Mists on the Mountains

Chapter 9: Just A Little Exploring

Chapter 9

Just a Little Exploring

"Nothing good ever came from 'just a little exploring.'"-Olfrad the Red, a character in the play Every Sailor's a Fool. Written by Grozak gro-Krakdar and first performed 4E 134.

All the snow in Skyrim couldn't freeze Lianna's heart at that moment. There he was, standing erect and proud, every inch the true son of Skyrim. A charming smile was plastered across his face while his honey-coloured hair, speckled with flecks of snow, blew gently in the wind. His tunic had been washed and his chainmail polished. He looked just as handsome as she remembered, perhaps even more so.

Ralof.

Leaping off the cart before the driver had completely stopped it, Lianna's boots hit the frozen cobblestone road with a crunch. Snow was gently falling as she walked over to her husband. Making a conscious effort not to run, Lianna gave the most smug expression she possessed. "And, who might you be?" she asked in a haughty tone, eyebrow raised. "I have no time for dirty soldiers."

Grinning at her with a smirk that could only be described as wolfish, Ralof spoke. "Fortunately, I am no dirty soldier." The words held an almost regal twist, giving Lianna little tingles in all the right places. His deep blue eyes filled her with so much warmth that she struggled to keep up her flirty facade. "I'm a Nord," Ralof continued, voice filled with confidence, "We are strong and hearty people, who know how to treat a woman right."

"Is that so?" Lianna responded coyly, "Can you back up such a bold claim?" Both Stormcloaks were approaching the other with rapidly increasing steps, each far happier to see the other than their little game implied.

"Of course," Ralof said. With that he grabbed Lianna around the waist and kissed her heartily.

As her husband tilted her backwards, she closed her eyes and savoured his taste, a combination of mead, sweat,and snow. Grasping him by the shoulders, Lianna kissed him back fiercely. As the snow fell around them, the couple continued to embrace, as if there was no tomorrow.

After a moment, lack of air forced the pair to separate. Breathing heavily, Lianna smiled. "I guess you missed me after all, soldier?"

Ralof winked. "What gave it away?" Wrapping his arms around her waist, he rested his head comfortably atop hers while she snuggled into his shoulder. "I missed you," his words were soft and honest.

Closing her eyes and basking in the feeling of being back with her husband, Lianna gave a contented sigh. "I missed you too." The couple stood outside of Windhelm, looking on at that ancient city of kings and revelling in their reunion.

"What do you say we go get a meal and drink, eh? We can rent a room for the night and enjoy ourselves before Ulfric sends us out to battle again." Ralof said happily, pulling his Altmer wife tighter against him. "Rumours suggest we're going to be part of a very special mission soon enough. Before that I want to sleep in a warm bed with a belly full of cold mead one more time." Ralof smiled at her, "I'll even let you pick where we eat."

Lianna laughed. "How can I resist such an offer!" They began walking across the bridge towards Windhelm, arm in arm. "When you said I could pick, does that include the New Gnisis Corner Club?" She smiled warmly.

Every time she was in Windhelm, which was rather often when she thought about it, she always made two stops. One was a visit to her friend Niranye, the only other Altmer who called Windhelm home. They would share tea and gossip, conversation that Lianna relished heartily. The other would be a visit to the Gray Quarter, home of the city's sizable Dunmer population. While she couldn't change the Jarl's policies on the Dunmer, and she wasn't sure she wanted to, the Corner Club served better food and drink than Candlehearth Hall. As a Mer herself, Lianna viewed the Dunmer as cousins and wanted to help them. Perhaps, in time, they would see the error of their stubborness and fully throw their support behind Skyrim's bid for freedom.