8 The Noob God Wakeths IV

Once we're back in Riverwood Lucien thank's us for the return of the golden claw and the bountiful loot we brought back to sell to him. Whatever he couldn't afford I sold off to Alvor and broke down what I couldn't use into new crafting ingredients. Which took about a day.

After everything, we were bringing with me and Lokir was packed up. We began to head out of town, only to see Faendal and Camila waiting for us at the bridge leaving town towards Whiterun. Most shocking was that Faendal was in his combat armor I made and not his work clothes for the mill.

"Now what have we here? Have you turned to brigandry the moment I leave town? For shame Faendal, for shame." I jokingly say as I knock his shoulder heartily.

"Ha, I may need money, but I'm not that desperate... Besides, I think I know a mercenary company looking to fill the shoes of their archer who just left to pursue the woman he loves." Faendal jokes back while clasping Camila's hand who is blushing furiously.

"Oh, ho, ho, do you think you're up to it? Cause I'll be honest, right now the pay is shit, the hours are long, we travel far, and the work is pretty dangerous... But, I plan to fix all but the last two eventually." I jokingly say before giving him a serious look, "Are you sure about this? I don't know when we'll be back if we will at all... That's a lot of risk for a newly engaged man."

"I am certain, I will adventure with you for some time to gather up wealth to build me and Camila a home of our own. I also look forward to fighting by your side and seeing the rest of Skyrim before I settle down with my love." Faendal says to me with certainty, before looking to Camila and embracing her and beginning to kiss... And kiss... And kiss... For Talos' sake man! Breath!

I grab him by the collar and drag him with me across the bridge breaking up the lovers' kissing, "Come on Lover boy, we got a Jarl to warn about a dragon."

"I will be waiting for you my love, come back soon!" Camila shouts as we finally leave Riverwood.

"Don't worry, I shall return soon my dearest Camila!" Faendal shouts back, as we crest the hill and catch a view of Whiterun far off in the distance.

We silently make our way down the hillside with little interference aside from a few wolves who were quickly put down. It's then I spot the next opportunity to impress the people of Whiterun, a giant has wandered into some farmland and has begun causing a ruckus.

I rush forward with my bow drawn shouting, "Dragon's Maw! Attack!" Letting loose several arrows aimed at the giant's knees as some other fighters take the chance to deliver a finishing blow to the giant as me, Lokir, and Faendal make our way closer to the fighters when a woman calls out to me.

"You handle yourself well, you could make for a decent shield brother." A wild-looking woman by the name of Aela, with a green handprint across her face, compliments me.

"Thank you, the challenge of a good fight is reason enough to aid a fellow warrior," I reply, with a tusked smile.

"I could not have said it better myself, you should make time to visit the Companions up at Jorrvaskr. Kodlak Whitemane is always on the lookout for exceptional warriors." Aela says while offering me her arm in a warrior's greeting.

"It would be an honor to enter the legendary hall of the Companions, sadly I have other pressing business to attend to today. Perhaps another time?" I offer her as I shake her hand.

"Of course, we must be off, catch us in the mead hall if you get the time," Aela says back to me as she turns to leave with her fellow warriors when a strange sight catches my attention out of the corner of my eye...

Something that shouldn't be near Whiterun yet... Thalmor are escorting a wounded and shackled elderly khajit woman. Fucking Thalmor! Those elven supremacist assholes who make the Stormcloaks seem tolerant!

Attracted by the strange sight, I begin to follow them when the leading female High Elf, in her standard issue Thalmor mage gear, gods why do the evil people have to have the nicest clothes, turns to me with disdain saying, "You there! You are interfering in matters of the Aldmeri Dominion. Leave immediately!" The High Elf orders me, while the Khajit takes a moment to rest on the ground.

"Ha! How cute, it thinks it can issue orders to me like I were its puppet!" I laugh as I sneer at her... Wait... I don't think I was this angry at Thalmor before? Fuck it, they're evil.

