Chapter Three
The next morning I wake up alone in the cave, the fire is still going so I know River where ever he’s gone he hasn't been away for long. After a few moments of doing nothing I decide to get up and stretch my back. How I miss my bed now, tonight I will be all cosy and warm back in my home. I slowly walk over to the fire and grab a stick from near by and start poking the logs and play with the flames. It doesn’t need doing I’m just entertaining myself. I wonder where River has gone. Really I should go hunting now and prepare for our day journey back to Windhelm.
“Here I’ve got you some clothes.” River shouts out of breath from the entrance of the cave. “And some breakfast.” He holds up a dead rabbit into the air like it’s a prize. I hold up the clothes after he hands them to me. Fur armour?
“Where did you find these?” I ask putting them on.
“At a camp not so far away from here.”
“Did you kill anyone to get them?” I ask but really meaning was the person dead before you striped them?
“No I took them. But when we leave we mustn’t go in that direction.” He smiles pointing north. I smile back and take the rabbit from him and start to turn it into our breakfast.
We eat in silence, once breakfast was finished I salvage up anything that’s left over and save it for the journey. River rests next to what’s left of the fire and I grab my note book and start to write about my adventure in this cave.
River doesn’t rest for as long as I thought he would. I watch him from over the top of my note book trying to look as though I’m still writing in it. I watch as he kicks down the rest of the flames around the cook pot and then he walks over to the fur coat I was sleeping on and gently places it over the dead man I almost for got about. I wanted to ask him about the dead man but something told me not to so I didn’t, I agree to myself I never will.
By the time we reach Windhelm it’s dark. All the way here the weather was on our side and didn’t make the journey any harder then it needed to be. “Well here we are.” River says arching his back. I can’t help but feel a little sad but also pleased that my bed is just through these gates. “Don’t you want to stay here just for a night it’s the least I can do for you River?” I ask in a pathetic voice. River chuckles and answers. “Windhelm isn’t too fond of out siders; I’ll be going now Amber.” He takes my hand in his and smiles, he smiles a lot for an Orc. “You are a funny woman Amber and have been a pain in my arse and I will remember that pain in my arse for a very long time and I wish you well. Good bye Amber.” He lets go of my hand and I smile and walk through the gates of my home town and head towards my house.
The streets were usually quiet but I didn’t bother to even wonder why, I just wanted my bed and then there it was, my home, my gods how I have missed it. I’ve only been gone for less than a week but everything looked different. I walked over to the door and of course it’s locked. Actually if I remember it’s locked from the inside as I sneaked out the window to escape. My only way in was to go back through that window. I walk round towards the back and check if the window is unlocked. It is, I look round and see no one walking near here and climb back through my window. Even though I’m now back in my own house I feel as though I need to keep quiet and creep about. The house feels different, smells different and I thought it would be colder in here considering no ones been here for a few nights. Anyway I’ll think more about that in the morning.
I tip toe into my bed room without bothering to light any candles and throw my furs onto the floor in an untidy pile. I waste no more time and carefully climb into my straw bed, not suitable for a queen but it’s more than suitable more me. Hang on something doesn’t feel right. Why is it warm and why can I hear breathing? I should jump up now but instead I lie completely still. Who the hell is sleeping in my bed right next to me? The body next to me turns themselves over in their sleep not even realising I’ve joined them. My panic and heavy breathing must of woken them up because as soon as this body next to me jumped so did I. We both scattered about the bed room in the dark fishing out for a weapon or and candle I dreaded which one. Then to my surprise the whole room is filled with light. My eyes have no choice only to shut quickly. I slowly open them and watch in amazement as the light slowly dies down and becomes this small globe. The globe then floats off to the corner of my bedroom and stays there. For that very short moment I stare and study it like a child. Then I remember I could be in danger and quickly turn my head towards my bed. A female figure sat is on it looking more terrified than me. I can only imagine that if she can make a ball of light then she’s more then capable of burning me alive so there’s no use in trying to have a physical fight as she’s already won.
“What the hell are you doing in my house?” I ask trying to look more angry then scared but I’m not doing well.
“I moved in this morning. He said the last person who lived here was dead.” The girl stressed. I don’t believe it my bastard of a landlord has given away my house. “Who are you?” I ask, not that it mattered.
“I’m a mage of the college and have been asked to come here and study with…” It goes dark again. The girl makes another globe of light. I look around the room. “Where are all my things?” I yell looking in the wardrobe. “He would have sold them I imagine.” She answers. She is right he would of. I sit down on the bedroom floor and do nothing. Where I am to go now? I have nothing. The mage pities me and leans forward but still not daring to get off the bed. “I’m so sorry, I would never…” It goes dark again. “Wait here I’m going to get a candle.” She says.
