Dusk's Journey [A Skyrim Fanfic]

Chapter Seventeen: Disputes and Dreams

Icy water splashes against the side of the boat. The sea is vicious, despite the sky being clear and beautiful. Silence hangs thickly in the air until we reach shore.

"Stay here for now. I'll push." The Nord jumps out of the boat and into the sea, immersing himself up to his thighs. He throws his body weight against the vessel and pushes us ashore.

The bottom of the boat scrapes across soft mud, eventually coming to a complete stop. I grab Erik's hand and together we jump onto land. The impact makes my ankles sting, and I wince from the pain. He doesn't notice, or doesn't care, and Erik quickly gathers our things, heading off down the cobblestone road without me. I shake my head, ashamed of his actions. I understand he's shaken up about everything, but he didn't even tell the man thank you. I take out another leather purse filled with golden coins and hand it to the man. "Thanks for the ride. I'm sorry if we were more trouble than we were worth." With that, I jog over to Erik, not wanting to lose him in the dark.

I catch up to him and we walk in sync. "So where are we going?"

"Im not sure. Somewhere out of Eastmarch's reach."

Sighing, I remove my hood. It's hard to see at night, even more so with it on. My hair spills back out over my shoulders, reaching the middle of my back. The soft curls frame my face and bounce each time I take a step. "Well, that could take a while. Maybe even a day or two. Why don't we find a shelter hidden from travelers and guards?"

"As in go into the wilderness?" His voice rises in disbelief.

"What else can we do?" I playfully bump into his side. "I have a map. We can easily find our way back if we're lost."

"Whatever."

What happened to the Erik I met in Rorikstead? He was so innocent and full of spunk then. Now he's cold and... detached.

"So... Do you want to talk?"

His body stiffens alongside me. "About what?"

"Everything that's happened." I try to keep my voice light, as well as the mood.

"About everything that's happened? So you mean about how I got us thrown in jail? About how I killed a man? About how, because of me, we're fugitives? What's there to talk about?" He stares at me, snarling. Shivers run through my body, racing to get away from the Nord.

"Erik-"

"Stop!" He screams at me. It's the loudest I've heard him yell before, and the angriest. "Stop trying to comfort me. It's not like you can do anything. Neither can I! I don't know what to do! I don't even know who I am now!"

My heart drops in my chest. Immediately, I feel ten times heavier. Tears well in the corner of my eyes, tempting to spill down my face. "You don't-" My voice cracks. I have to speak in a lower tone so I can say everything I need to. "You have no idea what you're saying. 'You don't know yourself.'" I want to feel bad for the way I said it, but I couldn't. "How do you think I've felt for the past year?" My face turns red, my chest heaving. "I thought I was normal and that I could live an average, happy life. But look at me. Do I look normal?!"

He just shrugs his shoulders. I'm furious. My entire body shakes with rage, and I walk a little faster into the woods. I can hear Erik follow behind me. He probably just doesn't want to get lost, I think.

Walking through the woods, I take rights and lefts at random, like I used to when Father took me out for walks. Honestly, I have no idea where we are, and I have no one here to help me find my way out. All I know is that we're going south- closer to Riften.