"Dear Mother and Father...."

Lazarus sat in his 'study' dipping his pen in ink and writing a letter to his parents. They were doing better in Hammerfell, as far as he understood. And he had much news to share with them. One day...one day he would visit them again. And perhaps show them a new face. A beautiful face, at that.

He scratched off his paper and threw it away. Not knowing why, he grabbed another and set it on the table.

"Dear Mother and Father, I am doing well. I've yet to receive your reply to my first letter, but as you know, I am happily married to a lovely Nord woman....I know you probably regret not being able to come, but I have sent paintings and memoirs of the wonderful evening. She is everything I have ever dreamed of, mother. And father, I'm sure she is everything you have ever dreamed of as a boy yourself--"

Lazarus heartily shook his shoulders as his deep laugh filled the house.

"I hope to have many sons. And daughters as well. I will name my first child after you, if she gives me permission. Valkari she...she's so very kind. And she cooks a mean stew, mind you. One day I shall invite you all to a feast, with the best steak and the best bread. I've been investing in the mead business, as well. Nothing too big..."

As Lazarus went on in his rambling letter, he kept turning back to his favorite topic, Valkari.

"Should I die tomorrow, I want to be the man Valkari never forgets. So many men have treated her wrongly....but let such a man show his face to me...." He broke the pen in a sudden tense, "...for whoever abuses Valkari...invites Lazarus to escort him to hell..."

"Ho! Then," he was surprised, "Why am I writing that..." He scribbled it off and frustratingly tossed the paper

Bar fights ... yeah they weren't always fun. Especially when the man cheats and sticks a dagger in your stomach. Valkari heaved heavily as she slide down the side of a building in Whiterun and applied some more of the healing potion she had left in her pouch. Damn ... she needed to buy more. Ah well, she would worry about that after she arrived home to a welcoming husband, but he may or may not be more worried and concerned rather than welcoming. Well, he would definitely greet her with opened arms, sure, but his happiness would fade and turn into a sudden worry. It wasn't a bad thing though, rather sweet actually.

Anyway, where was I? Oh right, bar fight. Valkari had been in Riverwood as a hired bard. Apparently Sven had gotten sick over something minor, like the common cold or maybe a small fever. Nothing big. So while Sven was out, Valkari was supposed to be the bard for the week, leaving Lazarus in the house alone for the week. It had been going quite smoothly, until the third day there. Valkari was just singing away on her lute, when one of the boys at the inn decided it would be 'funny' to grab the young bard's lute and smashed it to bits. THAT lute had been found in her old house in Cyrodiil, with her father's signature on it. That lute was basically a family heirloom, and that Nordic bastard broke it! Valkari was furious, and lashed out at him with a rage big enough to cause another oblivion crisis if she was a witch (thankfully she wasn't). The brawl had started out as normal as ever, Valkari sinking punches into every inch of that man's face, when he pulled out an elven dagger and drove it right through her stomach. He had slashed her a couple of times afterwwards as well, creating the cuts on her face. The young Nord managed to get out of there on her horse, Treat, but by the time she entered Whiterun she was close to passing out ... or worse.

So, as she sat there, lightheaded and pouring the remainder of her healing potion onto the wound, she saw her house not too far away. With every ounce of energy she had left she stood with shaky legs and limped towards her home. Thankfully there were no people out. Valkari hated being seen hurt by others. Made her feel weak and wimpy. Finally making it to the door, she managed to unlock the knob and turn it just long enough to enter the house. And then, just as fast as that dagger had driven through her chest, she collapsed onto the floor, armor clanking on the dark wood with a loud 'THUD'.

Lazarus couldn't seem to get a quality letter going on. Plus he was hungry, and was feeling pretty lazy that day. Unfortunately, he wasn't expecting his wife for quite a few days. He missed her greatly. However, she wasn't that far away. He actually had planned to go visit her on the job and see how she was doing...but he would have to buy a horse. And that was something he REALLY didn't want to do.

Getting off his feet, Lazarus stretched his muscles after a long sitting session, and went to his lockbox to fetch some money. Stepping into the bedroom, he briefly looked at Valkari's side of the bed. She'd be sleeping at this time, knowing her. She liked to sleep late sometimes. He found a long strand of red hair on her pillow, and picked it up, closing his fingers around it.

