#tescheer2022

@tescheer

Winter had settled fast in Whiterun, it was easily the coldest it had been there for 10 years, and Jaina hated it. Having a Nord mother and Dunmer father meant that she could withstand heat better than Nords… but it also meant she couldn’t cope as well as them in the cold winters.

Farkas and Vilkas were still training in the courtyard of Jorrvaskr, despite the cold. Jaina left the mead hall, pulling her cloak tighter as she approached the twins. Vilkas was the first to see her, he gave her a smirk as she moved next to his brother.

“Come on Jaina, it’s not that cold” he said with a chuckle. Jaina stood next to Farkas for a moment, she could feel the body heat radiating off him, if he wasn’t in his full steel armour she would have hugged him in an attempt to warm up

“Are you both nearly done out here?”

“Just about, go back in Jaina, we’ll be in soon”

Ah… this is much better, she thought as she pulled her blanket a little higher, Vilkas was sat reading to her right, and Farkas was sat strumming a tune on his lute to her left, they were giving of heat like the Skyforge

“Feel better now Jaina?” Vilkas asked, she smiled as she snuggled up to him

“You’re both so warm”

@tescheer

Jaina finished off training the whelps for the evening, they went back into Jorrvaskr as the twins were leaving the hall.

“Are they getting better?” Vilkas asked, Jaina shook her head “that bad?” He chuckled

“It’s just that they think they know everything”

“And don’t they?”

“No!” Jaina huffed “anyway… did you both want me for something? You look like you came out here for a reason”

“Yes we did actually” Vilkas nudged Farkas who pulled a small box from around his back

“With it starting to get colder now, we thought we’d get you something” Farkas explained as he handed the box over to her

“But… what’s the occasion? My birthday was nearly 2 months ago”

“Do we need a reason to give you a little something” Vilkas said “c’mon Jaina, open it” she lifted the lid of the box and stood staring at the gift inside; a gold necklace with a small pendant that had a sapphire set into the metal

“We had Eorlund make it” Farkas beamed “then we commissioned Farengar to enchant it, it’ll help you keep warm in the winter”

“It’s beautiful” Jaina managed to say “thank you… thank you both so much” she gave them both a hug before she put on her new necklace. The wind that was freezing her to her core, wasn’t so cold anymore, in fact she barely noticed it at all.

The twins could see it was working, Vilkas couldn’t help but smirk

“Skjor and I can send you on jobs in the north now eh?” Jaina laughed before thanking them again with a kiss on the cheek

@tescheer

The city was deserted, the snow had driven everyone into their homes or to the tavern, at least… almost everyone.

A sole figure walked through the streets of Windhelm, her footprints showing that she had walked from her home, around the the Stone Quarter and up to the palace, now she was walking back towards Candlehearth Hall. The city was eerily quiet as the snow muffled all the sounds, the only noise to be heard was the soft crunch of fresh snow under her boots.

The Dragonborn pulled down her hood and smiled as she let the snowflakes land on her, she held out her hand to catch a few of the large flakes - some of which were the size of gold septims. There was no wind so it was likely going to snow for a while, travelling was out of the question at the moment, not that Jaina minded being unable to leave. Sudden snowstorms like this gave her time to get some much needed rest, and to recover if needed, and she definitely needed to do both after the month she had had.

Jaina looked up at the sky, the clouds were an odd grey colour as they were full of snow that was yet to fall, she let a few flakes land on her face, feeling instantly relaxed, as if the snow was washing away her worries and burdens.

@tescheer

Jaina woke up with a stretch and a yawn, the morning sun was shining through the single window of her room at Candlehearth Hall, she lay there for a little while, allowing her body time to fully wake up.

Once she sat up out of bed she stretched again, her right shoulder was particularly stiff this morning, the winter months made it ache more than in the summer, she rubbed it to work out some of the pain, her fingers finding the deep scars that caused her discomfort for the last 14 years.

She got up and dressed before heading down to the main tavern, Nils greeted her.

“Good morning Dragonborn, can I get you anything?”

“A hot drink and any food you have cooking Nils, I’m starving”

“Sure thing, take a seat and I’ll bring it over” Jaina nodded her thanks to the older man and walked over to the table by the fireplace, the bard - Luaffyn - was practicing on her lute nearby, probably preparing for the patrons that would soon arrive to begin their usual day of drinking.

The tune she was playing was a slow, pleasant tune, one that wasn’t too loud for the patrons who had slept at the inn who were only just waking up. It remained Jaina of the late evenings she spent at Jorrvaskr drinking with the twins, Farkas would always end up on his lute by the end of the night, the Dragonborn smiled fondly at the memory as well as making a note to herself.

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