Reinhardt
~ ~ ~
A few days after getting my aunt’s letter I traveled through the Pale Pass, a snakelike path that carves through the Jerall Mountains into Skyrim. Aside from the harsh cold weather, it was a simple journey.
Well… no, I shouldn’t say that… There was the bit where I got lost.
Must’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere. I’d hiked for about a full day, but instead of reaching the forests of Falkreath Hold, I fumbled through more stone and sleet, going deeper into the mountains. I thought to turn back around and retrace my steps.
But then I saw something. A campfire was burning in the distant bluffs. There was a cozy looking wood cabin – you could barely see it past the rocks. I had to shield my eyes against the blindingly bright snow. There wasn’t a clear path to the cabin but my chill bitten hands and feet, not to mention a mildly growling stomach, urged me to find some way toward the lodge.
I trekked up across the mountain’s face, careful to watch my step. Slopes were steep and the way down looked long. I came to a peak overlooking the cabin. Seeing it up close, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. The place wasn’t much to look at. Its supports were built with sturdy log beams but the walls were made of thin wood boards, some stacked unevenly, cracks filled in with a sappy adhesive. There was a stone circle fire pit letting off smoke nearby. The cabin didn’t have a door, just a deerskin hide draped over the entrance. Everything seemed hastily cobbled together.
I hadn’t realized how close to Falkreath I was until then. To my left I could see pine trees flowing down into a valley, stretching out toward rivers, lakes and farther ranges. Figured I’d reach the city in a day’s time if I could find a way down the mountain side, and I’d be at Helgen before the week was out.
But first, the cabin. I slid down a snow covered crest and shuffled over to the burned up fireplace. There were wide-spaced footprints leaving the cabin grounds. Looked like someone left in a hurry.
“Anybody home?” I called out with cupped hand.
An arrow flew past my ear. It clanked off of a boulder behind me, disappearing into the deep snow.
“Next shot I won’t miss,” a woman yelled from some ways off.
“Woah, woah!” I exclaimed, holding up my hands in surrender. “Take it easy! I’m friendly!”
The woman walked closer to me. Her fur lined coat and winter hood were speckled with snowflakes. A couple of freshly killed rabbits hung limp on her belt. She held a pinewood hunting bow, aimed and drawn in my direction.
“A girl can’t be too careful,” she chided. “Too many people out here who’ll try to rob you or take your head off.”
“Hey, you’re the one trying to take off my head,” I snorted. “This how you treat all your visitors?”
“The ones who come armed, yes,” the woman said, gesturing with the tip of her arrow toward the ground. “Drop your sword.”
“If it means you’ll quit pointing that thing at me…”
As I reached for my weapon, something struck me. The woman was near enough to see clearly. She had high cheek bones, a long thin nose bridge, and blond hair. She seemed familiar. I stopped to look more closely.
“I said drop your sword,” the woman repeated.
“Do I know you?” I asked.
“If you think you can talk your way out of this–”
“Shor’s bones, I do know you!” I exclaimed. “Angi!? Why are you all the way out here in the mountains?”
The woman startled.
“How do you know my name?”
“Oh come on, are you dense? You don’t recognize me?” I said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. “It can’t have been that long…”
“Stop talking and drop your sword!”
“Angi, you don’t remember who I am? We–”
“I’m counting to three.”
“Wait, wait!” I stammered, trying to think of a way I could help jog her memory. “Err… Hold on! Try to picture me without my beard!”
That did it. Angi’s face began to soften.
“…Reinhardt?”
I slumped and heaved a sigh of relief.
“Yes… Now would you stop threatening to kill me? We didn’t part on terms that poor, did we?”
Angi lowered her bow, returning her arrow to the quiver on her back.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I think I asked you that first.”
She reached for her arrow again.
“I was hiking!” I blurted. “I saw the cabin and came over! Trolls blood, will you let up woman!?”
Angi relaxed. “So you’re back now,” she said. “Decided you’d had enough fun with those cushy Imperials in Cyrodiil?”
“Eh… Things happen. Times change,” I shrugged, nodding at the cabin. “Looks like you’ve had no kind favors.”
“That’s the best answer I can expect from you, isn’t it?” Angi shook her head.
“Afraid so,” I said, smiling. “If it means I can have something to eat, I’ll stop being a pain in the ass.”
Angi folded her arms.
“That might be difficult, knowing you. But I’ll take your offer.”
~ooooo~
We took seats on wood chairs near the fire. Mine had an uneven leg that teetered every time I shifted weight. Angi sat across from me with her bow rested on her lap. She’d built up the fire again. A ring of melted snow and dead grass surrounded the pit. I took my first bite of the rabbit Angi had kindly prepared for me.
