I am Laeilwyn Riverpool (A Skyrim Adventure)

Chapter Thirty One: Answered Prayers

-Erandur's Perspective-

We were passing Kynesgrove by morning. Our horses were pretty exhausted, so we slowed down to a steady gallop. It was a short ride from here to Windhelm, and we didn't have a second to dally. I reflected on what I last said to her, and how I treated her, and it made me feel horrible. If I lost her, I'd never be able to live with myself knowing that, in her dying moments, my best friend thought I was mad at her, and wasn't coming to help her. All along the way I prayed to Arkay to keep her alive, and Mara to keep a watchful eye on her. 

"Erandur? Lad, you look... well, terrible to be quite honest!" Brynjolf pointed out from his horse. 

"I'm just worried, that's all." 

"Hey, Elle is a trooper. Even if Mercer did try to kill her, he's as skilled with a sword as a sparring dummy. She probably dealt with him in record time. Now that's a fight I'd like to watch!" 

I smiled. I changed the subject to take my mind off of the grim state she was in in my head. "Tell me what she was like when she was with you all that time ago. How has she changed?" 

Brynjolf thought for a bit. "Well, for one thing, she's much more somber now. When she was with the Guild, she drank, sang, and smiled a lot more!"

I thought back. "When I first met her, she did none of those things at all. As we have travelled together, she's been able to open up to me a little more with each passing year, but it hasn't been until she reunited with the Guild that she's felt at home."

Brynjolf nodded. "Elle's got quite the past too, like you. I would think it's hard to forget that stuff."

"Absolutely. Valewood is far away, and when you've got nobody to keep you company, memories are all you have." 

We arrived at the Windhelm stables. Brynjolf jumped off his horse and led it to the water trough. As our horses drank, Brynjolf muttered under his breath, "she's certainly got more scars now, from what I saw a few nights ago..."

I shot him with a few sparks, enough to make him jump a few feet in the air. "Hey! What was that for?"

"I'd appreciate it if you kept comments like that to yourself." We mounted our horses and set off once again.

"I especially like the scar that goes all the way up her thigh to-"

"Please, Brynjolf!" 

"But seriously, lugging around all those heavy weapon sure did give her a great ass..."

I sighed and sent a few sparks into his horse, which caused it to almost buck Brynjolf off. "Now will you shut up?"

"Alright lad, no more vulgar jokes about your soon-to-be wife."

"Thank you. Now can we please get back to actually finding her?" I begged. 

"Right. It's a straight road to the Sanctum." Brynjolf said, looking at his map. "We should be there in no time." 

"Let's get on with it then." I said, speeding up.

***

"Filthy n'wah!" I kicked the door to the Sanctum. We figured Elle would likely be trapped in the main chamber, but when we arrived, the door was locked and could only be opened by a key.

"Calm down Erandur. There's always a second entrance to these things. We'll just look around until we find it."

"We don't have enough time!" I shouted. 

"Well do you have a better idea?" Brynjolf asked. I remained silent. "I didn't think so. Let's start looking around."

The snow was coming down hard. You couldn't see more than five feet in front of you. We'll never find her in this weather... Kynareth, why must you work against me today? 

As if the god of the elements herself heard my plea, the sky opened up, and Brynjolf and I watched in amazement as it slowly stopped blizzarding. Snow only came down in light flakes, and the baby blue and deathbell purple aurora that glowed brightly in the night sky was revealed. It was absolutely breathtaking. 

"Hey lad, look!" Brynjolf said, pointing to a cluster of trees. "Is that smoke?"

I looked over. Sure enough, a thin strand of smoke was rising up to the sky, and a fire gave off a faint glow in the trees. 

"Who would be camping over here, in the middle of nowhere? Unless of course, you were already around this area on, say, business?" Brynjolf suggested. I nodded my head in agreement and we went over quickly to investigate.