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The Road to Ruin	By : pirouette Category: +A through F > Elder Scrolls - Oblivion Views: 2485 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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The
Road to Ruin, Chapter Two: All Washes Clean
I woke alone with a heavy
feeling in my head that made it seem as though I hadn't slept at all. Time had
not passed; rather, I had blinked, and the sun had decided to reappear, much
too high in the sky for my liking. I wondered at my protector's reasoning for
leaving me asleep and alone, but concluded as she must have that there was
nothing in the area that could be considered dangerous. Also, she was likely
nearby. I listened, caught the faint sound of running water, and continued down
the ridge. It was not going to be a pleasant climb back to the road.
The sight of the river made
me realize how thirsty I was in a way its sound had not, but I stopped short
the moment I saw Caleigh. She was standing naked, waist-deep in the shallows,
bent at an angle and squeezing cloudy water out of her hair. I thought about
retreating quietly back up the hill, but she had already realized I was there.
"Good morning!"
She waved at me in a manner that appeared to be genuine. I am sure mine looked
rather forced.
"Ah. What are you
doing?"
"Trying
to get dried blood out of my hair."
I coughed awkwardly. "I'm
going to get a drink and head back to the camp while you finish up."
She shook her head. "No,
help me. This will take me forever alone."
I stared at her with an
eyebrow raised. "Has it escaped your notice that I am a priest?"
"I'm asking for help
washing my hair. What could possibly be inappropriate about that?"
"Caleigh, you're
standing naked in the middle of a river."
"Yes, because I woke up
smelling like a burning cat," she retorted, glaring at me. "Stop
being so stuffy and just help me!"
Hearing her call me stuffy
was reassuring�the days when I would have bounded into the river beside her
with no clothing and at least two ulterior motives were long past me. I felt
suddenly silly for making an issue of it at all. I began to step into the
river, but she shook her head.
"Wet robes are no good
for travel, Brother. Take them off."
I sighed. "Can't I just
stand on a rock?"
"No offense, but you
could use a bath, too." She grinned, and I remembered how she had slept
with her face against me. "Leave your underthings on�those will dry soon
enough in this sun."
She was probably right about
that. I obliged, trying to ignore the fact that she was staring at me merrily
as I disrobed. I hadn't been this exposed to another person in quite some time.
"Better. Now come help
me with this. Everything is tangled, and clotted, and eugh."
The water was colder than I
expected, but it felt good on my tired feet. "Dunk your head again,"
I murmured quietly, and began to work at her hair once it was wet. It took time
for it to come clean, which meant I spent far too long inspecting her face and
eyes�it was too dangerous to let my gaze drop much lower. I had been right, in
the chapel. Her hair was a light red color. Such an odd
combination with blue eyes.
"You know, you're
rather pretty when you're not covered in blood," I said without thinking.
She laughed, and I felt my cheeks go pink.
"Is that the sort of
thing you should be noticing when you're standing next to a naked woman,
Brother?" She lidded her eyes in a way that made me feel distinctly
uncomfortable, but her voice was playful.
"I'm a priest. I'm not dead."
I caught myself thinking where were you five years
ago and hated myself.
"But you shouldn't be
flirting." Still teasing me. She turned away and
began to wring out her hair. Water trickled down in long lines from her neck to
the small of her back, highlighting the already warm tones of her skin.
"I am not sure that
making an observation counts as flirting," I retorted, and instantly felt
like a fool.
She looked over her shoulder
at me and smiled. "That's a shame."
I had no idea what to make
of that. "Do you enjoy tormenting everyone you meet?"
"Yes."
I must have made a face,
because she laughed at me and moved for the shore. She somehow managed to wade
gracefully, not slipping on rocks, or stumbling, or sloshing the water about
her knees. Watching her made me feel like an awkward, lumbering human. I
averted my eyes as she walked to where her clothes were laying. Her shirt was
picked up, sniffed. She grimaced. "I'm going to need new clothing. These
are ruined."
"We should reach
Skingrad today." I splashed water onto my face and neck, shivering as the
breeze picked up and chilled the parts of me now wet from the river.
"Want me to wash your
hair for you?" She waded behind me and slid her fingers along my
shoulders. I shivered again and pulled away.
"No, thank you. I'll go
ahead and finish up on my own."
"Suit yourself," she muttered, pulling her shirt on over her
head and moving to a nearby rock to dry off in the sun. I pretended she wasn't watching
me as I washed. I was regretting not allowing her to take us through the
Reserve. Two more days of this might be unbearable.
