"Yes, then Will did a flip in the air and flies straight into the ground." Thorum burst out in laughter, slamming his mug of ad onto the table.
I shook my head and sighed. The others were laughing at my expense, but it wasn't upsetting. Rin was really squeezing out every bit of information from Thorum that she could, basically starting from the last training session.
"How long did he keep going at it?" Rin grinned, eyeing .
"Oh, an hour at least, maybe more." Thorum chuckled. "Never in the sa way, but for so reason, he always ended up with his face in the ground every single ti."
"Well, he does always like to brag about how talented he is." Rin snickered.
"I'm glad my genius is finally recognized by you." I raised my own mug up, before taking a drink. "Honestly, it's only rivaled by my handsoness." I smirked.
"Boo." Rin blew a raspberry.
"Aye, he has been getting a mite prideful these days, maybe we should have another training session?" Thorum laughed.
"Mayhaps it is appropriate to remind him and keep his ego grounded." Artoria added, surprisingly holding a mug of her own. I did not think she really enjoyed alcohol much...or maybe she just has specific tastes. I could imagine that this stuff was much closer to what she could rember form her era, and she was probably used to it from the first ti I brought so around.
"Well, I would not say no to more people." Thorum rubbed his chin. "Your beauty and grace hide such prowess, Miss Pendragon. Just the thought of fighting you makes shiver, as if my instincts are screaming that it is a bad idea."
Artoria looked very happy from his words. I think she was glad he didn't ntion that she was....'delicate' or 'small'. "You are Wilhelm's friend, you can call by my na." She smiled at him, though not arguing with his words.
His dragon instincts were fairly good if he could tell that much.
"Another!" Jinn threw her hand up, slamming an empty mug onto the table, her fifth one so far. Maybe letting her drink so much alcohol so soon was a bad idea....
"Agreed!" Thorum followed suit, downing the last of his, mimicking her actions.
"Oh jeeze." Rin face pald. "I didn't think she could even get drunk....can she get drunk, is she drunk?" Rin just shook her head.
Jinn just giggled. "Lighten up~"
"There is no harm, Rin." Artoria agreed. "We are among friends." Artoria followed suit with a smile herself. It was rare for her to indulge herself like this.
"Uggg, fine." Rin rolled her eyes, but smiled brightly as well. "Get one with the next round."
"Woo!" Jinn cheered. "Waiter, another round!"
"Coming up!" A shout was heard behind the counter.
Honestly, at this point, half the tavern was stealing glances at us. Maybe because Jinn was very eye catching, maybe because they were very beautiful and exotic as far as looks went, or perhaps because of Thorum, and to a lesser extent . But, for whatever reason, we were basically the center of attention here.
"I'm curious, how did the two of you actually et?" Rin asked as a woman ca by, setting so fresh mugs on the table for us and taking our dishes away.
"Oh, that's actually kinda funny.." I scratched my cheek.
"Aye, it was a strange situation." Thorum nodded.
"You want to or...?"
"You go ahead, my friend, I'm curious how it was from your perspective." He gestured for to go on.
"Alright." I took a big drink, letting the honeyed taste pour down my throat. "Well, it started off with that mishap with my magic." I glanced around, Rin and Artoria nodded, but Jinn looked confused and Thorum was, contemplative. "My portal ability." I clarified. "First ti using it, had a bit of an accident with my calculations."
"Oh, I see." Thorum nodded in understanding.
"Yeah...did the magical equivalent of hitting a tree when I used it for the first ti."
"So this is nothing new then." Thorum grinned.
"Yeah yeah, laugh it up." I lightly hit his shoulder. "So, I had a bit of a tumble, head hurting, these guys find and patch up. The Storm cloaks." I paused again. "You know about the political situation in Skyrim at the mont?"
"I read it." Jinn interjected. "Stormcloaks, rebelling against the Empire, to summarize it."
"That works." I nodded. "Anyways, got found by the stormcloaks, they patched up, but apparently the camp got raided by the empire, everyone gets tied up, including because they had no idea who I was."
"Why would they tie you up too, you were unconscious and probably hurt?" Rin looked confused.
"It is admittedly the intelligent course of actions." Artoria clarified. "He could have been a combatant injured in previous battle. Honestly, there were an uncountable number of possibilities, it was the safe action to take when dealing with enemies."
"Aye, I don't fault them for treating with caution when I was pulled into everything as well. I was crossing the border at a bad ti, and they assud I was with the Stormcloaks as well." Thorum took a drink of his ad. "I do not think it helped that I was a Nord as are the majority of the Storm cloaks"
"Anyways, I wake up, hands bound, a killer headache and we're on the back of a cart escorted by a bunch of ard guards." I started to weave the tale. "I look around and the first words out of my mouth are 'fuck '." I gestured over to Thorum. "I share a conversation with so Stormcloak guy, he gives so information, and apparently, we're sitting right next to the guy who started the rebellion and murdered the king. Or sothing like that, I haven't really looked into it much."
"That sounds...super unlucky, like holy shit." Rin started at incredulously.