"She'll be home soon..." He told himself.

He opened up his lockbox and found a measly 25 gold pieces. "What?" He really needed to go to his house and make a withdrawal. He had only recently moved in with Val, and had been spending much money on the wedding and other husbandly things. Never one to keep all his money in one place, he knew he needed to get to some of his funds.

He scratched up the chump change and put it in his pocket, preparing himself to go to the market and get something to eat. He wondered if he could pick up another contract on the way? Lazarus was a bounty hunter, and he was always finding ways to attract the vengeful. If the reward was high enough, perhaps he'd have enough to treat Val to something nice as soon as she got home.

That's when he heard the door.

An electrified grin appeared on his face, and he cried out. "Is that my rose? My beautiful, fiery rose?" He stepped out to greet her--

"What....in the devil?"

Bruises, cuts, bangs, blood. Everything went through his mind in a blur. Someone had hurt Valkari. This was not a self infliction. He felt his heart stop. Snapping into action, he grabbed the largest potion vial he could find, instantly picking up Valkari and carrying her to the kitchen table. He sat her down, removing the bloody garments and preparing to doctor her, pouring the potion...

"Valkari? Valkari, darling...Can you understand me?"

Blur. That was all this Nord could see was blur. Pain. Pain shot through every part of her body, no exceptions for any parts. A voice. Wait, Lazarus? Was she hearing Lazarus's voice? Either she was dead ... or actually made it into the house. Did she? She ... she couldn't remember. The blood loss had turned her skin to a sickly pale, making her dizzy and slightly absent minded. This hadn't been the first time she dealt with such a pain, but it wasn't any of her frequent beatings.

"Mmm ... Lazarus? ..." she asked weakly, looking up at a rather blurred and dark figure standing before her. She knew not to be afraid, for she knew the smell of her husband, and that dark skin she loved oh so much. However, she couldn't greet her husband the way she normally did, for if she tried she might have ended up on the floor again ... which wasn't exactly what she wanted at the moment.

Valkari felt most of her garments, being taken off, but that didn't bother her much anyway. She was in her own home, with her husband ... practically bleeding to death on the floor. A large gash slashed across from her rib cage to down her stomach was revealed after Lazarus took off most of her clothing to heal her.

"Heh ... bar fights ... not ... always fun ..." Valkari choked out as she coughed, thankfully not spitting up any blood as she did so.

He knew was a blasted bar fight.

"Sunnava bitch!" He muttered under his breath.

Lazarus worked steadily, carefully applying the potion and gently letting her drink. He set a pot to boiling and found 3 clean rags to soak up the water. He used some other rags to wrap up her smaller wounds, and began using a lesser restoration spell to clear up some of the bruising damage.

"I'm here, beloved." He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead to establish his presence, and continued his work.

That's when he focused on the gash....a deep, almost fatal wound. Blood had pumped greatly from it...it was lucky that it had slowed. Still, the crimson fluid flirted with the torn scraps of skin as they slowly began to heal from the potion. She would never be rid of the scar. Someone had violated the body of Valkari. They had offended the sacried temple that was Lazarus's wife.

Needless to say, he was furious.

"Valkari. Who did this. What is his name. Where does he live, how does he travel. I want to know where the incident happened, if there were any witnesses, and--" He tapped her a bit. "Valkari, Val?" He grabbed another Vial and began working again...

"Stop ... stop too many ... too questions ... at once ..." Valkari stuttered out as she grabbed her head to stop the pounding headache that throbbed inside her head. Man did her head ever hurt. It was worse than a hangover. She WISHED it was a hangover, but sadly it was near death, and Lazarus wasn't helping the situation by asking so many questions at once that Valkari had to think. She couldn't think. Not with a head pounding so hard she was surprised her brain didn't explode.

The bruised and pained young Nord leaned her back and head against the back of the chair, trying to relax a bit and bring some of her pain to a stop. The bruises were normal, and she usually got away with them by the end of the week when they disappeared and Lazarus didn't know, but when a man CHEATS in a fight, especially a Nord, it was much different. Valkari had to back down. All though, if she was wielding her battleaxe (which was still at the inn) she probably would have cut the drunkard's head right off. Wouldn't be the first time she had done that, and it certainly would not be the last.

