she left. But I shook the idea frommy head. What I couldn't shake though was the question of why Iwanted her to stay in the first place. She interrupted my work everytime she came in. But over the past few months it had begun to botherme less and less. She was nice company. Her stories were definitelyentertaining but it was more than that. She made me feel... happier,but that wasn't quite it either.

Whatever she's doing is strange and I'mnot sure I dislike it.