Thorum let out a laugh. "It could have been. There have been tales of the Empire forgoing legal rights and sending prisoners straight to the block."
"I can guess you both escaped your binds?" Artoria looked....unamused by the insinuation.
Jinn, as if sobering up for a mont seed angry, a look I hadn't ever seen on her face before. "Maybe we should go pay a visit to the Empire." She gave a very innocent smile.
"You're sweet." I kissed her cheek.
"Hehe~" She giggled, as if forgetting her previous words, and went back to drinking.
Thorum gave his big goofy smile, shooting a thumbs up. "I am still waiting to learn this powerful magic of yours, my friend."
"Oh, fuck off." I waved my hand at him.
"Magic, what magic?" Rin perked up.
"This idiot keeps spouting so nonsense about my natural charm being so sort of magic." I rolled my eyes.
"Well, I think it would make more sense." Rin snorted.
"Indeed my friend. I believe you should share your secrets." Thorum joined in.
"Oh screw you both." I huffed. "I can't help it if I can just charm the panties off the ladies" I wiggled my eyebrows.
"Oh, can you now?" Artoria raised an eyebrow.
"Erm...." I cleared my throat.
"Please, do go on." Rin had a wide grin on her face.
"Yes, Will, please elaborate." Thorum also chid in.
"I'm not wearing panties!" Jinn declared.
We all turned to her, who just started going into a giggle fit. Drunk Jinn is precious, and I want to cherish her forever.
I dipped my finger into my drink, using the liquid to draw a few runes onto the table, creating a simplistic and unsteady bounded field, sothing that can be wiped away quite easily. Its only purpose was to muffle our conversation to anyone outside of our table.
"Anyways, we were tied up, right?" My ability to change the subject was masterful as always.
"Smooth." Rin deadpanned. "But I am curious, go on."
Well, I was mostly joking, and Artoria knew that if her smile was anything to go by.
"I don't particularly like the Stormcloaks, but they were good to have at my back. I was able to communicate with so looks to one of them that I could use magic, Thorum picked up on it easily as well. So, I burst a wheel of the cart with a botched Reinforcent, and in the sudden confusion we staged a break out."
"A botched reinforcent? That's pretty smart and sothing I'll need to rember." Rin muttered.
"I rember." Thorum took a drink. "The ones guarding us, the majority of them were green. Probably never seeing a true battle before, just there to bask in the 'glory' of defeating a group of stormcloaks. They were disorganized in the ss and panicked."
"There was no commander to take charge?" Artoria looked at in surprise.
"Now that I think about it....there was a woman on a horse giving orders, and there was another prisoner with us, a horse thief who tried to make a run for it before we moved, but after I blew the cart up. She went after him since he bolted into the nearby forest."
Artoria furrowed her brow, looking a little annoyed. "She should have sent out so of her n, not go herself. She left them without a clear chain of command, and chaos ensued without anyone to rally them."
"I won't say anything in her defense." I held my arms up.,
"Aye, in hindsight, it was a bad idea on their part, but I will not lose any sleep over their decisions." Thorum added.
"So, you guys fought, anything interesting happen?" Rin asked.
"About what you would expect." I shrugged. "I was a bit....weaker back then, but they still didn't have any mages, so I could have free rein with my own magic. Really, the most annoying thing was a couple archers."
Suddenly Thorum broke out in laugher. "I rember! You threw a dagger at one of them, but it only clonked him in the head and he fell over!"
I snorted, laughing myself a I recalled what happened. "I completely forgot about that. I never had much a talent for throwing knives or the like." I let out a small sigh, as the image of it was still fresh in my mind now. "Afterwards, we went our separate ways, only eting back up again when I went to Whiterun."
"Oh, oh! Tell them how you t ridia!" Jinn looked excited at the idea.
"She told you?" I was mildly surprised.
"Uh huh." Jinn nodded.
"I'm curious now." Artoria spoke.
"There is definitely a story here and I have to know." Rin looked at .
Thorum sat up a little straighter. "You never did tell the full story of how you t, only that you t her at her temple."
"It's not that interesting." I waived it off. "I just t her after clearing her temple of so necromancer. We clicked and the rest is history."
"Li-ar~" Jinn poked . "Tell the truth, mister" She continued to poke .
"You're really going to make say it?" I groaned.
"Oh god I really want to hear this now." Rin looked rather gleeful.
"She asked what I wanted as my reward after defeating the necromancer and cleansing her temple" I sighed.
"You didn't." Rin broke out in laughs.
"I did."
"I don't know if I should laugh or admire your bravery." Thorum seed a bit speechless.
"Why not both?" Rin shared a look with him.
"Aye, both sounds good."
"Hate you, hate you both."
"I don't understand." Artoria spoke up.
Damn you and your adorable naivety.
"Say it." Jinn leaned in, poking further.
"I asked her to be my woman." I dropped my head to the table.
"He's blushing!" Rin cried in laughter.
"Oh, I see." Artoria turned a little pink. "How bold."
"Truly you are an inspiration." Thorum toasted, holding back his own bellowing laughter with a drink.
