Mage (A Skyrim Fanfiction)

Chapter 13: A Mercenary's Farewell and a Thief's Arrival

I hadn't been wrong in my assumption that I'd be up all night thinking, that was for sure. The sun came up far sooner than I would've liked. Deciding that I might as well just get up already, I sat up tiredly, stretching stiffly as I rose from the relatively comfortable bed and went about making myself look presentable. Fastening my dark blue cloak around my shoulders once more, I headed out of my room, finding that I was basically alone in the main room save for the innkeeper himself, who was busy cleaning off the bar for the next day's patrons. I sighed, and couldn't help but admire the man. I would rather stay home and run the farm with Varnand than even try to help keep up an inn. Not that I wasn't grateful for them, of course. I far preferred sleeping indoors rather than out in the elements and at the mercy of wild beasts or bandits. I just couldn't imagine having to deal with all sorts of people for a living, even the questionable ones.

Taking a seat in an empty chair, I leaned backwards in it slightly, my hands crossed behind my head as I waited for my friends to get up themselves. Turns out, I didn't have to wait too long, as only a few minutes after I'd sat down Helgír exited his room, looking tired and slightly frustrated.

"Didn't sleep well either?" I asked him, causing the Nord to turn in surprise.

"Oh, sorry. I did not realize you were up yet. And I suppose you could say that... And let me guess. That drunkard is still out like a light..." Helgír sighed, annoyance and some disappointment in the young man echoing in his voice.

"Probably. I haven't checked."

"... Wonderful. Just absolutely wonderful. Thank the Nine he's leaving us today."

"Aren't you overreacting just a bit...?"

"Hah. You didn't help that idiot get back to his room. He kept blabbering on and on about goats..." Helgír responded, a note of disgust in his voice, "I honestly think he's going to be laughed out of Jorrvaskr in this state."

At that moment, a low groan could be heard from Toralf's room, sounding very regretful and pained. Helgír smiled grimly, his point seemingly proven.

"... I suppose we should just go ahead and start breakfast without him, then?" I asked awkwardly, not really sure what to do.

"From what I know, he probably won't be wanting any of it, anyways," Helgír replied, seemingly speaking from experience.

I went up to the innkeeper and bought an apple and a boiled creme treat, a considerably smaller feast than the one I'd partaken in at Markarth. I'd say that I currently had less than twenty septims in my pocket at the moment, and that I needed to find a way to get more money than I currently had, and soon. My companion seemed to be a bit low on coin as well, as he purchased a meal similar in value to mine.

We ate in silence, the Dragonborn's expression unreadable as I worried about our money problems, and what that thief was up to... As much as I'd love to smack him upside the head and tell him he wasn't welcome or needed, his words stuck with me. If he could both tell us where we were supposed to go, as well as purchase everything we'd need for the journey with his own money, we didn't have much of a choice on whether to let him come along or not. I hoped he was right about us crossing paths again, now for more than just one reason.