Chapter 29 New Couple and The History of Empire Falls
The first rays of sunlight crept through the cracks of the wooden shutters, casting long golden lines across the room. Dust motes floated lazily in the warm glow, dancing whenever I moved. The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of timber and the lingering aroma of last night's cooking.
I stretched, feeling my joints loosen, then began packing our supplies.
One potion.
One loaf of bread.
One bedroll.
Each item glimmered faintly before vanishing into my system inventory
When everything was ready, I took a slow breath and stepped out into the hallway.
The inn was unbelievably quiet at this hour. A soft hush filled the place, broken only by the gentle creaking of the old wooden floorboards under my boots. Faint traces of smoke drifted from the hearth, warming the otherwise chilly morning air. The smell of pinewood and baked bread mixed faintly in the background.
The innkeeper who I casually called "uncle" stood behind the counter. His movements were relaxed, almost rhythmic, as he polished a glass with a worn cloth. His eyes lifted when he heard my footsteps, and a small, familiar smile curled on his face.
"Morning," I greeted as I approached.
"Hey, uncle, give me some chicken soup."
He nodded once, setting the glass aside.
"And for the drink?" he asked while reaching for a ladle.
I snapped my fingers lightly and pointed at him with a half-grin.
"The usual milk."
He huffed a soft chuckle, shaking his head as if amused by my predictable habits.
"Alright, boss. Coming right up."
He turned away, shoulders moving in steady, practiced motions as he began preparing the soup. The sound of bubbling broth and clinking utensils filled the empty inn, bringing a comforting sense of routine to the quiet morning.
A moment later, the door to one of the rooms creaked open.
Astrid stepped out slowly, almost dragging her feet across the wooden floor. Her golden hair was adorably messy strands sticking out in odd directions, some falling over her face. Her eyes were half-lidded, glazed with sleep, and her simple morning clothes hung loosely on her frame, giving her a relaxed, almost fragile look.
When her drowsy gaze finally landed on me, her expression softened instantly.
A lazy, warm smile spread across her lips.
"Heeey… you," she murmured, stretching the words as if speech itself required effort.
She shuffled her way toward me, moving with the sluggish grace of someone still caught halfway in a dream. Without asking or waiting for permission, she dropped down beside me, her body warming the cold wooden bench.
Then quietly, naturally she leaned her head onto my shoulder.
I felt her entire weight settle as she exhaled softly. Within seconds, her breathing slowed… then steadied.
She fell asleep again.
The inn was still hushed, only the faint crackling of burning logs filling the air. Her warmth seeped through my clothes, and I couldn't help but glance at her peaceful face eyes closed, lips parted slightly, completely trusting, completely at ease.
I lifted one hand and gently brushed my fingers against her cheek, wiping a stray lock of hair away. Her skin was warm to the touch.
"Hey… still sleeping?" I whispered, my voice barely above a breath. "Go wash your face. We have an important mission today, remember?"
Astrid groaned, the sound muffled against my shoulder.
"Eeeenggh… I'm too lazy… Let me stay like this for a bit…"
Her arms didn't wrap around me, but her body instinctively curled closer, seeking comfort in the morning chill.
I chuckled softly, unable to hide my amusement.
"Astrid… aren't you embarrassed? People are watching."
My tone wasn't scolding it was gentle, teasing in the way someone speaks to someone precious. This softer side of our relationship was still new, but it felt natural.
Astrid didn't even twitch. She just buried her face deeper into my shoulder and mumbled,
"Enggh… I don't care…"
To her, the world was quiet. Calm. Only the two of us existed in this sleepy morning moment.
But then she paused.
Her body stiffened ever so slightly.
And she murmured something that made my heart skip
something she clearly hadn't thought through.
"Besides… why should I be embarrassed in front of my own partner…?"
Silence.
Even the crackling fireplace felt like it froze for a second.
Her eyes widened a fraction.
She realized what she had just said.
Color rushed to her cheeks soft pink blooming into deep red. She jerked upright, nearly knocking her head into mine.
"I I'll go wash my face!" she blurted.
Without looking back, she hurried off toward the washroom, practically fleeing the scene. Her footsteps echoed across the empty inn quick, flustered, and unmistakably embarrassed.
I watched her go, unable to stop the small smile forming on my lips.
The four of us moved through the inn's quiet morning air, preparing ourselves for departure. Outside, the early sunlight bathed the world in pale gold, the crisp chill of Skyrim's dawn brushing against our skin.
Astrid emerged first now fully awake and fully armored.
Her Daedric armor gleamed with a dark, intimidating sheen, jagged edges catching the morning light like embers frozen in metal. Each step she took made a low, metallic clink, a stark contrast to her soft demeanor just moments earlier.
Her normal clothes every layer, from her casual tunic to even her undergarments were neatly folded and stored inside my system inventory. She had handed everything over without hesitation, trusting me completely.
I continued packing the final items: bundles of dried food, rolls of bandages, stamina potions, healing elixirs.
Each one vanished with that familiar shwwp as soon as my hand hovered over it.
Delphine's jaw slackened.
Esbern blinked rapidly, adjusting his glasses as if the lenses were deceiving him.
"By the gods…" Delphine muttered under her breath.
Esbern leaned forward, squinting.
"That item… just disappeared," he whispered, sounding both fascinated and confused.
I lifted a hand casually.
"This inventory is a special kind of magic only I can use," I explained. "It's… complicated. Please keep it secret."
They exchanged a long look.
But after everything they'd witnessed my capabilities, my impossible feats, the strange power I carried this was simply another odd miracle to add to the list.
Delphine sighed.
"At this point, I'm not even surprised anymore."
Esbern nodded slowly, stroking his beard.
"Very well, my boy. Your… magic… shall remain undisclosed."
