One Shots and Short Stories

Skyrim - Teldryn (part 2)

I didn't want to tackle the mine just yet. The boat ride made me feel sluggish, so I needed to exercise my muscles before going into that mine. I didn't know what to expect so I wanted to be ready.

Teldryn and I walked out of Raven Rock. We walked past the burnt down farm where I fought the ash creatures and came to a stop on top of a large hill.

"I hope we don't run into too many ash spawn out here." Teldryn muttered as he looked out over the ashen wasteland.

"Are there any bandit camps nearby?" I asked.

"Looking for trouble are we?" He said in his silky voice.

"Not trouble, but I am looking for something." I said as I studied my surroundings.

Stepping up in front of me, he placed his hands on my shoulders and turned me around to face the coastline. He slung an arm over my shoulder and lowered his face to match my eye level.

"You see that shipwreck over there." He pointed to a large ship that lay lopsided on the beach. "Damn reavers have infested the place. It's a small camp, three... maybe four reavers, so it shouldn't be too much trouble."

He stayed silent with his arm resting on my shoulders while I decided what to do.

"Alright then. Let's see what we can find." I said as I shrugged his arm off.

I made my way down the hill towards the reaver camp with Teldryn following close behind. We snuck around to the entrance of the camp and saw three reavers inside, two by the fire and one on the deck of the ship. I tapped Teldryn's shoulder and pointed to the reaver on the deck. He nodded and brought his hand up, fire swirling around it. I heard the spell charge as he balled his hand into a fist. He launched the fireball and it exploded on the deck, sending the reaver overboard. I charged in and quickly took care of the first reaver whilst Teldryn disposed of the other. He hung around the fire while I checked inside the ship. I saw a chest and walked up to it. I was about to open it when I heard someone behind me. I just assumed it was Teldryn, but I stiffened when I felt the blade at my throat.

"You're going to put all your gold in that chest, my sweet."

I felt my blood boil at the pet name he gave me. I was about to reach for my sword when I felt his hold on me had loosened, then disappeared completely. I turned to see Teldryn drop the dead reaver leader on the floor. He wiped his blade on the reaver's armour, cleaning the blood off of it. I nodded a thanks and he nodded back, acknowledging the thank you. I turned back to the chest and opened it. There was a large sum of gold, along with a few gems, some useless pieces of armour and a book. I divided the gold and gems, giving Teldryn half. He stood behind me looking over my shoulder as I picked up the book and opened it.

"Hmm. 'The Lusty Argonian Maid'. I've heard about that book. I'd stay away from that If I were you." He spoke softly since he was so close to my ear.

"Why? What is it about?" I asked.

He let out a small, soft laugh. "Why don't you find out."

I flipped through the pages and scanned the words. I felt my face flush with embarrassment but luckily my helmet hid it. I was probably a deep shade of red and I didn't want to give Teldryn the satisfaction of seeing me like that. I huffed in annoyance as I shut the book and spun around, slamming the book into his chest. He caught it and laughed.

"Keep it. It was probably supposed to be shipped off, but was stolen like the rest of these things. I saw a name inside, we need to return it to its owner." I said as I walked away from him.

His laughing calmed down and he followed me out of the ship. "I wish I could've seen your face." He chuckled.

I scoffed and continued walking further into the ashlands. I stopped once I walked into a clearing. My eyes widened and my breath caught in my throat.

"What in oblivion's name is that!" I whisper-yelled to Teldryn who was lagging behind.

"Netch. Perfectly harmless. So long as you keep your distance."

He sounded preoccupied but I wasn't going to take my eyes away from theses things to check what he was doing. I watched the giant creatures float in the air ahead of me. It had six tentacles, three on either side of its body, and its underbelly pulsed with a deep blue glow. It looked like it didn't have any eyes or anything else besides its bulbous body and writhing tendrils. I saw a smaller version of it come out from behind the larger one. It bobbed around in the air a bit before making its way towards me. I tensed up and started backing away slowly.

"Relax. It's just a baby. I told you, they're harmless." Teldryn said.

He still sounded preoccupied, but I wasn't going to take my eyes off this thing. Even if it was harmless. It floated over to me and I stood still while its short tendrils reached for me. I froze, expecting the worst, but when it started to wrap its tendrils around my arm. It was so gentle, as if it was trying to feel what I was. The baby's short tendrils wrapped around my waist, arms and shoulders. It felt like it was giving me a hug with six arms. I reached out to pet the front of its body, where its head should have been, and it let out a low rumble from deep in its belly. I laughed as it continued to pet me back. It snaked a tendril under the back off my helmet and slowly pulled it off. It dropped my helmet and pulled at my hair. I let out a small laugh and it hummed in response. The mother let out a low bellow and it began to pry itself off me.

"Teldryn. Did you see that?" I asked as I turned to face him.

He was reading the book.

He looked up at me and stared. Even though I couldn't see his eyes, I knew he was staring. I just got that feeling. I raised an eyebrow when I saw that he was reading that book.

"Teldryn." I smiled and slowly made my way over to him. "What are you reading?"

He looked down at the book in his hands then back up at me. "Nothing..." He shut the book and tucked it away. (A/N: Where did he tuck it away, you ask? I dunno. The magical, invisible inventory knapsack that all Skyrim characters have, I guess.) "You're a redguard?" He said, tilting his head as he walked up to me.

"Yes. I am, but don't try to change the subject."

He stood right in front of me. If he was any closer, our bodies would have been touching.

"And not a bad looking redguard either..." He tilted his head to the other side as if he was examining me.

"Excuse me?" I was confused. "Was that supposed to be a compliment?" I frowned at him.

He chuckled. "We might want to be heading back soon. There's an ash storm coming. Wouldn't want to be caught out in one of those." He walked up to my helmet and picked it up. "Nasty ash gets everywhere." He tossed me my helmet and I caught it. "That's why I wear my helmet. Keeps the ash out of my eyes." I could hear the smile in his voice.

He evaded both questions completely, but I decided not to push him. I didn't want to embarrass him, but he seemed like the type of person that didn't get embarrassed very easily. I gathered up my hair and put my helmet back on before we walked back to Raven Rock in uncomfortable silence. I located the owner of the book and she rewarded me. I gave half to Teldryn, as usual.

I walked over to the mine with Teldryn following close behind. I opened the door and went inside. It was dark, damp and dusty. I hated it. I didn't mind the dark, I didn't mind the dampness or the dust, but the combination made my skin crawl.
We walked through the narrow passages and slowed down once we heard arguing coming from deeper in the mine.

"Damn it, woman! I said leave me be!" An elderly male said, clearly agitated.