Bolli sighed despairingly, staring at the numbers in front of him again. He was fortunate, he reminded himself unconvincingly, that he’d make this money back in no time, but it didn’t change the facts. Nivenor had spent six thousand septims in a month, and he knew she’d spend even more in the next.
He turned to look at the wardrobe behind him. It was practically overflowing with clothes, jewelry, and shoes from all over Tamriel, specially tailored and sent to her. He wouldn’t be shocked if there was six thousand septims’ worth of products in that wardrobe alone. Biting back his frustrations, he pushed the receipts aside and rose to his feet.
What was the point in saying anything to her? There was no end in sight to her love of shopping, and she would buy out every clothing store in the universe before she let Bolli stop her. They knew each other well enough by now. He would say nothing, and simply spend a fair portion of his own wealth on mead.
“Are you going out again, Bolli?” Nivenor asked as her husband descended the stairs. “Try to be home at a reasonable hour.”
“Of course, my love,” the fisherman replied begrudgingly. “I see you’re wearing another new dress. It’s very flattering.” With that, he retreated from his home, making a beeline to his favorite place in Riften.
He perked up instantly at the sight of Haelga, sitting in her usual spot and watching the people around her with a subdued interest. He approached her table first, smiling and straightening his hat as he took a seat.
“It’s good to see you here,” he remarked. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, dear Haelga.”
“Trouble with your wife again?” the Nord woman purred, leaning forward. “Perhaps I can alleviate your stress later?”
“That would be lovely,” he replied, taking a closer look around the inn. Its usual patrons were there—Sapphire leaning against the wall, Indaryn at the table next to theirs, Marcurio seated at his bench—but his eyes stopped on an unfamiliar face seated at the bar. She was a short girl, with unkempt brown hair and wide hips that his eyes lingered on, but her eyes had a friendly look to them. “Who’s that?” he asked, gesturing at her.
“Her? No clue,” Haelga replied. “Talen-Jei says she’s in from Whiterun. Couldn’t tell you anything else.” Bolli rose to his feet.
“I should be polite, then,” he replied, crossing the room and taking a seat beside the Breton before Haelga could protest. The girl looked up, an eyebrow raised, and sipped her wine before speaking.
“Hello.”
“I hear you’re new in town,” Bolli replied. “Welcome to Riften. I’m Bolli.”
“Nadia. A pleasure,” she replied. “Can I buy you a drink?” Bolli glanced back at Haelga, who already looked impatient, and smiled.
“Not tonight. I just wanted to introduce myself, make sure you have a friendly face while you’re staying here.” Nadia’s face softened, and she nodded her agreement.
“That’s nice of you. I won’t be here long, but I appreciate it,” she replied. “Are you from around here?”
“That I am. I own the fishery just outside of the city. We’ve got deals practically all over Skyrim.” Nadia grinned openly now, leaning on the bar.
“Practically, hm? Where are you forgetting?” she teased. Bolli laughed, shaking his head.
“I prefer optimism, but since you’ve asked, I need to get a purchase agreement to Markarth. Then I’ll have a foothold in every major city.”
“I could take it there for you,” Nadia replied with a shrug. “I’ll probably head to Markarth for something or other.” Bolli blinked, surprised.
“You would do that for a stranger?” he asked.
“We’re talking, so we’re not strangers,” Nadia replied, grinning again. Confused, Bolli nonetheless fumbled in his pocket for the agreement, then handed it to her.
“Okay, there you go. You’re taking it to Kleppr, at the Silver-Blood Inn. Make sure he pays you. Thank you,” he added, slightly humbled by her willingness.
“It’s no problem. Now…” Nadia gestured with her head at Haelga, who was glaring openly at the two. “It seems your company wants you back. It was nice to meet you.” Bolli hurried back to his lover, who was more than happy to whisk him back to the Bunkhouse for the night.
At the bar, Nadia pocketed the agreement with a smile.
