Evening fell about me as I traveled the road to Darkwater Crossing. The air was thick with moisture, and as I passed out of the shade of the trees, a mist descended, obscuring distant plateaus and turning them into wavering mirages.
I thought of the little girl and wondered if we could even help her. What could possibly be wrong with her? Is she a vampire? A Child of Hircine? Or is she merely succumbing to the mine sickness Sondas complained of time and again? The rush of the waterfall on my right crowded other sounds out of my head. It wasn't until I caught the tale-tell flicker of light on buckles and armor that I saw them.
Silently I slipped off Nael, whispering and urging her remain quiet and admonishing my vulpine friend Jorin for snuffling too loud. Leading them over to an outcropping of rocks blocking them from the road, I scrambled atop the small escarpment. I watched them approach like a shadow. Three Imperial soldiers led a prisoner in single file. A prisoner garbed just like I had been.
With movements carefully mimicking the swaying of tree branches, I drew my bow and knocked an arrow. They were right below me now. I pulled, hearing the slow creak of the bow string as it created tension in the wood. My arrow followed their progress. My left index finger idly caressed the head of the arrow, and I remembered what happened to me on the border two years ago.
One of them stopped and looked in my direction.
I drew a breath, and was seconds from letting go and terminating those obnoxious, cruel humans, when the prisoner tripped and fell to his knees. This was my moment, they were distracted.
As I was expecting them to kick the prisoner and insult him, demean him, the soldier looking towards me turned away, and did the unthinkable. He reached out a hand, and helped the bound man to his feet, steadying him. The others did not react, and began to move forward. In moments they were behind the escarpment outside of my line of sight.
I relaxed the string and sighed. My fingers trembled slightly from the adrenaline and desire to kill. Slowly, carefully, focusing only on the present moment and inundating my mind with sensory details, I mounted Nael. With a soft whistle I called Jorin out from hiding, and pressed onward, deep in thought. We passed into the twilight like shadows.
I crossed Darkwater's drawbridge as the first stars appeared in the sky.
Why did I stay my hand? I wondered. I should have killed them, and I knew it. I should have paid them back for what they did to my father. But to what end? I answered myself. Perhaps that part was true. Murdering a few low ranking soldiers would not satisfy me. I tried to remember the names of officers murmured in the cold, snowy darkness in the passes, and I felt something sitting just at the edge of recollection. But I just could not reach it. Not now.
I found Derkeethus sitting near the village fire with his neighbors, talking quietly as Nefgeir stirred the communal stew.
"Please, don't do that, Olfun," Tormir pleaded as Olfun took a swig of ale and raised a flaming brand to his lips.
"Oh, let him have his fun, Tormir. Doesn't Hrefna enjoy this?" Verner paused in mid-stir. "Where is she by the way?"
"Who knows? That girl runs off more times than I can count."
"She's been missing since the sun went down," murmured Derkeethus as I took a seat beside him. "Glad you made it. Have some stew."
"You know I can't eat that," I said, tearing into a piece of dried fish. Distantly I heard a deep, bellowing roar that caused the earth to tremble. Frowning, I glared suspiciously at Derkeethus. "How long has a dragon been nearby! I told you to double the watch!"
"Calm yourself, Gwaihen. It's still far off yet. I only just heard it this afternoon upon returning." Shrugging off Derk's hand, I got to my feet and walked out onto the boardwalk. I heard the Argonian follow with a resigned sigh.
"Here we go again," I heard him mutter.
I looked out across the flatland and saw a bat-sized creature circling a distant hill. It released another earth-shattering roar.
"We have to kill it," I said.
"I know." Derkeethus shifted uncomfortably. "No getting yourself roasted."
"How could I do that when I'll have you to distract it!" Smirking, I glanced his way.
He sighed, knowing he couldn't stand letting his village become a charnel house. "Fine, but let's at least wait until dawn."
"Just before light breaks."
"Yes, great. Perfect. Now let's get some rest."
I slept fretfully, dreaming of the earth swallowing me whole.
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