But I'm a Black-Briar! (A Skyrim Fan Fiction)

Chapter 16: Closure

Hello it's me I'm alive and stuff and I'm sorry but will make proper author's note later yes quite here is chapter plus 6 more

This is chapter 1 out of 7 I posted today, so read on :)

Birds twittered as they flitted from tree to tree, a light, warm breeze played with the ends of my hair, Ilinalta stepped steadily and lightly forward with her ears pricked happily, and I was in such a glorious mood that these things all caused me the greatest delight and made sitting still on Ilinalta's back a frustrating chore. Riding at a steady walk on a wide-open, flat path such as the one we were following seemed almost a crime on this beautiful day, but Jiran didn't seem inclined to move any faster.

A rabbit hopped up to the road, twitched its nose, widened its eyes comically as it noticed the horses, then turned and bounded away through the forest at full speed. I let out a snort of laughter, then started giggling and, finally, when Jiran gave me a confused look, I burst into hearty laughter. "There was a rabbit..." I tried to explain when I could breathe, but my mirth redoubled at the expression on Jiran's face and I gave in to laughter once more.

"If there was a rabbit, I'm sure you've scared it away by now," Jiran pointed out, shaking his head with amused exasperation.

"Maybe," I said noncommittally, not caring to try to explain the reason for my laughter. Still, the wide smile refused to leave my face, lingering on and tugging at the corners of my mouth as I admired the fresh green leaves of the trees about us.

"What put you in such a good mood?" Jiran asked curiously.

"I don't really know," I admitted. "Maybe I'm just glad to feel warm and see the sun shining on green things."

Or maybe it's more than that, I realized as I played with Ilinalta's mane. I had no wings to fly like the birds, but right now I felt freer than the highest soaring hawk. Closing my eyes briefly, I tried to imagine a time at the Lodge when I had felt my heart soar like this, but nothing came to mind. Riding Ilinalta around Lake Honrich at a full gallop came close, but even during those amazing rides the nagging thought of the lecture awaiting me at Black-Briar Lodge had always tugged at the back of my mind.

Right now, it was as if nothing mattered. Assassins, dead Jarls, bounties- none of these things could darken my mood, not right now.

We reached a crossroad and I glanced at the signpost, noting the word "Ivarstead" on the top panel. A slow smile spread over my face as, unbidden, my mind wandered to a little prank Emeth and I had pulled once. Unable to contain myself, I snorted again.

"You're starting to sound like a horse," Jiran commented.

"I was just remembering something a friend and I did back in Riften a couple years ago," I explained, relishing the memory. "Grandmother was away on business and we were bored, so we pulled a little prank."

Jiran shook his head. "That sounds just like you."

Taking his words as an invitation to continue speaking, I reined in my amusement long enough to tell the story. "We were talking in my room in Black-Briar Lodge and Emeth- that's my friend's name- mentioned a group of mercenaries she'd seen come into Riften that morning. One way or another, the sign outside the Bee and Barb came up, and then I had the most brilliant idea. That night I snuck into Riften, met Emeth, and we switched the signs for the Bee and Barb and Haelga's bunkhouse." I stopped, practically choking on my own delight as I relived the scenario. "No one who lives in Riften looks at the signs anymore, only people who don't come there often and don't know which buildings are which. Emeth and I walked around the market stalls all morning, pretending to shop while really watching the bunkhouse and the inn and practically dying of laughter whenever some disgruntled traveler came out of one building or the other."