"No shortage of insects that mock the boot that crushes it." The High Elf replies, before signaling her men to attack, as I do the same.

Me and Lokir take on the two warriors while Faendal fires at the mage, I am able to quickly disorient our opponents by using my shockwave ability to knock them over before using flame and lightning magic to dispatch my opponent.

While Lokir beheads his. But as I turn to the mage, despite being pinned in the shoulder with an arrow, she uses some form of teleportation magic to disappear leaving us alone with the elder Khajit woman.

"Fuckin' coward." I mumble under my breath as I turn towards the Khajit as I nod to Faendal who begins stripping the two Thalamor soldiers of their gear and Lokir who begins to build a pyre to burn their bodies.

"How bout you? You doin' okay?" I say while kneeling down to check the Khajit's wounds while using my lock-picking skills to remove her shackles.

"Please! This one's life is worth nothing. She begs you to go to Riverwood, and save the young one." The woman painfully begs me with labored breath, lightly gripping my leg.

"Easy now, let me tend to your wounds. No sense in an avoidable death." I say, gently offering her a healing potion and pulling out some fresh linen to bandage her wounds.

"This one... Thanks you... She is not used to such kindness." The Khajit nervously thanked me.

"It is nothin', what's your name?" I ask her while making sure all her wounds are tended.

"This one's name is S'ahara, but that is not important! You must hurry to Riverwood and save the young one! The elves must not get her, or this one risked her life for nothing!" S'ahara says as a near frantic panic overtakes her nervousness from earlier.

"Do not worry, S'ahara. I have some tasks to complete in Whiterun, but I swear that as soon as they're done that I'll make my way immediately back to Riverwood. But, we should get you inside the town." I tell S'ahara as I help her to her feet, but she waves me on.

"This one is fine now, she is very resourceful. But please, hurry to help the young one." S'ahara says as she makes her way off into the distance as Lokir and Faendal finish their tasks and I'm left to my thoughts as we make our way towards the city.

That's weird... I don't think I've ever seen a quest like that... Definitely doesn't seem to be base game... Maybe it was one of the mods? But what mod would have me save a kid Khajit? Is it tied to adoption or something?

Shit, I don't even have a home yet I can't afford to take in a kid! But... The poor orphans! I must kill that old crone Grelod! I guess I'm heading to Riften sooner than I liked, but... I don't want to start the Dark Brotherhood questline yet... Whatever that can wait for a minute I've got to talk to the Jar-... Why is there a naked woman in that horse stable?

As that thought crosses my mind, I make my way towards a woman sleeping in full nude, only covered by the random straw that fills up her shoddily thrown-together bed of hay.

Motioning for Lokir and Faendal to watch the road to make sure no one sneaks up on me as I move down to check to make sure she is alright when she begins to stir, "What? Where am I? Ugh, my head! Oh, It's you! Uh, I mean what? No, I've never seen you before. I have no idea who you are." The naked woman tries to lie to me.

Fuck! Does she know my body's original owner? What should I do?

"It's not like I've been stalking you or anything." The naked woman nervously mutters... Making me realize she's probably just a weirdo... Which is probably why she's so hot, the crazy ones are always hot... Or is it the hot ones are always crazy? I'll debate philosophy later.

"Um... Okay... I have to go now." I say beginning to turn around when she firmly grasps my open elbow.

"Wait! Don't leave!... I'm injured?... Uh, yes injured! You have to take me with you otherwise I might die and you wouldn't want that on your conscious would you?" She poorly tries to convince me.

I turn back around to look at her rather immaculate body, which showed no injuries... In fact with the loose hay gone, I got a rather exciting view that got my heart racing and forced me to turn away from her to keep from staring, "Really? You look quite fine to me."

"Yeah... Well, that's because... Ok fine, if you take me with you, I'll make it worth your while?" She begins to proposition, "You won't find anyone tougher than me in Skyrim. Not to mention as good-looking!" She winks.

"Huh, guess you're as modest in personality as you are in attire." I smirk as I look at her in the eyes.