She returns holding a lit candle and places it on the draws next to her I can see why my bastard landlord gave her this house to live in. She was the littlest pretty thing I’ve ever seen living in Windhelm who wouldn’t give this young girl a home? I want to cry but if I do I don’t want to cry here in front of this stranger. Well that’s that then, and then I remember there is no way that bastard known of my hiding place. I quickly stick my arm under the straw bed and feel around for the loose wooden floor board, got it. I did this at such a speed the girl thought I was going to attack her. Out of the hiding place I pull out my old coin purse still full and my mother’s necklace she left me.
“You have a Mara necklace?” The girl asks surprised.
“Yes it was my mothers.” I answer not really wanting any conversation.
“You know what one is then?” She asks again all excited. I don’t reply.
Still holding back my tears I put my fur armour on that River gave me and place the necklace around my neck. I wrap the string from my full coin purse around my waist and wish the girl mage a good night and head off in to the street. I proudly walk around the corner and burst into tears. I sob for quite some time and stand against the stone wall watching the snow flakes fall around me. I can’t see my house from here and I’m glad. “Well when your life turns upside down there’s only one place to go in Windhlem.” I say to myself.
I hurry over to Candle hearth Hall and head straight upstairs to the log fire. There’s not many in here no one I can bother talking to anyway. In no time at all I’m half way down a bottle of spiced wine knowing I’ll be ordering another bottle soon. I haven’t bothered renting a bed for the night yet I as I tend to stay in this chair for as long as I can. As I’m swallowing down the last of my first bottle I hear a familiar voice behind me. “A waste of good wine drinking it that quick.” I quickly turn around and see River standing behind me. Without even caring how weak I look I jump up and give him the biggest hug a women could give an Orc. I haven’t hugged anyone like that but my father. River who hadn’t expected that completely froze and left his hands by his sides. The only close contact he has had with anything is when he’s usually trying to kill them. I look over River’s shoulders and realise everyone in this inn are now watching me hug an Orc. I break away from him and settle back down in my seat. River sits next to me. “Here I came back to give you this.” He hands me a steel axe. “I know it’s not very romantic.”
I gave him a confused look. “Were you trying to be romantic?”
“No.” He answered.
“Then it’s a lovely gift.” I smile.
“I see your wearing a Mara amulet.” River blushes.
“What is it with this necklace? My mother gave it to me; she says she was wearing it when she met my father.”
“I’m sure she was.” River laughed taking a small sip of wine but not taking his eyes off the necklace.
“I’m sorry am I missing something here?”
“You don’t know what one is do you?”
“A necklace?” I say while fiddling with it.
“It means you’re available and looking for love and marriage.”
I let go of the necklace allowing it to fall against my chest heavily. “Well it’s pointless looking in Windhelm for marriage.”
“Are you looking?” River asks leaning forward sarcastically.
“In here?” I say. “The men around here are looking for love with different women every night.”
“I bet that never stopped you lying next to a few.” River laughs topping up his wine.
“What about you?” I quickly add.
“I’d kill you, and not in a good way.” River answers. I raise one eye brow at him. “I meant you with other female Orcs.”
“No.”
“No as in you’ve never…….?” I stare at River desperate for an answer. He knows very well I’m really fascinated now. We order more wine and after some time we are the only people left inside the inn even the bar maid has gone to sleep in a chair in the corner.
As I start to see River get drunk I take advantage and ask him the question again. “So River have you ever been married?”
“No.”
“Have you ever been almost married?”
“I know what you’re trying to get me to confess to. As a matter of fact I have lay down with many female Orcs yet I felt no love for any of them, even if they did for me. Then.”
“Then?” I fill my goblet full and hand River the bottle to fill his. “Go on.”
“You really want to know my story?” He asks taking the bottle from me.
“Yes.”
“Well ok but it’s boring. When you leave a camp you may never return but I had the need to belong somewhere so I went to apply at the Imperial legions in Solitude. I got as far as an inn named the Winking Skeever and saw the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. She was from the Bards College. I fell in love and even though I know she could never love an Orc I still am satisfied on just knowing her and loving her.”
“So why are you at this inn instead of that one?” I ask.
“Well this is the pathetic bit. I wanted to be able to speak to her and her at least to know me so I applied at the Bards College, but they said no.”
“Why did they say no?”
“I’m an Orc too ugly for a college that makes beautiful music.” River said sadly.
“What did you play?” I ask still wanting to hear more of this tale.
“Flute.”
“Do you have it with you?”
“Yes.”
“Get it out, get it out and play me a song.” I start to jump up and down in my seat. River reaches for his pile of belongings near his feet and pulls out a wooden flute. He holds it in between his huge teeth and starts to play. I listen and say nothing until he stops. Then when he is finished the one song he puts it away and reaches for his wine.
I break the silence by saying in the kindest way. “You do realise it wasn’t because of your looks they wouldn’t let you join as you’ve not ugly”
“Thank you Amber you are most kind.”
“It’s because you can’t play the flute.” We both burst out laughing together and continue to drink through to dawn.
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