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ALEX
I nervously walked around Lakeview Manor while waiting for Jash. He had yet to appear and something was wrong. Could I go inside? Even if I could, did I want to? There were limits to where I could go in these dreams and I didn't want to find out the limits to this one.
There was not a cloud in the sky and it was the first warm day after winter had ended. It should have been a happy time with Brelyna Maryon and Rayya, Jash's steward and housecarl of the manor respectively, spending more time outside. But they were both inside. The only sounds were the wind and animals. The buzzing of the bees was nearly deafening to me.
Something was wrong and a part of me never wanted to find out.
I turned my eyes from the manor when I heard the sounds of two horses. It would still be a minute or two before I could see Jash and J'Zargo.
"Slow down!" J'Zargo shouted at the top of his lungs. "You nearly got us killed back there!"
Jash had gone along the road which meant he had encountered bandits. No matter how much of a hurry he was in, he was a methodical killer. He could kill more swiftly and masterfully than many of the criminals I had run across as an FBI agent. For him to nearly die meant whatever was behind Lakeview Manor's doors was...it had to be Scouts-Many-Marshes' corpse.
I didn't want to find out but I wouldn't wake up.
"If he's dead then it isn't ours to give a ****!" Jash yelled back.
When the pair came into view, Jash healed himself and J'Zargo. The tornado of a Restoration spell went around both until the Saxhleel jumped off his horse. The Khajiit watched his friend and let out a sigh. Whatever had gotten under Jash's skin was also hurting his friend.
As soon as Jash's feet hit the ground, he was running towards the manor. There was no time to move before he was running through me. Unlike the disturbing feelings whenever any other person in these dreams went through me, when he moved through me it felt natural. It felt like this was the way things should be. It was the only way Jash could touch me in these dreams.
"Fus!" Jash Shouted and the doors flung open.
They started to close soon after he passed over the threshold.
Instead of following his friend inside, the Khajiit stood just outside the threshold. I couldn't hold back a shiver. While traveling, Jash and J'Zargo were as close as brothers. Each would willingly follow the other into danger with no regard to their own safety.
Yet now the Khajiit stood in front of the doors with no intention of following Jash inside.
The door grazed my skin as they closed behind me. Jash continued to race to the bedroom and I followed trying not to think about the corpse that was certain to be there. How could I have ever thought anything bad about Scouts-Many-Marshes? How dare I be jealous of the innocent man!
"He's alive!" Rayya shouted to Jash's now deaf ears.
He had to see Scouts with his own eyes. He wouldn't take any confirmation of Scouts' survival with certainty. No matter if Hircine himself came to give the news.
It was hard to keep up with Jash but I managed to be with him as he looked at Scouts. Not dead but also not completely alive. I wanted to put a hand on the man but knew I couldn't actually touch him. So I watched the man I love cry over a half alive Scouts. The sounds Jash made in Jel couldn't be translated as they were the sensation of utter pain. Of being left alive when everyone else was long dead.
I managed to give Scouts' body a quick examination with my eyes. The wounds, mostly on his arms, were self-inflicted. Why had he tried to kill himself? Jash treated him like a saint and Scouts was never left wanting. Was the reason I couldn't understand why the same reason my own marriage ended in such a nasty divorce?
"Brelyna," Jash said as his tears subsided. "It's time to test how well you've learned alchemy. Rayya, you will help her."
He put a hand on Scouts and the other Saxhleel was enveloped by a tornado of bright light. The Restoration spell healed the obvious wounds but there was only so much skill that Jash had. He knew Restoration spells just enough to heal himself and his companions in battle. His true skills, though, lay in the art of destruction.
"I'll get the Blue Mountain Flowers and whe-" Brelyna said and then stopped when she saw how angrily Jash was looking at her.
"Felsaad Tern Feathers and Charred Skeever Hide." Jash snapped. "Does it look like Scouts will be healed with the most simple of potions? If we don't have any Felsaad Tern Feathers, go get some yourself."
With that Brelyna was off to check the stock of alchemy supplies in the house. Rayya started to write a letter that seemed to be meant for the College of Winterhold. The Redguard knew of her thane's weak spots and wanted to make sure no mistakes were made. She also knew that bringing up her thoughts to Jash now would hamper Scouts' survival.
"He's strong, Jash." I said vainly as I felt tears of my own go down my face. "He won't leave you."
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