Another pain shot through her head and Valkari let out a pained whimper, trying to hold in the screams that wanted to come out from her husband pouring vials of healing potions onto her wounds. Though she did ease up slightly when he began using his restoration magic, which soothed the wounds and made her sigh some in utter relief. Sadly, didn't help her pounding head unless he moved his hand up there.

"Laz ... Lazarus ..." she uttered lightly, pointing to her head and looking to him with her icy blue eyes, "here ... put your hand ... here." By Talos she hoped he knew what she meant.

Lazarus became quiet. He didn't want to stress her out....he was just so worried, and he wanted to see to it this milkdrinker was punished for hurting her--and he wanted to do it personlly. Instead of talking Lazarus started listening instead. He would nurse her to respectable health, and then try to talk to her.

He had used enough potion vials, and too much of anything was never good. He needed to just wait and let them do their job. In the meantime, he set to cleaning and disinfecting the wounds. He reached over to one of the rags on the chop table and dipped it in the boiling water, wringing it out until he was hot to the touch but soothingly steamy after a few seconds. He began placing them one by one on the wounds, to ease the pain and relax his beloved. He wrapped one gently around her forehead and placed two large towels around her neck aiming to catch running water...or blood.

IF the potions failed, which they should have no reason too, Lazarus would still have to close the wounds. Infection and disease were the the greatest causes of death in Skyrim as well. He put a small iron dagger in the boiling water hilt up. He prayed it wouldn't be necessary--heat sealing and disinfection wasnt his idea of a good time when HE was the one injured...and he felt sick thinking he may have to perform the task on Valkari.

Valkari seemed to be suffering from a headache, and she made it known, subtly asking him to tend to it. He placed his hand softly on her head and began using his restoration spell. Drinking a little magicka potion, he continued to so, lovingly but nervously stroking where he was halfway positive didn't hurt.

Valkari let out an eased sigh as he stroked his hand through her fiery and blood tainted hair. She began to feel slightly better, but the blood loss made her a tad dizzy still. The rags were helping a lot, same with the vials and Lazarus's loving touch and restoration magic. She put a small hand on his, surprisingly her knuckles weren't broken from the fight, and let him doctor her. He had done this to her several times before in the past, before and after they married. Personally, Valkari thought it amusing of how many times she had to be nursed by her husband. It wasn't a bad thing though. It was much better than going to the damn priest and be lectured about how Skyrim was a dangerous place and blah blah blah.

As her worried husband continued to heal her, she spotted someone in the window. It was that drunkard from before, but how did he get here so fast? Someone had rode him or something? It didn't matter, and she didn't care at the moment, so she ignored the figure in the window and hoped to Talos and the other Eight divines that Lazarus didn't notice as well. However, she knew he'd notice eventually. He somehow noticed a lot of things at one time. Maybe this time he was too distracted in healing the injured redhead. She didn't know until he looked to the side near the door.

"Ugghh ... no more jobs ... in village inns ..." Valkari groaned out softly as she rubbed her temples slightly, feeling a bit better and stronger to move her body a bit more. And she meant what she said. Villages were so small compared to cities (with the exception of Winterhold) that nothing barely went on besides drunken brawls and maybe a dragon landing there. Other then that, nothing happened. Maybe the fellow that stabbed her was a stranger and looked to win a fight? She hadn't seen him there before. It didn't matter now though. Wondering about it made her head hurt again, and she didn't want that. She wanted to be not in pain and to see her husband clearly.

"Damn straight..." Lazarus muttered hotly. She wasn't going through this anymore. He had patched her up 4...no 5 times before. None of them had been as bad as this. These people were hurting his precious baby, and leaving permanent marks on her body. Inscriptions of hatred that Lazarus would see and feel forever, as a reminder that he wasn't there to protect her. It was disrespectful to a married man. And if there was anything the redguard hated, it was being disrespected.

These were still the early months of their union. He had yet to really show her his home, talk to her about his occupation, and explain his business interests and futures. But he would definitely talk to her about this...this barding. It seemed more trouble than it was worth. She was a strong, promising young woman. It didn't seem fair for her to walk into an Inn to entertain people, and get beaten by angry people. Valkari was a hothead, however. Lazarus had no idea, but he wouldn't be surprised if she had placed her self in bad situations here and then. Still, he didn't care. She wasn't going to get hurt like this again, and he wasn't going to be escorting her around like an overprotective prince. They needed to find common ground...today.

