Stay - (A Skyrim Fanfiction)

Drinks and Stairs

I walked down the stairs to the Silver-Blood Inn. It had been a long day. Weapons were still sitting around half finished. I couldn't concentrate on anything. A few more days of this and I'm sure the Jarl would fire me. I needed a drink.

As I pushed the door open I got a loud greeting from Cosnach, "Hey!" His speech was already slurred.

"Early to be drunk already, isn't?" It wasn't even dark yet. Nelcara swore he was a decent fighter. Maybe he was at one point but you wouldn't think so now. Of course, she also said he was better drunk.

"Shoot. I ain't drunk. I've only had two drinks."

I took a seat as far from him as possible and ordered a drink. I wasn't interested in his drunken ramblings tonight.

"Saw your woman today." I heard him say across the room. Was he talking to me? Well, I wasn't listening. I got my drink and tried to ignore him. I could hear him though, calling. After a few minutes he stopped. Thankful for the silence I took a swig of my drink. I looked up. I should have known better. He must have grown impatient himself because he was now sitting next to me.

"Ya hear me? I saw Nelcara runnin' around today before she left"

"Good for you" I spat. Could the man not tell I wasn't interested in talking?

"She was runnin' around the city with an amulet of Mara on her neck. I tried askin' her 'bout it but she took off. Said she had to get Argis and head out."

So she'd gone off with the amulet. I knew it was only a matter of time.

"Ask Vorstag, he'll tell ya. He saw her too." I looked to see Vorstag over in the corner cleaning his blade.

"Yeah, she left a few hours ago. Strange though. She had said she wasn't leaving until tomorrow."

"I'd like to meet the lucky sod. I'd marry her. I'd marry her twice! That woman's a fierce fighter. Bet she's the same in-" I gave Cosnach a hard look before he could finish his sentence. He was beginning to become intolerable. In fact, the whole place felt intolerable now. As I got up, Cosnach started running his mouth again.

"Ya know I traveled with her for awhile..." Cosnach began.

"So, you know as well as all of us if she could hear you she'd shoot a lighting bolt up your ass" I heard Vorstag say as I left.

Coming here hadn't been helpful. All I wanted now was sleep. I had to walk past Nelcara's house on the way to the keep. As I approached it I stopped and stared at the door, wondering how much longer she'd stay. How many more times was I going to see her before she moved off somewhere else? Did I even want to see her? That was a stupid question. I knew I wanted to see her but I didn't need to. That would just make things even more difficult. But it wasn't something I needed to dwell on right now. I needed to get home. So, I kept walking. Sleep would help. I'd feel better in the morning.

~~~~~~~

I glanced over at the door as she walked up to see if she was actually going to enter this time. She didn't. Nelcara had only been gone a week before she came back and she had yet to visit me. I had to hear from Argis, who had come to the keep a few days ago, to know she was back. This was the first I had seen of her. Well, I hadn't really seen her. For over an hour, she had walked up the steps and gotten right outside my door before she turned away and walked back. I could see all this from the grindstone I was sitting at. But I doubt she could see me past the door frame. She didn't walk all the way up to the door, just to the side. She looked troubled, but from here I couldn't tell what was wrong. I heard her walk away from the door and decided I'd had enough of this. Something was obviously upsetting her.

I walked to the door and leaned against the frame as I saw her make her way down the steps. "Nelcara" I called. The sudden noise startled her and caused her to lose her footing. Luckily, she caught herself. Stopping in the middle of the stairs, she turned to look at me and gave a small embarrassed smile. She was still wearing the amulet. Had the fool rejected her? Was that what was troubling her? "How'd it go?" I asked looking towards the amulet.

She looked down at it and back at me. There was an anxious expression on her face. "Can I come in?" she asked.

I moved over, allowing her to pass by. She wouldn't look at me as she entered. Before I had time to walk all the way back in the room she blurted out "Did you mean what you said the other night?" She had to be talking about the night before she left. She stared at the floor but then forced herself to look at me. She stood there expectantly, wringing her hands. Why did she want to know? To Oblivion with this whole damn mess. I was telling her. "I meant every word I said."

She bit her lip as she let out a deep breath, "So would...would you..." she stammered.

I moved in closer, placing my hands on hers to still them. She looked up surprised "...be interested in me?"

I could have laughed right then if I didn't think it would offend her. This is what was bothering her? This question worried her? I didn't even think before I said, "You're strong, clever, I'd be proud to face the challenges of life with you if you felt the same way."

Before I knew what was happening she had closed the space between us and taken her hands to pull my face towards hers. She pressed her lips to mine and I quickly returned the favor, wrapping my arms around her in the process. Her lips were so soft. How was that possible? She felt good in my arms. I held her close but it wasn't enough. I needed her closer.

And then she pulled away. "I'm yours then" she smiled. And I smiled back. I placed my hand on her cheek and moved it back through her hair. It was strange. I needed to touch her. To know she was there. "And I am yours."

~~~~~~~

More to come soon.