The Carriage Ride
We boarded the carriage waiting outside a sturdy wooden wagon with weathered wheels and a driver wrapped in furs. The horse snorted clouds of warm breath into the cold air as we climbed aboard.
The road ahead was long, cutting through forests still blanketed in a thin morning mist. Dew glistened on every leaf, sparkling under the rising sun. The creaking of the carriage and the rhythmic clopping of hooves blended into a strangely peaceful melody.
As we settled into our seats, the wind brushed against our faces. Astrid sat beside me, arms folded, armor gleaming faintly under the shifting light.
I turned to Esbern, curiosity burning in my chest.
"Hey Esbern," I called over the rumble of the wheels, "do you know a lot of magic?"
Esbern looked up from his thoughts. His old eyes, sharp despite age, focused on me.
He straightened slightly.
"Yes, a few," he said calmly. "I used to be a bodyguard to the Emperor. I had to be strong."
My eyes widened instantly.
"Whoa that's amazing! So you know many spells?"
Esbern puffed out his chest a little, pride subtly shining through.
"Of course. I can even teach you, if you'd like."
Teach…?
That word hit me like a shock.
In the game, spells could only be learned through spell books. But here, in this world… magic was passed from knowledge, training, maybe even experience.
My mind raced.
"So what spells do you know? I can use Sparks, Lightning Bolt, Flame, Firebolt… some Conjuration and Alteration too."
Esbern lifted a brow, clearly impressed.
"Not bad for someone like you."
He stroked his beard thoughtfully before continuing.
"I can use everything you've mentioned. But I also wield some advanced spells Fireball, Flame Cloak, Stoneflesh, Fast Healing."
My mouth practically dropped open.
"Wow you can use those? I've heard advanced spells are incredibly rare nowadays. Even the spell books are valuable treasures."
Esbern laughed a deep, hearty old-man laugh.
"Hah! Boy, I've been hiding in the Ratway in Riften for so long, I probably lost track of half the world's changes. I've no idea how strong the people of Skyrim are now."
He leaned back as the wind tugged gently at his hood, his expression easing into one of nostalgia and quiet sadness.
Astrid watched him quietly.
Delphine crossed her arms, listening but saying nothing yet.
Ahead of us, the long road stretched toward the distant mountains Sky Haven Temple waiting somewhere beyond the mist.
Delphine, who had been quietly staring out at the passing forest, finally shifted her gaze toward us. The creaking carriage wheels and the steady rhythm of the horse's hooves were the only sounds as she drew in a slow breath.
Her voice, when she spoke, was low heavy with memory.
"We once fought in the Great War… the 30th of Frostfall," she began. Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if she were staring not at the trees around us, but at scenes from long ago. "The Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion clashed. We fought the Thalmor for five long years."
Her hands clenched subtly on her knees.
Even her breathing changed shallow, steady, controlled.
"Long story short," she continued, "the Thalmor devastated the Imperial City. They tore through our defenses, captured entire territories, sowed chaos everywhere they passed. Whole families were displaced. Soldiers died by the thousands. And then there were those… who wanted to join them."
Her lips twisted bitterly.
"Civil conflict. Infighting. Distrust. Everything was chaos back then."
The wind brushed against us as the carriage rolled deeper into the valley, the sound of rustling leaves filling the spaces between her words.
"To retake the Imperial City," Delphine said, "the Empire launched a massive campaign mobilizing every soldier, every resource. They succeeded…" She paused. "But the cost was enormous. Too enormous."
Esbern looked down at his hands. His fingers trembled slightly, the weight of old scars settling into his posture.
"Exhausted by endless war, the Empire finally negotiated with the Thalmor," Delphine said, voice tightening.
"The White-Gold Concordat."
The temperature seemed to drop at the very mention of it.
Her jaw tightened.
Her eyes hardened.
Even Astrid shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"That treaty was the only way to end the conflict for the Empire," she admitted grudgingly. "But it benefited the Aldmeri Dominion far more."
She raised one finger, her tone sharp.
"First it banned the worship of Talos."
Her voice filled with disgust.
"Second disbanded the Blades."
Her hand curled into a fist at the mere mention of it.
"And third gave the Thalmor freedom to move across Skyrim, thanks to the Empire failing to enforce the treaty during the Markarth Incident."
She leaned back, frustration clear in her expression.
"And the Thalmor used that excuse to hunt Talos worshippers… and any remaining Blades."
The carriage fell silent.
Astrid and I listened without saying a word. The wind whispered past us. The forest thinned briefly, revealing distant mountains shrouded in pale morning mist.
Esbern exhaled shakily, his old eyes shimmering with sorrow.
Delphine wasn't finished.
"Many races felt betrayed by that treaty," she continued, her tone now edged with anger. "Especially the Redguards. They refused it completely. They'd rather fight to the last breath than bow to the Dominion."
She looked toward the horizon eyes sharp, full of old fire.
"To avoid being dragged into another war, the Empire abandoned Hammerfell as an Imperial province." Her voice dropped, almost into a growl.
"Left them to fend for themselves."
The carriage wheels rolled over uneven ground, jolting us slightly.
"And from there…" She exhaled heavily. "Skyrim weakened.
The Empire weakened."
Her words fell into the air like a cold fog heavy, unshakable.
No one spoke.
Astrid stared ahead, her brows gently furrowed, as if trying to imagine the chaos of a world she'd never known.
I leaned back, absorbing the history the weight, the loss, the betrayal.
Esbern closed his eyes for a moment, grief lining his worn features.
As the long, winding road toward Sky Haven Temple stretched before us, we sat in solemn silence letting the echoes of the past settle into our hearts, carried by the soft rumble of wheels and the endless breath of the Skyrim wilderness.
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