One thing Lazarus loved to do was stare at Valkari's beautiful blue eyes. They were his third favorite physical attribute about her. You can guess the first two. As a merc, he learned to read eye movement and dilations. She was becoming more relaxed, he could tell--and then he saw them flicker to the window. He followed the quick glance and saw what she noticed.

A man. 40s. Nord. Cheap clothes. Scruffy stubble. Stalking about. Intoxicated. Possibly violent.

He seemed far from sober, but quite capable of being even more drunk. Val...did she recognize this man? It mattered not, because Lazarus had identified the poor bastard in seconds, and need not look at him again....because if Val gave him the slightest indication as to who hurt her, God save the man outside....

"Does it ease the pain, love?" He let her shift around to get comfortable, and changed the wet towels with freshly heated ones. "Does something disturb you...?"

Valkari knew right away what her lovely husband was thinking, and in no way was she going to give up her job. She gave him a quick look, as if to say, 'Don't think I don't know what you're thinking, boy.' She had a little way with words and the looks she give, and she made sure always to make them clear. She also knew he could read her eyes like an open book, which she didn't mind because sometimes a simple and a certain look was all she needed to get her message across to him. With others, either words or a punch in the jaw would do it.

Dammit, he looked. Oh well, when he found out that the homely looking man was the one who drove the dagger through her gut, she would be laughing while he beated that bastard's head in. But, for now, healing was the only other thought on her mind and a drunken Nord was not going to stand in the way of that. Though, she didn't like the way he was staring through the window at her like a hungry raccoon, so she decided to say something.

"Him ..." she whispered quietly as she pointed to the window. The man in the window was holding a bloody dagger, and ELVEN, bloody dagger. Valkari was not afraid of the fool, but neither did she have the strength to get up and smash her knuckles into his face. She also didn't expect Lazarus to immediately go outside and teach him a lesson either, though it wouldn't be so bad ...

Her skin was pale, but at least she stopped bleeding. The warm and steamy cloths soothing her pain much, and the phials of potions poured onto her wounds began to heal them, sealing them easily, but the larger gash remained still, and it was starting to actually hurt. Something must have been dipped onto the lower part of the dagger for the gash to still remain after a long time. The stinging pain made Valkari clench her teeth and squeeze his hand lightly.

"I think ... I think the dagger was .... was dipped in poison ..." She looked up at him, the wound now burning like her own fiery spirit.

When Val confirmed the bastard outside was the cause of her problems, she signed a virtual contract on his life, and gave it to Lazarus. He was going to fulfill this contract...today.

Val gave him a look, but Lazarus wasn't going to just back off without at least sharing his concerns about the dangers of barding. But none of that mattered now. What mattered was outside the window, holding a bloody dagger for the world to see.

Laz listened as she explained the feel of poison in the wound. He went to his study, shortly coming back with a book of spells. Flipping to the strongest healing spell he was capable of, he placed his hand on the ripped flesh and began applying cool, pressurized magic. As he did so, a single, warm tear fell from his face and onto her stomach. He was stone faced, and did not show signs of breaking down. Still, the tear. He wiped it as soon as it made impact, and continued his work. After he had done all he could do, he sat down to rest from the exhaustion of magicka.

"Valkari. I'm going to go outside for a quick second. When I come back, we will have company. I will feed our company, entertain him for a bit....don't come out of the kitchen until I come for you. I'll be back to check up on you in a short while."

******

OUTSIDE

The drunk sneered at the guards as they walked by, each staring at his dagger warily. This fool was up to no good. He knew they were going to question him soon. But for all they knew, it could be sheeps blood....hehehehe.

"You there!" A guard approached him from nearly halfway across the hold. "Come here."

The drunk spat at him. "Whaddya want?"

"How do ya get off walkin' 'round here with a bloody knife."

"...Well..."

"Excuse me, guard?"

"Lazarus? I can't talk now. I gotta--"

Lazarus put his arm around the drunk. The smell was ridiculous, but he played it off. "Yes yes, I see you've found my cousin."

The guard stared in disbelief. "...what...but...I don't see"

"Oh! No not my cousin by blood. He's a bit too pale for that. " Lazarus laughed. "No, perhaps I should say cousin in law, if such a thing exists."