I shook my head, wringing my
hair out and letting it fall about my shoulders. With a sigh, I picked my robe
back up and pulled it over my head.
"I'm sorry," she
said at last, pulling her trousers on and walking over. "I'm teasing. I'm
not going to try to seduce you in the middle of the woods."
It bothered me that my
initial reaction was one of disappointment rather than relief. I'd had women
make advances on me since becoming a priest, but I'd never had the desire to
take them up on the offer because I knew my abstinence was a service to
Akatosh. My faith had clearly been shaken by the events at Kvatch, and now I
was stuck in the wilderness with a rather appealing wood elf. Was I being
tested, or was this new faith of mine just as much of a trick as my old one had
been?
No. Thinking like that was
dangerous.
I only realized she was
still waiting for a reply when she tapped me on the cheek. "Thank you. I'm
sorry. It's�"
"Been an odd couple of
days," she continued with a giggle. "Come on then." She took me
by the hand and began to haul me back up the ridge. I waited as long as was
polite before releasing myself from her grip and continuing on my own. I
stumbled twice on our climb back up the ridge, and after watching her nimbly
vault the third fallen tree, found myself wishing sleep had been as restorative
for me as it obviously had been for her. Or, perhaps, that I had been born mer.
Given the recent developments regarding my lineage, the idea held more appeal
than it normally would have.
We traveled along the road
for a while, making idle chatter. The path was quiet, with no other travelers
and not a guard in sight. I knew we weren't making very good time, but I got
the feeling we were both too emotionally exhausted to push ourselves. What we
needed was an inn and a good meal. Luckily, we managed to reach Skingrad before
dark. The instant the city gates closed behind her, she became tense again. Her
unease made me feel rather domesticated.
"Do you have any money?"
I asked, staring up the path. There was an inn not too far away.
She stumbled suddenly and
fell into a passerby with uncharacteristic gracelessness. The Breton frowned
down at her, helped her regain her balance, and then moved on down the path.
"I have... some,"
she said, falling into step beside me and counting a stack of coins in her
hand. "Enough for rooms and a meal, yes."
"Perfect!"
The West Weald Inn looked
like a palace after what I'd been through in the past few days. Caleigh
purchased the only room available for us, and sat down at a table with me while
the innkeeper bustled about and made us a meal. I got her talking about
Valenwood, and what it was like growing up there. When she spoke of her
homeland, even her eyes smiled. I found myself captivated by the expressiveness
of her face. I wasn't the only one�a Bosmer male in full armor had been
regarding her with interest since we walked in.
"How long ago did you
come here?" I was trying to discern her age. She must have seen through my
ploy, because she smiled and didn't answer.
Our meals arrived, and we
spent a few moments trying to eat with a semblance of manners. Her plate
contained a single portion of venison: she had kept up the traditional
carnivorous lifestyle, then. No, she must not have been here for long. I
wondered if she were a cannibal like so many of her brethren. Regardless of her
answer, it would offend her to be asked, and I was not entirely convinced I
wished to know.
"I don't really like
talking about myself," she murmured at last, talking a long drink of
water. She must have decided the silence with which she answered my questions
needed explaining.
"Why not?"
It was an inane question, but she was polite enough to respond anyway.
"I've done some stupid
things," she shrugged.
"I can relate to that,"
I replied, and bristled when she laughed.
"What, a priest? What
could you have possibly done?"
"I was not always a
priest," I said mildly, and she had the grace to look embarrassed.
"Sorry." She
reached out and put her hand on mine. I pulled away, and she sighed in
annoyance. "Right. Let's go put our things away."
I followed her up the stairs
with no small amount of misgiving. When we entered the room, my worst fears
were realized: one large bed, meant to sleep two. Last night we had slept
together out of necessity�tonight I was not sure I would manage to get rest.
Not after the river. Not after the light in her eyes and the way she smiled at
me over her shoulder. Even now, every time she does that to me, something
catches in my chest.

Stay focused.
Fine.
Not that I particularly enjoy remembering this part. We clashed so much
in the beginning.

She saw my discomfort and
shook her head again. "Don't worry. I was planning on sleeping outside
anyway."
"You don't have to,"
I began. A large part of me didn't want to be alone. I was worried that if she
weren't there all my dark thoughts would return and begin to feed. Heir, Kvatch. The water lines tracing down
her back as we stood in the sun. No�suddenly, it seemed imperative for
her to stay.