"I think it's cute." Jinn cooed
"Yeah, yeah." I sighed. "Let's change the subject, what's going on with you, Thorum?"
"I was thinking of heading out, seeing so of Skyrim for a bit." He cald down, seemingly adopting a sowhat serious expression.
"You're not worried about a dragon attack?" I asked. I wouldn't have stuck around like he had, but his sense was duty was admirable if nothing else.
"I am, but I can't just sit here forever." He admitted. "Ddraig's words spoke true to my heart. At the very least, I wish to step out of the city for a few days." He let out a sigh. "I had spoken to the Jarl, he did give his blessing."
The jarl agreed huh? Well, from a pragmatic view, it would be smart of him to not run afoul the Dragonborn when he's already being so helpful and listening to the Jarl's commands. "Any idea on where you want to go?"
"I have not thought that far ahead." He scratched his head. "The college would be an interesting place to visit. I would not mind seeing where you have studied and maybe learn a thing or two myself."
"The college is great." Rin bead. "They'll happily accept you. I heard so things about this 'Dragonborn' you're supposed to be able to pick up magic really easily. I'm curious how that works, is it so kind of enhanced spiritual wisdom? Or maybe a magical phenonon similar to Mystic Eyes that breaks down any magic knowledge you learn to better assimilate it?"
"I understood....so of those words." Thorum chuckled.
"I would not fret, she sotis speaks in such riddles." Artoria gave a light smile. "I find it appropriate to just nod along whenever she addresses in such a way."
"Saber!"
"Aye, I will take your advice to heart." The shared a small chuckle between them at Rin's expense. "But the College does sound enticing, I will have to visit soti."
"I also work there." Jinn opened her eyes, having been resting on my shoulder for awhile now.
"Oh, Miss Jinn, what job do you have at the college?" Thorum asked.
Jinn perked up; she did so love to talk about the books there. "I'm the assistant Librarian! If you need anything found, any knowledge, I can find it for you." She puffed up her chest.
"I will be in your care then, Miss Jinn." Thorum nodded at her with a smile.
"She's right, and the Archmage would set you up with anything you really wanted. I have it on good authority that they recent received a sizable donation, more supplies should be rolling in from outside Skyrim soon."
"Hoh, a sizable donation?" Thorum looked at . "The person who donated it sounds very generous and honorable."
"Hopefully prices will be kept down a certain extent from this." I didn't elaborate, but he could read between the lines. "But....if you want sothing to do in the imdiate ti fra...." I shared a look around the table. Rin and Artoria were clued in on what I was talking about, and they gave their silent approval. "We had a little excursion planned in a little bit, shouldn't take more than a day, could give you a chance to stretch your legs."
"Sure, what do you need?" Thorum said without hesitation.
"You're not even going to ask?"
He shrugged. "If you require my aid, I will lend it."
"You are a good man, Thorum." Artoria nodded approvingly. "We seek one of those fabled Elder Scrolls, do you wish to join us in this quest?"
"An Elder Scroll!?" Thorum looked shocked. "I have only heard tales" He rubbed his chin. "To seek one out, I would regret it for the rest of my life if I did not accompany you on such a mission."
"Sweet, one more person to help kill giant spiders while I stand back." Rin approved in her own way.
Thorum didn't take offense. "I shall slay any spiders that approach you, Miss Tohsaka"
"You can call Rin." She grumbled, but she didn't like displeased by his attitude at all.
"What about you?" I poked my blue genie. "Do you want to take so ti to sober up and co?"
"Sleepy." She yawned.
"I'll take that as a no." Well, I don't think she would have wanted to co anyways, she's much more at ho surrounded by books than out in the thick of it. "Well, we can drop her off at ho, and pick up any supplies we need there. As I said, It shouldn't be more than a day if everything goes well, two at the most."
"Good, I look forward to seeing your battle prowess, Thorum." Artoria nodded. "I have head stories of the Dragonborn, and I am curious to see it in person."
Artoria approved as well, that's always good.
"Miss – Artoria." He corrected himself. "I do look forward to wielding my blade at your side. Wilhelm has told tale of your knighthood, I will see it firsthand."
"Oi, don't forget ." Rin huffed.
"Of course, Rin." Thorum smiled. "I am expecting to see your magical talent in action."
Jeeze, I don't think he's even doing that on purpose, buttering them up in all the right ways. Really, he's just a genuinely nice guy, always trying to make people around him happy.
I put my arm around Jinn, her giving a happy grunt at my action. "Alright, let's drop Jinn off and then head out." I pulled her up into my arms, picking her up off the chair.
"Weee~" She kicked her legs in my arms happily.
Damn, she really is a lightweight. Though, I can't really bla her, like one of the few tis she ever even drank anything and she downed half a dozen mugs of ad.
Well, I was looking forward to this little adventure. It will be my first ti doing this whole thing in a party. Perhaps I should take on a more traditional mage role?
I won't deny that a younger is absolutely gleeful at the idea of forming a party and exploring a dungeon.
***
Should be two chapters tomorrow to make up for missing Friday.
Happy Easter to everyone.
If you want to read 6 chapters ahead, visit my /astoryforone
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