"But he looks nothing like your wife....she's gorgeous."

"That's becau--wait what say you?" Laz shook his head, getting back on subject. "I sent him to slaughter and carve the deer we were feasting on tonight, but it seems as if he has come back empty handed. Did a wolf have at you, friend?"

The drunk shrugged. "Yeah."

The guard rolled his eyes. "Tell him to put away that dagger, and keep an eye on your family, Lazarus. Take care now." He moved on.

The drunk was delighted that Lazarus had helped him, and held out his hand. "Fen Black-Boot. At ya service."

Lazarus warmly shook his hand. "Lazarus D'Scari."

"So what's dis den? You a nosy bloke are you lookin' for a favah?"

"The latter. My wife has cooked a great meal this afternoon, and I'm looking to share it with someone who can appreciate a good cook."

"Your giving charity then?" The drunk was disgusted.

Lazarus frowned and backed away. "Oh no, I don't do charity. You'll have to go elsewhere for that...."

"Wait!" No use in turning down a free meal. "Maybe I'll pop in, see whats cookin'."

"Excellent!" Lazarus lead him back to the house. Often, the only way to best your enemies was to get as close to them as possible...and where better than the safety of your own home?

Valkari kissed his cheek when she spotted to tear. She didn't like it when he cried, and yes she saw him cry before. It was just a simple breakdown, nothing big, but Valkari did her best to calm him down and help him get through, which was successful in the end. A semi weak smile found it's way onto her face and she kissed his lips softly.

"Don't cry," she told him with a soft voice that could melt a grown man's heart, "it makes me feel like it's my fault for it."

When Lazarus told her to stay put, she did for a few moments, but when she saw him bring that bastard inside the house she slipped into their room as silent as a feather. She wanted to end that sick man's life, and that was what she was going to do. As she moved into the room, she heard Lazarus talking to the drunkard as if the were friends. It was good for her anyway. Gave her a clear shot. But ... damn! She left her bow and arrows at the Inn with her battleaxe. The only thing she had to use for any bow was her old hunting bow. She kept it with her for emergencies, and this was considered as such.

With light feet, and a slight limp, she took the bow back into the kitchen and to the chair of where she sat before. 'What to use ... what to use ...' Valkari thought to herself softly as she tapped her bottom lip, leaning on the table for balance. That was when she spotted the hot dagger in the boiling water, and a devious smirk crept up on her face. The young Nord gently took the steamy steel dagger, careful not to burn herself, and placed the hilt between her middle and index finger and slowly crept towards the dining room.

There he was, speaking to her husband as if they had been friends for years, which made Valkari smile a bit. Ohh she loved her husband, especially for his smarts. He knew how to get to an enemy, and he probably knew that his loving wife wouldn't sit still either. She never could.

As they spoke, she pulled the sizzling hot dagger back in her bow, her sharp eyes aiming straight for the man. Though, she wanted him to suffer like she did, so she aimed a little lower to his neck. He would stay alive long enough to scream at the burning pain going through his throat before passing on to be judged by Talos. An exhale, an inhale, and a soft, steady sigh before letting go of the dagger ....

Lazarus sat back as he watched Fen eat and drink. They man never shut up it seemed. But once he got a taste of the heated stew, he was breathtaken.

"By the gods! This is great!"

"My wife."

"You're married then?"

"Of course. How else would I appear so happy."

The two laughed heartily. "She's a Nord, then? I can tell by the style of the stew."

"You're correct."

"C'mon then, when did you first meet."

"Oooh you don't want to hear that."

Fen crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows.

"Well we first met at The Bannered Mare. I was so attracted to her vivid blue eyes--"

"Uh huh..." the drunk grinned.

"I also loved her fiery red hair and spirit! You should've seen the way she fought Mikael. Smashed the little shit with her lute."

"HAHAHAHA!"

"Indeed...and her voice...the most angelic thing you will ever hear. She's a bard, you know."

"You must get her in here to sing!"

Laz shrugged. "She's not feeling too well, at the moment."

"What? What's wrong?"

"Some wicked soul maimed her on the job."

Fen scoffed. "Such a person should be put down..."

"I'm glad you agree."

