Rise of House Sigeweald Book One (Skyrim Fanfiction)

Chapter 19: Septims from Heaven

The bodies were piled so high she had to climb over them, digging her hands and kicking feet into dead flesh. There were so many bodies. And she was alone. Yarah had tumbled and fallen into the void while Elspeth kept climbing. Up ahead, a tall figure in a Thalmor robe stood waiting. His lips never moved but his voice echoed in her head. We were just looking for you—

Elspeth woke with a start, trembling and drenched in cold sweat. The dream was an old friend with a new twist. She fell back on to her pillow and kicked off her covers as feelings of dread and anxiety crept into her gut. After a few moments, she shut her eyes and forced thoughts of Thalmor and the University and the Purge out of her head, trying to focus on the night before, on Onmund and the ease with which he'd taken her in his arms, and on the solace that she found there. The terror from the images abated, only to be replaced with a new and somewhat frivolous—although not less intense—feeling of anxiety.

She stood up and dressed and by the time she got to the tap to wash, she had alleviated her unease by convincing herself that he was probably just being nice. Although this settled the nervousness in her stomach, it did not actually make her feel better.

"Hello Elspeth!" A jovial voice rang through the wash room. It was Aine. She looked weary but she was grinning as she finished up her business. "Onmund is in the alchemy lab."

"Oh?" said Elspeth trying to hide her excitement. "Was he looking for me?"

"I don't know," she said. "Probably." She winked as she exited, leaving Elspeth—once again—feeling like she had to remind herself that he was just being nice. Lydia would have smacked her on the back of the head had she known such thoughts were traipsing through her mind.

She went upstairs to the lab where she found Onmund cradling his head in his hands, "Good morning," she said cheerfully, but not too loudly. He looked up and smiled wanly, "Hello. How are you?" His eyelids were still somewhat heavy looking and his face betrayed the pain in his head.

"I'm fine. You look terrible." Elspeth cringed inwardly as soon as the words left her mouth.

Onmund, however, didn't seem to mind. He laughed and said, "Thanks. I always drink more than I should at the Hearth, but last night was excessive."

"I thought Nords were supposed to be able to hold their mead."

"Haven't you figured out yet that I'm really not a very good Nord?"

Elspeth laughed, "Well, I hope you enjoyed yourself."

"I did." He smiled again and locked his eyes to hers, "Quite a bit, actually."

This made her stomach flutter. He had the most amazing smile. She looked at him quizzically and asked, "Do we have torchbugs and chitlin here?"

"Yes. Help yourself to whatever you need."

Elspeth started gathering ingredients and supplies: chitlin, torchbug thorax, garlic, honey, mortar, pestle. Taking care not to be too loud, she mashed the thorax and chitlin together with the garlic and then mixed in the honey. Onmund looked on with suspicious amusement. She looked so very serious as she worked. Finally, she scooped up the ingredients. "Here. Eat this."

Onmund was suspicious. "It smells awful."

"Just swallow it quickly. Do it."

He took the spoon and swallowed. He made a terrible face, "What was that?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to see if I could get you to eat something gross."

"Are you kidding me?" Onmund was slightly less amused now.