Unfinished Business I

"Really, sure. When are you leaving?" Jonna instantly agrees, which catches me off guard.

"What?" I ask in shock, 'Is my speech skill really that high?'

"I never planned on runnin' this inn, just followed my brother out here and thought this could keep me busy. And as you can see, I was wrong, so why not move?" Jonna explains starting to already pack her things.

"Lurbuk! Give me half your coin and this place is yours to 'perform' to your heart's content." Jonna shouts to an orc terribly strumming on a lute.

"What? Uh, sure… Yeah, why not? I'm going to make this place the next artistic haven of the creative mind!" Lurbuk exclaims joyously handing her a hefty pouch of septims.

Which Jonna pockets with a smile before finishing her packing and turning to a still-confused me, "Come on, I'll take you to'em."

"Oh… Sure… Can I finish my ale first?" I ask taking another sip of the drink I had barely started.

"Just take it on the road." Jonna says with a roll of her eyes before walking out of the Inn that is under questionable new management.

"Sera... She is quite... Spirited? Isn't she." Jenassa comments.

"Yeah, I've never seen her this excited before, Commander." Benor adds while Vladimar just nods silently.

"Well... I'm not going to turn down free help. Let's go." I say taking my ale and grabbing a couple of bottles for the road, all while staring at Lurbuk who just looks away and tries to whistle.

Which is terribly off-key...

Luckily we leave before I'm tempted to kill him ahead of schedule as we follow Jonna outside and to an unassuming little home, with a wrap-around porch beside a small dock covered in a thin sheet of ice.

Jonna knocks on the door and shouts, "Bro, get out here! Your friend is ready to go!"

I hear the door unlock and Falion opens the door in confusion, "What friend-... Oh... You're still alive..."

"Yup, so you ready to go?" I ask with a goading smile.

"No... I thought for sure you'd have died. I'll need a moment to pack up my and my apprentice's things." Falion says dismissively closing the door.

"Is he always such a..." I say pausing to try and think of a nicer way to say dick.

"Emotionally distant prick? Yeah, you get used to it. He only treats fools and those he doesn't respect with fancy words and false kindness. Means you left an impression on him." Jonna says giving me a look of interest, while she absent-mindedly leans against the wall of Falion's house.

"Good to know, you were pretty quick to sell off the Inn. Didn't even check how much coin that... Bard? Offered you for it." I ask digging for more information.

"Oh that..." Jonna says with a cheeky smile, "I never said I was the one who owned the Inn." She says with an innocent whistle.

"Ha!" I laugh before saying, "And I'd almost feel bad for the sap if he wasn't such a terrible bard."

"I know, right? He's just terrible!" Jonna laughs with me before a peaceful silence overtakes us and we quietly wait for Falion to come out of his house.

"We're ready." Falion says leaving his house with a young Nord girl in a red tunic shyly standing behind him.

Carrying a small leather rucksack and camping bundle on her back, Falion has a much larger and noticeably stuffed full-on backpack.

"Really? That quick?" I ask in slight disbelief.

"Yes, I just needed my research materials and provisions for the journey ahead." Falion says walking up to me.

"Good, then let's hit the road." I say wrapping my arm around his shoulder, much to his visible annoyance.

And we begin the long march to Whiterun, traveling slightly slower so that Agni can keep up. We travel for the entire day before breaking to make camp.

Setting up a few tents and a campfire, I quickly scout the area, taking down an elk and cooking up some venison steaks over the fire.

We all gather around the fire to enjoy a meal together, when Benor speaks up, "Commander, what brought you to Morthal?"

"I had some business to take care of with a new friend. But now I've got an ever-growing project that I'm starting to think I might have to oversee personally for a couple weeks." I say before tearing into my steak.

"I see, has your company been in any notable battles or fights?" Benor preis between bits of his meal.

"The Commander has defeated a dragon on his own." Jenassa adds causing Agni's eyes to widen in admiration as Falion finally takes note of the conversation.

"Ah, a dragon you say? What was the beast like?" Falion asks with piqued interest.

"Hmmm…" I think to myself before answering, "It was pure, unfiltered primal power… Drinking its blood and consuming its soul… Filled me with a power unlike any other." I say recalling the feeling as my heart beats a little faster at the thought of it.

"You drank its blood?" Jonna asks in confusion.

"You consumed its soul?" Falion asks with even greater interest.

"Did I forget to say that the Commander gored the beast to death with his tusks?" Jenassa adds with a slight smirk, obviously enjoying putting me on the spot.

"By Talos! Why would you go and do something as crazy as that?" Benor asks in disbelief.

"Yeah, I get a little crazy in the heat of battle." I say rubbing the back of my neck slightly embarrassed.

"But, I'm the Dragonborn. And the soul seemed to be drawn to me somehow." I explain.

"Fascinating, do you mind assisting me with some research ideas later?" Falion asks with a lively glint in his eye. His previous aloof attitude, a thing of the past.

"Like I said, if your work interests me, I'd be more than happy to help. I'm pretty straightforward... At least when a want to be." I say giving Jenassa a knowing smile as she rolls her eyes in silence.