Homesteading V

"Thanks, Brother. I'll get on that." I tell him, heading over to the field near the lake.

Off in the distance, I see M'rissi in the lake, using a net to fish with Vladimar.

Sofia is tending to the animals with Benor, and I see Kasia watching over the kids by teaching them how to weave baskets out of the reeds found in the lake.

After looking in on everyone I move to the emptying clearing and start trying to clear it.

However, instead of trying to raise a wall of stone from the earth. I try and turn the wall so that it's a 'floor', something wide and shallow, raising lots of little stones and rocks up before pushing them to the side of the clearing with some effort.

"Whew... I think I'm getting better at this." I say with a sigh before taking a moment to let my magika regen before beginning the whole process over again.

After a few hours I'm able to finish tilling the small clearing and I stop for lunch. Eating a light soup before heading over to the main house construction site.

"Good, job! Let's break for lunch!" I hear Lokir shout as I see all the westward-facing walls had been laid out for the first floor.

"Hey, Brother! I'm about to head out!" I shout over to him.

"You're already done?! Damn, Boss! Leave some work for the rest of us." Lokir exclaims as he walks over to me.

"Don't worry, you've got plenty left to do. I'm done for the day after all... But why're the walls like that?" I ask him confused as to why the westward-facing walls were the only ones finished.

"It's quicker and easier for Jouane to move them while staying in one place, so we're focusing on one direction of wall at a time." Lokir explains while taking a drink from his water skin.

"Interesting, well, good luck finishing it up. I'm heading out to Falkreath." I tell him as I start towards the road when Kasia sees me starting to leave the camp when she rushes over to me, leaving Stenvar to continue the basket weaving lesson.

"Silvantus! Are you going into town?" Kasia asks me.

"Yeah, wanting to tag along?" I offer to her.

"I'd love to, why don't we ride though? It'll be much quicker." Kasia suggests.

"Um..." I trail off, reluctant to admit I still don't know how to ride a horse.

"Oh, yeah... Sorry, I forgot." Kasia says with an embarrassed flush to her cheeks.

"No, it's fine, I really should learn." I say awkwardly.

"Well, I could teach you? Come on." Kasia offers excitedly, pulling me along toward where the horses are tied up.

"Climb up first." Kasia instructs.

I listen to her and put my foot in the stirrup before swinging my leg over the saddle and getting situated.

"Good, now help me up." Kasia says, reaching out her arm which I grab to steady her as she mounts the horse behind me.

"Now, take the reins and use your heels to lightly push on the horse's side. This will tell her to start moving." Kasia explains while wrapping her arms around my waist to grab the reins just beneath my hands.

"Okay." I say hesitantly, before lightly kicking the horse's side and starting us down the road toward Falkreath.

"You're doing great, Silvantus. Now, for steering, you pull back on the rein that's on the side you want to turn and to stop you have to pull back on both reins at the same time." Kasia instructs, before demonstrating by pulling on the reins.

"Alright, I think I have it." I say as I get more confident in my riding ability. We continue on to Falkreath at a leisurely trot.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, I decide to ask Kasia a question.

"I see that you're getting along with the children quite nicely. Do you enjoy teaching?" I ask her as we come to a bend in the road.

"Yes! I just love their smiles as they learn something new or try really hard to make something." Kasia gushes happily.

"I'm glad you're enjoying your time with them. I'm sure you'll make an excellent mother yourself someday." I tell her, causing her to pull back hard on the reins making the horse rear up on its hind legs.

"Aah! Sorry!" Kasia exclaims letting go of the reins before wrapping her arms around my waist to keep from being thrown off.

I calm down the horse by petting her neck before turning back to see Kasia burying her face into my back.

"You okay? What happened?" I ask her as we slowly continue down the road.

"Um, yeah... Just caught me off guard is all. While I enjoy my time with the kids, I don't think I'm ready to be a mom yet. Besides..." Kasia says hiding her face as the rest of what she says becomes an unintelligible mumble.

"What was that?" I ask, not quite catching what she said.

"It was nothing! Oh, look, is that Falkreath?" Kasia says, quickly redirecting the conversation.

And I turn around to see the gates of Falkreath and Kasia takes the opportunity to dismount the horse and heads over to the market, leaving me alone.

I trot the horse over to the inn before carefully dismounting and tying her to the inn's railing.

I enter to find the inn to be quite boisterous and lively, with most patrons enjoying a folhan and a pleasant tune being strummed by the bard in the corner.

I pull out my journal to double-check my quest and it seems I'm supposed to meet someone named Marcus Jannus from my past.

I search the inn, when I see an eerily familiar yet unknown face off in a side room.

A more than middle-aged man rests quietly in the chair in his room.

I move over to knock on the door frame before the man opens his eyes before I get the chance.