F!DB/Bolli: "The Things He Lacks" 2/?
Bolli sighed despairingly, staring at the numbers in front of him again. He was fortunate, he reminded himself unconvincingly, that he’d make this money back in no time, but it didn’t change the facts. Nivenor had spent six thousand septims in a month, and he knew she’d spend even more in the next.
He turned to look at the wardrobe behind him. It was practically overflowing with clothes, jewelry, and shoes from all over Tamriel, specially tailored and sent to her. He wouldn’t be shocked if there was six thousand septims’ worth of products in that wardrobe alone. Biting back his frustrations, he pushed the receipts aside and rose to his feet.
What was the point in saying anything to her? There was no end in sight to her love of shopping, and she would buy out every clothing store in the universe before she let Bolli stop her. They knew each other well enough by now. He would say nothing, and simply spend a fair portion of his own wealth on mead.
“Are you going out again, Bolli?” Nivenor asked as her husband descended the stairs. “Try to be home at a reasonable hour.”
“Of course, my love,” the fisherman replied begrudgingly. “I see you’re wearing another new dress. It’s very flattering.” With that, he retreated from his home, making a beeline to his favorite place in Riften.
He perked up instantly at the sight of Haelga, sitting in her usual spot and watching the people around her with a subdued interest. He approached her table first, smiling and straightening his hat as he took a seat.
“It’s good to see you here,” he remarked. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, dear Haelga.”
“Trouble with your wife again?” the Nord woman purred, leaning forward. “Perhaps I can alleviate your stress later?”
“That would be lovely,” he replied, taking a closer look around the inn. Its usual patrons were there—Sapphire leaning against the wall, Indaryn at the table next to theirs, Marcurio seated at his bench—but his eyes stopped on an unfamiliar face seated at the bar. She was a short girl, with unkempt brown hair and wide hips that his eyes lingered on, but her eyes had a friendly look to them. “Who’s that?” he asked, gesturing at her.
“Her? No clue,” Haelga replied. “Talen-Jei says she’s in from Whiterun. Couldn’t tell you anything else.” Bolli rose to his feet.
“I should be polite, then,” he replied, crossing the room and taking a seat beside the Breton before Haelga could protest. The girl looked up, an eyebrow raised, and sipped her wine before speaking.
“Hello.”
“I hear you’re new in town,” Bolli replied. “Welcome to Riften. I’m Bolli.”
“Nadia. A pleasure,” she replied. “Can I buy you a drink?” Bolli glanced back at Haelga, who already looked impatient, and smiled.
“Not tonight. I just wanted to introduce myself, make sure you have a friendly face while you’re staying here.” Nadia’s face softened, and she nodded her agreement.
“That’s nice of you. I won’t be here long, but I appreciate it,” she replied. “Are you from around here?”
“That I am. I own the fishery just outside of the city. We’ve got deals practically all over Skyrim.” Nadia grinned openly now, leaning on the bar.
“Practically, hm? Where are you forgetting?” she teased. Bolli laughed, shaking his head.
“I prefer optimism, but since you’ve asked, I need to get a purchase agreement to Markarth. Then I’ll have a foothold in every major city.”
“I could take it there for you,” Nadia replied with a shrug. “I’ll probably head to Markarth for something or other.” Bolli blinked, surprised.
“You would do that for a stranger?” he asked.
“We’re talking, so we’re not strangers,” Nadia replied, grinning again. Confused, Bolli nonetheless fumbled in his pocket for the agreement, then handed it to her.
“Okay, there you go. You’re taking it to Kleppr, at the Silver-Blood Inn. Make sure he pays you. Thank you,” he added, slightly humbled by her willingness.
“It’s no problem. Now…” Nadia gestured with her head at Haelga, who was glaring openly at the two. “It seems your company wants you back. It was nice to meet you.” Bolli hurried back to his lover, who was more than happy to whisk him back to the Bunkhouse for the night.
At the bar, Nadia pocketed the agreement with a smile.