“Geldis says he’s holed up near Kolbjorn Barrow,” he puffed on the last of his cigarette before flicking the end to the side. Sydari smiled and shook her head as she continued her meal.
“The big ashy mound just south of here,” he made a waving motion with his hand, “up on that ridge near the trap door. You know the one?” He raised an eyebrow at her. He was still wearing that cocky, lopsided smirk.
“The trapdoor that you use to ambush reavers when you’re bored?” Sydari winked back at him, “Yes Teldryn, I know the one.”
Teldryn rolled his eyes, “Yes… that one,” he sighed, slumping himself over the table, “Geldis said that he was trying to excavate the place. That the guy was looking for someone to help him out.”
Sydari laughed at that. Was he really so bored that he’d suggest digging in the ash for a barrow full of junk? In the state he was in. Surely not?
“Sero, I wouldn’t have thought you one for that kind of manual labour?” Sydari snickered as she sipped her drink, “Why the sudden change of heart?”
Teldryn laughed at her comment and shook his head, dark hair falling across his face. He attempted to brush it back with his fingers, “Yeah, me, with a shovel digging in the ash like some common…No, no, the guy’s looking for people to invest.”
Sydari furrowed her brow, and considered her friend’s words for a moment, “Invest? I don’t see how this could help expand my holdings here Teldryn?”
Teldryn shook his head again, “No, no, Lukal, I’m not phrasing this right ah…” He chewed his lip for a moment, “If we offer to help. Say we divide some drakes between us? We get a cut of everything that comes out of that tomb. Right? Everything he sells?”
“That’s usually how investing works,” Sydari mused, returning to her food. She knew where he was going with this. Ham-fisted as his explanation was.
“Say a few nicer items don’t find their way back to Mournhold,” Teldryn smirked, leaning towards her, “What if some of them just-“
Hey look! I finished him! Added a dart because why not? Also text and no text.
Set during the first chapter of Ahzidal's Descent. Or Josh proposes swindling Ralis out of coin.
We got 4E Teldryn!
For the wip tag game, I’d love to hear about “Dani and Geldis talk about the end” 💕
I missed yours, too, Sonny - apologies! It's been a busy and tiring week, but I'm getting caught up on the things I missed.
"The end" is just a little scene that isn't even a full page long. It's not an in-depth discussion of what could happen when one of them dies, just a brief moment of thinking about it. Dani's been alone for over a decade since her Earth spouse died, and with Geldis she never knows whether she cries with joy or with the anticipation of this beautiful new love ending sooner than she'd like. She only had three years with her spouse, two of which were overshadowed by cancer and chemo. She's a natural pessimist, so she can't help but wonder how long she'll get to experience the comfort and companionship she enjoys with Geldis. If you want to read, here you go!
"Before I came here, I felt old and unattractive," Dani groused. "I'd had no one interested in me in the eleven years I've been widowed. I'm fat and wrinkled, and I'm getting a double chin now. I'm so far from the beautiful young woman I used to be."
"Until you smile," Geldis countered, smiling himself. "And then your face lights up the room."
Dani smiled, embarrassed, turning her face away. Geldis resisted the urge to turn her face back to him, knowing it wasn't time yet and it would just annoy her.
"And when you sing, everyone listens. Your stories are entertaining. And your painting - it gets better all the time, and I'm proud to hang your pictures all around the Netch. They really liven the place up. You're so much more than your appearance, Dani. I wish you'd see that for yourself. You've added beauty and joy to Raven Rock, and we all love you no matter how you look. But I still think you're beautiful, inside and out."
Dani turned her hazel eyes back to him, and he was warmed to the core seeing the adoration in her smile, the crinkles at the corners of her damp, shining eyes. "I always told myself I'd grow old gracefully, but I've found myself kicking and screaming all the way. I thought I needed a younger man to make me feel young again, but your young heart has..." She floundered for the right words. "...grabbed mine by the hand and whirled it out onto the dance floor!" Her smiling eyes turned thoughtful. "You've quietly and... steadfastly restored my faith in the existence of true love. There just aren't any words to tell you how DEEPLY I appreciate you. And of course, I love you to the moons and back, Geldis. I hope I can stay with you for the rest of one or both of our lives."
"I don't want to be the one to go last," Geldis replied. He stroked her hair back from her face, his own eyes moist.
"Neither do I. I've done that before and it's gut-wrenching."
"Maybe we can arrange to just die together in our sleep, holding each other as our spirits depart for Aetherius."
"You're such a romantic!"
"Takes one to know one." He pulled her into his arms, and she closed her eyes and parted her lips, certain he was going to kiss her. Suddenly, he dipped her backwards and she struggled to control her involuntary flailing so she wouldn't throw him off-balance. She wrapped her closest arm around his waist, and her outward arm grasped his shoulder as she grinned and squealed like a delighted little girl. THEN he kissed her, surprising her with how long his arms could support her even with his knee bent forward under her rear.
When he brought her back upright, they embraced firmly and just stood like that, holding each other in the empty taproom, swaying comfortably side-to-side and enjoying each other's closeness.
I’m having to dismiss Teldryn Sero due to a quest that’ll dismiss him in Skyrim. I hate having to do it, but to continue, I must. I’ve brought him back to the Retching Netch and I will buy him a round of drinks. Perhaps he will find it in his heart to forgive me. It won’t be forever, but it is still clenching at my heart strings.
