Dusk's Journey [A Skyrim Fanfic]

Chapter Fourteen: Flowers and Friends

I wake to find Erik cuddled next to me, wrapping his arms around me. He breathes deeply and at a steady rhythm. It's impossible to move without disturbing him, so I let out a breath I don't realize I was holding and relax against him. My body molds to his, and I rest my head on his bicep. It's okay. Although I tell myself this, my heart flutters and my lips curve upwards.

I know I was devastated last night, but I'm actually not that upset. I never knew him, it was just a blow I wasn't expecting. I was looking forward to meeting my father, but I'm okay with him not being here now. Last night I was just overwhelmed. Today I'll visit him. I nod my head vigorously, agreeing with myself.

Behind me, Erik sucks in his breath. He lifts his arm from on top of me and rubs his eyes. I'm still lying on his other one, so he leaves it be. "Good morning." In response, Erik yawns. I giggle and sit up. My vision blurs, and I grab the furs to steady myself.

"You okay?" I nod, but he shakes his head. "No, I mean, are you okay?"

"Yeah. I understand now I'm lucky enough to have one father. Besides, I never knew him. I think between the Nords and the disrespect for Baletis, I just couldn't handle it."

"Someone's in a good mood today."

"Don't get used to it." I fall back and curl against him, closing my eyes. "I want to visit him today."

"We can bring flowers if it will make you feel better."

"I would love that."

~~~

Erik and I walk out of the New Gnisis Conerclub and back to the city gates, in search for an alchemy shop. My shoes echo throughout the alleyway. A small girl dressed in rags steps out from a corner. Her name is scrawled on charcoal on the side, crudely spelling 'Sofie.' She looks pitifully up at us, hungry. Tangled brown hair whips in the wind, and she tries to tame it. In one hand, she grips a flower basket filled with wild flowers. "Would you like to buy some flowers? Please?"

My heart softens at the sight, and I pull out a large coin purse. "What do you have?"

She brightens, her little voice becoming higher and more cheerful. "Not much. But I hope you like them!" Sofie happily hands me the woven basket. The poor girl looked so sad before, I can't help gathering them all and taking them. My arms are now filled with mountain flowers colored red, blue, purple, and yellow and lilacs. I hand her a purse filled with coin that more than covers the flowers, but she's so uncared for. "Oh, thank you!"

"What happened to your parents?"

Her face glazes over, and tears well in her eyes. "They... they're dead. My mama died when I was little... I... I don't remember her very well. My father was a Stormcloak soldier. One day, he left and... didn't come back. I'm all alone... I... I try to sell flowers so I can buy food. It's not much but... what else can I do?"

Erik, who had been quiet until now, lets words burst out. "We'll adopt you!! Or... I will." I try to hide the shock on my face.

Sofie perks up, and I feel terrible for having to crush her. "We... Don't have a house. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I guess. Thanks... Thanks for talking to me." With that, the little girl carries on, pulling extra flowers out of her pockets and sticking them in her empty basket.

I give him a look and he smiles sheepishly. "I have a soft spot for orphans?"

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go."

The graveyard has a sad and gloomy look to it. Beggars cower away from the cold and mourners silently stand over graves. We search for the tombstone Baletis hides under, but we have no luck. Erik notices door leading to a crypt, so we walk in. A woman stands over the body of a mangled woman, tending to her scars dripping with blood. I wince at the gruesome sight, unable to understand who would do such a thing. Thievery is only taking things that can be replaced, unlike lives. I approach the old woman, choking down the urge to hurl at the smell. "This is the Hall of the Dead."

Yeah, well that's why there's dead here. "Umm, I'm wondering where you keep the...bodies?"

"And who are you looking for?"

"A Dunmer. Baletis Rendar?"

She looks up, thoughtful. Her grey hair spills out from the hood of her orange robes as she speaks. "Ahh. I remember him. Yes. The one obsessed with the 'Night Mistress.' I'm sorry, but all Dunmer are burned to ashes and shipped back to Morrowind. Especially in Windhelm. Ulfric doesn't like it when we have to bury additional dead. He complains the soldiers are enough already."

My shoulders droop, and I hug the already crushed flowers. I nod. "Were the flowers for him?"

"Yes. I...thought it would be the right thing to do. Well, thank you anyway." Erik takes my hand and leads me aways from the woman and the horrible sight. I stop at the steps to the right and sit. "Now what? I was supposed to see Father, but now..." I trail off.

"You could always burn them." My look of confusion prompts him to explain more. "If he was burned- turned into ashes- then the next way to honor him would be to do the same with the flowers. Not here in the city, obviously. Wherever we go next."

"And where would that be?"

He shrugs. "Your the one leading here."

"Uhh, hang on." I twist around, reaching for my pockets. I extract the journal, and read the passage aloud. "From there, travel with him to Riften and find a man named Brynjolf. Give to him this journal and he will understand. Brynjolf will take you to me." I delicately close the journal- the pages had yellowed and torn over the years- before looking back to Erik.

His eyes shine. "I had my wish come true, seeing the city Ysgramor built. I wanted to see the Palace of the Kings, but it can wait. Now, we head to the city of thieves!!" I could sense he almost squeaked in delight.

"No. I want to see the Palace before we leave, too. Mother can wait; it's what she's done all my life."

Erik pulls me into a hug, there on the icy steps. My body was frozen from the wind and snow, but my heart warmed. I had only expected to have a follower, a protector. But instead, I got a friend.

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Hiiiiii! I almost wasn't going to write and publish today (I've been really busy), but with the amount of people reading, I thought I'd be nice. 'u' Thank you guys so much for reading. It means a lot to me. :D Today I'm also publishing my new Skyrim fanfic, Rebels. (Description- Callia inherited her father's Voice, and when he left for Sovngarde to battle Alduin World-Eater, he stayed there. She lives in the small town Riverwood and the civil war rages on, regardless of his death. Ulfric Stormcloak calls on Callia and demands the Dovahkiin to pick a side. Can she handle training her Voice, the civil war, and the growing Thalmor threat?) I already have six chapters finished and in very pleased with it. (I'm super sorry to bother you guys with 'read this' and 'read that,' but if you enjoy Dusk I would definitely suggest trying it out.) The prologue and first two chapters will be published so you can get a taste of what it's like. Okay, okay, I'll stop now. <: