The Bound - A Tale Of Tamriel

26

26

i. Itagaki.

The return journey to Riften was sombre and without incident. It was also almost silent. None of the three remaining companions had much to say, Tilly least of all. Itagaki understood the dark elf's feelings, but cutting herself off from the others would not help her to accept the loss she felt.

Itagaki was no stranger to loss. Death had surrounded her most of her life. It was a warrior's burden, if they survived long enough, to see friends, family, comrades die. After enough time, it became a numbing experience. The loss still felt, but easier to accept and move on.

It wasn't the case this time. Losing Revna had hurt her far more than she had believed it could, yet she continued. She ate every day. She slept every night. She moved on even as she held the memories of her friend close to her heart. It was all that she could do. It was either that or allow herself to collapse into a morass of grief and guilt and she had had enough of guilt for a lifetime.

Riften had not changed in the interim. It was still bustling and loud. The Nords still drank and sang and fought with each other as they had always done. There was a tense air about the place as the Three Banners War had flared up once again, with soldiers on rotation from the front lines in Cyrodiil adding their voices to the usual tumult.

The Jarl was true to his word and they had received the handsome payment for saving his daughter's life. He paid his respects to Revna's memory, offering to give her the posthumous honorific title of Thane of the Rift while asking what they wanted to do with the Khajiit's share of the reward.

"Do you have an orphanage in Riften?" It wasn't surprising that Tilly would come up with the idea. Not anymore. She wasn't the person she had been before all that had happened.

"We do. A fine one, if I may say so." Borgun crooked a finger towards William of Anvil, calling him forward. "William will see to it the orphanage gets the money and that everyone knows who donated it."

"The money will only be used for a Khajiit orphan." Tilly addressed William. "No other. Even if it's ten, twenty, thirty years until there is one. Only a Khajiit. If I find it has been used for anyone else, I will not be pleased."

The dark elf stepped towards William, leaned in close and whispered something in his ear. Itagaki couldn't hear what Tilly said, but, with a shocked look and a face that lost all its colour, William's reaction showed that it was not something pleasant.

All that remained to do was to remove the binding. Itagaki considered whether it would be better to continue being bound to Tilly and Öenthir, as a constant reminder of the friend they had lost, if for no other reason, but Tilly immediately fell in when Dirgan called them forward. There was no blinding light, or strange feelings. It was anticlimactic, more than anything. Dirgan held his hand over theirs, concentrated and she felt the binding lift. She no longer felt connected to her friends.

Without any ceremony, Tilly turned and left the great hall of the longhouse. Itagaki and Öenthir bowed and were about to follow the dark elf.

"Just one more thing, for you, Öenthir RiverFall." Dirgan handed the Öenthir a folded and sealed letter. "It's your choice, girl."

Itagaki wondered what was in the letter, but didn't ask. If Öenthir wanted to share the contents, she would, but, for now, she placed the letter into her satchel.

They found Tilly outside the Jarl's longhouse, preparing her horse. She was leaving. If they had spent much longer in the Jarl's presence, she may have left without even saying goodbye. Itagaki wished that she could help the dark elf, to be the shoulder that she needed, but she doubted Tilly would take up such an offer. At least, not yet.