"Haha, you are so funny. I'm just being honest and anyone who says otherwise is clearly jealous." She says sarcastically with a shrug and a smile.

"Alright, alright, but... What happened to your clothes?" I finally ask addressing the fact she is stark naked.

"What?! Ugh, my memory is a little fuzzy. If you happen to have any spare clothes that would be greatly appreciated. Oh and stop staring at my body, it's like you've never seen a naked woman before." The woman chides me making me blush a little as I turn away and hand her my spare mill worker clothes.

"Cough, cough, so why were you out on your own and why do you reek of booze?" I ask trying to change the subject while I look away as she changes into my spare clothes.

"Am I not allowed out on my own now? I had a little too much to drink. So what? I guess I must have passed out?" She shrugs before continuing, "I hope I didn't cause too much trouble. Actually, I'm not really that bothered." I hear her laugh a little as I hear more of my clothes rustling.

"Well, are you alright? You were 'injured' after all." I jokingly say.

"Of course I'm alright. Don't start fussing over me. I'm more than capable of handling myself." She says before tapping me on my shoulder.

"Well if you're so tough wh-..." I start to say as I turn around to be left almost as speechless as I was when she was left before me bare naked.

The way my large and worn clothes hung off her lithe frame but still showed enough of her curves to leave any man wondering at the bounties lying just beneath.

This coupled with her raven black hair and sparkling blue eyes left me mesmorized for a moment. It's only after she calls out to me am I shaken to my senses.

"So are you ready to go?" She asks.

"What?" I ask confused.

"Us traveling together? You let me travel with you and I'll watch your back." She says nonchalantly.

"I never agreed to let you come with me though?" I say looking at her with a tilt to my head.

"Well, I was hoping you would kind of keep me company. Look I know it sounds weird, but it's no fun on my own. You can tell me to leave if you want..." She looks away sadly, "But surely you can at least give me a chance?" She turns back with a hopeful look in her eyes.

I'm left to think about it for a moment, before finally agreeing with a few conditions, "Alright, you can come along, but I got a couple of conditions if you think you can handle it?" I tell her with a smirk.

"I can handle anything!... But what are these conditions of yours? I hope you are not getting any inappropriate ideas." She says with slight interest and a knowing gaze.

"Nothin' like that. I run a mercenary company and if you want to travel with me, I'd like ta make it official and have you join the crew. But that'd mean you'd have to follow my orders. At least when it comes to combat." I tell her.

"Hmmm... I think it could be fun! Doesn't sound like a problem so long as I can spend my coin on booze. Anything else?" She replies happily.

"Great. The other thing is, I've got some big plans for Skyrim and it could get pretty dangerous. Are you sure you're ready to be a mercenary? Cause our pay is currently shit and there's only two other company members beside me." I tell her honestly.

"Well, at least there is pay. And I'm always down for an adventure. Fuck it, let's do it! Now, where is my... Ah! There's my sword!" She says as she pulls a simple steel sword out from a pile of loose hay.

"Great, let's get you some armor and head out." I say turning to leave before she calls out once more.

"Oh, I haven't introduced myself, have I? My name is Sofia but you probably already knew that. I'm quite well known in Skyrim, although sometimes I'm not sure it is for the right reasons. I kind of see myself as an adventurer although it's no fun without anyone to witness my heroic deeds such as..." Sofia ponders for a moment before saying, "Well, I'm sure there's probably something? I like to get drunk, kill stuff, and be a nuisance. So what about you?"

"Well, my name is Silvantas Malborne and I'd like to fashion myself an adventurer as well." I tell her as we begin moving towards the gates of Whiterun.

"Nice to meet you, Silvy. I hope to be of some use to you. I am rather talented if I say so myself so I'm sure there must be something I can do for you. Just let me know." Sofia says happily falling in behind me alongside Faendal and Lokir who heard our conversation and seemed to just accept her as a new member of the company.

Silvy? Well, it's not too bad as nicknames go. Anyways... Time to grow the corps. And here comes the standard town gate encounter.