It's a Trap
Lani helped R’kir load up his horse with the latest kill. He had been teaching her survival tips such as tracking, how to stay oriented/map reading, and how to prepare game for travel. He had even started teaching her on skinning so it could be sold for leather working. Some of the stuff she'd be taught a little of from her previous studies but others were things that wouldn’t have been taught to kids in her old world. Though she would freely admit she found skinning animals disconcerting. She understood it was needed but she resolved to see if there was a spell that would do it for her.
“So where to now?” Lani asked, nearly skipping with excited energy.
R’kir snorted, having gotten use to her near limitless energy. He privately wondered how she had lived a mundane life without driving anyone in her vicinity mad. At least she now was getting enough work in to calm her boiling over exuberance into a mere simmer. “Well,” he started. “ I was thinking we should stop by Iverstead and sell what we can before making our way to Helgan. They will have more supplies there than Iverstead does. Hopefully we can find some magika books for you and a good starter bow.”
Lani nodded. R’kir had a very nice ebony bow and when she asked if he could show her a few things he had simply smirked and said if she could pull the string back he would. Needless to say no bow lessons had occurred yet. R’kir explained that it was best to start with a lower quality bow until she had enough arm strength to use a higher quality one more easily.
Lani had also made some progress on stealth. Even R’kir said she made good improvements for only working at it for a few weeks. Though he quickly added she still sounded like a sleuth of bears chasing a single rabbit through a rocky terrain which had made her sniff in indignation. She wasn’t that bad. He’d also tested her swordplay and proclaimed she had a solid base before putting her through the rings.
“Skyrim is a rough place,” he had told her while she lay sprawled on the ground trying to catch her breath. “Better you learn that from me than the bandits we will meet on the road” she had of course agreed with him and wasn’t a stranger to hard work. And so her training became rigorous with the only breaks being the hunting and gathering to sell at the next town.
Lani hummed in agreement. Learning the spells of this world would be extremely helpful. She had already contemplated telling R’kir her true origins. They had spent the last month together and she was not unaware he had guessed something was off about her story but he never pushed. R’kir was laid back that way. And honestly it just made her want to tell him more. Also she wouldn’t have to hold back on her magic if he knew.
R’kir studied his young charge from the corner of his eyes as she seemed to get a faraway look on her face and play with the pendant around her neck. She did that sometimes. And sometimes she’d get this sad look before she snapped back to her energetic self. “What’s on your mind cub?” He asked as he began to lead his horse to the road.
Lani started and looked over at R’kir who was still watching their surroundings. She sighed. “I want to tell you everything but I’m pretty sure you will think I’m a loony”
He flashed her a smirk. “More so than I already do?” He teased and chuckled at her indignant “hey” and playful slap. His grin faltered when he heard a twig snap. “How about we talk once camp is set up alright? Just to make sure no one overhears whatever you have to say.” His eyes where alert but posture stayed unchanged
Lani’s eyes wide at the implication and tried to not tense up herself. “Yeah that sounds good.”
Years later Lani wouldn’t be able to tell exactly what happened. One moment the forest was too quiet, the next there were the cries of battle. Lani soon found herself fending off a brute of a man with a sword in her right hand and a mage with the magic from her left hand. The nord that fought her was wearing little armor and his chest was mostly bare to give him easier maneuverability. The mage in contrast wore thick robes and she could feel the powerful enchantments on them even from a distance. In her peripheral vision she could see R’kir weaving in and out of his five opponents expertly. Side stepping spells sent his way with practise ease. Lani gritted her teeth knowing she was far out classed by the swordsman, especially with the mage taking shots at her weak spots. While she was good with a sword for her age she was still a beginner by Skyrims standards. However she was much better with hand to hand combat. With that thought she abandoned her sword and side stepped the Nords sword before stepping into his space making it harder for him to use his weapon. She first clapped her hands on either side of his head directly over his ears, enforcing the strike with magic to her hands. While he staggered from the disorientation she followed that with a spear finger striking the suprasternal notch, a palm strike to his solar plexus and a knee to the groin. Lani then grabbed the leather straps that ran across his chest from the scabbard on his back and pulled him in the path of the ice spikes that were sent in her direction. He arched back as the ice spikes sank into his back but Lani didn’t give him time to recover. She did a quick roundhouse kick to the head and he collapsed unmoving.
Lani then began a battle of magic. She saw a second mage break off from the fight with R’kir and begin to send a flurry of spells in her direction. With two mages against her Lani knew she couldn’t hold back on her magic. And so a battle of magics began.
London
Siri and Remus sat across from each other holding a package each and a letter. “Okay letter first then?” Sirius asked in trepidation.
“Yeah, letter first.”
Padfoot and Moony,
I’m sorry I left things in such a mess. I wanted so badly to drag you both to the goblins to do a ritual cleansing but I was too afraid that the spells on your person were too strong and it would tip my hand too soon. I couldn’t let Dumbledoor know what I was planning. That being said, I am sorry for all the harsh words. I know you both were influenced by spells but my temper got the best of me. Know that I love you both and if I thought I could have gotten you both cleansed so you could go with me without alerting Dumbles I would have. I did keep looking for opportunities to snag you both but with Dumbles controlling order members to never leave us alone I never had the chance. The packages I left you both are proof that I had hoped I’d find a way to get you out of his clutches. They are necklaces but the pendants on each are actual trunks I started for you both. They both have living space, storage and training rooms along with some outdoor space. Mooney has a forest compartment to help him with his monthlies.
Sirius stopped reading out loud to laugh at that and Remus playfully scowled.
I’m not sure if you will find a way to travel to Skyrim but attached to this letter is some very important information. Such has what deities not to make a deal with. Some of them are rather vile and I’d rather not see either of you enslaved. There are also copies of my notes about Nirn that I was taught in my dreams in the library compartment in Mooney’s trunk. Don’t worry Siri I didn’t put a library in yours. I know you're allergic.
I hope that if you can’t find a way to make a portal that you will both find it in yourselves to move on and enjoy life. I don’t blame you for what happened and I’ve been looking forward to world immigration since I was six so don’t beat yourselves up.
With all my love,
Prongslet
PS There are mirror communications in both trunks. I can’t promise I will answer as that type of magic doesn’t exist in the world I’m going to yet and I don’t want to draw attention to myself. That being said, if I don't have it on me, one of my house elf's will and they will take a message.
Tears were running down both of their faces. “She doesn't hate us Moony.”
“Yeah,” he sniffed back.
They both opened their packages to find a necklace. Moony’s had a pendant of a wolf howling with a grim like dog to one side and a stag on the other. Padfoot had the same but the grim was in the center of his instead of the wolf. “That's it,” Sirius stated, attempting to sound firm and resolute but came out choked and pitchy, “We’re packing all our worldly possessions in these and .. and” he stopped to wipe his nose on his sleeve sniffing loudly, grabbed the fire whiskey and gave a hardy gulp. “And we’re going to..” he hiccuped between tears “ where going to make a portal.”
Remus nodded his head in agreement and blew his nose in a handkerchief before following his best friend in downing an obscene amount of fire whisky.