#his response though was basically “yeah that's definitely anthony” confirming my previous tag XD

[hannah-heartstrings]

It's What I'm Saying Now

For the @tes-summer-fest prompt: Companion

Dragonborn, Anthony, sharing some burdens with his faithful companion, Lydia.

@druidx @babyblueetbaemonster @inkysqueed

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            Smoke trailed up into the cold air. The campfire crackled, its orange light wavering over the Imperial’s unsure face.

            “I’m a soldier, I’ve only ever followed orders, but now that I’m this…” Anthony looked confused, unsure himself what the word fully meant, “dragonborn, they look to me to lead, and I don’t know if I can.”

            Lydia sat beside him on the fallen log, watching him.

            His head sunk with a sigh. “I’m sorry to burden you with all of this.”

            “I told you, I don’t mind carrying your burdens.”

            He looked up to her through narrowed eyes. “That’s not exactly what you said.”

            “Well…” she glanced away, something shy in her stoic face, “it’s what I’m saying now.”

            His head lifted, surprised.

            “Maybe I was mad at first,” an edge in her voice began sharpening as it went, “that the gods would choose not a Nord on not the Nord’s side to be the Nordic hero, but…” exhaling, the edge softened, “then you risked your life to save Stormcloak farmers.”

            “Well, of course,” he looked confused, “they were people who needed help, wouldn’t anyone have-?”

            “No,” she turned to him, expression sad but warm, “and that’s why the gods chose well.”

            He stopped, surprised.

            “And you’re doing a good job leading us,” she smiled.

            Touched, he slowly smiled back.

            “Well, except for when you get us ambushed by bandits.”

            The smile dropped into a quick gape. “I knew it probably was an ambush.”

            “Uh huh,” she looked unconvinced.

            “But what if he really needed help? You can’t just walk past someone who might need help!”

            “Even when it’s probably an ambush?”

            “Like I said, it might not have been.” Catching that the fire was dwindling, he faced forward to stoke it. “And if we didn’t fall into the trap then someone else would’ve, and they might not have had weapons or an idea that it was probably an ambush. It’s our duty to protect those who can’t protect themselves, so we have to fall into traps…”

            Lydia smiled fondly as he rambled on.