Leaning back in her chair with a heavy sigh, Sevine looked to her comrades with a sleepy gaze, the potency of the mead she drank, had reached her fully, as the apples of her cheeks grew bright red.

"I think I'm gonna call it a night you three, my back aches, and so do my feet. I'm not sure how long we're in town for, so be sure to get plenty of rest." The chair beneath slid backwards across the hewn wood bars, as she rose up.

"Why don't you come home with me tonight?" Leif suggested as he too, stood up from his chair, though with much more haste than Sevine. 

"Leif!"

"I don't mean it like that, Sevine! C'mon now, you know me truly. After all these years, I've never laid a hand on you, and that's not what I'm asking for now. I'm asking you to come to my house as a guest, under my roof. I'll even cook breakfast, and there'll be plenty of bacon." His broad-shoulders were squared as he placed both of his hands before him on the top of the table, and leaned hard upon them.

        Sevine weighed his offer as being a guest in his home, however, the thought of declining Edith's offer in place of another friend, much less a man at that, made the experienced warrioress feel a pang of guilt. She then looked at her other two companions seated at the table before her, and raised her brows in a peculiar manner of speculation.

"Consider that a yes then," She began as she broke into a broad grin. "You had me at bacon. What if I want to bring someone?"

"Who did you have in mind?"

"Either Roze, or Sagax of course! Preferably both if you have the space available. I'd hate to leave my fellow comrades to that din of that frigid warehouse. But Roze, if you don't want to come with us, go down stairs and ask the keep for Edith, our quartermaster, ask her what room she is in, go knock on her door and tell her Sevine gave the bed she promised me to you." With that, Sevine pushed her chair in to the table, and followed after Leif. She trusted him fully, hell, after the countless times he saved her in battle when she first joined the war during her fledgling years as a soldier, how could she not? Besides, there was bacon. And if there wasn't... Sevine hated to even acknowledge her next thought as to what she would do if Leif lied about that. He would certainly have a black eye by early morning tomorrow, that much she knew.

         The two departed from Candlehearth Inn under the cover of a chilly, cloudless night. The twin moons that orbited Nirn held an unsettling crimson hue, even the aurora borealis above ran in mystifying ribbons of vibrant colors, from red, to orange, and faint shades of pink with splashes of yellow. Even the seasoned warrioress, as she strolled through the cobblestone streets of the city alongside Leif. The two walked with a fire in the belly, as the cold turned them against thinking of lingering outside much longer than needed. A cloudless night in Windhelm were bound to be frigid, even in Second Seed, though come morning the day would be considerably warmer. The muscles in her jaw tensed, causing her teeth to chatter noisily in her head as she forced her eyes to stay open.

"You better have plenty of fucking bacon Leif!" Sevine gritted through her clenched jaw as she wrapped her arms about her body, trying desperately to retain what body heat she could.

      The two walked in step under the cover of a chilly, cloudless night sky, thin, white vapors rose from their noses, and mouths as they struggled to stay warm. Even though it was the beginning of Second Seed, any cloudlness night such as this was certainly bound to be cold. The moons of Nirn hung in the sky like large, pearl faces, though on this night, as with a few previous nights, the moons were cast in an unsettling crimson hue, while the borealis above danced with mystifying colours of the deepest red, fiery orange, even shades of magenta, and splashes of yellow. Sevine felt unnerved the past nights as well, maybe the battle at the redoubt had knocked a nerve loose? The painstaking sight of all those poor helpless children, it still bothered her days later. She had begun to question where she stood in life, morally speaking. Sevine felt a pang of guilt for experiencing such pleasure over blood-shed in the heat of battle, it made her feel alive, kept her going, and fueled her fire. Yet, the teachings of Mara contradicted her feelings. How could she be a loving person, if she found excitement in taking a life? It made her feel dirty. 

       Not before long, the two arrived outside of House Raven-Stone, a weathered two-story home made of grey stone, with whitish-grey daub plastered on the upper floor. Fumbling with the iron-lock, Leif released a sigh of relief as the lock clicked, and he pushed the door open to reveal a darkened interior. 

"Let me fetch a candle." Leif said to her before disappearing into his home. She could hear him, though she could see him, as he ran upstairs to fetch a candle. As she stood inside the doorway, with her arms wrapped tightly about her, Sevine tried to retain as much of her body heat as possible.  

       Finally he returned downstairs, bringing a fully lit candelabra with him. Shadows were cast across his face, as he moved from room to room, lighting the house as he went. 

"Come in! Shut the door, make yourself at home. You've been here before, I know." Leif called from within the kitchen.

       She stepped inside, and shut the door behind her, she hoped her comrades would join her, but if they didn't, she wouldn't hold it against them; to each their own. Two wooden, pew-like benches were arranged to form a square around the main hearth, and were adorned with velvet pillows. There, Sevine took a seat, and allowed herself to relax for once. As she let herself lay against the pillows, feet fallen to the side, head tipped back, Sevine painted a perfect picture of exhaustion. She could hear Leif bustling around in the kitchen, but she was too tired to care what he was up to. Eventually, Leif joined Sevine as he places tinder, logs inside a soot-covered hearth where he then lit the logs afire. Then, he rose to his feet, and sat next to his friend.

"So tell me what I've missed." 

"How do I even answer that? Where do I begin?"

"Wherever you want."

"In all my years, I've never felt more confused than I do now. I feel as if I'm at a precipice in my life. I've fought too many battles, killed too many. I feel like a monster when I step out onto the field with my axe, and bow in hand. I do not fear death anymore. Then I think back, and I wonder, what if I had never went to fight? Would I have made a difference? Who would I have become as a woman, would I have children now? A family? A husband? Would I be unhappy? Leif, I don't know what to think anymore. When I close my eyes, I can still see the faces of those I have killed, they float beneath eye lids, I can even hear their cries of pain in my dreams. I can't remember the last time I've had a happy dream, Leif. I've become a predator." She struggled to speak through an ever tightening throat, her eyes became glossy in the glow of the fire. 

"Sevine..." Leif began as he turned his attention upon her, he grasped her chin in his free hand, and turned her face to look him in the eye. Then ever so gently, he released her chin and smiled a smile of sympathy.

"All of your questions will be answered in time. You must keep faith. You have sacrificed your life countless times for our country, what more could your country ever ask of you? You deserve to settle down and make a life you now. Maybe get a cabin in Falkreath, or just over Ilinata's Deep in the Reach like you've always talked about. Or have a farm outside Whiterun. You ought to think of saving up your septims more wisely."