Valkari's shot floated through room like a flaming arrow guided by the hands of the gods. It seemed to curve almost plunging into Fen's neck and burning his flesh and bones. The man cried out, but Lazarus was on him in an instant, shoving the knife further into his neck and scorching his windpipe and trachea, rendering them useless.

"You sorry son of a bitch..." Lazarus was ominously calm. "You stay drunken and foul, violating women and causing trouble. Yet you sit in my house and eat and drink with a clean conscience...you've no shame, have you? That's alright. You won't need any now. Did you not want to meet my wife?" Lazarus roughly turned his head to gaze on Valkari.

Fen gasped in horror. It was the woman from Riverwood! His actions had caught up with him! Alas! He had ended his days...nothing could save him now. As he had ripped at her flesh earlier, she had plunged a fiery knife into his neck like a fire atronarch if it were an archer. Fooled by the promise of safety and food, the drunkard would take his last breath regretting the decision of assaulting the innocent...and more specifically, Lazarus's wife.

"You are lucky to have such a pleasant creature to take your last look at. Never again will you make such a dire mistake, worm. Today, you have learned. Today, you have lived. Today, you have graduated...." With a twist of his arm, Lazarus silently broke the half dead Fen's neck, walking away from the body as it fell to the ground. The blood was everywhere, but it was cleanable. As long as it was on the floor.

Looking to Valkari, he smiled at her, but asked "I thought I asked you to stay in the kitchen, my love? I had every intention of letting you exact your revenge...."

Valkari scoffed and leaned against the wall with her elbow, smirking weakly at her dark skinned husband. "You know me better than my own cousins, Lazarus," she told him softly, "you knew I wouldn't sit still. I never can."

It amused her that Lazarus asked such a question, and she let out a laugh right after he asked. That bastard needed to die, and Valkari was not going to let her husband have all the glory in burning, literally burning, him to death. No one got away with harming this fiery Nord, and no one lived after trying to kill her either. No exceptions were made to drunken assassins such as the man laying on the floor in a pool of crimson blood. It didn't bother her one bit. In fact, she enjoyed plunging that burning knife into his throat, and with such an interesting method too. Well, what could she say? Sometimes she was rather creative when she had little options and few items.

Once Valkari was strong enough, she stood fully on her feet, the gash on her stomach now healing quite rapidly from the healing potions and his adept restoration spell. However, she didn't feel like she could kill a god like she normally did, and she definitely WAS NOT going back to Riverwood to continue her job. They could pay her for the time there, and that was it for village barding for her.

Speaking of which, she crossed her arms and leaned on the wall again, looking to Lazarus with that same look she gave him before. "Now, tell me your concerns about barding, because I can tell you right now I'm not giving up what I love to do." Valkari told him right up front, not caring if his intentions were to keep herself alive. She didn't care. The last five times why she was healed by her husband was because of bandits or draugr. The whole being-stabbed-inside-and-in-with-an-elven-dagger thing was a first (and last) time thing. Suffice to say, it had never happened to her before in her life until that day.

Lazarus sighed and began cleaning up the area. This could go no easy way. He loved his wife's strong personality and independence, but sometimes it could get in the way and make it hard for him to reason with her. He hoped she didn't become hard on him.

"It's not about hindering you from what you love to do." He began, stroking his beard before getting his hands into the blood. "It's about going about it in the safest way possible. After today, I realized there is no such thing a 'safe place' in Skyrim."

Lazarus took a large knife and began cutting the appendages from the body, setting them aside after cracking the bones and slicing the pieces. "I'm a delver. A merc. I kill and surround myself in danger for a living. However, even I know how to keep the maximum level of safety. The environment is hostile, while an Inn is relatively jolly. My enemies are deadly by means of black magic or fighting for their lives....while this sleazy bastard stabbed you for no reason other than hate."

Lazarus began taking large sacks and placing individual body parts in each bag. "You know I love you. And I want you to be happy. I would never ask you to give up being a bard. I only want you to be safer about doing it. I don't think it's worth my beloved wife being stabbed by a drunk good-timer. If I would have lost you....I don't know what I would have done. I'm used to having blood on my hands, Val. But I will never get used to the blood of my wife. Fight, battle, and enjoy life! You are a Nord, after all. But please...please be more careful. You are irreplaceable."