"Yes, I do," she
said simply, but softened the words with a smile. Still, I began to regret
pulling away from her each time she touched me. I must have made her feel
terrible. But then again, I was a priest. It was only right. I tried to thank
her, but the words refused to come.
"Want to come down and
see the rest of the inn?" she asked, trying to patch over our awkward
silence. "Maybe visit the city?"
I shook my head. "I
think I will rest. The Nord woman down there spent all dinner glaring at me."
"I saw that," she
frowned. Appeared to remember her duty. "Maybe
I'll sleep in the hall."
I shook my head. "Caleigh,
that's ridiculous�"
"I'll see you in the
morning, Brother." She threw her bow and armor in a corner and moved for
the door. I spent the next few minutes imagining her, stretched out on the
floor in the hallway, guarding my room like some sort of animal. That didn't
seem any more proper than sharing a bed with her, really. And with her gone, my
thoughts turned to Kvatch. Sleep was a frustratingly long time in coming.

I was awakened a few hours
later by sounds in the room across the hall. Furniture scraping against the
floor, muffled voices. The Bosmer from downstairs appeared to be enjoying his
evening. I was awake enough to envy him only slightly for a pleasure I'd not
experienced in over three years. Then, as I was almost back asleep, I heard the
low groan of a woman's climax.
Caleigh.
Instantly, I was completely
awake. I didn't want to listen, but as soon as I knew it was her
the sounds seemed to grow louder, sharper. I felt an uncomfortable
stirring in my groin as I imagined her yet again by the waterside, naked and
wet, and what might have happened had I not driven her away and into the night.
The fact that I had difficulty being glad things had worked out the way they
did kept me awake long after they had stopped coupling. I attempted to pray
several times, but eventually gave up. I couldn't shake the sense that Akatosh
was no longer listening to me. I slept poorly for the rest of the night and
ended up rising to the sound of thunder.
After gathering our things,
I moved for the door, intending to find breakfast. My timing couldn't have been
worse. I stepped into the hall just in time to find Caleigh sneaking out of the
other Bosmer's room, shirt untied, shoes off. Her eyes widened when she saw me,
and she looked at the floor.
"Er. Good morning."
"Quite," I
muttered, handing her things to her and storming down the stairs. When she
joined me minutes later, she was wearing a new set of clothing that looked far
better on her than I was comfortable with.
"Where did you get that
shirt and trousers?" I asked quietly, glancing guiltily at the sleeping
innkeeper.
She shrugged and shouldered
her bow.
"The shops aren't open
yet."
"That Nord keeps her
trunks unlocked."
"Caleigh!"
I hissed.
She frowned at me. "What?
My clothes were ruined, and anyway, do you really think I paid for your room
and our dinner with my money? I just broke out of prison!"
I blinked, remembering her
stumbling into the Breton. Felt my cheeks flushing in embarrassment. She
mistook it as anger.
"Spare me your sermons.
I was trying to help," she muttered, pushing past me and out the door.
We spent the first hour of
the morning in silence. I wished she'd stop insisting on walking ahead of me.
The new shirt was much shorter and the trousers were a tighter cut, so I found
myself almost incessantly distracted by the gentle sway of her hips. It didn't
help that we were soon both soaked to the bone. At least the shirt wasn't white.
That would have made the morning intolerably miserable instead of only
moderately so.
By midday the storm had cleared, leaving the road covered in
a humid haze the sun was having difficulty burning away. Caleigh chose this
time to wring out her clothing in the middle of the road, removing each article
one at a time and squeezing excess water out with sharp, annoyed little
twisting motions. After a moment, I decided that I might as well do the same.
"I don't know why
you're punishing me," she said at last, stepping back into her damp and
wrinkled trousers.
"I'm not," I
muttered.
"You've been angry with
me since you saw me leaving Maglir's room."
I didn't know why, but the
sound of her using his name was almost more than I could bear. "Forgive
me if I think it's irresponsible for someone charged with keeping me alive to
spend the night doing her best to make sure none of the other guests slept!"
"Oh, yes! Because you
were in so much danger in the middle of an inn in Skingrad!" she
shouted. That was before we knew we had more to fear than just daedra�the Nord
was a cultist, and attacked her months later when she�

You�re getting ahead of
yourself.
Right.
Sorry.

"We might have been in
danger if someone had realized you were stealing everything you could see!"
