Nirnroot to the Rescue

Dear Kousei,

I hope you're well when this letter reaches you. First of all, I'd like to thank you for the meal. I certainly enjoyed myself more than I thought I would. I did not really know what to expect when I entered the Sleeping Giant Inn at the time we agreed to meet. 

At least you were prompt, I thought.

I took care not to look like I was ready to bash you with my bow or my fists, as I promised in my previous letter. However, thanks to the rather prickly start of our correspondence, my imagination had other ideas. 

Oh, I'd like to take you on a stroll to a cliff near Whiterun, with a nice view of Dragonsreach...

I guess I was still recovering from the shock and annoyance of seeing Ulfric Stormcloak sharing your illumination, but on hindsight, it was pretty harsh of me to think such thoughts. I mean, it wasn't your fault you didn't know I am not into the Jarl of Windhelm.

...so you'd be blessed with a good view before I push you to your doom.

I was taken aback when you apologized at once upon seeing me approach the table. You didn't mean to offend me, you said. And I actually believe you. Somehow, I can tell you were sincere. From that alone, it was hard for me to stay angry at you. I'm glad we managed to nip that minor misunderstanding in the bud, because our succeeding conversation was a refreshing change from having to cut off bandits' curses as I punch them into Oblivion.

We talked about Helgen, of course. Apparently, we ended up following opposing figures as we struggled to keep ourselves alive. But that did not matter at that time, I think. One will do anything just to get away from that black Dragon's breath, even though I personally think he's quite a wonder to behold. Hopefully you won't tell that to anyone; I understand that for most people in Skyrim, Dragons are anything but wonderful.

But the greatest surprise of the night was after you inquired why I was discarding an Ancient Nord Sword on the roadside. I saw no harm in admitting that I was exceeding my carry limit quite often these days, and I've been making money out of anything that could be sold, just so I can buy myself a house. Other people would probably offer their sympathies, but nothing more. But you, you actually went beyond that.

OH, A NIRNROOT!

I could hardly believe my eyes when you reached into your pocket, pulled out a Nirnroot, and laid it down on the table before me. "It's yours," you said. "Maybe it will help." Yes, I know how rare these herbs are, how difficult they are to find. You probably have a knack for Alchemy, or at least an aptitude for finding the best ingredients in the right places, to have such a valuable thing in your inventory. Thank you so much for the gift, Kousei. I promise I will repay you one day. Feel free to visit me in the house I intend to buy, once I have enough gold to acquire it.

Before we parted, you asked if I could write to you every once in a while. I was undecided at that time, but I am now taking the incentive to follow through with what we've started. Maybe we can even meet in person every now and then, if our travels allow it. A potential friendship with you seems too good to lose, and I hope you think the same way too.

Hoping to hear from you soon,

Kiya

Mudcrabs for Anger Management

To the Redguard named Kousei,

I guess it's just bad luck that my mood was not at its best when your note reached me. I did not receive it from a courier, as you expected. Apparently, your letter arrived when I was asleep, and my Housecarl took it in for me. That would have been fine, if not for the fact that she seemed to have taken a fancy to you, and delayed giving me the message. Oh, she said that she really intended to hand it to me in a while, but her apology didn't stop me from making her carry the bones and scales from the dragon we just killed this morning.

What's this? I don't recall giving you a note, Housecarl...

I read your letter with great interest. Yes, I do remember Helgen, and I think I even have a fleeting memory of sharing the line with you on the way to the chopping block. That experience is one that I will never forget. However, you got all your guesses wrong about my race. No, I am neither Nord nor Breton. My name is Kiya, and I was born an Imperial from Cyrodiil. I'll let this one pass, because I understand that I'm quite pale for my kin. You're not the first to have confused me for someone of a different race.

But the moment I saw you with Ulfric Stormcloak, I barely managed to keep myself from tearing your letter to pieces. I am not too fond of that man or the cause he represents. Just to see his visage in an illumination is enough to make my normally calm blood boil.

A Nord and a Breton, indeed!

To vent out my anger, I decided to go shoot Mudcrabs before even writing this letter to you. And I'll admit I did imagine you were the Mudcrabs. I have to give Calcelmo's discovery of that interesting Dwemer machine some credit. Thanks to your illumination, I already knew how you looked like before meeting you in person. That has certainly made it possible for me to see your face with great accuracy in every Mudcrab I slaughtered.

I also might not have sent any other illumination of me apart from what my Housecarl took while I'm on my Mudcrab killing spree. But on second thought, the helmet may prevent you from recognizing me, and thus any future correspondence would go astray yet again. I have included one of my more diplomatic-looking illuminations in this message, but I'm still enclosing this one as a reminder of what I could be.

And that's for sending me Ulfric Stormcloak's ugly mug in the mail!

Nonetheless, shooting down Mudcrabs served its purpose. Once my head had cleared enough to regain its rationality, I got to thinking that perhaps you did not send that letter out of spite. We have gone through the same tragedy in Helgen after all, and survived it. We both saw that dark Dragon. Therefore, I am now agreeing to meet you in Riverwood's Sleeping Giant Inn. I'll be there at sundown this Loredas, and I expect that you'll be prompt in your arrival.

All right, I'm calm now.

Be careful what you do around me, Stormcloak. I give you my word that I'll keep my bow and my fists to myself, but take heed. I may be giving you a chance to meet me, but I won't tolerate anything stupid.

Yours truly,

Kiya

One Day in Riverwood

Dear Lady,

I was walking back to Riverwood after an errand in Whiterun when I saw you discarding what looked like an Ancient Nord Sword on the side of the road near the crossroad bridge. I thought you looked kinda familiar. I'm not sure if you remember, but I think we met in Helgen, on the chopping block. I was busy being scared of my head getting severed from my body that I barely got a look at you. When that dark Dragon attacked, I just took the chance to save my own ass. I haven't thought of you or your fate after that eventful day. Until I chanced upon someone who looked like you. 

Getting over-encumbered, huh?

I wondered what your race was. I thought you were some kind of Breton or a dark-haired Nord. But you were wearing a necromancer's robe (which you probably got from killing one), and Nords dislike magic, so you're probably a Breton. Your people and mine have had a less-than-friendly history, but that was a long time ago, and I'm willing to put that aside. I wanted to talk to you, but alas! You ran away. 

Can I have your name? Wait, don't go! Ok, this sword will do.

So I am writing this letter and sending it via courier along with this recent illumination of mine, hoping you'd recognize me. I hope you won't mind Ulfric Stormcloak in the illumination, but he insisted on trying out this new machine. I'm sure you've heard of this newly-discovered ancient Dwemer technology that could take a moment in time and freeze it onto a piece of parchment. I hope this letter gets to you right away, and won't fall into the wrong hands.

I'm the one on the left.

If you'd like, we can meet in the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood and catch up on what has happened since Helgen. I don't know your name, and I'd be very interested to find out more than that. Please send a letter to let me know when you'll be around. 

Regards,

Kousei