Marudil stood before a window that morning and painted his face once again. Now the face was familiar once more: it was the face of an avenging warrior that would hunt the Thalmor to the ends of Nirn. It was the face of one who had claimed many lives in his pursuit of one enemy, and would continue to hunt relentlessly until, at long last, his enemy lay dead before him. This was what he was called to do; he was Apache. He was Enemy. And he had a duty to return to...
He gathered his few belongings and walked outside. The people of Rorikstead stopped their work to watch his last acts in their village, with distrust and concern laden in their eyes. Marudil saw that they were afraid, but that would not stop him from speaking to them one last time.
"Mralki... you gave me shelter and food when I needed it. Thank you. Jouane, wise old man, you healed my broken body after I'd nearly faced death. I can never repay you enough for your kindness. Sissel... you are a remarkable girl. Full of compassion... full of light. I owe my life to you, and I can never thank you enough. And Lemkil..." He approached the farmer directly and gave him a serious look. "I see there is a change in your eyes from when we first met. Perhaps there is yet hope that you may redeem yourself as a father... but if you harm Sissel again, I will know. The wind will tell me everything that you have done, and I will come back to punish you myself."
Lemkil backed away as Marudil turned and went down the path leading out of Rorikstead. He had a long way to go, and only had a faint idea of where his enemy was hiding. But he knew she was here in Skyrim. He'd heard many Justiciars brag about 'Lady Elenwen' and her great leadership over their order. Just then, his train of thought was interrupted by the familiar sound of little footsteps coming up from behind him...
"Sissel?" Marudil turned around.
"Wait! Don't go! Please don't go!" Sissel begged, "I'll be all alone!"
"Sissel..." He knelt down to her level. "If I stay here, they will come for me and threaten your village. They very nearly took you away, and the thought of that... it destroys me."
"But... but..." Tears fell down her face. "I'll miss you..."
"And I will miss you too... more than anything I've ever missed in all my life. In the short time we've known each other, you've brought light back to my soul... you've reminded me of what I once was, and what I've lost to become... this."
"You're not a monster... you'll always be Sitting Bear to me. Always."
"I wish I could be Sitting Bear again, Sissel. I wish it so badly... but my past has decreed that it can never be again. Not so long as the Aldmeri Dominion rules this land."
"Do you think they'll ever go away?"
"Yes... yes I do. If they do not leave of their own accord, I will make them leave by force. Or by blood. Whatever it takes."
Sissel hugged Marudil tightly, not wanting to let go of her best friend. The Bosmer hugged back warmly, and was humbled by the sound of her sobbing against his shoulder. For half a minute they sat there, silently saying their goodbyes before finally breaking the hug.
"I have something for you..." Sissel said shakily, handing Marudil a gift. It was a necklace she made, decorated with rocks she'd found on the road. At the center of the necklace was a polished rock carved in the shape of a bear.
Marudil tried wrapping it around his neck at first, but it would not fit; Sissel had innocently crafted it after her own neck... perhaps she'd made it for herself at first, but wanted her friend to have it when it was clear he would be leaving. Instead of wearing it on his neck, Marudil tied the gift in his long hair and looked at Sissel.
"It fits after all." He grinned, "I have something for you too." He reached into his bag and handed Sissel a smooth blue stone, with the marking of a bird carved into it. "It's a Bosmeri power stone... our ancient people believed that whoever held the stone was given the power of the animal depicted in it. Let it be a symbol of strength to you, to never lose hope... and that, perhaps one day, you may be free of this place and soar to new lands."
Sissel accepted the power stone and hugged her friend one final time, before standing back as he rose to his feet and walked down the road. Sissel stood there for many minutes, watching until she could no longer see any sign of her friend...
***
Many days passed. Sissel was sitting in front of the Frostfruit Inn, clutching Marudil's power stone and singing his song...
"Sa-mo-ne-ta-wa-wa-wa-wo/Et-tey-shey-na/Wey-yo-na-na-yo-wa-na-hu/Wey-yo-na-na-yo-wa-na-hu/A-no-hey-no-yo-wey-na-hey-ney-no-wa... Wey-yo-na-na-yo-wa-na-hu/Wey-yo-na-na-yo-wa-na-hu/A-no-hey-no-yo-wey-na-hey-ney-no-wa... "
"Where'd you hear that?" A young woman's voice asked.
Sissel looked up to find a tall red-headed Imperial leaning casually against the railing of the inn. "Oh... an old friend sang it. It's a Valenwood song."
"Is it really? It's beautiful. Who was this friend of yours? I think I might know him."
"I doubt it. His name was Marudil... we called him Sitting Bear."
"Marudil? You've met him?"
"You know him??"
The lady nodded. "I do. In fact I was just looking for him... I need his help with something."
"What's your name? I think he mentioned you one night."
The Imperial lady extended her gloved hand. "Erika Northwing. Charmed to meet you."
~FIN~
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