"You are such a priest!"
she snapped, flinging her hands into the air in frustration.
I was about to say something
I would have regretted later when an arrow hit Caleigh in the thigh. She
shrieked in pain and whirled, drawing her bow. Our spat had attracted bandits.
How stupid of us to let this happen!
With an angry shout, I sent
a shock wave at the Khajiit who attacked her, and tried to ignore the sense of
glee I felt when he fell. It had been too long since I had been in a good
fight, I thought. It had also obviously not been long enough�I shouldn't have
missed these things. Two more bandits crested the ridge. She dropped one with a
shot to the neck, then stumbled, clutching at her leg.
The arrow must have been poisoned. The third bandit lunged for her, but I
stepped into his line of travel and sank my blade deep between his ribs. He
died against me with a gurgle and fell to the ground. I stood there, panting,
and took several deep breaths to calm myself.
"I'm not sure you're
the one who needs protection," she said with a choked laugh, collapsing to
the ground and glaring at the arrow jutting from her outer thigh.
"They would not have
found us if it weren't for me," I muttered, sinking down beside her. "Here,
let me see the wound."
I ran my hand along her leg,
feeling the extent of the damage. She bit her lip and blinked back tears as my
fingers reached the shaft of the arrow.
"We will have to remove
this before I can heal it."
"I know." She
clenched her fists in anticipation, but I pulled her to me instead.
"Hold on to me. I don't
want you to be able to see."
"You think this is my
first arrow wound?" she scoffed.
"No. You know exactly
how much this is going to hurt."
"Point."
She wrapped her arms around me and dug her fingers into my shoulders. My blood,
which had only just slowed from the fight, began to rush headlong through my
veins once more. I pressed my hand into the back of her head and made sure her
face was against my shoulder so she could not see. I could have sworn I felt
her smell me, but I forced myself not to think about it with my lips so close
to her neck.
I'd kept my other hand
around the shaft of the arrow, so she had no warning when I moved to yank it
out. She sobbed and dug her fingers deep into my robe, making me wince. The
instant it was out I healed her, and the pain subsided, but instead of letting
go she relaxed into me. I ran my hand nervously over her hair, wondering what
she was thinking.
"It's nice to have a
healer around," she said at last. That time she definitely did smell me.
"Does this happen to
you often?"
"Comes
with the job." She lifted her head from my shoulder and smiled at
me. Her face was far, far too close to mine, and her warmth had me frozen.
"Why do you look so
sad?" she asked, brushing her fingers through the hair at my ear.
I swallowed. "I am not
being a very good priest."
"You're the son of the
Emperor, Martin. I'm not sure it matters anymore."
That thought was somewhat
too comforting.
She pressed her face back
into my shoulder and muttered something I didn't quite catch.
"What?"
"I promised not to make
you feel uncomfortable, but. Here I am in your lap."
"I put you here because
of the arrow."
"I am painfully aware
of that." Her fingers brushed through my hair again, and I felt my eyes
sliding shut against my will.
"May I kiss you?"
she whispered in my ear.
"No!"
"Why
not?" Her breath tickled against my skin.
Why couldn't I think of a
reason? This girl had done something to my brain. One of my hands tangled into
the hair at the back of her neck and pulled her to me, giving her the kiss she
had asked for. Her lips parted, and I felt her tongue seek mine, warm and wet.
It made me want to be inside her. For one moment the man I had been, the man I
had turned to Akatosh to save myself from, resurfaced and whispered all the
lovely things I could do to her if I'd just give in. My heart began to pound
again, and it took all the discipline I had learned in the past three years not
to shove her over and make her mine in the middle of the road. I broke the kiss
off with a gasp and stared at her. She smiled.
"Well, you weren't
lying."
"Hmmm?"
I managed.
"That you weren't
always a priest." She stroked my cheek.
"We should move on,"
I sighed, starting to pull away from her.
"Do we get to hold that
thought?"
"Caleigh...." I
started, and her blue eyes met mine, one eyebrow raised. She was perfectly
aware of how much I wanted her, and it amused her. Something about that
did not seem fair.
"Please. I'm already
having enough of a life crisis as it is."
She sighed. "I wish
that didn't make so much sense to me."
He stood, reluctantly, and
continued down the path, but not before Caleigh had liberated the fallen
bandits of their gold.
"That was fairly
earned," she said, glaring at me defiantly.
I decided that it would be
best to hold my tongue.
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The Road to Ruin