The Dragonborn

Part 40

Jack laid his head against Mark's shoulder, letting his fingers trace along every curve of his chest.  Mark's chest was smooth to the touch.  Even the battle scars that he had received from the arena were prominent, but still smooth.  Mark's hand rubbed Jack's back comfortingly as he asked him in a purring deep voice.  "What's on your mind, Jackaboy"?  Jack let himself smirk just a bit, before he answered softly.  "I was just thinking about how complicated everything has gotten. When we sat on the riverside outside the Imperial City... We never imagined that our lives would turn out like this".  Mark's hand curled over him to brush his long green bangs away from his face, sweetly stating.  "You're right. But we are close enough to what we wanted".  Jack rested his arm on Mark's torso as he looked up at him asking a little perplexed.  "What"? 

Mark looked into his eyes, telling him warmly.  "You wanted a cabin in the woods by a lake. I managed to find a home in the woods by a river. You wanted us to be together. We got married. Sure, it isn't exactly the way we dreamed it would be... but not many people even get as far as we did".  Jack nodded with a smile.  He did feel lucky.  Mark put a hand to Jack's face then, his face turning serious as he told him gently.  "I remember living in that little shack... All the quiet evenings at home. Everything was so peaceful. I promised you that kind of life here. Instead, I dragged you into a war".  Jack leaned his head against Mark's warm hand, softly telling him.  "The threat of war is everywhere nowadays. The important thing is to enjoy the moments we get. Otherwise, we just drown in fear and paranoia. Let's not talk about, please? Let's just... be us tonight. Let's pretend that we are back in that little shack. That everything is simple and boring". 

Mark stroked his thumb over Jack's cheek, before he grinned and asked playfully.  "I can make those beef & Leak pies again. We haven't eaten that since then. Then maybe some shortbread cookies"?  Jack closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he recalled the smell.  It was all they could afford to eat back then... but the smell held so many good memories.  Jack nodded and opened his eyes to answer blissfully.  "Oh, I haven't thought about those in years".  Mark slowly sat up, happily adding in.  "Ya, me too. I think I'll do that! Oh! I can also finally teach you that game too"!  Mark climbed to his feet and slipped into his pants as Jack sat up, asking a bit lost.  "You wanted to teach me a game"?  Mark chuckled, moving over to his food cabinet as he answered casually.  "Ya. You don't remember? You asked me what games I grew up playing and I mentioned a nord game. You told me that you had never heard of it. So, I tried to find one, but Cyrodiil didn't have it". 

Jack tried hard to recall the memory.  Only vaguely remembering something about games they played at dinner time.  So, he answered still unsure.  "I think so. Did you find it here"?  Mark pointed to the chest at the end of his bed, happily answering.  "Of course! It's in there. Set it up on the table and I can explain it while I get dinner started".  Jack slipped into his own pants, before crawling to the chest.  Opening it up slowly, Jack grinned brightly.  The chest had every letter Jack had ever written him and little trinkets that he had sent him.  Jack couldn't believe he had kept all of them.  Carefully searching around in the chest, Jack could only find what looked like a leather pouch that was tied up with black string.  As he squeezed the pouch gently he felt little solid pieces inside.  Mark glanced in his direction, confirming his suspicions as he chimed out.  "Ya, that is it. Bring that over here". 

Jack stood up, carrying the pouch to the table.  Sitting across from Mark with his back to the wall, Jack untied the pouch and revealed all the smooth little wooden pieces.  The inside of the leather pouch unfolded into a square grind looking board and the pieces were all the same size.  Only one set was made of a dark wood and the other was made of a light colored wood.  Mark was busy preparing the pies on the table, while telling Jack giddily.  "You'll love it. It is a game of strategy. It's called Hnefatafl. You put the light wood pieces in the center and place the dark pieces in the middle of each border of the boarders. The goal is for the white pieces king to reach any of the four corners safely without being captured".  Jack was intrigued.  He loved playing games.  Especially, games that required him to battle wits with Mark.