Havald’s Choice

With an unceremonious yelp Havald felt every one of the twenty-four stone steps of the Eastmarch barrow. Every single one as he crashed down to the mud and snow at the bottom.

“Augh! You — you rot-gutted horker!” he shouted as he drug himself up to his feet. “You can’t just kick me out!”

From atop the stairs the furious Dunmer spat down at him, her fists raw from their fight in the entrance. “Fetcher!” Risala seethed. “I will kick you out, and by Azura I will kill you if I see either of you in any one of these tunnels!”

A tittering laugh spilled out from the trees as the little Nord woman called ‘Vix’ strolled into sight. Her band of ne’er-do-wells weren’t far behind. “Look! At! This! My good country knight, I told you,” Vix practically sang. She sidled up to Havald and snaked an arm around his waist. “I told you she would turn on us soon enough.”

Havald fixed Risala with a defiant glare and slung an arm over Vix’s shoulders. “You can’t keep us all out.”

Risala held out her hands in an open invitation for them to try. 

He could feel Vix’s giggle from how she pressed against him. He’d known Risala for years, but Vix had shown him the truth. The Dunmer was weak. She was holding them back. She was holding him back.

With a casual flit of her hand Vix motioned for two of her brigands to go up and take care of the dark elf. Havald… almost felt bad about it. They had been together once, and now to see her die like this. It really was a pity —

His train of thought was interrupted when the fight erupted atop the steps, and ended just as quickly. Both men crumbled on the steps, lifeless, one of their axes in Risala’s hands. “You get this one chance to leave.”

Kyne’s arse, she was serious. Vix, though? She did not seem one bit surprised. “Oh, my! You really killed them! First you attack your best friend, and now you kill my men? Your little Undaunted are losing their edge if you’re now their guard dog.”

The bitter glare Risala leveled down at them was the first time Havald felt unsure about his choice. There was hurt in that look. And hate. And disappointment.

“By all means, I will kill more. Every one of your bastards until their number double the lives you took.”

Havaled glanced down to Vix, the motion making his bruised and bloodied head spin. He knew better than to question her, but…. “You said Reachmen killed the party.”

The smile Vix gave him was intoxicating, and left a hollow pit in his gut. “My sweet knight, have I ever lied to you?”

Havald shot a snide ‘you heard her’ look up to Risala. He stopped. Those piercing blue eyes held only contempt. All the punches, and kicks and every one of those twenty-four stone steps dulled in comparison to the sudden pain of seeing himself dead in her eyes.

“Decide where you want to die, Vix,” Risala called down. “Up here, or down there?”

Vix stilled against his side. A long, thoughtful pause was made before she squeezed at his waist and motioned for her men to fall back. “I’ll take a third option. We’ll give you this delve, and catch up over drinks another day.”

A look was exchanged between the women that he didn’t quite understand, but then he felt his body turning away, moving in step with Vix. A hand fondly tucked her hair behind her ear as they walked. This was what he wanted. Of course it was, wasn’t it? Havald had everything he wanted, and then cast one more look to the lone Dunmer guarding the entry to the tomb.