Anacrusis

Lucius hefted the iron plated shield over his shoulder as he walked down from the forge. A clear plan formed in his mind.

'1. Get objective 2. Cast spell 3. Too easy.' Lucius thought, his nose in the air.

A short and murky mist gathered at his feet and shot towards the mead hall, indicating his challenge's journey.

"Oh...The dog den." He flatly grumbled, pushing open the worn doors.

His ears immediately picked up on a loud brawl and an exchange of fists.

"Come at me, milkdrinker!" A Nord in leather armour shouted, swinging a right hook at an elf in front of her.

"I'll see you bleed!" The elf shouted, knocking the girl on the floor.

'Right then~ I'm just going squeeze past.' Lucius mused, following the mist trail down a set of stairs.

Lucius opened the door to what looked like sleeping quarters, knocking the door on an elderly lady.

"I haven't seen you around here before." The lady smiled kindly.

"Just passing through with a delivery, sorry about the door." Lucius replied in kind.

"Ah, don't mind that, i've had worse around here. I've been tending to the warriors of Jorrvaskr for as long as I can remember." She said proudly, keeping her smile.

"What are they like. Brave, inspiring, valiant?" Lucius prodded, with 'childish glee.'

"A good bunch of men and women, who make too much a mess, if you ask me. My name is Tilma, dear. You should know that if you plan on sticking around. Now, shouldn't you be on your way with that delivery." She said.

"It was lovely meeting you. You're right, i must be on my way." Lucius finished, following the mist again.

'Heh, maybe the Wolfblood is a secret then.' He noted.

"Goodbye, dear." Tilma finished.

Lucius came upon a set of double doors, slightly ajar, that let the voices from within leak.

"I've been thinking we need to be more... discreet." A female voice rung, followed by a gravelly response.

"There's nothing wrong with what we're doing, Aela."

"You know the old man doesn't like it. Let's just not be too obvious when w-." The female voice was cut off by the door opening.

"Are you two fucking in there?" Lucius asked kicking the door open but facing away.

"What! You again?!" Aela stood there, flushed red.

"This your shield?" Lucius asked, waving the shield in front of her. "So, would you two make a werewolf baby? How does that even work. Breed in wolf form, or what? …Now thats gotta hurt in the morning." Lucius continued, ignoring the rising tension.

"Aela, do you know this elf?" The man asked.

"No! i mean no, i met him once when he refused to help kill a giant." Aela recovered.

"Coward." The man spat.

'Oh? we're doing this again." Lucius smirked.

"Oh no. Skjor don't." Aela muttered seeing his smirk. "J-just give me the shield and piss off!" She barked.

"Fine. Wow, are you easy to rile up...Is it the doggy talking? Pft." Lucius said handing over the shield, missing the gleam that passed through the mans eye at his teasing comment.

"Show some respect, whelp! You're talking to members of the circle!" Skjor demanded, with a vein on his forehead threatening to pop.

"Whelp? Haha, you think i'd join a group of glory seekers? Damn, that's worrying." Lucius started, wiping a lone tear, and looked to Aela. "Do you think i look that stupid?" He 'innocently' asked.

"Grr!" Aela's eyes flashed gold.

"Oooh, it's barking time." Lucius laughed walking out the double doors. "Make sure to pull out!" He called back.

As Lucius turned back to the exit he was met with the eyes of 10 or so people with drawn swords.

"Uh… hello?" He drawled.

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"Excuse me miss, can you spare a septim?" A little girl in a green dress approached.

Ciri knelt down next to a well in the middle of the market, and handed over a coin. "Why are you begging, little girl?" Ciri asked.

"Thank you!" The girl smiled "My mother died last winter, and my aunt and uncle kicked me out of the farm." She finished, looking into Ciri's soft eyes.

"Stay strong." Ciri smiled. "Maybe you could learn a trade at one of these stalls? A blacksmith is down the road, she may have need for a helper." She finished, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Brenuin said that begging was good enough." The girl said.

"Well, don't listen to him." Ciri said, lightly patting her head. "Find a way to provide for yourself, and you'll never go hungry again." Ciri smiled, walking past to the alchemy shop.

'Arcadia's cauldron, good name.' Ciri thought, opening the door with a thunk.

"Hello, sweet girl. How can i help you?" Arcadia? welcomed.

"Arcadia?" The woman nodded. "Well, i'd like you to teach me on alchemy." Ciri requested.

"Oh, is that so? Brilliant, i've not had a student in years." Arcadia said. "Shall we get started then?"

"What about payment? Nothing comes for free." Ciri hurriedly said.

"You fought the dragon, yes? Unlike some leeches i don't charge my saviours." Arcadia cut off with a huff. "Hurry up girl, you'll need to read first."

Ciri slumped hearing that. 'Not more theory...'

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*Clank*

A hammer struck a thin and sturdy ingot of red-hot ebony.

Lucius stood by the skyforge, armour gone, and chose to go shirtless with nothing but a blacksmiths apron covering his chest.

*Clank*

A final strike and the metal alloy was dunked into the liquid to strengthen the metal.

'Huuh~ this one has to be it.' Lucius looked over to his mentor, his face blank.

"You said jewellery? Then that is sufficient… For a damned Skeever! Again, boy!" Eorlund bellowed.

"Fuck!" And Lucius began again.

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"Arcadia... It blew up again." Ciri drew out her response, her face covered in bits of tar and sludge.

"Then why are you looking at me? The book still says the recipe, so do it again." She said. "Kids these days think everything comes to them." She huffed.

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*Clunk*

"Ha! How's that, old man." Lucius dropped a long stretch of ebony in the stone table.

"Decent...You needed to fold the metal though. Again." Eorlund said with only one glance.

'Stupid mistake, Lucius.' He thought watching the lowering sun.

"Again, it is."

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"I did it!" Ciri beamed.

"A minor health potion, sweetheart. Well done, but you have a long way to go." Arcadia smiled.

'Couldn't let me have my moment, huh?...It's Kaer Morhen all over again.' Ciri thought.

"Hey Arcadia. Is there a potion for headaches?" Ciri pondered.

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"What about that?" Lucius said, the glow of the forge lighting his face.

"Better. If it was for a sword, or for armour, i would smack you up the head. However, a crown...Hmm, it will do." Eorlund yawned.

Lucius let his arms slump with a content smile. "Wait, crown? What about a ring?!" Lucius asked.

"Oh. Then no, it's too thick. Go again." Eorlund stated. "See you tomorrow, lad."

"You evil fool." Lucius grumbled, staring a Eorlund's fading figure.

He brought his hammer down for the thousandth time that night.

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Shortish chap.

A weird, but hopefully new, take on training/timeskips. I had a mix response and i kinda want to see some form of struggle even if alchemy and smithing in Skyrim is.

"You got the shit?"

"Yeh"

"Cool, then just make it."

I watched the final EP of Rings of Power as well...Wow, just wow.

I honestly think i could write a better script...Fuck, i could play a better Galadriel! Give me a wig and some tits and i'm already halfway to being better. Celebrimbor doesn't know what an alloy is?! Yeah~ The expert immortal elven craftsmen wouldn't know what such a complex thing like an alloy is, would he?

Kill me.

Can't believe they made Sauron an incell, too...

Huuuh~ I finally get to sleep for more than 4 hours and i start my day off with that circle jerk of wokeness. You guys seen the Velma trailer?

Kill me slowly.

Anyways.

Have a good one.

From your "patently evil" Author ;)