Companion (Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Fanfiction)

Chapter 6

As the Dragonborn could not lock Miraak in a room like she had originally planned, she found herself exhausted the next few days. Watching Miraak was a pain as he was so unpredictable. Teaching him was just as bad but the woman had made the decision to do it. She would help this man, and then find him somewhere suitable to live. It was the least she could do.

The warrior didn't sleep much as Miraak got used to his new home, and she got used to having him around. It was always a little startling to turn around and find her former enemy behind her or see him passing by as he explored her home. A part of the Dragonborn expected to have Miraak speak one day and tell her that it was all a ruse before attempting to murder her. But he didn't, and seeing him curl himself up in his blankets to sleep on the floor, nap in odd corners around the house or quietly struggle to figure out how something worked made the thought seem ridiculous.

The woman was careful never to leave Miraak and her steward alone with each other, as the feral man still did not like him. She wasn't sure what he might do if left alone with Silvan. The Dragonborn tried to get Miraak to learn to tolerate him but so far all of her attempts had failed.

The Bosmer attempted to help but the former Dragon Priest was suspicious of whatever he did and tried to avoid him. Whenever the two men were in the same room, Miraak would glare and tense up. Silvan could not touch the man without him reacting negatively. If the steward dared enter his room, Miraak would become visibly aggressive to drive him off. The dark haired man seemed to know the room was his and was already possessive over it.

The female warrior knew Silvan greatly disliked Miraak but she was grateful that he was still willing to try and help. She admired the loyalty he showed in this situation and was glad she hired him. He would be getting a bonus or two in the near future.

Silvan and the Dragonborn kept any and all weapons far away from Miraak. Almost everything had been put away in the armory with the door locked tight. Even knives and other cutlery in the kitchen were locked away in a drawer. No doubt Miraak could find other ways to kill them if he really wanted but they thought it best to not make it easier for him.

The Dragonborn spent a lot of time trying to teach Miraak. She wanted him to learn to behave so she wouldn't have to watch him as often. Maybe the woman would even be able to take him with her eventually. It would also be much easier to find Miraak somewhere suitable to live if he wasn't aggressive or beast-like. She didn't want him to end up caged like an animal.

One of the first things the female Dragonborn tried to teach Miraak was to eat properly. It took some time and many meals but Miraak learned to eat with utensils. He began to make less of a mess as well. He tended to prefer his hands when possible but it was a great start. The woman took note of his possessiveness when it came to his meals. If she attempted to take away any food Miraak had gotten a hold of he would growl, snarl or glare at her.

Before and after his meals, the Dragonborn made sure to clean Miraak's hands. The man didn't like this but he began to do it on his own, maybe only to avoid having the Dragonborn touch him. He didn't clean them as well as she had but again, it was a start.

Thankfully, bathing came naturally to Miraak, though Silvan or the Dragonborn had to supervise him. He knew that being taken into the bathing chamber meant it was time to bathe and he seemed to enjoy the hot water. The man began to use soap on his own after the third bath. He had a little more trouble drying himself off and was usually still wet when he put his clothes on. Miraak didn't seem to mind.

The female warrior was sometimes uneasy as she taught Miraak. He seemed to pick up certain things quite quickly. It was unnerving. She began to wonder if it was a good idea to keep doing this. If she taught him enough, would he return to being her enemy? The woman hoped not. Despite these doubts, the Dragonborn continued what she was doing.