Chapter I

He'd called by many names –Even then everyone knew him, by the name that whisper a certain death or salvation should they crossed his way, as Dragonborn.

The door's bell rang when he stepped in, muffled by the rain outside. The tattered cloak clung to him ever faithfully; the visor of his helmet scanned the bustling building despite the rain.

His eyes settled to an empty spot at the edge of the counter –seemingly left empty on purpose.

"I'll have the usual Mia, maybe with an extra drink."

"Hmph." The Dwarven woman vanished behind the back to get his order.

"Oh Luscius, you're back!"

He didn't need to turn his head to know the source of the voice. The young lady took the seat beside him, which is also empty within reason. He always theorized the girl had Mia's balls wrapped around her little finger as the dwarf had let the girl scot-free more than a rare occasion–oh don't mistake him for misgendering Mia, but seeing that stout dwarf woman there's hardly any differences.

"Syr. It's good to see you."

Luscius greeted back. It will be unbecoming if he drove off his savior in this strange land. The girl nursed him back when he lay cold in that dark alley, covered in bruises and scorch-mark

"So you still covered in that armor? I heard you were working with Goibnu familia now?"

The question sounds valid, but he'd no reason to part with his current armor. All he need is a proper forge to work on to nickel the dirty bits and fixed some hole. Though he needed to find a gambeson soon, but this land seems to not fancy an ordinary padded leather jacket. There's monster leather, but they're way overpriced for his current pocket.

"Hardly. I only worked an odd job and sorts there since most of their member was out hired to go to an expedition. Blacksmith assistant if you want a bit of fancy term."

"Isn't that good? You can splurge a little from now on." Mia came back with a plethora of plates in her arm.

Thud.

"Here's your order. Also, Syr you have twenty minutes."

"Yesss! Also, Mama, I want to order, you can add the tab to Luscius."

"Ugh…" The armored man could only grumble beneath his breath. "It's only fair, I suppose."

"Hehe~"

Luscius unstrapped the binding on his helmet, finding it a great effort to dislodge the metal off his head. It's never an easy matter to put it back off, which is why he seldom to be seen with his helmet nowhere around his head.

His face is hardly can be called as good-looking in his opinion. He'd been a Nord first, as her mother was. His father is an Imperial, but hardly in Tamriel have you found a mixed child, since the off-spring would always gravitate towards the mother's race. His father reasoned, since he took his mother, it is only fair that he'd taken an Imperial name. Thus, Luscius Artorius were born. They were hardly an aristocrat, far from it –his father is a farmer and mother a retired wandering sell sword, a shame that he never found how his cowardly of a father courted what basically is a hulking bear.

The beard is getting annoying –he should shave it off first priority after this– as he tried to chew the strange dish called Spaghetti –it reminded him of a bucket of worms he used to carry around when fishing, not helping it wiggles around when he stirred it with a fork.

"So Luscius can you tell me of your adventure in your homeland?"

This been their routine for the past two weeks. Every time he goes back to the Tavern to get some of his fill, the young lass would allot a portion of her time to ask something about him. It's nothing sensitive –like there's any in the first place. The Dragonborn hardly keep any secret except a few. There's blood in his hands, sure, but keeping a closet of skeleton was never been his hobby.

The Nord thought for a bit. "I've never told you of my companion, haven't I?"

"Hmm, you have one?"

"That hurts me for a reason, Syr. Of course, I have one, a few in fact, but none has stick me longer than the sweet Neisa."

"Is she's your special-lady friend?" Syr inquired.

The dragonborn sighed, grabbing a handful of mead and chug it down in one go, "Sort of I guess. She's all I ever want in a woman –tall, sweet, and quite strict when it needed to be but overbearingly soft despite that. Not to mention, she likes to cuddle."

"Hmm… I can't say if I'm jealous or not."

He looked at the waitress up and down examining her, he shook his head as emphasizing his disappointment, "It is unfortunate Syr, but she had skewed my perception and taste towards woman. You stood no chan- oof!"

The girl pouted and kicked him before hitting his head with a ladle handed by the passing Mia, whose eyes said 'you deserve it' before moving to another patron.

"That's rude, Luscius. No matter what, no girl likes to be compared."

What he's supposed to do then? He's no master of speech craft, unless you count the way of voice as one. "My apologies, but I won't regret what I've said!"

"And what happened afterward since you were separated?"

"No, there's nothing happened. I told her to stay at our home in Whiterun since I'll be away to Cyrodiil and things happened in my journey, and few months later I woke up to this strange land I've never heard before."

"She must be sick waiting for you, then."

"I've been trying to contact her within the past weeks, but there's no concrete result so far. A pity, if I can't get back home, I just hoped she'd moved on already."

"So you're willing to let her go?" Syr questioned.

He raised his eyebrow, "I suppose. She's better be happy than waiting for a dead man who can't keep a promise." Luscius shrugged before eating his last meal and wiped his mouth with the provided towel.

"Time's up Syr. I'll be back to my room." Luscius stood up; he cut a purse from his belt, "Tell Mia it's the payment for this week lodging and oh also thanks for the food."

"Hmhmm…" Syr listlessly nodded and accepted the purse.

------------------------------------------

Author Note:

One of the few mods I've installed are Vigilant and Neisa (only mentioned... for now maybe) the skyrim tanker follower.

This takes after he defeated Molag Bal and laid rest to the Bard's regret as the Dragonborn returned to the mortal realm through the portal in aetherius, but it's not the Nirn he landed to, but instead a whole other realm due to *ahem* inexplicable accident on the divine parts for convenience's sake. Currently, he wore a beaten version of Knight of Talos armor set (or basically Faraam armor from Dark Souls).