“Talos have mercy, this is disgusting,” I grumbled, forcing down the burnt-tasting meat.
“I thought you said you were going to stop being an ass.
“Oops…” I gave the rabbit another bite.
Angi rolled her eyes.
“You haven’t changed at all.”
I stopped for a moment, fixing my eyes on the woman.
“Unlike you, huh? Angi, why are you out here like this? What made you decide to leave Helgen?”
“I thought that’d be obvious,” she said. “The weather is wonderful here this season.”
“So it is! Great for hunting too, I’m sure,” I replied with a mouthful of rabbit. “You been tracking any big game? Elk? Bears? Your sense of humor? I can see you haven’t found that one yet.”
Angi sighed.
“I came to these mountains a couple of years ago. Couldn't stand to be around anyone in the village anymore.”
“Well that’s depressing. Why?”
Angi took her time before speaking again. Her eyes tilted down to the flames.
“I’d lost my family,” she said. “They all felt pity for me. But I didn't want them to. It was my problem, not theirs.”
Her voice carried a hint of anger, but was otherwise emotionless.
“What…?” I whispered. “What do you mean lost your family?”
“You know well what I mean. They’re dead, Reinhardt.”
I slumped in my seat. Of all the things to happen while I was away. I’d known Angi’s family since I was a boy – her parents, her older brother...
“What’s it to you, anyway?” she snapped. “I’m surprised you even care. We heard nothing from you for years.”
“Don’t you go putting this on me!” I pointed a finger at her. “Your family was good to mine. Right by me, anyway. Why wouldn’t I care?”
She didn’t reply. Birds cawed as they flew overhead through the clouds. I stared at Angi.
“I’m sorry,” I finally said.
“No,” she replied angrily. “Don’t be like them. Don’t be sorry for me.”
“Okay then, I won’t. Just tell me how it happened.”
Angi looked away at the cliffs.
“There’s nothing to tell. They were murdered. End of story.”
“By who, Angi? Who did this?”
“Two Imperial drunks who thought they were above the law,” she said with a sad grin, as though the thought of her family’s fate was laughable. I scowled. Damn Imperial dogs…
“Where are they now?” I growled. “I’ll gladly kill them myself.”
“Already did,” Angi replied, strumming the drawstring on her bow. “Part of the reason I’m living out here now.”
My mouth slacked open.
“…Really?”
She nodded.
“Thanks for offering, though.”
I sat quietly, finishing my cold rabbit. That’s the thing about us Nords. We tend to take care of our problems more directly than most. I had to admire Angi’s resolve. Reminded me why I spent all those years fancying her.
“You know, I'd have been happy to hear that anyone killed those Imperials,” I said, grinning. “I'm even happier to hear you did. High time some things got set right in this world.”
“It’s what you would have done,” Angi replied. “You always took your problems head on. No regrets or excuses…”
“Ha! You're not trying to paint a romantic picture of me, are you?” I chuckled. “I think you’re forgetting all the bruises and broken bones I collected.”
“Those things don’t make you wrong, Reinhardt. They make you an oaf.”
She stood up, having finished her meal, and tossed me her bow. I caught it with questionable grace.
“If we’re done with this,” Angi said, “I’m suddenly curious to see if you’ve been practicing.”
Oh no, I thought, of all the things to bring up again…
“Practicing? Come on Angi, I haven’t used a bow in years!”
“I’ll take that as a ‘no’ then,” she spoke matter-of-factly. “I have some targets set up near the road. We’ll shoot there.”
“You threaten to take my life, serve me your awful cooking, and now we have to do archery? By Shor, you still get off watching me squirm.”
“You’re the one who insisted on coming here and digging up old memories.”
She dropped a quiver of iron tipped arrows at my feet and started walking. Angi and her brother always used to take me with them on hunting trips. I was a decent wood worker but a worthless marksman. Couldn’t hit the broad side of bear from three paces. Still they’d go on inviting me, saying I’d need the skills to hunt for myself someday. So I got to practice.
And I shot poorly. A lot.
‘Course, I never said it then but I always thanked them for it. Those were simpler times. It felt good to tag along.
Slinging the quiver over my shoulder, I followed Angi down the road.
Table of Contents
Previous ~*~ Following
Leave a 'like' if you've enjoyed reading!
Comments
The longbow in game honestly looks like it has been made from hickory plank. So hickory or ash. The shape of that bow have trad... more
Really? That's interesting. Shows what I know... yeesh. XP
What do you suspect the hunting bows in Skyrim are made out of, then?
I have a constructive critisism to make as an archer and bowyer. Pine is one of the few woods you can't make bows out of, at least not "selfbows" or bows of on... more
Raidriar, I'd say its not just you. I liked the last chapter. but the writing in this one really clic... more